Catching and Releasing

On January 29, 2015 By oregongirlaroundtheworldIn American Expat, ExpatLeave a comment

People have strong feelings about mobile phones – life-saver? bane of human existence? necessary evil? scourge on the emergent communication skills of the next generation? For me it is many things (not necessarily those listed above, although getting our teenager to have a conversation without thumbs connected to a small portable screen is ever increasingly difficult.) For me – my phone, especially here in Denmark, is my salvation. It is my art creator. Photos taken, edited and curated from the palm of my hand (and then mostly shared with you.) It is my personal translator. How else would I know what KANELSNEGL means? Oh. It’s a cinnamon snail. A what? Did I type it correctly? Yes? Ohhhh! A cinnamon roll. I get it, haha, that’s cute. My phone is my banker and I need her/him a lot lately as the unforeseen charges, penalties, fines, fees and average daily costs are evacuating my account at what seems a rapid pace. It is my navigator. Although she has a REALLY terrible accent when it comes to pronouncing Danish street names. You want me to turn WHERE? I swear she said giant vag. Oh… tee hee… Jagtvej, but her American navi-speak can’t compute. That is good for a laugh. My phone is my entertainment – yes, I saw that floppy ridiculous pug who can’t run in Belfast video. It WAS funny. Please don’t share your kitty videos though. Any of them.

My phone – like yours I’m sure – is my connection. Specifically my connection to home. (And by home I am still equating that with Oregon for the time being – when that changes do I move into another phase of Expatriation? I’m not sure. I’ll let you know.) While I am still constructing my expatriated home and self – I need that connection to remain whole. Maybe I’m connecting too much. People are concerned. Sharing the dark side of relocating abroad. But roses have thorns. They are beautiful and glorious (and if you live somewhere where deer don’t eat them to the ground) they grow each year despite the soggy, damp, frigid weather. I will too. I promise. I know it. There are just a few extra thorns on this Danish rose. (For those who don’t know – Portland, Oregon where I hail from is known as Rose City, sooo a rose by any other name, thorns or no – is still… beautiful, is all I’m saying.)

Please don’t cry for me Argentina. Or Portland, or Minnesota, or California or Denmark or New Zealand or wherever else you are reading from (which I will note that I truly appreciate that you are reading and hope that my flippancy and perceptible snark today are not a turn off.) I am ok. Seriously. Ok. I promise. We have new mobile phones – yay! I’m back to the iPhone 5, my old one which was stolen from me last summer. I know – I should have gotten the newest and the best – but phones are EXPENSIVE here! You basically buy the phone and then commit to a carrier for 6 months. Did you hear me? SIX MONTHS! Because that is the norm here and there seems to be many more options for cellular carriers, they must compete for your business to stay with them after the 6-month starter period. I have been told that people switch all the time. Our carrier has offered us some extra-specials to stay with them – one being a premium Spotify account. Another being HBO Nordic, although I’m not super psyched with the non-kid-friendly options being purveyed there and we still signed up for Netflix UK and have been binge-watching Orange is the New Black. Don’t tell me, I’m behind.

Back to Spotify. I was already a user on my desktop – but this is altogether something more awesome. The Bluetooth in the rental car picks up my playlist the moment I start the car. Why hello there bestest most favorite music. This makes me happy. I did say, incremental victories shall be exalted. One of the great things about Spotify is that you can discover new music. Today – meet Matt Simons – do you know him? He’s big in Europe REALLY big in the Netherlands apparently). I hope I am introducing you for the first time and you guys weren’t like college dance dates and he never called or something. That’s just embarrassing. For you. Haha. Anyway – this song came up randomly in whatever Spotify mix I had on shuffle – can’t do much once it’s rolling while I’m carting children to and fro. This song came up on my fro this morning. No kids in the mama-bus, so could actually could listen to the lyrics. And they were lovely. And timely. And persipicacious. And now I will share them with you.

“Catch & Release’ by Matt Simons

There’s a place I go to
where no one knows me
It’s not lonely
It’s a necessary thing
It’s a place I made up
Find out what I’m made of
The nights are stayed up
Counting stars and fighting sleep
Let it wash over me
Ready to lose my feet
Take me on to the place where one reviews life’s mystery
Steady on down the line
Lose every sense of time
Take it all in and wake up that small part of me
Day to day I’m blind to see
And find how far to go
Everybody got their reason
Everybody got their way
We’re just catching and releasing
what builds up throughout the day
It gets into your body
And it flows right through your blood
We can tell each other secrets
and remember how to love
There’s a place I’m going
no one knows me
If I breathe real slowly
let it out and let it in
They can be terrifying
to be slowly dying
Also clarifying
the end where we begin
So let it wash over me
I’m ready to lose my feet
Take me on to the place where one reviews life’s mystery
Steady on down the line
Lose every sense of time
Take it all in and wake up that small part of me
Day to day I’m blind to see
And find how far to go
Everybody got their reason
Everybody got their way
We’re just catching and releasing
what builds up throughout the day
It gets into your body
And it flows right through your blood
We can tell each other secrets
and remember how to love
Everybody got their reason
Everybody got their way
We’re just catching and releasing
what builds up throughout the day
And it gets into your body
And it flows right through your blood

We can tell each other secrets
and remember how to love

-2014

Please enjoy the lovely song. And know that I am just catching and releasing these new experiences and places and things and times. They will flow right through my blood. And I do remember how to love. Taking it all in and waking up that small part of me. Let it wash over you. Have a wonderful weekend – we are taking in some new experiences and venturing further afield in SKANDINAVIA. Very excited. More to come. Love to all.

Under Construction

On January 28, 2015May 20, 2015 By oregongirlaroundtheworldIn American Expat, Copenhagen, Expat, Uncategorized3 Comments

Everywhere you turn in Copenhagen there is construction. Omnipresent are the giant cranes that incongruously litter the historic city skyline. The level of high green walled construction sites seems in high proportion to the lovely Danish architecture. Behind these walls echo the seemingly perpetual noise of excavators, dump trucks, jack-hammers, blow torches. Lucky for me, despite my distast for the impacted sight lines and vistas these sites create, is the fact that many of them have wonderful murals, providing many opportunities for creative and beautiful public art. Being a member of my public art council in Oregon, I can get behind this.

But, what are they constructing? I’m glad you asked. Behind all those green walls with their muraled façades, will be the new City Circle Line Metro – known as Cityringen here in Danish. Like everything that I have experienced here, there is a beautiful design and polish to the Danish intent for this Cityring. Here is the graphic presentation of the lovely Circle Line (that is already behind 7 months in construction and slated to be opened after our visas expire in the summer of 2019. Boo.)

Here is another – not quite as perfect representation.

And here is what it will actually be like traveling on the circle ring.

To be honest – when I found out that it wasn’t actually going to be a true circle – which would have been so much cleaner – my internal Spotify loop of Beyonce’s “to the left, to the left” suddenly faded out. (Record scratching silence ensued.) Suggestions for new musical representation of actual shape of the circle line solicited and encouraged. Please comment below. I digress. (I’m good at that.)

Why am I so interested in a new Metro system that I will be unable to utilize? (Unless of course, we do come back to visit lovely Copenhagen in the future. A future in which I would be pleased to partake of a ride on the ring.) Why now though? Who really cares besides all the cool art? (Don’t worry – there is lots of it shared in the gallery below.) CLICK. Here’s why. This morning, while walking to one of my favorite café’s on the lakes – Den Franske Café – that big ugly green wall that encroaches into our neighborhood’s end of the lake and sits plainly in view from the café – made me stop.

Construction. Ugh. Ugly, noisy, slow, loud. BUT. I realized. I… am also under construction. An expat under construction, if you will. The idea was couched, the plans were agreed upon, the contractors determined (maybe not fulfilling expectations yet), champagne crashing ground-breaking has occurred, construction has started and earth is being turned. But.

It’s noisy. The biker who bangs on my window and yells at me in another language what I can only assume is something akin to the fact that I don’t know what I’m doing. You’re right! I don’t! EEEK! I’m sooooo sorry!! I didn’t see you there around the CONSTRUCTION that is taking place right outside my building. Noisy. Children who don’t have the established outlets or courage yet to set out on their own and spend a wee bit more time together than they are used to – Noisy.

It’s ugly. Messy and frought with emotion. Hard to correlate the initial butterflies and anticipation with the reality of the now. There have been a myriad of scientific studies done that illuminate the phases one might proceed through during an expatriation. I will divulge that I have clearly moved past the “honeymoon” phase and am a wee bit mired in the “culture shock” phase. Being the middle of vinter does not assist said feelings of dislocation, confusion and the rapidly rotating emotions of frustration, apathy and a dash of annoyance. I know this too shall pass, but for now I will embrace the valley. From changes, challenges and seasons past – I know the peaks will be all the more worthy for having felt the low.

It’s slow. Incremental. Like grass growing. Slow. Like the few minutes a day we glean of daylight. Slow. When I think I understand something, I quickly realize that I have no idea. Aha! Oh. No? Ok. Square one. Everything takes longer. Easy tasks become challenging. There is a sense of wings being clipped at times. Expectations have been lowered, so that little triumphs and discoveries can be exalted when found, which is good. But it is slow, this construction of my expatriated self.

It’s LOUD. I will proclaim to you LOUDLY (here and on Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr and Instagram and Pinterest – that’s pretty loud right?) that I am working on it. Have patience with my construction. Be prepared for delays and oversights and cost-inefficiencies. I’ll let you know when we’re moving into the next phase. For now – enjoy the photos. Cheers from Denmark. PS – don’t worry about me #imok.

“Siblings” by Stine Hvid

‘Over 80’ by Mikas Emil. Like this? Look up @mikas_emil on Instagram for more #mikasemil

Record this – eye see KUNST

Pink Striped Backsplash by anonymous Copenhagen artist Bert. http://copenhagenbert.blogspot.dk/

Sofus Walbom painted ‘Arctic Heart’. A lifesize whale speaks to issues of oil drilling in Arctic waters. #organ81

‘Artic Heart’ by sculptor Sofus Walborn

#Organ81

Østerbro mural art

Future Trianglen Metro stop which would be super convenient RIGHT now… not 2019

Future Cityringen

Østerport Station construction and murals

Østerport Station

COLOR at Østerport

Kongens Nytorv Station near Nyhavn and Magasin du Nord Department Store

Park yer bike or yer horse at Kongens Nytorv

‘Weaving Wood’ at Kongens Nytorv

‘Weaving Wood’

Kongens Nytorv construction

Wha? Who could have done that?

I could only get half of it before people started changing it to their own things.

Up close and personal with the Happy Wall

#happywall

Calligraphy Art

MEET THE LOCALS

Shock and Awe

On January 23, 2015May 20, 2015 By oregongirlaroundtheworldIn American Expat, Danish, Denmark, Expat3 Comments

I have mentioned before how hardy the Danes are. Many of them, anyway. My son hates gross overgeneralizations – reminding me that my initial perfunctory characterization that ALL Danes are blond, is in fact completely incorrect. Which is true. I stand corrected. Today my estimation of a certain segment of the Danish population ticked up a few notches.

Color me shocked. Drawn to the rich, but muted winter tones of this beautiful building on the water in Charlottenlund, I pulled right on over and set outside to capture it for my Scandi palette collection. What I did NOT expect to capture was the pale flesh tones of stark naked bathers dipping into the freezing cold Øresund. It was 0°C outside when I took this photo. I do not even want to know what the temperature of the water could have been.

A wee bit taken aback, I instantly took down my long-range lens feeling very much more than slightly stalkery. I did a quick look about to make sure I hadn’t been witnessed “spying” like a common paparazzi and then snapped this quick pic with my iPhone, which is where I edit all my photos anyway. Not so unhurriedly, I scuttled back to my car and continued up the road to my original destination – Bellevue Strand in Klampenborg (Bellevue Beach.)

A popular swim beach (I’m told it gets PACKED) in the summer months, Bellevue Strand is quiet and peaceful in January. Could have sat and listened to the lap, lap, swell, lap, whoosh, lap of the waves on the shore for a long time. Caught ‘gramming (again) by a woman and her 20-something daughter moving out to the pier where I had concentrated, they smiled and I got up to move on down the beach to the next pier. As soon as I stepped onto the sand, the daughter gracefully removed every stitch of her clothing and went into the water. Need I remind you? IT IS KOLDT HERE! There is no warm sauna or steam room or hot tub with which to warm up into immediately following this Baltic dip. It doesn’t last long and soon she is dressed again and on her way with her mother. No way. Doesn’t compute.

I put my hand in to reach for a shell washing in and out with the soft tide. Mere seconds are required to freeze my skin to a perfectly painful and prickly state. I can not even process a full body dunk. The shock to your system must be intense. Apparently this is normal regular everyday behavior for a certain segment of Danes. Wow, color me impressed. I will say it again. These Danes are HARDY. I am in awe. Enjoy the photo gallery from Bellevue Strand and have a happy Fredag!

Vintage texture and color at Bellevue Strand

A Winter’s Expatriation

On January 21, 2015December 16, 2016 By oregongirlaroundtheworldIn American Expat, Copenhagen, Danish, Denmark, Expat, København, Uncategorized1 Comment

Today the temperature wavered between 0 and 2°C. That’s hovering at freezing for those who don’t automatically correlate to the metric system employed here in Denmark. Employed pretty much everywhere else in the world save for the United States and four other small mostly Caribbean nations (all of which I have been too weirdly – ‘cept not Palau.) Here in Denmark, the temperature is the only thing that I have not used an app, device, Google function, etc. to convert. I regularly convert prices in shops from Danish Kroner (DKK) to U.S. Dollars ($$$) to try and keep a healthy perspective on what feels like (and usually is) ridiculously high price tags for nominal goods and services. I convert street signs, parking signs, shop signs, directions, washing machine instructions, food labels, recipes, ingredient lists, menus, bank notices, post office announcements, furniture advertisements – basically everything… from Danish to English. But I don’t convert the weather. Why?

It is what it is. I cannot control the weather anymore than I can control the unwavering and inexplicable popularity of black licorice here in Denmark. Seriously – they put it in, on and with EVERYTHING. Licorice candies come in more shapes than you can imagine. There is chocolate licorice. Licorice ice cream. Licorice gum. Alcoholic licorice. Cocktails with licorice candies in them (I did not try that, but witnessed many being ordered.) Licorice cakes. Chili-spiced sour licorice gummies. Um, eww (those were on sale by the way, maybe I wasn’t the only one who thought as such.) I digress. Out of my control.

Weather is something you have to feel. Does it feel cold? What temperature is that? 2°C? 8°C? It’s all relative right? A Southern Californian comes north and wears her sweater on a summer eve in Oregon when we might be rocking our sundresses and sandals. Michiganders don’t stop when the temps dip into negative Fahrenheit parameters. Nor Minnesotans, or Kansans, or North Dakotans or anyone else who lives in those states where Polar Vortexes exhibit icy wintery tentacles of horribly long winter-ness. Nor Danes apparently for that matter. Upon initial assessment, I will admit that they are a pretty darn hardy bunch – biking in all sorts of weather. Although I have yet to see it get REALLY upper Midwest cold here yet. But, I may have just jinxed myself.

Vinter Swans don't mind the koldt. — Vinter Swans don’t mind the koldt.

My point is – how will you get to KNOW what a Celsius temperature is, if not by feel. So converting it all the time actually defeats the learning process. This is what 2°C feels like. This is what 20°C feels like (although I don’t know that feel yet – I’ll have to get back to you.) Does that make sense? Sure. So why all this about the weather? About as interesting as my dear Grandma’s annual birthday cards dutifully describing the latest in south-eastern Kansas weather along with my anniversary wishes. I can’t control the weather.

It’s vinter. Winter in Denmark. I know I keep saying that – but it is. It’s dark. Getting lighter everyday though – we can all feel it’s incremental progression like pebbles being dropped into the bucket. It’s cold. I don’t care where you are from and what is relative to you, but 0°C is cold. I know – it can be colder, wind chill, lake effect, tree-boring insect killing vortexes and such, etc. etc. yada yada… Bottom line, 0°C is cold. And it’s precipitous. At least today it was. Rain turning into snain turning into fluffy white puffs gently falling and all is quiet for a few minutes – BEEEEEP, repeat cycle. Rain into snain into fluffy white puffs. All day. Nothing sticks, but those few minutes of fluffy puffy are lovely. But koldt.

Winter is a difficult time to expatriate. There is a reason bears hibernate in the winter. It’s cold. (Please just give me the simplicity of this example for sake of theorizing here.) Back home in Oregon (plus years spent at college and beyond in Seattle) we know winter has its propensity towards impacting one with a certain Seasonal Affective Disorder. It’s truth ink. It’s called S.A.D. People have their own ways of combatting winter blues. Some use light therapy (I think that is big here too.) Some use drug therapy. Some use pre-planned vacations to warm tropical destinations as therapy. Myself – I always have allowed winter to be a down time. Keep schedules to a minimum, plans light. Consciously saying that it is ok to hibernate to an extent. It is ok to succumb to the down cycle. Knowing the up is coming, it is a veritable emotional hibernation of sorts. A recharging and recouping and renewing hibernation.

"Uuaah, the cold! Come in and get warm!" — “Uuaah, the cold! Come in and get warm!”

Why then – wouldn’t I do the same here in Denmark? Aha moment. Actual Edison light bulb went on yesterday near a lake near a palace alone with the birds. I have been feeling a self-imposed pressure to connect, to “get out there”, to recreate the social networks and circles I miss from home. I should be doing x. I should be doing more y. I should. I should. There is a lot of pressure in SHOULD. Yesterday, I gave myself an out. I will allow myself the space to internalize right now. Circle the wagons. Bring it on in to family-ville. Cozy up on the couch with Master Chef Australia and Cake Boss. Emotionally hibernate. This doesn’t mean putting all emotions on hold by any means – we are as a family definitely still all feeling BIG emotions. FULL of BIG emotions. Every day. Even on Lørdags. But what it does mean… is that it is saying it is ok to take this expatriation slowly. Adjust. Learn on our own terms. Experiences, social circles and networks will evolve. They always do.

Speaking of social, I’m no recluse, not in my nature. In fact – I had coffee with my one Danish friend today. It was needed, entertaining and delightful. While recanting my “aha” moment – she nodded and enlightened me to a lovely Danish saying. I wish you could hear her say it – because it rhymes. “Burde er lig med byrde.” It means Should = Burden. Exactly what I was feeling. What a validation and heavy sigh of relief. Now I SHOULD go to bed. 😉

Man what a dag.

On January 19, 2015May 20, 2015 By oregongirlaroundtheworldIn American Expat, Danish Royals, Denmark, Explørdag, Royal, Royals3 Comments

Some days, life has a funny way of reminding you of important lessons. Things we should know, but often our requisite daily minutiae occludes access to the personal database. Today was one of those days.

It’s Monday. Mandag in Danish. Mandags are beginnings – love them or hate them. For our family, the beginning of this week was a wee lethargic after staying up late (Copenhagen local time) to watch the Seattle Seahawks clinch the NFC Championship sending them on to Super Bowl XLIX. (From hereto forward known as Super Bowl “CLICKS”.) GO HAWKS! Watching NFL with Danish commentators is always interesting. At least they don’t translate “TOUCHDOWN!”

I decided to take the beginning of this week by the proverbial horns. Got up, rallied kids, got myself dressed, actually put on gloss, made lunches, found socks, found shoes, found backpacks… found car (no parkering ticket!), deposited them at school and was on my way. I was going to get my kunst on today. That’s right peeps. Kunst. It’s ART in Danish. Those who know me, know that this is my happy place. If you don’t know me – two second background… studied Art History at University of Washington and more currently: was part of a team running the Art Literacy program at our elementary school back in Oregon, recent former member of public art committee in my “home” town. 2 seconds. I would love to become more involved in an art community here in Copenhagen, but for now – I will enjoy playing the student again.

Today’s lesson was to be in modern art. In Louisiana. WAIT. Record skips. Louisiana? The state? Oh no you sillies. Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, in Humlebæk, Denmark. I had read about it – it looked amazing. Why hadn’t I been there yet? It isn’t exactly IN Copenhagen proper. It’s 35 km north of the city. They have an Alexander Calder sculpture that overlooks Øresund (where we went fishing). I am dying to compare it to his Eagle that stands bright red in the Olympic Sculpture Park overlooking Puget Sound (also known as “the sound” by locals) in Seattle, Washington. So. It’s Mandag. I am beginning my week with Danish modern art. Or so I think.

Lesson reminder #1. When venturing afield, remember to check the opening hours AND opening DAYS. I knew that Louisiana opened at 11 am. I had no problem with the 90-minute gap between repositing the children at their skole and finding my way north to the museet. I found a cute coffee shop in Helsignør, got my handcrafted double latté and enjoyed the wait. Watching rain turn into snain and then almost into snow from the window of the café; inside warm with candles and people and wafting coffee (dare I say – hygge?), it was difficult to leave. But – I’ve got art to see.

Parkering was easy. And FREE?!? Did I miss a sign? Nope. All good. Why isn’t anyone here? One of the largest modern art collections in EUROPE people… come see it! Oh. It’s lukket. Just my luck – it is closed on Mandag. What a beginning. Somewhat deflated, I debate returning to home and battling Fran or the parkering meter or the grocery store, all still requisite minutiae for today. But no. I came out to see something. I don’t have a sick child at home. My requisite minutiae is actually not too troubling today, and I’m already out here. I put gloss on, for Pete’s sake. I want to see something. How about that slot that I saw a sign for driving up here – that didn’t seem too far back. Yes. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll go visit a slot. In my head already making checklist for slots that I can physically check off as I visit them. Yes. That is what I will do.

Meander through Danish countryside (which I can relate feels somewhat like rolling Hillsboro sans Evergreen trees); albeit the Danes are very nice at labeling all direct intersections – fairly easy to find my way to Fredensborg Palace (slot). I will admit that as an American, the Royals are still a baseball team to me. We ditched our king hundreds of years ago. Happy 4^th of July. We’re independent. Sort of. Politics aside, I am beginning to understand the fascination with these Royals here. They have very lovely and very fancy houses with very gorgeous gardens and tons of sculpture. KUNST. Oh happy girl. So the palace is only open in July and August because apparently they use this one a lot. A lot. As I roll up, the Royal Guard is changing again. How many of these guys are there? A lot. Lucky for me – the Palace Gardens are open to the public alle dage. Every day. Sure, why not. Let’s take a stroll.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL. And seeing as it is the middle of winter truly might have made it all the more amazing. Really? I can hear you. Across the interweb. A garden in the middle of winter? Nothing alive, nothing blooming, no leaves on the trees? I feel your scrunched nose and questioning eyes. I’m telling you … it was BEAUTIFUL. Did you hear me? Like 300 acres of my own private baroque frenchy garden beautiful. I literally saw 4 people in the 2 hours that I wandered. FOUR PEOPLE. I could get behind this. I see why these Royals like to be royals and use this slot a lot.

It’s on a lake. Esrum Sø. Sø means lake. So there. The snain had stopped and I made my way down to the Sø. (After watching another changing of the guards on the back porch of the slot. As if just for me. But don’t get too close. You aren’t allowed EVERYWHERE here. You aren’t ROYAL.) But the rest of the grounds – where you are allowed – are lovely. And quiet. And contemplative. Best to be experienced in the quiet I think. Solo. It was surreal. Like a movie set. Like a twilight zone movie set. 300 acres by yourself. Birds. Snain melting from the trees … dryp, dryp, dryp. Feet crunching on the path. Just me. (And the birds, oh and those random other 4 people.) Luckily I took a picture of the map at the beginning because I did have a destination for my wandering.

“The Valley of the Norsemen.” Sounds epic doesn’t it? It’s about as far away on the map as I’ve started from. Good thing the snain has stopped, cuz I’ve also got a camera with the big lens, no umbrella and my new (vintage) fur on. (Remember I was going to a Kunst Museet to begin with.) After serene views of the Sø and a charming path along the lake, I find the path to the Norsemen. Nordmandsdalen is home to 70 sandstone sculptures of Norwegian and Faroese working class people – fisherman, bakers, teachers, mothers, shop keepers, farmers. You and I. Ok, I don’t know you per se – but I related to these life size (isk) peeps. More so than the palatial property up top with the furry-hatted-gun-toting-heel-clicking guards on watch. Norwegian though – did you read my last post? Norwegian Vikings were the enemy I thought? But this was commissioned by King Frederick V and Queen Juliane Marie between 1764-1784 when Norway and Denmark were a common territory. Hunh. Who knew? Not me. What I know is that I was really taken with this valley. Of common Norse men AND WOMEN. Not just a few women either. Every other sculpture was a woman. And with child some. Very progressive. And not nudes. This wasn’t idealizing beautiful female figures with art. This was real valid appreciation of their roles in the Norse everyday. I appreciate that. I appreciate that now. In my everyday.

And so I come to the second lesson (that I already knew, but needed to be gently reminded by the universe every once and awhile)… more than “one door closes, another opens”… But … be ready. Be open. Be willing. One says no. Another says – try this. And you do. And it is good. And valid. And worthy. Happy Mandag. Man, what a dag.

Enjoy the dag’s galleri (click on the first pic and a slideshow will pop up) – it was epic. Even though not as planned. Skål from Denmark.