Update: The model of washing machine that we have is also sold in the UK, and I was able to download a PDF of the English-language manual. The numbers refer to the RPMs of the spin cycle. Apparently I have the option of reducing the RPMs if I so desire, though there is no indication of why I may desire it. The maximum RPM is reduced when you choose gentle cycle or hand wash (yes, there's a hand wash setting on my washing machine) so it's unclear to me why I'd override that with an even lower setting. But I can, if I figure that out. It's also a dryer, so that explains a few of the controls too.

The thing about living in another country is that you can't take anything for granted anymore. I'll give a simple example. A couple of nights ago, Thomas and I went with Martin and Cille to have dinner with Stig and his family. You probably don't realize how many things you take for granted in a simple activity like dinner until you do it in another country where you don't speak much (or any) of the language. Several plates were passed around which had various vegetables on them. By watching everyone else, I concluded that I should make a salad using some of what was on every plate. I'd never been given a salad split up on so many plates before. Then I looked on the table for salad dressing, and found none.But wait! There's more!

I always thought that laundry was pretty simple. I've done a lot of laundry before, and it was never that complicated. Put clothes in the washer, press a couple buttons, e.g. "large" and "cold/cold." There might even be a dial to select how dirty your clothes are, or specify regular, permanent press, or gentle cycle, if it's a fancy washing machine.

I'm not sure that knowing Danish would help me figure out our washing machine. It has nine buttons, 23 red lights, one green light, a digital display, and a dial with 24 options. I used a dictionary to figure out most of the words I didn't know, but it didn't really help. I still don't know why I need to pick a number between 400 and 1600 and what that has to do with my laundry. I still don't know which of the three compartments to put the detergent in. I tried it anyway. We'll see what happens to my towels.

I've decided to add a new category today. I might go edit some older entries to belong to it, too.

Today, I went out by myself for the first time. No, I'm not turning into a shut-in. It's just intimidating to not speak the language. But I did it anyway, because T works and I need to be useful without him. I managed to fumble my way through several stores, smiling and nodding and never speaking anything except "tak" and "hej hej." If it hadn't been raining I might have shopped some more.

They don't have baking soda in Denmark. I had been planning to make my own laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, and other fun stuff, and the main ingredient in every recipe is baking soda. So it's back to the drawing board. I did find some online, labeled "baking soda for science experiments" for roughly $5/lb after conversion. Considering that's about 75¢ in the US, I'm not too keen to do that. Hopefully the organic supermarket has some decent cleaning stuff.

I did get the cheese cutter I've been wanting for two years. It was on sale.

FYI, all previous entries are timestamped for Central (U.S.) time. Starting with this one, they are timestamped for Central European Time. That's seven hours ahead of most of my current readership. Lest you think I was posting from the future.

We got in at around 7pm and took an expensive taxi ride to Herlev. We had too much luggage to deal with the train, esp. as it would have involved transfers, so I think it was worth it. I wanted to see the condo, check out the neighborhood, etc. and I thought it would be a great idea to drop our bags off, and then take the train to Nivå with just one bag of "overnight" stuff. As the condo has no furniture, food, toiletries, etc. we are staying at T's parents' place in Nivå until we get the essentials up and running in Herlev.But wait! There's more!

Wireless access at the Bay Point Marriott is $125/day. I kid you not. So that's why this and the previous entry will be posted sometime later. For $9.95/day, I could use their WebTV-ish internet. In theory at least. The keyboard doesn't work. I was using the remote control to try to get info about their TV Internet service, and in some fit of highly intuitive and sensible user interface design, I cannot get out of the screen giving me details about this service (which of course I could not tell was a pay service until I got to this screen) by using the remote control. I have to hit the escape key on the keyboard. The keyboard that doesn't work. Even if I turn off the TV and turn it back on, it's still at this stupid information screen, and I can't get out of it. It's just as well. It probably costs money to watch TV shows too. It's also worth mentioning that the bed frame is about a foot wider than the mattress. If you're a klutz like me, you can appreciate why this is noteworthy in addition to just being stupid and ugly. Also, apparently this place is too fancy for a free continental breakfast. It's $8.95 plus a 20% service charge and state tax. Or at least it would have been, had I had the foresight to determine what I wanted and hang a sign on the door handle before midnight.

Eventually Thomas will wake up, and I can make him buy me breakfast somewhere.

My wedding was definitely an experience, and although it ended up being enjoyable, I definitely never want to have another one.But wait! There's more!

Today is an important day, because Thomas is arriving. People have been asking me, "how's married life?" I've been able to reply, "pretty much the same," until recently. After all, we were still living in different countries and our lives hadn't really changed. But now, living in Florida, with my parents, I don't think I've felt less married in a very long time. Long before I was actually married. In addition, Thomas has been working, and I've been drug to all ends of town for wedding prep junk, and we've hardly been able to even talk online.

Tonight it ends. He'll be here and I can feel at least a little married again.