HAPPY DIVERSIONS

Teddy's Softbar

My medicine in times of crises has always been to divert myself, to find solace in reaching outwards. Call it fleeing from reality if you will. And yes, it is that too. But I need to gather strength to be able to function in a challenging everyday life, so this is exactly what I've been doing recently. Burying myself in misery and sadness doesn't help me at all - I'm a much better companion if I've had a happy time-out.

Last week I went out with friends to eat at Taste of China again. They serve the most delicious Dim Sum - which I simply love! Chinese "Tapas" - mmmmm! What we do here is to ask the waiter to serve us a selection, which they do to perfection - dumplings, deep-fried and stir-fried goodies in a tasty combo. Fortunately they don't push trolleys around with further temptations - which they do in a lot of Dim Sum places, going: "Another one? Just a small one? YES!"

After Dim Sum two of us went to Teddy's Softbar - a traditional 50s bar in Oslo. I don't go there often, but when I do I'm literally transported back to the 50s (when I was a toddler anyway, but still I DO remember the 50s - born as I am in the middle of it. But I didn't go to bars at the time of course! Oh, where is this heading?!) Well, okay - it's complete with a Wurlitzer, laminated tables and a toilet in the backyard - yup, this is nostalgia for me.

The beautiful Oslo Opera House

The following day one of my best friends had invited me to the Opera! Oh, was I ever excited! Not because I love listening to opera that much, especially not on TV, but because GOING to the opera in person, watching it on stage, reading the libretto - is a totally different matter. It's grand, it's stately, it's classy, it's high culture. I loved it! We saw Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini - not that many well known music pieces, except the aria Un Bel Di Vedremo. But the music is beautiful and soothing, and of course the tragic plot makes you cry at the end. The performance lasted for three whole hours, including an interval of 20 minutes, when my friend Anne-Helene and I queued in the bar for fifteen minutes just to knock back a glass of Chardonnay in the remaining five!

My husband's cancer treatments started on Monday. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy. Our whole day revolves around this. In addition all the other stuff - pills to enhance appetite, superfood to try to fight cancer the "natural" way. Trying everything, even changes in diet. Well, why not... Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It was in fact good to get things going. No side effects as yet - they'll most probably kick in half way through, after three weeks.

A walk in my park yesterday afternoon with best friend Grete was another healing time. I'd been to a good friend's funeral in the morning, which had been very emotional and upsetting for me, and just walking and talking with the one who knows me best - and drinking in deeply those familiar views - calmed me completely.

I have to cherish these moments. And then come home to my husband feeling uplifted and refreshed.

And - in time - he'll be joining me.