In the sun, sun, sun....

There is nothing as beautiful as a summer day in Oslo.

If you ever want to make a Norwegian talk (since we are as a nation labeled taciturn) ask him about the weather. I guarantee you, he will not stop talking. Most of our lives are based around the weather, and we talk about it all the time. Truly.

Visting Brazil a number of years ago, we 'broke' our guide after only three days. At breakfast, after the seventh person had come down and asked: "How will the weather be today?" for the third day, she screamed: "What is it about you Norwegians and the weather?! It will be sunny and hot, like it was the day before that, and the day before that and tomorrow. It is never anything but sunny and hot here!" Properly chastised, we kept our weather forecasts for ourselves, but felt suitable vindicated when we a week later visited south of Brazil, where the mornings started and ended with frost. Hah! See, you did have weather in Brazil, too! 

Norwegian weather is seldom predictable. Even if you wake up to a blue sky and tropical heat, you always bring with you raingear, in case of rain, or a sweater, in case it grows colder. Because you never know....

A Norwegian summer can last from April until September, or just one week in May. You never know. A Norwegian winter may decide to wait for a year, or start the snow in October and not let up until May. Never know.

So this summer has so far shown us a week of tropical heat in May, rain and cold weather in most of June, gradually warmer and some more rain in July, until the tropical heat we have had these last two days.

And why am I telling you all this? Because it dawned on me today that we as Norwegians are not particularly well versed in how to behave during a heat wave. We are so sunshine hungry that we react automatically. Outside, outside, don't wait! It might go away again! It is very easy to spot a Norwegian tourist in a hot city in December. Look for the one standing in the middle of the sun, heads up like a hungry baby bird, catching the rays. Instead of doing the sensible thing, like finding a shadow while you are waiting for the bus, or the green light in a crossing. That's us. 

Today I decided that I could not sit inside sewing the whole day, wasting the sunshine. So I decided to take a break in the middle of the day when my fan could not keep the heat out. (Few houses have airconditiong here. Seldom a need) So I decided to take a bike ride instead! At noon - in 30 degrees Celsius and blue sky. Yep.... schmart!!! 

Whenever we have these heatwaves, we always wonder why we can't get as much done as normal, why our work takes longer, why we aren't able to sit outside and sun ourselves the whole day.... it always takes us by suprise. Sunshine should not be wasted!

(Oh, and the title? It's from the Red Dwarf melody. Fun, fun, fun, in the sun, sun, sun:))