My Bestefar and Me

Here I am with my maternal grandfather, my beloved Bestefar Strand.  This was probably taken in Norway in 1953.

Einar Strand was a marvelous man.  I remember him as being very kind and loving. He was my pirate king.  He loved nothing better than to take me and my friends down to the park and play with us until we were convulsed in laughter and completely exhausted.  He was very popular with all the children who lived in his Oslo, Norway neighborhood.  He read to us from classic literature, and told us stories of his own childhood, as well as the old Norwegian folk tales of the animals in the forest.

My favorites were the three billy goats gruff:

...And the story of Bamsefar, the Bear Father's, birthday celebration in the forest:

Bamsefar and his forest friends celebrate his birthday

I love the drawing of that Moose!  Okay, ignore the Danish flag flying at the feast.  It should be a Norwegian one!

Every child should have a Bestefar in their lives.  I'm so thankful for mine.  I look forward to seeing him again some day.

Photos of the folk tales and flag are from heaven knows where, with my apologies! 

It is not my intention to infringe on anyone's copyrights.