Last night Kim and I went to the show Velvet at the Sydney Opera House.

It was a combination of circus, burlesque and boogie nights (70's music) in one show.




The show had great music with Marcia Hines and Brendan Maclean and the performers were great. I think everyones favourite was the guy with the hula hoops.

I don't know for sure which ones are Claus and which ones are Rene.

This post is mostly about Claus when he was at his top as one of Denmarks top tennis players.

I have kept scans of all the newspaper clippings from when he was winning a lot of tournaments.





























































In the mid 90's he started to get pretty sick and although he still tried to play tennis it was never at the same level again. Eventually he more or less gave up. His illness took to great a hold of him. These are some of the 'darkest' photos I have of him while he was struggling with his schizophrenia and were taken shortly before I moved to Australia.





He lost contact with most of his friends and was very dependent on my mum and dad as well as other support programs in place.







I prefer to remember him as he was before he passed away.


















This poem reminds me of him.

The morning after I killed myself, I woke up.

I made myself breakfast in bed. I added salt and pepper to my eggs and used my toast for a cheese and bacon sandwich. I squeezed a grapefruit into a juice glass. I scraped the ashes from the frying pan and rinsed the butter off the counter. I washed the dishes and folded the towels.
The morning after I killed myself, I fell in love. Not with the boy down the street or the middle school principal. Not with the everyday jogger or the grocer who always left the avocados out of the bag. I fell in love with my mother and the way she sat on the floor of my room holding each rock from my collection in her palms until they grew dark with sweat. I fell in love with my father down at the river as he placed my note into a bottle and sent it into the current. With my brother who once believed in unicorns but who now sat in his desk at school trying desperately to believe I still existed.

The morning after I killed myself, I walked the dog. I watched the way her tail twitched when a bird flew by or how her pace quickened at the sight of a cat. I saw the empty space in her eyes when she reached a stick and turned around to greet me so we could play catch but saw nothing but sky in my place. I stood by as strangers stroked her muzzle and she wilted beneath their touch like she did once for mine.

The morning after I killed myself, I went back to the neighbors’ yard where I left my footprints in concrete as a two year old and examined how they were already fading. I picked a few daylilies and pulled a few weeds and watched the elderly woman through her window as she read the paper with the news of my death. I saw her husband spit tobacco into the kitchen sink and bring her her daily medication.

The morning after I killed myself, I watched the sun come up. Each orange tree opened like a hand and the kid down the street pointed out a single red cloud to his mother.

The morning after I killed myself, I went back to that body in the morgue and tried to talk some sense into her. I told her about the avocados and the stepping stones, the river and her parents. I told her about the sunsets and the dog and the beach.

The morning after I killed myself, I tried t

Home

30. June 2014 07:06
by Rene Pallesen
0 Comments

Excursion to the city

30. June 2014 07:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Tweet

Share

Yesterday we decided to do a little excursion to Circular Quay and the Opera house with the boys.The

Yesterday we decided to do a little excursion to Circular Quay and the Opera house with the boys.

The both love trains, so we took the train into the city so that they could have the experience.



It was a cold and windy winters day here in Sydney so standing still for too long was freezing.



But it was great getting out and also get another family photo.

30. June 2014 07:06
by Rene Pallesen
0 Comments

Kims Birthday 2014

30. June 2014 07:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Tweet

Share

It was Kim's birthday on the weekend.In the morning the boys and I woke her up with singing Happy Bi

It was Kim's birthday on the weekend.

In the morning the boys and I woke her up with singing Happy Birthday to her.

In the evening we had a babysitter so that we could have an evening just the two of us. We went to the Bridge Room restaurant in the city, food was nice!

10. June 2014 11:06
by Rene Pallesen
0 Comments

Spiderman face paint

10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Tweet

Share

The other day Aiden cam back from daycare with Spiderman face paint.Normally he avoids face paint so

The other day Aiden cam back from daycare with Spiderman face paint.

Normally he avoids face paint so him having the whole face painted was a first.

10. June 2014 11:06
by Rene Pallesen
0 Comments

Mothers day card 2014

10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Tweet

Share

Here is the Mothers day card that Aiden made this year.

Here is the Mothers day card that Aiden made this year.

10. June 2014 11:06
by Rene Pallesen
0 Comments

Bumble Bee

10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Tweet

Share

Recently Kim bought Aiden a yellow bumble bee umbrella and gumboots.They will come in handy now that

Recently Kim bought Aiden a yellow bumble bee umbrella and gumboots.



They will come in handy now that winter is here.

10. June 2014 11:06
by Rene Pallesen
0 Comments

Aidens 4th Birthday

10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Tweet

Share

This weekend we celebrated Aiden's 4th Birthday.Because of the weather forecast we decided to have i

This weekend we celebrated Aiden's 4th Birthday.

Because of the weather forecast we decided to have it here at home rather than at the park as originally planned.

As entertainment we had hired a pirate who came to do magic tricks and games with the kids for a few hours.


















We had combined Adams and Aidens birthday parties so there were a lot of kids and parents and lots of food and cake.

14. May 2014 07:05
by Rene Pallesen
0 Comments

Aiden at the filming of 'Play along with Sam'

14. May 2014 07:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Tweet

Share

Last weekend there was a Lego exhibition in the city.We caught the train in to St James station and

Last weekend there was a Lego exhibition in the city.

We caught the train in to St James station and walked from there.





It was a fairly small exhibition with my favourite being the pirate ship with all the details of the lower decks.












There was also some Ninjago and Star wars.










And a lot of other pieces.

10. September 2015 16:09
by Rene Pallesen
0 Comments

More kids artwork

10. September 2015 16:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Tweet

Share

Rather than keeping all the kids artwork I instead take photos of it.Here is some of the latest addi

Rather than keeping all the kids artwork I instead take photos of it.

Here is some of the latest additions.

<< Older posts Newer posts >>

• Newer posts
• 1
• 2
• ...
• 19
• 20
• 21
• 22
• 23
• 24
• 25
• 26
• 27
• ...
• 92
• 93
• Older posts