September 4th

Dear Heidi,

Today you sailed away, leaving Norway for the next 10 months! It seems like forever now, as you set out on an amazing exploration of the world and of your own self; but I am sure that in 10 months today, you will look back in wonderment that these days and weeks and months flew by so quickly.
Indeed I hope so, for then you will have filled each day with a full quota of life!

Here at home it has been a wet and grey day, not a glimmer of sunshine. I would have lit the fire in fact, if we had any wood over! It has been a usual Monday, tidying and sorting and washing and hanging clothes....oh yes, those were yours! A little grocery shopping, the bustle of having the house cleaned and trying to ensure everyone gets at least one square meal. I took Pappa his lunch, down to Sand, and had to negotiate a digger that nearly tipped over trying to get out of my way! I was patiently waiting, but he rushed over the edge of the road and ended up balanced on three wheels and his scoop, with the back offside wheel 6 feet in the air! I was most alarmed, and glad to navigate safely around him, only to come face to face, or bonnet to cab, with an articulated lorry dumping stones from two trailers. More patient waiting and another obstacle negotiated....I set off once again to meet an I don't know what, which was scrapping and raking the stones and then, as I started off once more, down the steepest part of the hill was an enormous steamroller coming up to meet me. It really was quite the most nerve racking journey to deliver a few sandwiches.

I am not sure what you think I should do with all the library books you have out, with all those bookmarks in. I have no idea if there are particular places on each page or whole chapters or what, so I suspect that I will just have to pull them all out and return them to the library.

I do hope that the weather is kind to you tonight. Wear socks and a hat if you are cold at night.

Your loving Mamma.