Well my parents are celebrating a significant birthday this year. I’m sad that I can’t be with them this week but look forward to their visit in the summer. Here’s a little happy birthday video (sorry about my bad singing …try to concentrate on the sound of the violin)
Well 2010 was quite a year … I’m not sure what happened but I’m sure after some years of reflection I will start to make sense of that year. You may be wondering if my New Year’s resolution is to blog more … well not directly no… my New Year’s Resolution is to be better at keeping in touch with all the wonderful people that I am related to and friends with. We are now in a new country and look forward to meeting all kinds of new people and making great friends but as they say “make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold”. My goal is to keep the world small because if it starts to feel too big then I will always feel like I’m on Mars on this far away piece of land here.
Cheers to a small world!
Well the day has finally arrived. Today was Frida’s first day of school (1st grade, Kindergarten is not considered school here). Parents were asked to come for the first 2 hours. Frida was fine and actually knows two girls from her ballet class so she wasn’t the total outsider. The main teacher spoke in Swiss German so I had some trouble understanding. Luckily Frida had no problems.
We followed the German tradition of giving a SchuleTute. It is basically a big cone stuffed with small toys and candy. The tradition is to give it to the kids in the morning and the kids bring the cone to school. However this is a German tradition and not a Swiss one so we decided to give it to Frida after school.
I can’t believe she’s already at this point.
Frida occaisonally gets on the MacBook to surf PBS sprouts or cbeebies. Sometimes I hear her talking to herself but never really thought too much about it. Well it turns out that she knows about photo booth … and the video function. I just discovered the videos. I have a pain in my side and tears in my eyes from laughing so much. I’ve uploaded a short one for your pleasure.
Now I don’t want to complain …after all it is only Swiss hot …it isn’t by any means Houston hot. But dude …I’m sweatin’ over here… and there ain’t no air conditioning. Seriously though we are having glorious weather. Finally in July the summer has arrived. Today is the neighborhood grill party and the communal area is filled with the sounds of children and music. Every year a few residents throw this grill party and through out the day people, families and retirees come and grill and hang out. This year they even had some live music. It really is nice…. the kind of thing that I wish happened more often. Even as the wind started to blow and cracks of lightening filled the sky they kept on grilling, singing and having fun. It wasn’t until rain started to drop that people slowly start gathering their belongs. Hanging on to every minute of grillfest… because it only happens once a year after all.
Lemonade Anyone? Kids Free
I remember when I was young I really enjoyed selling things. I’m pretty sure I sold lemonade but I definitely remember trying to sell my toys and my Mom’s roses (sorry Maman). My selling highlight was in 5th grade when I was selling friendship pins (safety pins with beads added) for a nickel at school. I had to stop because I didn’t turn a profit … actually I wasn’t even breaking even…. and also I think the teacher told me to stop.
About a year ago Frida started to talk of selling lemonade… we put her off a bit since I don’t really see the Swiss doing such things. Instead of lemonade she took a couple of instruments, a chair and a hat and sat outside making noise music for passersby. She didn’t make any money but she did get a couple of strange looks I’m sure.
Yesterday the lemonade stand idea was resurrected. Her friend M is getting a lemonade stand over the summer in America. So they decided to do a test run here.
They actually had 4 customers … 2 were bona-fide real grown up strangers.
Ok so I’m not sure I’m ready to write about our next big step but exciting things are happening over here. Frankly most of my readers know because I’m a big blabber mouth but whatever. Sadly I need a new haircut and I still haven’t gotten new glasses. Sad I know. Lots has happened since I last posted such as visits from family and some exciting birthday presents. I have finally finished my course work for my teaching certification. Which I hope means that by the end of the Northern hemisphere summer I will have my certification. Then I get to jump through I whole other set of hoops. 
Ok so I plan to be better at this blogging now that my studies and employment are finished. I leave you with a picture of “the girl” on a boat ride on the Vierwaldstattersee.
Ok it’s really sad over here in blog land. This may change mid June when I will be out of work. Then my job will be to look for a job. Til then let’s stare at some pictures of Frida, B and myself playing minigolf on Easter Sunday.
keeping score (he always wins)
here is pretty Swiss village houses
Coming soon the not so pretty and quaint side of Switzerland (as soon as I repair our camera)
Ok so thanks to my good friend Mindy I did go get my haircut today and hopefully Mindy has time tomorrow morning to hold my hand while I pick out new frames for some new glasses. Part of what I dislike about these tasks is the money but that is only a part of my issue… I’m not sure what my problem is exactly but I do know that if I can get a friend to come along with me, I do finally “get over myself” and get the stupid thing done!
So here is the hair…What do you think?
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