24 October 2012

Back to our "Fake" Roots ....


Yes, it is I - the 'non-blogger' ....
 
I somehow fell through a black hole and no longer reside on Planet Earth.  Doesn't bother me a bit.  No electronics, no phone, just me curled up with books and adventures abounding with Myron Bolitar and Win and Esperanza - what could be finer?  Don't know when I will decide to come 'home' but for now - this is good enough.
 
But a blog?  Whilst in 'Radio Silence?' 
 
Huge problem.
 
 
HUGE.
 
 
My husband is seriously out of control.  And I couldn't be more thrilled!
 
After filling our entire home with furniture and not really wanting to look about for a larger abode at this very minute and with his sanity hanging by a thread - he decided he would take a shot at making Tines. They are small - thus no need for additional rooms in the house.
 
 
Tines?  Yes.  It is pronounced 'tina' and it is an old Norwegian container.  A Norsk friend of mine called it Norwegian Tupperware.  The lids are fairly tight and for hundreds of years these beauties have held everything from flour, bread, yarn, doo-dads, you name it - it can go in a tine.
 
I fell in love with All Things Norwegian while living there - but no bigger love than I had for the humble, beautiful Tine.
 
So .....
 
 
 
I bought a few ....
 
 
 
They come in handy - here they are hiding a slew of TV remotes:
 
 
And yet - they can hide anything!  Here they are hiding some souvenirs that I purchased at the same locale as I purchased this Tine at - my one and only from Sweden.  It is holding a miniature canon and an 'authentic' bottle from the era of the ship that we were touring was from ... dang ... I forget what it was called.  I will see if I can find out and will be right back ....  ah yes - the Vasa - 1626 - 1628 ....
 
 
My desktop is no stranger to Tine's.  My 'Girly Pile' has at least four ....
 
 
And two are hanging out with my Angels.  Note the stitching on them - I don't know how my hubbie is reproducing this ... but he is ...
 
 
I purchased all of these at a place called "Bærums Verk" an old foundry and they have a TON of shops that sell nothing but handmade Norwegian items - SERIOUSLY - HOW FUN IS THAT?  My husband tried to get me banned, but they loved me too much.  Especially the Tine shop!
 
 
I even had one special ordered:
 
 
A sewing box!!!  SO FREAKING COOL!!!  I stock it with nothing but sewing items from the 1800's or earlier:
 
 
Er, that reminds me - all those cylindrical items down there?  Yes - Norsk also and all hollow - designed to hold crochet hooks and needles and such - I need to move them up by my sewing box ....
 
 
Addicted?  A Tine fanatic? Too many?  Oh, I wouldn't say so ....
 
 
This includes my two antique tines from the 1800's:
 
 
 
But I digress - I am writing this blog for a reason.  As I said my hubby has gone mad. 
 
Tine mad!
 
 
Here is the process he has been using to build an bona fide real live Norwegian Tine:
 
First he steams the wood in this funky contraption:
 
 
Then he bends the soggy wood around this form:
 
 
And voilà!  A Tine is born:
 
 
Or maybe a few more than just one:
 
 
Here is one that is finished.  I tried, and tried to call the ends (which beautifully hold the lid on) dragons in the true "Viking" sense - but I just couldn't - they are my ponies!
 
 
As I drove into the garage just moments ago - the light was hitting Gary's 'Tine Stash' and I smiled:
 
 
Ponies!  They are going to abound at our house for a while:
 
 
I love each and every one of them:
 
 
I mean - who doesn't love ponies? 
 
Ponies and Tine's could there be a better combination on earth?
 
 
I think not.
 
 
 
Oh, and the desperation in getting this blog out while not on "Planet Earth" and in 'Radio Silence'? 
 
 
He starts about two dozen Shaker Boxes tomorrow.
 
 
 
SHAKER BOXES!!!!  OK, they aren't Tine's but they nest and they look cool - and I am addicted to any wooden container - if you have not figured that out already -
 
 
 
Just sayin .....
 
 
 
 
 
Back to Radio Silence .....
 
 
 
What?  The title, you ask? 
 
Ah ... yes - Back to our 'Fake' Norwegian Roots ...
 
Both Gary and I have Swedish blood coursing through our veins and what a THRILL it was to visit some of the small villages and their churches of our ancestors - but not a Norwegian in sight when we wander through our ancestors.  Alas - I have no real 'Viking' blood coursing through my veins. 
 
So sad ...
 
 
Very sad ...

BUT - my hubbie gave me the go ahead to say that he is moving projects in December and it is based first in Norway - Oslo - our old stomping grounds with a pretty big chance of him moving there - WE COULD BE FAKE NORWEGIANS AGAIN!!!  Then it moves on to Korea with Gary moving there afterwards - thus all our Asian travels will be fufilled in a few years.  With Gary speaking Mandarin - hopefully we will FINALLY get to China ....

So probably back to two houses .....  airports and fun stuff ....