Is that a danish in your pocket or can I eat that danish?

I had a completely Danish conversation yesterday. I was on the train sitting next to the window and there was a fellow sitting next to me. My stop was coming up so I said "Unskyld" or "Excuse me." He got up and I said "Tak" or "Thank you." I am so Danish.

Last night I went out in public wearing black spandex pants (without shorts over them...yikes) for the first time since my mother used to dress me. It was dark out. I hate spandex pants, but the Danes love them. When in Rome...

I rode my bike to work today. Somehow it felt like both ways were uphill. I dropped the bike off to it's rightful owner on the way home. Back to walking everywhere again.... My friends' who lent me the bike have 3 kids ages 6-8. I've been over their house a few times for dinner, but the kids never paid too much attention to me. The one little girl would often stare at me and when I'd smile at her she'd smile back shyly. Other than that they would be off in the other room playing by themselves. Oh boy, tonight was a different story. We really had a breakthrough. The kids now have a trampoline in the backyard and they are just mad about it. "Yulia, Yulia blah blah blah blah blah!!!" they kept screaming at me. They were so excited to have me jump with them on the trampoline. It was really fun. They also play the "popcorn game" which I could have sworn me and my childhood friends made up, but I guess it's just a natural instinct to play this game when you're on a trampoline. I was exhausted afterwards. The oldest girl got me a cup of water. Then it was bedtime for them. The girls were all wound up and giggly and kept peeping around corners and running away and then running back and giggling. Then they ran out to me in their pjs with toothbrush in hand and I brushed their teeth for them. Hahahahaha ahhh it makes me laugh out loud when I think of it. It was a bit funny. I was cracking up at the time and so were they. They kept running to their bedroom and then running back out with a flower and a ballet slipper, and then running away and running back out with a watch and sunglasses. Every time they gave me something I would put it on and make a funny noise or say something that didn't make any sense to them... Hahaha I had no idea what they were saying the whole time and vice versa, but they thought I was hysterical and I was having a good time too. They gave me hugs and kisses before bed and then ran back out for second and third rounds of hugs and kisses. It's amazing how far a little trampoline action can get you...

I started packing up some things over the weekend and I am amazed by how much stuff I brought that I never used. I found a bathing suit. Ha!! I don't know what I was thinking when I packed that! Just looking at it makes me cold. I also found a 20 pack of small batteries and I could vaguely remember packing them and thinking I was so smart for bringing them. I couldn't remember why though. As I went through my drawers I found a head lamp I bought right before I left. I knew the days were going to be short in February and I wanted to make sure I had light for when I would go on jogs in the evenings after work. Because, ya know, I won't know anyone so I might as well get in really good shape and run everyday. Ya right! I never once used the headlamp. I went running the first day I got here and then stopped for like a month. It was way too cold! (I had packed the package of batteries for this headlamp). I also found a box full of medicine that I never needed (allergy medicine, cough medicine, inhalers, tylenol, band-aids, Ace bandages, gauze pads, medical tape, wart remover, cough drops, airborne, etc. slightly paranoid maybe?), a drawer full of short-sleeved shirts and skirts that I never wore, a pair of high heel shoes, and a couple pairs of sunglasses that I had no use for. I also never used my blow dryer and I didn't read any of the books I brought with me.


Things I would not have survived without:
coat
scarf
mittens
map
Curly
laptop

That's all you really need.


Here's my pillowcase design I've been working on: