my 187th post

Will I reach 200 before I leave Durham?

As I am writing about Norway, I found this news article interesting.

A man in Norway has been sentenced to 7 years in prison for twice attempting to murder his wife, and endangering their son. Her narrow escapes were considered by the judge coincidental and lucky, as he'd meticulously (?) plotted how to do her in.

Their marriage wasn't going all that well so they moved, the man's business failed, they had a their baby, then they divorced, got back together ... but things went seriously bad when he told her that he'd received some sort of calling and was in close contact with the spirit world. He told her he had a spiritual guide there who claimed all their trouble would be solved or they'd be happier were they to leave this life and move on to the spirit world. That means: die. She believed him!, and she still believed him when he suggested it might be a good idea to a) take out a life-insurance policy, and b) die together in a car accident. One day a year later they took their little son for a wee scud around the country side, near a lake, which the man steered the car into. A passer-by witnessed the "accident", and saw the man swim from the car with the wee boy in his arms. The woman managed to get out on her own, and all were unharmed.

The next day the man ran a bath for his wife, put some essential oils in the water, as you do, and when she was in it, threw an electrial appliance in there with her. As you do? She managed to grab it and throw it back out of the tub just in time so as not to fry.

What a horrible oddball! The man confessed to his wife that he'd made the spirit-world story up to be able to kill her so he could get the money from their policy so he could pay some threatening criminals whom he owed money.

He is now in prison. The journalist emphasised several times that the poor lady is 14 years older than her psycho husband. Why is that important? Does it justify his actions somehow?

See, Scandinavia isn't all berry wine and blue-eyed innocense.