The Richardsons

Video #10

"Hey, if you receive this video and you are in a hard time, whether you are stressing from college or work or maybe even your family, just remember that it gets better. Future self, I want you to be happy and healthy. Don't skip meals and don't be sad. There are many more good days that will come along, don't let one bad day get in your way."

I end the video just as the plane that I am in starts to land. This week, we are in Norway. I heard that Norway is known to have happy residents, and the feelings there are always cheerful and bright. It is also quite chilly here, the temperature never reaches above 70 degrees. Mom and Alexa love cold places, dad and I prefer hotter climates. But hey, that's why blankets exist.

"This week, we will be in Risør, Risør is known to be a municipality." My dad was sitting next to me, pretending like he was a teacher.

When we don't go somewhere within the United States, we often take a plane. And no, we don't have a private jet, we sit in first class (if there ever is any first class on the plane). If there is none, Alexa will have a temper tantrum.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE IS NO FIRST CLASS? NO CAVIAR OR CLASSIC TRIVIA OR HEAT SEATS OR ANYTHING!"

It's kind of funny seeing a 17 year old teenage girl have a temper tantrum. My parents and I just walk away from her and pretend she isn't one of us.

The plane started to slowly descend from the sky and we landed. Everybody clapped and one by one, everybody went and left the plane.

Dad got a rental car and we all packed in and drove to where the house was.

Far from where the airport and most of the city and we found a nice Grey house that seemed to call our name. It was that house, the house that we'd be staying at. According to dad, this house has 5 bedrooms. We all called dibs on our bedrooms already, I take the downstairs which means that I can have some midnight snacks without getting caught ;).

Alexa, on the other hand was having quite a fuss. She wanted to see pictures of every room and took whichever room was the biggest or had the biggest bed in this case. Eventually, she got mad and picked a red bedroom with a large and spacious double bed. The bad part? It's by mom and dad.

We all move to our rooms and unpack, just as my phone starts to ring. Cassie is calling me, so I turn on my phone and wait for her to see me.

"Kat!"

"Cassie! Hey!"

"So, how was the trip? The one to Norway?"

"Not bad, I just got in actually. Would you like to see my room?"

"You know I do!"

I did a circle around the room and spun around.

"Wow! And you go to these places almost every weekend?" Cassie asked.

"Well, yeah. It's like a family vacation. Except, it's like going to work for my parents. Work for them never ends, and I do feel bad for them, they have to travel by plane or by car and end up taking even more work instead of relaxing like they should." I sighed.

"I'll admit, your parents are pretty much workaholics that never take a break. But, they run many successful businesses in one business. In all honesty, I'm envious of your life."

"There's no need to be." I say to Cassie.

"It's just that you travel around the world all year, and you know I have a weakness for traveling!" Cassie squeezed her cheeks.

"Hey, I send you guys pictures of everything. It's like you're there with me!"

"But, have you ever asked your parents about taking friends with you?" Cassie asked.

"I think my parents are ok with it. It's just your parents or Adrian's mother. I don't think that your parents would even let you go anywhere out of school."

"True."

I see a notification come up.

Adrian would like to join.

I click "yes" and Adrian comes on the screen as well.

"Hey girls." Adrian says shyly.

"Hey!" We say back to him.

"Heard that Kat is in Norway now. How cold is Norway?" Adrian asked.

"It's about 47 degrees out right now." I slowly start to shiver.

"Hey! Don't catch a cold! We don't want one less person making school less miserable and boring than it is!" Cassie nagged.

I giggle and grab one of the fleece blankets from a pile of blankets and put it over my legs and suddenly, I feel a little bit better.

"See? It's good to bundle up!" Adrian noticed me.

I giggle softly again.

We giggle for a few hours into the night. I hear the cuckoo clock go off a few too many times that I start to lose track of time.

"Anyways, I got to go. I need to finish packing and get some sleep. Norway has a noticeable time difference, so it's probably going to be daylight by the time I actually get some sleep."

"Oh, well, we better get some sleep too." Adrian said like a grandfather.

"I'll probably be up still. I'm doing nothing this weekend. Yay for all nighters and sleeping in!"

I giggle at my friends and wave one last goodbye to them and turn off my phone and put it on a dresser. Slowly, I start unpacking, but eventually, I get tired once I'm done as fall asleep on my bed.