taler du dansk?

Out for a jog on our old running route!
Out for a jog on our old running route!

We’re out for a jog on our old running route – so fun to have TWO boys now on the run with me! The weather has been mostly cloudy and 60 – perfect for a good run. My legs are still tied up in knots from being crammed on the trip so the run did not feel as good as usual but still great to be out and working. Sam jogged 2 miles back with me and stopped for pizza lunch. We also bought me some Born shoes (made in Denmark) that I can slip on/off easily at the airport but which still look cute with jeans. Would you believe we ran into a Danish couple while we were out jogging? I heard the faint accent when I said “excuse me” while passing and immediately turned around and asked “Taler du dansk?” We chatted for a bit in Danish but switched to English because their second language was way better than mine! It’s been about 15 years since I lived in Denmark so it’s hard to keep it at all brushed off when I use it for 5 minutes a year or something like that. But so fun to at least try. I keep resolving to do a better job of maintaining and learning languages but never seem to follow through on it. I do best with interacting with real people, not computer programs. (I do look for community groups of expats to hang out with but right now the time is just not handy. Some day!) Nice to have goals for when the boys are no longer as interested in hanging with me…a good fallback since I’m sure I’ll miss them. We had dinner at Tizley’s EuroPub on Front St where we’d enjoyed several parties – I think a surprise birthday for one of our girl gang, then a sendoff party for us before we moved to Hawaii. The boys and I played straw sword fights and other strange pursuits while waiting for dinner – there was a party of 14 in there for a birhday. I ordered a glass of wine when I realized how creative I’d have to get to keep Ben from going “AAAAAAAAAAH!” in his loud, loud way. I find myself apologizing all the time for him. He is SO loud. He’s not doing anything terribly unusual for his age – back arch, tantrums when I pick him up to go elsewhere, or he doesn’t follow when I try to persuade him to come on his own – he’s just doing it all very loudly, and in public because we are traveling so much this year. I feel very self-conscious – like I need to explain “I DO discipline him, I just can’t make it stop! I’m not a bad parent, really!”

2 Comments

  1. Rebecca 19 October, 2009

    It is awesome that you could get there for Ang’s baby shower! I miss our old stomping grounds but being here is going to help with that. Enjoy the rest of your trip!! 🙂

  2. Gramma Oli 19 October, 2009

    Love seeing you in Poulsbo and running “the loop”. And, AGAIN, finding Danish-speaking people! What a kick! I probably still have my video of the lady in the dentist’s office a year ago, and the 2 guys you snagged in Poulsbo as they ambled by Hot Shots while speaking Danish! You have a great “ear” for it.

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