Two posts in one day? (Yes, there's another one below!) Am I overdoing it?
On Sunday evening while going through my mailbox, I discovered an e-mail invitation from Expatraveler (thanks ET!!) to a link called LinkedIn, a business oriented social networking site, mainly used for professional networking. It’s really great! This is not an official advertisement, so if you want to know more about it, here’s a Wiki-link.
Anyway, through this network, I found one of my former work colleagues from 10+ years back and decided to contact him, just to see what he was up to. This morning, I received a reply from him and read that he just recently started a blog. Brian is a Scottish expat living in Germany.
Another new blogger is The Big Bear. You might have read him in my comments before. For now, his blog is in German only, but maybe he will decide at some point to do short bilingual posts.
So. Go ahead. Don’t be shy and say hello to our newcomers.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Good food and good friends - Can it get any better?
Food is something that should always be celebrated, no matter how simple or complicated the preparations are, don’t you agree? The best thing, however, is food in combination with good friends and lots of laughter.
Last weekend, we were invited to Martin and Yvonne’s for a fondue chinoise We were greeted by our lovely hosts, and then by their dog, Nanook (Inuktitut for polar bear), a beautiful, young Berger Picard. I’m by no means big, but… Man! Did you see the size of his bed?
Last weekend, we were invited to Martin and Yvonne’s for a fondue chinoise We were greeted by our lovely hosts, and then by their dog, Nanook (Inuktitut for polar bear), a beautiful, young Berger Picard. I’m by no means big, but… Man! Did you see the size of his bed?
The weather was quite mild so we had the aperitif outside and then went inside for dinner. A fondue, no matter what kind, is what I would describe as “real social get together” meal and requires only little preparation. As host, you are with your guests all the time. Genuine good fun! See for yourselves.
Martin and Yvonne
The girls
The boys
On Monday, the Big Bear (you might have read him in my comments) helped me prepare an Indian dinner. Because it does take some preparation and he wanted to be there to learn how to do it, we decided to actually do all the preps a day in advance and have the meal the next day. It also gave the lovely spices time to really get into the meat, respectively, into the dal.
All I had to do on the Tuesday was set the table, prepare the side dishes that I wanted to have done fresh (rice, roti bread and green beans) and warm up the curry and chick peas. Here’s what we had:
- Roti (flat bread)
- Cucumber Raita (Yoghurt with cucumber and fresh herbs and spices)
- Hot Indian Chicken Curry “my way” (adapted from an Indian friend’s recipe)
- Saffron basmati rice
- Chana Dal (Chick pea curry)
- Beans Porial (Stir-fried green beans in coconut and spices)
- Mango Mousse
On Sunday, we were invited to an ex-colleague’s for lunch. Pierre lives in a cosy village in the Alsace, about 20km from Mulhouse. Now let me tell you that the French take a Sunday lunch very seriously. Usually, it starts around 11:30/noon with an aperitif and munchies from where one moves on to the dining area around 1pm, and you don’t get out of the table until 5pm.
I kid you not! We ate from the moment we got in until 4pm. NON Stop! We had olives, nuts and shrimps with the aperitif, followed by a salad with crayfish and mussels (OX had my mussels), pork cutlets with a lovely estragon sauce and mushrooms, a cheese plate and finally, fresh strawberries for desert and coffee. Around 4pm we decided we needed to take a short walk to help digest all the food (and fortunately, this was a light meal version. Did you notice? No mention of potatoes or pasta!). We had an awesome time with Pierre and his friend, Françoise.
I wish I could have taken photos of the French dining experience, but I unfortunately forgot the camera memory stick in my laptop. Duh! I’m just glad that we have another two weeks to loose the extra weight we put on until our next outing… We’ll be having an Australian dinner at The Boomerang with TBF’s.
Don’t you just love food and good company to go with it?
Monday, February 26, 2007
***CS-MOM UPDATE***
I spoke to my Mom last night and she is doing much better and her mood is very good.
The weights to support her head have been removed last Friday and she’s sitting upright, now. She’s still wearing her “Aero-spatial” gear (helmet and brace), but if all goes well, she can get rid of that in a couple of days. But first, she has to walk again, so I think she'll have to stay at least until end of this week.
The weights to support her head have been removed last Friday and she’s sitting upright, now. She’s still wearing her “Aero-spatial” gear (helmet and brace), but if all goes well, she can get rid of that in a couple of days. But first, she has to walk again, so I think she'll have to stay at least until end of this week.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
We are cool again
Yup. This morning, our new refrigerator/freezer was delivered.
The Bauknecht service administration called me yesterday to let me know that the delivery truck would be in our region between 9 and 11 am. At 9:15, the doorbell rang (I almost consider this being late for Swiss ....) and to my surprise, there was only one tiny, thin man (about 5'6") standing outside with a tool box. I kept the door open and stuck my head outside after I had let him in, thinking that someone would follow him with our new fridge, and with a short laugh, he said: "There's no one else. Just me."
I must say, our refrigerator/freezers here do not have the dimensions of North American ones, but still, we have many stairs here (split level house) and I wondered how he'd take it down one flight of stairs to the entrance and up two again on his own. After dismanteling the cover panels and pulling out the old fridge, he went out to the truck. I saw him coming back with the new refrigerator strapped on somekind of a trolley. No problem to get to the entrance; we have a bicycle ramp, but then will he ruin our wooden stairs with his trolley? Nope. All of a sudden, I heard an electric motor and see here; he had a stair climber built in to the trolley.
Anyway, the new fridge is installed, filled up again and it works. The one downstais is happy with only wine, beer and non alcoholic drinks. The only thing we have to get used to now is that the freezer part is on the top (and we used to have 3 drawers that I will miss) and the fact that I will probably be running down three flights of stairs to the extra fridge in the coming days for nothing, purely out of habit.
But hey, we're cool again.
The Bauknecht service administration called me yesterday to let me know that the delivery truck would be in our region between 9 and 11 am. At 9:15, the doorbell rang (I almost consider this being late for Swiss ....) and to my surprise, there was only one tiny, thin man (about 5'6") standing outside with a tool box. I kept the door open and stuck my head outside after I had let him in, thinking that someone would follow him with our new fridge, and with a short laugh, he said: "There's no one else. Just me."
I must say, our refrigerator/freezers here do not have the dimensions of North American ones, but still, we have many stairs here (split level house) and I wondered how he'd take it down one flight of stairs to the entrance and up two again on his own. After dismanteling the cover panels and pulling out the old fridge, he went out to the truck. I saw him coming back with the new refrigerator strapped on somekind of a trolley. No problem to get to the entrance; we have a bicycle ramp, but then will he ruin our wooden stairs with his trolley? Nope. All of a sudden, I heard an electric motor and see here; he had a stair climber built in to the trolley.
Anyway, the new fridge is installed, filled up again and it works. The one downstais is happy with only wine, beer and non alcoholic drinks. The only thing we have to get used to now is that the freezer part is on the top (and we used to have 3 drawers that I will miss) and the fact that I will probably be running down three flights of stairs to the extra fridge in the coming days for nothing, purely out of habit.
But hey, we're cool again.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Helpless
I’ve never done this on a blog before, but I really feel helpless. I’m sorry if I am difficult to read tonight, but it’s late, I’m very tired and I feel completely off course.
On Saturday, I received a call from my Mom, which I missed because we were out. When I got home, I listened to her cheerful voice on the answering machine and decided I’d call back on Sunday evening (early afternoon EST Canada). I did. When my Mom picked up the phone, I knew something was wrong and she was in BIG pain. Her neck was hurting. At first I thought: A stiff neck. Then she told me that she fell and couldn’t remember a thing. Obviously, she hit her head when falling. I was very worried and told her to call my best friend, who happens to a) be a very close friend of my Mom’s as well, and 2) lives two minutes from her by car. “I don’t know” she said. “She has a life of her own. I don’t want to bother her.” My reply was: “Then I’ll call her. Keep the phone close by. I’ll let you know. ” I did call Chris. She wasn’t home, but her husband was, and I left the message for her to call or go by and see after my Mom’s condition ASAP. As soon as she got home, she called my Mom and told her to get dressed right away. When Chris got there, she knew immediately that my Mom needed care and took her to the emergency. And not too late, for that matter! She was x-rayed and scanned, and the docs discovered that she had broken her C2 (cervical 2) vertebrae! Luckily, her nerves were not injured or damaged, so no sign of paralysis. But imagine if she had "slept" another night with that injury.
She was immediately transferred to Ottawa and she’s doing ok. I called the hospital tonight (and my call was transferred about 15 times before I got to the nurse in charge. Stupid receptionnists!). She’s wearing a halo traction to keep her from moving her head and I’m sure it’s not the nicest thing to wear, but when I spoke to the nurse, she was talking to my mum and she (my mum) said: “Tell her I look like an angel. I’m wearing a halo.” And I cried. I didn’t know if it was out of sorrow, or her sense of humour.
She’s doing ok, now, but….Damn! I feel helpless! I'm so far away! And I’m terrified.
***UPDATE***
First of all, I want to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers and recovery wishes for my Mom.
I haven't had a chance to talk to her personally yet, because a) her phone is not yet been installed in her room and B) because she's still in that halo traction harness, but she's doing pretty well and her mood is good, (considering the pain and that very uncomfortable position). The last I've hear is that she will now undergo a number of tests incl. cardiograms and they now think that she suffered a small heart attack, which caused her fall. She does have a heart condition (valve and two bypasses), so it is a possibility. I'll keep you in the loop.
On Saturday, I received a call from my Mom, which I missed because we were out. When I got home, I listened to her cheerful voice on the answering machine and decided I’d call back on Sunday evening (early afternoon EST Canada). I did. When my Mom picked up the phone, I knew something was wrong and she was in BIG pain. Her neck was hurting. At first I thought: A stiff neck. Then she told me that she fell and couldn’t remember a thing. Obviously, she hit her head when falling. I was very worried and told her to call my best friend, who happens to a) be a very close friend of my Mom’s as well, and 2) lives two minutes from her by car. “I don’t know” she said. “She has a life of her own. I don’t want to bother her.” My reply was: “Then I’ll call her. Keep the phone close by. I’ll let you know. ” I did call Chris. She wasn’t home, but her husband was, and I left the message for her to call or go by and see after my Mom’s condition ASAP. As soon as she got home, she called my Mom and told her to get dressed right away. When Chris got there, she knew immediately that my Mom needed care and took her to the emergency. And not too late, for that matter! She was x-rayed and scanned, and the docs discovered that she had broken her C2 (cervical 2) vertebrae! Luckily, her nerves were not injured or damaged, so no sign of paralysis. But imagine if she had "slept" another night with that injury.
She was immediately transferred to Ottawa and she’s doing ok. I called the hospital tonight (and my call was transferred about 15 times before I got to the nurse in charge. Stupid receptionnists!). She’s wearing a halo traction to keep her from moving her head and I’m sure it’s not the nicest thing to wear, but when I spoke to the nurse, she was talking to my mum and she (my mum) said: “Tell her I look like an angel. I’m wearing a halo.” And I cried. I didn’t know if it was out of sorrow, or her sense of humour.
She’s doing ok, now, but….Damn! I feel helpless! I'm so far away! And I’m terrified.
***UPDATE***
First of all, I want to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers and recovery wishes for my Mom.
I haven't had a chance to talk to her personally yet, because a) her phone is not yet been installed in her room and B) because she's still in that halo traction harness, but she's doing pretty well and her mood is good, (considering the pain and that very uncomfortable position). The last I've hear is that she will now undergo a number of tests incl. cardiograms and they now think that she suffered a small heart attack, which caused her fall. She does have a heart condition (valve and two bypasses), so it is a possibility. I'll keep you in the loop.
Friday, February 16, 2007
The “Ladies, dump it!” Meme and a related subject
My dear Canadian friend Kim from Stepping Stones tagged a few of us blogging ladies including Christina, Expat Traveler, Dixie Peach, Cyndi and Jen (sorry girls, but we have to stick together, right?). Kim, of course, did it, too. (Uhhh... You carry tea in your purse??) And it looks like I'm going to be first to post, too. Do I get a prize for it, Kim? ;)
The rules are as follows:
· Take a photo of the handbag/purse that you are using today
· Dump it out and take another photo
· Make a list of everything in your bag
· And now the most embarrassing… Post it on your blog.
So, here it is: my handbag. Not very big (about 30x18x10cm, or 12x7x4 inches), but you will be surprised to see what I can fit in there.
Now for the content (for your entertainment):
- Chewing gum
- Kleenex tissues
- Sunglasses (with case - in photo, (mis)used as Kleenex and chewing gum case)
- Photo of my Dad’s second wedding
- Lighter
- Lip balm
- Car papers
- Pen
- Canadian Passport (still in there from our last trip to Canada?? Now safely put away.)
- Boarding card slips from our last trip to Canada (were in my passport)
- Cell phone
- Bulky wallet - due to too many cards (discount/shopping/debit/credit/health/business, etc.), too much small change, the last 3 days' shopping lists, and a few old grocery store receipts
- Keys (one set for the house and car and one set for the garage)
- Last, but not least… a tampon (I know, I’m always prepared)
There.
Kim was also asking if she her hubby was the only one to have a phobia about looking for something in her purse. The answer is: No. You are not alone. OrangeX used to be like that, too, until I got angry and told him to just pick whatever he needed out. Today, he just asks first and takes whatever he needs. I know however, that some women are allergic to anyone (not to mention their hubby) getting even near their precious handbag/purse and go into a humungous fit about it should the "scoundrel" attempt to do so. I don’t get it.
And why should men need something from their spouse’s purse, you ask? Because when couples go out, the spouses often carry the men’s keys, wallets and anything else that would look absurd if it were all stuffed in the front and/or back pocket of their trousers. This brings me to the next point.
I have now considerably reduced the size (and weight when going out) of my handbags because O-X has gotten himself not one, but two man bags. And today, he never leaves the house without it. He has everything in there: mobile phone, wallet, keys, cigarettes, lighter, papers, etc. AND it does not look ridiculous (unless the male wearing it looks ridiculous to start with). It will only make you look (and feel) strange if you don’t wear it with a certain confidence. It’s by far better than having strange and unnatural looking bulges all over the mid-part of your body.
So. Women, stand up for your rights. Why should you be the one to carry everything on a night out?
And men, what is this phobia with the wife’s handbag anyway? If you (or she) have that much of a problem with it, get yourself a man bag.
Now, go see what the other ladies are carrying around. I will.
PS: I'm not tagging anyone, but if you feel like it, go ahead ladies (and men with man bags are welcome to join as well)
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Frozen goods first!
Last Friday, I was at my computer in the dining room when all of a sudden, I heard a loud sound, something like „Rrrrr -Ra-Ta-Thump“ coming from the kitchen. I checked and everything seemed normal again. I was pretty sure that it came from the fridge, though.
On Saturday afternoon, I went to the kitchen to take out some milk and noticed that it was not very cold. I verified the setting, but it was still in 3, so it should have been cold enough. I could still hear the motor running and the light was on, so it couldn’t be a fuse. Odd. I then checked in the lower freezer part. O-ooooh! The ice cubes in the top drawer were already starting to melt. OrangeX and I immediately took the still frozen goods down to the basement in our second refrigerator-freezer. Luckily, we didn’t have very much in the kitchen freezer and only a few items had to be thrown away. Next thing to do was to transfer the contents of the kitchen fridge and bring them downstairs as well.
First thing on Monday morning, I called our real estate management company (we rent our house) and an hour later, I received a phone call from the repairman himself, who said that he could come by at 1:15 that same day. At 1:10 pm (typically Swiss), the doorbell rang and at 1:25 pm, he was out again. Diagnosis: After 13 years of service, our Bauknecht refrigerator has passed away, kicked the bucket, bitten the dust. May it rest in peace. Amen.
Anyway, we’ll be getting a new refrigerator-freezer, hopefully, by the end of this week. I can’t wait. I’m sick of running up and down the stairs every time to pick something out of the fridge!
On Saturday afternoon, I went to the kitchen to take out some milk and noticed that it was not very cold. I verified the setting, but it was still in 3, so it should have been cold enough. I could still hear the motor running and the light was on, so it couldn’t be a fuse. Odd. I then checked in the lower freezer part. O-ooooh! The ice cubes in the top drawer were already starting to melt. OrangeX and I immediately took the still frozen goods down to the basement in our second refrigerator-freezer. Luckily, we didn’t have very much in the kitchen freezer and only a few items had to be thrown away. Next thing to do was to transfer the contents of the kitchen fridge and bring them downstairs as well.
First thing on Monday morning, I called our real estate management company (we rent our house) and an hour later, I received a phone call from the repairman himself, who said that he could come by at 1:15 that same day. At 1:10 pm (typically Swiss), the doorbell rang and at 1:25 pm, he was out again. Diagnosis: After 13 years of service, our Bauknecht refrigerator has passed away, kicked the bucket, bitten the dust. May it rest in peace. Amen.
Anyway, we’ll be getting a new refrigerator-freezer, hopefully, by the end of this week. I can’t wait. I’m sick of running up and down the stairs every time to pick something out of the fridge!
Sunday, February 11, 2007
U.F.O. Sightings
Last Thursday, Orange-X came home from work with a parcel under his arm.
"What's that?", I asked.
"You'll see. Just give me a second.", he replied.
He dropped his laptop bag in the home office, took off his coat and proceeded to unpack the mystery box. The object revealed itself.
"What's that?", I asked.
"You'll see. Just give me a second.", he replied.
He dropped his laptop bag in the home office, took off his coat and proceeded to unpack the mystery box. The object revealed itself.
Me: A mini remote-controlled helicopter??
O-X: Yes! Isn’t it cute? I ordered it back in November last year.
Me: (rolling eyes) Oh. Yeah, sure…. But what are you going to do with it?
O-X: (wide grin) Put in batteries, charge the chopper and let it fly, of course.
Me: Let it fly where?
O-X: Well, in the house. It’s for indoor use only, you know.
Me: Oh… Uhm. Great. I’m not sure that Dale will be fascinated by a mini ‘copter buzzing around his ears, though.
We didn’t have any batteries left, so I was kindly requested to get a few for the remote on my next trip to the grocery store. So yesterday evening, OrangeX finally decided to try out his new toy.
The first attempts were not very successful. The mini-helicopter just spun around on its own axel without leaving the floor. After a while, Orange managed to keep it steady enough to take off. It did, however, bounce numerous times against the walls and/or the ceiling. The buzzing sound and blinking blue light almost drove me nuts. Not to mention poor Dale who was hiding behind the sofa, terrified and hissing. I finally decided to relieve him of his misery and let him out on the terrace in the rain (Dale, not O-X) from where he could still follow the action in all security behind the patio door.
A terrified kitty
Nevertheless, I felt it was my duty to play along and at least take a few pictures. Sorry for the bad quality, but it’s quite a task to catch a U.F.O. (Uncontrolled Flying Object) twirling about the apartment without any known target (except maybe the photographer).
We have a liftoff!
O-ooh! Ready to crash-land on the sofa?
*sigh* This little-big boy will just never grow up! I guess that’s why I love him so much.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Meet Cousin Spooky
Is it safe?? CS is in the kitchen preparing dinner, Orange-X is out on a business trip and CS' laptop is open and on. Great stuff! *grinning and rubbing paws*
Ok. When my CS & O-X returned from their trip to Canada, CS took me on her lap and showed me a picture of my cousin, Spooky. Let me tell you, this feline carries his name. He's a real big fella! Spooky big!
Younger Cousin Spooky lives with his humans, CS' cool relatives, Sylvain and Gail, and their daughter Catherine (they apparently hate titles like uncle and aunt). They say that last summer, Spooky weighed about 10.5 kg (23 pounds), but since it was winter and he hates the cold (=doesn't get as much exercise), CS guessed that he probably had a pound or two more on him.
Man! I thought King da Cat (he adopted the TBFs) and I were big! But look at this.
Isn't he awsome!
Click on picts to enlarge
Oh, fringgin' cat whiskers! Gotta go. I hear CS coming.
E-Mail me: dale2006ch@hotmail.com
Ok. When my CS & O-X returned from their trip to Canada, CS took me on her lap and showed me a picture of my cousin, Spooky. Let me tell you, this feline carries his name. He's a real big fella! Spooky big!
Younger Cousin Spooky lives with his humans, CS' cool relatives, Sylvain and Gail, and their daughter Catherine (they apparently hate titles like uncle and aunt). They say that last summer, Spooky weighed about 10.5 kg (23 pounds), but since it was winter and he hates the cold (=doesn't get as much exercise), CS guessed that he probably had a pound or two more on him.
Man! I thought King da Cat (he adopted the TBFs) and I were big! But look at this.
Isn't he awsome!
Click on picts to enlargeHey guys, let's have a party! King, you follow TBF to his car when he drives to visit Andy and Di, Spooky, you sneak into Catherine's luggage when she comes over to Europe in a few weeks. I'll organise the rest, and bring a few mice and some Iams for you King. *stre-e-e-e-etch*
Oh, fringgin' cat whiskers! Gotta go. I hear CS coming.
E-Mail me: dale2006ch@hotmail.com
Sunday, February 04, 2007
It's all coming back to me now
I’ve been trying all week to write more about our trip to Canada. Mostly, we met with family and friends and every day was special. I found it difficult write about all these moments spent with loved ones and keeping it relatively concise. There is also the “you had to be there” issue to be considered. What I might do instead, are “Flashbacks” – something that I have seen on other blogs. Otherwise, it will get too long and complicated to read – believe me; even I got confused. How’s that?
On another note –literally! – I hereby thank my good blog friends (or *bliends) Christina from Just call me Mausi and Sal from The Virtual Tapas Bar for their posts (here and here) about their new - and less new- Ukuleles. The posts reminded me that I still had a dusty black case stowed away somewhere in the guestroom: My Ovation guitar.
I have not played for over 10+ years. I was never particularly good at it, mainly because I never really took real classes. My boyfriend at that time had a band and the guitar simply fascinated me, so he taught me the basics. I also played the flute in our high-school band, but it’s just not the same. The guitar is a very “social” instrument. You can sing along and you can chat with friends while gently caressing the strings. Try that with a flute! So, that’s how I was introduced to the guitar.
Back to a few days ago. My fingers itched to wrap themselves around the wooden shaft and feel the vibrations of strings (LOL. Sounds very sensual, doesn't it?). Ahem.... Anyhow. I took my guitar out of its dusty case and tuned it first. I soon found out that I had not only lost the dexterousness I used to have in my fingers, but the nails on my left hand were too long and kept touching strings that were not supposed to be involved in the chord, making a horrible “ziiiing” sound (not very sensual!). My nails are nothing close to a French manicure, but I finally had a reasonable length on all fingers. So I had to cut them back. The first hours of practise were painful and I had deep, negative imprint of the strings in my fingers for about an hour after I had stopped. Later, the numbness in the fingertips appeared, followed by the ever so typical callouses. But, I’m getting back there. My memory of songs and chords is slowly coming back to me now. Yep, I'm joining the club, guys! I’m addicted again. I wonder for how long.
*A special thank to Shelli for introducing me to this new word.
On another note –literally! – I hereby thank my good blog friends (or *bliends) Christina from Just call me Mausi and Sal from The Virtual Tapas Bar for their posts (here and here) about their new - and less new- Ukuleles. The posts reminded me that I still had a dusty black case stowed away somewhere in the guestroom: My Ovation guitar.
I have not played for over 10+ years. I was never particularly good at it, mainly because I never really took real classes. My boyfriend at that time had a band and the guitar simply fascinated me, so he taught me the basics. I also played the flute in our high-school band, but it’s just not the same. The guitar is a very “social” instrument. You can sing along and you can chat with friends while gently caressing the strings. Try that with a flute! So, that’s how I was introduced to the guitar.
Back to a few days ago. My fingers itched to wrap themselves around the wooden shaft and feel the vibrations of strings (LOL. Sounds very sensual, doesn't it?). Ahem.... Anyhow. I took my guitar out of its dusty case and tuned it first. I soon found out that I had not only lost the dexterousness I used to have in my fingers, but the nails on my left hand were too long and kept touching strings that were not supposed to be involved in the chord, making a horrible “ziiiing” sound (not very sensual!). My nails are nothing close to a French manicure, but I finally had a reasonable length on all fingers. So I had to cut them back. The first hours of practise were painful and I had deep, negative imprint of the strings in my fingers for about an hour after I had stopped. Later, the numbness in the fingertips appeared, followed by the ever so typical callouses. But, I’m getting back there. My memory of songs and chords is slowly coming back to me now. Yep, I'm joining the club, guys! I’m addicted again. I wonder for how long.
*A special thank to Shelli for introducing me to this new word.
Monday, January 29, 2007
A piece of cake and Happy Birthday!
Nope. Not mine.
Today's my Dad's birthday! He just turned seven- *cough, cough* years young! I just wanted to send him our best wishes for good health, love (lots and lots from O-X and I to start with) and happiness. You can find out how much I love and respect this wonderful man right here.
I'm not going to bake him a cake. Colette can do that much better than I can. I'm a very good cook, but a very bad baker. Actually, mine are used either as frisbees on the playground (when fresh), or then as secret weapons by the CIA (2 days+ cake of mine will definitely break any skull). Never heard about the "cake case" before? Gawd. I hope this doesn't end up in a Google search by the CIA, or I'm done! Dad? Forgive me for my sins, for I have baked...
Ok. Next year, when I'm back home, I'll try.... Maybe ....BUT I will definitely ask Colette to bake one, too. You know, just in case.
I really have to finish the Canada posts, don't you think? Have a great week!
PS: Dad, I love you. Happy birthday!
Today's my Dad's birthday! He just turned seven- *cough, cough* years young! I just wanted to send him our best wishes for good health, love (lots and lots from O-X and I to start with) and happiness. You can find out how much I love and respect this wonderful man right here.
I'm not going to bake him a cake. Colette can do that much better than I can. I'm a very good cook, but a very bad baker. Actually, mine are used either as frisbees on the playground (when fresh), or then as secret weapons by the CIA (2 days+ cake of mine will definitely break any skull). Never heard about the "cake case" before? Gawd. I hope this doesn't end up in a Google search by the CIA, or I'm done! Dad? Forgive me for my sins, for I have baked...
Ok. Next year, when I'm back home, I'll try.... Maybe ....BUT I will definitely ask Colette to bake one, too. You know, just in case.
I really have to finish the Canada posts, don't you think? Have a great week!
PS: Dad, I love you. Happy birthday!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Snow!
I'm a feline, I love warmth, I love to sleep and I absolutely love food. I like to take a walk for a change during the day to break the warmth-sleep-food pattern.
This week I had the surprise of my life. My walking path was covered with snow! Eek, aargh! I hate the cold, but I need the fresh air. I decided to go out a bit anyway but man, my ears were hurting after 2 minutes. I decided to go back in again, so I knocked on the door for my servant CS to open up and let me get back to the warmth my home. After a while, I felt the urge to go out again and I decided to take the camera with me. I never worked this thing, so it took some time (and some failed pictures) to find out how it works.
As I was so fucussed, ooops, focussed on handling the camera, I forgot about the cold and took those pictures. Isn’t it B-E-E-Utiful??
That was Wednesday and today, we still have this white carpet outside. I wonder what it will be like in Canada. CS and OX are talking about the Canadian winters freakwentli (Hmm, I should do a spell check on this one). Oh it’s frequently. Sorry, my mistake. I never went to school so please forgive me my spelling mistakes. Neither do I know how to earase my mistakes. Anyway, I hope Canada is not as cold as CS and OX tell me every now and then. If it is, then I should consider baying some booties and ear muffs (I have very sentive ears). I'll have to have a word (a good purr, inmy language) about this with CS and OX. Hehehe, maybe a good opportunity to be infyted (sp??) for some shopping.
By the way, now I have the chance to use the PC again, I changed my picture. I was on Merlin Princess’ site, a cool cat blog. Anyway, that's where I found this cool link. I decided to change my looks a bit and become a bit more adventurous. From now on, you can call me Capt'n Dale.
Do I look cool, or what?
PS: Merlin and Princess each now have their very own site here and here.
This week I had the surprise of my life. My walking path was covered with snow! Eek, aargh! I hate the cold, but I need the fresh air. I decided to go out a bit anyway but man, my ears were hurting after 2 minutes. I decided to go back in again, so I knocked on the door for my servant CS to open up and let me get back to the warmth my home. After a while, I felt the urge to go out again and I decided to take the camera with me. I never worked this thing, so it took some time (and some failed pictures) to find out how it works.
As I was so fucussed, ooops, focussed on handling the camera, I forgot about the cold and took those pictures. Isn’t it B-E-E-Utiful??
That was Wednesday and today, we still have this white carpet outside. I wonder what it will be like in Canada. CS and OX are talking about the Canadian winters freakwentli (Hmm, I should do a spell check on this one). Oh it’s frequently. Sorry, my mistake. I never went to school so please forgive me my spelling mistakes. Neither do I know how to earase my mistakes. Anyway, I hope Canada is not as cold as CS and OX tell me every now and then. If it is, then I should consider baying some booties and ear muffs (I have very sentive ears). I'll have to have a word (a good purr, inmy language) about this with CS and OX. Hehehe, maybe a good opportunity to be infyted (sp??) for some shopping.By the way, now I have the chance to use the PC again, I changed my picture. I was on Merlin Princess’ site, a cool cat blog. Anyway, that's where I found this cool link. I decided to change my looks a bit and become a bit more adventurous. From now on, you can call me Capt'n Dale.
Do I look cool, or what?PS: Merlin and Princess each now have their very own site here and here.
Friday, January 26, 2007
The Value of Gold
Last Friday, I thought I’d make something simple for dinner. You know, just to use up a few things from the fridge before our Munich weekend, so I decided to make omelettes. What could go wrong? Well, let me tell you.
The omelettes were delicious, but after the meal, I felt something (probably a piece of ham) between my upper left molars. Orange-X has a habit of always using toothpicks after a meal, so I asked him to bring one for me as well. I started picking and all of o sudden, I felt a “plop” in my mouth. No, it wasn’t a champagne cork; I open them with my hands, not with my teeth… Although, once I… Oh forget it. So I checked with my tongue and felt that something was rough on the edge. All of a sudden, I had this huge piece of gold filling just sitting on my tongue. Ooops!
I tried to get a hold of my dentist on Saturday morning, but all he had was an emergency number of a clinic. Luckily enough, the filling fell from a tooth where I had had a root canal, so no more nerves there. I was pain free. Great! I just had to be careful, because there’s not that much tooth left around the hole, so I chew on the right side for now. So, I just left a message on his answering machine t say that I’d call in on Monday morning.
On Monday morning, I called up my dentist and got his secretary, who was nice enough to give me an appointment for 1 pm that same day. At 12:30, I was on my way to the garage. I sat in my car, turned the key and… silence…. nothing…. Absolutely NOTHING, but a very dead battery. Arghhhghghgh!! Anyhow, I ran back into the house to call my dentist and tell him that I wouldn’t make it in time. *Next appointment available: yesterday at 5.30 pm.
I walked into the dentist’s office and was immediately guided to the off-white leather chaise longue while the nice assistant fitted me with one of those ugly green bibs. Dr. Kolb walked in and greeted me. I remembered that I had brought the filling with me so I took it out of my purse and handed it to him. He checked the gold filling and then the hole in my tooth. “Perfect”, he said, “I can re-use this”. No further damage to the tooth or the filling. So he **sandblasted the remains of “cement” on the gold filling and did the same to the cavity in my molar. During the treatment, he told me that had the filling not been gold, he would have had to reconstruct the tooth and that would have cost me gazillions again. In less than 25 minutes, my tooth was fixed, good as new and I was on my way back home.
However, while he was putting my filling back in place, he apologised more than once for his mistake. He had put too little “cement” on the filling the first time. Again, when I left, we shook hands and he said: „Again, I’m very sorry for this Mrs CS, it was really my mistake.”
Ahh. The value of gold… and of a good dentist. I wonder if I’ll ever see the bill.
* My car is running again.
**Note: they use salt and water and not sand for this
The omelettes were delicious, but after the meal, I felt something (probably a piece of ham) between my upper left molars. Orange-X has a habit of always using toothpicks after a meal, so I asked him to bring one for me as well. I started picking and all of o sudden, I felt a “plop” in my mouth. No, it wasn’t a champagne cork; I open them with my hands, not with my teeth… Although, once I… Oh forget it. So I checked with my tongue and felt that something was rough on the edge. All of a sudden, I had this huge piece of gold filling just sitting on my tongue. Ooops!
I tried to get a hold of my dentist on Saturday morning, but all he had was an emergency number of a clinic. Luckily enough, the filling fell from a tooth where I had had a root canal, so no more nerves there. I was pain free. Great! I just had to be careful, because there’s not that much tooth left around the hole, so I chew on the right side for now. So, I just left a message on his answering machine t say that I’d call in on Monday morning.
On Monday morning, I called up my dentist and got his secretary, who was nice enough to give me an appointment for 1 pm that same day. At 12:30, I was on my way to the garage. I sat in my car, turned the key and… silence…. nothing…. Absolutely NOTHING, but a very dead battery. Arghhhghghgh!! Anyhow, I ran back into the house to call my dentist and tell him that I wouldn’t make it in time. *Next appointment available: yesterday at 5.30 pm.
I walked into the dentist’s office and was immediately guided to the off-white leather chaise longue while the nice assistant fitted me with one of those ugly green bibs. Dr. Kolb walked in and greeted me. I remembered that I had brought the filling with me so I took it out of my purse and handed it to him. He checked the gold filling and then the hole in my tooth. “Perfect”, he said, “I can re-use this”. No further damage to the tooth or the filling. So he **sandblasted the remains of “cement” on the gold filling and did the same to the cavity in my molar. During the treatment, he told me that had the filling not been gold, he would have had to reconstruct the tooth and that would have cost me gazillions again. In less than 25 minutes, my tooth was fixed, good as new and I was on my way back home.
However, while he was putting my filling back in place, he apologised more than once for his mistake. He had put too little “cement” on the filling the first time. Again, when I left, we shook hands and he said: „Again, I’m very sorry for this Mrs CS, it was really my mistake.”
Ahh. The value of gold… and of a good dentist. I wonder if I’ll ever see the bill.
* My car is running again.
**Note: they use salt and water and not sand for this
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Bavarian weekend
We left around 9am on Saturday morning and we finally arrived in Türkheim/Unterallgäu, which is about 80km from Munich, around 12:30. We were welcomed by Andreas and Suze with a wonderful brunch. Once our stomachs were soon filled with coffee, juice, prosecco, fresh bread, smoked salmon, cold cuts and different cheeses and had chatted a whole lot, we realised that it was already 2.30pm.
Andreas suggested that we go for a walk along the Ammersee and then visit the Abbey of Andechs to which we immediately agreed. It was a beautiful sunny, but quite chilly day because of the wind – probably leftovers from the Kyrill storm. So, Munich would just have to wait until the next trip.
The Ammersee is one of the largest lakes in Germany and is a popular location for water sports all year ‘round. I did mention that it was windy, didn’t I?
I was amazed to see so many kite surfers. Brrrrr. To cold for me at this time of year, even with the wetsuits! After watching these crazy water fanatics for a while, we walked along the promenade following the lake talking, joking and enjoying each other’s company.
Once we got back to the car, we drove to Andechs and left the car at the bottom of the heilige Berg (the Holy Mountain). We walked up the very steep hill to the abbey church that had been completely remodelled in the Baroque and Rococo style in the 18th century filled with very impressive statues, paintings and stucco works.
The Benedictine monastery is also renowned for a very important part of Bavarian culture: Beer brewing. And what a coincidence: we were thirsty.
We found a table at the abbey’s restaurant, The Andechs Bräustüberl, and had ourselves a few delicious beers, fresh pretzels, Landjäger and some Obazda, a creamy Bavarian cheese specialty (similar to the Austrian/Slovakian Liptauer).
After my first beer, I felt “nature calling”, so I went downstairs and made a discovery. At first, I thought it was somekind of vending machine, but no. Of course, I didn’t take the camera with me to the ladies’, but Orange did once I had told him about it and it was his turn to get some relief.
This, my friends, is an alcohol testing machine. Have you ever seen one of these? I sure haven't.
You drop in a 50 Euro cent coin into the machine, pick a straw at the bottom, insert the straw into a hole, blow as hard as you can in the straw and it will tell you your level of alcohol. Unfortunately, the picture didn’t turn out too well, so I can’t decipher the text at the bottom.
Later, we decided to go to a local Italian restaurant in Türkheim for a bit of pasta and some Parma ham. It was delicious and we had a lot of fun. Our waiter agreed to take our picture. Don't we look like a happy bunch?
We left the restaurant and Suze, our designated driver for the evening, safely drove us to their house where she could finally join the party.
First things first: Put on some music, increase the volume and until the whole house rocks! We did have a few quieter moments that evening.
As you can see from the pictures below, we had a delightful time with Andreas and Suze. The party continued until the wee hours.
We left early on Sunday afternoon, but we promised to meet again. Maybe in Basel?
Andreas suggested that we go for a walk along the Ammersee and then visit the Abbey of Andechs to which we immediately agreed. It was a beautiful sunny, but quite chilly day because of the wind – probably leftovers from the Kyrill storm. So, Munich would just have to wait until the next trip.
The Ammersee is one of the largest lakes in Germany and is a popular location for water sports all year ‘round. I did mention that it was windy, didn’t I?
I was amazed to see so many kite surfers. Brrrrr. To cold for me at this time of year, even with the wetsuits! After watching these crazy water fanatics for a while, we walked along the promenade following the lake talking, joking and enjoying each other’s company.
Once we got back to the car, we drove to Andechs and left the car at the bottom of the heilige Berg (the Holy Mountain). We walked up the very steep hill to the abbey church that had been completely remodelled in the Baroque and Rococo style in the 18th century filled with very impressive statues, paintings and stucco works.
The Benedictine monastery is also renowned for a very important part of Bavarian culture: Beer brewing. And what a coincidence: we were thirsty.
We found a table at the abbey’s restaurant, The Andechs Bräustüberl, and had ourselves a few delicious beers, fresh pretzels, Landjäger and some Obazda, a creamy Bavarian cheese specialty (similar to the Austrian/Slovakian Liptauer).
After my first beer, I felt “nature calling”, so I went downstairs and made a discovery. At first, I thought it was somekind of vending machine, but no. Of course, I didn’t take the camera with me to the ladies’, but Orange did once I had told him about it and it was his turn to get some relief.
This, my friends, is an alcohol testing machine. Have you ever seen one of these? I sure haven't.
You drop in a 50 Euro cent coin into the machine, pick a straw at the bottom, insert the straw into a hole, blow as hard as you can in the straw and it will tell you your level of alcohol. Unfortunately, the picture didn’t turn out too well, so I can’t decipher the text at the bottom.
Later, we decided to go to a local Italian restaurant in Türkheim for a bit of pasta and some Parma ham. It was delicious and we had a lot of fun. Our waiter agreed to take our picture. Don't we look like a happy bunch?We left the restaurant and Suze, our designated driver for the evening, safely drove us to their house where she could finally join the party.
First things first: Put on some music, increase the volume and until the whole house rocks! We did have a few quieter moments that evening.As you can see from the pictures below, we had a delightful time with Andreas and Suze. The party continued until the wee hours.
We left early on Sunday afternoon, but we promised to meet again. Maybe in Basel?
Friday, January 19, 2007
We're off to Munich!
Early tomorrow morning, we're driving up to Munich to visit Andreas (Orange-X's former boss) and Suze, his wife in Munich for the weekend. I haven't been to Munich since,... well, I think about 8-9 years, so I'm really looking forward to it.
See you all when we get back.
See you all when we get back.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Encounter of the 5th (Bloggers) Kind
Bloggers of a feather blog together (or something like that).
Yesterday was the day where about 25 Swiss-Bloggers met in Basel. TBF, Sara from Life Is Nicht So Mal, Jul from This Non-American Life and moi (sorry if I'm leaving anyone out, but I dealt only with TBF).
We all met at a local restaurant, Zum Braunen Mutz, for lunch. We were the first to arrive (I think the Swiss punctuality got to me after so many years), closely followed by Ashley and Sebastian. Shortly after that, I lost count (and names). It all went so fast. It was so crowded that, at some point, the service could hardly get through to serve the only other two tables that were not reserved for us (Tough! WE reserved. Blah!). In order to recognize each other, we filled in name tags. After about 30 minutes of hello's, we finally all sat down and shortly after, ordered lunch. We chatted here and there, and had a lot of fun.
After lunch, TBF "offered" to guide us through Basel. Unfortunately, he was hoping that I could help him talk about the architecture and history of the buildings. I must admit that I knew a few things in the first 2-3 years (20 years ago!) about Basel's historical buildings, but I haven't played guide in many, many years. Let's just say I had "a senior moment" whenever he asked me for details (honestly, I didn't want to screw-up and give false information). Anyway, we took a nice walk to the town hall, then through the old town, up to the Spalentor (city gate of Basel), then through Petersplatz (well known for the Saturday flea markets and Herbstmesse [Autumn fair]), across the Mittlere Rheinbrücke [middle Rhine bridge], along the Kleinbasel promenade and from there, we took one of the small ferry boats across the Rhine and ended up at the Basler Münster (Basel Cathedral), where we started saying our goodbyes and by the time we were at the train station, there were only 7 of us left. We didn't take many pictures (too busy talkin', I guess), but you'll find some here, here , here and here. Did I miss anybody again? If so, please let me know.
It was really fun to meet so many bloggers on the spot, but unfortunately, some had to leave early and we weren't able to chat with all of them. Apparently, there will be another Swiss-Bloggers' meeting sometime in March in the Zurich area. Feel free to sign up... NOW!
Yesterday was the day where about 25 Swiss-Bloggers met in Basel. TBF, Sara from Life Is Nicht So Mal, Jul from This Non-American Life and moi (sorry if I'm leaving anyone out, but I dealt only with TBF).
We all met at a local restaurant, Zum Braunen Mutz, for lunch. We were the first to arrive (I think the Swiss punctuality got to me after so many years), closely followed by Ashley and Sebastian. Shortly after that, I lost count (and names). It all went so fast. It was so crowded that, at some point, the service could hardly get through to serve the only other two tables that were not reserved for us (Tough! WE reserved. Blah!). In order to recognize each other, we filled in name tags. After about 30 minutes of hello's, we finally all sat down and shortly after, ordered lunch. We chatted here and there, and had a lot of fun.
After lunch, TBF "offered" to guide us through Basel. Unfortunately, he was hoping that I could help him talk about the architecture and history of the buildings. I must admit that I knew a few things in the first 2-3 years (20 years ago!) about Basel's historical buildings, but I haven't played guide in many, many years. Let's just say I had "a senior moment" whenever he asked me for details (honestly, I didn't want to screw-up and give false information). Anyway, we took a nice walk to the town hall, then through the old town, up to the Spalentor (city gate of Basel), then through Petersplatz (well known for the Saturday flea markets and Herbstmesse [Autumn fair]), across the Mittlere Rheinbrücke [middle Rhine bridge], along the Kleinbasel promenade and from there, we took one of the small ferry boats across the Rhine and ended up at the Basler Münster (Basel Cathedral), where we started saying our goodbyes and by the time we were at the train station, there were only 7 of us left. We didn't take many pictures (too busy talkin', I guess), but you'll find some here, here , here and here. Did I miss anybody again? If so, please let me know.
It was really fun to meet so many bloggers on the spot, but unfortunately, some had to leave early and we weren't able to chat with all of them. Apparently, there will be another Swiss-Bloggers' meeting sometime in March in the Zurich area. Feel free to sign up... NOW!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Isn’t it what it’s all about?
I though I’d do a quick run through the reunions during our trip to Canada, otherwise, I’ll never get done! I’m trying to keep it short. Really!
The day after Colette’s staff party, my Mom, Orange-X and I went to my cousin’s, Rachel, for a pre-Christmas get together. By the time we got there, the party had already started. It was really great to see her and many other members of the family again. Especially as she’d be leaving for a backpacking trip with a few girlfriends a few days later to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia (I think), then back to Thailand for a few days of rest on the beach. Lucky her!
Besides chatting with everybody about this and that, enjoying the company, food and drinks, we played a few games with the children. Don't you just love family reunions??
I was even able to get a shot of my Mom (in pink) closely following the activities.
At about 10:30 pm the kids got really impatient and wanted to start unwrapping their presents. Instead of the regular Christmas tree, Rachel had a giant stocking sewn and filled it with the presents. Here she is with boyfriend Michael and his three children.
Shortly after midnight, we said our goodbyes, but we know that we’ll be seeing them all again soon.
The day after was Christmas Eve and we spent with my Dad and Colette (a.k.a. Coco). We had a quiet dinner. Coco prepared everything except for the beef (Daddy’s job). HA! And she says she can’t cook! Then at midnight, we started unwrapping gifts.
I won’t go through all the presents, but both of us are not the proud new owners of iPods (80GB!) and I have two beautiful new pairs of earrings. Next year, I’ll have to remember to ask Santa to get a few extra holes punched into my ears to fit them all in!
On Christmas day, we went to my Mom’s for dinner. The plan was to have my mother’s (and our) very dear friend, Yves Michel, join us. Unfortunately, he caught a bad case of gastroenteritis (that soon became an epidemic in our region) a day earlier and couldn’t make it. We did meet up with him at a later date, though. For the time being, however, we had our own little party just the four of us (let’s not forget Charlotte, my Mom’s crazy cat). It was going to be a Swiss evening. We started with some Bündnerfleisch (a paper-thinly cut air-dried beef speciality from the Grisons) while we unwrapped the gifts. As you can see, in the meantime, Chalotte made sure we were kept busy.
Since my Mom had been complaining about her knives not cutting well enough, we decided to get her two good sized knives for Christmas. Of course, it is said that you must pay a symbolic fee when you receive instruments with blades, otherwise, it’s bad luck/lost of friendship. So I got a tooney (2 dollar piece) from her. She also got some “Kirschstängeli” (chocolates filled with Kirsch) and a nice, warm sweater. We received a voucher for a dinner at a restaurant that opened about 2 years ago: The Elephant. We haven’t had the time to go during our stay, but we will, as soon as we are halfway settled in Canada.
We then made our way over to the dining table and I made an awesome (almost) authentic cheese fondue (I had to replace one of the cheeses!). Not to mention a few drops of the delicious Kirsch we had “imported” passed the watchful eye of the Canadian customs' officer. We spent a fine evening there and happily feel into bed.
Of all the Christmas gifts I received, however, the most beautiful and greatest one was to spend the Holidays with my family and friends. Isn’t it what it’s all about, anyway?
More to come soon. Have a great week!
The day after Colette’s staff party, my Mom, Orange-X and I went to my cousin’s, Rachel, for a pre-Christmas get together. By the time we got there, the party had already started. It was really great to see her and many other members of the family again. Especially as she’d be leaving for a backpacking trip with a few girlfriends a few days later to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia (I think), then back to Thailand for a few days of rest on the beach. Lucky her!Besides chatting with everybody about this and that, enjoying the company, food and drinks, we played a few games with the children. Don't you just love family reunions??
I was even able to get a shot of my Mom (in pink) closely following the activities.
At about 10:30 pm the kids got really impatient and wanted to start unwrapping their presents. Instead of the regular Christmas tree, Rachel had a giant stocking sewn and filled it with the presents. Here she is with boyfriend Michael and his three children.
Shortly after midnight, we said our goodbyes, but we know that we’ll be seeing them all again soon.
The day after was Christmas Eve and we spent with my Dad and Colette (a.k.a. Coco). We had a quiet dinner. Coco prepared everything except for the beef (Daddy’s job). HA! And she says she can’t cook! Then at midnight, we started unwrapping gifts.
I won’t go through all the presents, but both of us are not the proud new owners of iPods (80GB!) and I have two beautiful new pairs of earrings. Next year, I’ll have to remember to ask Santa to get a few extra holes punched into my ears to fit them all in!
On Christmas day, we went to my Mom’s for dinner. The plan was to have my mother’s (and our) very dear friend, Yves Michel, join us. Unfortunately, he caught a bad case of gastroenteritis (that soon became an epidemic in our region) a day earlier and couldn’t make it. We did meet up with him at a later date, though. For the time being, however, we had our own little party just the four of us (let’s not forget Charlotte, my Mom’s crazy cat). It was going to be a Swiss evening. We started with some Bündnerfleisch (a paper-thinly cut air-dried beef speciality from the Grisons) while we unwrapped the gifts. As you can see, in the meantime, Chalotte made sure we were kept busy.
Since my Mom had been complaining about her knives not cutting well enough, we decided to get her two good sized knives for Christmas. Of course, it is said that you must pay a symbolic fee when you receive instruments with blades, otherwise, it’s bad luck/lost of friendship. So I got a tooney (2 dollar piece) from her. She also got some “Kirschstängeli” (chocolates filled with Kirsch) and a nice, warm sweater. We received a voucher for a dinner at a restaurant that opened about 2 years ago: The Elephant. We haven’t had the time to go during our stay, but we will, as soon as we are halfway settled in Canada.
We then made our way over to the dining table and I made an awesome (almost) authentic cheese fondue (I had to replace one of the cheeses!). Not to mention a few drops of the delicious Kirsch we had “imported” passed the watchful eye of the Canadian customs' officer. We spent a fine evening there and happily feel into bed.
Of all the Christmas gifts I received, however, the most beautiful and greatest one was to spend the Holidays with my family and friends. Isn’t it what it’s all about, anyway?
More to come soon. Have a great week!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Christmas Trees and Staff Party
Okay, so yesterday was not much better jetlag-wise. Both of us were awake at 4am, so we decided to get up and have a coffee. Today, my sleep routine seems to be getting back to normal. I slept until 9am. Thank goodness!
Back to Canada.
On the Monday after our arrival, we went to my Mom’s and helped her put up her Christmas tree. I was happy to see that my Mom still had most of the ornaments that I knew as a child and they were still in the original boxes. I wish I had taken my camera on that day. Some are over 40 years old, but have still kept their original beauty! It brought back many beautiful memories.
After having decorated the tree to our satisfaction, we took Mom out for dinner at Stephanie’s, a local restaurant and the best bar and grill in the area. We were taken to a table right next to a cosy wood fireplace. Of course, Orange had to have Canadian beef! He was drooling already when he saw it on the menu. I’m still amazed at the huge portions served in Canada (and the US, for that matter). I love food, but can only have small portions at a time. The meal was great, but as usual, much too much for me (and I hate taking a doggy-bag).
On the 20th Dec., Orange had a meeting planned in Toronto, so my Dad and I drove him to the airport and I got to spend the day in Ottawa with my Dad for some Christmas shopping. We picked O-X up again the same evening and drove home for dinner, or supper, as we eastern (?) Canadians would say.
The next day, I had a job to do. Colette had invited her staff from the golf club (a.k.a. “the girls”) for dinner and I had offered to cook the main course. She loves baking and making deserts, but is not too fond of cooking. I’m not so good at baking, but I love to cook, so one could call it a win-win situation. Soon after I had made the proposal, O-X and my Dad offered to take over the position of maître d's. We thought it was a nice idea, since the girls are usually the ones waiting on people.
Colette started baking cookies and preparing her deserts and appetizers. I took over in the afternoon and prepared the main course consisting of chicken breasts en croûte with a ground hazelnut stuffing served with green beans and cherry tomatoes.
The girls started arriving around 5:30pm and every time the doorbell rang, Orange-X made his way to the door to greet the guests, introduced himself (many didn’t know him at all) and took their coats. In the meantime, my Dad started serving the hors d’oeuvres and Orange was taking orders for drinks while I was making the last preps for the main course.
After a while, Dad escorted the ladies to the dining room table that Colette had so meticulously arranged and the feast began. The soup was served, then the main course and finally the deserts. My dad and Colette don’t have a huge house, so even with all the hustle and bustle of serving, I’m happy to report that there were no major collisions or broken glasses.
Here are a few picts of the evening:
(clockwise from left to right) Colette, Linda, Lise, Madame Coco (also a Colette), Sylvie and Darquise
It was a fun evening and we really enjoyed playing "waiters" for them. They're a great bunch.
We'll be back with more soon!
Back to Canada.
On the Monday after our arrival, we went to my Mom’s and helped her put up her Christmas tree. I was happy to see that my Mom still had most of the ornaments that I knew as a child and they were still in the original boxes. I wish I had taken my camera on that day. Some are over 40 years old, but have still kept their original beauty! It brought back many beautiful memories.
After having decorated the tree to our satisfaction, we took Mom out for dinner at Stephanie’s, a local restaurant and the best bar and grill in the area. We were taken to a table right next to a cosy wood fireplace. Of course, Orange had to have Canadian beef! He was drooling already when he saw it on the menu. I’m still amazed at the huge portions served in Canada (and the US, for that matter). I love food, but can only have small portions at a time. The meal was great, but as usual, much too much for me (and I hate taking a doggy-bag).
On the 20th Dec., Orange had a meeting planned in Toronto, so my Dad and I drove him to the airport and I got to spend the day in Ottawa with my Dad for some Christmas shopping. We picked O-X up again the same evening and drove home for dinner, or supper, as we eastern (?) Canadians would say.
The next day, I had a job to do. Colette had invited her staff from the golf club (a.k.a. “the girls”) for dinner and I had offered to cook the main course. She loves baking and making deserts, but is not too fond of cooking. I’m not so good at baking, but I love to cook, so one could call it a win-win situation. Soon after I had made the proposal, O-X and my Dad offered to take over the position of maître d's. We thought it was a nice idea, since the girls are usually the ones waiting on people.
Colette started baking cookies and preparing her deserts and appetizers. I took over in the afternoon and prepared the main course consisting of chicken breasts en croûte with a ground hazelnut stuffing served with green beans and cherry tomatoes.
The girls started arriving around 5:30pm and every time the doorbell rang, Orange-X made his way to the door to greet the guests, introduced himself (many didn’t know him at all) and took their coats. In the meantime, my Dad started serving the hors d’oeuvres and Orange was taking orders for drinks while I was making the last preps for the main course.After a while, Dad escorted the ladies to the dining room table that Colette had so meticulously arranged and the feast began. The soup was served, then the main course and finally the deserts. My dad and Colette don’t have a huge house, so even with all the hustle and bustle of serving, I’m happy to report that there were no major collisions or broken glasses.
Here are a few picts of the evening:
(clockwise from left to right) Colette, Linda, Lise, Madame Coco (also a Colette), Sylvie and Darquise
It was a fun evening and we really enjoyed playing "waiters" for them. They're a great bunch.We'll be back with more soon!
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