After all the heat waves this summer, suddenly we have switched to fall. I hope that we will have many gloriously sunny, but cool days before a snowfall, or rain or whatever. This year is so unpredictable that it could be anything in any order!
But with the thought of fall comes my need to again have flowers in the house: flowers on the entry table to welcome me as I return, or to make me smile as I leave.
I have purchased the first a few days ago.
Retirement is supposed to be laid-back days, time for all those you love or befriended along the way, sitting around chatting, drinking coffee, watching TV (rarely, but news for 30 minutes per day is o.k.).
Somehow mine doesn’t seem to be going that way: the upside? I am NEVER bored. O.K I managed to have one whole day so far this year where I had no engagements, didn’t even take the car out of the garage for almost 36 hours. It is however, not my “normal” life.
Mind you this isn’t a complaint – I love my life and hope it continues, with just occasionally a down day to recuperate.
My current spate of activity had my sister and brother-in-law arrive late one Friday. I picked them up at the airport and without passing go – nor home – headed for cow country and our hotel room for the night. Next morning was dedicated to watching the cows come down from the alps – in the pouring rain.
Then we managed to do a whole lot in spite of the weather until I delivered them back to the airport early that following Thursday.
One day to clean house, change sheets and it was off to meet my cousin in Zurich. We traveled by train for 4 days, taking in things that she hadn’t seen (after several trips she has done the highlights, but there’s still plenty of things to discover and to do). We got lucky with the weather and were able to go up a mountain with a view two days in a row as well as come back via one of my favorites, the MOB which runs from Zweisimmen, Switzerland to Montreux, Switzerland.
Days trips thereafter, even had the grandkids over one weekend day and in general kept going at a good pace. Somewhat hindered by the horrible cold I picked up, but not enough to have not sampled fondue, raclette, rösti (hash brown potatoes, but oh so much better) as well as innumerable platters of local cold cuts and cheeses.
I too her to the train station early this morning and now it’s back to a list longer than I wish to put into words.
Guess I’d better get on with it – the Party’s Over.
I asked for pearls for my 40th – and got them.
I got lovely made-in-school presents from both children, most of which still reside in my home (yup I have a problem getting rid of paper – an issue which I have addressed many times, but never seem to solve. Once I even took photos of all the childish artwork – then still couldn’t throw out the objects themselves).
I have received beautiful presents from my girlfriends – again most of which are still used.
But a late birthday present this year really was perfect.
For those of you who know me, coffee is sacred, at least twice a day.
My son and daughter-in-law offered me the latest in high-tech: a “nanopresso”, a mechanical coffee machine. I am no longer dependent on an Airbnb having an espresso machine, nor a hotel having the gratuities in the room. I can go ANYWHERE, just my machine and I!
Sometimes, some people just get it right.
However parts of our time spent here on this earth stop suddenly with the death of a loved one.
For my siblings and myself, September 19th will always remind us of the loss of our sister.
Today 10 years ago.
RIP Pat.
You are remembered, you are loved.
On to the answer:
One might want first to read the blog from
https://theexpatwriter.blogspot.com/2022/08/31.html
that will give one a first clue. When I read it, I was relieved as today I had had two things and was just waiting for the “other shoe to fall” as one says, i.e. the third negative, but now
all is well. She had 4, I had 2, I no longer need to worry about my third as we equal each other out…. And are both obviously fine for several days, or weeks, right?
I awoke to gray skies and clouds!
I even had the pleasure of feeling a drop of rain on my head as I
left the grocery store. One of life’s great joys these days is rain.
And a miracle as we seemed to have lost the clouds and the rains.
I don’t know the statistics, but we are having one of the driest and
Hottest years since they started measuring 150 years ago.
I have left my car outside the garage in hopes that there may be
enough to actually wash off some of the dust of the past weeks.
Precipitation in my country so far this year is only 40% of normal and
I live in what used to be known as the water capital of Europe so
I can only imagine what it is like elsewhere.
Everyone that I have run into this morning is smiling, open and happy.
What a difference a bit of water makes to those parched with thirst.
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OK not a new calendar year, nor a new fiscal year, but a New Year all the same!
Today Switzerland celebrates 731 years since it was founded.
Falling as it does this year on a Monday, means that a lot of people – or rather the few who weren’t already gone on summer holidays – took a long weekend. I, for once, am in town.
But am planning on a very low-key celebration, on my own as simply too hot these days to enjoy crowds and/or bonfires. Not that the latter will take place due to the extreme dryness of the whole country. Many cities and communities are getting creative and I have even heard that there are drone displays mimicking fireworks. Such inventiveness.
It’s also a personal milestone as I have been a Swiss citizen for 15 years now, but always felt patriotic on the day having lived in the country for almost 50 years. I enjoy the four national languages although my Romantsch is rather lacking and it depends upon the dialect of Swiss German being spoken: for some reason I do best understanding those from Lucerne – go figure. I love the mountains, the culture, the diversity. Switzerland is not only a land that emigrated, but also a land of immigrants. There are occasionally clashes, but on the whole a country that can function in spite of, or perhaps thanks to, its diversity is a great one to live in.
The Federal Charter from early August 1291 is Switzerland's oldest constitutional document. In this ancient pact, the valley communities of Central Switzerland, Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden pledged to help each other resist any threat of violence or injustice. Foreign judges were not to be tolerated, while the existing power balance remained intact.
Summary of the Latin text
“For the common good and proper establishment of peace, the following rules are agreed :
Done with the seals of the three aforementioned communities and valleys at the beginning of August 1291.”
Anyone wishing to can look up the history behind the Federal Pact although it was adopted as the beginning of Switzerland only in the 19th century can follow this link:
