New hood

Neighbour is moving to new hood in a couple of days. Got the keys today. We did the ceremony with cutting the band, only to be met with a locked door. Real estate agent messed up the time.

Good thing was we discovered a restaurant next door open in the morning. A coffee and a conversation about that it sucks that we cannot smoke indoors anymore did the trick. We were able to go back to meet the agent an hour later. After having some nicotine. Outside.

We, the neighbours, don't really approve of her moving, but since it's only 2 tram stops away (19 mins walk) we eventually said yes.

Plus the fact that we now will get another housewarming party! When, when, when???

Ze future

Watching a reality show from an airport. They interviewed some Germans who got delayed going home to Munich. "I don't look to ze future, I don't look to ze past, I live now". I.e. he didn't mind waiting. Two thoughts. First of all, it's nice to get my prejudiced thoughts confirmed, that no German can say the word "the". Also, a German who lives just for today? What an oxymoron ;). But I'll be happy to see anybody who can prove me wrong!

Sheets in place

Planning on a nice sleep tonight.

Party going on 3 days

Felt a bit off today to be perfectly honest, after having partied until 4 in the morning. But if it's one thing I have, it is stamina. And I had promised a friend to meet her in town tonight for drinks. After catching up she insisted to go to my fav place, and who was I to object? After all, it's her birthday on Monday and she needed a treat. Now she's on her way home with the music program safely tucked in her pocket, eagerly asking me when we'll go next time. What can I say? My friends have taste.

Cake!

Very happy they didn't put the exact number of candles on the cake...might have burned the place down!

Gifts gifts everywhere

Dunno why, but yesterday I was showered with gifts.

There were flowers, drinks, chocolate, cards, candle holders, a spa voucher, a feature thingie for the kitchen holding cutting boards and a painting made just for me (love it, fits my new colour scheme as well as being enough intriguing for my taste).

And a dinner made just for me.

As well as greetings from South Africa, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany and even Switzerland. I am a lucky girl!

Sheets and curtains

Went to order my new curtains for the guestroom today - purple of course. Also found satin sheets that would fit nicely with the new scheme.

Modern look is what I'm going for.

From ugly to beauty

Beautiful flowers from a friend.

Pretty gross

One can never be happy. Just when I thought I found a cheap and effective medicine for the occasional cramps in my extremities, it turns out to have side effects. This is what came off my hair brush after washing my hair yesterday. Yikes!

Ginger bread

When we went to Ikea last weekend I bought some Scandiavian food for the forthcoming trip to Bulgaria. Aaaarrrggggh! Anyway, recovering from the shivering one of the things I bought was ginger bread. I LOOOVVEE ginger bread, so the odds of letting the box alone until Christmas was zero point something to nil. Tonight I crumbled. Ginger bread with a slice of cheese is like a piece of heaven. Then you repeat it. And repeat it. And repeat it. And on it goes. Sorry Bulgaria, but you will never ever experience the joy of Scandiavian ginger bread. And cheese.

The longest tunnel

We're there. Well almost. Only another 6 years before it's finished.

Profile No 2

Project goes on.

Hard work

Spent a nice afternoon with a friend. She is always overwhelmed by being invited for lunch, which she has no reason to be. I make her work. Today we made a sketch for the installation I'm planning, we installed a de-humidifier in the basement. Ok so no rocket-science, it involved opening a box, and putting three pieces together. But still. Then we measured the windows in the guest room for new curtains. And then we ate. And drank. And skyped with the cousin who she met. And talked. And talked some more. Actually, we talked all the time. Can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon.

Mg

Lately I experienced occasional cramp in my toes, both when sleeping and when walking. Was told by the neighbour that magnesium would work. She got me 20 tablets for the humungous amount of 1.15 CHF in Denner. And to my utter surprise after having a tablet a day for three days it has worked. No more cramp. It's like when my aunt told me about using garlic for a wart. And it disappeared. Who needs doctors when one has friends?

Leaving Zürich zone 10

Who would've known that there are nice villages surrounding Zürich? I'm like lost when I leave zone 10.

This is Stäfa, where they had a really nice delicacy shop. And wine cellar.

Got another ride

Got a ride

I like to travel in style. In a Porsche from 1962.

Close to Zürich, but only just

I am not keen on Oerlikon, which is a suburb to Zürich. In my mind it's full of "funny" people. However, they do have a few nice houses.

Houses that used to be homes for "workers". Bet they now cost a bit more than "workers" can afford.

Curtains no thank you

I am really not a curtain person. Open windows, open views is much more my thinking. However. I have a guest room, and I'd like my guests to feel like they can close the view without using the blinds. My new colour scheme is purple. Have an oak floor, very light, and the furniture will be changed into black to match the granite floor in the hallway. All the paraphernalia will be purple though, like the curtains, a lamp, the candles and I will buy new purple sheets to cover the birch-wood bed. After all, there is only so much I'll spend on the guests :) Had a friend for dinner tonight and I had gotten a colour pattern with me from the curtain shop. He knew without me saying so which colour I had chosen. Predictable, moi?

Profile

Step one on my new project.

And we had a nice dinner too. His wish was my homemade meatballs, and that's what he got.

New thinking

Have decided that the project of putting up a wall with photos of my life is very 90's. And since I'm a bit allergic to old and been there/done that things, I have a new plan. It involves building construction paper, a pen, my metal construction builder who did my kitchen shelf and a bit of innovative thinking (at least I'd like to think so) by myself. To be continued.

A long time ago

Here is one of the houses I lived in. The top two windows to the right on the black top...those were mine. The balconies on the house are new.

Many happy memories from there.

Showered in gifts

Directly imported from Funchal.

For liverloving people

Fortunately I have friends who share my love for liver! Very nice lunch yesterday.

Niqabitches

Read more here.

Hungary stinks

My view of Eastern Europe hasn't gotten any better.

With a little help from my friends

It does help with a friend showing up with flowers and sweets. Didn't take long before I ate 25% of it...

Still a bit to go with the bootstraps though.

Down

Felt a bit down lately. I know, in my situation with a fab flat, a boat and good friends I am really not allowed to feel bad. But feelings are difficult to rationalize. It helps with friends who keep in touch. Tomorrow I have a lunch planned with a good friend, on Monday another good friend is coming for dinner. Also sent a text to my 80-year-old aunt today. As a reply I first got an empty msg, then a text saying "vlah". First thought was I reckoned she had gone senile, second thought was "has she got a new mobile that she hasn't learned yet?". A minute later the fixed line called, and it turned out to be the latter alternative. It is good to have friends who care, but nobody else but me can lift me up in my bootstraps. And right now I cannot be arsed.

Grandmas plant

Have my fav plant growing into the ceiling. I tried to remove the branches out of the curtain hanging thingies in the ceiling today, only to realize I have to remove the metal sticks and the hanging devices with it.

And when I did, a huge bug showed it's ugly head...apparently living in the ceiling. Not a nice discovery.

First move is to make new fishing thread hanging hooks. Next is to invite a few friends to can help me take the branches out of the ceiling, then replace the hooks and drape the plant in a way that it can continue to grow nicely.

Where would I be without my friends?

Zürich today

Another beautiful day in Zürich. And yeah, the baby got to tag along.

Some old things are good

Like wine, women and trams. Went to the Züspa today. This is an autumn exhibition, a quite large one with something like 6 exhibition halls showing everything from household equipment to wine to furniture to art to electronics to whatever you can think of, where we tasted an excellent Amarone (65 CHF per bottle!).

Funny that it is an autumn exhibition, since the weather today was 23°C and sunny. Very strange for October. Not that I'm complaining.

On the way back we took the Züspa-tram, one of the old ones that still have a conductor shouting out the stations and that was built around 1930. They run them only sometimes, and it is all voluntary work. But it's nice, and everybody starts smiling.

Reality imitating fiction

It's funny. In one of the episodes of West Wing Josh receives a dead fish. Today "Rahmbo" resigned his job as chief of staff to the president of the United States. As a leaving present he got a dead fish, hinting to the Godfather movie. And perhaps also to the eco problem in Chicago, where he's now running for the position of mayor. In West Wing they ended up with a new president who was Hispanic. In reality the US got a black president. That's about the same astonishment. I tell you. The respect I have for Aaron Sorkin has no bounders. He may be an asshole irl, but he certainly got a brain. How can anybody write a story like in the West Wing? I am speechless.

Out and about in town the whole day

Friend of mine from England was visiting today, and we met up in a tapas bar in town. Of course I had a bit of trouble finding it, since I'm not used to posh places. But the tapas were all right, and it was good seeing my friend again. There were a group of people who I met before, and it was good fun. These people don't take prisoners.

And as usual my friend (who used to live here in Zürich) dragged us all to the Splendid bar, a place where they charge you half an arm for a glass of wine. But they do have live piano playing, so once in a while I can get along with it.

It also brought back some memories from the time she used to live here...oh the hangovers! And I'm sorry I won't make it for the Halloween in the UK. I have enough trouble getting my arms around this travelling to Bulgaria!

Grotto Reale

Excellent lunch today at Grotto Reale in kreis 3 with a friend. Next time somebody asks me for a restaurant tip, this will be on top of my list.

Over the soaps

Ok, I have now spent a couple of weeks watching a lot of reality soaps. It's the one where people who cannot handle money get help with loans and cutting of credit cards, it's the other one where renovation of houses take place, it's people trying to lose weight and so on. Now I'm starting to feel that a neck shot like they do in China isn't so bad. Line'm up, and I will shoot'm myself. How stupid can people be? I cannot take it anymore. Gimme West Wing anyday. I'm deprived of intelligent conversations.

Waiting to die

Spoke to my friend who is 98 years old today. Apart from having help from his daughter with shopping, he doesn't see much of his children, grandchildren or great grandchildren. Proving my point that having kids is no point. By the time you need them (as they needed you), they aren't there for you. I was glad to hear he doesn't drive anymore. The only reason he doesn't is that he had a stroke about a year ago. He is entitled to a taxi service, which he has used less than there are fingers on my right hand. He does his own cooking. He has cleaning help every 3 weeks, which is what I have too. And apart from speaking a bit slower than he used to, he is crystal clear in his head. He's just bored, and had just about enough of life. It is such a shame that nobody cares to document his life. He was born 1912, and he has so much to say. Imagine the stuff he's gone thru in his life! Two world wars, a career, a family. Experiences that we could learn from. And even though he's not completely forgotten, it's almost. Because younger people are busy living their lives. Including myself. I asked him what he would like to do if he were to take a drive. His answer was to go to the cemetary, to visit the grave of his wife and parents, where he will soon be. I asked why he doesn't and he said that the taxi service cost money. He has worked for 50 years and this is what he gets back from a country where taxes are at a maximum. Shame! Anyway, we agreed on that there shall be no money left when he goes. Have a feeling he will book that taxi service tomorrow.

Funny maps

Mapping stereotypes. Haha.

An invention

"Wenn es dich nicht geben würde, müsste man dich erfinden". That was the saying from Friday. I guess literal translation means "if you didn't exist, you had to be invented". Sounds much better than "you're one of a kind". And about the only time ze German language is better than English...

Lady Antoinette

Tomorrow I have invited a friend for lunch. We haven't seen each other for more than two years. And we haven't known each other for more than about five years. It is interesting that we are still in touch, even though we don't speak often. Sometimes it is like that. You have a few experiences together, and feel like you've known each other for a long time. Yes, she was abroad for two years, and that's why we haven't met. But tomorrow we have a lunchdate. And loadsa catch-up to do.

Zürich - once again No 1

One Americans view of Zürich. And my boat is parked just to the left in the pic.

Nails

Friend has done her nails, i.e. putting on fake nails. First time I've seen it when it looks tasteful. Other times with other people it just looked white-trash to me.

But the first pic I took looked like friend had gloves...mental note, switch off flash.

Christmas in Bulgaria

Today I got an email from Bro telling me which flights they plan to Bulgaria over Christmas. After having spoken to many friends, and having all of them tell me that I'm an idiot if I don't go, I have caved in. With time, I might even start to look forward to it... It is helpful that we all will fly out from Zürich, and that Bro is making the flight reservations. If not, I might have come up with more explanations why it isn't possible. Also that we're flying thru Vienna, and not Budapest. When I left Hungary I swore I would never set foot in that country again. Now I don't have to. Christmas in Bulgaria, really mixed feelings!

My territory

Another thing from Friday. I have always seen myself as prone to change. I strive to be inviting, making friends feel welcome and want to have fun above all. At the same time I have a strong feeling about my kitchen being my kitchen. I want my friends to be there, I want to see and talk to them, I want them to feel at home in my home. But from the other side of the kitchen. It's not that I have problems asking for help, hell I do it all the time. But I have to start realizing that people want to help even though I don't think it's necessary. Which I have had no issue with telling them. Friends, I will try to better myself!

Cast in my own mould

One thing that came back to me from Friday evening was that my friends told me when the cast was made making me me, it was thrown away. It was said in German, and took me some time to get my head around, but the essence, as I understood it, was that it's a compliment. There is only one of me, and this is a good thing. Which now when I write it, doesn't sound that good. But I trust my friends, and thinking a step further, how fun would it be if everybody were the same?

U2 and Iphone

Another thing that is fun is that my friends are all quite different. A varied background. Which sometimes leads to interesting discussions. Tonight U2 was mentioned, which one friend thought was a local band playing downtown Zürich. Bono, which the other friend was standing next to at last weeks concert (jumping the fence, charming her way into the best place)...now we're doing the joke of "you were one meter away from Bono, and now we think you're a heroine". The joke of course fell flat to the ground, when the first friend had never heard of the band. Culture crash! The other thing was the cow eyes when friend one realized that you can see the picture of the person phoning you on your mobile! How is that possible? It is basically the meeting between people who has some knowledge of new technology and some who...hmmmm....don't. I have tried to explain what Skype is...and msn...but for people who still have a computer that is about 10 years old and a telly which is 17 years old, I have trouble getting thru. But step by step, we'll get there. And despite our differences we have a good time together. We like each other. And when we have differences we work around them. So SVP, go fuck yourself! Multi-culti is good!

Friends!

This pic warms my heart. These are four people who didn't know each other before, they have all met thru me. And just look at'm. They talk, they are close, they like each other. And all because of me.

When I have bad days I shall think of this. At least I did something good in this life.

And we all got a rose from the only man...one man and four women and he didn't back out. He rose (yes, pun intended!) to the occasion, and even got a word in!