February 9th

I hear cracking sounds outside the kitchen window. From weapons or from fireworks. I haven`t quite learned to distinguish between the sounds yet, maybe it`s from both. I`m planning to attend a Red Cross party in Beirut tonight. There`s a new Lebanese rapper performing, and I think it can be fun. To be on the safe side I`ll wait until it calms down outside. Poor Trude is in bed with fever, so I`ll have to try to find this place on my own. With my sence of directions, hehe.. Yesterday it was me who were raving around dizzy at work, and who had to stay in bed from the moment I entered the apartement. Fortunately, the trick of taking large doses of vitamin Cs and sleeping a lot seems to work down here as well, so hopefully my dear wife will be better tomorrow. Today I`ve been in an ectaticly good mood – I got confirmation that my beloved Kajsa Liisa is coming to visit in the beginning of March!! And a week later my dear Leila will come as well!! Despite bombs and warnings from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs they have chosen to come and visit me in Lebanon. Trallalalala..oow, how much I`m looking forward to having my girls visiting!! Yohoo!! Then I may have to seize the possibility to be a little bit tourist here as well, since until now I haven`t seen many other attractions than Byblos and the ancient ruins in Baalbek. And, Now I have to hurry and write a wishlist from Norway. Even though you can get hold of most of the things you need here there are still a few items that I`m starting to miss from Norway. The famous milk chocolate of course, but also small things like dark flour (!) and iron tablets that are not coloured pink..