Silent Sunday

Milestones

There comes a time when change prevails. All of a sudden, something slaps you in the face, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Today is one of those days. A bitter-sweet one for any parent who has watched their child grow from the moment he calmly arrived into the world to the tinny strains of Simon and Garfunkel on Hospital FM! From (not so) tiny newborn, to a crawling spinach-loving grub of a baby. From tearaway toddler (whose favourite pastime was climbing), to an inquisitive nursery schooler who loved his first real friends and teachers (and still misses his first ever best friend Eric - another of the hazards of a transient expat life), to this particular day - when my not so Small Boy starts "Big" School!

We bade a fond farewell to preschool in the middle of July. His first introduction to International School life in Denmark was thankfully a success. For months when we first arrived, I tried to get him into a Danish school, with the reasoning that any exposure to another language is good, but some of the schools I saw were not the best (to put it mildly), and the few I loved then of course didn't have space. I even toyed with the idea of a forest school which would have seen him outside all day everyday, learning in a forest environment (which appealed to the hippy in me), but then the snow set in for almost 4 months, and I just couldn't do that to my poor English baby.

I visited a lovely Steiner School where I sat by candlelight to discuss my child with a kind and motherly lady who offered him a place (but was horrified that my older child was in an academic school, so felt she should have a place too!). I decided against it in the end, partially because we didn't know where we would end up next, and a more academic start might stand him in good stead for the next school in another country. Plus with no English speakers amongst the staff or the pupils, explaining the calm and quiet Steiner ethics to a non-Danish speaking toddler may have proved ineffectual!

I perservered until eventually I found this friendly little school that welcomed him with open arms. For just over a year, he had a great introduction to his school life! The teachers are so lovely, patient and kind, and at the end of it all it was very sad to say goodbye.

I know we aren't here for much longer and they will both be at new schools in a new country very soon, but despite this, today is still a milestone for him, and one for me too. Time flies and all that...

A Final Flea (& a Timely Plea)....

I can't believe what is happening in London right now. A group of kids attacking and destroying their own communities for what? A stolen TV or a pair of trainers? I try very hard not to make any political or negative comments in this blog, it's not really what I wanted to use it for, but to say I am sickened at what has been going is an understatement.

Anyway, whilst talking of rubbish (and on a much lighter note), having been to many a loppemarked during our time here ("no, really?" I hear you say!), at the weekend I had a brain wave to to have a stall myself at one of these things to get rid of a load of stuff pre-move, a good move in an internet-auction free land! Such a good idea, especially when you don't speak much of the language either (I am full of them!)!!... Needless to say, it proved to be interesting to say the least... From the man who spent at least half an hour inspecting a Dora doll, to the elderly lady who knocked over and broke lots of china on a neighbouring table. Being a stall holder instead of perusing is so incredibly boring , I will never be tempted to do one again. I did find this little blue jug though which was bought with a small amount of the proceeds! I have now given the rest to Kids Company London, a charity run entirely through fundraising and donations. It helps give vulnerable inner city children support and direction, and hopefully a much better outlook and future... Please have a look if you haven't heard of them, they do such an incredible job.

Ps. Denmark, you really need to get Ebay...!

At Lære At Cykle I Danmark!

(To Learn To Cycle in Denmark!)

I was drooling over a copy of Cyklernes By/Copenhagen City of Bikes the other day, it's a lovely book by Cecilia Vanman, with fantastic photographs by British Photographer Robin Maddock. It captures Copenhagen and its attachment to two-wheeled transport perfectly, and my bookshelf needs a copy before we leave!

Talking of two-wheeled transport, when she grows up, my 6 year old will now be able to tell her friends that she learned to ride a bike in one of the world's bike-riding capitals, thanks to her father's amazing teaching technique using a "balance implement" (a rolled up towel!), and lots of perseverance! It finally paid off, and she rode alone without stabilisers for the first time last weekend. Six is quite late to learn here, riding a bike is probably the next thing Danish children learn after walking, but we only have grass and gravel in our garden, so it's taken a while longer to get it sorted! She can now ride it quite confidently, and her little brother is champing at the bit to get started, just not on a pink bike!

Here are a few tips to get your child independently pedalling!: -

1. Ideally the bike should be a little too small for them, this gives them more confidence as they are not too far from the ground;
2. Get rid of the stabilisers as soon as possible. As soon as they have learned how to pedal and steer, the stabilisers have basically done their job;
3. Use a rolled up towel and place it under both arms (as demonstrated!!), you can use this to guide your child and help give them confidence until they don't realise that you aren't holding them up with it any more;
4. Book a chiropractor, you are going to need it;
5. Stand back, and bathe in one of those special parenting milestones. Have tissues to hand!

Observations of a Fashion Dummy

It was the first day of Copenhagen Fashion Week yesterday. We had wondered why it was heaving with even more beautiful people than usual! I have never been a fashionista. For a start, I wasn't blessed with a stick-like physique, and have quite honestly never really had the desire to wear something like this possibly octopus inspired piece even if I had been!: -


Neither would I feel comfortable enough to wear something like the fabulous "winged" ensemble below, apart from at a fancy dress party anyway! I do envy this girl's confidence though!...

I guess I can take solace in the fact that one day my photo albums will be grateful that I didn't have much courage when it came to outlandish fashion! If you are in CPH, and are wondering what on earth is happening with the gathering of the beau monde en masse over the next few days, you know now! At least the restaurants will be empty!

El Floridita - A Taste of Cuba in Copenhagen

I paid a visit to Salon 39 recently. For the summer, they have transformed this small restaurant and cocktail bar into a shrine to the famous El Floridita bar in Havana (with their permission!). The talented barman shook us up a wickedly delicious Papa Doble, a cocktail named in honour of that certain patron that made El Floridita famous - Ernest Hemingway. It was gorgeous, if not a little strong (of course it would be - it's a double!). Having once visited the real El Floridita for a Daquiri or two, I thought the guys at Salon 39 had done a pretty good job in replicating all sorts of aspects of the original! So eager are they to set the right mood, one of the bar men has actually even officially changed one of his names to Miguel...

Thanks to the smell (and taste) of fresh limes and the vague smell of cigar smoke, the music, and of course the rum, the atmosphere instantly transported me back - but then again that could have been thanks to the Daquiris! A great place, tucked away in a residential area, but equidistant between Forum and Vesterport Stations. Visit before the end of August when it will transform back into Salon 39 once more...

Catch of the Day...

We went to a beach we hadn't been to before near Hundested yesterday afternoon, there are plenty choose from here after all! The sun appears to have been listening to my previous plea, and having given in, blessed us with a fabulous afternoon of warm and sunny weather, and where best to spend it?

Within minutes The Six Year Old had presented me with this tiny starfish (I appear to be encountering another "unintentional theme" at the moment - this time it's obviously "Small Creatures"!), which as it happened to be her favourite colour, made it all the more intriguing! We inspected it carefully and placed it back in the rock pool where it was found...

Small boy, armed with a bucket and net (and having forgiven me for making him wear his pants on the beach as I had forgotten his trunks!), happily spent a couple of hours fishing in the same shrimp filled pools!


Thank you sun, it was so nice to see you! If you can manage a bit more I would be so grateful? Just until school starts again and then you can do what you like!