don't read if you're very faint of heart

Seriously, I feel like my life is flashing before my eyes. The days just whoosh!! by. Which is good in the weeks, but seriously. Christmas is supposed to feel a long way off this time of year but when you have to plan your vacation days and think about xmas, it doesn't seem that far off!

Now, however, *is* practically summer. Today was apparently the first day it was above 20 degrees. Our office was its usual balmy 26-27C, but it's like that even if its cloudy and 12 degrees outside. Still, I got to enjoy the lovely weather on the way to the station. The weekend has been lovely and sunny as well, even more so for they threatened consistently with a rainy weekend after a lovely sunny work week last week. It was like, bummer! rain in time for the weekend, but noooo, apart from one little shower Saturday morning it was quite beautiful.

So, lovely but quiet weekend, apart from the by now practically ritual once-a-week nose bleed. Yesterday was actually the most forceful I can remember ever having, it took almost two hours to stop and I got blood all over my brand new yellow night gown. Cozy huh? I was seriously considering going to a doctor now, but when I think about it, I haven't stopped blowing my nose 15 times a day for well over a year. So maybe it's just wear and tear (and not a brain tumour, like you tell yourself when it feels like you're bleeding out your brain through your nose late at night - yes it always happens between about 22.00-23.00, it's quite freaky actually). So I've resolved to stop blowing my nose all the time just out of habit (like the whats-it-called a psychosomatic thing like my mum's cough - it's the way we all find her when we go shopping, you just hear this cough-harkle thing and start heading towards that isle. I don't think she's actually had constant bronchitis for the past 10 years, you just get used to doing it).

Anyway, I realised today that our municipality isn't at all covered by the nationwide nurse walkout (conveniently also happening in Denmark at the same time, so you can't cheat that way if you were affected here), so I could probably get an appointment if I wanted to. Just the actual availability was enough to put me off - I did however use the nifty online function of choosing a family physician for myself. Not that I have any idea who it was I picked or if they're good - but the drop-down selection went down without a browser hitch! Very impressive.

Now I have to hurry and catch a shower before Cashmere Mafia. They say it might not get funding for a second season, which is a shame as I at least am very much hooked (despite resolving not to like it).
Took some lovely pics btw over the weekend, will try to remember to post soon...

bad move

Inspired by the recent sunny weather I today attempted to replace my spring jacket with a sweatshirt to work. Bad move - I almost froze my ass off walking to the office. Copenhagen was extremely windy, and it probably wasn't more than 6-7 degrees.
Conclusion - it may be Spring, but Spring here is not like Spring in England, or North Carolina, or Spain. Sun does not yet equal warmth.

It does seem to equal the real start of the tourist season. The little canal boats that previously held a handful of people wrapped in woolly coats and scarfes, are now filled to the brim. Also, my regular walk along the canal side is now littered with young people drinking beer and sunning themselves. There's one called the 'canal cafe' just on the way to the station, who sell beer, wine, and whiskey. I don't think they actually serve any coffee. How bold!
(and yes, I could probably be described as young, but I don't have time to loiter and drink beer at 5 in the afternoon! sadly)

Today I made my first outing to the water on the other side of the castle. A 3 minute walk leads past the guards to a lovely little landscaped garden (with impressive fountains) leading onto like a broad walking pier along the water. It was freezing cold, but lovely. It's quite interesting how there's a lot more responsibility on the individual citizen no to kill themselves here compared to London. You couldn't get near the water anywhere there, here there are steps leading directly to the water's edge everywhere. By the canal people even climb onto these wooden atoll thingies, which might be permanently attached to the stone wall but nonetheless look rather dodgy, construction-wise.

Apart from those fascinating tidbits of Danish culture, not much new to report. I'm still running pretty regularly, and it really is amazing how fast one's condition improves (it goes away just as fast I guess, but nevermind). Yesterday there was the worst train chaos thus far - two trains cancelled, one of which I was on, and we all cramped into a third train which got me to Copenhagen just after 9. So I decided to take the bus to the office, but had both of them drive past me. One of them though was not very far from the bus stop, so I ran. Continously, for about 400m, and didn't even feel like fainting when I got on the bus. I never would have made that just a few weeks ago, so hurray! for me.
I'm still slightly jumpy about all the creaking and rustling in the forest though. Yesterday I heard what can only be described as a moo sound, and something distinct putting it's feet into a puddle. So, probably a moose.

I ran.

no words could possibly accurately describe...

...the feelings ewoked by a walk in the forest in the morning sunshine, when spring has finally arrived, the trees are bursting and the forest floor is covered with wood anemones.

It's pretty great.

the wind of change

...has finished blowing, I guess, since I'm pretty much settled in a new routine. A new office with new people doing a not so new job. A new commute, a new-ish home. A new country. You know, compared to the last few years anyway; it's supposed to be my homeland and all.

So far everything is going pretty good. It was great to start at a new place but be able to chip in from day one. There's certainly no lack of work to do, it's only a matter of prioritizing. The office is great, so are the people, and certainly the culture, especially since...

...we can wear jeans! I can barely remember what my style was before the era of polyster began (and still, I was pretty creative there with stretching the limits). I still venture towards the office section when I go shopping until I realize that dude, I can go look at the jean skirts! I've seen people wear t-shirts with prints (I personally don't feel comfortable even wearing the jeans with trainers yet, but we might get there). I kind of like having some kind of distinction between work and private life though, so we'll see. Still, just knowing you have the choice makes you feel more comfortable!

My schedule in the week looks gruesome on paper, but it's not actually bad at all. For now, dad is my personal chaffeur to and from the train station. So I get up at ten to six usually, on the train for an hour and twenty minutes, and then because of the not incredibly frequent trains I have 40mins in Copenhagen - so I walk to and from the station through central Copenhagen, which is lovely (or should I say, beautiful...). 7,5h at work plus half an hours lunch (in the canteen, eating from the lunch buffet which is 4DKK a day, subsidized!) and home in the forest a quarter past seven in the evening. When I get home I've been sitting down for quite a while, so I really feel like going out. Last week I just took some walks with Linus and this week I've been going running, with only the birds chirping as a soundtrack, and the sun slowly setting...

Now, I have to go watch the last episode of the not so great but slightly addictive mini tv series with Debra what's her face.

Oh, and another major change - for the first time in my life, I'm using a hair dryer. They're really clever little appliances! They might ruin my hair but there's just no time for my hair to air dry before going to bed shortly after 10pm...

Yes, it may not be a very exciting life I'm living, but for now, I'm satisfied!