Loud music and girly giggles

...how much fun did we have??

From this afternoon until tonight we've had a grand time - listened to Pink Floyd very loudly, talked a lot, and of course - watched Pride and Prejudice! And Colin Firth was - as ever - veery crisp!



Here we are with him. This picture took a while - mainly because it is enormously difficult to laugh, make a kissy-mouth AND take pictures at the same time. But we had a pro photographer on the job, so we succeded!

Kittycat had a cozy time in Michalas lap, - he got to lick a crisp ;-)



Girly giggles and good entertainment adds zest to life!

Spring signs

This morning, after my shower, I opened the bathroom window to let out the steam.
I turned away and went on with my beautification routine.

Then I heard it.

Birds - singing right outside my window.

It made me so happy - my eyes were positively damp. And I wasn't a bit surprised, when I went to wake up Kristian at 6.45, opened the blinds on his window and saw that the light was allready seeping into the day.

Vivifying spring is on its way...

Exhausted lower extremeties

I was out spinning tonight - for 2 hours. YAWN am I tired!!

While Bruno and I were at the fitness center, Bodil made experimental stuffing for tacos (with coconut milk and lemon???) - and cut salad etc. for dinner.

I liked it, but the boys made it clear, that they prefer the classic mexican flavour variety. Not much adventurousness here... :-)

Tomorrow - I am going to a real girl-thing. It'll be a womens locker room kind of experience, when Michala and I are going to look at Colin Firth until we drop! AND we might chat a bit in between...

The basic idea is "Marathon Pride and Prejudice" - it just can't go wrong. Not a dry knicker in the house... I am allready looking forward to spending tomorrow with this strict and highly moral lady:

Street swans

At the moment, I am a frequent guest in the city of Kolding.

It's nice, because I haven't been in the habit of "using" Kolding very much, even though I live only a 20 minute drive from the city. Most of the time, Fredericia is enough for me, so I haven't spent much time in Kolding City.

Today was such a day - where I had an errand - and on my walk through the center of time, I happened upon this amusing scenario.



The cars?? Well, they had to go around. The swans were having a cozy old time, and could care less about cars edging VERY close by their beaks. I laughed, and took pictures.



My smile stiffened a bit, though, as an ambulance with the sirens on suddenly was approaching.
But even that vehicle slowed down and maneuvered carefully around the arrogant longnecks. I didn't get a shot of that - I was holding my breath, fearing a swan massacre!

When the light turned green for us pedestrians, the swans decided to blow that popstand. At that time they had made it crystal clear, WHO was in control of the traffic situation...



I still have to smile, thinking about just how cool those swans were...

Going through the motions

An english expression meaning "doing something without having your heart in it".
Pretending.

I don't like doing things in that manner, but sometimes I discover, that I am doing it - "going through the motions" in some context.

It mostly happens, when I have things going on under the surface, that steal my energy and my attention. Then some other things get to run on autopilot.

At the moment some of my blog-posts are ... "going through the motions".
Somebody pulled the covers off me. And I decided, that if it's all too much shiny pretty surface, then I'd rather shut up.

I still want there to be room for the everyday posts, and my zest for life must be a priority as usual. Not that I will turn into a confession-blogger, but I won't waste my energy writing without soul, feeling and spark.

That is it. From now on the quality goes back up - I hope.

Who am I etc

If you've come by here without knowing who I am, here is a little background.



I am a 40 year old - soon to be 41 - female. I live with my family in Fredericia, Denmark, and i have been writing my danish weblog for almost a year now. I decided to start this english weblog, mainly because of my friend Roberta, but also as a fun way to keep my english alive.

I have 3 children. Andreas is 19 years old and is going to be 20 this summer. He is still living at home, but it will just be a short while. He is going to serve in the Queens Guard starting april, and will not be back until december. After that, I don't think he is going to want to live at home - he will probably want to start on some education, and if he comes home, it will just be temporary. I am not worried. I can tell he is ready to take care of himself - he is a grown up young man, and I am awfully proud of him.



Bodil is 13 - turning 14 just a few weeks after Andreas turns 20. She is a lovely and lively teenager - sometimes slightly in opposition, but no more than manageable. She is very creative and is into acting. She is also good in school, and set on doing something with her life. Her hands are screwed on just right - she is a good cook and LOVES to bake cakes....



Kristian is going to be 11 in a month. He is my baby. Smart and a bit nerdy, but also fun. He is incredably loving and showers us all with hugs and kisses. His big idol is Andreas - no doubt about that. He is really good at english and school is generally a breeze for him.



My husband is Bruno. He is not the father of my children. We have been together since 2000, and even though we got each other a bit late in life, there is no doubt in my mind that he is the love of my life. We were friends for many years before we realized that there was a potential for much more. We are still friends - and playmates, lovers, partners etc etc. I keep finding new sides of him to excite me and to fall in love with. After the years that have passed, the flame is burning as brigth (maybe brighter) than ever.



Bruno has 2 kids - Lasse, who is 19 and is a manager at a McDonalds restaurant, and Christina, who is 25 and a student. They are great kids, and both live on their own.
All the kids are right here - from right to left: Christina, Lasse, Bodil, Andreas, and Kristian in front.



I work at a company that develop and maintain computer systems for banks. My job is on the business side - I help administrators use the systems right, and I take part in the development of new systems as well. I have been at this company for nearly 16 years, and I still like working there a lot.

In whatever little sparetime I have left in between working, spending time with my family and doing chores, I like to try to keep myself in shape. Run a little, work out a little, ride my bike when the weather is up to it.



I also sing with a bunch of girls. We have been together for many years now - I have been part of X-tetten for more than 10 years. We sing rhytmic music - jazz, pop etc - and we have great fun. X-tetten is a therapeutic group, a hobby, a network - all rolled up in one!



I like to keep myself informed. I am interested in politics and the world around me. I read books. I love to watch movies (best one this year so far was Almodovars "Volver"). And the best time of the year is when we load up the tent wagon and go south. I think we will be hitting the south of France again this year... we found this li'l camping site near Montpellier, that just looks incredible... and great for biking, as well. The kids just requires a good swimming pool, and that is about it. We lounge a lot when we are on vacation. Hang around and doze in the sun, read books and do nothing...



And if you haven't guessed it allready, I like to take pictures. Sometimes they come out amazingly well, and that thrills me to no end...

Energy level: Rising

GAWD I hate blogger!! This is the 3rd time, that I am writing this post (well - actually the fourth coz this is the translation) - blogger ate the first two tries. But here I am, trying again.

I hope you haven't been too worried about me. I worried enough myself :-)
I've been weak and tired. Slept most of friday, and walked around like a zombie in the afternoon, but last night I did start looking a bit like my usual self.

Today I am fairly presentable again. The headache, my faithful companion this week, is gone. Wonderful!

I can hear Bodil singing along - loudly - with Tokyo Hotel behind the closed door of her room. She is tidying. She is happy. She was happy yesterday, and her smile, laughter and cold apple cheeks straight in from the cold added needed colour to my gray day.
It's been a long time since I've seen her this mild, talkative and with that lovely spark in her eye.

Bruno and I have been active and tidied up the house today. Hoovered and tidied and stuff.
Now I am doing laundry - at least 6 loads are still waiting for their turn.

This afternoon we are going to visit Brunos parents in Ejstrupholm.
It's been a while and we are looking forward to seeing them. They're good company. My mother-in-law and i talk so well, even though we are actually quite different - we've had very different lives. But still, we are somehow alike. We both have the positiv outlook, the spark, the zest for life, and the ability to end up on top - to float. And we have needed it, both of us.

Ninna has worked hard all her life. Was sent out to work, when she was not much older than Bodil is now. Married early, and had Bruno. His father left, when he was 5-6 years old, and even though it wasn't long until Ninna met and married Bent, she was alone with him much of the time, as Bent was a truckdriver, going to far places much of the time.

Now she is an activ, extroverted pensioner. Gets the most out of her time, is always doing something. She's grateful for what she's got. I find her tough, sweet and fun. It might show - I care for her a lot.

It's going to be a good day. I can feel it.

Electric heat pad and aspirin, please!

There is nothing like a tuesday night where you hit rock bottom in your well of energy. No use trying to dig any further.

I am tired. Just give me my couch, two aspirin, my heat pad and something not too complicated on tv to entertain me...

The princess and prince...

My lovely daughter-in-law (well - almost :-) sent me the pictures from the prom at her high school in january. I thought I'd share.

They look so beautiful, even if the picture doesn't do them credit.

One handsome banana...

Not the full monty - but the full banana, is how Kristian was dressed this morning...

Here is the finished costume. We are satisfied. :-)

The banana project

I postponed it and postponed it again.

I tend to do that, when I have to do something, that I am not quite sure how to tackle, and that doesn't have a deadline that is right NOW...

Kristians fastelavns costume....

You fabricate a cardboard tube, round it off at the top, cut a facehole.
Dress it with some plate cotton, coat it with light yellow fabric.

Then you cut some foam rubber, glue it together and make holes for the armes - a bit of yellow paint and such...

Do you believe it? I don't - any more!

The cardboard tube thing went allright. The fabric bit was a little tough, but do-able.
The foam rubber body on the other hand ... did you ever try glueing that stuff together?? No???

I can inform you, that it's possible, and the glue lasts for about 5 secs after you take hold of the thing. So.... I was in for a bit of needle and (double) thread, and DAMMIT it took forever!!!

I was grumpy and pessimistic, and Kristian, that sweet child, said: "It's allright, mom - I'll just wear the head and be half a banana."
When the body looked like it might be successfull, I became unsure whether the spraypainting would suffice to make the banana yellow.

Kristian said: "It's allright, mom, then I'll just be a white banana." :-)

Here is a picture of the half finished banana body, looking a bit like a pod from the movie "Invasion of the body snatchers."



What ever did I do to deserve such sweet kids? I have been lucky! The dear li'l ones have stood by me with cuddles, pats, hugs and so on, and I actually think we might end up with a nice banana costume by now.

At the moment it's drying in the laundry room - after being spraypainted in the dazzle of car headlights on the dark lawn.

I swear I'll NEVER make another banana costume!



Here is a slightly white banana at the first tryout - before the paint came on.

What a lovely, busy day yesterday!

We started out at going to the market - we have a nice market in Fredericia, every wednesday and saturday morning fishmongers, cheeseshops, florists and greengrocers put up stands on a square in the middle of the town from early morning. Fewer, alas, than just a few years ago, but there are still lots of possibilities to buy fresh goods.

At the moment there are loads of flowers to look at - it is wonderful!



I couldn't resist the blue hortensias, and a large bundle of white tulips also found their way to my shopping bag.



The center of Fredericia displays many interesting architectural details, and I frequently discover some, that I haven't noticed before. Yesterday it was a couple of funny guys holding up the corner of a house, wearing only prudent leaves on top of their private parts ... they didn't seem to mind me taking pictures of them, though.



Actually they completely ignored me, so we moved on to the next stage of our shopping trip. That was the bicycle store. Kristian needs new tires for his bike - very much, as he keeps getting flats - and while Bruno chose the perfect ones, I looked around in the very mixed selection of our bikeshop.

There were spring-coloured bicycles...



Bikes for the lazy...



And for those unseperable...



This bike shop has everything from the small, red/white Winther-bikes with three wheels and a truck bed on the back, over ladies bikes with wicker baskets, roadbikes, cool mountainbikes, bike trailers - and even a rolator of the kind, that old people use for support. "Bicycles from the cradle to the grave," Bruno usually says.
Fun to look at - but if we have to do some serious shopping, we prefer a store that is a little more specialized to our interest - which is the sportier kind of bike.

Fortunately we could tear ourselves loose in time to go home, cook delicious food, clean the house up and light candles inside and out before our company showed - and we had an evening as pleasant as we could ever had wished for!

Guest season

Tonight we are having a couple of friends over for dinner. It is the start of a long period, where we are going to be having company every weekend!

I look forwards to it - we haven't seen too many people since the beginning of december, when Bodil fell ill with mononucleosis.

The menu for tonight is a greek dish with chicken simmered in a white wine/tomato sauce, with artichoke hearts and black olives ... yummy. For dessert we are having Liselottes american apple pie (sorry - the recipe is in danish... I know...but the picture is mouthwatering).

In a minute we are going shopping - to the market for veggies, and the supermarket - and I look forward to it. Later we will do some much needed hoovering (vacuuming for the americans) and get the chicken started - I can't wait!

Our guests are Anita and Jan, and perhaps their daughter Trine. It's been a long time - it will be delightful!

Career change?

Me and some of the other girls from X-tetten were considering a career change this wednesday.

This week the news have been, that some fashion shows were banning models with a BMI below 18. And I was thinking - my BMI will NEVER drop below 18, so I'd be a really safe bet as a model! Never banned!!

I mentioned this, and soon the idea of the bureau "Alternate Models" was born: the criteria being age > 30 and weight > 65 kg ...

The haute couture designers might have to consider cutting their designs slightly differently, if we take over the catwalks. And spend a bit more on fabrics....

Lifes temptations...

Life is so full of temptations!!

And it is very hard to maintain a healthy diet, working in the kind of environment that I am set in every day...

We have a very nice cafeteria, but that is not the main problem. You see, it's my co-workers. They sabotage my every attempt to eat right ... like today. I was sitting in my own space minding my own business, and suddenly, the smell of fresh bread and warm "leverpostej" (a traditional danish liver spread that tastes a LOT better than it sounds) attacked my nostrils!

What can a girl do??

Also, there is Hugo. He started out small. Just bringing a few bags of candy in that his son got cheap at his supermarket job, and now he has a complete sweet-shop - right in the same office as me!! Shame on you, Hugo!



Here is Hugos irresistable sweet-shop ... arggh!! I hate it!!

I can only say - I have a weak, but beautiful spirit!

"Livsnyderen" - goes international

I have a blog, that is all in danish.

It is called "En livsnyders bekendelser". The closest I can get to a translation is: "The confessions of someone with a zest for life".

That is the reason this blog is called "Zest for Life".

I have friends in far away places. In the USA is Julie and Roberta, and all of my oldest son, Andreas' family. I think they would like to read along, and know what is going on here.

In the sidebar I will introduce links between these two sister blogs, and I will try to post more or less the essence of the content of my danish blog on this one.

Time will show, how successfull I will be... :-)

An evening of song

We are busy, us girls in the vocal group, X-tetten, at the moment.

On march 5 we are to perform at a senior citizen arrangement - to sets of ½ hour - that is twice as long as we usually perform.

The cashier (that's me) is happily rubbing her hands, because it will help out on our rather meager bank account. Yesterday we met up - those of us not on maternity leave - to go through the entire repertoire. Whew. We were tired afterwards.

In the middle of our session, Line showed up with baby Gustav, who is now 7 weeks old.
The choir is bountiful - Karina is due in 10 weeks, and Lone has a new one coming in september!

At the school, where we practice, there was a fastelavn (danish halloween) party, and a few girls - Susans (who is a teacher at this school) pupils, I guess - showed up to listen to us.

It was a trying, but nice evening - you just CAN'T maintain a bad mood with those women!

A pendant blog...

This is my try at creating a sister blog to my current one in danish.

For my english speaking friends around the world - and whoever might pass by...

Welcome - there is more to come :-)