Healthy

I donated blood again today, and every time they measure my haemoglobin, blood pressure and temperature, and I am happy to report that my previously high pressure is now back to normal. Well, normal for a smoker, still slightly high but within the normal range, 138/95. And this despite that I walked fairly fast down to the city.

However, I still might have to visit my doc, the lump is still alive and kicking, but smaller. I will make another attempt to squeeze tomorrow.

Self is the best doctor

Since quite some time I have had a lump on my shoulder, and lately I had a feeling it has grown more inwards as well as protruding. It was movable, not hurting, not bleeding, so I haven't been worried.

However, I started to think it was time to go see my doc until today! When stepping into the shower I noticed a drop of pus on the tip, and while in the shower I started squeezing. And how I squeezed! I more felt than saw how much pus was coming out of there! Omg, it must've been many milliliters.

And yes it was pus, not white wine :), and doc will have to wait.

Swiss party!

So last Saturday was the party to celebrate my Swiss citizenship. It was a success if you ask me. My apartment is perfect for mingling, and even though many people had met each other before, I saw some who hadn't met before, and were deep in conversation. I just love to introduce people to each other, I should've made a career with it!

And it all went smoothly (even though the guy who promised to help me didn't!), with 24 guests. And for once I didn't cook too much, just enough. 84 meatballs went with the wind, two trays with beef tartar (brought by a friend) together with two trays of pastry with chilipaste and cheese were empty by the end of the evening. Peanuts were eaten. A large cheese plate left two tiny bites. Six loafs of bread and almost three cakes were consumed. The only thing left was half a bowl of tomato salad :). Too healthy I presume.

And today I recycled exactly 24 bottles of prosecco and wine. One bottle each on average, and considering some people drank a lot (probably including myself, I cannot remember :) there must've been a number of people driving and being careful with alcohol.

Only one mishap, and of course a child was involved. The 6-year-old wanted to try my spin bike and broke it! I think she probably pressed all the buttons at once and caused a shortage of the circuits. We noticed when smoke started to come out of the bike, and it started to smell burned rubber. The bike is now residing on my balcony (no way was I going to sleep with that hazard in the house), and I guess it's a goner.

Later a new tenant in the house joined, and it turned out that he's a guitar player. Good thing I kept my guitar, which I played when I was about 15 and got a top grade for in school. And before you mention it, yes it was a helluva long time ago!

-24.2%

Gosh, I'm good. I don't how I did it, but I managed to reduce my electricity consumption with 24.2% in the last year, from 1,847 kWh to 1,423.

Pat on back!

A helluva lot of Swissies

Let's see if I get the numbers right. Last year around 30,000 immigrants were granted citizenship in Switzerland, two thirds of them had to go through the lengthy and costly process that I did, and one third had it a bit easier. At least processwize, since they were refugees. I imagine that they had the difficulties beforehand.

Today I was at at party arranged by the city of Zürich, in order to welcome the new Swissies. 2015 some 3,600 people were granted citizenship in Zürich, and 1,700 of them showed up for this evenings event.

We were greeted by the "Stadtpräsidentin" Corinne, who told us that we were over 100 nationalities, the majority being Germans of course, but also a few countries where there were only one person who made it through the process. Those countries were Barbados, Benin, Guinea-Bissau and I think Indonesia. And that she was happy that the initiative to throw out foreigners was not accepted in the last election. Big applause.

Then then were some music, and a new Swissie, an author, who had been to the party last year, who talked about why she came to love Switzerland and why it's important to vote. I agree.

After that not too lengthy session, about an hour, there was an apero with food and drinks. Very well organized in the congress hall, and I was lucky enough to go with my neighbour. She also became a Swissie last year. It was fun.

Unfortunately I didn't get to talk to any of the politicians, people were queueing up to get selfies or doublies or whatever they are called. But now that I'm a real Swissie, I can hold my head up high and get in contact through email, and they will have to listen to what I say :). Direct democracy, I love it!

Eagles

I just saw a shadow outside my window, and to my surprise I saw this big bird fly by. It looked like an eagle to me, it was huge. Bigger than a seagull. Brown and wide wings. But it cannot be possible, eagles in the city? Nah, must be some sort of related bird, a hawk? Are there even eagles in Switzerland?

One thing for sure, am not letting the cats out today.