Wednesday 30 May 2012

Stick or twist?

Technically it's my birthday. It doesn't feel like it. Settling in to life in Mallorca and the new job. Missing friends and family though. First birthday for a long time that I've not celebrated with the Tunbridge Wells gang. Got a lot on my mind too so it sadly doesn't really feel like it's that important to celebrate.

My parents always made a big deal of my bday when I was a kid. I'd be woken up by the whole family singing in my room. Then I'd go downstairs and Mum would've arranged all my presents on the dining table and put up lots of Danish flags everywhere. She always made the best cakes for me too and of course Dad spoiled me with far too many gifts. Birthdays were awesome. They still are, just in a very different way.

This year my birthday should be fun because the girls I'm working with have decided that I'm turning 30....again! No twist, I'll stick please Mr. Card Dealer. Though technically that's not right. I'm regressing. We'll see what happens with that tonight when we go out....

Birthdays, another year older and another year wiser? Doubtful.
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Friday 18 May 2012

Room 402, Øresundsbroen, whisky and "I don't actually live at the castle"

A brief British interlude has come to a very swift end. Literally feels like I stepped foot on UK soil and then the next thing I know I'm off again, on a flight to sunnier climes. Got back on the 24th of April and then left again on the 14th of May, it flew by! So, what did I get up to since I left my Alpine hidey-hole and bounced around Britain for almost three weeks? Well all sorts really! Catching up with old friends, new friends, some packing and moving, along with some drinking and eating. It's going to be a long blog entry, be warned...

I had the best welcome home thanks to my dear friend Hicksy. Seriously, everyone needs a Hicksy in their life, someone who'll pick you up from Clacketts at 8:30 in the morning, take you for the best bacon butty ever, bring you home for a cup of tea and a refreshing shower (definitely needed after a 15 hour journey on a bus and boat) and then straight to the pub for a good old catch up, with a surprise visit from Mel B...and maybe a Jaegerbomb or two! From there on things only got better. Being in Brighton with great friends celebrating a birthday, a random drunken night at a pub followed by a night at the dogs and dancing till 5 in the morning. Sushi at Kitsu with T. Cake and chats with Mrs H. Meeting H & C's new Natty boy. I loved that deep-down good feeling I had several times during this 'between seasons break' of looking around and being surrounded by friends, good friends, old friends, it's been marvellous. Sadly I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see, time was not on my side and for those that I missed I am really sorry, top of my list when I'm back in September.

What did I do next? Some moving out and moving in and moving crap all around. One thing is for sure, I have too much stuff. How on Earth does one person accumulate so much random tat? I could make some comment now about our consumerist society and so on, but I really am not in the mood for that right now. Suffice it to say that when I'm back in September there will be some severe culling of possessions. If this seasonal to-ing and fro-ing is going to be my way for a wee while, then I need to lighten my load.

Moving on...haha, see what I did there? Oh it's funny. Not as funny as my cheese related jokes but I save those for my chalet guests (I know, lucky them I hear you groaning). Next I did a bit of travelling about, saw some lovely people, drank some lovely drinks, ate some lovely food and stayed in some lovely places. First was London, platform 9 and three quarters was where I waited for the Little Idiot, I was amused by the constant flow of Harry Potter fans having their photos taken there. Had an excellent and super fun time with him, he's still a complete Little Idiot mind you! I guess that's one of the reasons I like him and though our paths may not ever cross again we had fun and that's awesome. You have to enjoy these moments, these little interludes in life that are fun, new and exciting because when you least expect it, something hits you out of the blue and casts a shadow over the proceedings. After that I spent time with the Girls, my lovely girls who I've shared so much with over the MANY, many years we've been friends, so lovely to see them. Then an adventure in the Shire of Derby that involved a cornucopia of food, whisky and ale tastings, a dithering dog and two of the 'best people in the world'.

During my brief stay in Britain I've somehow managed to strengthen my Scandinavian roots and I've a wee Scot to thank for that oddly. The Bridge, if you've not seen it (season finale is on BBC4 this Saturday) is an awesome bit of televisual viewing. May I recommend that you get yourself on iPlayer right away and start watching it ASAP. Along with this Scandi-ness I've also finally got round to reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, OMG it's a good yarn! Yes I realise most of the world has read the Millenium trilogy already and I'm a bit late in joining the party but better late than never.

My residence whilst in the UK was pretty spectacular and those I was living with are up there on my list of 'best people in the world'. "I don't actually live in the castle" I said in a text one night, rather unnecessarily, perhaps it had all gone to my head a bit?! My darling friends C & D let me stay with them at their lovely home by Hever Castle. If you've not been I suggest you go, to the castle that is, don't just call round to my friends and say I suggested it! Walks round the lake in all sorts of weather to restore one's spirit, nights watching BGT on Sky+, bottles of Tuborg, sugared almonds and my new best friend Whinnie. There's a room in their house that is now referred to as 'Trine's room'. That makes me immensely happy.

On the subject of happiness, you've got to grab it when it comes along. Squeeze every bit of fun out of life. I was with TLI at a cafe, best limeade ever incidentally (at Le Pain Quotidien), feeling rather content and then saying just that to him when I got some bad news. My dad has bowel cancer. Fun's over, not really feeling content any more. Shock. Cancer, wow, that's something that happens to others though, isn't it? Well it happens a lot, to many people, one in three of us will get cancer apparently. So I'm here with my Dad now for a while before I go to start my summer season job. It's early days, he's not really said anything to anyone. He's in good spirits, is getting good medical help, is taking good care of himself and he's optimistic. Seems to have been caught very early on, so fingers crossed and in the meantime we'll carry on having some fun cos laughter has got to be up there on the 'best medicine in the world' list!

Thanks to all the above mentioned for a wonderful 'between-seasons-break', you are all amazing. I have to say a special thanks to T for being a great friend, I knew we'd get there one day.

A brief British interlude in photos:














My best friend Whinnie!




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