In April 1952 I was confirmed in the local church. My parents gave me a golden watch and a hymn book as present. From others I received jewellery, some cutlery and a toilet brush and mirror. I also got approx. $50, which my father actually borrowed from me. He did not return them until a year later when he bought me a bicycle.
IMG: 17 years
I graduated from school in 1954 and then I had to seek work, but could not get any. It was not too easy to get work those days. Instead I stayed home as nanny for my sister Margit, who was only three years old, as my mother worked all day on the carpet factory. We did not have kindergardens when I was young.
I got a job at Gabøl telephone central start November that year. We were two girls employed and every second week we took care of the kitchen in the morning and serviced the central in the afternoon. We had duty every second evening and every second weekend until 10pm. We shared a room and washed ourselves in a washbasin pouring water with a can and had to carry down the water afterwards.
We were only allowed to use the bathroom and get a decent shower once a month, when the family was out of house. I liked living there, and stayed for two years. When I was off I usually went home by bicycle - it was about 10 km distance.
In our free time we went to the cinema and dance in Gram and other cities. Once I went to Arnum with my cousin for a dance. Here I met Karl. He and his friend Carlo were by motorcycle, and that was the start of a long relationship.
Karl worked in at Steffensen, a motorcycle shop in Gram city. We started dating in the spring 1955 and in the summer 1956 we took on holiday together by motorcycle to the islands of Fuen, Ærø, Langeland and Lolland-Falster via Sealand and back home. At Nyborg on Fuen, the motorcycle broke down, and as it was on a Saturday mostly all business was closed. We had to continue by train and send the motorcycle home by transporter. Both of us had to start work the following Monday.
We started our own bicycle shop on Østergade in Rødding October 25, 1956. The first six months I worked in a draper's shop nearby, but that business went pretty bad. When Karl had work enough for two, I started helping him in the bicycle shop, where I have worked since. And I must say, that there were plenty of work for me.
Start November the same year, we moved into our small flat on second floor over the shop. In the living room we had an old dining table, two dining tables a divan and two other tables with a worn cover, which we covered with a blanket. In the bedroom we had a folding bed and that was fine for us as we were slim and enjoyed laying very close together. We had our own bathroom, which was a great luxury.
We were married in the church of Gram April 7, 1957. My brother Hans Peter was confirmed the same day, so we celebrated confirmation in the morning and wedding in the afternoon in my parents small house. I ordered the briidal bouquet (18 red roses and white freesias) myself as Karl was too busy. We walked to the florist's shop and drove by bus to Gram city.
After the celebration and party at my parents, my uncle drove us back to our appartment. My father gave us homemade bedroom furniture and kitchen table as wedding present, so now we got ourselves a real double bed.
IMG: Wedding and confirmation, April 7, 1957