And the animals have been fed

July 23

Started off the day sunbathing at the beach almost at the most western point of Denmark. I was literally in heaven.  I could not get over that we just drove 25 min from where they grew up to a beautiful beach. 

Marike, Nete, and Mia were there and we just laid out, chatted and went swimming. It was great fun! 

We stopped and got soft serve ice cream on the way home and then had to get home to prepare for a BBQ. 

Marike asked me at the grocery store what I wanted to grill. I told her I wanted a bratwurst. She told me that someone is already bringing sausages. But no, I really wanted a brat but they don't have them!  Then she asked what I wanted other than I bratwurst and I said a chicken sandwich. You know, grilled chicken and bring a bun, tomato, and lettuce.  She looked at me like I wAs crazy and said that is way to much work and that is not how they BBQ here. Then she asked "what about spare ribs" (talk about a lot of work and way too messy for a BBQ in a park). We ended up just getting chicken and she marinated it at home. 

 I told her our BBQ, which we call a cookout, entails either brats, hotdogs, or burgers, most of the time. They all showed up with marinated pork or chicken. It is so cute!! 

We went to the pot (a grassland that has a large hole in the middle)  and met Marikes friends, Mia, Nete, AC, and Nina. 

Everyone brought a dish to pass and we just laid out on blankets enjoying the sun and each others company. 

We each our own meat, potato salad, garlic bread, and salad with a lot of feta! It was so, so good! I was getting full and excited for dessert and then they start to put sausages on the grill. They always do this!! I finish my whole meal and then the sausages go on the grill. It is too funny! I swear it is a pre-dessert or something. I love it. 

Marike bought marshmallows to give me a little sense of home (and I didn't even ask)  

Then we had the dessert that I made. It is  called shake and bake brownies (aka brownies that you just add oil and water) 

After, we could hardly speak and we all were just laying on our backs dying from over full stomachs. They were all laughing  as we sat there in silence about how much they love to eat and said "and the animals have been fed". 

Although I joke with Marikes friends that I am so grateful I know them because Marike is probably going to kick me out of the house soon, she really is showing me a great time here in Denmark. What a great hostess she is. (I must suck up to her once and awhile).