If You Play with Fire, You'll Wet the Bed
I'm not sure how true this is but it is a genuine example of Norwegian scare tactics; a phrase used by the old to make the young behave - that's what Anne Britt told me when Simen was messing around with a candle at dinnertime today. Norwegians have some curious expressions. For example, if you want to make sure your friend knows that what you're saying is reliable, you may say (in Norwegian), "And you can take that as good fish."
There are some good fish up for grabs now, as I tell you that I was inducted into the scouts today. The ceremony was painless, even enjoyable; it involved a handshake and the collection of a neck scarf-thing and the leather hoop that secures it - I think they're called a toggle and woggle. I wore my new uniform with pride, especially as it enables me to not frighten old ladies if I carry a knife, apparently. That was explained to me this afternoon but I'm not sure I fully understand. And to those of you who think that it's funny to become a scout (that is, all those from Hackney), I would say that while I too once held your unenlightened view, it is important to remember that Indiana Jones was a scout. And that is the end of that.
A good amount of rain today washed away practically all of the snow and ice, so it's less hazardous to walk or cycle. The feeling of Christmas has also weakened slightly too, which is right and proper in my opinion - mid-November is slightly premature for a festive atmosphere. As if to confirm the emotional postponing of Yule, today I ate reindeer, in a very nice casserole with mushrooms (Anne Britt is an excellent cook). The meat tastes rather like beef, I suppose.
I could say more about this busy weekend - Columbia Day raised 80 000 kroner through the longest raffle of my life; Graham Geddis, long gone back to England but still greatly loved in Arna, won a child's mountain bike; I drove a Norwegain car (or possibly minivan) for the first time. But, friends, let me leave you with one final expression - you may use it at your own discretion and convenience. Suppose two of you are in a deadlocked argument about some decision. We all know that one of you will have to give in and just let the other person have their way. You may not like it, but you'll have to put up with it; or, as we say over here, "You have to eat your camel."
There are some good fish up for grabs now, as I tell you that I was inducted into the scouts today. The ceremony was painless, even enjoyable; it involved a handshake and the collection of a neck scarf-thing and the leather hoop that secures it - I think they're called a toggle and woggle. I wore my new uniform with pride, especially as it enables me to not frighten old ladies if I carry a knife, apparently. That was explained to me this afternoon but I'm not sure I fully understand. And to those of you who think that it's funny to become a scout (that is, all those from Hackney), I would say that while I too once held your unenlightened view, it is important to remember that Indiana Jones was a scout. And that is the end of that.
A good amount of rain today washed away practically all of the snow and ice, so it's less hazardous to walk or cycle. The feeling of Christmas has also weakened slightly too, which is right and proper in my opinion - mid-November is slightly premature for a festive atmosphere. As if to confirm the emotional postponing of Yule, today I ate reindeer, in a very nice casserole with mushrooms (Anne Britt is an excellent cook). The meat tastes rather like beef, I suppose.
I could say more about this busy weekend - Columbia Day raised 80 000 kroner through the longest raffle of my life; Graham Geddis, long gone back to England but still greatly loved in Arna, won a child's mountain bike; I drove a Norwegain car (or possibly minivan) for the first time. But, friends, let me leave you with one final expression - you may use it at your own discretion and convenience. Suppose two of you are in a deadlocked argument about some decision. We all know that one of you will have to give in and just let the other person have their way. You may not like it, but you'll have to put up with it; or, as we say over here, "You have to eat your camel."
posted by Dan at 11:10 pm
11 Comments:
Now there's a phrase I shall need to employ many times as Tim gradually gets fatter from so much camel-eating.
And don't forget, the bed-wetting pyro threat could be most useful if Timmy goes back to his old firey ways.
Playing with fire and wetting the bed. Brings back so many happy memories.
Ay, it does for us all Jon... And weren't the best times when you did both in tandem?
I'm afraid that I have to say as one with much experience of the former, and none of the latter, that this phrase is merely an attempt at scaremongering by Norwegian parents (although I daresay, it would have had a profound effect on me had I been told it in my formative years).
As to you being inducted in to the scouting fraternity, Daniel Daniel Daniel. It really wasn't that long ago that any scout would have been subject to a dose of some trademark Daniel sarcasm, or some other cutting comment. How times have changed.
Tim, at the risk of repeating myself, we have only to consider Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade to help us get scouting in a proper perspective.
And what peculiar timing, Joe, that this story should break at the very same time that we are vigorously debating the subject of firestarting bedwetters... In honour of that poor German, let us have a minute's silence. Nobody post a comment until after 13:34 today.
Maybe you should change your profile photo then to something a bit more appropraiate like this one or this one, God bless 'em
Come now, Tim. Just because you can cherry-pick a couple of pictures of some slightly inferior scouts doesn't mean that the whole lot are losers. Shall we take a look at country songwriter Tim Lovell (grandpa shirt, stripey waistcoat, Flanders moustache)? Enough said.
Joe- Hours of fun, hours and hours and hours, thank you so much.
May I introduce the Other Brother, Sam. We tend not to mention him as he lives life without a blog, thus bringing open shame upon the family...
Nice sing thing, Joe. I had slightly less fun than Sam, maybe 20 minutes. I'd have had more but, what with a crippling dial-up connection, that's how long one song took to generate. I notice they don't have a sound for the word "chorus" - surely Westside by Athlete has the perfect use of it. Word?
Ah yes, 'colloquialisms'... Having just enjoed a bit of the legendary Change Your World video, I would love to try out some vintage Michael W Smith lyrics.
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