As may be evident from my slow news on the website, this is a quiet time for me at the moment. Team Strommen is still on break for the Women's European Championships while D and I have not hosted any more North American visitors. I have been working hard to keep fit for the season, but am looking forward to team training and team practices starting again tomorrow. Soccer is always more fun when you are working out with other people.

On Friday 29th August, I am traveling with Diana and teammate Mari to Helsinki, Finland, via Stockholm, Sweden, to watch a few of our teammates in action for the Norwegian National Women's team playing France.

I am looking forward to the adventure, especially as we are getting there by over night train to Stockholm, followed by an overnight ferry to Helsinki. We are going to be exhausted by the time we finally arrive. Should be interesting.

Norway had a rough start to the UEFA Tournament as they lost to Germany 4-0, giving up three goals in the last period of the game. However, I am confident that they will get their nerves in check for the game against Iceland tomorrow and France on Sunday. Canada has had its own hard struggles against the German giants, so I am not at liberty to comment further on the Norwegian loss.

The big news at the moment is that Strommen teammate Hege Storlekken gave birth to a healthy baby boy on Monday. Jonas arrived a month early. I have asked whether he was named after the Jonas brothers, and I hope she knew our friendship was on the line for the answer! However, I have been assured that it this a common Norwegian boy's name.

Hege's twin sister is Lene Storlekken who is in Helsinki with their mother and father, while she is playing for Norway. I am sure everyone was disappointed to have missed the birth, but who could have predicted that the baby would arrive so early? I am nervous, because Hege was over for supper on Friday evening. I know my cooking isn't great, but I am just hoping that the food isn't contraction inducing.

I look forward to sending updates from Finland.

The attached photos are from a minor soccer team, the Wildcats whose practice I visited when last back in Montreal. Mark Barbieri the coach has sent these on and the photographs have finally caught up with me. As you can see, we had a good evening.

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