In Denmark it is very rare to find a shop that is open on Sundays. Of course we have 1 grocery store (Fakta) and gas stations which are open if you have an emergency need for eggs, milk or toilet paper, but the rest of the shops are closed! When I first moved to Herning, it drove me CRAZY! But now...
Jeg var meget vant til "landet af 24 timer butikker" da jeg ankom i Danmark men nu kan jeg ikke forestille mig bruger mine søndag eftermiddage at købind! I vinteren vil jeg at blive hjemme fordi det er for koldt at gå ud..... Resten af år vil jeg at blive udenfor, ikke i en butik! (Mor, kan du tro hvad jeg siger!?)
I was so used to living in "the land of 24 hour stores" when I arrived in Denmark, but now I cannot imagine spending my Sunday afternoons shopping! In the winter I want to stay home because it is just too cold out.... The rest of the year I just want to be outside, not in a shop! (Mom, can you believe what I am saying?!)
Jeg tog mange billeder i søndags imens jeg tænkte på mit liv her. Og jeg tænkte "hvis vi nogensiden flytter tilbage til Amerika i fremtiden, vil jeg skifte tilbage til mine gamle vaner eller kan du bo i Amerika og har et liv som aftener og weekender er LANSOMME?" Weekender uden shopping malls eller købmænd? Weekender i natur hvor du egentlig "stopper og lugter rosa?"
I took many pictures this past Sunday while I thought about my life here. And I thought "if we ever move back to the America in the future, will I change back to my old habits or can you live in Amerika and have a life where the evenings and the weekends are SLOW?" Weekends without shopping malls and grocery stores? Weekends in nature where you actually "stop and smell the roses?"
Emmitt sad udenfor hele søndag. Så jeg kiggede ham, kunne jeg ikke tro at han boede i en lejlighed uden have før vi flyttede....
Emmitt sat out back all of Sunday. As I watched him, I could not believe that he lived in an apartment without a yard before we moved...
Jeg ønsker at du kunne lugte "sneen" at jeg fundet i søndags i "Alberts park"! Træerne lugtede ligesom søde, friske rosa!I wish that you could smell "the snow" that I found on Sunday in "Albert´s park". The trees smelled like sweet, fresh roses!
Albert tog Mads og jeg at besøge heste i anden Herning park. Han har ikke besøgt dem siden efterår så i søndags blev de bekendt med igen!Albert took Mads and I to visit the horses in another Herning park. He has not visited them since fall so on Sunday they all got reacquainted!
I søndags kørte vi bag denne mand og jeg undrede-- "Kører han for at hente hans kæreste og tager hende på en søndagtur?" Hvor romantisk.....On Sunday we drove behind this guy and I wondered--"Is he driving to pick up his sweetheart and take her on a Sunday drive?" How romantic......
Hvordan bruger du dine søndag eftermiddage?! Hvilket slags af weekender har du? Skynder dig hele weekend så du kan krydser ting fra listen? Eller har du afslappende weekender som du kan nyde familie og venner og verden omkring dig?
How do you use your Sunday afternoons? What kind of weekends do you have? Do you rush and hurry the whole weekend to get things accomplished on your list? Or do you have relaxing weekends where you can enjoy family, friends and the world around you?
How do you use your Sunday afternoons? What kind of weekends do you have? Do you rush and hurry the whole weekend to get things accomplished on your list? Or do you have relaxing weekends where you can enjoy family, friends and the world around you?
14 comments:
Each time I read your blog, I see a glimpse of a woman I didn't know existed. Honey - it doesn't matter where you live, if family & home become your priority - you can slow down and smell the roses. Many places in the world (US included) people are too busy trying to "keep up" with everyone else. I'm glad that your life in Denmark has forced you to slow down and realize what is really important. More to life than shopping and doing "stuff." Glad you have learned how to be happy with just "being." This will serve you well later in life. I enjoy every minute of my weekends and rarely ever go shopping.(also saves you money -hee hee) Have a great Thursday!
Well, being self-employed, I have to admit that I usually work a few hours every Sunday, but the majority of the day is spent in slow motion - having friends and family over for lunch or afternoon coffee, pottering around the garden, napping, that sort of thing. :)
Despite our attempt to keep Sundays free from all things but church, life has crept in and Sunday is the new Saturday. Little league and scouts now do things on Sunday because Saturdays are so full. The means the church wants to do things like youth group on Sunday nights. It's too much. By Monday, we all feel yucky and exhausted. Some things have to change around here.
I was the same way when moving to Denmark....at first bored on Sundays, but then I got used to having Sundays as a day of rest. Now we spend it at home, or together somehow. I hardly ever go shopping on Sundays.
What's a "weekend"? Kidding!
But my husband works more on weekends than weekdays (he switches from being a journalist to being a taxi driver) and I'm usually trying to do whatever it is I've put off doing (that's pretty much the story of my life, actually). Also, most of my friends work weekend shifts and so we'll often get together on odd weeknights. But since I started Danish class I have to remember to keep track of days since I need to know when to go and when to sleep in. :-)
I have a dream that one day I work a 9-5 job. With weekends off. I wonder what that would be like?
Shops are open here on Sundays, but we live fairly far out of the city, so don't often shop.. Also - I'm ... ssh.. don't tell anyone - allergic to shopping! Hate it!
Now that we have hired a summer cottage, we'll be going up there at the weekends as it's only 45 mins away. Otherwise, it's usually dog walking in the woods, and birthday parties for the kids.
I won't leave the house on Sunday, but you know that. I've got to have at least one day without chores and without other people's noise. We get up, have bacon and coffee, and relax. I love Sundays!
Your post made me want to move back to Denmark ASAP. Although Lilian, my friend in Bagsvaerd, longs for the sunshine we get here.
My weekends are becoming increasingly busy and I don't like that feeling. It's never because of shopping either. I go to so many events and meetings for writers, almost one every weekend. This Sunday I shall be at UCLA at the LA Times Book Festival.
The great thing about the country house is that it is a getaway where I can just horseback ride or be with the animals. I NEED that time away from everything! But then -- I always need to come back to civilization after a few days...or things feel TOO slow.
When I had a full-time job I shopped every Sunday by myself. What else to do on a Sunday anyway?
When I returned to school I always work on weekends. So my Sundays are spend at work:(
Sweet to read your mom's comment..she's right....of course she is right, mom's are always right!! :-)) Our weekends vary depending on if a kid has an activity or I have a dog show or something but we never shop on Sundays. They just opened a little shop on Sundays. Apparently you can have a little grocery store open if it's not very big..well, it's a huge success. And I must admit I like it when I'm in Sweden and things are open every day..no pressure to get things Saturday or you are out of luck until Monday. But shopping has never been a big thing for me. All the things you wrote about are things I'd love to do on a Sunday rather then shop...and walking in my beloved woods is top of my list of things to do on a Sunday.
Have a great day!!!
I remember the month I spent in Berlin with my friend Sandra. We would go to her parent's house on Sundays and eat 7 course meals that lasted all day (at least they felt like 7 courses). They'd serve coffee and cake in the afternoon in the garden, and we just did nothing. We might take the dogs on a walk.I miss those Sundays at the Manthey household. It was then I really felt what a Sunday should be like.
We work so hard here in the US with the long hours and commute we have to do the shopping on the weekends.
I admit it: I run errands on the weekends, or try to cook or clean. The weeks are so busy. I wish I had more time to relax.
I have an autoimmune disease that is partially genetic, but is often "triggered" by stress. In other words, it might have never reared its ugly head if I hadn't been under such enormous stress for so many years! I am trying my best to learn from that. :)
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