Bring on the Night

A new year has begun, and the last days I have thought a bit about it with the bonus of hindsight. In short it was an exciting, educational, wonderful and a horrible year to me. Even though it in general may have been one of the best years of my life, it really brought some challenges and worries too.

I decided to write a list of accomplishments to get an overview.

Since December 2005 actually was the catalyst of the next 3 months I will start there:

• 2005 Got married 16. December
• 2005 C. returned to China on the 20. December
• 2005 Sucky Christmas since I was missing C. Only upside was the huge check my parents gave all us kids. It actually saved my economy.
• 2005/2006 New Year. Quite all-right, but still missed C a lot.
• January: Prepared and send paperwork to get the money back from the initial bank guarantee of about 50.000 kr (divide by 6 to get it in USDollars). Took several mails and detailed Sherlock Holmes work to get the money back.
• January: Digged in deep to prepare the visa/permanent stay paperwork. Ended up with headache, sleepless nights and 46½ page of filled out forms and papers.
• February: Gave C a bicycle for her birthday, which she could only see on pictures as she was in China. Lousy way to present a gift.
• February: Went to the police station and tried to deliver the paperwork for C visa/permanent stay, but was told C had to be present. Went back home and had a good sigh.
• February: Started to feel dizzy. The doc still can’t tell what is wrong and now we spell 2007. My blood pressure is fine. My blood levels are fine and according to pros, my urine is quite normal. At least the dizziness has decreased the last month. No clue why, though. I believe it is stress. The doctor believes. well, he still doesn’t know.
• 20. December 2005 – 22. March 2006 in general: Maybe the suckiest time of my life. Newly wed, but no wife here, and work seemed more boring than ever.
• 23. March: Best day this year. C returned from her “forced” stay in China.
• 24. March: Went to the police station and slammed the visa paperwork in the table and was actually was treated well by the secretary there. This time C WAS present.
• April: Found a runaway rabbit on the lawn, but no one missed it so we kept it. Stupid is as stupid does
• April: Tried to talk my way out of buying a house for C. Ended up realising that maybe we should look for a bigger apartment.
• May: Still waiting for C papers to return.
• July: After much hassle and waiting, C’s permit for residence in Denmark finally arrives and C is allowed to go to school and even get a job here.
• July: Fixed the paperwork for C to start language school in August.
• July/August: Moved to a bigger apartment and bought a brand new washing machine too (really cool). Hard work packing and unpacking. 2 weeks were gone before everything was in the right place. Bye bye vacation.
• August: Made a combo of visiting a friend in Copenhagen and having a short well-deserved vacation with C before she had to start school.
• August 7: C started school.
• August: Had plenty of troubles getting the right channel package from our provider. When we finally got it, it was a huge problem to make the company send a fitting bill. All in all a good fight on words and paper that lasted about 20-25 days.
• August: Bought another rabbit, since the first was “lonely”. Sigh, women.
• September: Actually a pretty normal month – at last.
• October: Bought a dishwasher. Used a few days to discover that I am not certified in setting it up.
• October/November: C had me figured out and started to get her way.
• December: Pretty busy at work, and the usual Christmas rush. But else nothing extraordinary.
• December: Christmas evening celebrated at my brothers. Great evening and good food.
• Last week of December: Finally some much needed vacation.
• New Year at C’s friends.

And that’s about it. Well, except the casual stuff like random pop-ups of semi-critical Illness in the family and C having serious trouble with her stomach as she was getting accustomed to Danish food and lifestyle. Gave us some worries with my usual money woes.

All in all a busy year and many changes made. Stresses a lot, but wouldn’t be without it. Most of the year I will remember for the good, but there are some things I would rather have been without. No wonder why I feel worn.

Now I look forward to the Year of the Pig, which accordingly to C should be my year. Who would have guessed that I was born in the year of the pig from looking at my pictures?