A foreigner in my own land.....

Twenty one years ago today I made some very serious promises to Kristian. I said these very words.... "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”  (from the book of Ruth)


Over the last 21 years I have tried to keep those promises. I have gone where he has gone and I have made his people (the Danes)  my people. I have adapted to a new culture, a new language (even though I  haven't always done it without complaining - I will admit that!!) but I have tried to keep my end of the deal. I have now lived the same amount of time in Denmark as I lived in Ireland. 


And now I am back in Ireland. I arrived last night at 10.15pm and dad was there to pick me up. It's great seeing him again. The reason for my visit this time is to get things organised for his house move. The area where he lives is being pulled down. It's rather sad seeing the street that I grew up on so desolate and run down. There are very few houses left, very different now to just a few years ago. I'm glad dad has got somewhere else to settle.

 So today was spent in the kitchen, not cooking (thank goodness) but clearing out cupboards and packing.There is soooo much to pack and organise,40 years worth of stuff to sort through.
The morning went well and I got a few cupboards sorted out.

Dad was feeling tired, he hadn't slept too well last night so at lunchtime I sent him up to bed for a few hours sleep. When he woke he was feeling rotten. He had a fever of 102,6F. He was burning up.

What should I do? What is the procedure over here when one is sick and its nearly 5pm - who do you call? I was feeling like a real foreigner in my own country. In Denmark I know exactly what to do.....but over here I was a bit lost. I decided to ring the doctors anyway and just see what happened. Well to cut a long story short I got to talk to a doctor who told me I could collect some penicillin for him at the local chemist and that another doctor was on the way to check him out.

The time was 5.40pm and I knew the chemist would be shutting soon so I quickly ran over to see if I could make it in time. I was too late. They were already closed. So home I went. I had just arrived back when the doctor came. She confirmed that he had a urine infection and suggested I go to the chemist in town to get the penicillin.


So I made dad a bit to eat and then I set of on a mission to make it into Boots before they closed. The time was 7.30pm and I had no idea what time they closed. Once again I felt like a foreigner in my own land! 

I had to walk as I am not on dad's car insurance, but it was a nice evening and I enjoyed the walk. Going down Shaftsbury Square I noticed a chemist that was still opened so I was able to get the penicillin there without having to go the whole way into the centre of town.


Now that I had the medicine I realised I was hungry. I had not eaten since breakfast (ok I better tell the truth, I ate nearly a whole pack of Gold biscuits - first time I have tried them and they are to die for!! totally addicted!) So apart from biscuits I had not had any real food since breakfast. So since it was my wedding anniversary I decided to treat myself to a subway before the long walk home again. It was delicious! It would have been perfect if Kristian had have been there too.

Just before heading home I noticed a Tescos and went in to buy a drink, but I also found a pack of pickled onion crisps - its been years since I have had pickled onion flavoured crisps.

Then I noticed Toffee crisps, once again it's years since I have had one of those, so I bought one. When I got to the cash desk the girl told me I could pay 55p for one toffee crisp or get 4 for a pound!! Well I got a bit excited about that news, did something weird with my hand so that my purse turned upside down. Since I hadn't zipped my purse, all my coins fell out along with the key to dads house. Talk about embrassing....it was a sort of Miranda moment!!! I didn't know where to look!! haha(such fun)


Anyway after that bit of embrassement, I enjoyed the dander home eating my crisps, drinking my coke and eating my toffee crisp.I thought about life and about how good I actually have it. I am blessed to be able to call two countries my home, I am blessed to have a husband who loves me even after 21 years of living with me and all my crazy, silly ideas. I really do love my life. Another thing I decided on the way home was to write a "Bucket List" , you know, a list of the things I want to achieve before kicking the bucket. I will have to pick up a new notebook for that.(goody, love buying new notebooks!)


Just to end a note for Kristian:- .Kristian this is for you. This was our song 21 years ago and it still rings true today. We do have a groovy kind of love:-) Happy Anniversary, hope the next 21 are just as good! Jeg elsker dig:-)