biking with vikings

happy birthday america

although I spend a fair amount of time griping about the current state of affairs in the United States (esp. here) as it is Independence Day (July 4th) I should enumerate the people and things that are wonderful about my country, and be thankful for them:

• innovation: Although England, France and other countries were each fertile ground for the amazing growth of science and technology in the 19th and 20th centuries, none were as successful as the USA in fomenting innovation and providing a commercial basis for invention. The period between 1850 and 2000 is breathtaking for the number of developments that changed our lives forever, from medicine to transportation to computers.  These days, at least on the west coast and around, say, Boston, the innovation continues.
• succesful government programs: Swimming against the current tide of ill-conceived libertarianism, I salute The New Deal, the Marshall Plan, Social Security, NASA and the DARPA-funded Internet.
• enlightenment thinkers: The men who tried, at least, to deliver us from religious despots and royalists: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine.

and to my friends in Cascadia: I hope you have a beautiful, sunny holiday today, which is typically not the case .

 

 

Helsingør

Nice day trip to Helsingør and Kronborg Castle (Slot) with mum and dad and family…

“Elsinore” from Hamlet is of course Helsingør – Kronborg Castle.

More snaps are here.

Skt Hans/Midsommer

sorry I’ve been dark for a bit: In rapid succession it was Skt. Hans/Midsommer here in DK, Malcolm’s birthday party, our housewarming party, super busy @ work and then a blasted cold, which I still have.  But here are the pictures now – click on below snap for album!

 

Malcolm's 3rd Birthday (June 24 2005)

and right on the heels of Midsommer Bonfire is Malcolm’s 3rd birthday!

At his Børnehave (school) it is traditional for all of the kids to come over to the birthday child’s house for a birthday party, so we kitted the place out for a party beforehand with lots of party favors, a lawn tent in case of rain, the awning cover over the terrace and football nets and games/toys for the kids to play.  Susan spent a *bunch* of time preparing food with delicious spinach pies, a carrot birthday cake (his favorite), lemon creme cupcakes from the Cafe Brenda cookbook and more.

Typically on Fridays the whole school marches down to the Birkerød Svømmehal (swimming pool) for weekly swim but they were closed this week, so instead they all marched from the school to our house , which is over a kilometer with a pack of little kids!  As it was very hot and muggy that day they were all parched when they arrived, but they still sang the traditional Danish birthday song at the door when they arrived:

I dag er det Malcolms fødelsedag
Hurra, hurra, hurra!
Han sikkert sig en gave får,
som han ønsket sig i år,
og dejlig chokolade med kager til.
Hvor smiler han, hvor er han glad,
hurra, hurra, hurra!
men denne dag er også rar,
for hjemme venter mor og far
med dejlig chokolade og kager til.

Og når han hjem fra skærmen går,
hurra, hurra, hurra!
så skall han hjem og holde fest,
og hvem, der kommer med som gæst,
får dejlig chokolade og kager til,

Til slut vi råber højt i kor:
Hurra, hurra, hurra!
Gid Malcolm længe leve må
og sine ønsker opfyldt få
med dejlig chokolade og kager til.

After lunch the kids got a bit bored so I pushed them around the yard in the Burely bike trailer (pant!) and then rode them up and down the street in the Christinia (pant! pant!) which was real work in the heat and humidity

We had a very fine time with Marianne (his teacher who runs the school) and Bergitte (who works with her) and all the kids, it was interesting to meet all of them.  They are some very nice kids and Malcolm had a grand time.

It was nice to see how the Danes do this kind of thing: Nice traditions with songs and giving of gifts, a shared experience where all the kids participate.