Ive taken the liberty to start a new BnT beginning. Now, thats not a huge thing to do you may think, but having fallen in love with my city all over again during Christmas time, Ive decided to make Bette and Tina fall in love with it as well..! And with each other of course.. Just not like it originally was.. Anyways, this takes place all the way on the other side of the Atlantic! So all of you Americans who think Norway is a mountain in China (wink wink..), read up on your geography! You know, the Nobel peace price concerts taking place in Oslo this weekend, just so youll know
Lesson nr 1: Norway has just over 4 million people, and yet theyve got the impression that they make a huge significance in the worlds happenings. Not me of course.. erm

Oh, and by the way, a huge congratulations to ALL of the talented writers on the site! Im humbly thanking you for reading and commenting the stories of this poorly taught student who lays all her blame on her high school English teacher.. I hope theres a new dictionary laying under the Christmas tree, seeing as my old one is getting worn out.. Seriously, Im in awe and thank you very much! g_nightswim@hotmail.com







It was December. Temperature was nearing 15 degrees centigrade and the newly fallen snow embracing the trees and town houses in down town Oslo was creating a magic frame around the city. There were lights everywhere composing beautiful paintings on the winter sky. Santa clauses and Christmas trees were everywhere and the water fountain in the city centre was frozen to ice, giving kids a perfect skating area. The small city always changed during this time of year. The streets were crowded with people. The normally reserved and shy Norwegians became warmer in the cold weather, hospitality rising, benevolence tried its best to eliminate the differences between the ones having little and the ones having too much. The city somehow glowed.

Bette always felt a bit ambivalent during Christmas time. She loved it, the warm atmosphere, the flickering lights, the good food, everything. But when she thought about how shed used the year to neglect to care for so many areas of her life, she was saddened and her guilty conscience creeped up on her. Her family and friends were getting too little of her time and efforts. Ever since she got the long desired job at the National Gallery she had gotten so busy, her limited free time was usually spent at home in her town house apartment dead beat on the couch with her two white golden retrievers, Jack and Jill. And this evening with the snow lightly falling from the winter sky, the temperatures dropping and her legs aching from her previous Christmas shopping, the couch was yelling for her company. It was Friday evening, a long and tiring work week was taking its tolls, but she knew she needed to visit someone she hadnt seen in weeks. Someone dear.

She went through her shopping bags, found the bag from the jeweller and put little beautifully wrapped box into the woollen socks she had spent her late evenings knitting, especially for this recipient. Her tired face lit up in a warm smile as her thoughts wandered. God, I love her! Why dont I spend more of my time being around her!? she sighed to her self and went of to take a shower and get ready.


Tina was at a stop light. The red light was surely hung up she thought, as the crossing cars kept flashing by. She watched the pedestrians walking across the street in front of the car, carrying loads of bags, smiling happily and content. *****, Ive got like twenty gifts to buy and where will I find the energy or inspiration to do that?! She got yanked out of her thoughts as the car behind her honked its horn. Tina flipped the finger behind her and stepped on the accelerator, voicing her opinion about the ***** stressing her out to her imaginary passengers in the car. She barely made the turn into the street where her next patient was living. *****, Kennard she breathed to herself get a grip!. She slowed down and drove into the avenue which was lined with beautifully snow covered trees and each town house down either side of the street was glowing, either from Christmas trees outside or from the fire places sparkling inside. This winter dressed street was ironically named Midsummer Eve avenue and Tina had to take a deep breath to truly comprehend the beauty of it all. She felt saddened. Why didnt she appreciate this? Why was she in such a foul mood? She felt tired and all, but still she had always loved Christmas time.

She reached her patients house, parked the car in the street and made the work sign saying the car belonged to the city home nursing department visible on the dash board, hopefully keeping any parking tickets away. She got out taking a closer look at the charming wooden town house in front of her. It had seen its better days, but it was beautiful. Large red painted wood panels were sharing space with tall white painted windows with crossbars, emitting a warmth Tina hadnt truly seen before. She knew the lady living in this house well, having visited her at least once a week for the year or so. She would drop by to check on her medication and chat, seeing this sweet 92 year old lady was sharp as a knife mentally, just a bit shaky on her feet. Unfortunately, Hannah had taken a pretty nasty fall on the slippery road a few weeks ago, leaving her with a couple of fractured ribs and a scare. The physical pain accompanied with the rest of the world celebrating Christmas left the sweet lady a bit depressed so Tina had decided to visited her at least once during her work days. Tina looked forward to these visits. She and Hannah would run through the medical duties and instead use the limited but precious time to sit by the kitchen table, sip coffee and eat cookies all the while chatting about everything and nothing. Tina loved this. Loved Hannah.

Now, whos car is that? Tina wondered, noticing the blue Saab parked in the drive way.