Simultaneous Norske Obligations in Two Cities

Last summer I was asked to serve on the board of directors for Trollfjorden Language and Cultural Camp, the Norwegian camp that our family has attended the past two summers (see 2010 and 2009).  There are generally two board meetings between summertime camp sessions: one in the fall and another in the spring.  At the fall meeting (at a board member's home near Glenburn, ND), I was elected treasurer, so I have had some money-related duties to carry out since then.  The spring board meeting was today in Minot, ND, so I made a quick up-and-back trip today without the ladies.  They couldn't come because they had an important event of their own to attend:

Our local Sons of Norway lodge's meeting was today; and Susan the secretary was needed to record the minutes, and Suzanna the musician was needed to play the national anthems and provide special music at the end of the meeting.  Following the meeting was the annual memorial program, honoring those lodge members who passed away in the prior year.  Last March Susan's grandma Laura joined us as the lodge honored Elmer, Laura's husband/Susan's grandpa.  Today it was Laura's turn to be honored (remember?), so Susan and the girls needed to be there to represent Laura's family.  Plus, Susan and the girls provided special music during the program: an a capella version of "Beautiful Savior" sung in harmony.  I heard them rehearsing at home, so I'm pretty certain they performed "beautiful-ly" in the program.

I wouldn't know, of course, because I was on the road.  I left about 8:45 A.M. (missing church and a parent/child pre-confirmation class that I was supposed to be at with Abigail) and arrived at Minot about 12:45 P.M. their time.  The meeting was held at their Sons of Norway lodge's headquarters in the impressive Scandinavian Heritage Center.  Their lodge has a great space in the lowest level, and we preceded our meeting with a meal provided by Kari, who had hosted the fall meeting at her house (and cooked for us then, too).  For today's meal, Kari made a chicken-and-vegetable hotdish, baked whole-grain buns, and baked a sweet bread loaf (with dried fruit in it) and put thin slices of gjetost [a caramely goat cheese] on each serving.  I shared some of the cookies that Susan baked yesterday, and the other board members said they liked them.

The three-hour board meeting was productive, and I left when it ended at 4:00 P.M. their time and got home at 6:00 P.M. our time.  Although it's not the shortest route to take, I drove I-94 and Hwy 83 both directions because it's pretty quick.  I got to hear some of the good programming that Prairie Public Radio offers on Sundays and enjoy the scenery along the way.  I especially like driving the span of Hwy 83 that divides Lake Audubon from Lake Sakakawea; watching the Missouri River come into view near Washburn, ND and snake alongside the highway for some distance to the south; crossing the bridge over the Missouri River between Bismarck, ND and Mandan, ND; and taking in the view of Sweet Briar Lake to the north of I-94 between Mandan and New Salem, ND.  People who think there's not much to see in this state aren't looking very closely.