So Sunday was the very day of all Norwegian days.

I went back and had a look at what I had to say about 17. Mai last year, just to sort of review how much you all (as my devoted and faithful readers family) should already know about it, and/or what I'd need to add to explain the following few pictures.

Turns out, I had quite a bit to say about ye ol' 17. Mai last year.

None of it good.

Was last year a particularly bad year for me?  I mean, sheesh! 

I think the deal with me and 17. Mai is this:  I liked it a whole lot better when we were spending it in town every year.  Sure enough, I bitched and moaned back then about the hassle of getting all dressed up, and the challenge of getting into the city with all the normal roads closed, and then the headache of finding a parking place, and on and on and on.  But at least once we were in town there was enough pomp and circumstance to mark the day as an event! proper. 

But see, 17. Mai is meant to be celebrated as locally as possible.  Now that we have kids, this means that we're obliged to celebrate the day at their school.  Well--to be clear--we're not 'obliged' as in there's a law saying we absolutely have to be there.  But that's where the local community gathers.  The parent committee (the one  from which I ran so cowardly) goes to great pains to organize games and speeches and refreshments.  And it's built up so that the kids want to go there.  They want to march in the parade with their class.  They'd be disappointed if we tried to take them anywhere else.

And so we go.  This is one of the ways in which I'm actually a reasonably good mother--self-sacrificing and all that.  But it doesn't mean that I can't bitch about it on my blog a bit.  Right?

My beef with the school celebration is nothing more than it all feels a little anti-climatic.  Here I am all dressed up in hose and everything, and......well......meh.  That's it.  Just, meh. 

There are cannons first thing in the morning, and a few more just after the national song.  I mentioned to Mister that there should be more cannons.  Cannons are cool.  Nothing says CELEBRATE YOUR RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION! like three or four good volleys of cannon fire.  But after having just finished watching the John Adams mini-series, Mister was doubtful. "Nah," he said, "Norway didn't have to fight hard enough to deserve more cannons."

Meh.  He's right.

But the weather was good; we must always be grateful for nice weather on 17. Mai.  And I do enjoy gawking at the bunads every year.  My sainted  mother-in-law is going to make one for me, so we were looking with an extra critical eye this year as I have to pick out which one I want.

I give you a random sampling of pictures.  I was playing with the white balance on my camera.  I don't think I had it quite right, so a lot of what I took feels a little washed out to me.  And the focus was all messed up for the first half of the day.  I still like my new camera, but my God is there ever too much to have to think about!  Sometimes--don't tell Mister--but sometimes, I long for my simple point and shoot.....