Small world.....

The world really is a small place. 

My good friend Rhona is one of my friends on facebook. She is also one of my best friends. Rhona is also friends with Mon. Mon and Rhona know each other from school. One evening Mon and I were writing comments on Rhona´s facebook wall and we were having such a laugh. Mon decided to go unto my facebook wall and check me out, it was then she discovered that she knew Kristian. She went to Bible School with him. She also knew his sister Signe and his cousin Jacob who also went to the same Bible School.

Rhona and I meet up from time to time for strawberry cake dates. This means going to our local bakery and ordering the most delicious strawberry cake! During last summer we put a photo on facebook of our strawberry cake and Mon happened to mention that she would have to come to Denmark (she lives overseas, while Rhona and I live within driving distance of each other) and try one of these cakes. Well today she did!!

Mon was visiting Rhona, so she came over for a wee cup of tea and we finally got to meet up in person and not only on facebook! She got to see Kristian again too. It was sooo wonderful to meet her, she is just lovely! (It was also so great to see Rhona again! she is lovely too!!:-)

So on the way home from work I decided to go by the bakery to see if they had any strawberry cakes. You can´t often buy them during the winter months but guess what?  Today they had 3 in the shop!! I bought 2 of them!!

The short time they were here went by too quickly. I sooo enjoyed having them and it was great to get to know Mon a little better.

Back to Cornflakes again....

No, no that´s not the saying, I mean back to porridge again! I am back in Denmark!

I had a lovely weekend with dad, even though most of it was spent at the hospital.  My aunt Kathleen and Gillian came up to see dad at the hospital on Saturday afternoon so I got to see them too, which was great.

Dad and I had planned to exchange gifts Saturday afternoon and just have a cosy "mini" Christmas together. Since he wasn´t home I came to the hospital with all the gifts and we had our "mini" Christmas there. I`ll admit it wasn´t as cosy as his wee house (the decor was the main problem!!) but it was fun. I think dad liked all his wee surprises!

Dad sure had a room with a view. He could see all over Belfast being on the 7th floor. Although I must say that I will never understand the designers of hospitals. Can they make the place any more drabby? Not to mention the orange walls and bright blue doors!!! You think you´re feeling bad when you arrive?! After experiencing the hospital colours and decor for a few days you will surely be feeling 10 times worse!

Sunday  morning found me up at the hospital again. I only had a short time with dad as I had to get the 12 o´clock bus to Dublin. The trip home went like clockwork. I was flying with Aerlingus this time, they have just recently starting flying from Copenhagen to Dublin. I had to depart from terminal 2 this time and that was new for me. I liked exploring this new terminal and the flight with Aerlingus was great! Can´t wait to use them again!

Meanwhile back at home (home in Denmark)......

Kristian and Leah were out buying the Christmas tree. We hope to get it decorated some night this week!

Then Sheldon the Snowman had a meltdown......

I think he was missing me too much!! haha

When I arrived back here last night (Sunday) most of the snow was gone. I actually wouldn´t mind another wee drop of snow, not too much, just a little to help with the Christmas atmosphere:-)

Today I was up early again and back to work. I have only 4 more days to work and then it´s Christmas break. I can hardly wait!!!
 

poor dad.....

...is in the hospital again!

 I am back home again in Ireland. I arrived late, really late,  last night - Thursday or maybe I really should say Friday morning!! It was 20 to 1 in the morning when I stepped off the bus at the Europa hotel! For my body the time was 20 to 2 as we are an hour ahead in Denmark, so I was feeling wrecked! 

I got home to dads and it was straight to bed. This morning we were up early and out the door at 8.10am for his hospital appointment.

It was his day for getting platelets. Everything was going well, the platelets arrived early and by 11am we were all finished at the hospital, and we headed home in the rain, to have a cosy day at home. 

At home the heat was turned up, the Christmas tree lights turned on, a Christimas concert was all set to play in the DVD player and a cup of tea and biscuits was at hand. We were all set for our cosy afternoon. 

We got half way through our concert with Andreas Rieu when something went wrong - dad took a nose bleed. It was like someone turned on a tap at his nose. The blood just started to trickle out. We plugged his nose and waited to see if it would stop. It didn´t so in the end we had to ring the hospital.They told us to come staight up again. That´s what we did.

At the hospital dad was given more platelets as well as some medication that should help with the bleeding. By 5pm we were sure the bleeding woulld have stopped and he could go home, but NO! When the plugs were removed the nose was still bleeding! 

A doctor from the Royal´s ENT department arrived to help fix dad up. He got the nose plugged with a special balloon thing but this also meant that dad would have to stay in hospital. He will be in till at least, Sunday. Sunday is when I go home! Anyway at least I am here with him. Another good thing is that he is in the City hopital which is much easier for me to get to than the other hospital. 

Dad was a little disappointed that he was in the hospital this weekend of all weekends. I wish too he was at home, but on the other hand I am so glad to be here.

Like I said, I am only here till Sunday, a quick 2 day visit but it really is better than nothing:-)

It´s beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

...and I am loving it!

Last Sunday we had the first fall of snow. Throughout the week it has snowed on and off, but today we had our first real snow storm. It was wonderful, especially since we didn´t have to drive to work in it! Late afternoon we did go out a walk and it felt so good to come home again to a warm and cosy house. 

Leah and Mia built a snowman. His name is Sheldon. Sheldon The Snowman!

 

  Kristian had some fun taking photos in the dark....

This evening we watched another Christmas film. This time it was The Muppets Christmas Carol. Such a great movie and this Sunday evening I didn´t fall asleep! 

Leah is not feeling so well. She has been feeling sick from just before dinner. She has struggled through the evening as she really wanted to see the film. I will sleep with her this evening, bucket at the ready, just in case!!!

(Kristian is now hoping for a great nights sleep as he won´t have to put up with my snorring. He recorded me the other night on his phone, as I was forever arguing with him that I don´t snor. When he kicks me and wakes me up I argue with him that I am not sleeping but am planning the next days activity.  I always think I am awake, but I really must be dreaming that I am awake - it´s really weird, I really do feel like I am awake and thinking about important things! I always tell him that it can´t be me snorring cause I am not sleeping!!!! Now he has evidence to prove me wrong....NOT GOOD!!:-)

Below is a wee video clip taken earlier today... (mainly for dad but anyone is free to look:-)

  

A hygge dag......

In Denmark the Danes have a word called "hygge"  which, in some ways, is hard to translate. It means cosy, yet it means so much more than that! It is such a great word!!! Yesterday I had a "hygge" dag with my friend Rhona. It was just soooo "hyggeligt" (sooo cosy+++more!!)

We had arranged to meet after work. We were going out to celebrate Rhona´s birthday which is today! Happy Birthday Rhona! I took her to my favourite café, Café Valentine,  which she had never been too.

We had a great afternoon, eating the most delicious food, chatting and catching up with each others lives. It was really special. A really hyggelig day.

When we were finished it was dark. The town was just so beautiful, all lit up with Christmas lights. Once again it was sooooo hyggelig!! We did a quick bit of shopping before heading home.

At home Kristian and the kids had eaten dinner. The house was all cleared up, so all I had to do was come home, put my feet up and relax on the sofa. I got hold of my book and was ready for a evening of reading, but before I knew it, I was in the land of Nod! (I am still trying to recover from last weekend.) I actually got to bed early last night and was 20 minutes earlier at work today, which meant I could leave 20 minutes earlier to head home! 

Now it´s weekend!!!! Tomorrow (Saturday) I am going out shopping with my friend Audry, a tradition we started about 4 years ago! I am sooo looking forward to a day out at Rødovre Centre, a shopping centre close to Copenhagen. It will be another hyggelig dag!

December ALREADY!!!!

I just can´t believe we are already into December! Life as usual is busy and the weeks just go by all too quickly. Last Tuesday I was visiting my old lady friend then Wednesday we had some friends over for coffee and cake. Thursday after work I was off shopping for things that we needed for our musical weekend at church and Thursday evening was spent packing!

Friday after work it was home to collect all the packed stuff  so that I could be at church for 5pm! Every year we hold a musical weekend for the children. We all meet at the church Friday evening and spend the weekend practising songs, dance and lines for our yearly musical. This is my 4th year to help and this time the musical was called - Sofie´s Christmas. A play written by my friend at church. The worship leader wrote 9 songs for the musical! They did a fantastic job!

So 21 kids and 3 adults were gathered for a weekend of fun and fellowship. I was in charge of the creative team so I had 3 teenagers to help me paint backgrounds to be used in the musical.

 (Above and below you can see a little of what we got painted.)

So basically I had a great weekend painting away. We had Christmas music blasting from the CD player and we had a lot of fun and laughter. 

On Sunday morning it was the children who were in charge of the service. There was an opening hymn and then it was over to the musical which lasted for about an hour. They did a great job. I really do love being away on this weekend. When it was all over I was exhausted but happy.

So after church we had planned to go home and decorate the house for Christmas. However as we drove home we changed our minds a bit. We had had the first fall of snow. It was really cold (-8) but so clear, sunny and beautiful. Kristian suggested that we go for a walk first and explore the area, then when it got darker, decorate the house. I thought it was a great idea and Leah was all for it too. Andrew wasn´t too keen on going for a walk though, so he cleaned his room instead!(Now I would much rather go a walk than clean!! weird boy I have! haha)

Leah invited Mia along. ( Laura, unfortunately was not able to join us as she was going to play at a church service.) Mia joined us and we four had such a beautfiul walk through the woods at the back of our home. It was sooo cold but the sun was out and the nature was just so beautiful. Check out some of the pictures.....

(We had a bit of a snowball fight!)

 (Our wee house above.)

 I really have to get myself a new headband! This looks like I have a bandage on my head! haha

It was then home to decorate the house with Christmas things! The Christmas music was playing away and we were having fun trying to find out where to put all the different things. Kristian, Leah and Mia always had a different opinion than me! I was ready to throw them all out! haha

Then Laura arrived home and we decided to all eat dinner together and end the evening with a Christmas movie. I, unfortunately, didn´t see much of the movie! I fell asleep about half way through and was a goner until the others woke me when it was all over! I had had a hard weekend! haha

 Laura´s cat Bert, has taken a liking to us! (And we just love him - he is so loving!)He comes over to visit from time to time. At first Shadow and him were not too happy with each other. Now Bert is not bothered by Shadow but Shadow is still a bit wary of Bert. Maybe one day they will both be friends and cuddle up on the sofa together for a long nap!