tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19627901841091698482011-07-29T11:32:30.862+02:00Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.comBlogger681100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-73137535080227370712010-06-09T23:19:00.003+02:002010-06-09T23:26:44.681+02:00

Samuel 's latest thing is letting me know what he needs. Very loudly. As in, when we are in the supermarket, whizzing past the dairy section, he will say (shout) "I NEED cheese Mummy. I NEED it! I NEED it!"As if we are not already a spectacle enough in the supermarket what with the English talking already causing a few people to glance in our direction, we now have the loud declaration of NEEDS.

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-66950706833931025722010-06-07T20:54:00.006+02:002010-06-07T21:28:44.719+02:00

Those of you following along will be happy to know that the Lollipop Lady Runner is no more! The warmer weather meant that it was necessary to retire her. I spent an hour in Sports Master trying on every black pair of running leggings in the entire shop. They all looked completely identical until I got them on.After much huffing and puffing and absolutely no help from the indifferent staff, I

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-88967164716392802952010-06-01T14:51:00.009+02:002010-06-01T21:08:59.869+02:00

On Saturday, I attended a re-union party for a company that I used to work for. I talked to some people who last saw me as I waddled off on maternity leave for my first baby.From which point you don't have to look very hard to find the reason(s) behind the subsequent patchy CV and awkward working hours. My career (and I really hesitate to call it that) hasn't exactly turned out how I expected. I

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-33015737871093681462010-05-25T12:14:00.008+02:002010-05-25T14:25:40.131+02:00

Like the timing of childbirth, toilet training, children's vegetable consumption and the weather, volcanic ash is just another thing I have to accept I do not have any control over.On my journey back from England last week, I had to take an unexpected detour via London and Brussels due to the volcanic ash that closed Manchester airport. I had visions of being stuck for days as Britain got shut

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-83310779071862235742010-05-19T10:49:00.005+02:002010-05-19T12:04:53.416+02:00

As I get older, it is even more important to stay in touch with the friends who knew me when I was young.And I don't mean this in some shallow Facebook way, where some random woman "friend requests" me via Facebook and claims we used to go to school together 25 years ago. We didn't talk to each other or know anything about each other then, so why would we suddenly do that now? All that we have in

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-20849095322844536352010-05-11T21:44:00.003+02:002010-05-11T22:12:59.627+02:00

I am 18,654 words, 59 pages, and 203 footnotes into a document and project that has taken up all my available time and then just a bit more time that I didn't actually have.If I wasn't so busy, I would write about:How stressed I get when I can't quite see how I am going to tackle a job. And I feel very anxious and overwhelmed by the deadline. Once I've made a start on it, it feels more manageable

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-26905725479606137912010-04-19T13:49:00.005+02:002010-04-19T14:03:36.943+02:00

At the weekend, Samuel drove his little police motorcycle (complete with trailer) around the garden, stopping to collect important bits and pieces as he went.He drove up to me, took some bark from his trailer and handed it to me:Sam: Here you are mummy!Me: Oh, thank you! What is this?Sam: It's cake Mummy! Eat it!Me: Oh, lovely, yummmm (proceed to fake-eat the bark)Sam: You like it?Me: Oh yes,

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-9828326804878457012010-04-15T20:38:00.005+02:002010-04-15T20:51:43.046+02:00

So, we went to LEGOLAND in Billund for the weekend. This was quite a surprise to me since last time we were there I promised myself Never Again.Aksel and I both used to work for LEGO. Not the park, or the factory, but LEGO Media, which was set up in 1996 to develop new products. It was a fun, strange time in our lives. Me: newly married, learning Danish, just moved to this strange country. Aksel:

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-42408067444141087612010-03-29T21:22:00.003+02:002010-03-29T21:42:37.856+02:00

The advantages are obvious: a pay rise whenever the bank balance allows it and a new fancy made up job title whenever you feel like it. I've been running my own company with my business partner for more than 6 years now, and I like the way that my work fits in with my life, rather than the other way around. I don't rely on too much outside childcare for Samuel and it is great to be able to go

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-76049852789567947602010-03-26T14:27:00.004+01:002010-03-26T14:43:56.653+01:00

Just recently I have been composing blog posts in my head, at night, when I can't sleep. There are several problems with this; the main one being that it serves absolutely no purpose except to ensure that I get even less sleep than otherwise.I know, I know, you're going to tell me about the "notepad and pencil" by the side of the bed trick, aren't you? But to be honest, I just can't be bothered.

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-47836636255047108912010-03-03T21:03:00.003+01:002010-03-03T21:16:09.261+01:00

Apparently, when you are running and your mind starts wandering off onto other things rather than just concentrating on the next step and the next breath, you have reached a certain level of running fitness. Or so my good friend Emma tells me. And I believe her because she is a very experienced and super fit runner.My other source of running advice, Tina, told me that she runs with a friend and

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-72418588758307891572010-02-27T21:07:00.006+01:002010-02-27T21:40:52.858+01:00

Oh alright then already! Anything is better than all that talk about wee at the top, I suppose. -Not much running going on at the moment. The dismal weather (ice, ice, snow, ice) and a stinking cold coupled with a trip to Blighty have knocked my running mojo.In fact, the only Winter Olympics going on around here is in the telly - unless I can count the frantic exercise each morning to dress two

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-11623044799188255952010-01-27T20:38:00.005+01:002010-01-27T20:52:51.370+01:00

I often tell Sam that his food is too hot - wait a minute, blow on it! - so he doesn't dive in and burn his mouth.Tonight as he was having his pre-bath wee, he managed to wee a bit on his hand.Warm mummy! he remarked as he felt the temperature of the yellow liquid.Then he said, Sam blow on it as he attempted to blow on his own wee - while still weeing.

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-1630800538828480502010-01-26T11:00:00.002+01:002010-01-26T11:04:50.977+01:00

I just need to put in writing that I am now running 5 km every second day in about 30 minutes.Never mind the fact that I look like a homeless person crossed with a lollipop lady in my cobbled together outfit, which is the result of the need for lots of layers (minus 5 degrees here still) and visibility and my lack of money to buy fancy running trousers. (If I am honest, I also don't want to go

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-31287194199508182542010-01-17T21:35:00.005+01:002010-01-17T22:00:18.799+01:00

You know you should be worried when people start calling your husband to offer him congratulations.After literally months of hearing non-stop about the pros and cons of this camera vs. that camera, ISO whatchamacall-its, full frame vs. cropped sensor and other blah de blah, Aksel finally went and bought a new one - a 5D Mark ll..... with lenses.The man in the shop subtly won him over by

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-60177583853235290112010-01-06T20:22:00.006+01:002010-01-06T21:18:46.970+01:00

Today was the first day since December 16th that I have been alone in the house. We've had a really great Christmas and New Year - in stark contrast to several previous years that have been full of illness and loss and terrible news. Aksel and I had almost become accustomed to plans being dramatically and disastrously cancelled around December and January due to emergency hospital visits and

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-6578413018504820892009-12-27T18:59:00.002+01:002009-12-27T19:01:15.674+01:00

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-43397932756808298482009-12-15T10:19:00.005+01:002009-12-15T11:16:33.766+01:00

I have to admit that I actually don't like other people's kids (OPKs) very much. With a few exceptions, of course. This was not the case before I had my own children. Before I became a mother, I was happy to babysit and play with little kids and generally thought they were ok most of the time....But then I had my own, and other children just seemed to pale into insignificance compared to the

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-68588362887919452212009-12-14T12:05:00.003+01:002009-12-14T12:14:23.341+01:00

Apparently "writing is the new praying". If this is true then "Bless me Father, for I have sinned - it's been a very long time since I wrote anything."The "little and often" approach is obviously not my strength and certainly cannot be applied to my blogging skills. The "a lot and often" method, however, can definitely be applied to my shopping behaviour in December.We have been busy:All 4 of us

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-88283379034904315812009-11-23T09:28:00.003+01:002009-11-23T10:38:03.535+01:00

I've been back from London for ages but had lots of catching up to do - sleep, work, costumes for Christmas performances, more work, laundry, cleaning.Cleaning is a bit of an emotional topic.Although Aksel would quite like to be transported back to the 1960s Mad Men style home, where I fixed him a drink the moment he came home from work and his most taxing domestic duty might be to change a fuse,

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-39915597321711945762009-11-12T13:48:00.004+01:002009-11-12T13:54:55.148+01:00

I'm off to London tomorrow for Girls on tour 2. For details of GOT1, you can look here.For some idea of what I'll be doing in London, you can look here (Gasp! I know! A guest blog post! Me! Feeling very honoured by the whole thing.)In the meantime, I am busy packing and writing Aksel operating instructions for everything.

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-5613088442172587012009-11-11T10:38:00.003+01:002009-11-11T10:43:58.454+01:00

Aksel and I used to comment on how easy Anna was as a baby and toddler. At the time, with nothing much to compare it to, we didn't fully appreciate the lack of tantrums. But we were rather smug and self-congratulatory about our great parenting skills.This was until our son turned up and reminded us that nature might just play a bigger part than nurture and it's all just half-chance anyway.Samuel

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-67639928888866133062009-11-05T10:36:00.004+01:002009-11-05T10:59:06.113+01:00

I have been told that it is November 5th and this means bonfire night, guy fawkes, gun powder, treason and plot. And most importantly fireworks. Sadly, we are not having any of these over here.Fireworks are impossible to buy at this time of year - some sort of regulation thing. Which is kind of ironic when you see what the Danes are allowed to do with fireworks in their own back-garden on New

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-6938341615434279142009-11-04T11:19:00.005+01:002009-11-04T12:01:22.251+01:00

In my second and third year at university I rented a really dirty house in SE London with 4 others. The house had the type of grime that only years of non-cleaning and student neglect and apathy can inflict. I am sure I would be shocked to see the squalid conditions now, but I didn't mind so much then.The "garden" was so overgrown that we literally could not open the backdoor. Until one day the

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-22738039167259580542009-10-16T10:15:00.004+02:002009-10-16T10:23:39.229+02:00

So, Halloween is coming...The rather fantastic Nicola at micro-chasms wrote a post a while back about a game she played with her husband: Happy (and) in Bed?The version that Aksel and I play is a bit more weird and has more elements of zombies, but essentially it is a similar idea. It started 12 years ago when we lived in Jutland. In the middle of nowhere. A little way down the road was a

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-88622825652316600332009-10-15T20:58:00.004+02:002009-10-15T21:10:30.708+02:00

There is a funfair squished into the centre of Copenhagen called the Tivoli. A mixture of fancy fountains and gardens and lights and roller coasters and restaurants and stalls. It is, with the exception of Bakken just up the road, the oldest amusement park in the world.I'm hoping to go with the children soon as they do a really good Halloween.We obviously went there, back in the 1970's, when I

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-6022730375526356572009-10-13T23:16:00.004+02:002009-10-17T21:34:11.432+02:00

Aksel and I celebrated our Kobberbryllup yesterday -which in Denmark is a sneaky way of getting in another wedding anniversary.It is a celebration of the fact that you have been married for 12 and a half years. And that you are half way to the big 25 years - Silver Wedding Anniversary.(The cynic in me suspects that perhaps this tradition exists because people don't necessarily expect to be with

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-52078281340955492262009-10-11T22:53:00.002+02:002009-10-11T23:01:44.764+02:00

This was an all-girls halls of residence at university in London. I lived there in my first year. I was 18 and it was 1989.I had a great room, with French doors opening out to the garden courtyard. My parents dropped me off, making sure I knew how to write a cheque so that I could pay the rent, before leaving me to it.It was not my first choice of university or accommodation. But I grew to love

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-15323042212653138242009-10-08T11:39:00.005+02:002009-10-08T12:02:27.548+02:00

Sometimes I feel like I am being stretched so thin that I become see-through. And there is just not enough time in the day or enough of me to go around.With my children it can feel like I am trying to pat my head and rub my tummy at the same time to meet their very different needs while trying to memorise the entire works of Shakespeare.And this particular circus act has to sometimes cut corners.

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-90063429088586186702009-09-30T11:48:00.004+02:002009-09-30T12:23:01.414+02:00

Isn't it nice when parents cut out articles from newspapers for you? Even underlining the important bits. Because they know you don't have time to read the newspaper. I appreciate it, anyway.My parents recently sent me a nice article about cycling (from the Guardian, I think?). The British journalist in this article has fun cycling round Copenhagen and is a bit in awe of the super gorgeous Danes

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-50004685868133652342009-09-15T10:17:00.007+02:002009-11-23T18:37:20.522+01:00

When I first told my parents I had a Danish boyfriend, I think my mum was just relieved he wasn't Australian. Not that she has anything against Australian blokes. It is just that she didn't want me doing what she had done: moving half way around the world for love.Denmark seemed pretty close in comparison to Australia. Unlike her own Australian family who very rarely could manage the long and

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-45515769600794104002009-09-14T12:55:00.005+02:002009-09-14T13:36:47.866+02:00

We've been talking about it for a long time and Anna's first sleepover at our place this weekend was a big success. It contained all the essential ingredients: best little girl friend, lots of chocolate and sweets, dressing up, make-up "borrowed" from my make-up bag, films, Wii games, a very bubble-ly bath together that turned the bathroom into a water park, dancing around to the Hairspray

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-58929816148186210162009-09-09T09:30:00.004+02:002009-09-09T09:38:11.246+02:00

With the number of words that Sam is saying gaining exponential speed, I have been taking another look at some of the resources out there for raising bilingual children. I recently found out that the way we communicate in our family has a name. It is called OPOL - or one parent, one language. Aksel and I both only speak our mother tongue to the children. And we expect them to use that language

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-8082436123682951672009-09-08T21:31:00.003+02:002009-09-08T22:18:09.573+02:00

Oh, it has been roughly 6 years since I last posted, but a lot has been going on, ok.Three more members of this family (bringing the total to 100% in case you are not counting) have since had the sickness mentioned in the last post. Enough said about that.We've also been able to:meet the teacher and get the new homework instructions, the swine flu instructions, the after-school activities sign up

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-80196043935433065562009-08-28T20:07:00.004+02:002009-08-28T20:28:27.396+02:00

Why, just moments after I have changed the sheets, nappy, pajamas, sleeping bag, cleaned up a particularly messy and surprising sickness incident, calmed the child down, gently sat and offered hugs and songs, eventually decided that it is over and so carefully placed the sleepy child back in the cot and gratefully got back into bed myself- does the puking begin again?And why is it always at 3 am?

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-80056242295825220592009-08-22T20:35:00.004+02:002009-08-22T21:13:41.047+02:00

So, despite what I claimed in the one about the pigeon, it turns out that I am actually a bit freaked out by other uninvited live animals in my home. The other night it was rainy and stormy outside, and feeling sorry for the cat, I tried to get him to come inside. I could just make him out, crouching near the kitchen door. I thought he was sheltering from the storm and was afraid to run in.I

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-76787713312243576422009-08-21T20:43:00.007+02:002009-08-22T20:31:02.099+02:00

In our house, people (usually Anna) are sometimes called lucky potatoes. It is a direct translation of the Danish saying "heldig kartoffel".For example: Grandma and Granddad have been visiting. When they left, they very kindly put some Danish money in the children's money boxes. Granddad said to Anna that he unfortunately didn't have any more 20 kroner coins left. So she'll just have to have a 50

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-54776977252843595542009-08-14T09:45:00.000+02:002009-08-14T09:47:15.180+02:00

1967 with nothing but fields around (the tractor is especially for Samuel )This was my childhood home in a small village. Middle England. I went to the local infant and junior school and then the nearby comprehensive. And some of my best friends lived on the same street as me, or just across the road. It was on the corner, and we had a cherry tree in the front garden that blossomed both white and

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-81390822160578874562009-08-06T18:15:00.004+02:002009-08-10T23:13:33.149+02:00

We are in the warm up to starting back to school. The relaxed mornings of the summer holidays, when Anna can still be in her pjs at lunchtime, will be a thing of the past.The normal school-morning routine goes something like this: I get up, ten minutes later than I planned. Samuel wakes up and Aksel and I take turns with him until we are both partly showered and dressed. Anna is normally reading

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-73283631054803140042009-08-05T22:19:00.007+02:002009-08-05T22:53:02.462+02:00

My (very nice, young) physiotherapist had a busy holiday from work, he told me. Visiting friends and family all over the country with his girlfriend. Then a week in Norway. Then a 30th birthday to celebrate.Oh, congratulations, I said.No, not my birthday, a friend's. Actually, I have a few years yet before I reach 30, he said.Oh, that must be nice, I said.So, I am old. And people born in 1983

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-28840092906940039632009-08-01T20:31:00.007+02:002009-08-01T20:55:30.070+02:00

Things learnt on the trip to Helsingborg today:Samuel absolutely loved the train.Samuel loved the boat too.We can pretty much make it from our house to a lovely cafe in Sweden in an hour.Stuff is cheaper in Sweden.Shopping with Samuel is still a pain - as helpful as that play table in the shop is while you are browsing, it is a complete operation to get him away from it when you need to leave. (

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-13321026275201096142009-07-29T11:15:00.018+02:002009-07-30T21:02:22.198+02:00

My sister and my niece and nephew have been visiting.The house has been full of Noise and Mischief and Wii Games and Neee Nor Neee Nor, and Water-Ball Games. We've had Day-Trips Out and Rainy-Days In and Board Games and Films and Wine and Wet Clothes and Not Enough Milk.We visited the Viking Land of Legends, where the children got to try canoeing in a hollowed-out tree trunk. Amazingly, they

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-15791742514606663152009-07-18T20:58:00.004+02:002009-07-18T21:05:11.660+02:00

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-13190422509580152902009-07-16T22:25:00.004+02:002009-07-16T22:43:05.145+02:00

We all ended up at the summer house today - taking shifts in the hammock.Anna told me a secret. Names have been changed to protect identities, so I thought I could tell the Internet. Apparently, Nice Little Girl who Anna sits next to at school is in love with Older Boy from football - but I was not to tell anyone, because it is a secret. And OB does not love NLG back. Ah, the trials of romance in

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-15351782722799039622009-07-15T14:15:00.009+02:002009-07-15T21:29:38.354+02:00

Despite the bleeding-head incident this morning (Samuel's), I've had a nice quiet day with Sam, just the two of us, because Anna and Aksel are up in the summer house, building a tree house.We are having a hard time keeping up with Anna.If she is not starting her own blog or writing her first best-seller, she is wanting to know how to create a computer game she has designed, or star in and direct

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-45865195942219336322009-07-13T17:19:00.010+02:002009-07-13T22:02:45.703+02:00

We are looking at houses.Having finally sold our old house a few months ago, Aksel and I are once again house-hunting. It took us 10 months to sell and I got very disheartened, what with all the constant cleaning up that it required and the little or no interest that was shown. In the end, I refused to look at anything that was for sale before we had managed to sell ours. But several bottles of

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-19140194542498323952009-07-12T20:54:00.004+02:002009-07-12T21:39:55.681+02:00

Aksel and I went out to a proper grown-up dinner party last night. No kids. Eight other adults and plenty of good conversation, food, and drink. We couldn't remember the last time we had done something similar together. It was great fun, and stupidly thrilling to be out of the house at 5pm on a Saturday evening. We left Farmor in charge of Anna and Samuel and all went very well even though it was

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-85846386707942769382009-07-06T20:44:00.006+02:002009-07-07T21:12:01.823+02:00

I have decided that Samuel was, in his previous life, a child from a very poor, large Dickensian family.Picture the scene: many dirty-looking little urchins all clambering over the last stale bit of bread and the meagre broth that the poor mother manages to produce from nothing. The children have to be fast and fierce to get some food and they never really feel satisfied.Back at our house, Samuel

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-24645710357530338222009-07-05T21:28:00.004+02:002009-07-05T22:10:36.652+02:00

Anna: Mummy, what is your favourite thing made out of wood ?Me: (cautiously, cos I can see where this is going - she is eying up a bit of dowling and Aksel's toolbox) Ummm, a rocking chair, I think.Anna: Yes, Sam would like that too.... (drifts off to investigate the bit of wood, but evidently decides it is too small - phew!)**Anna: Mummy, how much do toilets cost?Me: .. ? ? ?.. (turns out she is

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-77433298325786792422009-07-02T09:43:00.006+02:002009-07-05T21:44:57.942+02:00

Anna's after-school activities have wound down for the summer and we are talking about what she might like to do next year. She has been doing swimming and recorder lessons. She would like to do gymnastics and piano lessons. I think it is always a tricky balance between her doing too much (and me having to taxi her to and from these things) and yet letting her pursue some different interests and

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-44426621069536905442009-06-28T18:33:00.002+02:002009-07-05T21:49:04.056+02:00

As a foreigner in Denmark, I have made many language mistakes - some of which I am aware of and some I am sure I am luckily blissfully unaware of. My Danish family are always very kind and forgiving about my Danish. There was the time when I told my mother-in-law that we were having roast kitten for dinner; the Danish word for chicken (kylling) being very close to the word for kitten (killing).

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-34094647602508788032009-06-27T21:47:00.001+02:002009-07-05T21:49:38.752+02:00

Anna is officially on Summer Holidays and the weather is co-operating - it is hot, hot, hot! I managed to meet my work deadline and in theory should be relaxing, but really as any parent of small kids knows, any relaxation can only take place when they are sleeping. And since Aksel is currently hob-nobbing in the south of France, picking up awards at the advertising festival, I have been playing

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-8298924221322860432009-06-18T10:48:00.001+02:002009-07-05T21:50:24.389+02:00

What is it about the end of the school year? We are heading in a frenzy towards the last week of Grade 1 and in the past few days I have attended or been invited to attend:A football match, Anna was a defender and was very pleased with the silver medal awarded to the runners up ( they lost 3-4)The Lucky Viking - A musical performance staring all the school - Anna was middle of the middle row of

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-37536650480183798442009-06-13T22:39:00.000+02:002009-06-13T22:51:09.251+02:00

We've just had really torrential rain. All day yesterday and all night it rained. I got soaked to the skin just running to the car to pick up Anna from school. And it has gone all cold too. Since we have more or less decided that we are not going anywhere for the summer holidays, I am hoping that this is not an indicator of the summer to come.It is hard to imagine that just last weekend we were

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-54512683497490233082009-06-09T21:04:00.000+02:002009-06-09T21:40:15.203+02:00

We've been up to Elsinore Castle, Kronbørg, to visit the royal opening of Farmor's exhibition Pomp and Propaganda. And when we say "Royal opening" we mean the Danish Queen was there. Making a speech. Talking to my mother-in-law about her tapestry. Enjoying the exhibition, wandering around amongst the ordinary folk. It was all very relaxed. I was quite surprised by the lack of security. I mean,

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-19923316608327103382009-06-05T21:31:00.001+02:002009-07-05T21:50:48.211+02:00

And she is a big hit with Samuel. Not least because she has lots of patience to play ball, drive cars, play peek-a-boo, and read stories. One of the best things about Grandma's visit (according to Samuel) is the book she bought with her - Tom's Cat by Charlotte Voake. The front cover features a cat on a motorbike - A Cat on a Motorbike - In Samuel's world things don't get much better than that.

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-46777080046101944942009-06-03T09:50:00.000+02:002009-06-04T10:35:26.873+02:00

I just finished reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It was a really fantastic, terrifying, traumatic, and harrowing read that I just could not put down. It reminds you to hold on to to the people you love just a little tighter and to appreciate that beauty and goodness are all around us. It is a haunting book.Before this one, I just finished The Reader by Bernhard Schlink.Other than that, work

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-23247573333918458202009-06-01T22:27:00.002+02:002009-07-05T21:54:08.262+02:00

Anna is a prolific reader and really this post deserves a whole blog of its own!This picture was taken a week or so ago when Anna was reading the 6th Harry Potter. As you can see she was nearly finished with it. She is currently about half way through the final book. I keep asking her if she understands what is going on and she seems to be really getting it and enjoying the story and the

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-16483592386171826912009-05-31T22:02:00.001+02:002009-07-05T21:56:33.108+02:00

There is exactly 6 years between them (give or take a few hours). They are wildly different. But they still have a lot in common. And so far they seem to like each other - most of the time.

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-81329815276563152772009-05-30T21:09:00.000+02:002009-05-30T21:12:26.918+02:00

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-3939536821546112922009-05-27T11:54:00.001+02:002009-07-05T21:55:00.335+02:00

I don't have any phobias as such (and as a former psychologist in another life, I know the proper definition for one). But if I did have a certain Big Dislike of something it would be birds in confined places. Or perhaps more specifically, birds flying around inside my house.Once, a few years ago, I was working from home and was on the phone to Important New Client, explaining how great my

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-87807296398769540272009-05-27T11:40:00.001+02:002009-07-05T21:55:33.184+02:00

Anna asked me if I would paint her face. I quickly calculated whether I could manage it in between making lunch and saving Sam as he moved the chair to exactly the right place so that he could stand on it and then have much better access to all the forbidden items that had been placed there to be out of his reach - and decided that I probably could manage it. Of course, I ended up doing it

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-4270450608204099582009-05-24T21:01:00.001+02:002009-07-05T21:56:06.048+02:00

Highlights:MIL's birthday brunch went down well - plenty of pancakes, strawberries, scrambled eggs, melon, and chocolate croissants for all. And Anna and Sam were both in good spirits. Anna set the table nicely and made 71st birthday card for Farmor.Anna finished reading the 6th Harry Potter book and made a Firebolt (a Harry Potter inspired broomstick) and designated part of her room as a "Harry

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-40921211644614416682009-05-18T11:08:00.000+02:002009-05-18T11:44:29.520+02:00

You are trying really hard to communicate with us and you make your feelings known in no uncertain terms when you don't get what you want. You are just 17 months old - we are a just a little bit nervous of the two-year-old + tantrums ahead, as you are already putting on a good show.You understand everything we say and can follow quite complicated instructions (if it suits you). You can say:Hihej

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-33755420595253339412009-05-14T11:12:00.000+02:002009-05-14T11:29:30.937+02:00

During my girly weekend, there were lots of things that my friends brought me up to date on about life in England right now. I even learnt some new words (more on those later). And I realised that it is sometimes no wonder I feel like a foreigner when I am back "home".One of the things they told me about was the Google Street View Car. I had never heard of it, but Nicki was able to show me her

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-6206737656290331682009-05-13T09:49:00.000+02:002009-05-27T13:34:31.295+02:00

My best friends from school days recently visited me in Copenhagen. It was the first time in about 5 years that we were all together and it was the first time since Samuel was born that I got to be away from home without children (two whole nights). I had a fantastic time and it was very good for my soul to re-connect with these great women that I have a shared history with. There is something

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-784973997854272122009-05-12T09:48:00.000+02:002009-05-12T09:51:11.650+02:00

I recently found out that Anna has been planning a sleepover with her friend at school and that I have said that she can "maybe" have it at our house.Perhaps I did say “maybe” but I might not have heard the question properly. I find she usually asks these types of questions just as I am screaming with frustration for her to GET! YOUR! SHOES! ON! So we can Leave for SCHOOL! NOW! when we are

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1962790184109169848.post-24894629298968645522009-05-11T11:14:00.000+02:002009-05-28T09:30:51.205+02:00

So it has to start with a list, obviously:Start a blogGet the winter tyres off the car and the headlight fixedBuy appropriate shoes for SamClean the bathroomWrite something creativeMake some curtainsTackle the weedsMake something delicious and yet nutritious for dinnerDeal with the emails in the inboxMake doctor's appointment for Sam and myselfhmmm. Not a very good list. It will get better.

Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10946237213679534411noreply@blogger.com0