Hello Copenhagen!

Hello Copenhagen

I am back at work again, flying the big bus and for the first time in a very very long time I get 24 hours in a hotel. With no babies, no husband, no distractions or interruptions.... bliss!

I just want to explain something, I know everyone is waiting to see the jet setting pictures both during the flights and in the destinations. Trust me, they will come but right now I am still "in training" and therefore have to play by the rules. You never know if the Captain sitting beside you is a strict stickler for them or relaxed and easy going so you have to err on the side of caution, especially at this stage. Usually most people don't mind and I promise you'll be getting city shots, Himalayan mountains and ice caps but you'll have to be patient. My "training" (its in inverted commas because really its just checking you can operate safely and within the procedures) will continue until September and then after that I'll just be flying with the normal line Captains and they are much more chilled out.

Anyway, back to the point. So I am here, and I am happy to say it was yet another successful flight and landing. We had some really great views today, the blood red lake Urmia in Iran, dyed by a salt loving bacteria that excretes the same pigment as found in carrots, was darker than I've ever seen. It is hard to tell that it is even water and looks like the red iron filled rocks found in places like Nevada. The weather into Copenhagen was clear and we flew low level over the bridge from Malmo which was amazing. I'm more than a little upset not to have pictures but I know I'll get another chance at some point. I do have one entertaining picture of the flight though....during the approach to land this happened...

Tail camera

I would love to have seen it actually hit, I bet any of the passengers watching the video had a bit of a shock! Of course I'm not condoning the killing of any animal but if a bird can't get out of the way of a ridiculously huge aeroplane then there isn't much I can do about it! Only problem is that the engineers here do not have a high lifter tall enough to reach the tail camera, so this will be the view for the passengers heading back too!

I have been to Copenhagen more than a few times while I was working in Sweden so I decided that this was my chance to actually just enjoy the break rather than race out sightseeing etc. A fantastic friend of mine gave me a pamper pack of face mask, hair mask and magazines so I could truly relax. This friend goes above and beyond all the time for me and my girls and I am hoping to be able to take her on a few trips so that we can have some baby free fun together as a Thank you. I may or may not document those trips on here!
So while the view from my window is very inviting I decided I would treat myself to an indulgent 24 hours. I cannot remember the last time I read a magazine in a bath, or even had a shower longer than 5 mins so I soaked until I wrinkled, watched Apollo 13 on TV while eating room service in bed and was asleep by 7pm!! Seriously, my life is all glamour right now!

View from my window

This morning I decided to start as I mean to go on and headed down to the hotel gym. I have to admit that I have not set foot in a gym for an incredibly long time so I was rather pleased to find it totally deserted! I don't mind saying that I have some baby weight to lose, but I will also say that I view my body so differently having had kids. Yes I have some scars, yes some extra weight and why on earth you have to deal with wider feet is just beyond me but yes I have those too. I am not ashamed of it though, I am not particularly happy with my current appearance but never ever think that I am ashamed. I am not. I grew, nourished and protected my two beautiful girls with this body and I can fix any of the resulting "damage" whenever I want to. Except maybe the feet...
With that in mind I decided rather impulsively that I am going to run a half marathon in December. I do this to myself a lot, I decide something and then have to work out how on earth I am going to get it done. I had announced I was doing this, roped my friend in and then had to actually look up how far a half marathon is. Oh bollucks. Too late, I've said it now so I'm just going to have to get on with it! Serves me right.

When I went back to work after my eldest I started writing her postcards from anywhere I stayed. She has a collection in her room that is going to get a whole lot larger now I'll be staying away every time I go to work. I am going to do the same for the youngest, but her collection will be a lot more exciting right from the start whereas E had to put up with Senegal, India, Senegal, Senegal again, oooh a Venice, India, Senegal... you get the picture. I gave up on scenic postcards and just went for the African animals after a while, so at least now we can get back to some pretty pictures! I'm hoping that they will enjoy reading through them when they are older and in a way know that I was always thinking of them no matter where in the world I ended up. I am very much looking forward to the day they are old enough to come with me but for now the postcards will have to do.

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A letter to my friends

Dear Friend,

Im sorry I haven't called you, that I haven't been around. You must feel that I've neglected you and I don't blame you at all for that. We used to meet for coffee, lunch, drinks and wander the shops together if we fancied it. I had time, life was slow, it was easy to say "lets meet up", "lets do something".

I can't explain my life to you, the days just whizz on by, it's constant chaos in my head, like shouting that you can't contain, can't stop and can't quieten down. I'm already thinking about next week, when am I here, when am I gone, who is taking E to nursery, will I ever get my hair done. It doesn't stop at night, I'm seeing spiders in the bed, catching clocks that aren't falling, putting a dummy in, taking a blanket off, what time do I leave for work in the morning? It's a huge jumble of everything right now and that includes you of course. I wonder what you're up to, are you happy, are you content, I wish that I had called you, or even sent a text, I'm sorry that I didn't but please know that I thought to.

I haven't forgotten about you and I do care about your day.

Some days you hear from me more than others, a gentle plea from a friend in need, please pop in if you can. My babies will be alone you see, not for one hour, one afternoon or even one day. They are alone and stuck in the house, this time for two days, next time maybe more. I know I haven't been there for you and you deserve so much more, but please don't leave me now. I hope you know that if you ever needed me I would be there, no questions asked, no matter how busy, I’d hide the body, I’ll drive you home, I’ll listen to your sorrows.. just call me, don't forget about me because I am here and I care.

I know things will settle and be easier to handle, we will go for lunch, for a drink or two, you watch, I promise, I’ll be back soon.

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