Kender I det, når man er tager i fitness for første gang efter man har født, og opdager for sent at man kun har fået shorts med, at man ikke har barberet ben (i mindst et par uger), og at ens T-shirt er plettet og beskidt (fordi det var den man sov i de første par uger efter ovennævnte fødsel, mens mælken bare sprøjtede ud af brysterne i tide og utide)?? Og at man så tænker, at det er okay, for man møder jo alligevel aldrig nogen man kender, vel?? (Famous last words)

Og kender I det med, at man så står der med sine behårede ben og beskidte bluse og fylder sin vandflaske op ved håndvasken, og der så kommer en total toplækker trunte ind i matchende pink træningstøj, der liiiiige skal rette sin makeup og sit hår inden hun træner videre....??

Nej? Kun mig? Godt så.

On Swimming and Olympics and stuff

This past weekend the European Short Course Championships (swimming, doh) were held in Poland. As an old swimmer I tend to follow championships like these closely - I like to look up the results, stories and pictures. When Danish swimmers are mentioned in International swimming news, it makes me happy.

I've never understood why Swimming isn't a bigger sport in Denmark. In the US and Australia, swimming has become quite popular - largely thanks to superstars such as Ian Thorpe and Michael Phelps (what up Bmore!) In Denmark though, it has onyl started gaining more respect and media coverage again more recently. Super swimmer Lotte Friis gained some popularity after winning some medals and competing in the Danish version of 'Dancing with the starts" (vild med dans). But she still has to compete with the handball team, the soccer team, Caroline Wozniacki, and a plethora of other athletes for media and mainstream attention. More recently, Jeanette Ottesen has been winning and therefore recieving lots of attention. These are swimmers that swam back when I swam - they were the 'good girls' of my agegroup, the ones to beat (even though  I was way far off their times even back then....) - and it is SO cool to see them have success. And even more exciting - there are lots of young talents too.

Anyway, back to the Euro SC champs. Denmark won a record amount of medals and topped the medal charts, set some cool records (It's good to see that new swimmers are taking over now that the Mette JAcobsen and Louise Ørnstedt days are over....). I KNOW none of this translates to Olympic Success. But BOY am I excited for this upcoming Olympic year!

On stuff you don't really need...

I am absolutely crazy about this Kenwood line of kitchen appliances ---- the retro design and the red color makes my heart melt! It would fit perfectly in my red-themed kitchen.....

I still have a dream of one day owning a kitchen machine like this....

Some day, we will own an espresso machine.
For now, though, making our Lattes has it's own special charm.

oooh... Some day!

Swimming yeay

The Danish swimmers are really having a ball at the European Short Course Championships with 6 medals today. They are really looking promising for the upcoming Olympic year!

Today, Little Dude decided he was too cool for naptime. And by 'too cool' I mean he literally laughed at me most of the day, especially when I was trying to get him to sleep. He wasn't super fussy or tired or anything most of the day, he just refused to sleep for more than about 15 minutes at a time (except for one 30 minute nap).

By the end of the day, momma here is super tired and fussy. 

Memories

I couldn't sleep last night, and so I got to thinking... about all the normal housewife things - the laundry (my neverending project), grocery shopping, thesis writing....

And last but not least, my mind was circulating around another event. Just a few days ago, you see, I recieved a facebook invitation for our 10 year primary school reunion. It is still hard to believe it's been almost 10 years since we left 'folkeren.' It's not a time that I think about very often... I've moved on, lots of stuff has happened since then - and I'm sure most of my old classmates feel the same way. I am looking forward to attending the reunion... kind of.

You see, I read once that when we go to reunions, we tend to fall straight back into the roles we once had... the nerd, the jock, the valedictorian... etc, you name it. And it scares me, that now, 10 years later, I may go to Sønderborg to go to a party, and fall straight back into those old patterns that no longer exemplify who I am. I am scared that those people, who I once spent day out and day in with, will think that I am the same as I once was....

Will they see, and accept, that I've changed? That I am no longer that same scared little 14-year old girl, desperately longing to be accepted, to be liked and included? The one who hid behind a computer screen during recess because she would rather not try at all, than to be rejected. Again. Will they see that I am funny and smart and miles more confident than I once was.... but that I am still not perfect, I am still flawed and sometimes scared? That I am a mother, a girlfriend, a scholar..... and so much more.

Is it odd that I feel some sort of need to 'prove myself' to them?

And will I be open to accepting that they have changed as well? I hope that I will be able to forgive and forget their past flaws as well... and realize that they have grown up, just like I have. That they are unique individuals...fathers, mothers, partners, scholars, workers, and adults.

And I wonder... if any of them might feel the very same way.

Happy 2nd Sunday of Advent!

Glædelig 2. Søndag i Advent!

More Christmas

I read today that young people between the ages of 18 and 29 are the people most invested in  following tradition when it comes to the holidays. I found this interesting. I wonder why this is?

I know I have always loved christmas, and maybe even more so since I moved 'out' at age 18. This year, it has become even more important to me that we decorate and do 'Christmassy' things. I feel like we are trying to start some of our own christmas traditions. I think that for a lot of young people, we are trying to either recreate happy childhood moments, or maybe trying to erase bad ones by making our own.

Either way- we picked up our christmas tree today and plan on decorating it  later today or possibly over the weekend. Now we are going to put some æbleskiver in the oven and enjoy some quiet time before Little Dude wakes from his nap.

Creamy DUCK noodle soup

In the spirit of not letting good food go to waste, I usually cook a soup whenever I make a whole chicken. This past weekend we made a whole Duck - and figured that Duck noodle soup was in order. I've made it before, but this was the first time I made it creamy. And boy was it delish!

I covered the remaining Duck with water and let it simmer for several hours along with a few bay leaves, some thyme, and one onion cut into quarters. Along the way I skimmed the top for fat and other stuff.

After that you sift the 'buillion' and (this part isn't for the faint of heart) you make sure to pick any remaining meat of the bones and remove any small pieces of bone or skin. Preferably you then let it cool a bit so you can skim of any remaining fat from the top.

Strain it back into your bit ole pot and add 3 sliced carrots and 3 sliced onions (if you have things like cellery this is also good, but this was more of a leftover dish for us...).

Add pasta or noodles, a sprinkle of oregano, a sprinkle of thyme, and some 1 % milk.

Just before serving, stir in leftover Sour Cream (I had about 1/2 cup).

oh baby....

Say it isn't so!!!

Picture screencapped from http://www.duggarfamily.com/content/twenty

and a Merry Christmas to you!

I'm going out on a limb here and wishing you all a very merry Christmas on this first day of December. I know that it's all non-politically correct and stuff, but if you feel offended you can feel free to wish me a happy Hannukkah or a happy Ramadan (even though that's already passed for this year). Or you can ignore me. That's fine too.

Anyway, as soon as Thanksgiving had passed I was allowed to break out the Christmas stuff. I've made this rule for myself so that I (and those who have to live with me...) don't get too sick of christmas too early. And also "forventningens glæde er den største" (the joy of expectation is the greatest).

This is just the beginning....