136 years to life

I don't write about politics often. It doesn't mean I don't follow what's going on, or am not interested, but I think there are others better suited to comment.

However, I have to react when I see a headline saying he's only getting 136 years prisontime, but avoided lifetime. Excusez-moi? Have I missed something? Are we now getting to be much older than before?

It's about this whistle-blower Manning guy who leaked stuff to Wikileaks. I have no opinion on that really, haven't read up on the matter. Think I can see both sides.

But really? Would I prefer 136 years in prison or a lifetime sentence?

Actually, if I could serve my sentence in my home, with my cats, having deliveries of wine and food, I wouldn't be exactly unhappy. I think I would only be unhappy if it had to go on for 136 years.

Reptiles

Had a neighbour visiting today. She told me a funny story. Not funny-funny since somebody died in the end of it, but still.

Yet another neighbour of ours has reptiles. Not sure what sort, but she measured like 40 cm's, I guess it's like crocodile-looking creatures.

One day when she was looking after them, when neighbours were on holiday, one of them seemed dead. Or at least didn't move. She couldn't get hold of the owner so left it overnight.

Next day she went there, armed with gloves and a box. Only to realize the supposedly dead reptile was gone. She raced back, screaming to her husband, "the other one ate it"!

The husband is a more quiet one, not easily upset, and told her there is no way an animal can eat an equally sized reptile. I'm not sure, but don't snakes do that?

Anyway, it turned out that the son of the neighbours had been there before her, found the dead animal and buried it in the garden.

Personally, I don't understand how people can have crawly things as pets. I don't care if you're allergic. You cannot cuddle with a mini-crocodile. So what's the point?

I just wanna delete

It pisses me off. I take quite a few pics for the blog, and I name them to be deleted, so that I don't have to keep so many Mb's (or gigas for the younger) on my computer. But every time I try to delete a folder, it says that only the administrator can do so. Who do they think is the administrator of my computer? Somebody else?

So now I have to first delete each picture individually and then the folder. Seriously. Something is very wrong with Windows.

Greens

I met up with my plant friend today, the one who knows everything about green stuff. And I got a gift. First I thought it was a plant called mother in law's tongue (yes I know, but there is actually a plant called that) but it is an aloe vera. It can apparently grow pretty big with a flower on top, so now I really have to care for it a lot. It would be embarrassing if it died.

She is also coming to help me with another plant I got earlier this year. It is growing out of proportion, and I don't know how to handle it anymore. New branches are evolving everywhere and are now lying on the floor.

But help is on the way. She'll know what to do.

 
 

Too hot

Ok, enough. I haven't had a good nights sleep in more than a week. This having 28°C in my bedroom is no fun. I sleep with as little on as I can, without being naked, and with no cover. Yet I wake up several times at night in a pool of sweat.

This is no longer fun.

I try with one of these ice-coolers from the freezer, place it on various body parts and for 5 seconds it's cooling. Not enough.

So I was thinking, since it's too hot during the day, to take the boat out early, very early, in the morning, have a swim and come back before the sun is too hot again.

Only I'm not sure I can keep awake until then. And the first tram is going at 5.30.

I put the alarm on 5.00...but what are the odds I'll get up then? Same as me winning the euromillion I think.

Something is rotten in the state of Switzerland

Fucketifuck. When I got up this morning I noticed some worms on my kitchen floor. So ok, they were no more than half a centimeter but still. I hate creepy-crawlies.

With the help of lots of kitchen paper I picked them up and killed them (I dunno what the cats are good for, isn't it their job?).

And I couldn't understand where they came from, it wasn't so long ago I went through the cupboard where I keep flour, sugar etc. Until I was gonna take the trash out and lifted the plastic bag out of the container. Ouch! Loadsa worms.

I swallowed, took the trash out quicker than any time before, then went back and emptied the bin in the toilet. Then I showered the whole container to make sure none of them were clinging on.

Last thing I need a Saturday morning is a worm drama, getting my adrenalin going. It's enough that it's nearly 40°C outside. Again.

Baby-bambis

Too cute!

Dog-walking

Ha! Once again my gut feeling proved me right.

So I met up with this guy I encountered on the dating site, and he turned out to be perfectly normal. A plus for the dog, who was a real sweetie. And who liked to have a dip in the water.

We met up, took a walk through the forest, had a few glasses of wine at the restaurant at the top of the mountain (haha, I realized before I met him today that his handle on the site means no alcohol, and got worried, but good thing, he wasn't a teetotaller).

He was easy to talk to, and wants to meet up again. I may have just made a new friend.

91 days

My friends Mum is visiting. She is here in Switzerland to see her grandchild and look after it when the parents aren't. To help out.

When she entered Switzerland she was asked if her return ticket was booked. It was. After 91 days, i.e. going back home on the 91st day. Not good enough according to ze Swiss border police. "You cannot stay more than 90 days!". When she claimed she wasn't going to, they meant she had to rebook the flight to go back on the 90th day instead of the 91st.

Only in Switzerland!

I wonder what ze Swiss means that a retired person would do staying one day more? Is she perhaps after three months a threat to the country? Will she suddenly turn against Switzerland?

What I think is that the parents would suddenly lose childcare and have to stay home, losing tax money that we (I) so sorely need to support the Swiss system.

So even if I can apply for a Swiss passport next year, I'm afraid I'll never be totally Swiss.

PS. Apparently a month is always 30 days even if it isn't. At least in Switzerland.

Planting

Yesterday I learned how to take better care of my plants, so today I've been adding soil, removing dead bits and re-planting in bigger pots. It now looks really professional on my balcony!

Plant expert

I think that all friends should be required to work a bit before getting fed. Yes, what a splendid idea!

Hot walk

Went for a walk today with the mother of a friend of mine. It was very nice. Mind you, it was 35+°C and I was sweating like a pig! The water in the bottle I brought was tasting more than lukewarm.

But getting up on the hill, having a cheese plate and some wine was reward enough. And the walk down watching all the trees full with fruit and flowers didn't hurt.

I think there are worse ways of spending a day.

Two smiles

I must say I didn't have very high expectations when I decided to join a dating site a few days ago, and at first my suspicions were confirmed.

When you have registered a certain percentage of your profile, you're allowed to join a chat-room. That was a waste of time I can tell you. Nothing of importance said, and bad jokes.

Howevere, you can also view profiles and send or receive a "smile". I must admit I've taken a bit of a passive approach here, just posting an enough interesting profile without revealing too much, and then waiting.

Yesterday I received a "smile". Checked the profile and no, I don't think I'll be wanting to meet an overweight married man who's looking for a woman. No answer from me.

However today I got another "smile" from what seems to be a perfectly normal guy judging from his profile. And a plus, he has a dog. So playing it safe, we'll meet up somewhere in town and walk his dog and see what happens. He's either dull as a "insert appropriate", or an interesting person. Either way, nothing to lose.

Smaland

My Grandmum used to have a cat. He was a big male with one blue and one green eye, and completely white. Unlike most white cats he wasn't deaf. He was called Smaland.

Smaland was clever. He slept in my Grandmums bed, but when he wanted to go out for a pee in the morning, he knew there was no chance in waking her up, so he went to my Grandad. This was the time when my grandparents were old and had chosen to have separate bedrooms. So Smaland went to wake my Grandad up, to tell him he wanted to go out.

My Grandad was a kind person. Every morning about five or six he went up to let Smaland out. Mind you, a man that age probably had to get up anyway, but still.

But what I was thinking about were my cats. My Granny claimed that Smaland couldn't go to sleep without her sticking her head in her bedroom saying "nighty-nighty". So even if he was already stretched out on her bed, he wouldn't sleep until she had told him it was all right.

And me not being superstitious I cannot help but thinking about it every time I go to bed. Only my kittens seem to be ahead of me. By the time I have shut down the computer, closed the doors, brushed my teeth and gone to bed, they are already preparing to sleep in their usual places.

Nevertheless, I still say "nighty-nighty" to them.

Sense

Sense function my ass. And it doesn't help with the labelling 'dynamic intelligence' when the fridge doesn't work. It is set to an optimal 5°C, and stupid me thought the display showed the actual temperature. NOT! It just shows what it's programmed to.

I noticed some weeks ago that there were water drops in the fridge. Actually, what I noticed first was that the wine wasn't cold, to be perfectly honest. And it ain't getting any better.

According to a old thermometer, it is now 14°C in my fridge. Not cold enough by far.

I dunno about you, but I expect when I buy the latest and the best equipment that it is the best, and I really do expect it to last more than four years.

Oh, how I miss the good old days when I bought a piece of equipment and it lasted 20 years. Probably because it didn't have all these electronic stuff in it.

Bauknecht, I'm coming to get you! Be very, very afraid :).

Wanted: Friends

Haha, not as bad as it sounds. I do have friends. But I thought of it recently, I don't have enough friends and acquaintances here in Zürich who are free during daytime.

Yes I know what you gonna say, and I know, not many people have the luxury of having a lot of time on their hands. But there's gotta be people out there who do have time. I mean I see them when I'm out there.

So I succumbed and registered into one of those websites where they claim you can meet new friends.

When I first logged on to the chat-room (a common one where everybody online can comment) it was an idiot who talked about his cleaning lady coming to visit and "I'll be off now for sex, back in ten". Sigh.

One can only hope it was a joke, but even so, when a joke isn't funny, it's not a joke. Maybe he was German?

7%

Popped into my fav pub today, where a friend told me he heard that 7% of the people are "crazy". So weird they should see a psychiatrist. Mind you, I think that everybody who has a "psych" included in their profession, really needs to see one.

But hey, who am I to judge? Since I think most of those 7% frequent my pub.

Betty Bossi

Whoever Betty Bossi is, doubt she exists, she has a fab business idea. Everything I buy these days seems to have her label.

Nowadays ready-stripped salad is the same price as a whole, and you don't have to rinse or cut. There are all sorts of mixes with avocado, beetroot, coleslaw, radish or whatever, served in not too big portions. There are salad dressings, like mustard and chili/mango flavour. And all of it has the label Betty Bossi.

I wish I had thought of it in time! It's not too cheap, but not enough expensive so that I won't buy it. Which means I'm like most people. Oh, perish the thought!

PS. Yes, I might have been watching a few episodes of Downton Abbey lately.

Flat evaluation

The last couple of months I've been going to and fro about getting an evaluation of my flat. I know, it's not like it's been on my mind all the time, but it's a nice-to-know. And I do keep myself updated of what's happening on homegate.ch out of pure interest.

And tonight I decided it was the time. Ok, so it's just a general evaluation of the price for a measly 29 francs provided by homegate and my bank, but still. It's an indication whether I'm rich or not. On paper. I have no intention of moving, when I leave it'll be feet first.

So I had to laugh when the site only accepted Visa or Mastercard, not even the card that my bank themselves issue. Now I look fw to tell them that (and to receive a free evaluation for my effort), if only I could find the email of the new bank contact.

Irrtümlicherweise

I have one up on the tax authorities! That's worth a lot. Today I got a letter asking me to 1) clarify a simple matter and 2) we're sorry we withheld a heap of money for you and it'll be paid back to you shortly. Irrtümlicherweise means erroneously. And I learned a new German word.

I knew that. Of course I did. But money stored with ze Swiss authorities is as safe as it goes in this world. And it pays interest, unlike the banks. So I didn't mind when I got a letter a year ago with printed text and somebody had stricken the line "it will be paid out to you within two weeks" by hand.

But now they're on to me. I'm sure I'll be paid the interest I'm due, but I'm not sure it'll work next year. But hey, who knows? Ze Swiss authorities are slow...

Downton Abbey

Since I borrowed the series I've been glued to the telly. Never mind that it was nice boat weather and other things to do, I couldn't let go. Episode after episode, I was not moving from the sofa.

It shows everything we have today, but in a smaller way. It's like a society in miniature with all the different people, the classes, the intrigues, the joys and sorrows in every family. I especially like the old auntie who plays a role in every plot in the house, and yet somehow has a practical approach. And yes, I might identify.

Cannot wait for season 4!

A full day

So my distinguished guests who were supposed to join me on Friday got delayed and instead came for lunch on Saturday. It was great to catch up.

And later in the afternoon we went for a cruise. It was a bit of a drama at first with the lake police making random checks on boats (part of me wanted to scream "here I am, come search me", the other part took one look at the wine (plastic) glass I had next to me and thought probably not a good idea), and then later when my male passenger opened the door in front when we were parking, and if it hadn't been for my reptile-quick shout "close the f' door" it wouldn't have been anymore. To his defense he was equally quick in responding to my command. I guess it's because he's been married many, many years.

Then we had dinner at a place outside Zürich, grill and lots of stuff. And even if it included a baby it was very nice indeed.

Carpet sale

For some reason I woke up this morning thinking about a carpet I have in the basement. It's been stored there since I moved in almost four years ago, rolled into plastic after having been dry-cleaned for half a leg.

So realized it was time to do something about it.

Dragged it from the cellar, rolled it out in my flat, took a pic and posted an ad. Five hours later it was sold for 50 francs. I am so getting addicted to earning money from getting rid of things I don't need anymore. Mind you, the dry-cleaning cost more than that, and I no longer know why I did it. Guess I thought I would use the carpet in my new flat.

However, when I rolled it out there was a faint whiff of well dampness, so now I had it hanging on the balcony half the day and it's like new.

And it's more stuff in the basement. This is exciting!

Improving?

I dunno. I used to be pretty quick in picking up things, including languages. That was before I tried to learn German. Mind you, I'm not a linguistic person, but I did all right after practising a lot.

And I know I am pretty much fluent in English, and can understand other languages, but with German I am very unsure.

Some of my friends correct me once in a while, and I don't know whether it is that I speak so good that the few mistakes I make need correction, or if I am so bad that the corrections are made to make my talking intelligible.

It's excruciating not knowing!

Sausages and cheese

Am having some distinguished guests on Friday, and I know one of them likes sausages. The best ones are available at a stand on market day in the main station. Googled and hurray, it was today. And I agree, it does help that the very cute guy still works there and recognizes me. Nice feeling.

He wants me to taste everything, so after shopping you feel like you had a full meal.

Only problem is he's very sales-oriented, and I always leave there with more than I intended to buy. But hey, he gave me a sausage for free! Smart, cute and with social skills. Hmmm...

Complaining bitch

You know, being older I have mellowed. Well, at least in comparison to how I was earlier.

A couple of months ago, I bought a pair of silky shorts to sleep in. My old ones, I guesstimate about 20 years old, are a bit, how can I put it?, well worn. They have holes in them and are coming apart. Still comfy though.

So the new pair came in handy. Only, after only six weeks they were torn on both sides and not, like some might suggest, 'cause I bought them too small. They were actually bigger than my old ones.

Of course I went back to the shop, H&M where I tried to look like somebody who likes shopping with my neighbour, but failed miserably. I was offered a voucher back for the full amount. Fine with me, I will shop there occasionally. And after all, it was only 25 francs.

But just in case they would've been difficult, I had brought my old pair (unwashed) to throw in their face. Luckily it wasn't needed.

Furthermore, the new dishwasher liquid pump I ordered for a 155 francs and which was sent to me without the pipe, I paid for. But not without asking for a warranty, and mentioning that I thought a device of that quality and price should have a longer functioning period. It paid off so to speak. I now have an email saying, should it fail again within the short period of time (4 years) I had it, I will be given a new one for free. I had to create a new folder in my email "to be saved".

It pays off to be difficult. At least if the company isn't sold in between, and the new owners will claim they know nothing about it. I wouldn't hold my breath.

Nature/bio dinner

I really do hate the weather sites, none of them shows the same and none of them are accurate. So tonight we cancelled a boat trip, due to thunderstorm warning and guess what? We're still waiting.

But I guess it wasn't so bad with drinks and dinner on the balcony.

I am especially proud of the drink I invented tonight. Squeezed fresh lime (well semi-fresh, it's been laying around for a week or so), crushed ice and the Koskenkorva strawberry that's still around. Yumm...ie :). Or yummy for those so inclined.

And I did the nature yogurt thingie that was suggested to me, so without knowing the measurements or how the cucumber was supposed to be cut, I think I kinda succeeded (it was a bit of a hairy moment when I couldn't find mint, only peppermint, and only bio!, but it turned out all right). So nature yogurt, sliced or diced cucumber, fresh (pepper)mint and a bit of salt.

I sent the leftovers with them when they left. Veggies are fine, but meat is better (good thing I passed by a hamburger stand earlier in the day!).

Walking a thin line

So since yesterday I've been thinking about how they got that wire from the top of one church on one side of the river to another high building on the other. You know, the guy who was walking across. And no, I haven't googled.

On the boat yesterday there were suggestions about "they put the wire on the ground, then raised it to the right level". But if so, did somebody climb up the facade of the building? Or did they have a guy in every window of every floor?

Another one suggested a cannon, which shoots an arrow with the wire attached to the building across. Hmmm.

Today an academic thought it was two cranes, but couldn't explain how the wire got sent from one crane to the other. Yes, we do have lots of cranes in Zürich, but they normally don't drive around.

This is a mystery, which one of my readers will have to solve. I can recommend google :).

Last day of Zürifäscht

Decided to take some friends with me on the lake today. It was absolutely fabulous. But after an hour or so, one of them couldn't take the waves so we decided to come back closer to the city. There we enjoyed a flight show by some really adventurous pilots. Looping was the name of the game. And an hour after that, we decided to park the boat and enjoy the city from the bridge. The captain needed a drink :), and the lake was crawling with police boats.

That's when we noticed a guy (I guess it must've been) walking on a thin line going from a church over the river to the other side (you see the little dot in the middle of the pic). The bridge was packed with people, also my little bridge, and so I had to park being watched by hundreds. I made it!

But really? Walking a thin line that long? What possesses people like that? I have no clue. I myself have no death wish.

Now I should take a shower, eat something, then go back into town and enjoy the last few hours of the "Fäscht". Am I gonna make it?

Garden party

Today (ok, yesterday technically) my neighbours had their yearly garden party. Normally they would invite loadsa people, but this year it was only neighbours. And most of them were off on holiday, or having plans already made. So we ended up being only like 15 people.

It was actually nicer, 'cause you get to speak to everybody and not only "mingle" and say hi. And I took a walk around the place and made some pics of the fab gardens they have.

Zürifäscht!

 

Yesterday, Zürich, Zürifäscht. An event that takes place every three years. Big party, carnival-style, food and drink stands everywhere, people partying. And the weather complied, 25°C and fab everything.

Even my friend, who claims my place in the city is shite, had a good time dancing to the music. And so did his friends. Everybody dancing, having fun and partying.

Next time it's street parade, and that's a whole month from now!

Best before again

I saw a consumer show, and learned that the best before date on eggs is calculated on eggs being kept in room temperature. When storing them in the fridge, like most people do, you can keep them a whole month longer. Amazing.

And I must admit I haven't had a bad egg in decades, I mean when opening a raw egg to use for cooking or baking. I guess science has gone forward, even though, as discussed before, the chicken probably has it worse.

I am planning to once splash out on a happy chicken, well I guess at least happy until it was executed, and cook it to see if I find a difference in taste.

Maybe I'll make it a test. Get some friends together, cook a normal chicken and a happy one, and see if we can tell the difference. Yes, that's what I'll do.

Duck race

Once in a while there is a duck race taking place in Zürich. You buy a duck, not a live one, and it is put into the river racing some 10,000 other ducks. It's an event for charity, but it does attract a lot of visitors.

You can either have it sent to your place to paint it (best painted duck wins a price) or have the organizers put the duck in the water for the race if you cannot be there yourself. One duck costs 10 francs, which most people can afford. I'm planning on splashing out this year, and buying a pair of ducks, thus forking out 20 francs.

I'm thinking of naming them Zina and Zetti :).

Best before

No, I'm not referring to myself, but my neighbour, when she goes on vacation she usually leaves me the food that won't last until she's back. Today it was a bunch of tomatoes, some cheese, ham and two big containers of nature yogurt, which I'm still not sure what to do with. Not a fan of nature yogurt.

Anyway, had a guest for lunch today and he got served with grilled tomatoes with cheese on top, rolled ham slices with wasabi and some homemade parmesan bread I had in the freezer.

He was intrigued about the wasabi, and so I showed him the bottle so he'd knew what it looked like. That's when I noticed 'best before July 2012'. Oops!

It's a nice guy, and I really hope I haven't poisoned him. On the other hand, I know that food companies are forced to put an end date to their products, and that it's not always necessary.

For example, I found some Läkerol at my aunts place once, where best-before was 10 years earlier. They tasted quite all right.