Anticipating An Easy, But Long Day

Last night I dreamt I went to Frederiksborg again.  Sorry to all of you Du Maurier fans out there....I couldn't resist.  This morning I did go to Frederiksborg Castle again.

I arose and began making preparations for the dreaded and delightful and delicious carrot cake cookies.  By the way, thanks for the suggestion to make only one batch...I did.  I also needed to shop for tomorrow's meal.  I am trying to keep up the reading schedule on the Book of Mormon, reading 6 chapters a day....and I am trying to put together a book for our outgoing mission president and his wife.  And I had visiting teaching in the evening.

SK and Mary were going to Frederiksborg Castle....a 45-minute drive north of here.  SK talked me into going.  I slapped on some makeup, combed my hair and away I went with them, trying to get preparations for tomorrow out of my mind!  I managed very nicely thank you.

Spring has not quite worked its magic on the grounds yet....the trees are just beginning to show signs of green and the little leaf buds are peeking out of the branches.  There are a few hardy flowering shrubs and trees that couldn't wait for everyone else and exploded with their own spectacular foliage.  Everything has been carefully maintained through the winter, and at some point has also been expertly pruned.

The castle is an imposing sight and approaching it is spectacular.  Simply walking to the castle from the parking lot is a small hike of sorts.  Add to that the walk through, and you have your required amount of exercise for the day.  But you get the prize if you  trek through the grounds and gardens and up the hill to the quaint little cafe.  You also get a great little Danish lunch of open-faced sandwiches on rye bread.

The high today was 61.  In Gilbert Arizona, 61 degrees deserves a warm jacket and possibly boots.  In Copenhagen, people are out in shorts and tees.  I was out in my jacket and happy to have it against the wind.  I was even happy for it in the cool interior of that great building.  I love that place!  The chapel is magnificent, the Carl Bloch paintings deeply moving, and the Great Hall fit for a king....or queen as the case may be.

There was a special exhibit today of the queen's dresses since she was an infant...her christening dress plus 40 or more dresses for special occasions.  Not special occasions like you and I go to, but serious events when she hangs out with the leaders of the world.  There were screens throughout the exhibit showing videos of her wearing different outfits for the last 50 years.  She looks like a queen....and always has.  She is tall, slim, blond with queenly bearing.  She was beautiful as a princess at her wedding, wearing a timelessly elegant white gown with little embellishment, except for a very long regal train.

When we got home I mixed up the cookie dough while SK and Mary went shopping for the needed supplies for tomorrow.  They got everything necessary....and did a great job!  Except SK just wanted to get it done, and didn't want to get much into comparison shopping!

I walked to the central train station, and after a bit of bumbling (I do that a lot), got on and off one train that would have taken me to northern Jutland, and then found my way to the right train going to Amager.

I met Sarah, a beautiful young law student from New Zealand.  She has lovely long dark hair, hazel eyes (I believe), and is a willowy 5'7".  I meet her in the largest mall in Scandinavia across the street from the dorm room she shares with a couple of other young women, who are also attending school here.

We sat together for an hour and just talked.  She told me about her home and family in New Zealand, and some of her hopes for the future.  It was immensely fun just to listen and also be able to share some of my hopes for the future.  She listens carefully and then asks questions to know more.  What a nice conversationalist she is.

One cute thing to happen was that when we finished our hamburgers, I gave her the V.T. lesson.  I asked her what she thought guile was.  She thought for all of 2 seconds and then said, "Well....to beguile is to deceive or lead astray."  I said, "You read the lesson!!!!"

She laughed and answered, "Yeah, I went visiting teaching just before I came here."  But this was especially cute....she said, "But please go ahead, I would love to hear your perspective on it."  So I barreled ahead, giving her a third time today to discuss integrity and guilelessness.

She walked me to the correct train track, thereby saving me from further bumbling and I came home.  I spent the next couple of hours baking the cookies.  They take nearly 15 minutes a batch to bake and must be watched because if they are taken out too soon they are too soft and fall apart, and if they stay in too long, well....you know what happens then.  They burn.

Even with just one batch I think I will have nearly 80 cookies, and they are rich.  Since they are sandwich cookies with a good dose of cream cheese frosting in between, one is usually enough.

One of our young missionaries from Denmark returned from her mission at Temple Square this week.  We are looking forward to seeing her.  Shortly after we arrived in Denmark, she left for Utah, and we had the wonderful opportunity to attend her open house.  We knew few people, and were unfamiliar with customs and foods here.  But we enjoyed it immensely, and now she is home!  We are having an open house of sorts at the center after Institute....and that is what I am making the cookies for.

Tomorrow morning I will frost them, and then begin preparing the evening meal

I think it will be comparatively simple and easy to put together.  I know what you're thinking...."That's what she says beforehand, but the reality always seems different.  It's ok...it'll all turn out fine.  I'll let you know all about it.

Good night.