Do you have Agerasia?

I hope I do!

Ah, nothing like broadening one’s knowledge of vocabulary. It sounds kind of like a disease, but if so, I sincerely hope that I have it. Agerasia that is.

Today’s A-Word-A-Day (https://wordsmith.org/awad/ do join), is obviously no longer widely used nor even known. However it did have its’ origins way back in the early 1700s and is something that we all aspire to: not looking our age as in looking younger than one’s age. They also included a handy way of finding out if one qualifies: (calculate it) I qualify, but could lower it even more if I would eat more fruit and be a vegetarian.

Enjoy and I hope that you have it as well!

Always good for the morale on what has turned out to be a very gray and dreary day on the climate front. And a Monday at that.  Good thing my weekend was lovely!

Two packages of chips, or

A vegan lunch on a German train!

OK so by now I should know better and mostly I always have some chocolate and some nuts with me – as I did this time. However, I also had memories of wonderful lunches in the German trains and as they had posted the fact that there was a restaurant car, we decided to “dine at leisure” and didn’t buy anything during the changeover in Basel.

Big mistake!

First of all, they had a reduced menu card – due to “technical” reasons – now that just about covers everything doesn’t it. There were two vegetarian options, ie cheese sandwiches that came straight out of plastic to be re-heated on their small grill and the same with vegetables. For my son, who is vegan, there was literally nothing, if one discounts the potato chips. He had two and as he is big I am sure that his stomach was rumbling the rest of the ride.

Fortunately that night we were going out with a couple of the nephews. Pickings for vegans were slim – and according to him – not that tasty. Still he could get food.

This is where the older me says “oh for the good ‘ol days”. 

Sunday decadence

It was an extraordinary Sunday, first of all in that I was actually at home and had no meetings, coffees, lunches nor social events planned.

I caught up on the wash; took pictures of the whole house (just another of those projects of which I seem to have a never-ending supply); went next door and caught up with the neighbors. I also actually had breakfast and lunch at home (rather unheard of in my current life) then did decide that we all deserved a treat so headed up to the local bakery and bought “goodies”.

My former housemate and her husband are currently here as their place was flooded in the major storm we had in July – good enough excuse for me!

I divvied everything up into threes, made my coffee and had it outside on my terrace, all the while reading one of my out-of-date magazines so that I can pass it on later this week.

The sweets were truly decadent! It was a very good Sunday indeed.

choclatemousse + St. Honoré

Apple pie

My share of the three goodies

“Wake up sleepy Sally…”

This morning I woke up first too early/late for that night trip to the bathroom, which lead to my abrupt awakening at 7:40 (rather unheard of for me, but as I had no morning appointments I hadn’t turned on the alarm) and a bit of morning sluggishness, normally not me at all.

As I stumbled half-awake down the stairs towards the kitchen and a ritual of honey, lemon juice and warm water, the old song “wake up sleepy Sally” ran through me head.

Why do these bits and pieces of old songs or phrases come to the fore of our minds?

What triggers them? Why do we even still have them in our memory banks? OK so it turns out it was “Wake up little Susie” by the Everly Brothers and not what my mind produced. Or was it “Wake up sleepy Jean” by the Monkees?  Susie???? Who knows – the mind is a wondrous thing.

I was only 20 minutes late for my coffee. And I did finally “wake up” , regardless of Sally or Jean.

my sleepy cats

I’ve lost the knack….

For plane travel.

Due to I don’t-know-what I realized halfway through 2018 that I had not taken any flights – so decided to make it a no-fly year. Worked out just fine and this year was set to be the same until a friend’s youngest son and his wife (civil wedding last year) maintained their church wedding in Portugal.  Due to lack of time and the distances involved - a road trip would have been at least 15 hours under the best of circumstance – for a longer trip I booked my flight way back in March. For the privilege of coming back on a Sunday I coughed up serious money on a line that is known for its cheap rates. Still worth it to be there, but to not have to take two weeks.

At the last minute whilst checking in, I noticed that they had what they call a “hands free” option available so purchased that on the outgoing flight. This meant that I simply dropped off my cabin luggage in a priority lane and was free to wander the airport without having to drag it along and open up everything going through security. A big bonus was being able to still take out my usual larger hand sack so that I had reading material, my small purse, etc. A very good deal in my eyes.

That worked wonderfully well. I did not purchase it however for the return trip and for the first time in my life actually ended up leaving something in the security check bins. Actually two things: shortly after leaving security with my luggage I realized that my cell phone was not in my pocket – yikes I had thrown it in the bin at the last minute knowing that they would make me go back if I didn’t and totally forgot to take it out (probably under my purse at that point and I was wrapped up in the wonder of a bin line that not only had separate slots for every bin, but also had an automatic stacking process at both ends. No more bins piling up, running into each other and the like).  Big “oops” moment that.

I immediately back-tracked and enquired of the custom’s official on that line – ouf – he had seen it and taken it out of the bin before it went under the counter. All I had to do was open it, put in the pin code to prove it was mine – and it was – mine again that is.

I walked away only to realize the first time I saw my reflection in a mirror that I had also left a scarf. Sigh. Just not used to plane travel any more. Still the loss might have been much greater and I can chalk this lack of attention up to three late nights with more food in three days than I would normally eat in a month.

Great friends, great wedding, more than enough partying.

I’ll excuse myself for the lack of the traveling knack this time.

My camera has seen better days... still didn't want to loose it.

Onions and art

Many people dislike onions, they are praised for “catching” germs, they are dammed for causing food poisoning; someone always has an opinion on onions.

I personally love onions, but do tend to use more the white and purple varieties as although still flavoursome, cause less gastric upsets.

However, I have rarely seen anything quite as beautiful is this slide show – link below.

I wish that I could give credit to the artist, but was unable to find any information. Enjoy

Then by dint of several searches I was able to locate the original - always glad to recognize talent!

www.diaporamas-carmine.com/wp-content/uploads/.../Lart-aux-petits-oignons.pps

If for some reason you are unable to open this link you can search for it

doing the following

"aux-petits_oignons" filetype:ppt

Hanging raindrops out to dry.

As we have had such warm weather this summer, one day I got out the old clothesline out to air dry our wash. Although I absolutely abhor stiff towels, most anything else is just fine. Talk about a trip back to childhood – the smell of sun-dried clothes will do it every time. As a child, I hated having to help pin and take in the wash so have mostly avoided it as an adult, but special circumstances and the thought of saving electricity had me re-thinking former dislikes.

Yesterday I had washed the tablecloths and put them out to dry. Fortunately the last thing – in the dark – I remembered to take them off as it poured during the night.

The result was very artistic I thought thus my sharing with you:

Raindrops hung out to dry.

August 1st: Number 15 and

Changing traditions.

For various reasons, not the least of which was the fear of another heatwave, never mind the lack of energy this summer due to the ups and downs in the weather, I decided not to have the annual 1^st of August gathering at my home.

I did tell a few of the regulars that I ran into that I wasn’t going to, but there may be others who think that they have not been invited. I apologize.

With the “coming of age” last year, priorities (ok energy levels as well) have changed.  I have also become a grandmother and – surprise – everything everyone ever said about that state is true: love, love, love! It is one of the purest and truest of loves.

So, instead of having all my friends (Hmmm, perhaps a fall or winter party when I can be sure of cooler temperatures!) I simply decided to have the “N°.15 ers”, ie family and family-who-have-lived-here over the years.

Former housemates, current housemate, the younger son who is back living here for a few months, the older son who moved on at age 19, and two VERY WELCOME additions who will, I hope, eventually live here, that is my daughter-in-law and my grandson.

It was the baby’s first night outing as well; I am blessed to have been chosen. He fussed, but that was to be expected and at least now they have finally proven to me that he can as every time I have seen him so far he has started out crying, but stopped the minute I picked him up. But after his two-month visit to the paediatrician, a visit to the physical therapist yesterday then being drug across town in major traffic, I empathize. My “guests” had to fill up on chips and my younger son’s more-than-delicious guacamole whilst I cuddled and walked the baby in the attempt to soothe his pains and allow his parents a few minutes to bond with family and enjoy some moments without worrying (ok been there and so remember all the parties in which I only half participated – an eye and a thought are always on one’s child).

Once the burgers were finally on the grill and part of the way-too-much meal was eaten, the parents and baby were back on the road. The rest of us gathered in the living room and enjoyed champagne and dessert – one of the most decadent chocolate cakes I have ever had the pleasure of eating!

It was the best of celebrations.

Especially as today is the Swiss National Holiday and I could sleep in, clean up leisurely, eat breakfast in the most wonderful of environments and will later celebrate that in my village.

A new tradition begins at N° 15.

My social club….

The local grocery store.

I kid you not: today has to be some kind of a record. I went for a coffee as I needed to go to both the pharmacy and pick up some groceries. The coffee shop up on the upper floor by the post office and pharmacy serves good coffee and I was headed that way when I bumped into a neighbour and mother of a son with whom my youngest went to elementary school!

Hadn’t seen anyone in that family for years so surprise number one that we even recognized each other. Caught up briefly and exchanged telephone numbers so that sometime this fall when we are both back from all our travels we can get together. Whilst talking to her I saw another lost-from-view person, but obviously wasn’t so impolite as to interrupt my conversation so we simply nodded to each other.

I did make it up the stairs to coffee and had just settled in when I saw another close acquaintance coming out of the pharmacy. She lives in town and was accompanied so didn’t pop up and great her. Still.

After coffee off to collect groceries where I ran into three other people, again one of whom I hadn’t seen since my older boy’s scouting days!

As I was checking out I also chatted briefly with one of the neighbourhood restaurant owners. Good to see her as I thought that they were closed for a month. Turns out, no, only 10 days. Yeah – a place to eat that is reasonable and that we all like is available.

Tomorrow I think I’ll stay away from my local grocery store – can’t take the excitement.

www.stockunlimited.com/vector-image

Having….

Opened up the house; liberated, fed, watered and cleaned their kitty litter – Babette and Cléa; having cleaned up what I left in the living room last night as well as put away and/or

otherwise taken care of what my son had washed; having washed the counter tops whilst making my breakfast; having had said breakfast, leisurely, looking out on the garden, and having done a Sudoku in my Sunday paper it was finally time!

Time to get dressed.

Oh blessed Sunday morning!

Friendship is….

Many things to many people. I could write entire pages on what friendship is.

However, amongst all those others, one is currently very precious: the empathy and

Greetings I received from a friend across the ocean who read about our terrible heat.

For all of you in similar circumstances:

Just want to send you

some coolness! 🛫your friend in Silicon Valley! ⛄

 miracuously it is cooler today!

One does what one has to do…

 Or ironing on the balcony!

Many of you are unaware of the heat wave scorching Europe right now – or are thinking “thank goodness it’s not me”.

We went from hot to hotter to almost-unbearable, but we survived-to-tell-the-tale.

Today it is finally breezy and one recalls what it was like when life was more bearable.

As it was, the days were spent doing as little as possible, airing in the middle of the night in order to shut up entirely the whole day and still suffocating.

Sleep was rather non-existent unless one had a north-facing bedroom.

I bless the day that I changed the windows for triple glaze and more importantly the old wooden frames for PVC as there are now no longer leaks through the wood! Then I installed a ceiling fan – on two it does permit me to sleep – but of course, I am using electricity.

The last of the three elements that have led to better comfort in my bedroom although it is facing the setting sun and exposed to full sunlight as of about 13:00 are the new awnings. Thanks to a friend I knew that there existed a vertical piece in addition to the traditional slanted normal awning. This effectively seals the balcony from the direct sun – although one can see through it fairly well.

Saving the “mattress in the cellar” for the next heat wave.

All this means that ironing anything in the house is a total no-go; have also forbidden the use of the oven for the duration and actually prefer that people living in the house eat cold or heat in the microwave. I prefer going out, but finding a reasonably cool place to eat is also a challenge given that most of Europe does not yet have air conditioning.

So thanks to the early morning shade on the balcony that is where my ironing board has landed. I can iron a couple of shirts, sometimes even three items, without any of that nasty heat getting into my bedroom. A BIG plus, if odd: I am sure that not many people iron on the balcony.

Never mind the glorious view: greenery, lake and the Jura mountains in the distance!

The cat’s pajamas…

Ah the memories this phrase evokes.

My little sister died of colon cancer in 2012 – is it really so long ago – seems like yesterday.

She was a schoolteacher, never married and never had children – she was the perfect aunt

Though to her six nephews – they still miss her.

What, you might ask, does that have to do with the expression “the cat’s pajamas” – an expression that turned up in my word-a-day yesterday. Reading it today brought a flood of memories of that sister: her bright eyes and curly locks as a child, her strength as well – one didn’t lightly run into my sister as she was a lot solider than they seemingly padding warranted. I was gone for most of her teenager years, but as a young adult, then adult we were close in spite of the physical distance and I visited her in everyone of her houses, even taking my younger son for a four-month stint so that he could improve his English.

She was a woman of phrases, going through them by phases: two remain with me today

“the cat’s pajamas” and “whatever, it’s all beautiful”.

How lovely to be reminded of the blessing of that sister.

“What a difference a day makes…”

First made popular by Dinah Washington (it won her a Grammy in 1959) then by Aretha Franklin, and many others, the song is of course about romantic love.

I have a new interpretation – and a new love:

My first grandchild was born this week!

“And that difference is you”.

123rf:com

Upside down world

It’s an upside down world when my purchases at the flea market cost less than the pastry that I purchased to go with afternoon coffee!

A big bonus to being here at this time of the year is the yearly flea market that takes over the entire town. I love attending flea markets, weekly, monthly or yearly, but rarely buy anything of consequence – hopes are high that I will find that perfect article, and sometimes I do, but more often than not it’s simply the fun of checking out other people’s junk and trying to convince myself that I don’t need it. I have also learned that I can detect trends – a glut of raclette pans on this one means that one of our favourite meals – cheese raclette – is no longer as popular world-wide as it once was.

I digress. Managed to restrain myself and only bought two items: a gorgeous silk short-sleeved shirt, which I am hoping will fit my younger son, but if not will make a lovely, cool summer nightie and a lemon/orange juicer. The latter was brand new and certainly better looking than the one it will replace at home when I return. Total price 2 euros!

Then I stopped in to one of the numerous local bakery and pastry shops looking for a treat. The “Paris Brest” costs double almost what my flea market purchases did. Ah life, sweet life. Well worth the Euros 3.90!

2 euros

3.90 euros

Unexpected bliss: it’s raining….

It’s pouring – but the old man isn’t snoring – the ladies are having a day in.

I have always known that weather predictions never work for me. If they say it’s going to rain, I’ll awake to sun and vice versa. This morning is the vice versa. Nothing in any of the weather channels that we consulted yesterday mentioned rain – a bit of cloud cover eventually yes, nothing more. So, of course, we awoke to the wonderful sound of major rain on the roof.

Fortunately we have leftover bread, I have a good book to be read and the rain will eventually stop, life is good in my end of the world.

Did make it down to the beach during a dryer moment - love a gray day!

reflections on the river

gray days don't bother castles on the hill

 

Same ‘ol, same ‘ol

Can be VERY positive.

Hallelujah – finally got some of the above “sentence”.

I am currently visiting a friend in Southern France, one who not only was a renter in a flat many, many years ago, but the one who moved into no. 15 upon my invitation when we were commiserating yet another flat falling through – with my favourite tipple: champagne or rather mostly sparkling wine.

Fast-forward over a decade: she married and spends more time in Southern France then in Geneva and although we are fairly good at continuing to go out for sushi when she is in town, and I was fairly good about visiting, somehow for almost two years we have not had any time just the two of us.

I decided to come down even before I knew that her husband had a business trip (mind you he, bless his heart, does everything he can to facilitate her staying in touch with her female friends and the two of them also lived together at my house for almost a year).

Last night she supplied “same ‘ol, same ‘ol”: it was anything but!

Old favorites

Don’t say I can’t!

One of my English women’s magazines has an article entitled “don’t say I can’t” which is usually about some 40-something deciding to take another job, go into another field, do something unusual like jumping off a cliff, etc.

The general gist is that simply because she is a woman and perhaps past her prime according to many, there is no reason why she can’t start a new life, take up a new hobby or job, go somewhere she’s never been and the like.

For me it is usually connected to that idiot phrase “you’re a women, so you shouldn’t….” and I am sure that all my female friends can find plenty of endings to that phrase!

Living alone I occasionally try and line up “heavy” jobs for my younger son, but inevitably he is either traveling or I forgot to ask and something needs to go out, etc. Sometimes I can wait until Friday and enlist the help of my cleaning lady: another woman who does more “manly” things than is deemed appropriate. Between the two of us we have moved heavy stones, unplugged drains, tossed out beds – whatever needs to be done.

On my own I have been known to put an entire sofa out on the curb for pickup on the cumbersome objects day, which we enjoy once a month (flip over, roll end to end depending upon the piece or simply drag). In short I can do a lot without having to enlist the help of that stronger male.

Latest to date? I arrived a one of my local department stores and noticed that amongst the decoration things that they were selling at very good prices was an iron bench. Perfect for the garden I thought. OK only have my small Polo but it looked like it would fit (I also can estimated sizes and volumes rather well!) so I bought it, moved the car down to the floor that it was on and dragged it the twenty meters or so. Getting it into the car (it fit perfectly once I had both seats down with a few centimeters to spare) was more leveraging it up and in.

And so it goes – one does what one needs to, male or female!

now to get the cushion!

Food, or

One of the things I love about Switzerland

Food is one of life’s majors – not enough and one starves; too much and one becomes slightly or grossly overweight.

Therefore it is obviously of great importance to most of us, if not perhaps the first thing that comes to mind in any given day.

Those who know me, know that I like almost everything and am willing to attempt just about anything else (ok still can’t bring myself to sample insects although as a child I happily consumed chocolate covered ants).

I have had snails: drowned out by the garlic sauce

I have had oysters: slimy and got a bad one the first two times I tried, the third they were great so I stopped there.

I haven’t had frog’s legs but have heard that they simply taste like chicken.

I have had offal and the ones I didn’t know what they were were o.k. The though though has not had me inclined to indulge more.

I have had rabbit and horse meat: again unknowingly – fine at the moment, but I do avoid if there are other choices.

Haven’t met a cheese I didn’t like and although most wines are decent I now only drink those that I really like.

The past few days though have been rather a hodge podge of things I really, really like.

Saturday, son two and I had Indian in an Indian restaurant frequented by Indians.

Monday I had something I hadn’t had before: lentil moussaka with goats’ cheese topping.

Tuesday I went to Zurich with a friend and had veal in cream sauce with rösti (a better version of hash browns) and later in the afternoon one of the most decadent slice of chocolate desserts that I have ever had, and believe me I have sampled a few in my lifetime!

Eating gold at Sprungli in Zurich

They even write in the cappuccinos!

Wednesday it was kangaroo cooked on a hot slate, and today it was sushi.

All this and much more is readily available in Switzerland.

We even have decent vegetarian and vegan with more small places springing up.

Within a 5-minute drive I can get Thai, traditional French, gourmet French, pizzas straight out of pizza ovens, fondue and raclette, perch, great beef.

Am I hungry yet – no – lunch was sufficient but later I’ll enjoy perhaps some squash soup, some hummus and celery sticks or fennel.

Life, when it comes to my stomachis very fine indeed!

Blank or….

Wasted time, or...

The day I did nothing.

Ever have one of those days where you have no appointments, nothing urgent needing done, a lovely blank time. These don’t happen often in my life, but thanks to my protestant upbringing and totally ingrained work ethics I never seem to really enjoy them unless it’s

a weekend day.

Today I have managed to fritter away having “accomplished” nothing more than my morning coffee; chatting with a worker as they dismantled and hauled away the 4-5 story cement maker that has been standing across the street for over a year as they built 6 small apartment buildings; my afternoon coffee; a few video games; a meal at home (that’s what probably did it – no plans for lunch – what happened?); and now I prepare to pick up my car, which was in for its yearly service and go to dinner with friends.

OK perhaps I could label it a social day instead of a nothing-accomplished-day!

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