Dear Kerry and Bruce

How is life over there?

Here everything is fine, except the skiing condition. We have had really
warm weather - lots of rain, no snow in this part of the country.
Today we are going to have our annual x-mas kayak trip. We donīt go far -
but we do bring a small Christmas tree along...

Cannot remember when I wrote you the last time, but here is a brief summary
of our lives since spring;
1 week of the summer holiday was spent in Portugal with Per Olav, John
Christian and a friend of his. Great place. Good food and wine.  Christine
was in Bulgaria with friends.
The rest of the summer we spent at Nesoya.

Inger (sister) and I had some days in the mountains - Jotunheimen - hiking
glaciers and climbing. It was great fun. Everest next! eh - no - guess not,
but it definitely made us want to do more of it, and learn more about it.
Enclosed pictures from the trip. The snowy pictures are from a ski trip we
did in April. Looks nice? Randonee-, Telemark- or BackCountry skiis. No
lifts. Great!!

I am painting full time - trying to make a living of it. It does not exactly
make me very rich, but it makes me extremely happy doing it. I had an
exhibition in November with one of the girls I share the studio with. I sold
almost half of the paintings shown (mostly to people I know...), so I am
quite pleased. After I decided to paint only, and not do so much of
designing, I seem to avoid using my computer, so it takes a while getting
around to make a website with my paintings...

Per Olav is working in the same office ­ Ergo Group. Being a big company he
moves around within the system, and get the changes he need that way.

Christine (19) has been working in a kindergarten since August, to make
money for a trip to Asia, Australia and US (west-coast). She leaves January
15th and returns here end of May. I am a little scared of the thought of her
traveling all over, but at the same time I really envy her. She is with 2
other girls she has known since early school days. They seem reasonable and
rational ­ I am sure they will come home safe...

John Christian (17) is at his 2nd year at his school ­ doing arts. He is
really happy there. He does not know what he will do after his third year,
if he can find a way to combine art and music, he will give it a try.

Pelle, the dog (10), is getting old, but still likes to think of himself as
a puppy. Really childish, and very happy ­ and very stupid :-)

I am sorry our Christmas card ends up as an e-mail, I have no good excuse
for not sending the real thing. But this will have to do this year as
well...

Merry Christmas to you all!
Hope to see you here soon.

Love, Pippip
­ the family says hi