Time goes by so fast. I'm trying to work on a new blog entry. Last night, I finally uploaded the pictures we took. Not as many as usual, but a few good ones.
Ma and Pa arrived last Monday evening - just after we returned from our Austria/Bavaria trip on Sunday evening - so we haven't had much time to blog.But I will... promise. It's great to have them here and we're really enjoying prime time (not to mention Ma's cooking!!) with them.
Today, we spent most of the afternoon cleaning up the garden, cutting (the overgrown!!) hedges, mowing the lawn. Soon, we'll be relaxing in front of Ox's Pita with shwarma marinated lamb meat and lots of freshly cut veggies AND his unbeatable garlic sauce!
So, stay tuned. Maybe tomorow evening (there's still the house to clean up), you'll find a new entry... I hope. ;)
Take care, y'all!!
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Friday, August 03, 2007
Feels like time travel... without the real time
I’m about to rename my blog to CS and O-X’s travels! It seems that we’re not sitting still much lately.
Two weeks ago, we left early on a rainy and cool Saturday morning and drove a-a-a-a-a-a-all the way up past Hanover to a little town called Varrelbusch where our good friends, Nicole, Heiko - and napping little Jennifer – (and gorgeous weather!), were expecting us. The drive went pretty well, except for a few Staus (traffic jams) and I thought the last 20km Autobahn would never end! But we finally made it in six and a half hours.
After a lot of basic chatting, Heiko realized that he’d better hurry to the Metzgerei (butcher shop) before it closed. After all, we had two BIG meat eaters there and we were all expecting a barbecue. About 20 minutes later, Nicole’s mobile phone rang and Heiko was in consternation. His favourite butcher shop was already closed! In a slight panicky voice, he asked where else he could go “hunting”. Nicole remained calm and reassured him that there must be some meat left somewhere and named two other shops. Ask Mausi. This part of Germany will never go out of meat, take what it takes!
After she hung up, she decided to go wake up the little sleeping beauty and bring her down to greet the guests. At the first sight of us, she hid behind mommy Nicole. When she did take a peek, she frowned as if asking: “Who are these intruders?” Jennifer was distant for the first hour or so, but as soon as Daddy came home (with about 5 kg of raw meat to grill!!), I think she didn’t feel as outnumbered by new faces anymore. Balance had been re-established.
While Nicole and I were getting into some serious girls’ talk, our men started building the newly acquired grill. You’ll notice that little Jennifer is going to be one heck of a handywoman when she grows up! Men (and 16 month old) at work! Ok, she did bring screws to Daddy Heiko, but more often wanted to get the whatever he was holding right then out of his hands.
Then, little Jennifer then was fed and put to bed, and it was time for the big people (we’re not grown up, yet) to have a feast! The grill master made his way to the glowing charcoal, the let’s just say: “The heat (& meat) is on!” Yeah!! Is that a cook, or what? You can tell he loves meat! I somehow get the feeling that Heiko would jet along just great with some of the grill-masters we know! (You know who you are!
After an excellent broccoli salad accompanying an immense portion of grilled chicken, sausages and pork (I was told that there was still almost as much still in the fridge!) and many laughs, we just enjoyed a relaxing time sitting around, chatting and taking in the warm summer evening. 
After cleaning up a bit (ok, I'll admit, the pict was taken the evening before, but it does fit in, doens't it?), we sat outside knowing that we would have to leave soon again. I hate those moments, don’t you? Time goes by much to fast! Can you believe that two years had already passed since we had been there last?? Anyway, we promised to be back as soon as possible. We had a really fun time with them and are looking forward to our next meet in Switzerland for Jennifer’s Christening. 
Two weeks ago, we left early on a rainy and cool Saturday morning and drove a-a-a-a-a-a-all the way up past Hanover to a little town called Varrelbusch where our good friends, Nicole, Heiko - and napping little Jennifer – (and gorgeous weather!), were expecting us. The drive went pretty well, except for a few Staus (traffic jams) and I thought the last 20km Autobahn would never end! But we finally made it in six and a half hours.
After a lot of basic chatting, Heiko realized that he’d better hurry to the Metzgerei (butcher shop) before it closed. After all, we had two BIG meat eaters there and we were all expecting a barbecue. About 20 minutes later, Nicole’s mobile phone rang and Heiko was in consternation. His favourite butcher shop was already closed! In a slight panicky voice, he asked where else he could go “hunting”. Nicole remained calm and reassured him that there must be some meat left somewhere and named two other shops. Ask Mausi. This part of Germany will never go out of meat, take what it takes!
After she hung up, she decided to go wake up the little sleeping beauty and bring her down to greet the guests. At the first sight of us, she hid behind mommy Nicole. When she did take a peek, she frowned as if asking: “Who are these intruders?” Jennifer was distant for the first hour or so, but as soon as Daddy came home (with about 5 kg of raw meat to grill!!), I think she didn’t feel as outnumbered by new faces anymore. Balance had been re-established.
While Nicole and I were getting into some serious girls’ talk, our men started building the newly acquired grill. You’ll notice that little Jennifer is going to be one heck of a handywoman when she grows up! Men (and 16 month old) at work! Ok, she did bring screws to Daddy Heiko, but more often wanted to get the whatever he was holding right then out of his hands.
Then, little Jennifer then was fed and put to bed, and it was time for the big people (we’re not grown up, yet) to have a feast! The grill master made his way to the glowing charcoal, the let’s just say: “The heat (& meat) is on!” Yeah!! Is that a cook, or what? You can tell he loves meat! I somehow get the feeling that Heiko would jet along just great with some of the grill-masters we know! (You know who you are!
After an excellent broccoli salad accompanying an immense portion of grilled chicken, sausages and pork (I was told that there was still almost as much still in the fridge!) and many laughs, we just enjoyed a relaxing time sitting around, chatting and taking in the warm summer evening. 
We then retired into our own little guest house. What? I never mentioned that? Yes! It’s like a small apartment with coffee machine, bedroom, bathroom with shower, and a cosy little living with TV. The bed was freshly made and a few chocolates were 
strewn over the pillow as a welcome gift. Oh. And one should NOT forget the guestbook. All guests have to write at least a little something in it before one leaves. You’ll be reminded ;) Isn't it the cutest house ever? After an excellent night of sleep, we went to the house where a huge breakfast was already waiting for us. Jennifer was running after the cats, Amanda and Antonia, but then joined us for (more) breakfast.
strewn over the pillow as a welcome gift. Oh. And one should NOT forget the guestbook. All guests have to write at least a little something in it before one leaves. You’ll be reminded ;) Isn't it the cutest house ever? After an excellent night of sleep, we went to the house where a huge breakfast was already waiting for us. Jennifer was running after the cats, Amanda and Antonia, but then joined us for (more) breakfast.
After cleaning up a bit (ok, I'll admit, the pict was taken the evening before, but it does fit in, doens't it?), we sat outside knowing that we would have to leave soon again. I hate those moments, don’t you? Time goes by much to fast! Can you believe that two years had already passed since we had been there last?? Anyway, we promised to be back as soon as possible. We had a really fun time with them and are looking forward to our next meet in Switzerland for Jennifer’s Christening. Here's one of the last pists we took (kindly taken by Heiko).
Tomorrow, we’re heading for Austria again. The first 4 days will be spent in a small, romantic (I hope) Inn in Mondsee (about 20km from Salzburg) just the two of us, then 2 days at Pinki and Andreas’ and to see Christoph (alias our adoptive son, Kevin) play live at the Backstage bar, then the last two days with Andreas and Suse a bit south of Munich.
Holidays? Really?? Well the first few days for sure, but the last?? I’ll let you know ;) Just don't expect any posts until the weekend after that. We return on Sunday late afternoon and on Monday, Ma & Pa will be spending 3 weeks with us! But don't worry. You'll hear from us.
Holidays? Really?? Well the first few days for sure, but the last?? I’ll let you know ;) Just don't expect any posts until the weekend after that. We return on Sunday late afternoon and on Monday, Ma & Pa will be spending 3 weeks with us! But don't worry. You'll hear from us.
Have a great week!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
101 things... Do you really want to know?
After a weekend in Germany with our friends Nicole and Heiko (I’m working on that blog entry), I thought I’d take a break and put up a meme that has been on a few blogs I visit regularly.
I’m not tagging anyone, but feel free to use it.
1. How many keys are on your keychain?
Four.
2. What curse word do you use the most?
Probably the "F" word, but it always depends on the mood I’m in and where I am. I change languages.
3. Do you own an iPod?
Yes, but sometime I just find it too heavy to carry around.4. What time is your alarm clock set for? 6:30 a.m.
5. How many suitcases do you own?
OMG! I think between the two of us, we must have like 6 or 7.
6. Do you wear flip–flops even when it’s cold outside?
No. The thingy between the toes drives me nuts.
7. Where do you buy your groceries from?
Generally, from one of our two local supermarkets (Coop and Migros), or then a specialty grocery store.
8. Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?
Both. It doesn’t really matter to me.
9. What was the last movie you watched?
Hmmm. I think it was Basic Instincts II
10. Do any of your friends have children?
I’d say it’s about 50/50.
11. If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you would buy?
Two plane tickets back home and a house.
12. Has anyone ever called you lazy?
Except for myself, I don’t think so.
13. Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep faster?
Nope. I don’t like pills in general. I’ve seen what addiction can do to a close friend of the family. It terrifies me.
14. What CD is currently in your CD player?
None.
15. Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk?
Chocolate milk and only one kind: Chocomel! To my knowledge, you can only get it in Holland (and Belgium, maybe), so we always stock up when we’re there. It’s the creamiest, most delicious chocolate milk I know.
16. Has anyone told you a secret this week?
Nope.
17. When was the last time someone hit on you?
Oye!!! Does O-X count?? If so, then this week ;)
18. What did you have for dinner?
Let’s see… We had Paolo and Markus over for dinner. We had bread with an olive pesto, we grilled a filet of pork, 2 lamb racks and shrimps, and then a nice desert (layers of berries and vodka-mascarpone cream)
19. Do you wear hoodies often?
Sometimes.
20. Can you whistle?
Yes, and I do it very regularly. I often catch myself whistling a tune in the tram or during work. Believe it or not, I can even whistle and smile at the same time.
21. Have you ever participated in a protest?
Not to my knowledge.
22. Who was the last person to call you?
My Mom.
23. What is your favorite ride at an amusement park?
Rollaaaaa-coastaaaaaa! And the wilder, the better. But believe it or not, a carrousel will make me throw-up.
24. Do you think people talk about you behind your back?
Of course.
25. What area code are you in right now?
4153
26. Did you watch cartoons as a child?
You bet. I was up at 6am (!!) every Saturday to watch the cartoons. Funny. Today, I’m more of a night person.
27. How big is your local mall?
Mall? You gotta be kiddin’. This is Switzerland, remember?
28. How many siblings do you have?
An older brother.
29. Are you shy around the opposite sex?
Nope. Actually, I generally feel more at ease with men.
30. What is your biggest regret?
I don’t think I have many regrets, if at all. Everything happens for a reason, right?
31. When was the last time you laughed so hard your sides hurt?
Last weekend while visiting friends in Germany.
32. What movie do you know every line to?
Don’t laugh. Disney’s “The Jungle Book”.
33. Do you own any band t–shirts?
No.
34. When was your last plane ride?
June 22, 2007 to Amsterdam.
35. How many chairs are at your dining room table?
Six.
36. Do you read for fun?
Not as much as I’d like to.
37. Can you speak any languages other than English?
German and French, and a little bit of Italian.
38. Do you do your own dishes?
Mostly pots and pans, and large plates that don’t fit in the dishwasher.
39. What color is your bedroom painted?
White.
40. Have you ever cried in public?
Not very often.
41. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop?
Both. The laptops are what we both use most, though.
42. Which do you make: wishes or plans?
Both wishes and plans. You need one to make the other, right?
43. Are you always trying to learn new things?
Every chance I get.
44. Do you shower on a daily basis?
Not always, sometimes I take a bath instead ;)
45. Are you currently wanting any piercing or tattoos?
I’ve been thinking of a belly button piercing, but I AM getting older.
46. Do you believe that the guy should pay on the first date?
Not necessarily. It depends who invites.
47. Can you skip rocks?
You bet I can.
48. Have you ever been to Jamaica?
No.
49. What to snack on at the movie theaters?
Popcorn, of course, and a coke.
50. Who was your favorite teacher?
My French teacher in high-school, Mr LaPalme
51. Have you ever dated someone out of your race?
If OX counts having Indonesian roots, I guess so. And if not, I would never have a problem with it.
52. What is the weather like?
Cloudy, with sunny breaks.
53. Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos?
No, thank you.
54. Do you have an online journal?
You're on it!
55. What was your favorite class in high school?
Languages (French and English) and Gym.
56. Do you enjoy traveling via airplanes?
Yes.
57. What personality trait is a must–have in your preferred gender?
Respect and compassion.
58. Have you ever been attracted to someone physically unattractive?
Sure. Love is blind, they say.
59. When was the last time you slept on the floor?
December 30th, 2006 in a cottage in Canada
60. What is your favorite alcoholic drink?
Champagne/bubbly and red wine.
61. Does your closest Starbucks have a drive–thru?
We have Starbucks, but no drive-thru… unless you want to get into trouble.
62. Do you like your living arrangement?
Yes, but I’d like a stand-alone house.
63. What is your mother’s hometown?
She was born in Thurso, Quebec, but was raised in Montebello, Que.
64. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?
I can function on very little, but I do way better with 8.
65. Do you eat breakfast daily?
Never. I need about 2-3 hours before I can “really” eat. But isn’t coffee breakfast?
66. What was the last thing to scare you?
I can’t think of anything right now.
67. Are your days full and fast–paced?
No, but our weekends usually are.
68. Did you ever get in trouble for talking in class?
Not often.
69. What is your favorite fruit?
Berries of all kinds and cherries.
70. Do you pay attention to calories on the back of packages?
Never.
71. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
42
72. Are you picky about spelling and grammar?
Yes, although I tend to make typos.
73. Do you believe in life on other planets?
Sure, why should we be the only ones?
74. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
No, but I’d like to.
75. Who was the last person to piss you off?
Paolo in a discussion we had yesterday. But it’s okay now.
76. Do you believe that God has a gender?
I’ll skip this one if you don’t mind.
77. What was the last thing you ate?
Toast
78. Do you get along better with the same or opposite sex?
Generally, I get along better with men.
79. What did you dress up as for your first Halloween?
I think I was dressed as a rabbit.
80. How did your parents pick your name?
I know that they chose names (both for my brother and me) that would be easy to pronounce in different languages. Plus, I just learned that my middle name was picked after the Canadian alpine skier, Nancy Greene.
81. Do you like mustard?
Sure, but only to certain things.
82. What do you tell yourself when times get hard?
You can’t escape it. If you try, it will most likely backfire on you. Go through it.
83. Would you ever sky dive?
I'm not sure, but if I had to choose between bungee jumping and sky diving, I’d go for the latter.
84. Do you sleep on your side, tummy, or back?
Mostly on my side.
85. What character from a movie most reminds you of yourself?
I wouldn’t know. Any suggestions??
86. Have you ever bid for something on ebay?
No.
87. Do you enjoy giving hugs?
Very much.
88. Would you consider yourself to be fashionable?
Yes, but only if it fits my style and personality.
89. Do you own a digital camera?
Two.
90. If someone you had no interest in dating expressed interest in dating you, how would you feel?
Very awkward.
91. What celebrities have you been compared to?
I don’t think I ever have been compared to any celebrities.
92. Who is your favorite Star Wars character?
R2D2.
93. Does it annoy you when someone says they’ll call but never do?
Yes, but it's no big deal.
94. What books, if any, have made you cry?
Can't think of one specific one right now.
95. Do you think you’re attractive?
Sometimes, yes.
96. What are you allergic to?
I only know of nickel.
97. Are you a jealous person?
Not really.
98. What’s your opinion on sex without emotional commitment?
If both parties agree and can really carry it out that way, why not?
99. Do you ever feel guilty after eating meat?
Never. And now, I'm hungry for Canadian beef.
100. If you were born the opposite sex, what would your name have been?
According to my Mom, she was so sure that I'd be a girl, that she never even gave a boy's name a though.
101. Is it lunch time yet?
Past lunch and going towards dinner time.
I’m not tagging anyone, but feel free to use it.
1. How many keys are on your keychain?
Four.
2. What curse word do you use the most?
Probably the "F" word, but it always depends on the mood I’m in and where I am. I change languages.
3. Do you own an iPod?
Yes, but sometime I just find it too heavy to carry around.4. What time is your alarm clock set for? 6:30 a.m.
5. How many suitcases do you own?
OMG! I think between the two of us, we must have like 6 or 7.
6. Do you wear flip–flops even when it’s cold outside?
No. The thingy between the toes drives me nuts.
7. Where do you buy your groceries from?
Generally, from one of our two local supermarkets (Coop and Migros), or then a specialty grocery store.
8. Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?
Both. It doesn’t really matter to me.
9. What was the last movie you watched?
Hmmm. I think it was Basic Instincts II
10. Do any of your friends have children?
I’d say it’s about 50/50.
11. If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you would buy?
Two plane tickets back home and a house.
12. Has anyone ever called you lazy?
Except for myself, I don’t think so.
13. Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep faster?
Nope. I don’t like pills in general. I’ve seen what addiction can do to a close friend of the family. It terrifies me.
14. What CD is currently in your CD player?
None.
15. Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk?
Chocolate milk and only one kind: Chocomel! To my knowledge, you can only get it in Holland (and Belgium, maybe), so we always stock up when we’re there. It’s the creamiest, most delicious chocolate milk I know.
16. Has anyone told you a secret this week?
Nope.
17. When was the last time someone hit on you?
Oye!!! Does O-X count?? If so, then this week ;)
18. What did you have for dinner?
Let’s see… We had Paolo and Markus over for dinner. We had bread with an olive pesto, we grilled a filet of pork, 2 lamb racks and shrimps, and then a nice desert (layers of berries and vodka-mascarpone cream)
19. Do you wear hoodies often?
Sometimes.
20. Can you whistle?
Yes, and I do it very regularly. I often catch myself whistling a tune in the tram or during work. Believe it or not, I can even whistle and smile at the same time.
21. Have you ever participated in a protest?
Not to my knowledge.
22. Who was the last person to call you?
My Mom.
23. What is your favorite ride at an amusement park?
Rollaaaaa-coastaaaaaa! And the wilder, the better. But believe it or not, a carrousel will make me throw-up.
24. Do you think people talk about you behind your back?
Of course.
25. What area code are you in right now?
4153
26. Did you watch cartoons as a child?
You bet. I was up at 6am (!!) every Saturday to watch the cartoons. Funny. Today, I’m more of a night person.
27. How big is your local mall?
Mall? You gotta be kiddin’. This is Switzerland, remember?
28. How many siblings do you have?
An older brother.
29. Are you shy around the opposite sex?
Nope. Actually, I generally feel more at ease with men.
30. What is your biggest regret?
I don’t think I have many regrets, if at all. Everything happens for a reason, right?
31. When was the last time you laughed so hard your sides hurt?
Last weekend while visiting friends in Germany.
32. What movie do you know every line to?
Don’t laugh. Disney’s “The Jungle Book”.
33. Do you own any band t–shirts?
No.
34. When was your last plane ride?
June 22, 2007 to Amsterdam.
35. How many chairs are at your dining room table?
Six.
36. Do you read for fun?
Not as much as I’d like to.
37. Can you speak any languages other than English?
German and French, and a little bit of Italian.
38. Do you do your own dishes?
Mostly pots and pans, and large plates that don’t fit in the dishwasher.
39. What color is your bedroom painted?
White.
40. Have you ever cried in public?
Not very often.
41. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop?
Both. The laptops are what we both use most, though.
42. Which do you make: wishes or plans?
Both wishes and plans. You need one to make the other, right?
43. Are you always trying to learn new things?
Every chance I get.
44. Do you shower on a daily basis?
Not always, sometimes I take a bath instead ;)
45. Are you currently wanting any piercing or tattoos?
I’ve been thinking of a belly button piercing, but I AM getting older.
46. Do you believe that the guy should pay on the first date?
Not necessarily. It depends who invites.
47. Can you skip rocks?
You bet I can.
48. Have you ever been to Jamaica?
No.
49. What to snack on at the movie theaters?
Popcorn, of course, and a coke.
50. Who was your favorite teacher?
My French teacher in high-school, Mr LaPalme
51. Have you ever dated someone out of your race?
If OX counts having Indonesian roots, I guess so. And if not, I would never have a problem with it.
52. What is the weather like?
Cloudy, with sunny breaks.
53. Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos?
No, thank you.
54. Do you have an online journal?
You're on it!
55. What was your favorite class in high school?
Languages (French and English) and Gym.
56. Do you enjoy traveling via airplanes?
Yes.
57. What personality trait is a must–have in your preferred gender?
Respect and compassion.
58. Have you ever been attracted to someone physically unattractive?
Sure. Love is blind, they say.
59. When was the last time you slept on the floor?
December 30th, 2006 in a cottage in Canada
60. What is your favorite alcoholic drink?
Champagne/bubbly and red wine.
61. Does your closest Starbucks have a drive–thru?
We have Starbucks, but no drive-thru… unless you want to get into trouble.
62. Do you like your living arrangement?
Yes, but I’d like a stand-alone house.
63. What is your mother’s hometown?
She was born in Thurso, Quebec, but was raised in Montebello, Que.
64. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?
I can function on very little, but I do way better with 8.
65. Do you eat breakfast daily?
Never. I need about 2-3 hours before I can “really” eat. But isn’t coffee breakfast?
66. What was the last thing to scare you?
I can’t think of anything right now.
67. Are your days full and fast–paced?
No, but our weekends usually are.
68. Did you ever get in trouble for talking in class?
Not often.
69. What is your favorite fruit?
Berries of all kinds and cherries.
70. Do you pay attention to calories on the back of packages?
Never.
71. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
42
72. Are you picky about spelling and grammar?
Yes, although I tend to make typos.
73. Do you believe in life on other planets?
Sure, why should we be the only ones?
74. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
No, but I’d like to.
75. Who was the last person to piss you off?
Paolo in a discussion we had yesterday. But it’s okay now.
76. Do you believe that God has a gender?
I’ll skip this one if you don’t mind.
77. What was the last thing you ate?
Toast
78. Do you get along better with the same or opposite sex?
Generally, I get along better with men.
79. What did you dress up as for your first Halloween?
I think I was dressed as a rabbit.
80. How did your parents pick your name?
I know that they chose names (both for my brother and me) that would be easy to pronounce in different languages. Plus, I just learned that my middle name was picked after the Canadian alpine skier, Nancy Greene.
81. Do you like mustard?
Sure, but only to certain things.
82. What do you tell yourself when times get hard?
You can’t escape it. If you try, it will most likely backfire on you. Go through it.
83. Would you ever sky dive?
I'm not sure, but if I had to choose between bungee jumping and sky diving, I’d go for the latter.
84. Do you sleep on your side, tummy, or back?
Mostly on my side.
85. What character from a movie most reminds you of yourself?
I wouldn’t know. Any suggestions??
86. Have you ever bid for something on ebay?
No.
87. Do you enjoy giving hugs?
Very much.
88. Would you consider yourself to be fashionable?
Yes, but only if it fits my style and personality.
89. Do you own a digital camera?
Two.
90. If someone you had no interest in dating expressed interest in dating you, how would you feel?
Very awkward.
91. What celebrities have you been compared to?
I don’t think I ever have been compared to any celebrities.
92. Who is your favorite Star Wars character?
R2D2.
93. Does it annoy you when someone says they’ll call but never do?
Yes, but it's no big deal.
94. What books, if any, have made you cry?
Can't think of one specific one right now.
95. Do you think you’re attractive?
Sometimes, yes.
96. What are you allergic to?
I only know of nickel.
97. Are you a jealous person?
Not really.
98. What’s your opinion on sex without emotional commitment?
If both parties agree and can really carry it out that way, why not?
99. Do you ever feel guilty after eating meat?
Never. And now, I'm hungry for Canadian beef.
100. If you were born the opposite sex, what would your name have been?
According to my Mom, she was so sure that I'd be a girl, that she never even gave a boy's name a though.
101. Is it lunch time yet?
Past lunch and going towards dinner time.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Has it been that long? or Writer's block?
I sure haven't been a very active blogger lately, huh? I know, and I’m sorry. It’s not that we don’t have anything to report, but things have generally just not been that rosy lately and I just didn't know where to start (writer's block??).
Anyway, since I have not divulged where I work, I can say that I am absolutely B.O.R.E.D. at my present position. The team itself is great, but my work is just NOT fulfilling. Plus, my boss is on travel right now, so I’ve been leaving the office between 3.00-3.30pm because I had nothing left to do. Furthermore, our move to Canada is stagnating (insert the “F” word repetitively right here).
Brenda and Harry were here and although Bren is still on crutches after a knee operation, she managed pretty well walking through Basel. There was somewhat of a tickle fight...
And later "The boys" prepared us dinner while we chatted away. Aren't we two lucky gals?
I’m also happy to report that Selina (O-X’s daughter) has graduated from high school and has been appointed as “exceptional graduate” (her Mum being ill with cancer). She missed out on many hours of lessons because she wanted to be there when her Mom had treatments. No extra help! She will start her RN (Registered Nurse) school in September and wants to specialize in paediatric nursing. Daddy OX is mighty proud of his little girl. Can you blame him? Just look at them; the first official photo of Daddy and Daughter after their reunion:
Selina signing her diploma:
Signed, sealed, delivered. Is that a happy girl, or what?
Then we finally celebrated Pa’s birthday - since he wasn’t feeling well back in March – and I saw Selina for the first time. In case you want to know, she avoided me, but I can’t expect anything else on a first time meet, can I? Still, we had many laughs. Here's OX trying to "feed" (or was it sharing??) one of the ribs I was having with Pa.
Next weekend, we’ll be visiting Heiko and Nicole close to Hannover. That ought to be fun. The weekend after that, we have invited Paolo and Markus (who have just gotten married, by the way) for a BBQ. Let’s hope the weather is good! Then it’s off to Austria for two days with OX alone, then a few days at Pinki and Andreas’, followed by a weekend at Andreas and Suze’s. Did I ever mention that being a social butterfly is VERY tiring?? Nevertheless, we love it. It’s just that our friends and families are all over Europe, so that we’ll need a few weekends after that to just relax and recover. On August 13th, Ma and Pa are coming over for 3 weeks. Yay!
After that, O-X and I are planning a week just the two of us in the first or second week of September. But where?? Turkey, Spain, Portugal?? We’ll see, but we know we both need to spend time away with each other alone.
After that, O-X and I are planning a week just the two of us in the first or second week of September. But where?? Turkey, Spain, Portugal?? We’ll see, but we know we both need to spend time away with each other alone.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Right line of work, wrong Major
This morning, while reading through some blogs, I saw this quiz on Mausi's blog. Out of curiousity I decided to follow the link and go through the quiz. I must say it's pretty accurate as I have given up the line of work I majored in and found the right job through experience.
It also clearly confirms my least interest by far. It's quite amazing!
| You scored as Accounting/Finance/Marketing, You should strongly consider majoring (or minoring) in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Marketing, or related majors (e.g., Computer/ Management Information Systems (CIS or MIS), Entrepreneurship, International Business, Operations Management, Public Administration, Real Estate, Risk Management, Sports Management). It is possible that the best major for you is your 1st, 3rd, or even 5th listed category, so be sure to consider ALL majors in your OTHER high scoring categories (below). You may score high in a category you didnt think you would--it is possible that a great major for you is something you once dismissed as not for you. The right major for you will be something 1) you love and enjoy and 2) are really great at it.
|
It also clearly confirms my least interest by far. It's quite amazing!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
The Zzzzzzz... meme
Two memes in one day?? Gosh. I'm giving up all my private secrets ;) Scroll down to see the first meme.
My good friend Shelli tagged me with a meme that I’ve never heard of before, basically, because she got the idea. I think it's fun and decided to do it.
6 Weird things I do while getting ready to sleep or while sleeping:
My good friend Shelli tagged me with a meme that I’ve never heard of before, basically, because she got the idea. I think it's fun and decided to do it.
6 Weird things I do while getting ready to sleep or while sleeping:
- I always fall asleep on my left side. ALWAYS! I may change my position after that, but to fall asleep, it’s only the left side.
- Orange-X and I each have our own duvet (eiderdown). I like to wrap myself in it, so I would keep stealing the covers if we had only one. The other reason why, is that O-X emits incredible body heat so that sharing one duvet would not be bearable.
- I sleep in undies and usually a T-Shirt or then a sleeveless top in summer. Because I usually sleep on my side, I can’t stand it when my thighs are skin on skin. During the warm season, I always swing one leg over my duvet and in winter, I kind of wrap my legs in the down blanket, so that they don’t touch directly. My lower back also has to be covered at all times; otherwise, I get up with backaches.
- Our bedroom window is always tipped open; winter or summer. We both CANNOT sleep with closed windows.
- I always have to leave enough space to the left of my head for Dale to come join me in bed. If I don’t, he will let me know by either lying on my face, or licking my arm or nose until I make space for him. He stays until I fall asleep.
- If I go to bed before O-X – let’s say he wants to finish watching a movie – he will find me in the middle of the bed and spread eagle. He somehow manages to move me over without me waking up.
I’ll add a few more for your entertainment:
- I can snore like you wouldn’t believe, especially after a few drinks or after very garlicky meals. Me loves garlic, but I get this pasty feel on my tongue.
- I turn and fluff my pillow often during the night; I hate warm pillows and duvets.
- I love to hear rain and thunderstorms during the night. It relaxes me.
- If I get up during the night to go to the bathroom, I open just one eye (a mere slit) and will not turn on the light, nor will I ever look at the alarm clock. I don’t want to know that I still have X minutes/hours left.
How much wierder can you get? Well, you tell me.
I don’t usually tag people, but because this is a new meme and because I am spreading the meme love, I will tag Mrs. TBF (just do it when you find the time. I know you travel a lot), Colon Blow (I’m curious to see if something runs in the family), Sal (make sure to do your draft in Word ;)), Christina, Michael, ExpaTraveler, Jay and Tina.
Just let me know when it’s up, okay?
Tagged - Eight Things About Me
I was tagged twice this past week. Greenhaddock was the first to tag me, so I’ll start with this meme.
Here it goes:
Rules: Each person posts the rules before their list, then they list 8 things about themselves. At the end of the post, that person tags and links to 8 other people; then visits those people’s sites and comments, letting them know that they have been tagged, and to come read the post, so they know what they have to do.
Here it goes:
Rules: Each person posts the rules before their list, then they list 8 things about themselves. At the end of the post, that person tags and links to 8 other people; then visits those people’s sites and comments, letting them know that they have been tagged, and to come read the post, so they know what they have to do.
- Men always envied my legs. Not what you think. When I was 13 years old, I could push more weight with my legs than my 16-17 year old male gymnast teammates.
- Because of no. 1, it was almost impossible for me to find boots where my calves would fit in. I still have trouble with that.
- I can watch almost any operation on TV, but when the eye is involved, I have to turn away. As a matter of fact, I was thinking at some point of getting my eyesight corrected with a laser operation. My Dad gave me a website where he had a cataract removed, so I went there. Just reading about it (no picts) made my stomach churn and feel faint.
- I often trip over things or slip (yes, I’m clumsy) because I don’t always watch where I’m going and then I can stumble for meters on end (think comedy), but I’ll hardly ever fall. It must be quite a show to watch, I tell you.
- I’ve had my share of torn ligaments and muscles through sports, bruises, scorches and stitches as a kid (a true tomboy, I was), but I never broke a bone in my body.
- I can’t kill big spiders. It grosses me out. Instead, I catch them with a tupperware and throw them out.
- I’ve been married twice.
- It drives me crazy when I decide to sit down and relax, and O-X starts cleaning up the place in frenzy.
There.
I know many of you have done this one already, so I won’t tag anyone in particular. If you haven’t done it, yet, or just feel like doing it, then consider yourself tagged.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Game, Set, Match... or I'll feel it tomorrow
Yes. Orange-X and I went to play some tennis today. Not together though. I mean, we didn't play on the same court.
Last week, our lovely neighbour Di was playing a game of ping-pong (right outside our backyard) with her daughter, Alie, and we started chatting. She was hoping to find someone who played tennis, but was not competitive and would not count points. I'm not really into tennins, but I love running after a ball, whether it's out or not. Just for the fun of it, you know? I like to be competitive with myself, but when I do a sport for fun, I hate it when others expect me to be perfect.
We decided to book a few courts last weekend, but because it had rained so hard, the indoor court were booked-out, so we moved it to this Sunday, 3pm. Today was THE day. After taking Harry and Brenda back to the airport (more about our weekend later this week), we met Andy, Di, Rammy and John for a game of tennis. Andy, Rammy, John and O-X played a double and Di and I made our way to a court far away and isolated from all others. The Kids, Oliver, Alie and Sam, had a court of their own court to play on.
We had a great time. Di and I just had plain fun not counting points and I sweat so much, but it felt so good. O-X enjoyed playing a more "spicy" game with Andy winning the first set 6:4 against John and Rammy, and loosing the second 6:3.
Guess what? We're going back next weekend for another game and I have now acquired my first tennis racket! I'm proud of myself and I'm so happy to have found a tennis partner with whom I can just play for the fun of it. I still have to work on my controll over the ball and the strength I use (I love to really whack it and then it's gone, never to be found again), but all in all, I might even have a hidden talent. Who knows?
I can tell you one thing though. I'll be suffering for the next few days, but that's ok. Maybe next time, OX can take pictures, showing me off as the clown of the courts (not in a negative way - I just like to fool around).
Hope you all had a great weekend!
Last week, our lovely neighbour Di was playing a game of ping-pong (right outside our backyard) with her daughter, Alie, and we started chatting. She was hoping to find someone who played tennis, but was not competitive and would not count points. I'm not really into tennins, but I love running after a ball, whether it's out or not. Just for the fun of it, you know? I like to be competitive with myself, but when I do a sport for fun, I hate it when others expect me to be perfect.
We decided to book a few courts last weekend, but because it had rained so hard, the indoor court were booked-out, so we moved it to this Sunday, 3pm. Today was THE day. After taking Harry and Brenda back to the airport (more about our weekend later this week), we met Andy, Di, Rammy and John for a game of tennis. Andy, Rammy, John and O-X played a double and Di and I made our way to a court far away and isolated from all others. The Kids, Oliver, Alie and Sam, had a court of their own court to play on.
We had a great time. Di and I just had plain fun not counting points and I sweat so much, but it felt so good. O-X enjoyed playing a more "spicy" game with Andy winning the first set 6:4 against John and Rammy, and loosing the second 6:3.
Guess what? We're going back next weekend for another game and I have now acquired my first tennis racket! I'm proud of myself and I'm so happy to have found a tennis partner with whom I can just play for the fun of it. I still have to work on my controll over the ball and the strength I use (I love to really whack it and then it's gone, never to be found again), but all in all, I might even have a hidden talent. Who knows?
I can tell you one thing though. I'll be suffering for the next few days, but that's ok. Maybe next time, OX can take pictures, showing me off as the clown of the courts (not in a negative way - I just like to fool around).
Hope you all had a great weekend!
Monday, June 11, 2007
Watch out... Dead End!
When I got to work this morning, I saw this
:
:It was taken with my phone camera, so the resolution isn't the best, but good enough. It was a walking and cycling path that is now (temporarily?) closed down and during my lunch time, I still often notice cyclists coming up at full speed until they notice it's a dead end.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Enjoying life with friends
For those of you who haven't been here in a while, you can read about our Austria trip here and here.
We have been pretty busy socialising lately and it won’t stop throughout summer. Life is tough, you know. Last week, we took a few days off and drove to Austria to visit some friends, and this past weekend, we were home and close to home. We had a great time.
Suse and Andreas, our friends form the Bavarian region came over to visit us. After their arrival, early Saturday afternoon, we started with a nice welcome drink: a pink Moët. After the welcome drink, we took the tram to Basel and walked around to show Suze and Andreas a bit of Basel. We shortly discussed whether we should bring umbrellas or not, as the forecast for the afternoon was thunder showers. We decided to challenge faith and leave the umbrellas at home. A good decision as we were so lucky with the weather; we didn’t get a drop of rain all day! We got off at the tram stop “Bankverein” and walked down the Freiestrasse. Neither Suse nor Andreas had visited Basel before, so this was their first view of this nice town. The first acquaintance with Basel centre was a small shock. The first looks in the shop windows made a sound of disbelief escape from Suse’s mouth. Yes, she was shocked by the prices of articles displayed in the shop windows.
We continued our way down Freiestrasse towards the Marktplatz (Market place). Of course we had to show them “Globus”, a beautiful department store, with an excellent food department offering exclusive foods, spirits and wines. All their merchandise is displayed in such a nice way that it's amost impossible to just walk straight through. We continued our stroll up to the Münster cathedral to enjoy the view over the Rhine. Then we walked down the (many, many stairs to the quai to take one of the idyllic ferries across the Rhine to the other side of Basel. Note that this one (out of four) runs on the power of the current only. When we got off the ferry, a crossing of just a few minutes, we looked at the beautiful old houses nestled along the Rhine and decided to stop for a drink on the terrace of one of the many restaurant.
A bit later we continued our walk through the backstreets to arrive to the “Caveau”, a nice wine bar where we sat down for an afternoon aperitif. We enjoyed an excellent Merlot from Chile and had plate of different cold cuts and “Hobelkäse” (a very tasty, thinly cut cheese called Sbrinz). Andreas enjoyed the wine and the plate as he loves the “Bündnerfleisch” (a thinly cut dried salted beef). After the tasty aperitif, we walked over to the restaurant where we reserved for the evening dinner, the Atlantis. The restaurant is known for its cozy ambiance and superb kitchen. We all enjoyed our dinner accompanied by a nice bottle of Cabernet Syrah Penfolds BIN 389, one of my favourite Australian wines. Even Suse, who said “I’ll sick with water for now” couldn’t resist its lovely full taste. She even wrote down the name. I guess she’ll be on a specific wine hunt next time she’s shopping…
After dinner we took the tram back home and sat down in the garden to enjoy the nice evening weather. After a short while, Suse made herself immortal by feeding Dale his vitamin paste from the tube. Yup, she's been added to Dale’s “Tube Of Fame” guest list. I think Suse fell in love with our black feline. The ladies went to bed one after the other and Andreas and I enjoyed a last (2 or 3) drinks while chatting in the garden. Around 3 am we decided to get some sleep, too.
The next morning, Dale amazed Andreas and Suse again with his almost human behaviour. The famous words “gutti-gutti” (“feeding time”) made him run in from the garden and up to the kitchen. After he was “served” his breakfast, we had ours. Suse wanted to feed Dale some of the yoghurt, but without success. I immediately knew what was wrong. You must know that Dale is brought up in a very good way and knows how to eat correctly. I took a spoon - don’t laugh - and scraped through the yoghurt cup to fill the spoon with the rests of yoghurt and presented it to Dale on the spoon. And, you might have guessed already, Dale calmly licked the yoghurt from the spoon until he was done. Another surprise for Suse. Yes, Dale is quite an amazing animal.
Around noon, Andreas and Suse decided to drive off as they had plans for the evening at home. Before they left, we planned our next visit to them to make sure it wouldn’t take that long until seeing each other again. So, we’ll be back in the Bavarian region at the beginning of August. We’re all looking forward to it. Their just such adorable, fun people. After we fixed the next date, we said our goodbyes and off they went.
That evening, we were invited at TBF’s. The special reason was that a fellow bloger Colon Blow (Mrs. TBF's brother) and Mrs. CB were visiting. We arrived at the TBF residence around 5 pm and as always, we were warmly welcomed by both TBF’s. For the first time we met Colon Blow and Mrs. CB in person, after we had only known each other via cyber space.
By the way CB, this reminds me, you should put up a few posts again. It’s been quite some time now :-) I know we’ve bugged you all evening with this, but a blog needs to be maintained, kept alive!
We went up to the roof in the “Fishbowl” for the a glass of wine. Mrs. TBF had again arranged for a nice appetizer consisting of king prawns, olives and bell peppers stuffed with olive and/or blue cheese. Delicious! I could feed on snacks like that all night. We chatted away while TBF showed his expertise on BBQ-ing once more. He made sure that the prepared meal was slowly cooked to the right point. He is a master of grilling. Once the meat was ready, we were kindly requested to come downstairs for dinner. We enjoyed an excellent dinner of stuffed turkey breast with Cranberry sauce and a mix of oven roasted veggies such as bell pepper, mini potatoes and mushrooms. A very tasty meal! After dinner, we sat outside on the balcony and at a certain moment heard the rain pouring down. Dessert was served on the balcony; Vanilla ice with strawberries macerated in grand marnier. Yummie!
All evening, as we were chatting away, Colon Blow at a certain moment was the involuntary victim of our harassment. He was “criticised” (again) for not posting on his blog for so long (last post: March 17th, 2007!!!); struggling at times with his new camera missing the fun shots because of being late with the right settings and switching off the flash which led to dark pictures. Poor guy! But he was a good sport and laughed along with us. Wanna take a look at his blog and read about his adventures in Switzerland? Just click here and read about his past few weeks with his sis and bro-in-law. But, give him a bit of time, though. They've only flown back on Wednesday.
At a certain moment, the wind got pretty strong and the rain was swept on the balcony so we decided to go inside. At that moment, TBF told CB and me that he had to show us a funny passage of the movie “Borat”. We actually ended up watching about half the movie before CS and I decided to go home. We had a fun evening, enjoyed meeting a fellow blogger and his lovely wife, and had a great time with all. After we arrived back home, we both were so tired that we just crashed into bed.
Monday, we took it easy. Just enjoying a quiet day with the two of us, reading blogs, listening to music and enjoying a glass of champagne. We had a fun filled weekend again, but tomorrow, a work week starts. When I think that I had to get up 4 am the next day to appear on time for a meeting in Germany that started at 8.30 am, pfewww. It was a toughy…
PS: As so as we get the pictures from Andreas, we'll update. Blogger won't let me upload more for the moment, so I'll try again later this evening or tomorrow.
We have been pretty busy socialising lately and it won’t stop throughout summer. Life is tough, you know. Last week, we took a few days off and drove to Austria to visit some friends, and this past weekend, we were home and close to home. We had a great time.
Suse and Andreas, our friends form the Bavarian region came over to visit us. After their arrival, early Saturday afternoon, we started with a nice welcome drink: a pink Moët. After the welcome drink, we took the tram to Basel and walked around to show Suze and Andreas a bit of Basel. We shortly discussed whether we should bring umbrellas or not, as the forecast for the afternoon was thunder showers. We decided to challenge faith and leave the umbrellas at home. A good decision as we were so lucky with the weather; we didn’t get a drop of rain all day! We got off at the tram stop “Bankverein” and walked down the Freiestrasse. Neither Suse nor Andreas had visited Basel before, so this was their first view of this nice town. The first acquaintance with Basel centre was a small shock. The first looks in the shop windows made a sound of disbelief escape from Suse’s mouth. Yes, she was shocked by the prices of articles displayed in the shop windows.
We continued our way down Freiestrasse towards the Marktplatz (Market place). Of course we had to show them “Globus”, a beautiful department store, with an excellent food department offering exclusive foods, spirits and wines. All their merchandise is displayed in such a nice way that it's amost impossible to just walk straight through. We continued our stroll up to the Münster cathedral to enjoy the view over the Rhine. Then we walked down the (many, many stairs to the quai to take one of the idyllic ferries across the Rhine to the other side of Basel. Note that this one (out of four) runs on the power of the current only. When we got off the ferry, a crossing of just a few minutes, we looked at the beautiful old houses nestled along the Rhine and decided to stop for a drink on the terrace of one of the many restaurant.
A bit later we continued our walk through the backstreets to arrive to the “Caveau”, a nice wine bar where we sat down for an afternoon aperitif. We enjoyed an excellent Merlot from Chile and had plate of different cold cuts and “Hobelkäse” (a very tasty, thinly cut cheese called Sbrinz). Andreas enjoyed the wine and the plate as he loves the “Bündnerfleisch” (a thinly cut dried salted beef). After the tasty aperitif, we walked over to the restaurant where we reserved for the evening dinner, the Atlantis. The restaurant is known for its cozy ambiance and superb kitchen. We all enjoyed our dinner accompanied by a nice bottle of Cabernet Syrah Penfolds BIN 389, one of my favourite Australian wines. Even Suse, who said “I’ll sick with water for now” couldn’t resist its lovely full taste. She even wrote down the name. I guess she’ll be on a specific wine hunt next time she’s shopping…
After dinner we took the tram back home and sat down in the garden to enjoy the nice evening weather. After a short while, Suse made herself immortal by feeding Dale his vitamin paste from the tube. Yup, she's been added to Dale’s “Tube Of Fame” guest list. I think Suse fell in love with our black feline. The ladies went to bed one after the other and Andreas and I enjoyed a last (2 or 3) drinks while chatting in the garden. Around 3 am we decided to get some sleep, too.The next morning, Dale amazed Andreas and Suse again with his almost human behaviour. The famous words “gutti-gutti” (“feeding time”) made him run in from the garden and up to the kitchen. After he was “served” his breakfast, we had ours. Suse wanted to feed Dale some of the yoghurt, but without success. I immediately knew what was wrong. You must know that Dale is brought up in a very good way and knows how to eat correctly. I took a spoon - don’t laugh - and scraped through the yoghurt cup to fill the spoon with the rests of yoghurt and presented it to Dale on the spoon. And, you might have guessed already, Dale calmly licked the yoghurt from the spoon until he was done. Another surprise for Suse. Yes, Dale is quite an amazing animal.
Around noon, Andreas and Suse decided to drive off as they had plans for the evening at home. Before they left, we planned our next visit to them to make sure it wouldn’t take that long until seeing each other again. So, we’ll be back in the Bavarian region at the beginning of August. We’re all looking forward to it. Their just such adorable, fun people. After we fixed the next date, we said our goodbyes and off they went.
That evening, we were invited at TBF’s. The special reason was that a fellow bloger Colon Blow (Mrs. TBF's brother) and Mrs. CB were visiting. We arrived at the TBF residence around 5 pm and as always, we were warmly welcomed by both TBF’s. For the first time we met Colon Blow and Mrs. CB in person, after we had only known each other via cyber space.
By the way CB, this reminds me, you should put up a few posts again. It’s been quite some time now :-) I know we’ve bugged you all evening with this, but a blog needs to be maintained, kept alive!
We went up to the roof in the “Fishbowl” for the a glass of wine. Mrs. TBF had again arranged for a nice appetizer consisting of king prawns, olives and bell peppers stuffed with olive and/or blue cheese. Delicious! I could feed on snacks like that all night. We chatted away while TBF showed his expertise on BBQ-ing once more. He made sure that the prepared meal was slowly cooked to the right point. He is a master of grilling. Once the meat was ready, we were kindly requested to come downstairs for dinner. We enjoyed an excellent dinner of stuffed turkey breast with Cranberry sauce and a mix of oven roasted veggies such as bell pepper, mini potatoes and mushrooms. A very tasty meal! After dinner, we sat outside on the balcony and at a certain moment heard the rain pouring down. Dessert was served on the balcony; Vanilla ice with strawberries macerated in grand marnier. Yummie!
All evening, as we were chatting away, Colon Blow at a certain moment was the involuntary victim of our harassment. He was “criticised” (again) for not posting on his blog for so long (last post: March 17th, 2007!!!); struggling at times with his new camera missing the fun shots because of being late with the right settings and switching off the flash which led to dark pictures. Poor guy! But he was a good sport and laughed along with us. Wanna take a look at his blog and read about his adventures in Switzerland? Just click here and read about his past few weeks with his sis and bro-in-law. But, give him a bit of time, though. They've only flown back on Wednesday.
At a certain moment, the wind got pretty strong and the rain was swept on the balcony so we decided to go inside. At that moment, TBF told CB and me that he had to show us a funny passage of the movie “Borat”. We actually ended up watching about half the movie before CS and I decided to go home. We had a fun evening, enjoyed meeting a fellow blogger and his lovely wife, and had a great time with all. After we arrived back home, we both were so tired that we just crashed into bed.
Monday, we took it easy. Just enjoying a quiet day with the two of us, reading blogs, listening to music and enjoying a glass of champagne. We had a fun filled weekend again, but tomorrow, a work week starts. When I think that I had to get up 4 am the next day to appear on time for a meeting in Germany that started at 8.30 am, pfewww. It was a toughy…
PS: As so as we get the pictures from Andreas, we'll update. Blogger won't let me upload more for the moment, so I'll try again later this evening or tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Austria 2007 - Part 2
Okay, guys. If you want to understand this trip, you'll have to read this one first (if you haven't, yet). Plus, Pinky has sent me new pictures that he too, that I have added to the link at the bottom of the previous post.
Teaser, indeed! We were laughing tears! We soon found out that the cook was a woman, which kind of explained everything. Obviously, something was missing in her life. The rest of the dinner was excellent, but we just couldn’t get over the free phallus-like appetizer.
I hesitated, but she assured me that it was better than the one I just had. Y'know what? She was right. I was really surprised. It was no match to the real thing, but pretty good. Around 1am, Orange got a little hungry and ordered a “Backstage Teller” (Backstage plate) that consists of Serrano Ham, sour pickles, olives, peppers filled with cream cheese, parmesan chunks and bread sticks. Mmmm.
At some point, we saw this guy at the bar drinking just a wee bit too much over his initial thirst and was taking a "bar snooze". All of a sudden, he got up and walked straight towards us.
Since we had been watching him for some time, we were a bit afraid that he might have felt offended. Or did he just want to have some conversation? So, he staggered towards us, took a seat right between Chris and Pinki, and fell back in a deep sleep within seconds. 
At 3.30 am, while "Kevin" and I were still chatting away as had we known each other for years (maybe we should share the adoption costs with Pinki and Andrea), OX started helping Pinki and Andrea clean up while a buddy of our sleeping beauty was trying to wake him up. Both of them finally stumbled out of the bar as 
they waved goodbyes to the staff - I think. Or were they just trying to catch their balance?? I guess we'll never know.
By the time we got out of the Backstage, it was somwhere around 4.30 am and when we got home, we had all passed our "tired phase", so we opted for a last nightcap that Pinki had brought from the bar. The weather was cool, but very nice and we all watched the sun rise cuddled up in a huge blanket. When we went to bed, it must have been something like 6.15 am. What a night!(...and we all remember it all very clearly)!
We were woken up by a call on OX's mobile phone the next (same!) day at 11.30. OX had set the alarm, but kept putting it on "snooze". It was Ernst, our next stop in Austria. We got up and showered, and OX went out to get coffee and fresh bread while I was getting ready. The weather was beautiful, but we knew that we had a bit of a drive before we reached our friends Ernst and Helga in Mattighofen, a small village about 40 km north of Salzburg.
Where was I?? Oh, yeah. So, the next day (Friday), we slept in and had a late breakfast. O-X and I decided to go for a bit of shopping in Wiener-Neustadt while the others preferred to stay home and watch a DVD before going out for dinner and another evening at the Backstage Bar. The weather was much better and except for some wind, it was quite sunny, but cool. We found a few very nice stores and came back with two full bags of new acquisitions that we tried to squeeze into our already overfilled suitcases (we were prepared for both hot and cool & rainy weather).
Shortly after we returned, the five of us drove to a really nice restaurant in close to the bar (I forget the name, but I’m sure Pinki can help me). As we were reading the card, the running gag started again and we checked if there were any kid’s menus available, usually known as Mickey Mouse/Pumukl and/or Donald Duck plates in Europe. We also kept calling Chris “Kevin” and as the waitress came to take our order, Chris said he wanted one of the aforementioned “kids’ dinners”. She laughed and then he gave her his “real” order. When they were pouring the wine, Chris asked if they needed to see his ID. Anyway, we laughed through the whole meal. The best scene, however, was when the waitress came to us carrying five small oval plates and said “a small (appetite) teaser with greetings from the kitchen” with a bit of cucumber salad decorated with a shrimp that looked like this.
Teaser, indeed! We were laughing tears! We soon found out that the cook was a woman, which kind of explained everything. Obviously, something was missing in her life. The rest of the dinner was excellent, but we just couldn’t get over the free phallus-like appetizer.Around 10pm, we headed back to the Backstage Bar. Since it was a long weekend and many had gone out of town, Pinki and Andrea weren’t expecting too much activity. I was still surprised at the number of people appearing and all in all, it was pretty well frequented, despite the long weekend. The music wasn’t too loud and the atmosphere was great. I can say with certainty that 90% of my readers would love it there. I ordered myself a sekt (bubbly) t
hat was okay, but a too acid for my taste. When Jackie, one of the wonderful barmaids that we lovingly call Esmeralda (from the Hunchback of Notre-Dame: see self-explanatory pict) came back to take our next order, I was not sure whether I should have another one of these sekts, so she proposed I try the prosecco in a can (yes, the one that Paris Hilton advertises).
hat was okay, but a too acid for my taste. When Jackie, one of the wonderful barmaids that we lovingly call Esmeralda (from the Hunchback of Notre-Dame: see self-explanatory pict) came back to take our next order, I was not sure whether I should have another one of these sekts, so she proposed I try the prosecco in a can (yes, the one that Paris Hilton advertises). 
I hesitated, but she assured me that it was better than the one I just had. Y'know what? She was right. I was really surprised. It was no match to the real thing, but pretty good. Around 1am, Orange got a little hungry and ordered a “Backstage Teller” (Backstage plate) that consists of Serrano Ham, sour pickles, olives, peppers filled with cream cheese, parmesan chunks and bread sticks. Mmmm.At some point, we saw this guy at the bar drinking just a wee bit too much over his initial thirst and was taking a "bar snooze". All of a sudden, he got up and walked straight towards us.
Since we had been watching him for some time, we were a bit afraid that he might have felt offended. Or did he just want to have some conversation? So, he staggered towards us, took a seat right between Chris and Pinki, and fell back in a deep sleep within seconds. Orange-X tried to see whether he was still ok, but decided to
try and blow some fresh air on his neck, but the sleep persisted. At some point, he was slowly but surely slipping to the side, and "Kevin" caught him just in time and put him back in a (more or less) vertaical posistion. Poor guy (the drunk, I mean). I have nothing agains going a bit over the limit once in a while when you're really having fun with friends, but I'm not sure the guy even had fun, and if he did (at some point), he's forgotten all about it. So sad.
try and blow some fresh air on his neck, but the sleep persisted. At some point, he was slowly but surely slipping to the side, and "Kevin" caught him just in time and put him back in a (more or less) vertaical posistion. Poor guy (the drunk, I mean). I have nothing agains going a bit over the limit once in a while when you're really having fun with friends, but I'm not sure the guy even had fun, and if he did (at some point), he's forgotten all about it. So sad.
At 3.30 am, while "Kevin" and I were still chatting away as had we known each other for years (maybe we should share the adoption costs with Pinki and Andrea), OX started helping Pinki and Andrea clean up while a buddy of our sleeping beauty was trying to wake him up. Both of them finally stumbled out of the bar as 
they waved goodbyes to the staff - I think. Or were they just trying to catch their balance?? I guess we'll never know.
By the time we got out of the Backstage, it was somwhere around 4.30 am and when we got home, we had all passed our "tired phase", so we opted for a last nightcap that Pinki had brought from the bar. The weather was cool, but very nice and we all watched the sun rise cuddled up in a huge blanket. When we went to bed, it must have been something like 6.15 am. What a night!(...and we all remember it all very clearly)!
We were woken up by a call on OX's mobile phone the next (same!) day at 11.30. OX had set the alarm, but kept putting it on "snooze". It was Ernst, our next stop in Austria. We got up and showered, and OX went out to get coffee and fresh bread while I was getting ready. The weather was beautiful, but we knew that we had a bit of a drive before we reached our friends Ernst and Helga in Mattighofen, a small village about 40 km north of Salzburg. Saying goodbye to Pinki, Andrea and Chris was harder than the last time we were there, but we're going back in August 9th to see Chris play live at the Backstage Bar. You can be sure that he will get our full attention, just as if he were playing only for us.
It took us londer than we had anticipated to get to Ernst's place, but the beauty of the scenery was well worth it. The weather was fabulous and contrast of the snow topped mountains while driving through thick green forests was breathtaking. We were warmly greeted by Helga and Ernst, and their dog, Jessie.We then spent a wonderful evening with Ernst and Helga with excellent home made regional dish and wines. After dinner, we went for a walk at a nearby creek where Jessie found a new friend. When we got back, Ernst decided to make a nice fire, so we all cuddled up in warm fleeces holding a delicious glass of red wine and talked until short ater midnight. It was really an idyllic and relaxing evening. We crashed into bed, tired but very happy, and woke up to a beatutiful, sun shiny day where breakfast and coffee were already waiting for us in the warm sun. Unfortunately, Ernst had to leave early to join in a town band where he was playing himself, and we said our goodbyes to him, but enjoyed a few more hours talking to Helga.
After a hearty breakfast, while I was relaxing getting myself a dose of light and scent therapy from Helga, Orange decided to take a refreshing dip in the pool and just enjoy the warmth of the sun rays penetrate his pores.
We had to get back home to our furry little friend, so we said our goodbyes to Helga and promised to come by again (August, maybe??). We definitely want to go back. They are such sweethearts.
You'll all "Part II" pictures here.
Was that a perfect little vacation, or what? Tomorrow, I'll be putting up Orange-X's post about last weekend.
PS: Our little camera is getting a bit too old, we think. Sorry for the few pitcs we took at Ernst and Helga's, but it just wouldn't work - most of the time, anyway. Even new batteries seem to get empty in the shortest of time. :(
Monday, May 28, 2007
Austria 2007- Part 1 - Trip to Bad, Bad Fischau
These last few weeks, our schedules have been so full that I’m having trouble focusing on what I’m going to write. Luckily, Orange-X has agreed to post about this weekend and I will take over our trip to Austria. I’ll try to keep it short, but you know me. I will most probably write two or three separate posts because of all we have experienced during our little vacation (not to mention keeping your interest). So this is part one of more to come.
As you may have read here, we had decided to drive off a day earlier and had booked a room at the Crowne Plaza Pitter in Salzburg. The roads were pretty busy, we had rain almost all along, and there was a lot of road construction on the way. It took us over 6 hours (instead of the usual 4 ½ to 5) to get to Salzburg. We found our hotel without too much trouble and checked-in. We had planned to do a bit of sight seeing and maybe find a cosy restaurant, but it was pouring rain and we finally decided to stay at the hotel. We opted to have dinner in the Hotel’s Pitter-Keller for some authentic Austrian comfort food. The portions were huge, and the food and service were great. After dinner, we went for a drink at the bar and then up to our room. Salzburg sight-seeing will have to wait until August, I guess.
Our next stop was Bad-Fischau – I love that name… Bad, bad Fischau!! - just outside Wiener-Neustadt. I was still raining cats and dogs, but nothing could stop us from seeing our good friends, Pinki and Andrea.
As you may have read here, we had decided to drive off a day earlier and had booked a room at the Crowne Plaza Pitter in Salzburg. The roads were pretty busy, we had rain almost all along, and there was a lot of road construction on the way. It took us over 6 hours (instead of the usual 4 ½ to 5) to get to Salzburg. We found our hotel without too much trouble and checked-in. We had planned to do a bit of sight seeing and maybe find a cosy restaurant, but it was pouring rain and we finally decided to stay at the hotel. We opted to have dinner in the Hotel’s Pitter-Keller for some authentic Austrian comfort food. The portions were huge, and the food and service were great. After dinner, we went for a drink at the bar and then up to our room. Salzburg sight-seeing will have to wait until August, I guess.
Our next stop was Bad-Fischau – I love that name… Bad, bad Fischau!! - just outside Wiener-Neustadt. I was still raining cats and dogs, but nothing could stop us from seeing our good friends, Pinki and Andrea.
After a warm welcome and settling in, we drove off to open up Pinki’s “Backstage Bar" and prepared for the evening. We went to a local restaurant for a quick dinner and then rushed back to the Backstage. The live band, “Laura and the Comrats”, was stuck in the Ascension Day traffic and was running late.
They finally arrived half an hour before the opening and still had to set up and do a sound check. 
At 8pm, the band was ready, the doors to the Backstage Bar opened and the guests were let in. The first part of the show was a bit slow, if you ask us, but Laura picked-up in the second half and the overall ambiance improved (or was it just us??).
It was a fun evening and we had a great time chatting and laughing with some acquaintances we had made during our previous visits to Bad-Fischau.
The second day was a bit more relaxed, especially since Pinki and Andrea were off, so we decided to go out for dinner at a lovely restaurant called the Triad. Ever hear the expression the more the merrier? We all agreed that it would be fun to ask Birgit and Gerhard (Pinki’s sister and bro-in-law) to join us.
Then Pinki arranged for a lovely surprise: Christoph Schellhorn (remember, the musical wonder from this post?) was to come over and spend the next two days with us since he was in the area and had no gigs planned. Yay! Both Orange and I really liked him the first time we met so it was a thrill for us to see him again. I must add that since last summer, a deep friendship has developed between Chris, Pinki and Andrea. They call him “their adoptive son”. We have now also given him a new nickname (Kevin), but I’ll tell you all about that later.
We drove off for the restaurant and met Gerhard and Birgit on the way so that they could follow us in their car. The Triad is a beautiful old farmhouse, nestled in a striking Austrian countryside landscape and offers fine dining, a driving range and holidays on the farm. We had a wonderful dinner there in an almost perfect atmosphere… The table next to us had brought a hoard of young children (approx. 3-5 years old) with them. Don’t get me wrong here, we like kids, but when they are well behaved, and this kind of restaurant is definitely not a playground. Actually, it’s the parents that we were pissed off about. They did not say a word as the five kids were racing through the dining room, sometimes hitting each other, screeching, crying, and bumping into tables and chairs, aaargh! This is just not the “big golden M” type of restaurant. Ok, I don’t want to get carried away here, so I’ll leave it a that and I think you get my point that it is not only annoying, but can also be dangerous for the kids, guests and the service personnel.
After they left, however, we started making jokes and thinking up silly situation with kids and restaurants, and that’s where “Kevin” came into the picture. Chris being the youngest among us at age 24 and the fact that Pinki had made a few remarks about adopting his “protégé”, we started talking of the movie “Kevin: Home Alone”. That’s how it all got started and became a running gag throughout our stay.
We left the restaurant and got home around 11.30pm. While Pinki opened a bottle of wine, I returned from the bathroom with… guess what… Yes, Chris’ guitar. I swear that on my way out of the bathroom, the case magically opened and the guitar just flew right to me. Really! All right then, it wasn’t quite like that, but I could have sworn that it was moaning and begging for Chris to play it. So, seconds after I had handed Chris (alias Kevin) his guitar, his fingers started tickling the strings and a wide smile spread all over his face. He is not only an awesome guitar player, but as I have mentioned in earlier posts, it’s as if he and the instrument melt into one entity, one soul. It’s pure serenity and well being: it’s written all over his face and you can hear it through every song he plays, which makes it not only a delight to hear him, but also to watch him. He played for us (and himself) until the wee morning hours and we got our own concert once again. Maybe this picture will give you an idea of what I mean.
We'll update soon, guys, but for now, you'll find more picts of part 1 here and hopefully, Pinki will send me his photos soon.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Returned from Austria
Just a short note to let you know that I'll be doing my best to catch up on my blogroll again. The 5-6 days we spent in Austria were just awsome! After 7 hours of driving back including all the traffic jams and road constructions on the way - which we knew we'd have - we got home at 9 pm last night. Then we enjoyed a last dring in our garden.
This coming weekend, Andreas and Suze, friends of ours from the Unterallgäu (south of Munich) will be coming over for the weekend and on Sunday evening, we'll be meeting Mr. and Mrs. TBF for dinner where we also will have the chance to meet fellow bloggers from the USA!! Another fun-filled weekend.
Stay tuned. I'll try to post as soon as possible, but for now, it's back to work.
This coming weekend, Andreas and Suze, friends of ours from the Unterallgäu (south of Munich) will be coming over for the weekend and on Sunday evening, we'll be meeting Mr. and Mrs. TBF for dinner where we also will have the chance to meet fellow bloggers from the USA!! Another fun-filled weekend.
Stay tuned. I'll try to post as soon as possible, but for now, it's back to work.
Monday, May 14, 2007
First things first
I've been lazy and busy lately. When it wasn't the one, it was the other. Orange-X hasn't had a full weekend in weeks, so we've kept the Sundays for ourselves. Selfish, eh? ;) I didn't post on Mother's day, but I have had a lot of contact with my Mom this week - yes, of course I also called her on Mother's Day ;)
I am happy to report that CS Mom is doing very well again. Last Monday, she had her corset and head stabilization removed - after 3 months!! - and has no more pain. She is free!!! How important is freedom, you ask? You stay put for three months in a "bullet proof vest" (that's what she called it) and head harness, having to ask friends and neighbours to take you to the doctor's, bring you some coffee, etc.
She's as happy and excited as a four year old at Christmas! She called me 3 times this week just to tell me how relieved she was and explaining step by step that she had now driven to the corner store all by herself, had no dizzy spells, she slept through a whole night, showered for the first time, washed her hair on her own, cooked herself a meal and was hungry again. The list goes on.
She's been such a good sport about it and was always in a good mood. I'm just happy to have her well again and I am so proud of her! She's one helluva woman.We too often take things for granted. Our life and that of our loved ones hangs on a silk thread. ALWAYS. We never know what can happen and we should never forget that. Life is a gift. Live it.
I love you, Mom! Thank you for giving me life. I hope you had a fun time with *Carl and the kids on Mother's Day.
*my brother
I am happy to report that CS Mom is doing very well again. Last Monday, she had her corset and head stabilization removed - after 3 months!! - and has no more pain. She is free!!! How important is freedom, you ask? You stay put for three months in a "bullet proof vest" (that's what she called it) and head harness, having to ask friends and neighbours to take you to the doctor's, bring you some coffee, etc.
She's as happy and excited as a four year old at Christmas! She called me 3 times this week just to tell me how relieved she was and explaining step by step that she had now driven to the corner store all by herself, had no dizzy spells, she slept through a whole night, showered for the first time, washed her hair on her own, cooked herself a meal and was hungry again. The list goes on.
She's been such a good sport about it and was always in a good mood. I'm just happy to have her well again and I am so proud of her! She's one helluva woman.We too often take things for granted. Our life and that of our loved ones hangs on a silk thread. ALWAYS. We never know what can happen and we should never forget that. Life is a gift. Live it.
I love you, Mom! Thank you for giving me life. I hope you had a fun time with *Carl and the kids on Mother's Day.
*my brother
To Pinki we will go...
... and we can hardly wait! Off to Wiener Neustadt!
Although the weather is really crappy right now (it rained all day), I'm all excited about seeing our Austrian friends, *Pinki and Andrea, again. We had planned on leaving early on Wednesday morning, but we've now been thinking of maybe leaving tomorrow aroung noon and staying at one of these romantic little Inns around Salzburg (my idea - *wink wink*). After all, it is an 8 hour drive to Pinki's. It also looks as if the weather would get better and we should be blessed with a few sunny days.
You may remember that Pinki opened up the Backstage Bar just last year in September. The decor is a beautiful mix of modern design and old arched ceilings; the music is easy jazz, funk, soul, groove, “chill out” style. During our last visit, they were rennovating the place, so it was still quite a mess. On Wednesday evening, we will have the pleasure to be there. Yeah! We will be hearing LAURA & THE COMRATS, a young folksblues group from Vienna. From Pinki's description, Laura's voice really goes under your skin, a touch of melancholy, soft and inviting. Knowing Pinki's taste for music, I'm sure it's going to be a great evening - one of many, of course.
On our drive back through Austria, we'll visit other friends of ours, Ernst and Helga, who were also at Pinki's summer party last year. I'm sure that will be fun, too. And it will surely take me a good half hour to get used to Ernst's regional dialect again.
This is going to be such a great 6 days!
*See archives January 2006 and August 2007 and scroll through!!
Although the weather is really crappy right now (it rained all day), I'm all excited about seeing our Austrian friends, *Pinki and Andrea, again. We had planned on leaving early on Wednesday morning, but we've now been thinking of maybe leaving tomorrow aroung noon and staying at one of these romantic little Inns around Salzburg (my idea - *wink wink*). After all, it is an 8 hour drive to Pinki's. It also looks as if the weather would get better and we should be blessed with a few sunny days.
You may remember that Pinki opened up the Backstage Bar just last year in September. The decor is a beautiful mix of modern design and old arched ceilings; the music is easy jazz, funk, soul, groove, “chill out” style. During our last visit, they were rennovating the place, so it was still quite a mess. On Wednesday evening, we will have the pleasure to be there. Yeah! We will be hearing LAURA & THE COMRATS, a young folksblues group from Vienna. From Pinki's description, Laura's voice really goes under your skin, a touch of melancholy, soft and inviting. Knowing Pinki's taste for music, I'm sure it's going to be a great evening - one of many, of course.
On our drive back through Austria, we'll visit other friends of ours, Ernst and Helga, who were also at Pinki's summer party last year. I'm sure that will be fun, too. And it will surely take me a good half hour to get used to Ernst's regional dialect again.
This is going to be such a great 6 days!
*See archives January 2006 and August 2007 and scroll through!!
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Good times coming up
If I look back these past few years, the "social season" for us usually start as soon as the days get longer, sunnier and warmer. I find it so much more fun to entertain outdoors. I've always been a fan of picnics of all sorts, from eating simple sandwiches and potato salad on a blanket to the more exotic foods and wines at a nicely decorated table on the patio. I get some kind of a vacation feeling.
We also enjoy planning short trips during the "season". March/April to June is usually a very good time in Europe because of all the long weekends we enjoy. It starts with Fasnacht (Basel Carnival), followed by Good Friday and Easter Monday, then May 1st (Labour Day), Ascension Day and Whit Monday. Depending on the canton, you'll have a few more after that.
We'll be pretty busy socializing these coming weeks (and you all know how much we love that). Here's a short preview of the coming weeks. We have planned a 5 day trip to Austria the week after next to visit our friends Pinki and Andrea, we'll be meeting up with a U.S. fellow blogger on May 27th (I'm not revealing who, just yet), just before that, Andreas and Suzanne will come from Bavaria to visit us in Basel, a trip to Amsterdam the first weekend of June - where we'll miss meeting up with Ginnie by ONE day! - and then Brenda and Harry will come over for a weekend mid-June.
I don't know what's after that yet, but I'm sure that the good times will not stop there.
Stay tuned and have a great week.
We also enjoy planning short trips during the "season". March/April to June is usually a very good time in Europe because of all the long weekends we enjoy. It starts with Fasnacht (Basel Carnival), followed by Good Friday and Easter Monday, then May 1st (Labour Day), Ascension Day and Whit Monday. Depending on the canton, you'll have a few more after that.
We'll be pretty busy socializing these coming weeks (and you all know how much we love that). Here's a short preview of the coming weeks. We have planned a 5 day trip to Austria the week after next to visit our friends Pinki and Andrea, we'll be meeting up with a U.S. fellow blogger on May 27th (I'm not revealing who, just yet), just before that, Andreas and Suzanne will come from Bavaria to visit us in Basel, a trip to Amsterdam the first weekend of June - where we'll miss meeting up with Ginnie by ONE day! - and then Brenda and Harry will come over for a weekend mid-June.
I don't know what's after that yet, but I'm sure that the good times will not stop there.
Stay tuned and have a great week.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Alie's annual BBQ - 2007
This is going to be a long post, folks, so bare with me... or not ;)
Yesterday, we were invited to the annual "Alie's Barbecue". Every year, Andy and Di, Alie's parents, organise a barbecue up on a nearby ridge to celebrate her birthday. Because of the unusually hot April and lack of rain, it was forbidden to grill in wooded areas. So, Andy and Di decided to go over to plan B. We got to their place early to give them a hand (a few meters walking distance) and found Mr. and Mrs. TBF there already. After a bit of chit-chat, our tasks were assigned. Orange-X would drive up with Andy to unload two car loads of drinks and cold foods and he would then stay there to stand guard.
TBF was the "Grill Doctor" or “ Dr. Weber”, armed of course with tongs and welding gloves. Mrs. TBF and I were the “BBQ-nurse” and “BBQ-trainee nurse” (also apparently called “candy girl” because of the red/white striped uniforms they wear) were responsible for feeding the two grills with a new load of sausages or carrying the perfectly cooked ones to the kitchen oven to keep warm until all were done. TBF mentioned something about a French maid’s outfit, but both Mrs. TBF and I agreed that it was not the proper attire for a BBQ. If you look carefully at the photo, you might see the sweat pearling on his forehead and his soaked bandana. Men at work??
Now to the high-tech part. TBF actually has a pair of very special flip-flops… with built-in bottle opener. That’s right! I know that in North-America, most beer bottles have twist tops, but many European beers still use the standard caps on beer. See? It works.
The kids had a blast too. They were playing, eating, laughing, playing again, and at some point, they decided it was too hot and started to dig out the melted ice from the coolers with the plastic cups and showering each other with it. Mrs. TBF and I were there just in time to rescue the wobbling bottles of precious wine that was still on the picnic table. We asked the kids to take out whatever bottles were left in the cooler and move to a “safer spot” with the cooler. So they continued their splashing game further away from the adults (read: so that we could act like kids without them noticing). We could very well hear the kids screaming and giggling and throwing water at each other, but then the sound came closer. The “unarmed kids” were running towards the "adult safety zone". Well, so much for the safety zone. Somehow, Sam, Di and Andy's son, was running beside a little girl and probably bumped into her. She was holding on to one of these cups filled with ice cold water. Untill... Sam accidentally bumped into her. And the cold water, you ask? You guessed it. (Drum roll) It landed right ON MY BUTT!
A shiver rand down my spine and I started laughing. The little girl felt really bad about it and apologized. I told her that it was ok. It's just water, but now she had to pose with me. Pay your dues, right? There she is. Caught 'ya!
Here are a few random pictures to keep you busy. I’m still wondering if Di was camera shy this year. She somehow she escaped all of our photos.
Short after that incident, the kids were sent to bed and we left about half an hour after that. I went to bed and O-X came up shortly after because he had to get up at 4.30 to go to Chiasso/TI. Unfortunately, he got a fever during the night and cold sweats (NO. It wasn’t because of me – well, not this time). The next day, his legs were itching and driving him nuts. There we have the second casualty of the game. He had this before when playing in the soccer field with Sam and he must react VERY badly to some kind of plant in that field.
Anyway, that’s the end of a very fun evening with only a few minor incidents, except for John: I hope that he’s doing better.
Have a great week.
Yesterday, we were invited to the annual "Alie's Barbecue". Every year, Andy and Di, Alie's parents, organise a barbecue up on a nearby ridge to celebrate her birthday. Because of the unusually hot April and lack of rain, it was forbidden to grill in wooded areas. So, Andy and Di decided to go over to plan B. We got to their place early to give them a hand (a few meters walking distance) and found Mr. and Mrs. TBF there already. After a bit of chit-chat, our tasks were assigned. Orange-X would drive up with Andy to unload two car loads of drinks and cold foods and he would then stay there to stand guard.
TBF was the "Grill Doctor" or “ Dr. Weber”, armed of course with tongs and welding gloves. Mrs. TBF and I were the “BBQ-nurse” and “BBQ-trainee nurse” (also apparently called “candy girl” because of the red/white striped uniforms they wear) were responsible for feeding the two grills with a new load of sausages or carrying the perfectly cooked ones to the kitchen oven to keep warm until all were done. TBF mentioned something about a French maid’s outfit, but both Mrs. TBF and I agreed that it was not the proper attire for a BBQ. If you look carefully at the photo, you might see the sweat pearling on his forehead and his soaked bandana. Men at work??Di had walked up to the ridge with a first group and Andy was keeping busy either accompanying the next bunch up, or then bringing new pans of sausage to grill, and making sure our glasses were filled. It was a very warm day and standing by the two Weber grills brought TBF to a sweat so that every beer he drank just seemed to evaporate through his pores. Once all sausages were done, we carried the food to the car. Just as we were loading-up, the first drops of rain came down, but only for a few minutes. The sun poked through soon after we had reached the ridge and from then on, the weather was perfect.
We knew quite a few faces already such as Rammy and John, Rita and Eric, Wendy and Alan, and Markus and Nicole, but many were new and it was fun to get to meet them all. You guys must be wondering (from my last post) where the belly buttons come in, right? I think this is what I meant by “the big kids”. Don’t ask me how or who started talking about it, but in no time, our little group started comparing belly buttons. You’ll notice that TBF took the picture because of the angle. Only the hairy belly (OX’s – of course, pushing it out for a better view) is more or less in the right focus because of his height.
We knew quite a few faces already such as Rammy and John, Rita and Eric, Wendy and Alan, and Markus and Nicole, but many were new and it was fun to get to meet them all. You guys must be wondering (from my last post) where the belly buttons come in, right? I think this is what I meant by “the big kids”. Don’t ask me how or who started talking about it, but in no time, our little group started comparing belly buttons. You’ll notice that TBF took the picture because of the angle. Only the hairy belly (OX’s – of course, pushing it out for a better view) is more or less in the right focus because of his height.
Now to the high-tech part. TBF actually has a pair of very special flip-flops… with built-in bottle opener. That’s right! I know that in North-America, most beer bottles have twist tops, but many European beers still use the standard caps on beer. See? It works.
The kids had a blast too. They were playing, eating, laughing, playing again, and at some point, they decided it was too hot and started to dig out the melted ice from the coolers with the plastic cups and showering each other with it. Mrs. TBF and I were there just in time to rescue the wobbling bottles of precious wine that was still on the picnic table. We asked the kids to take out whatever bottles were left in the cooler and move to a “safer spot” with the cooler. So they continued their splashing game further away from the adults (read: so that we could act like kids without them noticing). We could very well hear the kids screaming and giggling and throwing water at each other, but then the sound came closer. The “unarmed kids” were running towards the "adult safety zone". Well, so much for the safety zone. Somehow, Sam, Di and Andy's son, was running beside a little girl and probably bumped into her. She was holding on to one of these cups filled with ice cold water. Untill... Sam accidentally bumped into her. And the cold water, you ask? You guessed it. (Drum roll) It landed right ON MY BUTT!
A shiver rand down my spine and I started laughing. The little girl felt really bad about it and apologized. I told her that it was ok. It's just water, but now she had to pose with me. Pay your dues, right? There she is. Caught 'ya!Here are a few random pictures to keep you busy. I’m still wondering if Di was camera shy this year. She somehow she escaped all of our photos.
The girls
Alan
Rammy, Mrs. TBF and Henry
Andy
Anyway, around 7.30pm, this guy (a community official) came over to tell us that it was “Fahrverbot” (no “driving” motorized vehicles allowed). I tried to tell him that the only cars up there were to carry the stuff up and down again (of course, I stretched the truth a bit, but most of them were). I don’t know what his problem was, but he wouldn’t listen to what I said and just kept repeating: “Hier ist Farhverbot.” But, hey, no was driving at that point and the engines were not running. So we cleaned up and drove to Di and Andy’s for a few more drinks. Note: we were really good adults that evening. Really. No abuse.
Five of our “men” – now here comes the part where the adults never grow up – decided to play a round of soccer (football for the Europeans) with the 13 (!!) kids. They had fun, but…. After about an hour, we already had the first “casualty”. John had been fouled – that’s his version of it, anyway ;) - by an 11 (?) year old. He came in limping, and I do believe that it was quite painful. His ankle was already being promoted to the size of a baseball. Di immediately got an elastic bandage and ice packs. I bandaged his foot – I have discovered a new talent... probably from all my sports injuries - , but I think this one was more meant for children’s wrists than constantly swelling adult’s ankle. I ran home to get a longer bandage, but I just couldn’t find it. Damn. Always when you really need it, it disappears. So I came back with a lot of gauze and tape to at least give him some support. OX did the bandaging this time (HA! Always good to have an (ex-) physiotherapist in the house). Very professional.
Short after that incident, the kids were sent to bed and we left about half an hour after that. I went to bed and O-X came up shortly after because he had to get up at 4.30 to go to Chiasso/TI. Unfortunately, he got a fever during the night and cold sweats (NO. It wasn’t because of me – well, not this time). The next day, his legs were itching and driving him nuts. There we have the second casualty of the game. He had this before when playing in the soccer field with Sam and he must react VERY badly to some kind of plant in that field.
Anyway, that’s the end of a very fun evening with only a few minor incidents, except for John: I hope that he’s doing better.
Have a great week.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Ahhhh.... Bless the long weekends!
Well, another week has gone by and we're still enjoying this great weather. Before I really get going, I'd like to come back to my last post. This is what the Marigolds look like a week later. They seem to be enjoying the warm temperatures as much as we do. Look how they've grown!!!
To add to the pleasure of wearing summer clothing for the past 4-5 weeks, I have the luck of being off today, since tomorrow is a public holiday (Labour Day) and my new company makes a bridge. Four glorious days off! Unfortunately, O-X had to get up at 4:30am this morning to drive all the way down to the south of Tessin for a presentation.
On Friday after work, I had the pleasure of getting together for a quick drink with Brian*, one of my former bosses, who was in Basel on business. Even better, his wife Sonja had accompanied him on this trip. I hadn't seen her in about 10 years. And she hasn't changed a single bit. Still as pretty and radiant as ever. I have to have a girls talk with her and find out what her secret is. Anyhoo. We chatted for a good hour and a half -what had seemed like only 20 minutes - and I left them to go back home while they were on the leap to go out for dinner with a few customers who had decided to stay an extra night. It was really great to see them again.
Saturday was our relaaaaaxxxxx day. Orange-X had been driving around Switzerland and Germany all week and I had been suffering from a very painful stiff neck since Friday morning, so we were more than happy to just lazily enjoy the sun in our small back yard and grill some meat for dinner. Very cosy - except for the painful neck, of course!
Yesterday, we were invited to a BBQ, but I'll do a separate post about it. You'll read about little kids, big kids, belly buttons and adults that will just never grow up.
I'm off tomorrow, so I'll post it then. Right now, I have to get dinner ready. My godson is coming over for a BBQ!
*He knows he should update his blog.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Another sunny weekend!
The weather has been absolutely incredible here for the past two weeks. Temps have been ranging from 18°C (65°F) to the 27+°C (mid-80’s F). We’ve been really lucky up to now. It does have its downside to it, though. While we enjoy this great weather BBQ-ing and sipping a cool beer on the terrace, nature is suffering because of lack of rain. There has already been a forest fire alert. Even a total ban on lighting open fires in certain cantons has been announced. You can read about it here.
I wonder if it’s going to be like the summer of 2003, or if we will at some point get a really crappy month with cool temps and rain. I remember shutting down the heating in March 2003 and switching it back on only mid-November!! Now THAT was a real hot summer!
Anyway, global warming has its plusses for us greedy sun freaks, although I am aware of nature as well. If only it could rain from 2am until 6 am and then, sunny, warm weather. Now, THAT would make me perfectly happy!
BUT… Since I can’t control the weather, for now I will just enjoy the sun, sip on my cold rosé and prepare a nice marinade for the meat that will slowly cook on our grill this evening.
On another note, TBFs will be happy to hear that the special Marygolds we got from them as a gift last year (apparently, not known in Switzerland) are blooming again. Well, not exactly. We picked the seeds from the dried pods and planted them again. Not only are they growing in our flower pot, but also Ma made sure she got a few. Now, they're growing in Switzerland AND in Holland. Last week, her's had already reached 35 cm (12 inches) while ours are only about an inch high (we were late). Will they replace the tulips at some point? Maybe not, but who knows?
And today....
I'm off to absorb some sun rays. I hope that everyone out there is having a fantastic weekend.
I wonder if it’s going to be like the summer of 2003, or if we will at some point get a really crappy month with cool temps and rain. I remember shutting down the heating in March 2003 and switching it back on only mid-November!! Now THAT was a real hot summer!
Anyway, global warming has its plusses for us greedy sun freaks, although I am aware of nature as well. If only it could rain from 2am until 6 am and then, sunny, warm weather. Now, THAT would make me perfectly happy!
BUT… Since I can’t control the weather, for now I will just enjoy the sun, sip on my cold rosé and prepare a nice marinade for the meat that will slowly cook on our grill this evening.
On another note, TBFs will be happy to hear that the special Marygolds we got from them as a gift last year (apparently, not known in Switzerland) are blooming again. Well, not exactly. We picked the seeds from the dried pods and planted them again. Not only are they growing in our flower pot, but also Ma made sure she got a few. Now, they're growing in Switzerland AND in Holland. Last week, her's had already reached 35 cm (12 inches) while ours are only about an inch high (we were late). Will they replace the tulips at some point? Maybe not, but who knows?
This is what they looked like last year. Aren't they lovely?
And today....
I'm off to absorb some sun rays. I hope that everyone out there is having a fantastic weekend.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Now that's a cool cat!
Today, I wonder why CS and Orange never learned to play the piano. I would have been much easier than the guitar or the flute! Who knows, they might have even called me Mozart... *cat sigh*
Meet Nora*, a very talented and very cute feline. I wonder if female cats are also attracted by "salt and pepper" coats (humans, read "hair")
* Thanks to my very dear friend, Michelle, who sent CS this video in the first place.
Meet Nora*, a very talented and very cute feline. I wonder if female cats are also attracted by "salt and pepper" coats (humans, read "hair")
* Thanks to my very dear friend, Michelle, who sent CS this video in the first place.
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