Käsig?

My brother and I communicate often, but mostly it's me on msn or skype going blah-blah-blah-blah, and then blah-blah-blah-blah-blah, and after that blah-blah-blah-blah-blah and he goes: "ok". Today he rang me. This is an event, and I knew something was up. Turns out he got engaged with super-girl. He, and get this, he asked her father for her hand in marriage! Yikes! Hasn't he learned anything from his sister?!? And then he told me he went down on his knees!!! Now I'm thinking what the word cheesy is in German... Oh and yeah, I'm kinda happy for him too.

Frizzy hair girl

The statue of liberty - Swiss style

I seriously have to think about who I take on the boat...

Letting him go

Five years since I broke up with the boyfriend. I'm really not a relationship type, but I kinda loved him and we had a good time together. At least the first year. Tonight I met his brother. When we first met he avoided me. Might have had something to do with age and him not speaking English. The last few years though when I have run into him he's been very appreciative. "Hi Annika, how're you doing?", kiss-kiss-kiss and the whole shallabaloo. Anyway, turned out that he is now my source of information about the ex. Told me some things I didn't know. So now I'm letting go. I am setting him (the boyfriend i.e., not his brother) free. Oh gad, I sounds like a sad twat don't I? So here goes: he's marrying an architect from Peru. And he's probably gonna bring her to Switzerland. Yeah, that's a good idea. An architect from Peru, thinking she could take up a job here. Yes, I think really building regulations in Switzerland are similar to the ones (if any) they have in Peru. HAHAHAHA!

Zürich - another eve out

Two Swiss and an Aussie, the Brit who was around earlier left.

Challenged the Aussie: "so what are you good at?". He got quiet. For a very long time. In the end he said "I guess I'm just an average guy". Indeed. And when I found out he works in Bahrain the discussion very quickly got into burkhas or no burkhas. I think he has now got the message that burkhas = no good. At all. Ever. Evil things. Forbid. Get rid of.

Diplomacy has never been my thing.

2 twins

Was hanging in a bar tonight when this guy walks in. He's happy, and tells us that he had 2 twins this evening. And being who I am, I just couldn't let this one slide. "How many twins did you have?". I know, I really should have been just happy for him, congratulated and let it go. But sorry, that's just not who I am. 2 twins! HAHAHA.

Super

Seriously, what is it with Eastern Europeans and the expression 'super'? I happened to be in the flat I'm looking after today when a delivery arrived. Apparently they ordered a coffee machine, so I signed for it on their behalf. Then I sent a text telling them and got the answer "Ok, super, thank you!". Gimme 'fabulous' and 'awesome dude' any day!

Awesome dude

I have been heckled for using the word 'fabulous' a little too often, and since my friends are like they are, they won't give me a moments peace about this. Not at all showing the same consideration I'm always showing them. NOT. Thinking about replacing 'fabulous' for 'awesome dude' due to this stupid series I'm watching. So be careful what you wish for!

Boat shopping

While cruising the lake today, if not in a boat, we just "happened" to pass a boat shop. I needed a few new floating cushions. Two of the ones in my boat are leaking, and you must by law have cushions for as many people as you are allowed to have passengers. I think it's five for my boat - mental note, should check. And as much as I would like the Seepolizei to "rescue me" I thought it would be a good idea to be a law-abiding citizen.

At the same time I just saw these binoculars. Just by chance. Really. For 20 francs I can zoom in the Seepolizei. Cheap and useful at the same time. My kinda thing.

Lunch in Laugh

Then I was invited for lunch in Lachen (means laugh in English). Nice view and a very good wienerschnitzel, served with a glass of Riesling.

I am so spoiled!

A veteran

This is the boat we were supposed to take out, it's around 60 years old. A beauty. The boat i.e.

It has about 20 times as much power as my engine, and I have been promised that I can drive it!

Boats boats boats everywhere

Due to the scheisse weather today we didn't take the boat out, but we went around the lake anyway (not in the cabriolet mind you, but a white Porsche). I saw some amazing boats, which makes me want to go back to try and get that license again.

Mind you, I also have to find a way to get my hands on a million Swissies, but one thing at a time.

Veterans

Tomorrow I am invited to go on a veteran boat. With a veteran. This guy is a good friend of mine going on 80. When I asked what I should bring he said "if you want to swim you can bring a bikini, but you don't have to. I can close my eyes if you want to skinny-dip". Haha. Told him that even if he's 80 he's still a man, and I don't trust any man. He laughed. It will be a fun day.

The 180 list

So yeah, went out with the muslim tonight. Was kinda putting him to the test, whether he would be a candidate. Still a no I'm afraid. Turns out he slept with "about" 180 women, and when I jokingly asked if he kept a list the answer was yes. Jeez! Who wants to be number 181? Not me that's for sure. But it is kinda endearing that he thought I was 32 (seriously he did!)...and stupid too. The day I meet a man who understands me (or any woman for that matter) I will get serious about him. That day is likely never to come!

German class finito

So last day of German class today. A few of us decided to go for a drink later this evening, due to an appointment I had just after class. And when my appointment finally called he wouldn't shut up. An hour on the mobile phone, and my ear is burning. In the meantime people cancelled left, right and center, leaving only the muslim and me. Gave him the option to postpone, but he insisted so the question is now: Do I stay or do I go? Well, if you've ever met me you know the answer.

Like looking in the mirror

And then I met some girls, country"men", fun to talk to but no kissing.

I love men

Then I hooked up with the Belgians from the other night. Yeah, sorry, I mistook them for Dutch which they were not too happy about. The Flemish threw me off there.

And I kissed one of them. Very good kiss since he was so into me, never seen a smile like mine. Blah-blah-blah. And he said the magic words "I'm flying back tomorrow, we'll probably never see each other again". I put a lot of feeling into that kiss I tell you. He will never forget me.

Men, easy prey.

No 34

I knew there was a reason I'd never date a sporty guy. No 34 out of approx 2,300 doing the Ironman, which is impressive but a definite no-go romanticwise. Gimme a man with some flesh on his bones anyday.

German sense of humour

Sometimes I think I have Alzheimers light. I thought I had written about the book summary I did about German sense of humour. Was gonna link back to it, but cannot find it. So assuming I thought about doing it, and then never did. Anyway. We were to read a German book and then write a summary about it. Considering that I did it the first month in class, I decided to wing it. So wrote about German sense of humour, which is a book with one page and an oxymoron in itself. I explained the German expression "der Witz ist um die Ecke" meaning the joke is not understood. I referred to ze German coastguard, and just made fun of ze Germans in general. My teacher is German, and wasn't 100% amused. It's great when cliches are proved! And when he said "it's a book with at least 300 pages!" I couldn't help bursting out laughing. He so proved my theory. I really rock!

Milk container

Our German teacher is quite inventive. Today we got a letter to read that was sent from a family to a museum. When there, their baby, 3 months old, started to scream and the mother flashed a boob and started feeding the little poo-machine. A guard showed up and told them that consuming drinks brought into the museum was not allowed. HAHAHAHA! They were unhappy being asked to leave and so wrote the letter. We were to play the leader of the museum and respond to their complaint. I wrote two. One very polite which was expected and one where I said what I really wanted say, namely: Any idiot would understand that a kid of that age would not enjoy an exhibition in a museum and that they should take responsibility and stay home, preferrably until the kid is 14 years old. Also recommended that flashing boobs in public wasn't a good idea. (Any hetero men reading this text may not agree). Tomorrow is the last day of the course. I think I will miss it, as strange as it sounds!

Ipod

Looking after the flat of some friends when they are on holiday. Went there today to just browse that nothing happened, and nearly had a heart attack. Thought they had installed an alarm, and I didn't have the code. Turned out they left an ipod with an alarm on. Phewww! And then of course I didn't know how to switch the thing off, or if it was connected to anything important. All sorted now though. Cable disconnected. Problem solved.

Rheinfalls

Views from wine-making district

Not that any of the girls cared much about the view, much more enjoying talking. Like we didn't do enough of that the night before!

Out in the wilderness

Spent the weekend in the outback of Switzerland with good friends. It was really super-fantastic and fabulous :)!!.

Unfortunately most pics came out blurry, reason unknown.

Ironman

Got an invite the other day for Ironman watching, too bad I have other plans. But as it turns out they have the finals after swimming, bicycling and doing a friggin marathon (for what reason? beyond me).

But since it's mostly half-naked men I agreed to be there for the ending on Sunday. Something to do with meeting a tasty man from Holland this eve...

Cooking?

Mi casa e su casa. Well sort of. If you think you can just come here and not helping out...well, you're wrong.

F... the rules

In Switzerland we like ze rules, but sometimes we don't...

Only in Zürich

Just another day on Zürichsee

Cruising the lake

Taking the boat out for a cruise tomorrow with a friend. Normally I would bring drinks and he would bring food. It's a good mix. So when I suggested this today, saying "I'll bring water and wine", he was responding: "nah, I'll bring food and wine". Somehow I don't think he likes my 4.25 CHF a bottle house wine...

Honour above all

Sometimes I wish I wouldn't be so hung-up on promises. Other people just cancel, or lie about things they have to do. I just cannot. If I have promised something I go through with it. It's honour I guess.

Like today. I got an impromptu invite for a boat ride with veteran boats on Sunday. Which would have been fabulous, but I already promised my friends so a no-go.

But I bet Saturday with four girls, the countryside, a grill, tobleronemousse, cats and a lot more will be worth it. We will solve the problems of the world, and have fun doing it! And then on Sunday we'll do a little excursion to look at the Rheinfalls, not quite the Niagara but in Switzerland!

Body parts

The other day in German class we were to write an essay involving body parts. It's amazing how many expressions involve the body. I wrote something about how the man had black EYES, black HAIR and a slim BODY. Of course I managed to get my favourite German expression in there "sein Argument steht auf wackligen FüSSEN" - his argument has no bearing (difficult to translate). Often he sticks his HEAD into the sand like an ostrich. When I speak to him it goes in one EAR and out the other. He has no SPINE. He often use his HANDS when speaking. He makes me so angry that my HEAD steams (German expression). Good thing I'm thick-SKINNED and (a very German expression) I have HAIR on my TEETH. This means I'm tuff, and that nobody can take me. I like that very much. Amazing how you can get every topic into something against men...one might even think I hate'm but I don't! Really! I'm just saying: "can't live with them, can't shoot them"!

If I were

In German class we practised, well, whatever the grammatics is called, to say if I were a tree, a building, a spice, what would I be? My neighbour told me that if I was a spice, I would be chili. I choose to believe it's because it looks nice and has a surprising heat inside. If I were a building I would be the Prime Tower because it's visible. And, I'd like to add, has "appeal and technical perfection". If I were an animal I would be a female tiger, I guess because of the bite! If I were a country I would be the US of A. Probably because I'm loud and I'm free. If I were a city I would be Zürich. What better place on earth is there? All according to my neighbour...

In love with a shelf

Shelf!

Fabulous!

A wall

This is a white wall in the kitchen. Very soon (if the builders can find their way) there will be something exciting here!

Blushing bride

This is a friend of Bro's. They grew up together, and I know her since before she was born. Fabulous girl, and just look at her! Beautiful! She married yesterday in Canada (of all places).

Do I look like a free storage space?

Bro was here over the weekend and since he's in between countries I have allowed him to store some stuff here. This time it was "can I leave some stuff here, since I'm coming back in a few days?". Yes of course.

Only now I'm thinking. It's the four boxes + four winter tyres down in the basement. It's stuff in the guest room. It's stuff in the living room. There is stuff everywhere. Hmm.

Bottoms up

Just imagine when this one grows up, what "auntie Annika" can teach her...

Toothless

By the looks of this one it's hard to believe she entered my flat, glanced at me quickly and started to cry like somebody was abusing her. But when I opened my mouth she recognized my voice and immediately calmed down.

I just think it's time she gets some teeth soon. She looks like somebody who puts her teeth in a glass next to the bed...

Co-captain

Going from scaredycat to co-captain in only one afternoon!

Dinner for two

Tasty dinner today with ribs and sausages. It cooled down from the 35°C we've gotten used to, and was nice and cool on the balcony.

Only Bro here so got a chance to speak my mother tongue. Doesn't happen often.

Kreisbüro überalles

This expression was invented by a friend of mine who lived here in Zürich for a while and then went back to his home country. That didn't stop the famous kreisbüro from "harassing" him. They found him in his new place. Not that he did something wrong, it was probably just him forgetting to "de-register" when he left. But trust ze Swiss to invest effort into finding him. Just to get him to sign a piece of paper "I left Switzerland. I promise.". Kreisbüro überalles. How very Swiss!

Grill on the balcony

I like to invite friends for impromptu dinners. Even better when they are put to work!

New boat!

Spending a bit of time on the lake these days, so when a new ferry comes along it's exciting. Today it was "Wadin". Never seen before. But I have seen Panta Rhei, the big glass one.