One cant wear kind words.

Posted on August 30, 2010 by June

We had a basement flooding episode that gave me a serious case of sads and tears. And then came along well meaning people who patted my shoulder and threw in a, “Its ok, those were just material things”. Well, how about I throw your diamond earrings into the sewer and replace it with a pat on your back and some half assed philosophy?

Remember the rains I talked about? Well they came and instead of going away quietly, stayed in our basement, flooding it and lending its vile, mouldy, slimy, wet, damp, destruction to most of our books, CD’s and clothes. The basement flood also took with  it my wedding dress.

[RIP wedding dress. The day I wore you was one of the happiest in my life.]

MY WEDDING DRESS! It’s not like I was gonna wear it again to re-marry my husband.  And, I guess it would be inappropriate to wear it if I marry someone else. But it did mean something to me, even if it  meant something to be kept in the basement.

And my books! The reason we even went to the basement, was to bring up some books to line our newly installed bookshelves. The bookshelves will have to get used being lined up with cartons of wine now.  There is not much difference between reading and drinking anyway, is there? Both bring happiness.

The basement must have been flooded for about 2 weeks before we discovered it, the damage was severe. Mould had already eaten holes through fabrics, the books were slimy with fungus and disintegrating while the CDs had goose pimples on them. I have only been able to save 2 of my fancy dresses. Who keeps expensive designer wear in the basement? Well, ME! I have so few of them, so I am always saving them for better occasions. If you spot a someone in a sparkling Tracy Reese gown or a flouncy Catherine Milandrino at the super market, say hello. Might as well wear them when I can.

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Last wedding of the season.

Posted on August 23, 2010 by June

Most of our friends are now at the age when cars, houses and vacation homes are being bought. So we marry. It’s nice to have some human and financial support in this dark age of loans and mortgages. What else can explain everyone we know getting married? Whatever their reasons, I love weddings! They always make me cry. In a nice way of course. Especially since I am married now.

I remember attending a wedding years ago, a friend and I were the only single guests.  There wasn’t even a bleak possibility of wedding guest flirting and future mate finding. because all other guests were married or attached. That wedding left us depressed and a wee bit envious of those with partners. But we were single, so it was OK for us to hit the bar and all was good with our lives again.

This weekend we were at our friends K&P’s wedding. The bride walked in and the groom’s lips and chin started quivering. That made me tear up. I looked at the best man, he was all red nose and wet eyes too. The groom’s male friends said they didn’t cry. They think no one noticed their ‘something went into my eye’ wipes. Must’ve been a mysterious something, since it managed to get into all of their eyes!

We gathered under a tent for wedding cake and champagne and over-heard passersby scheming to wear fancy clothes and crash the party. Well, it was a such a nice wedding, I would crash it too. But weddings never go all smooth, do they?

This was the handsome old jaguar prettied up for the couple. Of course, it chose to break down just when it was time for them to drive to the wedding dinner venue. PANIC!

The men who didn’t cry but wiped their eyes on the sly tried to fix it. But girls being smarter at crisis management, M and I started to take the decorations off the car. Plan was to put it on the car were driving in, we would take a taxi instead. But the groom’s brother had a  fancy BMW and it got to wear the finery instead.

During dinner there was much speech giving and eating and eating some more and dancing.

It was my third traditional danish church wedding with all the frills thrown in, in just a span of few months. Some friends tell me that it’s more traditional weddings than they have been too. In Denmark, it is usually the couple who pay for the wedding, not their parents. The guest list is therefore trimmed down to only close friends and family. I feel happy that our friends consider us close enough to invite us.

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The bride wore leather.

Posted on August 16, 2010 by June

And it rained. Danish folklore goes that if it rains on your wedding day, you will have many children and abundant love. I loved the bride’s  gown. It was a classic silhouette made edgy with a leather bustier and ombre grey and black layers.

I wish I could show you the faces of this couple whose wedding we were at 2 days ago. They looked straight out of an editorial. It was such a fun and classy wedding. Much dancing happened, in my case in painfully high shoes. I was limping at brunch the next day. The bride being half Italian, the menu was an interesting fusion of Italian and Danish food. Think slow baked tenderloins with liquorice sauce.

The wedding venue. Sophienberg Slot at Rungsted.

Sometime during dinner it started raining pouring. Through the rain we could see lights shimmering on the Swedish coastline. They reminded me of the queen’s necklace in Bombay. “It feels like monsoon in Bombay”, I said to the husband. Turns out it WAS like the monsoon in Bombay. On the drive home we took the highway at Lyngby only to find a  river. Calamity tourists crowded the over-bridge to look at the flowing highway. I was  not impressed. I am a Bombay girl, if roads flood, I simply roll up my jeans, use some anti frizz for my hair and remember to wear a nice shade of lip gloss. Bombay roads get flooded every monsoon. But no matter how heavy the rains or deep the waters, there is always someone selling cutting chai and roasted whole corns on cob on the sidewalks. Floods taste so much better in Bombay.

Yes, that is the Lyngby highway!

Few cars got stranded, but no one was hurt. Going by the downpour on their wedding night, we can be sure that the newly married couple will be flooded with love and children.

I missed Mina’s wedding reception which was on the same day since we’d already RSVPed to this one. But Mina, if the folklore holds true, I should soon be attending your multiple baby showers!

While we were wedding guesting, Picolo was in the able hands of Dogenhagen organiser Andrew. It was a relief to leave Picolo with someone who knows and loves dogs. Contact Andrew if you need a friendly and reliable dog sitting service. His club also organises dog walks across Copenhagen, join in even you dont own a dog, you may bump into Picolo and I.

Sophienberg Image.
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