To Meet and to Part....or Is It The Other Way Around?

Melissa and I decided this morning that the only way to get everything accomplished that was on the list today was to divide and conquer (so to speak).  SK and Derek took off in the car to a little town about 40 minutes from here to the bakery where Theresa works.  They picked up an amazing selection of bakery goodies and returned home.

Before we left, Melissa pulled up the blinds and waited patiently to catch the rotte on camera! She grew tired, and suggested that I throw some food out.  I was agreeable to that.  I put out a few stale bread crumbs.  Immediately we had some sweet little birds out there partaking of the feast.  We even had a plump pigeon show up....but no rotte.  Finally, Melissa said, "How about that moldy cheese in the refrigerator?"

She was right...there was some.  So I put out a small amount.  We sat and watched in fascination and horror as almost immediately a rat scuttled out into the opening to clean up the cheese.  I couldn't believe how fast he came!!!!!!  I am going to call the city again tomorrow....it is not difficult to get one to come out into full view.  Their so-called traps are not working.  Those things have got to go!

Melissa and I walked to Foetex - one of our favorite grocery stores to pick up the last items I will need for dinner tomorrow.  It is the last dinner of the current school year (there will be others I am sure, but this will be the last regularly scheduled one).  We carried it home, put it away and then set out on the really truly important mission:  to Stroeget, or the walking street.

Melissa had just a few things she wanted to get and she knew right where she wanted to go to get them.  We were focused!  With very few detours, we made our way down the picturesque walking street.  We were successful...got the items and hoofed it back to the apartment.

Derek wanted to go out for real Danish food one more time, so we went to a little cafe nearby.  We were thrilled to see "Roed Groede Med Floede" on the menu!  It is an excellent berry pudding, and a quintessentially Danish dessert.  But the most distinctive thing about it is that is so difficult to pronounce.  The r at the first of a word is pronounced at the back of your throat....and in fact sounds a little like you are clearing your throat.  The d at the end of the word is pronounced way way back at the back of your throat....all the while making a soft "th" sound.

But never mind the name of the stuff....it is seriously good....and worth the short walk just before departing for the airport.  Upon getting back to the apartment, Derek and Melissa made the final preparations for departure....including carefully packing up the pastries they had made such an effort to obtain.  They promised their children to bring some of the famous Danish pastries, and they made good on their vows.  I am looking forward to hearing what they thought.

We came home for a couple of hours and then returned to the airport via the familiar walk to the main train station and train ride to the airport.  We waited and watched until we were rewarded with the sight of Kate (our favorite high school graduate and oldest granddaughter!) and our son Derek.

They will be here for awhile and then depart to see other parts of Europe.  They will return to us and do a little more sightseeing here in the best place possible.  We are looking forward to showing them this fair kingdom.

We have four children, and Derek is the last of the four to come here.  Each who have come has had a different trip, but we think we are getting the "tour" of the country down to a science.  Actually that is impossible.  There is so much to see that we haven't yet as seen, and probably won't, but this is an amazing place and I am grateful that they will have all seen a good representative view of this land.

We walked along the cobblestone streets pulling their suitcases to our apartment and then settled in for a little while.  I fixed a light dinner.  We walked around the lake and saw the baby swans...and the adult swans.

We played a few rounds of "Nines"....and by then they were both exhausted from their day(s) travel. Tomorrow is my big day at the center....and my second big meal of the week.  Melissa was very helpful....she made two large key lime pies and put them in the freezer for tomorrow's dinner.  I think it should be an easy dinner to put together and to serve.  I will do some sightseeing in the morning with SK, Derek and Kate.

It will be fun to have Kate come to the center....I think she will enjoy the other YSAs there....and I think she and Derek will enjoy being here in this enchanting country.