Happy New Year!

Hola

Have some friends who moved to Spain. From Switzerland.

Personally I thought they'd be back in no-time, having done that journey myself. Meaning thinking of moving to Spain to retire. Until I spent only a measly three weeks there and then promptly decided it wasn't for me.

The language, the economy, the culture, the people. Except for the food, I must admit. The best in the world if you ask me. And the climate, not bad either, but all put into perspective, the food cannot make up for the rest.

But my friends seem to enjoy it. Nah, I dunno. I give them another year. Then they'll be back. 'Cause in the end they all think like me, right?

Slim

Thank gad for surgery. Well, personally I don't need it, gorgeous as I am, but good that the opportunity exists for people who needs it.

Met a guy today, who I last saw in April, now being 50 kg's lighter. He's gone from being a fat blob to a hunk. Good for him!

Purple

Came across a purple fur today, and couldn't resist. Of course I bought it 'cause of the cats. They like to bite, claw and play with it.

No locking

After the break-in in the downstairs apartment again, one neighbour suggested that we'd always lock the main entrance door downstairs. Personally I don't think that the burglars would come in through the main door (when there are so many unprotected balcony doors), but I obliged.

Mind you, the door locks automatically, but there is an extra lock on the inside.

Anyway. This morning my cleaning lady rings the door, I buzz her in, but door doesn't open (of course not, it's locked twice!) and I had to run down the stairs in my very sexy pyjama to open.

We have now agreed that not extra-locking the door is a good idea.

Trash

Since some time now we had the questionable pleasure of having the neighbours depositing their trash in our containers.

How it works in Zürich is that the city provides the containers for free, then every household pays some 50 plus francs per year as well as the Züri-Säcke (trash bags) for about 2 francs each (35-liter) for the service of getting the containers emptied.

I think that's reasonable and I like the idea of paying for usage, rather than a flat fee per flat (flat-flat, haha).

The point is that this neighbourhood house uses our container without asking permission. Today when I talked to the Zürich city official, I learned that we cannot really stop them (as long as they put their trash into the therefore designed and paid for bags). But what we can do is report them to the police for trespassing into our private property.

Tempting, very tempting.

But mature as I am, I have suggested to the others in our house that we put up a sign saying it's only for our address. Curious to what they will say now. And if they propose that we'll call the police, I'll be happy to do their bidding.

Men in uniform, mmmm!

Do's and don't's

So tonight, apart from the to-be-mother only drinking water, there was lotsa talk about what one can do and don't when pregnant (if you're not yawning already I am!).

No bloody meat, no raw eggs (at this point I asked whether she usually downs a raw egg every morning...?), no cheese with raw milk (had to pull the wrapping out of the trash to show her the cheese I had on the apero!), certain kinds of fish not allowed and so forth, and so forth.

Told her that kids from the well you know earlier decades (no need to be specific here) still survived. I'm a prime example.

But of course they are not gonna be "like other parents". HAHAHAHAHA! Look fw to have a chat with them about curling some time soon.

Another one

Oh dear. Another curling kid is about to see the light of day in my beloved building. Shame that I don't own it myself. Then I could control the people who lives in it.

A special restaurant

Have been watching a lot of cooking shows lately, and that reminds me when I was Italy decades ago. An Italian friend took me to this restaurant. Well, if you didn't know it was there, you would've passed it. It was in the middle of an industrial area, not a place to visit unless you know where you were going. Just a steel door.

Anyway, the place was run by a very old lady, in her 80's I would think, and there was no menu. You ate what you were served. The wine was poured into kitchen glasses, and when my friend on my behalf asked to have an extra glass for the water on the side, she bluntly told him that I could use the same glass.

However, the restaurant was kinda famous and the food was delish. But a special experience I must admit.

Stop curling!

OMG! You know, when I grew up kids had manners, in the sense that the parents were controlling them, and above all, not allowing them to do anything they wanted "because we love them". There were boundaries and do's and don't's.

I so wish it was the same today. Then I wouldn't have to put back the chairs in place, the blanket on the sofa and the cushions, the fresh oranges thrown on the floor and to nurture my poor ears, where there is still a screeching sound.

Curling parents. Don't like them, can't shoot'm.

Dead duck

Having some friends over for dinner tonight, so have been preparing. The duck reminds me of Zetti, when she spreads her legs to be petted. Just like I used to do in my heyday.

Lotsa food

There was enough of food, and I gently told them that whatever comes inside my doors stays there. And no, this is not an opportunity to bring your trash next time!

And as you can see I know no housewifes. Girls in the bar, and men in the kitchen. Just like it should be!

The Rectal band

I really dunno when the conversation turned to the Rectal band, but at one point it did (which the gay guy didn't get, hahaha). Ok, so not everybody is totally fluent in ze English language. Turned out she was talking about the Ragdoll band. Oh.

That was much more funny than when they tried to make fun of me.

Secret Santa

I got a lottery ticket (promised to send my friends a postcard from a foreign land when winning), a purple duck (which all my guests will see in the bathroom), green napkins (hmmm, same friend who gave it to me will be served dinner with these for the next...years), a head-massaging thingie (actually love those even though they look gross)

and some kind of oil that you are supposed to massage into your temples feeling energized, hmmm.

Swiss cookies

This is what the Swiss do for Christmas. Cookies. I'm just missing one in the shape of a clock!

Merry Christmas all!

I'm caving in and giving you something cute for Christmas. Not quite as cute as my cats of course, but still.

Enjoy the holiday with food, drink and friends. Just like I will.

Trusting fool

Met a friend this afternoon, one of the selected few who have been chosen to celebrate Christmas eve with me. He was in charge of getting glühwein, and asked me to bring a liter home with me already today. Then I realized the bottle was still warm.

Now, what are the odds the bottle will still be there tomorrow? Mmmm, cheers.

Christmas cards

Continuing on the subject, Pfister (pfucks-up) sent me a Christmas card telling me "Das für den Schweizer Detailhandel schwierige Jahr neigt sich dem Ende zu". Oh really! Well I friggin contributed to their profit!

But the point was I don't get why people still send paper Christmas cards. "Everybody" has a computer these days, what's wrong with electronic cards? I cannot throw away personal cards and letters, and am already stuck with "tons" of it in boxes in the basement. Somebody is one day getting the questionable pleasure of binning it. Won't be me, but I can tell you the cost for Zürisäcke will be considerable!

But people know me, so they are never expecting cards from me. You want a Christmas wish? Read the blog :).

My Pfister pfucks up bed

So after the disastrous installation when the engine was faulty, but then repaired, I woke up one night from a "boom". Turned out a steel thingie at the bottom of the bed, which was supposed to keep the mattress in place even though it moves when adjusted, fell to the floor. Scared both me and the cats!

Again I had to phone customer service, having them telling me that it wasn't supposed to be screwed on. Then why are there screw holes one might ask? Anyway, today a guy came around and agreed on the problem after seeing it himself. He moved the under-whatsit, the thing on where the mattress lays, up towards the head to generate more space by the feet, and so now it should work.

And guess what? The bill promptly arrived, without Pfister checking that the bed actually worked. Surprise! And then the invoice didn't have an amount on it. Several pages of unintelligible numbers (and I'm pretty good with finance stuff!). Had to send them a long email, explaining I didn't expect all these inconveniences when I decided not to go to Ikea (where I would've paid a third of the cost), and of course ask for a proper bill.

What I didn't write to them, but should've, is that a gift voucher of a thousand will make me forget the inconveniences. Least they can do!

Peaceful

There are few things as peaceful as watching a cat sleep. It's like they totally disconnect from the world, and just enjoy their snooze. Funnily enough, it doesn't matter how deep they sleep, when the cat food drawer is opened in the kitchen, they both materialize at my feet within seconds.

How weird is that?

A comedian next-door

Neighbour is a real comedian, apropos us being burgled in the house again. "Should we call it the break-in or the break-up flat?". Haha. And he's Swiss!!!

Since we had two break-ins and two break-ups in two years in that flat.

80's cucumber

A simple lunch with cucumbers sliced as they were in the 80's, but the guest was happy.

Catch-up and vino

Last night got a bit blurry...

Rollin' rollin' rollin'

Yeah, I think 60 large meatballs will be enough for 5 people on Christmas Eve, especially considering they are all bringing food.

Safety above all

The neighbours downstairs had a break-in again. The second one in as many years! This time cash, clocks, computers and something-pads were stolen.

I've seen the break-in marks, and unlike me, they have standard doors that can easily be opened with the help of a simple screwdriver.

So now I've written a fairly sharp email to the agent who handles the apartment (owners live abroad), telling him to deal with the problem. This affects me too!

White white everywhere

I wish for a white Christmas. NOT! But it was funny seeing Zetti exploring that white stuff.

My house wine

Tonight there was the annual general meeting for our building association, the one where I ended up having to send the comments (despite my lack of diplomacy!) to the company which manages our finances.

So had prepared with some minor apero stuff, a bottle of wine and a carafe of ice water. Guess what was not touched in the end of the evening...!

What was especially funny was the neighbour, who showed up last Monday being mistaken about the date. He is normally the one who drinks one glass of Prosecco, and that's enough. He now wanted to know what wine I served him last week, and could he please have the name. He had at least three glasses tonight!

Ha! Another convert. And I gave him a bottle, against that I can deposit my dead plants in his what's-it for green stuff.

But wasn't happy about having to share the bill for lighting in the garage. Hey, I don't have a garage, why do I have to pay for it? It's like the roof, I don't use it, why having to share the cost?

And no, won't move despite the inconveniences of having to pay a bit extra.

Red

Since I have grown old and decrepit, I have taken an interest in home design and keep on looking for inspiration. I really like the way she has chosen to have an accent colour. See, I even use the lingo!

In her case it's red, not like my purple, but it's cool. A theme is what is needed. Remember where you heard it first!

One Swiss!

And it was interesting to be at a party in Switzerland with about 20 people and only one "real" Swiss. It was England, Peru, Scotland, Germany, Sweden, US and several more.

And we all have our stories how we ended up in Switzerland, and all of us like it here. Despite the language and bureaucrazy.

Food food everywhere!

I cannot remember when I've been to a party with so many different kinds of food. Wherever you turned, there was food, food, food. The main course of the evening was a turkey. Well, actually two of them.

Sense of direction

Well, I have none. Tonight I was invited to somebody who sent directions, and they went from, "and then you walk straight, following the road around, down the ramp, not the stairs, then you see a grey house" (well, all houses look the same colour in the dark, don't they?).

So I managed to almost end up in a church. Looked nice though, being all lit up.

Brunch

Four men brunching. Love to invite new people, so that they can aw and ah over my apartment.

The cutest

The cat ate the food

Disappointed dog.

Body failure

I always thought getting older was a good thing. Wiser, been-there-done-that-seen-that and so forth. But as it turns out, it's not always fab.

Like my body. It doesn't seem to cooperate as it used to. I mean, I was fine working all the time, travelling, being busy, and with no time to be sick. Now when I have time to enjoy, I seem to be sick-ish all the time.

Life is certainly not fair.

But down-below I am fit as a fiddle, which is good to know. One might ask to what use, but whaddayaknow...

Only, gyn doc recommended me to do a colonoscopy. After finding out exactly what it is, I am soooo not keen on that.

I think the drinking I can go along with (what, it's not wine?), but the poking up my ass is not something I would much like. I'm told I'd be under anesthetics, but still.

And I feel healthy again, so leave my ass alone. Bitte.

Blutwurst season!

This my friends is gold on a plate. Absolutely love it! Blutwurst. There are few things I love more when it comes to food.