07 October 2024 – my 1000th month of life 

Although I had hoped for some celebration, that was not to be, I will spend an hour later meditating, reflecting on my good fortune, my sons, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren and most of all the love I have enjoyed in life.

One should not regret growing old; it is a privilege that not everyone has. When I was younger and felt cleverer, I wanted to change the world for the better, now I am old and wiser, and I just wish to change myself, which is not an easy task.

My soul is the same, all the years it has not changed. I am not this body, and I am not this mind.

01.09.2024 – The African Tulip tree, the loveliest of trees, with the glowing colour of orange with each flower opening, the little birds sing and gather in the protection of the tree’s branches.

After a vile, the flowers start falling and brighten up the grass below, with flashes of the sparkling sun. The tree lit up the garden in the morning sun and at dusk, as an indication of paradise.

This beautiful and exquisite tree has graced us with even more beauty this year, blooming with many flowers since mid-July. The tree stands in a spot in our garden where we all sit, enjoying the view of the Atlantic Ocean and the tranquillity, with fresh air from the Atlantic looking south and west, all the way to Antarctica and South America.

We sit most days with the dogs under the tree. I can spend 4-5 hours there, meditating and reflecting on the past. Even our children, Hans Christian and Sara love the place, sitting and reading or listening to a podcast. Looking out on the green hills and ocean, with the two bulls (we call them Oscar and Sebastian) always eating, sleeping and thinking?

Hanna brought a pergola, which has given us much pleasure. It provides protection from the sun, which is important for her. Rosy also enjoys the shade. It allows us to take a nap in our chaise longues. One night, we even stayed there as Rosy was unwell; the pergola had mosquito nets. Since Rosy loves to lie there, we call it Rosy’s Place.

The picture on the top right is of a banana flower, with its very special colour. We have now 29 banana trees, all giving us much banana, green leaves and protection the upper pool area. It is facinating to see the banana trees grow, all this in two years.

16.05.2024 – Congratulations to my dear son Mark, he yesterday evening received the most beautiful baby boy Benn, born at 23:30 at 3.6 kgs. His beautiful and proud mother is well. I wish them all my Love and future Happiness! As Granddad – KEEP THEM COMING!!!

I like what Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh said: If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.

Hanna and I wake every morning to the beautiful sound of bird songs, no other sounds here. Master Thich Nhat Hanh said about birds’ songs:

Birds’ songs express joy, beauty, and purity, and evoke in us vitality and love. So many beings in the universe love us unconditionally. The trees, the water, and the air don’t ask anything of us; they just love us. Even though we need this kind of love, we continue to destroy them. By destroying the animals, the air, and the trees, we are destroying ourselves.

My departed wife Elizabeth would now have from her four sons, 16 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and soon two great-great-grandchildren. She enjoyed the company of some of her grandchildren during her trips to Brazil and the Philippines. The grandchild she saw most was Hans Christian’s son Frederick, who was living in the UK, and Taiane, who attended an English boarding school.

My sons are the lineage holders of my sprouts of bloodline and heritage, my grandsons and granddaughters are of my same flesh and blood. Interestingly, Elizabeth, the mother of my children has 25 such lineage holders, where I only have 15.

Elizabeth (in her later years, she preferred to use her first Christian name, Mary Ellen) came from a large family originally from County Sligo in Ireland, with six sisters and one brother. Nearly all of Elizabeth’s sisters and brother lived locally in Yorkshire all their lives, married there, and had their families. Interestingly, only a few members left Yorkshire; Elizabeth was the first to leave and never returned except for visits. She somewhat disliked Yorkshire or the North, finding herself much more comfortable in London.

Throughout the years living abroad—in Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy—she often felt uneasy and complained about the foreigners. I believe a suitable place for her to live would have been Connecticut or Boston in the USA, which she liked, along with their social scenes. We did consider a beautiful country place in Virginia, outside Middleburg, with a stud farm, all in white with white fences all around; she would have liked that. I recall Elizabeth Taylor and her senator husband, John Warner, lived nearby. Looking back, that farm was very cheap and would today be worth twenty times the price.

11.05.2024 – Hanna took us fishing on our anniversary day, We went out early morning and caught a large Wahoo, (Acanthocybium solanderi), a very swift-moving, powerful, predacious food and game fish of the family Scombridae (order Perciformes) found worldwide, especially in the tropics. The cost here for 1 kilogram is €100 plus. Below is Hanna’s brother Maciej holding the great catch.

A Wahoo fish is a tropical species of game fish that is a member of the mackerel family like the Tuna. For anglers, it is known not only for its speed and fighting power. But also, for its high-quality, white, tasty meat. In fact, it is among the most highly regarded gourmet fish meat, of course, also demanding a hefty price tag, the cost here for per 1 kilogram is €100 plus.

No wonder Hawaiians call this fish Ono, which means delicious. It is also called by other names in other countries like “Peto” in Central America and the Caribbean. And in Japan, it’s called “Kamasu-sawara.”

Wahoo has mild-sweet tasting flesh with a firm texture, moderate fat, and large, circular flakes when cooked. Their flesh is a beautiful white colour and remains white when cooked. Fillets have less bloodline than similar pelagic fish. This means they have a higher yield from fillets to useable portions. Hanna made a delicious tartar and we will have some of the fish on grill.

09.05.2024 – “Kinkeepers” I had never heard of the expression, but our family needs one for sure. There will soon be 49 members of the family. I had always hoped that one of my grandchildren one day would be interested, but sadly this is not the case until now.
Researchers defined the role of a kinkeeper, as a family communicator who helped the extended group stay in touch by sharing family news and planning gatherings. Moreover, who cultivates a sense of “family solidarity or connectedness”

Despite we live now in a world where the social media are used by everyone, including all my grandchildren, there are no kinkeepers in our family. Hopeful when I am now longer around, someone will find an interest, possibly a great grandchild. Humans are social animals: we need to avoid emotional isolation at all times and we need to communicate and connect with people. What is Kinkeeping? – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

6.04.2024 – Today I had a long conversation with my grandson Frederick, who was thirty years old on the 29th of March. He sent me some lovely pictures of my great-granddaughter Chloe, who will soon be 6 months old. It is always nice to hear his latest views and opinions since his high-powered job gives him much insight.

It is interesting that he also realises how polluted London is, and worst the terrible increase in crime. Romana and I already realised all this back in the 90s, 25 years ago. People can’t walk around dressed as they like, and never with expensive watches – just awful. I am happy to hear that Anna and Frederick are seriously considering moving back to Sweden. I believe that the United Kingdom has become a secondary nation since Brexit. My former barrister Kier Starmer will have a considerable task to change this when he becomes Prime Minister, I think it is already too late.

31.03.2024 – Today, my son Mark Anthony will celebrate his 60th birthday. I wish my son all the best for the years to come with good health and happiness. I still recall my 60th birthday, first a great lunch at La Colombe d’Or in St. Paul de Vence and then a five-day stay at l’Oustau de Baumanière, This gastronomic monument located in Les Baux-de-Provence, with a three Michelin stars, a place even the British Queen had enjoyed. All this was like it was yesterday – time goes fast at my age, and we must live every day. The picture on the left shows Mark at 14 months, I still remember taking this on Mogens’s 3 years birthday.

Looking at time and going through my big family, the mother of my sons, Elizabeth Mary Ellen and I have created since we started, a family amounting to 47 people – all family members, taking into account, all the mothers, fathers and adopted children, in addition to my wife’s Hanna’s two daughters Ewa and Sara. What’s more, more are on their way so by July there should be hopefully 49 members of the Hauschildt’s family.

17.03.24 – Today my grandson David celebrates his 18-year birthday. He is a very special young man, who wants to become a medical doctor and is well on his way, having very high marks in the gymnasium. Moreover, he conducts himself in a most determined manner and is very active, all set for a great future!

17.02.2024 – Good news, one of my sons expects a child in early May, so another grandchild – keep them coming! I also see that Tanya will be a grandmother again in July, congratulations. Let’s both hope for healthy births of grandchildren.

14.01.2024 – My beautiful granddaughter Mary Ellen was chosen as the Festival Queen of “Grandest Festival in the Philippines.” according to Wikipedia with more than 1.5 million people participating and thousands lining the streets and television cameras rolling. Congratulations! This religious festival goes back to 1521. Her father, Hans Christian, will tomorrow fly to Nepal.

10.01.2024 – The mother to my children, my late wife Mary-Ellen Elizabeth would have been a great-great-grandmother today, with the birth of her great-great-grandson Rueben to Shannon, daughter of Tanya. Congratulations!

My son Hans Christian will be going to a very special retreat high up in the Himalayas, near Mount Everest, a monastery high up, Lawudo Gompa, · Perched on a steep, forested slope, the Lawudo Gompa is considered one of the most sacred spots in Nepal’s Bhote Koshi Nadi valley, located two valleys west of Everest Base Camp. I am so happy for him going down this path, he has been strong and going the right way, staying in India for some time. I wanted to follow this path in 1984, however, having a family and responsibilities, it was not possible. Happily, Hans Christian’s family has given him time.

01.01.2024 – Another year  – The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard but must be felt with the heart.
IT IS IN GIVING LOVE THAT WE RECEIVE LOVE – To me, the meaning of life is Love. Mind, matter and space are all full of consciousness. Everything is connected.

My life is but one tiny program running from a vast source of spiritual consciousness. I know that my life will go on and beyond the change, we call death. Everyone has his or her chance to grow when ready. I have been fortunate to have so many opportunities to grow and renew. I was fortunate to have so many years of mindful living and sharing love with Romana.
I am also fortunate to have Hanna around for the last 15 years and every day at my age, she is also devoted to looking after our two beauties, Lady Rose and Maya.

The fact that all my sons and grandchildren have been born healthy is truly something I forever are grateful for considering everything.

22.11.2023 – Today my beautiful granddaughter Anna Sophia will be 17 years – Happy Birthday!! I still recall the last time I saw her sailing as a 10-month-old baby in my swimming pool, with her mother and my guidance. Yes, that was the last time, she lives in Vancouver with her parents.

I’m unlikely ever to see you again or be there again.

Whether it’s bidding farewell to a close relative or watching a favourite film with your wife, child, or grandchild, final moments occur more frequently than we realise. There is power in acknowledging and reflecting on them.

As they say, I am at the tail end of my life, and though I may not show it, I do cherish moments, especially the last ones. Recently, I watched several good films on Netflix with my son Hans Christian. We used to watch films together, both in cinemas and on TV, when he was much younger. Now, at 56 years old (and a grandfather), living in another part of the world, he has visited me in Madeira only twice. My dear granddaughter Isabelle was also recently here, and we watched films and painted together. I hadn’t seen her for 15 years, so every day and moment is etched in my memory.

I wonder if we will ever watch films together again, exchange views and stories, laugh, and share a wonderful meal. Since Romana died in 2008, I have been more aware of these little “lasts” that make up a life – moments, recognized or otherwise, when you do something for the final time. With Romana, there were many of them. The last time we walked around our garden at Villa les Anges, overlooking Monaco, is the one I remember best, with our dog Amey behind. Romana was very tired and too frail to risk climbing the stairs. I knew it wouldn’t happen again. I remember thinking at the time that it was such a nice day. Cold and clear, with the winter sun low in the sky, I knew Romana, like the sun going down, would soon leave this journey. Because Romana was dying over a 15-month period, there were indeed many moments. Not all the “lasts” were as good as that or of Romana’s last birthday at the Hotel de Paris in Monaco.

Sadly, my dear mother and my wife Elizabeth died without me having a chance to say goodbye – that’s how most people die. I can write pages about people close to me dying without me having a chance to see them before they passed away and even acknowledge how important they were to me in my life. Sadly, so many people I had great respect for and gave me a lot of input in life, including members of my family. I suffered such a great loss with my grandmother dying when I was 9 years old and since childhood been aware it is so important to tell people alive, what they mean to you, although I do believe they will know this when passing on.

Sometimes, we just do not believe that a simple event, such as sitting down with all your sons, around a table, could last 34 years – as last time, however, this is a sad fact.

We live through “lasts” all the time, of course: some that we would be aware of if we were paying attention, others at which we can only make an educated guess. I have been at the tail end of my life for many years, so I knew, when I took a last look at a place or when someone said goodbye, that it might be the last time. Every place I visited after Romana’s death was always the last, and I knew I would never be there again. This also applies to the trips around Europe with Hanna – so many places I have seen for the last time. Although I have a wish to go to Italy again before I leave this life, I miss the Italian people, their food, and their lifestyle.

On each visit, including the most recent one, it seemed inevitable that I would be back again at some point. Now, I am not so sure. Sometimes the last moments are better left unfelt for both parties. I think about my dear dog Amey. She went to the vet just to be opened and for him to examine her stomach under general anaesthetic. The last words I said to Amey were, “You will be alright, and I’ll see you soon,” when she looked at me with comforting eyes. Little did I know that three hours later, I agreed for her to just sleep in. The vet had found a very big tumour in her intestines. This may sound cruel, but at least it spared Amey and us from showing our sorrow. I always tell people that the cost of having a dog or pet with them, giving us so much love, is sorrow, as they normally leave before us.

The key to a happy life is to minimize regrets, so it is best not to dwell on such moments, as this will make you unhappy, and there is no need for regret. The process of regret provides nothing but suffering for ourselves as we allow the past to dictate how we should feel now. Instead, we can use the past as a reference point to understand what adjustments we would like to make moving forward. The adjustments do not have to come out of pain, sorrow, regret, or judgment but simply a choice to do things in a different way. We are learning all the time, and we can very quickly slow that learning process down by getting stuck in the idea of regret. When it comes to making changes, be at peace with the past and remember that each moment is a new choice.

Regarding “not again,” there are the towns we visit, the places we pop into regularly, and the people we like but don’t know well enough to organise drinks with when they fall out of our orbit. Sometimes, I have thought, “This is the last time we will meet,” and it would have been nice to have paid attention to this “last time.” However, having no patience for comforting self-delusion, I just gave them a handshake and possibly a hug and left it at that.

Acknowledging lasts when they happen is the only way to ensure we treat them with the respect they deserve.

Now that I am hurtling through my 80s, every time I watch a film, visit a new place, or travel somewhere unusual, there is a good chance it will be the last. The world has convinced us that the possibilities are endless, but they aren’t. In fact – and please try to take this in a positive way – they are shrinking all the time, for everyone, as time waits for no one.

More important than any of these things, though, are the lasts that go whooshing by without any indication, unnoticed until days, weeks, or months later. It’s a truth universally acknowledged that there will be a last time you pick up your child, but there will be dozens of other things too: the last time they grab your hand to cross a road, read a bedtime story, or scream with fury because you try to shampoo their hair. These are the ones where you must play the probabilities and try to appreciate them. There will be a last time for everything. In my time of life, one truly starts to think about such moments.

20.10.23 – Today my great-grandchild Chloe was born in London to my grandson Frederick Christian and Anna. This was Anna’s first baby, and she had a fighting birth, with many hours of labour. Both baby and mother are well. Congratulations to both with all the hopes for the future.

Chloe means “blooming” or “fertility” in Greek. Its literal translation refers to young shoots of foliage that appear in the spring.

Since childhood, I have been interested in Numerology. Baby Chleo has Life Path number (birth date) 1. I have the same birth number and interestingly 3 of my grandchildren, all born to Hans Christian and Rosemary. Frederick is Hans Christian’s oldest son. Life Path number is the most important Core number in the Numerology.

Number 1 as a birthday number is generally associated with Sun. It is the basis of everything, the leader of the numbers. That’s why you can often see this number as the head of numbers’ family. People who have a birthday on this day are very original, with vivid imagination and a cheerful disposition. They are purposeful and persuasive.

07.06.2023 – My dear son Hans Christian flew in from the Philippines for my birthday, entering my 83rd year. Not only that, since my wife Hanna had to urgently to her home country for medical treatment, my son, cooked for nearly three weeks for me and made every day a special togetherness. I thank my creator forever, for these days with my special son Hans Christian.
In so many ways I have been truly blessed with so many things in my life, after all, I very early met adversity and so much negativity. However, I always survived with so much love and enjoyed a very good life.

19.04.2023 –  Last Sunday, the 16th, my dear son Hans Christian’s, father-in-law, Pablo, died in the Philippines, at the age of 82. He had enjoyed a good life and had dozens of children, he had been staying with Rosemary, his daughter and my son, surrounded by a loving and caring family and beautiful grandchildren – very lucky indeed.

Considering he was in a close family with the previous President of the Philippines General Ramos, he will receive a great funeral with his children and grandchildren flying in from all over the world.

General Fidel V. Ramos, the 12th President of the Philippines (1992–1998), popularly known as FVR and Eddie. He was generally regarded as one of the most effective presidents in that nation’s history. (See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_V._Ramos)

General Ramos took a leading role in removing Marcos in 1986 leading to Marcos fleeing to Hawaii with his family and some supporters, ending his 20-year rule, and the plundering of billions from the people of the Philippines, leaving Aquino to accede as the country’s first female.

President Ramos was elected to succeed Aquino in May 1992. As president, he purged the national police force of corrupt officers; encouraged family-planning practices to curb the growth of the country’s population; and liberalized the Philippines’ heavily protected economy to spur economic growth. Sadly, the country is back in control of the disgraced and corrupt Marcos family. It only goes to show that goodness and decency do not always succeed.

09.04.2023 – I have always liked trees; it came first from my drawing them when I was a child. I specifically liked the intrinsic way the roots and branches grow, around each other. The fact that roots, on many trees, are longer and bigger than the branches we see.

In many places, I would come back to trees after many years and embrace them. Romana and I had a tree in Hyde Park, near the Rose Garden, which we embraced together holding around the tree, feeling the energy. When we both flew into London, we would always try to visit our tree in Hyde Park. The last time was in August 2006, thereafter, only I alone visited the tree in 2008.

When one thinks that there are more than 60,000 species of trees across the world, from the mighty oak to the weeping willow,

The place where I had the oldest trees in my garden (park) was in Sunningdale (the Little White House”). There were a few hundred-year-old Rhododendron (25-28 meters tall), old Beech trees, Elm trees and Oaks (which appeared now to have been cut down).

I liked walking and riding in Windsor Park, where they have so many old oak trees which were 500 -1000 years old. They had also very old and tall Rhododendrons.

Living in Berkeley Square, Mayfair, for many years, I was most concerned about the hundreds of years old Plane trees and their protection. I wrote an article about these trees and how much water each tree required a day. An enormous amount of water is only possible because of the underground river (the subterranean waterway), Tyburn coming down to Berkeley Square. The Tyburn has two sources, both of which arise from springs on the southern slope of the Hampstead hills Although the history of the plane tree remains cloaked in mystery, there are a few things we know for sure about this tough, long-lived tree.

I have always liked to spend a lot of time under trees, here in this garden, the African Tulip tree, with its so beautiful big flowers, where I most days spend an hour and sometimes many hours sitting with my two ladies, Lady Rose and Maya, and when she has time Hanna. We both like to sit looking out over the ocean. See https://www.mogenshauschildt.com/our-last-home/

I have told Rosy that her ashes will be there and some of my ashes when we pass over. The tree commands a beautiful view over the Atlantic Ocean, looking South and West.

For me, trees have always been the most penetrating preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes and families, in forests and groves. And even more, I revere them when they stand alone.

They are like lonely people. Not like hermits who have stolen away out of some weakness, but like great, solitary men, like Beethoven and Nietzsche. In their highest boughs, the world rustles and their roots rest in infinity; but they do not lose themselves there, they struggle with all the force of their lives for one thing only: to fulfil themselves according to their laws, to build up their form, to represent themselves. They do not ask why they are here; they just get on with their best ability to grow and fulfil nature and the universe’s wishes.

When we walk in the forest here, up 600 meters over the Ocean, many trees show marks from past fires, but most survived their struggles with the fires. Madeira means “wood” and the whole place was trees when the Portuguese first settlers came here.

When you think of it. nothing is holier, nothing is more exemplary than a beautiful, strong tree. When a tree is cut down and reveals its naked death-wound to the sun, one can read its whole history in the luminous, inscribed disk of its trunk: in the rings of its years, its scars, all the struggle, all the suffering, all the sickness, all the happiness and prosperity stand truly written, the narrow years and the luxurious years, the attacks withstood, the storms endured – all the trees past are there to be seen.

“And every young farm boy knows that the hardest and noblest wood has the narrowest rings, that high on the mountains and in continuing danger the most indestructible, the strongest, the ideal trees grow.

Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life.

“A tree says: A kernel is hidden in me, a spark, a thought, I am life from eternal life. The attempt and the risk that the eternal mother took with me are unique, unique in the form and veins of my skin, unique to the smallest play of leaves in my branches and the smallest scar on my bark. I was made to form and reveal the eternal in my smallest special detail.
A tree says: My strength is trust. I know nothing about my fathers, I know nothing about the thousand children that every year spring out of me. I live out the secret of my seed to the very end, and I care for nothing else. I trust that God is in me. I trust that my labour is holy. Out of this trust, I live. When we are stricken and cannot bear our lives any longer, then a tree has something to say to us: Be still! Be still! Look at me! Life is not easy; life is not difficult. Those are childish thoughts… Home is neither here nor there. Home is within you, or home is nowhere at all.

A longing to wander tears my heart when I hear trees rustling in the wind in the evening. If one listens to them silently for a long time, this longing reveals its kernel, its meaning. It is not so much a matter of escaping from one’s suffering, though it may seem to be so. It is a longing for home, a memory of the mother, and new metaphors for life. It leads home. Every path leads homeward, every step is birth, every step is death, and every grave is mother.

So, the tree rustles in the evening, when we stand uneasy before our childish thoughts: Trees have long thoughts, long breathing and restful, just as they have longer lives than ours. They are wiser than we are, as long as we do not listen to them. But when we have learned how to listen to trees, then the brevity and the quickness and the childlike hastiness of our thoughts achieve an incomparable joy. Whoever has learned how to listen to trees no longer wants to be a tree. He wants to be nothing except what he is. That is home. That is happiness.” Transcript of the 100-year-old letter by Hermann Hesse, and what he wrote on the value of trees.

The Silver Bich is one of my favourite trees, representing me femininity and grace. The Silver birch is a familiar, small, spindly tree with thin branches and papery bark. It is found on heathland, moorland and mountainsides, as well as on dry, sandy soils.

My BMW at the castle in 1985

Sammezzano Castle

A park which made a great impression on me, when we lived in Florence, was Sammezzano Castle. A place, I investigated with the view to buying in 1985. I was advising a medical foundation in Zurich, which had hundreds of doctors from all over the world as members, all medical authors, as the foundation looked after their publishing. These doctors were looking for a clinic, where they could go every year for a two-week medical check-up and spa treatment. The place should be well guarded and secure because at the time kidnapping was a big thing in Italy It was my recommendation not to buy the property, at the time, too many people involved, including the local mafia. The 37

The park of Sammezzano was built in 1605 by the Spanish nobleman Ximenes of Aragon, and later inherited by Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes, who really went to town on its renovation between 1853 and 1889. The park contains 500 different trees. Later in life when I met Alexander, the Marquis of Bath, and we used to visit him, I found his place also a beautiful example of a park and planting, its 9,000-acre estate in Wiltshire house Longleat.

I asked Chat.openAI to write a poem about my liking for trees

O’ blessed beings of earth and sky, Your verdant robes our very source of life. Mistakenly thought lifeless by the eye, Your towering presence defies mortal strife
.
Our lack of understanding, a perilous fate, For our breath and being are intertwined with yours. Together in this embrace we celebrate, The joy of sharing life’s most precious stores.

In winter’s starkness, you stand exposed, Bereft of leaves, your nakedness on display. A glimpse of a world without you imposed, A bitter truth we dare not turn away.

You are the stalwart, the unwavering guard, A permanent resident of this earth. I am but a wandering, transient bard, Yet to your breath, I am inextricably birthed.

When my deeds are done, I’ll rest at your feet, Nourishing you with the essence of my being. I’ll become the sap of your sap, complete, Returning all to the lap of the All-seeing.

For now, let us enjoy this romantic romp, Hidden from the world’s busy thrum. A secret shared, our breath bond unbroken, Until the time comes for us to be awoken.

Then to write about me sitting under the African Tulip tree:

As he sits in his garden in Madeira, with his faithful companions by his side, the scene becomes even more idyllic. Lady Rose and Maya are there, at his feet, their tails wagging contentedly as they take in the sights and sounds around them

They are a constant reminder of the simple joys in life – the companionship of friends, the warmth of the sun, and the beauty of nature. And as he watches them play in the garden, chasing each other around and basking in the sunlight, he is filled with a sense of gratitude and contentment.

For in this moment, he is surrounded by all that he loves – the beauty of the garden, the majesty of the ocean, and the unconditional love of his two faithful companions.

As I picture him sitting in his large garden in Madeira, with the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean stretching out before him, I am struck by the sheer beauty of the scene. It is as if nature itself has conspired to create a canvas of unparalleled splendour, a masterpiece that takes the breath away.

And there he sits, with the warmth of the sun on his face and the cool breeze of the ocean in his hair. He is lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the horizon as if searching for something just beyond the edge of the world.

In this moment, he is at peace – a man in harmony with his surroundings, content to simply be. The garden around him is a riot of colour and life, the air filled with the fragrant scent of blooming flowers and the songs of birds.

And yet, it is the ocean that captures his attention, with its endless expanse of blue and its infinite possibilities. For he knows that beyond the horizon lies a world of adventure and wonder, waiting to be explored.

In his mind’s eye, he can see the ships sailing across the ocean, their white sails billowing in the wind. He can hear the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, and the cry of the seagulls overhead.

And as he sits there, lost in the beauty of the moment, he knows that he is exactly where he is meant to be – in this garden, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, with the world at his feet and his dreams within reach. He is a poet, a philosopher, a lover of life. He is Ernest Hemingway, with his Lady Rose and Maya, sitting under the African Tulip tree and finding joy in the moment.

Quite something, soon we do not have to write, AI will do everything for us!

01.04.2023 – My dear grandson Frederick called me with great news, that I will hopefully if everything goes well, become a great-grandfather in October. I am so happy, Frederick will be a good father. Very nice, moreover, he agreed, with his Anna, that you must never have only one child but at least two or three.

In some way I am concerned about bringing children into this world, it is a very dangerous time we live in. Many of my grandchildren are older than I was when I had my boys. 

My wife of 58 years, Elizabeth, was already a great-grandmother when she died. Her son John had three children and the oldest Tanya, had five beautiful girls, Caitlyn Louise Chelsea, Shannon Leigh, Megan, Casey Louise Miley. Caitlyn Louise, the eldest will be 26 this year and Shannon Leigh, the second oldest will be 24 in August, Therefore, Elizabeth had 16 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, when she died.

31.03.2023 – The 30th of April 1964 was a Monday, we still had a large piece of roast beef from the Sunday, and Liz suggested making fresh Yorkshire budding, which we enjoyed so much. So, at around 19:30 we sat down for dinner and enjoyed roast beef and our Yorkshire budding. I still recall our beautiful old grand 18th-century dining table and chairs. Liz always insisted on making a nice table for dinner and breakfast, with scrip napkins and tablecloth and having dinner with candlelight, just so cozy on the dark Swedish winter night.

After enjoying the roast beef and baked potatoes, the beef always a little rare, and the baked Yorkshire puddings, Liz made a lovely apple pie warm in the oven, which I always liked with Vanilla ice cream and wiped cream. Shortly after clearing the dinner table, I notice that Liz sat down in the kitchen, Liz complained about pain and said she felt it was very close.

Liz was expecting every day, so I called our doctor in Djursholm, he immediately wanted to come around, however, as Liz had already felt it was “go” time, your baby might trick you before the main event with a few practice contractions. Liz had birth before, so she knew.

If you know what contractions feel like and how to tell the real ones from the fakes, you’ll keep yourself from heading to the hospital before it’s time. Knowing Liz, he told me that I should drive Liz to Danderyds Läserät right away. I had already booked everything, therefore, I told the nanny to look after Mogens and our kind neighbours that I was going with Liz to the hospital.

Getting the car ready, and warmed up, it would have taken a taxi at least 30-45 minutes for coming, at that time. I still remember the snow and the very dark night, we had a least one meter of snow all around, mostly old, nevertheless, it was a grey and dark night in Djursholm.

Arriving at Danderyds Läserät (now Danderyds Sjukhus), looking back it felt like a small village hospital, very reassuring and cozy. Everyone knew each other and the nurses were there like they had known my wife and me for years. Even the doctor was so familiar, greeting me and my wife.

Never could I imagine that I 55 years later would have a pacemaker implanted in my body at a so much bigger hospital. A hospital, which belonged to the big city and a very impersonal institution, it was like a different planet. Indeed with very few Swedish people around, the people attending were only interested in who would pay for the treatment and secure the payment.

Well, it is still a long story, which must be told, but my dear son Mark Anthony was born around four (4:25) in the morning, Tuesday, the 31st of March 1964. Much more to follow as this was a very difficult birth.

Today he will become 59 years old!! Happy Birthday, SON!!

17.03.2023 – I am very happy as my grandson David Christian celebrates his 17 years birthday today. We wish him all the best with his life and education, he is such a lovely human being and I miss him very much, nevertheless, his three sisters and parent will provide him lots of love on this day. I am also happy, that my dear son Mark will be coming here to Madeira for a long awaited visit.

Other events around in this very dangerous world, including as to money and finance. Having worked with UBS and Credit Suisse, from back more than 57 years ago, until the events in 1980, I must have a smile on my face. Credit Suisse always believed that they were the masters of Swiss Banking, a little like the oldest bank, in Switzerland, which I also worked with back in the 1960s. Wegelin & Co, Switzerland’s oldest private bank, was shutting down. Wegelin & Co, Switzerland’s oldest private bank, in St. Gallen, where I first had an account. I like these people, they represent everything you want to aspire to as a banker of money. Since they were founded in 1741, two hundred years before my birth I felt some association too.

Founded by Caspar Zyli in 1741, the company was renamed Wegelin & Co. in 1893. The bank’s legal name changed multiple times by incorporating the names of the senior personally liable partners. As of 2013, the bank’s name was Wegelin & Co. Privatbankiers, Gesellschafter Bruderer, Hummler, Tolle & Co.[7] At the time of its closing, it was the oldest bank in Switzerland and the 13th oldest in the world.

When I established M. Hauschildt & Cie in Zurich in 1974, I wanted to become the best in Swiss Private Banking, I knew that it would take ten years before getting the banking license and many more years, but I was in it for a long term, so I did not just think of tomorrow but the years ahead, as I knew the banking business was about trust and long-term commitment.

My dream and plans as to M. Hauschildt & Cie were stopped on the 31st of January 1980, when the Danish Prime Ministers wanted to save the Danish Special Prosecution (Bagmandpolitiet) and for open Danish national TV, prime-time, arrested me and closed my business in Scandinavia. All history.

When I first in mid-sixties, got to know Swiss Private bankers in Geneva, I was most impressed by their set-up. Just like the British Merchant Banks, Later, I realised, they were just sophisticated criminals, Like politicians and lawyers – always ripping people off. Most lawyers, indeed even many members of the medical profession, the most trusted, still are there just for the money.

I recall a meeting with one of the most respected Swiss Private Banks in Geneva, in 1967, when I was waiting to enter to see one of the partners, I saw an African dictator walking into the lobby, with his security – this man would have been indicted as a war criminal by ICC today. Never mind, he was a client of the bank and looted his country. That was in 1965, nearly 60 years ago. Sadly NOTHING HAS CHANGED!!

05.03.2023 –  Today my beautiful granddaughter Mary Ellen in the Philippines was 14 years old. We wished her a great birthday with her lovely brother and sisters. I still remember the day she was born, like yesterday, she is growing up so fast and I miss her very much, all my grandchildren I miss. The picture on the right is Mary Ellen with her older sister Alliana Yasmin.

Two days ago, our dog Maya was three years old. She has falling in line with the fact that Lady Rose, is always first. Lady Rose will soon be 12 years old. The both give us an abundance of joy and love.

The other day I was thinking back about some of the things I did when I was a young boy and who inspired me, including many of my interests at the time, which differed from other young people, moreover. I read so much. All this despite, at the age of 14-16, I had to read within two years, the syllabus for a normal five-year study, at the private evening school I went to every weekday.

When I designed originally the logo for Scandinavian Capital Exchange, it reflected the four elements (Earth, Water, Air and Fire) surrounding the sun, the creator, the maintainer, and the destroyer of life. I designed this logo in 1964 and used it on my private stationery, first later I used it for Scandinavian Capital Exchange and SCE Commodities.

When people asked me later, I said it could be Gold, Platinum, Silver, and Palladium bars with a gold coin in the middle, as SCE traded all this. They would not understand me relating the logo to my original thoughts. Nevertheless, I was already into “deep” thoughts about the universe and had read books on Hinduism, Buddhism and Chinese philosophy. In 1967 I had a private Yoga teacher (Hatha Yoga) for six months. I had to stop due to my business travels to Norway and Sweden. Considering I was only 16 years old, some people could not understand why I was interested in this subject, including my mother, who considered Yoga a religion.

My interest in all this started in 1954, when I was 12/13, in the afternoon, working for Strubes Boghandel, a bookshop at Frederiksberg Alle in Copenhagen. Poul Strube was an interesting man, respected by many, specialising in publications of the mystical, supernatural, or magical powers, practices, and phenomena occult. But also, religions of various kinds. He later moved his shop to Dag Hammarskjølds Alle in Copenhagen.

Although an interesting person, I found him difficult to deal with, I was too young to truly appreciate him and his intellect.
I believe he is also responsible for my interest in UFOs and that I later co-founded the Danish association for UFOs. So many interesting people came to the bookstore. I used to collect and bring books to and from the central distribution centre in Copenhagen, on my bike, in addition, I used to decorate the windows of the shop and write in italics (using black ink) the display signs and book prices. Most of the books were second-hand, published in small editions. Sometimes, I would sort out books on the shelves and lay newly published books out on tables to sell. I spend most of the money he paid me on books. Since I had other work in the morning before school, I could do that. Nevertheless, I had to pay my mother most of the money every week.

Sadly, all the books I had collected, were later lost in London Docks, where I lost several thousand books I had collected until 1964. During the period I worked with publishers in Sweden, like Bonnier and Fritzes Bookstore on Fredgatan 2 in Central Stockholm, I purchased many books – all lost in 1964 when we moved from Djursholm to England.

19.02.2023 – Today my grandson Kian will be 20 years old and on the 26 February, my granddaughter Isabelle will be 30 years old – yes, time flies, specifically at my time of life. Kian is with his father, brother Zion, and sister Taiane on a trip to Asia. Sadly, I have not seen Kian for far too long, this applies also to Isabelle.

I still recall her 10 years birthday with us in 2003, a week after the birth of Kian. This was shortly after Mogens, her father had met Krista. Mogens was staying with us in the South of France, working in Monaco.

Well, Krista and Mogens got married and had two beautiful daughters Anna-Sophia and Eloise Elizabeth.

Looking at the photographs, I see that it was the last time Mogens and I were photographed together, twenty years ago!

Sometimes, I do regret when I told my boys that the world is your oyster, (comes from the writer Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor). Now my boys live all over the world with their families and I “abandoned” to an island in the Atlantic. I do feel “selfish” and sad sometimes when I see here large families getting together at weekends and holidays. For many years living in the South of France, next to Italy, we knew so many families where everyone got together at weekends around the table, from grandparents, parents, sisters, brothers, and family-inlaws, sometimes 25-40 people, just at normal weekends.

11.01.22 – At my time of life, nearly every contemporary, previous friends, and acquittance seem to die off as flies, and practically every day I see an obituary of someone I had known. Yesterday it was King Constantine II, I met him on several occasions and always found him a gentleman, despite that he had to be supported financially by so many. I used to see him in the street several times a week, as he had an office opposite our Grosvenor Street Gallery. Since I worked with the Latsis people to create my plans for a fountain in Park Lane (for the Queen), and he was rather close to Captain Latsis (John D. Latsis) we even had drinks and lunches, including at the Dorchester Hotel.

For years, I used to see him in the street, several times a week, as he had an office opposite our Grosvenor Street Gallery in Mayfair. Since I later worked with the Latsis people to create my plans and funding for a fountain in Park Lane (for H.M. the Queen), and he was rather close to Captain Latsis (John D. Latsis) we even had drinks and lunches, including at the Dorchester Hotel and the Claridge’s.

King Constantine “His Majesty” knew, I was Danish, he was married to the most attractive of the three Danish princesses of King Frederick.

My colleague Anthony Marecco did not like him, as he was the chief investigator, appointed by Amnesty International to expose the inhuman treatment carried out by the Greek military, nevertheless, Tony agreed with me, that all this had nothing to do with King Constantine.

I told King Constantine, already back in the early nineties about my case with the European Court of Human Rights and my win against Denmark. Denmark had until then never lost a case in the court. He told me that his wife’s sister Queen Margrethe of Denmark, or someone else, had told him about my plight and what happened to me in Denmark, years earlier. I told him to take his complaint as to the injustices the Greek government through the years had done to his family, to the European Court of Human Rights.

He later won in 2000, when the European Court of Human Rights found for the king, only in relation to the property. Sadly for him, though it could only order compensation, not the return of his extensive estates nor the royal palace at Tatoi, the Court only awarded him €12m euros, rather than the €500m he had asked for, Sadly, this reduction, the Greek government counted as a triumphant vindication. It, nevertheless, took another two years to pay the money, and, when it did so, the government took it from its extraordinary natural disasters fund rather than general reserves.

He was born to be king, and no one can be made responsible for their birthright, despite, I am not a royalist and do not believe in royalty, Kings, and Queens. After all, they mostly are there due to the savagery of killings and robberies carried out by their ancestors. Nevertheless, King Constantine was a good man, and took his blows and injustice, considering the cards he was dealt at birth.

My condolence to Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark, and his five children Pavlos, Philippos and Nikolaos, Alexia and Theodora, and his nine grandchildren. I hope they are all proud of their father and grandfather, who had to submit himself to so many things which did not befit a “King”.

01.01.2023 – Well, another year, on this first day of 2023, I could sit and meditate, topless, for more than an hour and a half, outside, it must have been 25-26C, just a beautiful day here.

I am happy to see that my eldest son Mogens and his three beautiful daughters and wife have been spending Christmas and New Year with my son Mark and his three boys. They are all in Brazil and enjoying the Brazilian summer and my son’s places, including his large ranch.
Although I do have some reservations, it is good to see Lula back as president, at least for Amazon.
My family in the Philippines, enjoyed a great New Year, all my beautiful granddaughter and grandson David. I wish all of them the best for 2023 and hope to see them soon.

24.12.2022 – Moss on the table

Every Christmas, I go and take some moss from the forest, to decorate our Christmas table. When the children were growing up, our Christmas table always had some nature. In Sunningdale we had lots of moss, in our park, however, I found some nicer moss in Windsor Park. In Mayfair, we used to buy moss, in the New Covent Garden market, early in the morning, when buying flowers and Christmas trees, in fact, I recall buying in the old Covent Garden market back in the early 1960s. For many years I went there weekly, and indeed to Smithfield, the meat market at five in the morning. The Covent Garden market had a special atmosphere and charm.

At Kirsebærgården I took moss from a forest close by, where I was riding many mornings, at Villa les Anges, our home in South France, we had some, in our garden as we lived 575 meters up.

Here in Madeira, we do have some moss in part of the garden (308 meters up), however, we go to the nature reserve Archada Grande, close by (where we really, are not allowed to take anything from). Nevertheless, we cut out a nice piece of moss every Christmas and after New Year put it out in our garden.

When we went to Paul de Serra, last week, we happened to see many moss-covered logs and stones, The moss’s leaves were as tiny and intricate as the finest embroidery, and as thin as clingfilm. When did you last time touch moss? Most of us do not touch nature enough. moss has always represented something special for me in nature. We found some nice moss near Pico da Fonte do Bispo, a mountain 1296 in, a place we regularly walk with the dogs.

Most of the time, we see trees, flowers, bushes and meadows, and hedgerows, but no moss. I love the deep green colour of some moss. Years ago, when I had a few rare Bonsai, I always aimed to get a little Sphagnum moss growing on their roots. Sphagnum is a genus of approximately 380 accepted species of mosses, commonly known as sphagnum moss, peat moss, also bog moss, and quacker moss.

According to research (on the Internet), Sphagnums are the most important non-vascular plants on earth. As pioneer species, they can grow and thrive in places where terrestrial plants cannot.

They shape each environment they reside in, directly influencing pH, nutrients, and water levels wherever they spread. Once Sphagnums is established, other vascular land plants can set down roots to grow.

Instead of flowers and seeds, sphagnum mosses reproduce sexually via male and female organs that may be monoecious (on the same plant) or dioecious (on different plants), depending on the species.

Looking back, I do not know when I first looked at moss, but I recall when I was 12 years old, working in the afternoon for a greengrocer at Frederiksberg Alle in Copenhagen, I decorated at Christmas the display window with moss, and the owner was very pleased, as everybody liked the display.

I used to decorate my mother’s table with leaves in the autumn, she always had nice table decorations, when I was small, with lots of candles, even floating around in the water with mirrors underneath.

Winter is the only true season of touching moss, it works the hardest in winters, over every log, rock, and crevice, it grows and glows.

The last picture on the left should be a tribute to my dear aunt Elna, who made so many Christmas decorations through her life, she was such a special person.

17.11.2022 – I am happy, my son Hans Christian will fly in from the Philippines and stay here for a few weeks. He will celebrate his 55th birthday with us, I still remember many of his birthdays as a child, specifically one when he was 5 years old, fifty years ago. I have not seen Hans Christian since 2018 when I last visited the Philippines.

The pictures on the left are from Hans Christian’s 5th birthday. Sadly his Mum and Louise (the blond girl) have died. Looking at the pictures, I find it hard to believe that 50 years have passed, times go so fast and before we know it – this life is up. Little Louise died in a traffic accident, at the age of 21, leaving her one-year-old daughter Harriet.

Hans Christian has been to Madeira many times, many years ago, however, he has not seen our place before, neither, Lady Rose nor Maya.

I hope that my son Mark will fly in to see me and his brother.

19.09.2022 – The Royal Parks

Recently, with all the television around the death of the Queen, seeing the parks from the air, I recall my association with the Royal Parks.

My family and I have through more than forty years, a very special relationship with London’s West End’s Royal Parks and greens. Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, Green and St. James’s Park were a part of my life for so many years. For many years I practically every day, walked either through or run early morning in one of the parks. So many memories relate to these parks and their vegetation.

My relationship started early in the 1960s, although, I recall my first visit in 1957, when I was in London for the first time, staying at the Cumberland Hotel, from where I could see the park and speakers Corner at Marble Arch.

These parks did represent something in my relationship with London West End. These parks become our back gardens, due to my children attending Hill House School, and the fact that my office for years was close by on the top of Sloan Street. Moreover, I often went to the Danish Club for lunch, the club right next to the park and the Royal Thames Yacht Club, built by my client Guy Morgan, who also designed Bowater House (no longer there – now One Hyde Park).

Later when I came back to Mayfair, ultimately meeting Romana, with so many memories, the change of seasons, our moments, all just beautiful memories and precious moments, with love and passion with a soul mate, I have been so fortunate to enjoy so much love and happiness.

Back in the late 60s and early 70s, my sons played football in Hyde Park, many days with Hill House school, in 1968 and 1969 at the area next to the Barracks, until Hill House later had Duke of York Grounds for use. We could daily walk in Hyde Park and see the boys playing football, even in mud and rain. There was something pompous and arrogant about this, I felt at the time it was a little stupid, and indeed costly to pay a great deal of money for their uniforms (only in Harrods) and then see, sometimes the next day, muddy knickerbockers and sweaters, not to speak about their shoes, coming home without showers. Moreover, expecting them back to school the next day with clean uniforms. My dear wife would herself have to see to this, as we at the time did not have staff.

As to the Barracks, they are an eyesore, as much as London Hilton (designed by my client Sidney Kaye) is on Hyde Park and Mayfair. I agreed with Lord St John of Fawsley that “Basil Spence’s barracks in Hyde Park ruined that park.” As to London Hilton, Sidney Kaye told me that he did not even come to the opening of London Hilton, as Conrad Hilton, had forced him to commercialise every space and he was not proud of the building, nevertheless, Kaye went on to design many more Hilton hotels around the world and another eyesore, the Euston Tower. Lord Fawsley told me that Prime Minister Harold Macmillan had ridden shotgun over all the planning laws of the area, as he had personally promised Conrad Hilton, at a dinner with President Kennedy at the White House.

When I initially met Elizabeth in September 1961, she told me one day when we were sitting in a car in Hyde Park, that she wanted her children one day to go to the school of the schoolchildren playing on the football fields close to the Barracks. They were from Hill House. At the time, I did find all this very premature, as I certainly did not have marriage in mind at the age of 20, specific considering my experience with so many married women up North – nevertheless, ten months later we were married.

Elizabeth used to go and see our boys in the park, where she met her girlfriend Anne from Doncaster, for the first time in nine years in 1966. Anna was walking with little Loise in a pram with her other daughter Melany. Their route was always going around the Serpentine, crossing the bridge and back going in for coffee and cakes at the Pavilion, designed by architect Patrick Gwynne, who I met on several occasions, as I had several architects as clients later.

It was Charles Forte, who wanted this restaurant and commissioned it in 1964. The building was rather controversial at the time, with a series of mushroom structures inspired by umbrellas – which he thought appropriate in a park. Sadly, it was demolished in 1990. We used to go there on Saturdays and enjoy their sandwiches and cakes after we had been rowing with the boys, although Liz normally went there first and waited for us, as she was not too keen on the water and spoiled us three “boys” playing (pretending).

Yes, Hyde Park, together with Kensington Gardens, Green and St. James’s Park became our local gardens for many years and when the boys were smaller, we played for hours there, including when getting dark, playing hide and seek. I got through more than forty years to know most roads and pathways in all four parks, even many trees and plants. I recall many walks in the evening with Romana during our eleven years together in Mayfair –

Through, the years I had been against using Hyde Park for pop concerts because they always leave a lot of devastation in the garden. The only concert, I was supposed to attend was with Luciano Pavarotti in 1995. It was attended by Princess Diana, however, we only attended the reception arranged by the organiser, Harvey Weinstein, at the Dorchester, as the rain prevented us from going into the park and seeing the concert, which we watched instead on the TV.

When we had Max and Chase, the two Irish setters, I walked twice every day in Hyde Park with them. So many tourists wanted to be photographed with the dogs, especially Japanese tourists. The dogs were indeed very photogenic and behaved so well, like models.

Another place in Hyde Park, where I have fond memories is the Serpentine Gallery, where later Romana and I went to so many exhibitions. At one stage I was given an opportunity to operate the gallery, after the success of Art for Mayfair, however, it became rather political. Romana and I went there when Princess Diana, was invited by Lord Peter Palumbo in June 1994. Also, later in October 1995, when Diana attended a gala at the Gallery to help raise money to renovate the gallery. 

As to the arts, I worked for years to get a bi-annual art exhibition into Hyde Park, specifically after the many large tents were created, and seeing the annual Paris art fair, FIAC Paris, moving from the Grand Palais to the ground across the river using large tents and marquees using aluminium.

An Art Fair
I wanted to hold the art fair after the annual Grosvenor House Fair, the most important antique fair in the world at the time, which had included Old Masters in the collections in the 1980s. Many dealers from all over the world, came to London for this exhibition, and I thought to get them also into the park. I did spend (possibly 8 years) a lot of time working on such an art fair, but the people in charge of the Royal Parks were difficult, stuffy and did not have a vision, at the time. Even Prince Charles agreed with such fair, as I had Norman St John-Stevas, Lord St John of Fawsley, confirming this to me. He was Chairman of the Royal Fine Art Commission from 1985 to 1999.

The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair went on for 75 years, however, in 1995 it closed. Sadly, it was a unique opportunity with the much-loved fair, however, an opportunity for the trade to be commensurate with maintaining London as the centre of the art market.

Obviously, the fact that Romana and I decided to move to the South of France changed all this including the agenda for The Mayfair Trust. (See agenda 2000).

Interestingly 9 years later, in 2003, the Freeze art fair opened in Regent Park and has ever since established a world reputation. with the world-renowned Frieze London and Frieze Masters art fairs in Regent’s Park. Frieze Art Fair extended Florida and other places with their success.

I believe the timing is everything, in the late 1980s and early 90s, the “old” civil servant guard was in charge and had no vision. Big changes did take place in the management of the parks during the late 90s. Likewise, contemporary art was not a big thing in the 1980s or early 90s, however, after the mid-1990s, contemporary art really took off explosively.

The Royal Parks of London are lands that were originally used for the recreation, mostly hunting, of the royal family. They are part of the hereditary possessions of The Crown, now managed by The Royal Parks Limited, a charity which manages eight royal parks and certain other areas of parkland in London.

Sometimes going to Albert Hall for a concert or indeed the Polish Club, we would walk through the park, enjoying many Sundowns. The Polish Club was next to the park on Princess Gate, Exhibition Road. For many years we enjoyed many meals there with lots of vodkas. Romana and I liked The Polish Heart Club “Ognisko Polskie” and met many interesting people there through the years.

Romana’s and my run-walk in the morning would take us all around Serpentine, including walking all through the Kensington Garden to the Palace, where after to the Fountains at Bayswater Road, back to the Serpentine, walking on the South side, by the Lido swimming area and the new restaurant, going to the Rose Garden, ultimately walking by the Nanny’s Lawn and the Band Stand. We could for many years, also go to the Dorchester Spa. When one goes so often to a place, it is not like a public park, but something personal, as we watch bushes with flowers and indeed many trees through the seasons. We loved the spring, but even the winter when we were lucky to have snow a few times. Romana and I had a special tree, which we stopped by every time we were next to the Nany’s Lawn. We regularly put our arms around the tree, trying to feel the positive energy.

In addition, Berkeley and Grosvenor Square and our secret garden on Green Street. Most of all, the garden in Mount Street, which I related to for so many years. All the parks were important when you had children, as they were playgrounds.

One garden which is very close to me is, our Mount Street Garden, most days for periods walked through to the office, which I had secured for The Mayfair Residents’ Association at the Mayfair Library. It was also my way into the Farm Street Church, which had much affinity to me and my family, including Romana and Alexander. My sons Mogens and Mark served as altar boys there back in the early 70s. Later I had regular contact with many of the Jesuits at the Church.

Mount Street Garden was the place where I decided to hold our annual garden party. A place Romana attended before we formally met. A place I took picture of Mogens when he was only 4 years old, a place where Alexander’s confirmation was photographed. I for many years solicited that residents donated a wooden bench for visitors, to enjoy the garden, and this became very successful.

The garden at the back of our residence for many years on Green Street, the so-called secret garden of Mayfair, was a place of great tranquillity in the centre of London. We used the garden extensively, having picnics and garden parties for many years there. For some years the Mayfair Trust occupied the whole building of Park Street 91, on the corner of Wood Mews, so we have daily use of the garden, at our leisure.

In 1992, I felt that we could have more security for our distinguished guests at the Mayfair Annual Garden Party if we held it in a more secure space. Therefore, I choose this garden for our annual summer party. We had many enjoyable parties there, with live bands and all the festivities going into the late hours. Later our son Alexander buried his Gerbils in the garden, Mozart and Constanze, the funeral was attended by his friend James, Michel, Seto and others. Alexander still lives out to the garden together with his wife and little daughter.

In 1993-4, I proposed the creation of a large fountain in the middle of Park Lane, outside The London Hilton, Four Seasons Hotel, on the island in the middle of Park Lane. The Fountain was to be a gift to HRH Elizabeth II and be ready for her 50th Anniversary in 2002. Sadly, with us leaving Mayfair, this project did not mature and today there is nothing to enhance the area. See  – The Fountain – Park Lane 

Royal Household Cavalry is Coming

Every morning, very early, 5:30-6:30, we heard the horses from the Royal Household Cavalry running through the Mayfair streets. In Berkeley and Grosvenor Square and finally in Green Street, just outside our windows, going towards Park Lane. Although, I am not an early riser it was always a daily feature to hear the horses running, normally only led by a few horsemen at the front.

Having seen on television the Queen’s coffin’s final journey to Buckingham Place from RAF Northolt, her coffin being driven down Park Lane, going past every building I know in Park Lane, moreover that her coffin passes Mayfair, a place where she was born, passing at Park Lane, Grosvenor House, Dorchester, London Hilton and Four Season and the Intercontinental, ultimately passing Ashley house going down Constitutional Hill to Buckingham Palace. I recall 25 years earlier Princess Diana’s coffin being driven on Park Lane, however, up Park Lane going to her final resting place. The Queen’s coffin past Les Ambassadeurs, a place the Queen often went to lunch when John Mills and later his son Robert, was alive. now it is only a casino.

The Queen have attended so many events and receptions in Mayfair through her 70 years of rein and indeed before, at least through the years, I recall. 

22.08.2022 – Today it is 50 years ago that we moved into The Little White House in Sunningdale, Berkshire. The house was on Charters Road and neighbour to Agatha Christie’s house “Styles”; however, she had already moved away to Oxfordshire.

Little White House had a large ground, more than a garden, a park, with one large lawn, as large as a football ground, a little forest, and a large kitchen garden. It took a full-time gardener to look after the property, with a special team cutting the grass. The large kitchen garden provided us with lots of vegetables, my wife used to write a list to the gardener each morning and in the afternoon, she received everything at the door to the kitchen. The gardener never entered the house and kept to himself in the garden nursery.

We had some very old Rhododendron trees which were 7-8 meters high, so beautiful. I have only seen such tall Rhododendron trees in Windsor Park. 

The boys loved the place, where we really could play hide and seek and soldiers. They had their first Raleigh Choppers there so they could speed around the large garden/park. It was my task to drive them up to Knightsbridge to Hill House school every day and back. With the great amount of traffic, it could take an hour plus each way, where we drove through beautiful Great Windsor Park. We had a great time in the car, where I used to examine their geography, history and current affairs, in addition, we had Terry Wogan on the radio. I had 8 loudspeakers in the car. The train to Waterloo took just half an hour and outside rush hours, I could drive to London West End in less than 30 minutes.

Hans Christian was not five years yet at the time, therefore, could not go to Hill House, so he started at a local private prep school. I still, as yesterday, recall his first day at school, a few weeks after we moved into Little White House. He just loved it and he was such a good pupil according to the headmaster. (It is Hans Christian standing guard at the entrance of the picture above of the Little White House)

Little White House had nine bedrooms, but kept only five heated, as many did with large houses, making it rather cold in part of the house. Sadly, the property was later divided into six large properties. Fifty years later one can’t recognise the place. Most of the large properties in the street have been divided into many, even housing blocks, all completely ruining the place, the result of a corrupt Conservative Country Council. It was a great location allowing us to ride in Windsor park and play golf at Wentworth Golf Course.

I wanted to make an indoor swimming pool, tennis courts and sports facilities for my family, on this property, but it was a difficult time at first, three years later I had a beautiful indoor swimming pool with islands and an orchid garden hanging on 3-4 meters carved trees from Bali – but that was in Denmark.

10.08.2022 – Watching the daily news with draught around and hosepipe bans in many places, we are very fortunate here in Madeira, with so much water. We are able to automatic water our twice a night our garden, more or less with free Levada water, which everyone can have if they have a large garden in rural areas.

The drought scorching much of Europe is set to be the worst endured since the sixteenth century.
At the moment, this seems to be the worst” year in 500 years. This year most of Europe has been exposed to compounding heatwaves and dry weather, as droughts impact food and energy production, drinking water and wildlife. It is sad to see all the wildlife dying. All this surely should make us take action against the destruction of our planet. I am very pessimistic, worse is to come.

Earlier this week, Olivia Newton-John died at the age of 73, she fought for 30 years with breast cancer. She believed she was helped by our Laghet in the South of France, like Romana. Our friend John Martinotti, from Monaco, took her there in the late 1990s, and she felt she received a blessing, just like Romana, who was saved twice by Laghet. For many years she thanked the monastery for helping her back in the 90s. Romana and I met her twice, and we found her a great Lady, such a human being and a force for good, she had for years fought cancer.

John Martinotti, who founded the World Music Award walked every Sunday from Monaco to Laghet, sometimes with Olivia Newton-John.

18.07.2022 – Our place smells like a French perfumery, with the Frangipani scent meeting you when you enter the property. We have 5 trees there, giving the name to the villa. Just so pleasant sweet scent, it also brings the tropical fruitiness of pineapple, citrus and coconut, all wrapped in delicate sweet spices.

A radiant and captivating scent, Frangipani is an irresistibly, timeless and enticing fragrance. Nothing evokes that tropical feeling like the serene scent of Frangipani. Frangipani also known as Plumeria, is perhaps the queen of all tropical flowers. For centuries, Frangipani has been one of the great plants for human adornment. In modern Polynesian culture, the Frangipani can be worn by women to indicate their relationship status – over the right ear if seeking a relationship and over the left, if taken. I have looked more into this plant and its history, see https://www.mogenshauschildt.com/our-last-home/

Thereafter, our large white Magnolia tree with its strong scent. Sadly the flowers only last for a few days. It is a Magnolia grandiflora, commonly known as the southern magnolia.

Resting beneath a Magnolia tree can bring you relaxation. This is due to its linalool alcohol, a natural compound that calms the brain. Linalool essential oils are commonly used in aromatherapy and are traditionally used as a sedative.

16.07.2022 – Reading every day the horrendous news again, that the deadly wildfires spreading in Portugal, France and Spain as the heatwave grips Europe, with thousands of firefighters battling deadly fires that have swept across Europe this week as a heatwave grips the continent.
Fire season has hit parts of Europe earlier than usual this year after an unusually dry, hot spring that authorities attribute to climate change.

Some 3,000 firefighters backed by water-dumping planes are battling blazes in southern France. The two fires have burned at least 23,800 acres of land in recent days.

I saw with my own eyes many times in the South of France, what wildfires did devastation. I recall twice seeing them very close to our home, with fires on Mont Agel. I witness the firefighters’ work, and the constant huge drop of water from the planes, seeing them going down on the water and returning back, so brave, at times flying into the fires – but we still feared the worse from the forces of nature.

We left all our water horses out and ready to be employed, moreover, we could pump the water from our pool (175,000 litres) over the house. Seeing very close-by flames going a hundred meters up in the air and jumping 50/75 meters away with the wind, at the time, in seconds, was a frighting experience, one realise nature’s power.

People who have not experienced wildfires have no idea about the fear that one has to see everything burning and how fast, without, one can do anything. I was so grateful that I once sent three crates of champagne to our local firefighters and the Bombardier – they became our heroes.

When I was a child on holiday in the Danish countryside, I early experienced people’s fear of lightning, we even had to prepare ourselves at night to leave the house, and the women even packed a suitcase – just in case. People truly feared lightning at the time.

To see hundreds of square kilometres, totally burned out, I will never forget when we drove through a strange and foreign planet landscape when going to St. Tropez. For many kilometres everything was black, all the trees burned and homes.

We are so fortunate here in Madeira, first, we do not have these terrible high temperatures. Moreover, we have so much water. Our garden is automatically watered twice every night with water from the Levada. Nevertheless, I should like to be able to empty the swimming pool, over the house, if we must, it only requires a special connection to the pool pump.

Near fifty years ago in Denmark, where we had, in the country, a large thatched roof on our property, in case of fire from lightning, I could pump the water from our indoor swimming pool out over the roof of the house. I am seeing this possibility here now – just in case.

We are more than 300 meters above the sea and always have not-so-hot nights, always a little wind and even many mornings “God tears” a sprinkle of water, just for the flora. However close by, we do have a large Eucalyptus forest, a natural reserve, which has been on fire from time to time, but never got close to our areas or the property here. Moreover, above us, just 150 metres up, we have huge reserve tanks of water from the Levada.

So we are so fortunate, I always have been saying that the weather here in Madeira is the best in Europe, better than any other place when one knows we have near the same longitudes as Marrakech, which today had 46C today when we had 22C.

06.07.2022 – In the last few days, I have tried to go through all the paintings and artwork that I once owned. Sadly I have either sold or lost so many, including stolen, worse some of the best, including Chagall and Miro’s works, were illegally taken by the State of Denmark, despite the later judgement by the European Court of Human Rights.

There has not been much engagement in the art by my family. The only one of my sons, who had an interest in the visual arts is Hans Christian, I recall that he during months used to visit Kunsthaus Zurich and learned quite a lot about seeing. He specifically liked Francis Bacon.

Interestingly, some of my grandchildren are very artistic, including Anna Sophia in Vancouver, Mogens’ daughter, and his eldest daughter Isabelle Irina living in Amsterdam.

My greatest opportunity to buy artworks, was in 1966 when I was taken “secretly” to a place in Russels Street opposite the British Museum, somewhat very hush-hush and secret as I had to agree not to tell anybody. Moreover, I did not bring anyone with me.

At the time there were very few Chinese in London, Certainly in the West End, compared to 40 years later. There was no China Town and only one Chinese restaurant on Gerrard Street. I still recall going to Ronnie Scot Club at 39 Gerrard street.

I was shown a portfolio of old Chinese watercolours on silk and some with watercolour and ink. . They were very beautiful and only there due to the cultural revolution and political upheaval in China.

Sadly, as I was not an expert and could not find someone I could rely on, I was not able to acquire these works. I tried to find an expert from Victoria & Alberts Museum, but he became ill and unavailable. I was only offered 24 hours to make a decision.

I felt like, what I used to tell people, that if I took some Rembrandt and Picasso to a jungle village in Africa to show they would most likely burn the Rembrandt and take the Picasso, but they would not mean anything special to the people there, as most of their children could paint like that.

7-8 years later, I briefly met the person, at Heathrow airport, who had purchased these rare works on silk and he told me that he had just sold two for each £250,000 plus in Hong Kong, and he had more than 40, obviously worth many millions. I had been offered all for £15,000 cash at the time – money I had. The value of these works could be £50-100 million today.

The Chinese dynasty scholar-painters inherited the legacy of the most forceful personality in late Ming painting and calligraphy. Painting on silk goes back 2000 years in China.

The problem with buying such artworks, one needs real expertise and know-how, indeed trust the seller as to provenance, as they could have been stolen. At the time, without the Internet, knowledge and know-how were really valuable, moreover, as connections.

I did very early buy many prints of David Hockney and 3 paintings. paying 20-25 guinea for each print, which later sold for several thousand each. All these artworks, unfortunately, went into a company, where I had other partners, who decided to sell the works as they had appreciated them considerably. However, from approx.. £25 to €1500-2000 plus, in less than seven years was not bad! Nevertheless, I have always advised that one should never buy art to make money – art should be enjoyed!

Two artworks, (seen on the left) one painting by the Danish artist Hans Christian Rylander and one by Walkuski, had negative stories attached to them. When I purchased the H.C.Rylander in 1974, my wife Elizabeth said that the pictures reflected what would happen to me. When Walkuski sold me the “Danton” he told me that he made the poster for a collector living in South Africa, and it gave him very bad luck, so he returned the artwork. I still own the last work by Walkuski.

01.07.2022 – About Contact with parents. Today we are so fortunate with the latest technology and mobile phones, it is so easy to keep in contact. Despite this, I find that all this is not of much use if one does not use it to keep in contact with family.

Back in my time from the mid-1950s until the mid-1980s, one had to rely on landlines and calling was expensive. This reminds me, that one of my sons left me with a £5,000 telephone bill calling his girlfriend back in 1988.

Since I left living with my parents (age 16) my mother and stepfather Lasse, I always had regular contact with them. After I lived in Sweden from 1957-58, I came back to Copenhagen monthly and saw my parents. Many days, I spoke to my mother on the phone. Later when I went to Genoa and lived in Portofino, in 1959, I spoke to my mother at least once a week on the phone. I went back to Copenhagen for my mother’s 40th birthday.

When travelling around the Mediterranean area, sometimes it was extremely difficult to get a call through to Copenhagen, nevertheless, sometimes I spend hours trying. I also had communication with the Captain of the ship. I recall once in Istanbul waiting for hours to speak to my mother.

When I went around travelling including to South America and Cuba, there was a long period when it was difficult to telephone home, nevertheless, I did when I had an opportunity because my mother was constantly worried about me.

When I worked up north in England from 1960-61, I spoke several times a week with my mother. This was also the case when Liz and I moved to Djursholm in 1962. I telephoned my mother, so I paid for the call. I spoke to my mother at least every weekend.

Since the early 1960, I paid for all my parent’s travels, all my stepfather’s suits and my mother’s dresses for special occasions. I also paid for their holidays. We always celebrated Christmas together, either in Denmark or England.

I always stayed in regular contact with my parents. Before I purchased my first property in Denmark (Kirsebærgården) I purchased an apartment for my parent. Even when I was busy with business, I saw my mother for lunch every week during the period 1974-80.

Sadly, my sons do not follow my example.

27.06.2022 – My dear Mother could have been 103 today. I had expected to see my grandson Kian. I am alone with my two beauties Lady Rose and Maya, they are by my side 24 hours. Hanna is at a beautiful Sanatorium in her home country, where she is well looked after.

Since this is my mother’s birthday day, she could have been 103 years, I looked today at pictures of my dear Mother and found many. The above picture was taken by me in December 1964, near 58 years ago, just before Elizabeth and I went to England. My dear mother looked into my stepfather Lasse’s face and her facial expression is ALL LOVE. Lasse also shows an intense expression reflecting love and deep emotion. They did have moments such as this and happiness. Sadly, my mother had a difficult life and died far too early. I should have loved her to enjoy her great-grandchildren.

In December 1964, we visited my parents coming from Sweden going to England for Christmas, Mark was only eight months old, just so adorable. I have so many pictures of him and Mogens from this visit. At times it feels very recent, despite it being 58 years ago. My mother was 45 years old and Lasse was 46. As Romana always said, life is made of moments and this was such a moment for my parents and me, the photographer. God bless their souls.

11.06.2022 – At my age, one reflects a lot on the past and indeed the present. To me, the world has changed greatly, the climate, yes, but even more people’s attitudes to life. I do not understand young people for sure. From the age of 9 until 16, I learnt 90% or more of everything I needed to know. mostly by working and having up to three jobs a day, despite still attending education. What I learned were all the practical things one needs to know in life. Most young people have no or little practical knowledge, despite we live in a world which offers great opportunities to young people. Never in history have young people been so highly valued by society.

When I believe that I learned 90% of everything I needed to know for practical life, by the age of 16, I should add, that I later, constantly read, studied, and learned – I believe that you can never learn too much.

Sadly, what I learned and experienced I did not follow, partly, because I did not have any older people in my family to advise me. It is so important to listen to experience. I see how nearly everyone ignores history and therefore most things tend to repeat themselves repeatedly.

Although, I have only been an observer, I predicted the collapse of the crypto “currencies”, more than 14 months ago. Anyone reading my homepage has seen that last April (2021). that I predicted that this completely mad hysteria of Bitcoin and crypto with DeFi, was just in reality a one BIG PONZI – a fraud. Sadly, few will be prosecuted and even go to jail. Although, that includes 99% of all the “crypto” I have some hesitation as to Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Never, in my right mind, would I have believed that it was possible to deceive and defraud the world with such a great Ponzi scheme.

It reminds me, of what I told the First Institutional Investors Conference in 1969 (at the Savoy Hotel in London), that the world wants to be deceived and indeed referred to another Dane, Hans Christian Andersen, a fairy-tale story about an emperor without clothes as two tailors took advantage of most people’s stupidity.

I never believed these cryptos, the latest count of more than 22,000 “tokens”, was a currency, just ridiculous. They represented to me simple greed and fraud, in its simplicity. Yes, there were many very smart people out there involved and some took away a huge fortune.

Nevertheless, it is all the hike and disinformation, it was the emperor without clothes and the early “investors” according to research only 64 people, in Bitcoin, have been able to orchestra the whole concert, moving the market as they liked and to get all the “stupid” people in buying their story.

When one of my sons, told me last year that he had put all his family money in one DeFi token, a Danish company, started by his former partner and friend, I was shocked and appalled as it was a waste of time to tell him that it was wrong. Nevertheless, the DiFi may take a long time to to succeed but does have some merits. Moreover, technology has always changed history.

When every Tom Dick and Henry can “create” a coin, and simply steal money from the public, something ultimately must happen, and we see reality coming to all markets including the stock market and bonds. Cash and real value will be KING, I do not see the bottom yet and the real CRASH!! Just wait when the world must account for debt!

“The tide has gone out in crypto, and we’re seeing that many of these businesses and platforms rested on shaky and unsustainable foundations,” said Lee Reiners, a former Federal Reserve official who teaches at Duke University Law School. “The music has stopped.”

If you believe, as I do, that crypto is to a large extent a Ponzi scheme, this may just happen to be the moment when the scheme has run out of new suckers.

But there’s also a more fundamental issue: People who touted cryptocurrencies as a hedge against fiat-currency inflation — sort of a digital equivalent of gold — fundamentally misunderstood how fiat currency systems work, and also, for what it’s worth, misunderstand what has historically driven the price of gold. It was, in fact, predictable that an upsurge in inflation would drive the price of Bitcoin down — although maybe not that it would produce such an epic crash.

In a spiral of debt only one way out devalues, deflate against real tangle assets like gold and silver. It is just the beginning is what we are going to see in the years to come. Worry about the cost of all this debt. We are going see the 1970s all over again, see that gold and silver prices will go dramatically higher.

07.06.2022 – Today I entered my 81st year and Hanna made a nice day for me, having Hans Christian leave a birthday message at 00.00 from the Philippines. I received lovely videos from my granddaughters in the Philippines. We had a great late lunch in Calheta, with delicious fresh seafood and wine. Lady Rose was with us but Maya had to stay at home, as she was strayed only ten days ago, never mind she can’t go out to restaurants. My son Mogens will be 60 years on Thursday, yes time flies.

05.06.2022 – This weekend is the Platinum Anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen’s 70 years of faithful service to the state. I am not a royalist or believe in royalty, after all, they all got their place by killing and the sword, without the sword and terrible suffering, there would be no one “Royal”. Despite they were not taking personal direction and care of such terrible killings and greed, and could not possibly be made responsible, nevertheless. they serve the ancestries of evil and greed, as they have their wealth and enjoy their privileged positions today, their families will no doubt suffer this ultimately.

When the Queen in February 1952 become head of the United Kingdom, I was ten years old. I was eleven years old when she was crowned and I remember seeing this on television, as we had a black and white television.

I have seen the Queen close on many occasions, but only once actually shook hands with her. The last time I was close to her, was at the opening of Leicester Square when I served as chairman of the Mayfair Residents’ Association. Mayfair and Soho were part of the same ward, which I represented at the opening of a new re-designed Leicester Square. The Queen was born just around the corner from where I lived in Berkeley Square. My wife and the mother of my three boys loved the Queen and did not even believe that she would go to the toilet. My dear wife did sing for the Queen’s Festival at the Royal Festival Hall in1952.

In many ways, I associate my life with the British Queen’s reign, she is a Great Lady and servant of her country. I strongly believe that the United Kingdom has been so lucky to have the Queen for the last 70 years. When I used to ride in Great Windsor Park, I saw the Queen often riding alone, just with a headscarf and without security. I still recall meeting Prince Charles with my boys, and later many times, including the last time at Polo, when Romana was with me and not very pleased with what I did.

Mogens was born during her 10th year of reign and celebration, sadly (for me) later I even had to endure the injustice of “Her Majesty’s Pleasure” upheaval.

For me, possibly everything, the introduction by Leo Walters, a Lord Mayor of Windsor (twice), Windsor, the place of the Queens resident, of Romana into my life, the most important part of my life, somewhat connect with the British Royalty. Leo worked with me in the Resident’s Association of Mayfair. I recall before that, back in the 70s when we lived in Sunningdale, many times riding in Windsor Park, in the early morning, and seeing the Queen riding.

Many days, at least once a week for years, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when I used to go to the Westminister Council in Victoria, I walked through Green Park and by Buckingham Palace, always knowing when the Queen was in the house. To me, she has been all our mothers and grandmothers.

My sadness about the true state of the United Kingdom, however, was something I knew would happen. Simon Jenkins wrote today in the Guardian: “The storm clouds of Brexit and Covid have moved on – but Britain just isn’t working anymore.

From childcare to the courts, public service failures are causing chaos. Recent crises have taken their toll, but so have botched privatisations. 

Tried getting through to a GP’s surgery lately? Or a bank? Or the customer services of almost anything? Catching a flight? Good luck. Waiting for a train? Stay calm, fingers crossed. Patience is a virtue – and, right now, an absolute necessity. The government is passing through a vale of tears, and for once it is not entirely the fault of the prime minister.

The jubilee holiday period saw Britain’s airports collapse into chaos. Thousands of flights were cancelled and tens of thousands of holidays wrecked, with the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, at a loss as to what to do. We hear daily that the NHS is in distress. It has “lost” 25,000 beds, and a staggering 14 million patients face delayed surgery, 300,000 for heart treatment. 

A third of GPs say they plan to quit the NHS in the next four years, citing bureaucracy and demoralisation. On crime, police failure to investigate burglaries has doubled and prosecutions for rape have plummeted by 70%. In the final quarter of 2021, 96 criminal trials were aborted for want of a judge, against just four a year earlier. London education has reduced 41% of state school parents to feel they must buy private tutoring for their children. 

The simplest tasks seem beyond the state. It takes not weeks but months to get a passport, a dentist appointment or a room in a care home. A second-class letter can take three weeks to arrive. Crossing the Channel means a four-hour queue at Dover. Britain, post-pandemic, has taken on the aura of a badly ruled, poorly developed country. Under Margaret Thatcher, believe it or not, its public sector reforms were admired and imitated by governments around the world.”

I am afraid the worse is to come!! After all, they are islanders.

28.04.2022 – Today, was my wedding day 60 years ago with Elizabeth Mary Ellen. Our marriage took place on a sunny Saturday at the English church in Copenhagen, St.Albans Church. We had a reception and dinner at the Seven Nations, the best restaurant in Copenhagen at the time. We had Greenland reindeer, flown in, for dinner. The wedding cake was served with fireworks. I still recall in detail, everything, that happened that day. Little did I know what life had in store for me. Elizabeth looked so beautiful and later did an Irish step dance for us all. Well, I should have liked to have known what I sixty years later know – my life would have been so different, however, wisdom and experience come with age.

29.03.2022 – Today we celebrate my eldest grandson Frederick Christian’s birthday, he will be 28 years. Although he has had a very good year, together with his partner Anna, celebrating his move back to London, we are sad to hear that they both got Covid-19 and ill on his birthday. We wish them a speedy recovery.

It seems not a long time ago when I arrived at the hospital in Guildford, shortly after Frederick’s birth, even the pictures I took of the proud mother and grandmother with little Frederick. Yes, 28 years goes very fast.

They have just weeks ago celebrated the purchase of a beautiful penthouse apartment close to Wimbledon and earlier in the year Frederick’s promotion to a directorship.

I was so fortunate to spend many quality moments with Frederick and Anna in Stockholm, last October, they are such a beautiful couple and great support for each other in their professional life, a great inspiration to other young people. We hope to see them both well soon and here in Madeira.

I just saw an Italian film from 1970. It was filmed in Venice and reminded me of my first visit to the city 11 years before in 1959. The film The Anonymous Venetian is a special film. After all, its trace across memory is a ball of emotions, states, revelations, and soft and bitter poetry because it is a love story for Venice and has a veil of surrealism. Of course a film is like a refuge viewing it, you have the impression to escape by the time. It is not easy, or fair, to explain. but after you see it, it exists the feel to be part of an experience, sad, strange, dark, profound bitter, but an experience that defines you.

It is the type of movie that shakes depressed souls and hopelessly romantic individuals like myself. Life can be beautiful one moment yet tremendously cruel the next.

17.03.2022 – Today is my grandson David Christians’ 16 year birthday, I wish him a great birthday with his sisters and Mum and Dad.

I am sure, it has been a few difficult years for David, with the pandemic, having to do all his schooling more or less from home, via computer, as the schools have been closed. Nevertheless, he recorded a 94% result on his examination, a very good result, which must be due to his abilities and hard work.

The whole family found themselves in the eye of one of the worst hurricanes, Super Typhoon Rai, which in December last year destroyed a considerable part of their home.

After trying to stay in their home for 10 years, the family had to flee, with four children, including Rosemary’s father, who was staying with them. Moreover, they had dogs and a cat with them in the car, where they were forced to sleep for a few nights before they could get on a ferry and go to Bantayan island. No doubt that David helped his father and family during this stressful time.

There have been plans that David should follow the family into the military and possible go to the USA for military education. However, I understand that David has other aims in life and will continue his academic carrier.

With three sisters around, it must have been difficult as a single boy, however, with his Dad and now grandfather together in the home there is some balance to all the women. I should have loved to grow up with such three beautiful sisters!

I want to tell the truth about dear Rosemary’s mother, who died of cancer several years ago, she was a true soldier, an officer, as she even had to obey orders against her uncle General Ramos, serving at the time President Marcus at his palace. Due to dealing with historic facts, I have to await confirmation as to publishing this. Nevertheless, she like her children is very special and deserves all the honours of the Philippines State, indeed, must have been a very special human being.

15.03.2022 – That there is a serious climate change on this earth, must be obvious to everyone. Here in Madeira, we have experienced a relative vet and cold February and now even can see snow on the mountains. During this night, the temperature dropped to -3.2 degrees at Pico do Areeiro and 1.9C at Bica da Cana and Chão do Areeiro.

As you would expect, this morning the mountainous regions of Madeira are covered in snow, and hail has also been recorded even in the lowlands.

The rain and hail have kept me awake most of the nights, we practically couldn’t sleep through the night with the noise, especially the wind but now this morning it’s very calm at the moment and still, Very chilly today, even our dogs wish to stay in.

The wind that is being felt has already reached an extreme gust of 161 km/hour in Caniçal/Ponta de São Lourenço, recorded yesterday. Madeira airport had to cancel all flights. In all our years here, we have not seen such bad weather, still, the sun comes out most days and we even could eat outside many days, also in February.

11.03.2022 –  Family photographs, In recent years I have been going through the few family pictures, I have left, including pictures of myself from my childhood. I was able to find pictures of me from the age of 11 months until 17 years, not many but some (see: Mogens-Snr.-as boy.pdf).

Sadly, I have lost nearly all our photographs, due to various events in my life. I first lost all my photos and negatives from my travels 1956-61 (around the Mediterranean, South America, Mexico, Cuba and the Southen States), when we moved from Djursholm in Sweden to London, in 1964, all lost with thousands of books, all Mogens’ toys and lots of household goods, all lost in the London Docks. At the time I thought that most had been stolen, although, I did get a little insurance.

I had purchased a Rolleiflex camera in 1957 and took many pictures on my travel, however, not like now, as films did cost a lot when you included developing the pictures. Nevertheless, I did have many pictures from my travel, until the camera was stolen from my hotel room.

In the early seventies, we lost a lot of photos from the children’s childhood, moving, and due to the event in Denmark, later moving around, we further lost many pictures. In early 1990, I lost a huge amount of negatives and photos, including my dear mother’s family pictures, when storage, in London, went on fire. At least we now can store all pictures in the clouds, hopefully forever.

However, as of writing, I am thinking about those poor Ukrainian people, who lose everything, not just their family albums, but their lives and homes, due to the barbaric Putin. Many times when I see people in catastrophe, from earthquakes to flooding and fires, losing everything they have, my pain of losing family photographs, is insignificant.

My wife Elizabeth’s attitude to pictures, and indeed taking pictures, to some extent govern her interest in keeping family pictures. Elizabeth did not like pictures and always made faces when she was photographed. This resulted in not so many pictures of her, me and events through the years. She tolerated pictures of the children, but nevertheless, did not look after these pictures, as many were lost. She also had a peculiar habit to draw over the pictures or simply cutting the pictures in half, if there was someone she did not like or her own picture. Sometimes, she had a rather strange attitude to pictures, a kind of behaviour which was difficult to understand. It was not only my wife’s attitude that surprised me, but recently, my cousin told me that when her mother died, my dear aunt Elna, they threw out boxes of photographs – all pictures I should have liked, as it was family pictures.

It is sad today to realise that so few pictures remain from the children’s childhood and indeed the years 1960-1990. I had a camera in my pocket most of the time, a Minox-B camera, (later Minox-C and BL). I lost several, one stolen and in fact, the last camera was left in our home Villa les Anges.

Due to the processing of films, it became quite expensive to develop these films, the camera projected an image of 8×11 mm onto the negative. The film is in strips 9.2 mm wide, or less than one-quarter the size of 35 mm film, I still have a lot of negatives and recently found a special scanner (Plustek OpticFilm 8200i) which I need to buy, so I can see all these photos and bring them digitally.

Some of my son’s attitudes to pictures have possible been inherited from their mother. This has meant that they did not bother about photographs, something which has many times upset me. I even do not have any pictures of Mogens serving in the Danish Queens Guards or my grandson Alex’s university graduation in New York two years ago. Nevertheless, I see that I have more than 250,000 pictures on my hard drives, possibly some copies.

At least there is hope today, my grandchildren’s attitudes have been influenced by today’s social media and most of them take many pictures, which I do hope to receive sometimes, however, it appears that they mostly stay on social media.

I should like all my sons and grandchildren to know, that I will appreciate all copies of all their pictures – just send them!

05.03.2022 – Today is my beautiful granddaughter Mary Ellen’s birthday, she will be 13 years. I wish her all my love and know she will have a great birthday with her Mum and Dad, her sisters, Yasmin and Penelope Rose and her brother David. Mary Ellen has so many talents and we are all very proud of her.

The whole family suffered terribly from Super Typhoon Rai which destroyed an “impressive” number of homes when it tore across the Philippines in December, leaving more than 400 people dead.

Compared to the 2013 Super Typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 6,000 dead, Rai left for a further path of destruction, hitting several major islands including Bohol, Cebu, Negros, and Palawan.

The whole family found themselves in the eye of the hurricane, with their property badly damaged and had to leave Cebo and move to the paradise island of Bantayan.  See the inviting beach of Bantayan below.

26.02.2022 – Today, my beautiful granddaughter Isabelle Irina will be 29 years old. I hope she will have a great birthday in Amsterdam with lots of her friends. I wish her a great year ahead with all her creative art activities.

20.02.2022 – A terrible event, with our two girls and Hanna and I, ended up getting bitten. Hanna had scolded Maya for stealing some bread in the kitchen and hit her with the flycatcher. Rosy immediately went for Maya and attacked her, not biting her but showing that Maya had been bad, just as an older dog showed Maya how to behave, this happens most days. Rosy just put Maya’s whole face into her mouth without hurting her, showing her superiority. However, what happened was just awful, Maya attacked Rosy and got hold of her left eye and skull keeping a firm grip on Rosy biting possibly 2 centimetres into the skull. Hanna tried to get them apart, and Maya bit her, when I could hear the shouting, I came and tried to pull Maya away, with the result that Maya bit my right hand. Hanna had already had a terrible bite on her left hand with two fingers torn. There was blood everywhere, and Rosy just managed to bite Maya’s frontal left leg again, the same leg which she previously had bitten Maya on. Just terrible.

Hanna wanted an ambulance, as two of her left-hand fingers looked badly torn, but I said I will drive to the Emergency at Calheta Hospital, only a 3-minute drive away, which we did. Considering that they could not use (or did not wish to) a local anaesthetic injection (often cited in the literature as the most painful part of minor procedures). Hanna objected to the pain of having stitches, therefore, we had to drive all the way in the frightful rain to Funchal Hospital 40 minutes away. So, the event which took place around 17:30 ended up taking the whole evening to midnight. If anyone is depressed, go to an emergency ward, there you will see how lucky you are!

I slept with Maya in a separate bedroom, she for once slept all night, also I now have to have her in my study or workroom, away from Rosy. Rosy slept with Hanna, her eye look bad, but our worst fear that something would have happened to her eyes perhaps was unwanted. Hanna feels that we can’t have Maya and want to ask my son Mark to take Maya to Brazil, after all, she could have babies. She is such a lovely dog scrutable, her desires visible and her affections solid, always keen to closely sniff and to engage in play or to get a rub. Maya is agreeable and friendly to us, but having two bitches is very difficult when one is soon eleven years old and the other two. Everything had been fine between them since the last fight. I do not think I could part with Maya.

We celebrated my dear grandson Kian’s 19th birthday on Saturday the 19th of February, he is in school in Colorado USA. He is the best Brazilian sportsman on snowboards and an accomplished surfer. I took the opportunity to tell him that time moves faster and faster, how older you get and at my age, a month is less than a week. Therefore use time, as it is soon gone. One of the best moments in my life was when Kian stayed with us a three near four years old in February 2007, he was sleeping between Romana and me. In the morning we watched him sleeping and waking up with his beautiful eyes, he reminded me of Hans Christian, as he looked so similar.

To have such a wonderful and beautiful creature, my grandson next to us, watching him playing, giving us hugs and being around us at the villa. It was so special for Romana and me, and I thanked him for truly letting me know what it was to be a grandfather. Later in Sweden biking with Hanna and me and his little brother Zion, all beautiful memories, which I cherish every day. We hope to see him soon here in Madeira!!

02.02.2022 – My aim with my website has always been to provide my grandchildren, located all over the world, with some information about the family, myself and my loved ones. I believe everything starts with ourselves and thereafter the family. I have a feeling that most of my grandchildren have very little knowledge of where their family comes from. I have counted that my grandchildren speak 11 languages plus, but none of them speaks Danish.

I am always happy when I get some reaction or questions from my grandchildren, questions which come after reading the website. So please keep them coming, it is important to ASK QUESTIONS.

The family is the natural place where relationships of love, service and mutual self-giving are discovered and learned, relationships that shape the most intimate core of the human person. Therefore, except when absolutely impossible, every person should be educated in the heart of a family by their father and mother, with the help of other persons: brothers and sisters, grandparents, uncles and aunts, etc., each in their diverse roles.

I had, against my conviction, at the time, reluctantly sent my boys to boarding school, something which did not turn out so bad; nevertheless, children must have regular input from the family. Moreover, know their roots. I recall happily through the years when I brought my boys to Hill House school in the morning speaking with them about the school, the teachers, their school friends and the various day-to-day issues and concern. That time is some of my most valuable moments. Also, taking them to their various sports, Mogens to his fencing and Mark to his Karate. Most of all I always enjoyed playing with my boys at the weekend and going swimming. Where all the fathers I knew went off to play golf, I always spend the time with my boys.

Although, for most of my years I have never made a big thing out of this, however, I am Danish, and it is important for all my grandchildren to know something about Denmark. So they should go to: https://denmark.dk/  Denmark’s official website and Denmark – The World Factbook (cia.gov), Denmark Country Profile     –     National Geographic Kids, and 25 Interesting Facts about Denmark – Swedish Nomad. Also, 70 Interesting and Fun Denmark Facts | Fact Retriever,   I will list more websites come about my home country.

There are two women photographers in the Hauschildt family, one from the 19th  Century and one from the 21st Century. Christina Hauschildt has photographed many horses, including publishing a book about the Royal horses in Denmark. Her work can be seen here: http://www.christinahauschildt.dk/

The other photographer and artist were Bodil Hauschildt born in 1861 (Bodil Hauschildt – Wikipedia). Many of her photographs can be seen on this page: Familien Greisen – Hauschildt (archive.org) and (Hauschildt, Bodil, Ribe – History of photography (fotohistorie.com). Interesting, both photographers had royal connections in their work. Bodil was also a painter privately.

19.12.21 – Today it is 60 years ago Elizabeth, my first wife, came to Copenhagen from London. I still recall her arrival, how beautiful she looked, her clothing and her luggage. My dear mother and I were there to receive her. It is difficult to think that sixty years have passed.

Richard Rogers, the great architect has passed away at the age of 88. I had the honour to briefly work with him on one of my proposals to Mayfair when I was heading the Residents’ Association of Mayfair. I wanted to bring Park Lane, Piccadilly and Regents street traffic under the roads. He liked the whole idea and even considered the cost at the time back in 1988-89. Bringing all the traffic under Piccadilly and Park Lane would allow people to just walk directly into St. James’s Park and Hyde Park. At the time Richard Rogers estimated a total cost of £250-300 million. A very little price, considering the increased value in property prices and indeed in the reduction of direct pollution. Sadly I was called a mad Scandinavian having such ideas. I even wanted all traffic away from Oxford Street to have only an electric rail going up and down the street, removing all the pollution from the shoppers.
I shared his love for Florence and Tuscany, moreover, his love for good food and wine. He was a true architect with a great vision.
I recall a meeting at the Royal Commission of Fine Art, where he explained the concept behind his Lloyds building, which impressed me very much. He left a considerable impact on architectural history.

07.12.2021 – Today, my dear grandmother Caroline was born 122 years ago; she only reached the age of 50, dying much too young. I have always missed her very much. I know that if she had lived, my life would have been totally different. On the left, there are two pictures of my grandmother, aged 19 and 13 years old. During my first nine years, my grandmother was close to me, despite her living in Ålborg and we lived in Copenhagen. I still have so many memories of her, they have been part of my soul throughout my life. The picture of me with my grandparents was taken in August 1949, one year, exactly, before my grandmother died.

As a father of four sons, I have been blessed and fortunate, indeed their mothers too, that none of them suffered any serious illnesses as children or young. Yes, Romana and I had a serious scare as to Alexander possibly having a very serious cancer in his leg; when he went to Salem boarding school in Germany, we even had him flown in a medical plane to London. The whole thing was just totally wrong diagnosis by the German doctors; Alexander was alright; nevertheless, Romana and I were in a panic.

I am further blessed that all my grandchildren have been healthy.

My “children”, now around us, our two bitches (dogs) here, Lady Rose and Maya, have recently had some fights about who is in charge. Rosy wishes to remain in charge and not receive a challenge from the little upstart Maya. In April, Rosy will be eleven years, and Maya will be two years in March. Rosy wants to lead, and sometimes Maya pushes her away, showing no respect. This has resulted in that Rosy getting hold of Maya’s front legs putting her teeth into them – just terrible. In the meantime, Maya got hold of Rosie’s ear (no sign of damage).

Maya had to go to an emergency vet and receive various tablets, including antibiotics. Moreover, Hanna and I were very worried, as Maya did not take food and just was lying quiet sleeping all the time. This was keeping Hanna and me up at night, as Maya was constantly crying. After a week, she now appears better, and we hope we can relax. Nevertheless, Maya seems in shock and does not appear her old self.

When I had Amey, I asked several vets if I could have another female dog; they all said it is difficult as they can fight, and in most cases, they do. Since we had Maya in June 2020, both dogs had got along, with just a few small fights, but in the last weeks, it certainly has become worse.

They say it could be the hormones; one has to be careful the fighting doesn’t get out of hand when bitches start fighting; they don’t always know when to stop. Rosy has been neutered, but not Maya.

I was reading about anyone who tried anything new and successfully treated aggression between two female dogs living in the same home?

Out of all the behaviour problems with dogs I see and read about, this particular issue is the one at which the success rate for solving the problem is the lowest, and this is the experience of every other behaviourist I know. There are several ways to approach this problem, but it is important to know that solving this problem involves a big commitment of time and energy and that there are no guarantees. We are going through a difficult time with Rosy and Maya. No doubt that Maya has been affected badly and seems in a chock condition.

The problem must be recognised before it can be improved. The signs that could indicate that there is a serious problem between one or more dogs in a household are many. Rosy regularly pushes another aside for attention, guarding food or toys against one another; the dogs are watching each other intensely or giving each other hard stares, the dogs maintain stiff postures when around each other. Rosy now bullies Maya by taking away all the toys. Maya slinks around the house, avoiding another dog or is kept from moving to certain places in the house by Rosy.

According to vets, trainers and behaviourists, fights between female dogs in the same household are among the most injurious and long-lasting. “

“Fatalities can even occur since many of the worst fights go on so long, with neither party doing anything to stop the aggressiveness. In cases in which fights or other aggressive tendencies are occurring between members of the same household, it is essential that steps be taken to prevent any subsequent injuries and to protect and maintain a high quality of life for both dogs and humans.

Each case is unique, and therefore the specific treatment must be customized, but some general strategies apply. When dogs are having trouble getting along to the point of exhibiting aggressiveness within the household, treatment involves three approaches.

The first strategy is to manage the situation for safety so that there are no opportunities for threats, fights, or injuries. Such management may include walking dogs individually, feeding them separately, and taking away objects such as bones or rawhides that cause conflict. Avoiding trouble in these or other ways is not a cop-out but rather an active training tool that helps keep dogs out of the habit of performing unacceptable behaviour. Prevention is an essential part of the process because every fight is a huge setback that only makes the problem worse and harder to change.

The second strategy is to teach all of the dogs that the way to get what they want in the house is to be polite and patient rather than being pushy and demanding. If you consistently reinforce polite, respectful behaviour, the dogs exhibit more of it. Conversely, when the rude, disrespectful behaviour is not reinforced, less of it will happen.

The third strategy is to work extremely hard so that every dog in the household becomes rock solid at performing basic behaviours on cue. In a house with any tension that could lead to aggression, there can be no trace of the attitude that “Oh well, maybe she’ll listen and do it right next time.” That way of thinking is a luxury that exists only in households completely free of aggression and any possibility of it occurring. The cues that dogs must be able to respond to in any situation no matter how many distractions exist are “Sit,” “Down,” “Stay,” “Wait,” “Come,” “Back Away” and “Leave It” (which many trainers call “Off.”)

For now, this three-pronged approach is the best we’ve got. Hopefully, trainers and behaviourists will continue to try new techniques that will make resolution of the problem of two female dogs fighting in the home more frequent.”

22.10.21 – Here, in late October, I went to Stockholm, staying as usual at Rävviken Lidingø. Having many good memories of this beautiful place, seeing some of my grandchildren growing up there, part of the year, the nature and quiet, so close to Stockholm. It is always lovely staying there, except I was alone, which is a hassle at my age. Thankfully, my grandson Frederick and his girlfriend Anna come often for a visit giving me an opportunity for long conversations. He is my oldest grandson and has done very well for himself, I love him very much.

Considering that Frederick is British, he has genuinely fallen in love with Sweden, in many ways, staying there during the pandemic in the last 18 months.

It was cold, according to our standard from Madeira, but otherwise, the autumn weather with all the colour leaves was beautiful, and as always, the lovely deer running around outside in the mornings is something exceptional.

Interestingly, Mark was born only 11 kilometres away at Danderyds Hospital, as we lived in Djursholm. Fifty-five years later, I had a pacemaker implanted at the same hospital.

I took many pictures of the Swedish autumn:

09.09.2021 – I have been thinking about travelling and flying in the last few days, as a secretary had booked me a tourist flight from Funchal to Stockholm (she later changed it to business), in my 81st year I do not like travelling for sure.

Some members of my family travel a great deal even from their childhood, as some of my grandchildren attended schools in a different continent than their home. My family is spread around the world on four continents, so they have to fly in order to meet up and to receive an education.

I am sure most of my sons and grandchildren like travelling. I truly do not like it, certainly not in the last 37 years. I hate airports and everything connected with flying. I should not make such a statement, considering that one of my sons, Alexander is a commercial pilot and fly these big machines in the sky all over the world.

When I say I dislike airports, I have never liked crowds of people; airports are crowds of hassling and stressing, something which has got worse in the last 40 years. Next year it will be 70 years since I went on the first flight (Copenhagen to Aalborg in a Douglas DC-3) since then I must have made something like 850-870 flights.

I wouldn’t say I like aeroplanes, but I certainly have not liked flying in the last 25-30 years. People are treated like cattle, and the fact that one even have to remove shoes and belt and show everything getting to a plane makes everything most unpleasant and common. There is no style anymore, not even a dress code; just let everything hang out and push your way through endless lines of people.

Even with the use of first-class lounges in the airports, flying is a hassle; I still recall my many visits to the BEA’s lounge first-class lounge in Heathrow. As to first-class and VIP lounges, I still recall the Concorde VIP lounge at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, how they in the morning before the 11:00 flight, filled up the passenger with Champagne, Caviar and Vodka because most passengers when entering the plane was surprised how small and narrow it was, it looked scary to some, like a long tunnel. I did find the seats and foot space uncomfortable.

Many of my children have been to so many places on this earth which I have not. Frankly, since I was young, I never had the urge to travel around, as I liked my comfort; yes, we went to South Africa, the West Indies and the USA.

I have been thinking about how many air flights I have had in my life. The first flight I had when I was with my parent in 1952 went from Copenhagen to Aalborg. After that, it took some years until I partnered in business with a Norwegian, selling milk machines to the shipping industry. In 1957-58 I must have flown about 7-8 times, all European destinations. After that, I did not fly so much, once from Milano to Copenhagen to my mother’s 40th birthday in 1959 and then a few times in 1960, from London to Copenhagen.

It was first, in 1965 and until 1970 I really flew a lot. In 1966-67 I travelled weekly to 2-3- destinations (Brussel, Luxembourg, Frankfurt, Zurich and Amsterdam); I will say on average at least 100 flights a year, all first class. Some years more, some years less. This stopped in 1968, and the next two years, I think I had 65-75 flights a year until 71, whereafter, I only flew every weekend Geneva London, when the boys went to school in Glion, Montreux and came back for the weekend to London.

During 1968-71, I flew once a month with my fellow directors to Paris, to Le Bourget airport, as this was a legal requirement for offshore companies to hold their board meetings abroad. Never mind the board meetings, they lasted only 30 minutes, whereafter we looked through the menu and wine card from the chosen restaurant for a big lunch, all more about education in the best of French cuisine and wines. 

With business, each year 1971-75, I must have travelled at least 15-20 times – all first class, with a few exceptions when there was only one class, like in smaller aircraft.

During the period 1975 until 1980, I went something like 60 times from Copenhagen to Zurich, all first-class. We also went across the Atlantic many times, including taking Concorde. So for that period, I estimated something like 90-100 flights – all first-class. During these years when I flew monthly to Zurich, I mainly used SAS; Sometimes, I used to leave my office in Copenhagen when the plane was scheduled to leave, they held the plane back several times – that was the time it was pleasant flying and one received a property treatment.

During the years 1984-1990, I must, on average, have flown 6-8 times a year from London to Zurich. There were many times I did not fly first class but some other class. During the years 1990-2000, we travel business class to South Africa and the USA. Once, we ended up on a Virgin flight from New York, one of the worst flights I ever had, as I stood up most of the way. We also had to fly on tourist class when we could not get business or first class, including several times to Barbados.

When I had my first passport, my height was 196 centimetres; now, I believe it is under 192, all due to my back and age. Considering my height, it always meant I needed leg space, so first-class and later business class was a must; I still recall all the pain of having to be squeezed into a small seat with no leg space. Just a nightmare, specific if it was long flights.

I have flown possible up to 850-900 times, not having my diaries in front of me; it is difficult to be exact. I’m not too fond of airports, to say at least. I never liked them; initially, one always had a cancelled or delayed flight; I never forget the many times being stranded in Schiphol, Brussels, Paris, and several other airports. Flying into London in the old days with bad weather and fog meant many delays. However, during the period 1960-1980, the first-class passage was always well looked after, and one felt special.

Today passengers are mostly packed into spaces; even when you fly first or business class, one has to pass through all other passengers moving all over the place.

Although I felt comfortable flying business class for many years when we lived in the South of France, Nice to London, which I flew on average ten times a year, in late 1990 when Easy Jet started, we had some very cheap flights on Easy Jet, but I never liked Luton airport nor most of the passengers on Easy Jet.

So summa summarum, I believe that I have had more than 650 first-class flights, over 150 business class flights and less than 75 tourist-class flights in my life.

Some of my grandchildren only fly first-class due to upgrades, as they have flown so many times across the Atlantic. I do have so many stories to tell from my experiences flying; I will try to set out some of these “story” events later.

Nowadays, all people are constantly looking at mobile phones, imagine when we did not have such a device. People now do not speak to each other; even families with children are occupied looking at their mobile screens and writing. There is so little social intercourse now. In my experience, most people can’t carry out a proper conversation, and young children can’t express themselves speaking.

07.09.2021 – I am thankful for my older grandchildren who have filled in a long questionnaire about themselves, I have received a very interesting one from Allana Yasmin, which I hope to publish on her page here. I like this talk from TED about that everything is connected (199) Everything is Connected — Here’s How: | Tom Chi | TEDxTaipei – YouTube  I find many interesting talks on TED, I also like this video and How Sacred Geometry is embedded in Your DNA – Secrets of Geometric Art (199) How Sacred Geometry is embedded in Your DNA – Secrets of Geometric Art – YouTube

Today it is 32 years since I first was formally introduced to Romana, so another day of memory. Such memories are timeless treasures of the heart. Interesting, today I looked into the light and the light beyond and saw its divine beauty.

I have never suffered disloyalty and unfaithfulness from the woman in my life

I have endured a lot of pain and suffering in my life, not much physical pain but more mental pain and grief—the last pain, grief overpass everything and after Romana’s death, I have endured so much grief. However, I have been so fortunate in life that I have never suffered disloyalty and unfaithfulness from the woman in my life, – the woman I was with. In fact, I have never been with a woman who was unfaithful to me or left me – never. I always left my women and lovers, sometimes not as such a nice person, and for this, I must apologise, no doubt beyond this life, I must face the music for my action in this department.

Therefore, I am not able to even comprehend the pain when a partner, wife or lover betrays you. I speak as a man, but these feelings also apply to other partner relationships and the women who read this.

Sadly, for my generation, we men always, in most cases, was forgiven for our disloyalty/infidelity, and always it was a question of protecting the marriage and children. Most Christian religions, Islam, Hindus, Judaism and others, allowed this as a matter of principle. Some of these religions enable men to have several partners, but not for women.

Having been watching a dear son’s suffering and broken heart, the terrible agony he endures, it is difficult as a father not to be able to do something and console a son. Sometimes we parents endure the discomfort of seeing the pain of our children without being able to intervene.

15.08.2021 –  How could the American and Nato countries, be so stupid, sending their young citizen to be killed, in Afghanistan, by such primitive people and nations. The Russian already more than 30 years ago has concluded that it would be smart to leave these uncivilised people to themselves, fighting over their opium fields. The USA spent 1 trillion Dollars, on What? It is sad that so many young people, serving their country, from so far away, had to die for NOTHING, like in most wars. Now the Taliban can take all the expensive equipment from the so-called Afghan military, apparently, the US spent nearly 90 billion dollars on, all the new housing with up-to-date ministerial offices and residents – all free for them to move into, after stealing all the bank accounts and wealth created in the last 20 years. What a stupid world we live in, without any justice, only an exploitation of the ignorant. How can we allow such ignorant and stupid people to rule a whole nation with tyranny? According to the surveys just before the recent event, only 4% of the people in Afghanistan would vote for the Taliban! Now they will suffer again!!

This whole humiliation reminds me of an incident back in the mid-1960s, so nearly sixty years ago, in the Grand Hotel Stockholm. I was having a drink in their bar, and when I entered, another man was sitting down at the bar, having a drink alone.

After ordering a fresh orange juice ( I did not drink alcohol and was waiting for a client), another man came up to the bar close to me. He ordered a drink, and I recognised that he must be American speaking. After a while, he looked around the bar, and as I must have looked too sober for him to speak to me with orange juice, he asked the person sitting at the far end of the bar where he came from. The person (not Black) said he was an American. As the Americans always seem very open to me, he then asked what he was doing in Sweden. The man at the end of the bar said right out, “I am a deserter from Germany”. The man next to me said quite agitated, “You are a Deserter!” Yes, was the other’s response, I will rather be a chicken than a dead duck”.

For many years I have told this story, and every time I look back, he was RIGHT to be a Chicken. Think about the needless war of Vietnam!!

10.08.2021 – I have from childhood, from time to time, been drawing and painting, mostly with watercolours. From very early childhood, I wanted to become an architect, which leads to my travel to Brazil and Brasilia; later that, I worked as an advisor to many important architects and consulting engineers in the United Kingdom. Moreover, when James Crabtree and I started Axiom Gallery in Mayfair, we specialised in Constructive art.

Later in life, having curated nearly two hundred art exhibitions in Mayfair, a place with the most prestigious and professional commercial art galleries in the world, I worked with the then London Institute, now University of the Arts London, Europe’s largest specialist art and design university, with over 19,000 students from more than 130 countries. I worked with the teachers and students of Central School of St. Martin’s and all the other important art institutions in London, from Chelsea to Camberwell and the Royal College of Art, I had my share of seeing artists and their artworks through many decades. I must have viewed many thousands of exhibitions, in the last 65 years, if I include the Venice Biennale, Dokumenta, Basel Art, graduation shows and all the national galleries around from New York to Paris.

When I launch the Art for Mayfair in 60 Brook Street, it was an honour to have two former and the then Minister of Culture be present at the opening, catered for by the best service from Claridges.

My experience has made me very critical about art, specific about my own ability to create; however, I also, at my age, understand and respect the importance of experience and learning as to the various material and colours.

As with everything in life, if you set sail to reach somewhere, you must have tenacity, working hard at it. I did not have that; nevertheless, I have always had a respect for visual artists who just closed their eyes to the world and just created day after day the artworks they wanted selfishly to make.

Genius cannot be taught, but skills can. And even the wildest, most visionary of artists relies on the techniques they were taught.
I question the boundary between art and craft and so much work today. It is not just as students that artists learn, however. Artists who constantly revolutionise their art are looking and studying all their lives.

When during my years, I have visited artist studios, I have many times been jealous of their workspace. Now in old age, I have started “very” slowly again to paint and made a few oil pictures. However, I lack a studio where I can make large paintings, which I dream of doing—being free to work for hours and “mess” up the place, as painting can be messy, specific large canvass with abstract art. Now it is my biggest wish to find a large studio where I daily can work.

17.07.2021 – Today, I was thinking about the first time I came back to London with my young family in 1965; moreover, the stupid mistake I made, mostly because I frankly had no one to advise me and “look up to”, no one in my family and friends around I could ever trust. Unlike my sons, I did not have contact with my school friends from Denmark. Further, I did not serve military duty and stayed long enough in a place to have close friends. Except I did have a few in Sweden.

Inflation and a lesson to be learned

The first apartment I purchased was in early 1965 in London Mayfair for our young family was 42 South Audley Street. Initially, we rented a large furnished apartment at 35-37 Grosvenor Square (very expensive) looking for something more permanent, where we could have our own furniture. The apartment was a fantastic location just across from the American Embassy. We witnessed the riots, the anti-nuclear and Vietnam protests, yes many protests, but not the later one in 1968, where the future president of the USA, Bill Clinton, participated. However, I recall seeing, many times, just from the third floor,  how the police horses were forced to attack the rioters, very reluctantly.

At the back of our flat in Grosvenor Square, we could see 42 South Audley Street, which really was in Adams Row, not South Audley Street. One day I saw that the top apartment was empty and immediately contacted the agent. One could not buy the freehold (owned by Grosvenor Estates), but I purchased the leasehold for £ 14.500. I oversaw all the refurbishment, including designing a special bed for the boys and painting abstract pictures on the doors. I still recall going to the wood merchant in Pimlico with the carpenter.

Mark was just 9-10 months when we moved in, and Liz used to take the boys to Grosvenor Square and Hyde Park every day, sometimes meeting with me for a coffee. Sometimes at the Hilton Coffee Shop, in Park Lane, where they had “real” Danish pastries or she walked to the Danish Centre in Conduit Street, where I would briefly join her for sandwiches, all the staff knew the boys for several years, even when Mogens went to kindergarten. Interesting, there were not many coffee bars in Mayfair at the time, only for office workers off Berkeley Street.

Since it took months of serious decoration, I rented a cottage in Cheam where Liz and the children stayed in the week, and I joined them at the weekend. The cottage was old and had a lovely garden.  At the time, Liz wanted Mogens to go to the kindergarten school of Cheam; her wish was my command, so Mogens did go for 2-3 months to this Cheam School, where Prince Charles also had attended. The kindergarten school remained in Cheam, where most of the school was moved to Headley, in the civil parish of Ashford Hill, Hampshire. Sadly we lost the pictures of Mogens in his uniform; he looked so lovely.

Since it was impractical for Mogens to continue to go to a kindergarten school in Cheam, as Liz had to stay in Cheam every week at the Cottage, we arranged for him to go to Margery de Brissac Bernard’s Garden House school of Sloane Square in Chelsea. So Mogens started there, in the autumn of 1965, only 3.5 years old and continued going there for more than two years. He loved the school so much, and every day he came home full of excitement and the teachers. Many of the boys attending Garden House went later to Hill House, which all my boys did.

The apartment in South Audley Street was not impressive; it must have been the servant quarters in the old days; nevertheless, it became our first purchased home, as we had been renting in Sweden. Interestingly, the apartment had walk-in large cupboards, which the children used to hide in. We made one of them their hide-away house, as most of the cupboards were too small for me to stand up in, they could hide from me. I loved playing with the boys; Mark had a temper, and one day, he threw the large wooden train at Mogens’s head. Nothing serious, this was the first time I had to rush to our local hospital, St. Georges at Hyde Park Corner; however, it happened a few times later, boys are boys. I did not have many belongings at the time as I waited for all this from Stockholm, which never came.

Elizabeth in front of one of my reliefs –  Ideas of growth and abstract harmony into three dimensions

Elizabeth in front of one of the abstract painted doors by me

We purchased the largest bed we had ever seen from a furniture exhibition at Earls Court; it was 2.5×2.5 meters, possibly bigger, somewhat too large for us to buy bed linen for, so we had to have it made, rather costly. Both Liz and I love the bed, which had two large mattresses, all in one. Considering we lived under the roof, I had to make a 4-meter long alcove sofa in the recessed section of the lounge. 

The bedroom was painted wine colour with black Spanish chantilly lace on the wall and with framed old master drawings of nudes (the children was small). The drawings were thanks to James Crabtree, the architect; he and I went on Saturdays to East End to buy old art students work, sometimes he would buy it by weight; I recall once he purchased one ton of drawings. It was James I helped to start Axiom Gallery in Duke Street Mayfair. I still recall when my mother came for the first time visiting from Denmark seeing the bedroom, she was choked and thought it looked like a brothel – well, we were young and in love, so it was a love cave. Considering the size of the bed, my mother came into the bed with the boys in the morning. I recall I did not allow smoking in the bedroom since Liz was a heavy smoker; we did have fights about this. I find nothing worse than waking up to the smell of cigarette ash. I only allow them to smoke in the kitchen or lounge, my mother her cigarillos and my step-father cigars and pipe.

When we left for England, we had packed and sent all our belonging from Stockholm to London in late 1964. After a lot of problems, I was told that it had all been destroyed, stolen or burned in the London docks. The worst was all our photographs and my notebooks from school forever lost. The loss of many of our belongings followed me through life; I envy people who keep everything in one place throughout their lives. I did receive some insurance, but nothing to really cover the loss of all my books from childhood and the hundreds of books I had purchased from Bonnier and C.E. Fritzes Bokförlag, as I received a large discount. I believe I lost 2800-3000 books, all Mogens’ toys and some artwork I had already started collecting in Sweden.

Downstair, in South Audley Street (Adams Row), we had a luxury sports car showroom, which many famous people visited, buying cars, including Cliff Richard and several from his band, The Shadows, including Hank Marvin practical every Saturday. In fact, one saw many famous people around the area; some evenings, I sometimes walked with Charles Clore, the property magnate, when he took his little dog out for a pee (picture of him driving below, with 42 South Audley Street in the background). I did ask him about buying property and recall he told me to wait for better times.

We rented the apartment in 35-37 Grosvenor Square (expensive and impressive) in January 1965, just before Winston Churchill’s death and funeral, which I saw go by on the Mall. In our building was Sofia Loren and Carlo Ponti, living above us, and Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow on the second floor below us. I saw Sofia Loren and Mia Farrow several times, mostly in the lift, never Frank Sinatra or Carlo Ponti. Next door in South Audley Street, we had Laurence Harvey, whom I spoke to a few times; he later died at 45, much too young.

Mark Anthony celebrating his one year birthday, a big cake with toys on top, there were only six children there.

I did not go to bars, except with Liz or a client, as I did not drink (not even beer), I recall when you went into the Connaught Bar direct from Mount Street, many times you would see Sean Connery, Stanley Baker and Robert Shaw (who also died young) and many other famous people. There was this large open fire and a real English bar at the Connaught, and the barman always remembered you. Later, they closed the doors to Mount Street and only have the main entrance at Carlos Place. This was the hotel, which did not want Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield staying there. Cary Grant stayed at the Connaught and purchased, around this time, a house on Farm Street opposite the Church. A church that became quite important for my family, the Church of Immaculate Conception, Farm Street, a Jesuit Church, was built in 1844-9 and, according to well-informed sources, the richest church in the UK. 

Despite not being a Catholic, this is a church that I relate to through many years, from the second time in Mayfair in 1965, when I came back to live there with Liz and my two boys. Later on, when Mogens, Mark and Alexander had a relationship with the church. Mogens and Mark as altar boys in 1972/73 and later Alexander’s relationship and ultimate christening at the church with Romana being so happy. My mother and stepfather visited the church several times when we lived in Mayfair. My dear aunt Elna and many others seeing Alexander christening, and we were having a great reception party in my place in Berkeley Square.

During the years when I was acting chairman and chair of RAM, I had a good relationship with several Jesuit in charge of the church; when Tony Marecco was dying in 1990, after his fall at Blackfriars Bridge, I had the Church bless him and get well, I had this arranged to other prominent and not so known Mayfair residents. I was also involved with the Memorial for the Duchess of Argyll and many others, including a memorial for Ayton Senna, attended by many dignitaries after he died in May 1994. For some years, we used to hold regular meetings in the church.

Lis and I always went to midnight mass at the church at Christmas when in London. We would go to the church for midnight service on Christmas evening during all Romana and my Christmases in Green Street and Berkeley Square. I regularly went and lit a candle for my Mother and Grandmother, and Romana went for her Mother, Jadwiga. Walking from Berkeley Square many times, I would make a short walk into the church for a few moments of meditation and prayer. Yes, this church and Laghet in La Turbie was for Romana and me very special places. Just to think, that Alexander married in the church and my granddaughter Isabella Romana was christened there. Sadly, I will never revisit the church, a place with so many memories.

Back in 1965, Mount Street then had everything: food for the residents, a diary, a fishmonger, a greengrocer, dry cleaners, an excellent butcher Allens, even a hardware merchant post office all gone today. Allens had the best Scots beef from the national park of Scotland; one always used to tip the cutter; obviously, Liz tipped most and always had fantastic cuts, the same in Harrods. When we later lived in Chelsea, I bought meat at Allens and, later, when we again lived in Mayfair, so I was a client for nearly 40 years. Allens supplied meat to Dorchester and many of the best restaurants around.

Sadly, I had no one to advise me, about property or money, in my family, having started young and fresh. I gave other people advice, much older people, and did not follow this advice myself. I saw some years ago that this flat was sold for £2 million-plus ( brochure). On the right coming out of the enterance, there is many former stable houses, in Adams Row, later turned into garages with a flat above, recently.,I have seen them selling for more than £11.500,000. Our apartment was on the top floor, and there was no lift, so it was work for Liz to take the small children up all the stairs; moreover, the stairs were killing my mother when she visited us.

Liz with the boys in Grosvenor Square outside the apartment building in 1965, with, as always, her Hermes crocodile Kelly bag.

Liz in Hyde Park with the boys 1965, Mark always reminded me about Winston Churchill.

After 18 months, including months of decoration, I wanted something larger for the family, so I purchased the leasehold of 94 Mount Street, a maisonette on four floors. 

94 Mount Street one entered from the street going directly on to the staircase to the first floor, where there was a reception room out to Mount Street, a library out to Mount Street Garden and a drawing-room. The dining room and lounge were on the second floor with another drawing-room out to Mount Street. The bedrooms were on the third and fourth floors. It was an impressive place, and I did have high hopes to have lived there long; however, this was not to be.

The place was previously occupied by Churchill’s personal doctor from 1940 until the latter died in 1965, Lord Moran. It had a beautiful open staircase, in marble and a butlers lift (dumb waiter), with a wood panel library, 6-7 bedrooms with the kitchen was on the 4th floor.

Although Churchill’s doctor for 25 years, Lord Moran became quite a controversial figure when he published The Struggle for Survival after Churchill’s death, which revealed much about Churchill’s physical and psychological state, possibly including clinical depression, while coping with the strain of high office. Some people also felt that it breached patient-doctor confidentiality.

Scott’s restaurant came later in 1967 opposite, in Mount Street when it moved from Haymarket. The IRA bombed the place in 1975. In fact, the only real violence with guns and machine guns I have seen was in Mount Street. One day a raid, an armed robbery, had taken place on American Express, and the robbers came out shooting all over the place, with a person being hit across the street and another at the corner of South Audley Street. It was very dramatic. Writing about violence, the owners of the best restaurant in the street back in 1965 told us one night that they paid protection money to an East End gang and all the other restaurants likewise paid protection money, and the police were in on this. A surprise to me then, but not later, when I run the Resident’s Association, police corruption was evident all over the place.

When I sat in the library, in 94 Mount Street, which overlooked Mount Street Gardens, I recalled that Churchill sometimes visited his doctor and therefore sat in the same room. I never thought that 23 years later I would meet Romana and that she was photographed just outside the property, with our windows in the background, at a garden party I had organised, without me meeting her. Moreover, that Ingrid Bergman had lived in the property after us to her time of death.

This was a big space to redecorate and furnish; I went regular to the auction to buy furniture and painting for the place; I recall some large Victorian paintings I purchased for little money; once, I purchased 14 paintings for £ 3-4,000 in all, some very large. These paintings I sold later with the place, very cheap. My friend Roy Miles, who re-discovered Victorian paintings for the art world in the early 1970s, some of these paintings I had purchased very cheap in 1966 later went for tens of thousands, the money I did not make on them, in fact, one of them with a scene of Mary Queen of Scots execution, was sold for £65,000 at Christie’s.

My dear mother in our large bed with Mogens and Mark in 1966

I sold the apartment in South Audley Street, I recall, for a price of £27,000 to Clive Hirschhorn, a film critic, making a little profit, as I had completely re-decorated the place. At the time I paid a secretary £10 a week or less, even later in 1969 I do recall wages to secretaries was  £15-20 a week. In 1970 the average wage was £1,560 per year, and the average house price was £4,057. I do know that for £27,000, one could buy a nice big villa in Hampstead. Mayfair was location and location is location, always at a premium.

I met Clive Hirschhorn later when I was running the Resident’s Association, in fact, nearly 30 years later. He told me that David Niven purchased the first-floor apartment shortly after he moved into our apartment. He also told me that Ingrid Bergman owned my maisonette in Mount Street before she died, having sold her apartment in Cheyne Gardens, London.

Mogens playing in his Garden House uniform and the Boys climbing up to their bed in 1966

Clive Hirschhorn should know, as he wrote many books, some bestsellers, about Hollywood actors, according to the internet including about: Noël Coward, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Judy Garland, Rita Hayworth, Bing Crosby, Billy Wilder, George Burns, James Stewart, Alfred Hitchcock, Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Rosalind Russell, Betty Grable, David Niven, Rex Harrison, Yul Brynner, Sammy Davis, Jr., Julie Andrews, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Mickey Rooney, and Ginger Rogers. He had first-class contact with all these famous actors. According to the media, Hirschhorn has put together “one of the world’s finest collections of rare first-edition books. I recall he liked the big storage area in the apartment, as he told me he had many books.

When I initially sold the apartment to him, and Clive spoke about all the famous actors he knew or  “just” had dinner or lunches with, I truly was convinced he was full of shit, and it was all lies, as Liz always told me. However, it was all true! Sometimes, when people told me about famous people and incredible experiences,  most times I never believe them; sadly, some later have turned out to be true, confirmed by history and facts. Having lived a full life, I know that facts surpass fiction; moreover, everyone has a story to tell. I believe that elders’ experience and wisdom should be passed on as to dealing with other human beings. Somehow when we are young, “we know best” sadly, that is not the case, and one leads to trial and error.

My fiscal status as a non-domiciled 

Since I arrived for the fourth time in the UK (December 1964), I was a non-domicile resident, which meant that I could only stay six months in the UK in any one year. As the passports were stamped entering the UK, one really had to make sure that one did not stay longer than 180 days in the UK when entering the UK; otherwise, the Internal Revenue had a case for taxation.

This did complicate life for me from the start, as I had to try to make a living, not only in the UK but outside; moreover, it had to appear that I made most of my living outside.

As a young man with a growing family, soon having children getting to a school-age, this was difficult. Knowing the fiscal rules and advising others about this fiscal reality, most clients with a substantial income and wealth, I knew the problems if I did not stay outside at least 180 days a year. On the other hand, my wife and family wanted me to be with them in London and in the country, and likewise, I wanted to be together with them.

The initial solution I found was to work with some Swiss Banks as an introducing agent, allowing me to work mostly in Germany and Benelux, flying out of the UK and coming back from time to time. It also meant that my family had to be abroad more often than other families. Hill House School was an ideal fit for my family as the boys regularly went to Switzerland to the Glion school. We often went to France, Switzerland and Denmark. In France, always in the area around Normandy and Britanny, always by car taking the Dover ferry. 

So I chose to work out of Geneva in 1966, with an office in Rue de Lausanne. When the boys were in Glion, I used to fly back at the weekends with them to London and back Sunday night, delivering them back to school Monday morning or late Sunday evening. During the week, I stayed at the Le Richemont hotel in Geneva. Friday evening, I would normally drive to Glion, above Montreux, a Swiss town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps to collect the boys. It was such a beautiful area with Mont Blanc opposite across the lake. 

A few times, the boys stayed with me at Le Richmont, once we had some upsetness about me not taking them to the funfair along the lake. Going up in the lift in the hotel to our room, Mark was crying, and initially, I did not realise it; Gina Lollobrigida was in the lift. When seeing Mark crying, she asked why and at the same time said: “Bella Bambino”, touching Mark’s blond hair. When she heard that Mark wanted to go to the funfair, she told me that she would take him and she did. I can’t remember why she did not take Mogens; I think he saw a friend from the school staying in Geneva that evening. I still recall when she came back to our room with Mark, I wanted to offer a drink, but she said it is late and the boys must go to sleep. Nevertheless, Mark went with Gina Lollobrigida all evening at a funfair; thereafter, he always was upset when we asked about her.

Once we were flying back to London, we were waiting a long time in the airport, as the plane from London was delayed. When the plane finally arrived, it kept its engine on, waiting for passages. When I sat down in the seat facing each other, the seats totally collapsed; the Steward came and said, do not worry, Sir, we fix it, and they did. Flying over the Channel, the plane certainly shook, but we could not see anything; 5-7 minutes thereafter, the captain came on the intercom and said; “You may have noticed a dump over the channel, we lost an engine, but do not worry” This was old pilots from the war, they could fly! We had a safe landing at Heathrow, and the boys had a story to tell their friends.

To continue…

20.06.2021 – Today is Father’s Day, something the Americans have invented for business. When I was growing up, we never heard of this celebration, not even when young in the 50s and 60s. I had never received a fathers day card from any of my sons, except Alexander’s (when he most likely was told by his mother), although I am not his birth father.

I have to say that we did not really celebrate fathers day when my boys were small; it started with mothers day later. Nevertheless, after the 1980s, my boys should be aware of the day, and indeed, I hope they receive father’s day cards from their children. I know that at least Hans Christian’s children write some beautiful cards and messages to their Dad, very nice and he should be thankful. They could all, however, never think that I am a Dad too.

I do not want every year on my birthday and “fathers day” to be reminded about my children and my regrets to having them in the first place. I did not receive any cards from them on my 40th, 50th, 60th, 65th, 70th, 75th and 80th birthdays. I may have been a great disappointment to them, but believe me, I am even more disappointed in myself having had them in the first place.

Continue with a password.

Birthdays

Elizabeth, my wife, never wanted to celebrate birthdays, and in fact, never arranged anything for me. This attitude to birthdays meant that a normal family event was taken out of our calendar. Her motto was a woman can’t celebrate birthdays beyond 40, and she indeed kept to this. However, it did not stop me from celebrating her birthday. Shortly after (ten days) the birth of Mogens in June 1962, we all went to Tivoli and had a great dinner in Grøften, taking baby Mogens along, since we brought Mrs Christensen along to look after Mogens, we could enjoy the food and drink with my parents and some friends. We had, as a family, four birthdays in June, mine on the 7, Mogens on the 9 and Liz on the 19, with my mother’s on the 27. This sometimes meant a large bill for restaurants in June.

In 1963 in Sweden, we celebrated at Tore Wretman’s Operakällaren, which had just opened again in 1961, great food. We got to know Tore Wretman, so in 1964, after Mark’s birth, we went to Stallmästaregården many times, also for Liz’s birthday with some friends, including several from the International Women’s Club. Tore Wretman, Chef to the Royal Court, laid the foundations for the Swedish restaurant scene in Stockholm in the 1960s. In 1963, we went with friends to the Club above Strand Hotel, to celebrate Liz’s birthday, there was a live bank, and one could dance. In 1965, after coming back to Mayfair, we went to Coq D’ore restaurant and in 1966, at the time the best French restaurant in the United Kingdom.

I organised a lovely 30 years birthday party for Liz at Mirabelle restaurant in Mayfair and gave her a beautiful watch, a Patek Phillippe (costing a fortune – later lost). I also arranged several more birthdays parties, including a 40th birthday at Kirsebærgården with many friends. One year we went to Hurtigkarl in the Royal Garden of Frederiksberg. Hurtigkarl refused to allow Liz a gin and tonic before his gourmet dinner, as always, as we had been there many times before; however, he gives in on her birthday despite serving champagne thereafter. However, Liz did not arrange such parties for me, although we would always have dinner out on my birthday.

Because of Liz attitude to birthdays, our boys also ignored birthdays and did not even know the dates of their brother’s birth. Therefore, through my whole life, I have received fewer cards and greetings from my sons, in fact, in all a number which can be counted on two hands.

Romana had a totally different attitude to birthdays; she always wanted to celebrate our mothers on our birthday. Romana had for many years great birthdays after we met, her 40th we celebrated in Dorchester exclusive members club, where I made a surprise birthday party with many friends. Romana and I spent her 36th birthday alone in a bedroom, that was the greatest birthday gift according to her, the following years I arranged with her friends some real surprise birthday parties, one special great at Tina’s next door to us.

Romana’s birthday on the 10th of February was four days before Valentine’s Day. We never celebrated Valentine’s Day, as this was an American business model. However, this meant that roses were expensive on Romana’s birthday. More so when we lived in the South of France. I recall paying €450 for 50 roses on her 50th birthday, €9 each; they wanted €11 initially. It was a lot cheaper in the New Covent Garden wholesale market in London, where I most times purchased the roses and flowers.

In 2000 we celebrated at Le Metropole, where we had stayed, in Beaulieu sure Mer and in 2001 we celebrated Romana’s birthday in Italy at Grand Hotel Miramare, Santa Margherita Ligure (not far away from where I lived in Portofino in 1959), on our way from Frankfurt to Monaco with our new BMW (sadly they stole an expensive diamond bracelet I had given Romana).

At Romana’s 50th, she did not want to announce around; nevertheless, we went with a few friends to Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse à l’Hôtel de Paris in Monaco and had the best four-star Michelin cuisine. After that, Romana did not want to tell it around it was her birthday; nevertheless, we always celebrated with a few friends in 2003 at Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc at Louroc restaurant and in 2004 Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, restaurant Le Cap. In 2005 at La Réserve de Beaulieu, we stayed, later after Romana’s operation in 2007. Sadly Romana celebrated her last two birthdays, ill and in pain; I held her 54th birthday in Monaco Yacht Club with a small group of friends and family. Romana’s last her 55th birthday, I held as a surprise lunch, again at the Hotel de Paris in Monaco, with lots of friends, having the whole place to ourselves for many hours into the late afternoon.

I did always see to my parent’s birthdays. I even flew back from Italy to attend my mother’s 40 years birthday, as a surprise, only finding that she, together with my stepfather, had gone to Ærø to stay for two weeks. I sent her from Copenhagen 40 large red roses, which she rubbed in newspapers, each rose every night in the bath, so they kept for two weeks (I still have the card I wrote with the flowers). On my mother’s 50th birthday, I invited her and my stepfather to London, where we had a great birthday for her and on her 60th birthday, we celebrated at Søllerød Kro with my boys.

06.06.2021 – There are less than 2 hours to my 80th birthday, and entering my 81st year, an octogenarian, I feel so empty and frankly nothing; it is not like any celebration coming up. It is like my 70th birthday in Bad Harzburg – Nothing, just nothing except my Hanna, got me our Lady Rose, but no party, but did make me a nice dinner together with her daughter Sara, who had come from Zurich. Last year on my 79th, we went to Porto Santo, and Hanna gave me little Maya for my birthday.

Hanna came back from Poland on the 3rd with my favourite cognac Hennesy XO for my birthday. It must be 15 years since I tasted this cognac, but I used to drink many of these bottles back in the early 70s.

On my 75th birthday, no one even knew around me that it was my birthday, nor did I get any form of greeting from anyone, cards, email or letters – never mind my family. So I wonder what the day tomorrow have in store? Most likely very little; I have my depression, and the Covid-19 make it also impossible for us to go out for lunch or dinner; moreover, our two beauties limit this since we do not have anyone to look for them.

29.05.2021. One of my sons insists on using WhatsApp to text me; I hate this, as I find writing these small letters on the phone easy, it is not as easy as writing emails on my computer. I remember reading his phone records and seeing that he texted his girlfriend on average 70-100 a day when he was at university. How could he be studying? So I suppose he has been texting for more than 20 years, and he must be a pro, also as he daily is used to hitting a lot of switches, which I certainly am not.

In 1967, at 16, I attended with a few people a meeting in Grundtvigshus in Copenhagen to establish a Danish Society for UFO. This was the first meeting with a few like-minded people, all much older than me. They, like me, accepted the fact that we were not alone in the universe. After this meeting, I went a few times to listen to the various presentations about people who had experiences UFOs, some from the US, even claimed they have had contact with extraterrestrials. Since I left Denmark in 1958, I did not continue contact with the Danish UFO people.

As my sons know, I have always accepted the fact that we are not alone in the universe, even in our galaxy. I always believed that they are just observing us, as we would observe ants; moreover, I do believe that flying saucers are just drones and machine piloted. As no one in their right mind would land, a hundred years ago in a cannibal camp in New Guinea. We, humans, are still far too primitive.

I have not spent much time reading about UFO; through the years, most observation turns out to be explained; nevertheless, UFO is here. Former President Barack Obama acknowledged the existence of UFOs days after a CBS 60 Minutes TV special featured Navy pilots and their witness accounts with such objects. Obama said:” “What is true, and I’m actually being serious here, is that there’s footage and records of objects in the skies, that we don’t know exactly what they are, we can’t explain how they moved, their trajectory,” An interesting article in the Guardian: The woman who forced the US government to take UFOs seriously | UFOs | The Guardian

28.05.2021. My two dogs do provide me with so much attention and love, but they can be a lot of work. They are constant next to me and move with me wherever I go. They want to sleep at ten, so I have to take them up to the bed, where I cover them. If I am watching television Lady Rose will automatically go upstairs to sleep at 10.

They have two large areas to sleep in and expect me to come with a special treat before they sleep. There they stay, in our main bedroom, next to the balcony, so they can take a stroll if needed for water. They sleep during the night and wake me at 7, where the little one, Maya, will perform a dance that she wants me to take them down and out – always so happy. It takes me several minutes to wake up and even more to put some clothes on; she is sitting waiting very patiently. First, when I am dressed, Rosy gets up and come with us downstairs. After a few minutes in the garden running around and going to the place designated for their “big jobs”, they both want some food before going up again and sleeping with me a few more hours. I am looking forward to Hanna coming back, as she normally takes them down at 7, she is right away morning fresh – not like me at 80. Mind you; I have never been fresh in the morning; I always sat on the bed as a little boy, saying I want to go back to sleep or asked where am I. Romana used to dance for me in the morning to music to get me going.

As to dogs following you around as I have them in string always, when we lived in Florence, one day, Liz and I visited some friends nearby in Toscany; when an older man in his eighties came walking, one could see he was very distinguished with a good life and background. Behind him came something like 50-60 dogs, all with some form of handicap, some with three legs, some with one eye or bitten off the ear, even a few blind and some showing clear signs of being in accidents. Every time he moved, they all moved just as one could imagine Jesus and his followers.

He was an Italian count, Conte Enrico Luling Buschetti; he had for 11 years been the President of the Italian Federation of Equestrian Sports, in control of equestrian competitions, polo hunts on horseback.

When I asked him about all his dogs, he told us that the Italians are bastards; they love children but not dogs or animals. They get dogs for Christmas or on holidays, a little puppy for their children to play with, and then they go later to the motorways and just let the dogs out of their cars, hoping they would be killed. All this without care for the dogs and indeed some of the drivers who hit them. The count decided when he retired to take care of these wounded and disfigured dogs and let them know that there were better humans than their first owners. So he had a big flock following around all day, like my two beauties here; I should like to have many more dogs and lots of lands around for them to play on. I understood he also had a large estate in the north, close to Venice, where he looked after old horses. I am sure they all followed him beyond.

26.05.2021. Today Hanna’s mother, Zofia, was buried in Varka. I understand there were so many people attending, and the church was completely full, with lots of people standing outside. A special choir has been assembled from churches around to sing- Hanna’s mother sang for more than 50-60 years in the local Church. There were seven priests at the funeral, and it was very moving. People were coming from all over the place. Far away, despite the Covid-19 restriction to attend her funeral. When people live in the same town all their lives, they get a big funeral, as families know each other, it is also the Catholic tradition to have big funerals.

Interesting, it is Mother’s Day, the Catholic celebration of mothers in Poland today. It is also Vesak (Buddha’s Day) is one of the most important Buddhist holidays. It is sometimes referred to as Buddha’s birthday, but Vesak commemorates the birth, enlightenment and passing away of Gautama Buddha. In some countries, Vesak is a public non-working holiday, when thousands of people gather in Buddhist temples to celebrate the life of Gautama Buddha.

25.05.2021 – We had a beautiful full moon last night, but somehow even after sleeping near 10 hours, I still felt that I had been hit by a bus this morning at 10:00; I do not know why my pulse during the night can hit 195 without me knowing. Hanna has been very busy with the funeral preparation in Waka; however, after all the preparation, she had some sleep finally.

I predicted on the 14th of April (see: Home) that it must be the top of this crazy cryptocurrency bubble. Since we have seen the decline of most cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, this is not finished; the world wants to be fooled. However, this world is just outright crazy. I have no idea what will happen, as this is both a dream and a nightmare. To me, there appear to be no rules anymore (if there ever were), do anything and grab the money and make sure you do not go to jail. I have seen several times the TV program: Money Bots: The truth behind high-frequency trading | Business and Economy | Al Jazeera

I like that the highly professional trader, Haim Bodek says: If you are not cheating – you will be the victim!!! These are the most professional financial professional in the world, at times making billions in profit for the Goldman Sachs of this world. 

We had another beautiful day here in Madeira, and my two ladies are most happy, always next to me.

I have always loved this picture of my granddaughter Anna-Sophia:

24.05.2021 – It is hard to believe it is today 42 years since my victory at the European Court of Human Rights against Denmark. Time goes so fast when we are young; months and years seem so far away. At my age, one month seem less than a week. The weather is great with a little cloud and 28C; it is all so beautiful and tranquil. We never hear anything here, just all the birds.

The dogs had a good time; we had a long walk yesterday and will have one later today in the Eucalyptus forest just above us on the mountain. We walk there most days for a few hours, inhaling the lovely smell from the Eucalyptus trees, with the unpolluted wind flowing. Madeira has had many wildfires, and these eucalypt species are adapted to fire and resprout after a fire or have seeds that survive the fire. We walk with an altitude average of about 750-900 metres. Eucalypts were introduced from Australia to the rest of the world following the Cook expedition in 1770. Eucalypt plantations have a negative impact on soil destruction, inducing resistance to water infiltration and increasing the risks of erosion and soil loss; they are highly inflammable, aggravating the risk for wildfires. see: Eucalyptus – Wikipedia 

See pictures from our daily walks, including from the forest of tall Eucalyptus trees. Where we walk, I have calculated that we have been there more than 200 times and only twice seen people. So we are alone with real nature, the many birds, field mice and rabbits. I have not seen any sign of other animals. When we lived for years next to the largest forest in Germany, in Bad Harzburg, the forest (Harz) was practically outside the house; I regularly saw wild boars, the European wildcat and especially the Eurasian lynx, red deer and roe deers. Even a few times, the rare white-throated dipper, the black stork, and peregrine falcon. We had several families of raccoons living close by, and always our Lady Rose was concerned, as she could smell them. The story of German raccoons is fascinating, and I will tell you this another time, I came very close to some of them, and I do like them very much, as they are quite clever.

Going up the stair today, Maya caused me to fall, when a 100 kilograms body fall, it is not fun, but nothing is broken. The funeral of Hanna’s mother will be on Wednesday. I received two nice emails from my granddaughters, which is always very warm to receive.

23.05.2021 – I decided to change this layout, in order to really record my daily views and events in my life. Although I must add, I am NOT a writer, nevertheless, every day, is another day for me and something happens which I want to record. In the last weeks, I have been alone with my two beauties Lady Rose and Maya, my loyal dogs.

Hanna had sadly to go urgently to Poland for medical reasons. So I had to cope with being alone. Every task at my age seems difficult, even a simple task like putting on your socks and shoes, moreover, it takes me a long time to get going in the morning and my two ladies can’t wait for ACTION!! At my age with hernias, diabetes, back pain and heart problems, I have to move slowly, although, most people do not notice. I am sure one of my sons will tell me that it is not dignified to tell the world about such things and I should take my age with dignity and suffer in silence – but all of you will get old, hopeful for my grandchildren, they will be able to live a better lifestyle.

I try to walk with the girls every day up in the mountain forest, at least 5-6000 steps (3-4 kilometres). The swimming pool now averages 25-26C a day, so it is very inviting and I try to swim every day. 

Today Hanna’s dear mother Sophia died at the age of 91, she had just celebrated her name day on the 15th of May. Sophia had 5 daughters and 3 sons. with 8 children a big family, a little like my wife’s parents, they had 6 daughters and one son.

Yesterday, Hanna was in Warsaw at doctors and her sister Ewa telephoned her and told her that her mother was dying (in Waka, where Hanna has her apartment, 30 minutes drive from Warsaw).  Hanna’s mother did not die yesterday, in fact, I spoke to her mother on WhatsApp at 16:00, but she most likely was already on the way and it was her pacemaker that kept her going. Sadly she feared death, despite she was a devoted Catholic, and sung in the church choir up until a few years ago.

Unfortunately, I could not speak to her as she only spoke Polish. I wanted to tell her no to fear death – it is just a transition. She even told the daughters the last weeks that she wanted to be burned, because she feared the pacemaker would wake her up in the grave, nevertheless, she will have a traditional funeral on Wednesday and go to the family grave place. Somehow, I felt that she was going to leave this world, although she sat up and took some food yesterday. Seeing her on my tablet screen, I wished her a normal Polish traditional greeting One hundred Years of Life.

Interestingly, Hanna went to the grave of her father on the 17th of May and he somewhat gave her an indication of her mother’s death. Moreover, Hanna would not be in Poland, unless because of her medical emergency, she came on the last flight into Madeira, on the 14th of March 2020, before the Covid-19 lock-down. Hanna is totally devasted as to the loss of her mother.

Yesterday, I had a long conversation again with Hans Christian, possibly in vain. I truly wish to see him, Rosemary and my grandchildren in Europe and I have invited him here to Madeira, to come for my 80th birthday. I truly pray that he will be here with my beautiful grandchildren, they are all so clever and I miss them very much, as it is now two years since I last saw them.

Finally, I like this picture with Mark being in Kenya with his dear Mother, I just found it today.

20.05.2121 – Today one of my sons asked me to remove the pictures and references of his 3-year-old daughter, as his wife and he did not want them to be on the internet. I did what he asked, although, when she starts at kindergarten and later school, she will be all over the social media and therefore the internet, and there will be no one to stop that!! It is unrealistic to hideaway today.

May 2021

My children DO NOT HAVE THROWN-AWAY LIFES. I dreamt this night that we should make many attempts to plant a garden when we are young—all different gardens with vegetables, fruits and flowers. We must learn how to grow and make our garden one day. However, after all this learning and studying, one day, we want to create “our” garden; for life, we must have checked everything the ground, the soil and the climate. We must know exactly where we want to create this – our garden. All you need then is to have a lot of tenacity.

Do not become a throw-away life person!

I used to give older children an analogue statement that we all are given a piece of land with the possibility of having water – a well. Then I asked them, let say that you are given one square (kilometre/mile), and the first thing you have to do is to find water; where will you start digging? and I drew a large square on paper and gave them a pen. Some of the children would say there, in each corner, and then everyone had an answer in the centre. It always ended that I told them, you dig anywhere and KEEP ON DIG-GING.

I recall reading some part of the book of Genesis about Isaac; regardless of the hardships he encountered, God protected and provided for Isaac. Isaac did not give up.

Isaac was forced to move multiple times. But without giving up, he went on and found another place to call home, but every time he uprooted himself, he faced the opposition of some sort. But every time he moved, he dug a well in places his opposition had blocked, stolen and claimed.
Again and again, despite obstacles, haters, and opposition, Isaac dug a well in the wilderness, and he still found water. Then finally, he found a well that no enemy, no rival, and no competing party could touch. It was his, and there was nothing that his enemies could do about it.
It is good to know that if you keep digging, if you keep pressing, and if you keep trying, that one day you will dig a well that’s just for you, a well with your name on it? And there won’t be anything that the enemy can do about it.

Isaac was not deterred, discouraged, or daunted by the hateful, horrendous, and heinous actions of his haters. Every time they tried to stop Isaac, every time they tried to block him, every time they tried to turn him around, he just kept on digging. So stay persistent. Don’t give up. And don’t let anyone keep you from digging. 

Remember also, mind, matter and space, are all full of consciousness and everything is connected.
The gift of happiness truly lies within our own hearts and minds. Do not blame others for your unhappiness.

December 2020

Vegetables and fruits

I am just thinking about vegetables and fruits today. My days, early in life, working on a Saturday for the greengrocer in Hedebygade in Copenhagen, my home city. I was age 9-10. This was my third job, still keeping my weekly job for the leatherwork, opposite us in the street, working from Monday afternoon to Friday afternoon. At least my parent knew much more about this work, as they could sit in the lounge looking out from the corner of the building and see me just across the street. I was about 100 -150 meters across the street, working, even outside. At the same time, they were enjoying their normal Saturday lunch (with at least 15-20 dishes).

This is before we moved to Vesterbrogade and where I later on Saturday morning went shopping to Værnedamsvej, Salatbørsen (number 9) and going to the “great” butcher Ryholt. Instead of working and later enjoying the lunch with them together, it was mostly my stepfather’s day as he enjoyed his beer and akvavit. However, we had some large cold tables, although there were always warm dishes.

”Mellem Gammel Kongevej og Vesterbrogade ligger Værnedamsvej. En gade fyldt med stemning, fine delikatessebutikker og lækre forretninger.”  For mig det var vores indkøbsgade og jeg kendte enhver forretning – fra Salatbørsen til Ostebørsen! Selvom jeg kun var 10 -11 år gammel, jeg indkøbte for mine forældre.

I went to school, only half-day, on Saturdays, in the morning, (age 9-10) going straight to the greengrocer, nearly opposite us in Hedebygade. Arriving, I was already quite experienced and taught by the owner what to do as to various work. I still recall, when looking around the shop, if the owners required help with packing or helping a customer with the shopping, I had an immediate instinct on what to do and where help was required. Later, I have to admit where I would be appreciated and possibly, hopefully, receive tips, always looking out for opportunities.

It is worth pointing out that we did not have many foreign fruits like bananas, oranges, mandarine, tangerines and grapefruits at the time, after all this was only 5-6 years after the war. Even most of the fruits and vegetables I later learned to know in Italy and other places throughout my life, even here in Madeira, was totally unknown to my family, indeed everyone.

I never had to be twice instructed; if there was a moment, I would stack the apples, polish them, so they look inviting to the customers. I early learned how to make a pyramid and place the fruits we wanted to sell (urgently, as fruit deteriorate). Moreover, when helping serving pointing out that this fruit is so tasty and good.

As I helped serve customers and soon started to calculate the costs, at the time, they did not have a calculator, nor was the cashier machine able to do this. As I was good at math, this was soon recognised, and they asked me to calculate when they dictated the prices. The till was only to open with writing an amount that one was supposed to put into the till. Later on, I even took the money and gave change back, an apparent big responsibility. Working for me, so young, was a place of learning, using math, even writing prices and labels with names I learnt. Some years later, I worked for a larger greengrocer at Frederiksberg Alle. There I wrote special offers of the day on large signs – display and labels with prices. I stacked and polished the fruit, mostly in pyramids.

Greengrocers at the time went to the wholesale market in the morning on Grøntorvet, located in central Copenhagen at a large square. Close to the lakes and the start of Nørrebrogade. When I had a day off school, I did go to this wholesale market in the morning with the owners. A large part of the market was for the public, after 8 in the morning, but greengrocers (retailers) went already at 5:30-6.

Interestingly, later in life, I went to Covent Garden in London at 4-5 in the morning, after going first to Smithfield Meat market, mostly going with Jenny, my wife’s girlfriend. This I did when the boys were small, and we had a large consumption, including with staff. Even much later in life, I went to the New Covent Garden regularly with Romana, buying flowers, sometimes for thousands (once for £55,000) to decorate the tables at a large event, from national and corporate balls, dinners to our Mayfair garden parties. So I genuinely have become familiar with wholesale markets. Later I visited with Romana the Paris wholesale market, and for decades, we used all the various local markets in France and Italy.

The most impressive market for food I have ever seen is Paris’ Rungis is the world’s largest wholesale market for fresh produce. Just outside Paris. Fish, meat, fruits, vegetables, cheese and even fresh flowers are sold here every day in quantities so large an entire train station and highway exit has been built to serve it.

When I was operating Scandinavian Capital Exchange, I also went to the new wholesale market in Copenhagen (Valby) at certain times of the year, mostly to buy flowers and plants for the offices and our homes. When I look back and think that sometimes I had a position in the market with millions of US Dollars overnight, and I still had the time to go to the market – that was indeed something special.

Coming back to my work when I was a young boy, I took out the apples from the large cases, polish them and stack them outside or in the window, depending upon the season. I even recall washing the soil of carrots and onions in order to present them as more attractive. This would either be inside the window and around the shop or outside. Apples but also oranges, which I still can recall the smell of in the autumn, the lemons and not to forget all the various cabbages. Not that we had many varieties, but red and white cabbage was very important for the Danish diet at the time.

My Mother would have the least ones a fortnight make white cabbage with pig’s tails and trotters – a favourite dish of mine, a dish I never had later in life. We also had white cabbage in cream sauce with cinnamon on top.

We Danes love cabbages, beetroot, and fermented cucumbers. We also love potatoes; at the time, I can’t remember more than two types in the greengrocer, although I do recall the new potatoes coming in late June – early July. Exotic fruits like banana, oranges, grapefruits and indeed lemons only appear sporadically; they were never there in supply, looking back. Plums, gooseberries, blackberries, cherries and raspberries, and strawberries were also there, but only in season. I recall we had many different “roots” type of vegetables; radishes, turnip, parsnip and celery, but also some which my dear Mother told me was very healthy. I can’t recall the shallots, onion, rutabaga, daikon, and so many other vegetables we see today. Sadly, I still remember the taste of one, which I never later in life has encountered.