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| Eiffel Tower (duh), September 2013 |
Silvester is upon us again and though I bravely and humbly admit that this year has not been one of particular blogging prowess, I couldn't not do the year in review. Take it sort of like an apology (sorry, Dad...).
So, generally, I could split up the year pretty broadly and call it good. If I did, it would look like this:
Spring ~ Moved to Denmark and everything was weird again...
Fall ~ We're just going to call this period "The Stupid Time." I don't really want to talk about it (but if you ask me about it, I can talk about it for a looooong time so...best to just move along.)
Winter ~ EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY! DAGNABBIT!
But, let's be frank, that just sounds really vague and cryptic and weird. So, without further ado, I give you the usual format.
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January
Mostly we just finished up all our moving-from-Germany arrangements. I basically wrapped up my teaching at the University of Rostock and Paul basically packed up his entire lab.
February
A house-cooling party where it was surprisingly more difficult than I thought it would be to fob off various refrigerated condiments on our guests. Oh, and we moved to Denmark.
March
Began our Danish courses and wondered if we'd ever see the sun again?
April
Masters coursework, new lab setting-up, Danish classes. We went to a concert where the Odense Symphony played The Beatles; it was kind of the highlight of the year at that point. That isn't to say our year wasn't good but more to say it was a really, really awesome concert.
May
By now you may be thinking, "But wait, I thought you guys traveled, like, every month?" Well, see, residency permits were expensive, moving was expensive, Denmark in general is expensive, tuition is(was) expensive. So, you get the idea. But in May we forked out the crazy train fare to go to Copenhagen for my birthday (and for a new passport...and new expensive residency permit...).
Copenhagen was awesome! I like Copenhagen and the canal boats and the castles and that one Mexican restaurant we found that almost made us cry with joy (we're severely deprived). I especially like saying Copenhagen the Danish way: KOObenHAWen. Saying it all the way there and back on the train. Super annoyingly.
June
We saw the sun again (too...too much sun...) and went to the biggest bonfire I've ever seen. Also, when I look at the calendar, it's completely blank except for the words "FINISH YOUR DARN ANALYSES!" So...that was that time.
July
July was prrrrrretty much the same. Paul had a doctor's appointment on the 30th at 1:15pm, too. That was literally the only thing noted on our calendar. High times. Oh, but I did get my Masters in GIS, so that was a huge relief!
August
WE WENT SOMEWHERE! TO LISBON! Finally!
Lisbon was a pretty great long weekend and I will forever and ever dream of the salted cod, Bacalau (which, when prepared...not salty?), and the shellfish stews and the Pasteis de Belem... We ate good food there. After being in sad expensive-food Danish wasteland for eight months, it was a kind of "release the hounds!" situation for us. Also, if ever in Lisbon, there's this one, particular gelatto place... Also, go to Sintra. ALSO, Lisbon was part of the most recent season of "The Amazing Race" so, I'm pretty much fulfilled.
September
October
I took Paul to Helsingoer for his birthday. It's the "real" Hamlet castle. We could see Sweden. It was cool. Also, I went to a family Halloween party as Pippi Longstocking and didn't realize that was about the Scandinavian equivalent of going to an American little girl birthday party as Princess Disney-Fill-In-The-Blank. Wide, wide-eyed, whispering ("Mama, it's Pippi!") little kids all night long.
November
Paul went to Australia and saw a marsupial we didn't know existed (quokkas). I spent the month mostly being jealous. Also, Thanksgiving was real exciting because we could find a turkey!
December
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Onward.
