Skodje, 26 January 1988
Else and Arne Strømmen
6260 Skodje
Norway


[written to Emma Stroud in Billings, Montana]

Thank you so much for the nice Christmas letter you sent us. It’s always nice to get letters from friends and relatives in America. After having been in USA three times, we have got the opportunity to make their acquaintance. We appreciate that so much. Thank you for writing. We are excited to know if you are a relative of Ole Ormseth or Michael Ormseth. Are you related to Grace Ormseth (married to Mike’s oldest son)? If so, please tell us how. We wish we lived closer so we could visit.

Else and I were in USA last summer and we had a marvelous trip. We traveled through Florida, North and South Dakota, and Minnesota. I can tell you that we were in Montana, too, and even stayed overnight in Billings at the Best Western Hotel. We’re very sorry we couldn’t see you then. We arrived late at night and had to leave Billings early in the morning to reach a wedding in Maddock, North Dakota. We looked for your name in the telephone book, but we couldn’t find your number.

We have two children: a daughter who is 21 and a son at 18. Ann Elisabeth is studying in Oslo, medicine and [unknown]. Karl Erik is going to become a mechanic and lives in Molde, a little town in our county. They have given us much joy and no problems. We are very lucky. Else’s father, Einar Ormseth, lives with us. He has got a flat in the first floor. He’s 81 years of age, and of course, he eats his meals with us. He’s at good health. His most important hobby is to make watercolors, very nice ones. He is a son of Martinus Ormseth, who was a brother of Ole and Michael Ormseth. They emigrated to America.

Einar Ormseth was married to Aslaug Rogne. She passed away in 1972 and we miss her very much. Else is their only daughter. She is 48 years old (December 23). She works part time at a nursing home at our little town, Skodje.

Else’s husband, Arne, is 51 and is a teacher at a primary school in our district. I think we all have supported each other through our marriage, but the most important supporter and comforter has been Jesus Christ, our Savior. If we don’t meet each other here, we’ll meet in Heaven, Emma. As you go on your way, may God go with you. You’ll always be our friend even if we haven’t met yet.
We would love to hear from you again. Please, tell us about yourself. How did you get our address? We’ll write sooner next time.

With love from,
Else and Arne Strømmen

P.S. We’ve had a mild, dry winter so far. The snow appeared last week, unusually late, and it isn’t deep, just some inches. We live about a mile from a nice fjord where we go fishing in the summer. You should see how nice it is here at spring.