Five years

Yesterday we had a party to celebrate that tomorrow it was five years ago we moved into our house. I have mixed feelings about it, since on one hand it feels like yesterday. I remember the build of the house over 20 months and then finally moving in day came. On the other hand it feels like I've been living here forever.

One thing is clear though, I have never felt so at home as in this place. And I plan to remain here for the rest of my days. Hopefully a long time.

So while the guests were celebrating and having fun and interesting talks, I was being pestered by a five-year-old with questions why I didn't have chalk or coloured pencils to make drawings with. Told her this is not a child-friendly flat, thinking that would put her in her place. But she persisted with questions like "don't you have any children?" and "don't you have a man?". Seriously! Told her I have two cats and am very satisfied with that. Guess she didn't get the irony.

So I took her by the hand and led her to the guest room, telling her how inviting the guest bed is. I even switched on the lamp by the bedside, only to hear "is purple your favourite colour?". Duuh. We've been neighbours for five years and I wonder what kids learn these days.

But all in all, a very nice evening. Now I look forward to two new neighbours, who will rent the attic flat, and not only add two new nationalities to the house but I'm also told they have two cats! Soul mates I'm sure.

Twitch

I'd like to say I'm flirting, and I dunno why, but I have started to get twitches in my left eye. Without any reason. I'm not stressed, I'm not worrying, I'm sleeping all right, I'm doing sports, I'm doing everything right, but nevertheless my eye is twitching.

Not all the time mind you, but on and off, and I have no idea why. Irritating!

Phew!

Wow, that bike thing required much more effort than I thought. This morning I biked 7.4 km's in 22 minutes and burned 219.7 calories. It was different resistance, there are about 10 programs to choose from.

But the worst thing was the saddle. I no longer seem to have an extra cushion at my bum. This is indeed good training before my next riding lesson.

More green?

I got accused of having a long way to go to being a real green person. And it got me thinking. What else can I possibly do to be more "green"?

I have no car. I live in a "minergy" flat. I try to save on electricity. And water. And heating.

I like to get some tips how I can save more. Really, I'm open to suggestions.

Jetzt geht los

Oh, I dunno. A friend of mine had a bike buried in his basement, and in a weak moment I said "oh yes, I'm very interested". Now it's here and I have to try it. It's got a display with all sorts of electronic stuff, but since I do not yet have the manual, I guess I just have to bike like normal.

Tomorrow morning I'll look like a sports woman!

Saving school VII - don't waste the waste

This saving tip may only be applicable to Switzerland, which btw have the best system to finance waste I have come across. Here you pay for the trash bags. Which means you only pay as much for the waste that you produce. Phenomenal if you ask me.

That means that all glass, aluminium and metal I bring to the glass banks. For me not a problem, since they are almost everywhere and I pass one on the way to the food shops. Greens, like reduntant plants, waste from the kitchen and everything that is "alive" goes to my friend. He has a green container. A green container you can buy, but for me with so little green waste it wouldn't make sense. It would take me a year to fill such a container up.

Paper is picked up every two weeks, all you gotta do is to pile it up, put a string around it and place it on the street the day before pick-up.

Carton the same but every four weeks. You put cartons outside the house, next morning it's removed by the efficient green cars operated by Zürich city.

I have enjoyed myself measuring how much I save, both in money and for the environment, and I'm proud to say that I now am down to the smallest trash bag (17 liters) every two weeks.

If, by rumour, Zürich plans to recycle plastic containers, wrappings and the likes, I shall downsize even more.

Am afraid to admit, but I think I'm becoming a bit of a fanatic when it comes to green living. However, I still refuse to buy "bio". But I have to say, that when an iceberg salad I bought a month ago, still was kinda fresh, I wonder. Not sure I'd take it as far as growing thingies myself, which btw would be difficult having only a balcony, but maybe just stop eating lettuce?

I'm a reader

I love books. So much that I'm walking and reading. Books, not with my nose in an ipad or smartphone. Paper books. I read while having a dump on the toilet. I read when travelling whether it is on a bus, tram, train and an aeroplane. I read while waiting in a queue in a store or at an ATM. I read while sitting in a restaurant waiting for my order to be delivered (ok, only when I'm on my own, I'm not antisocial). I read in bed before going to sleep. And I can spend hours in a book shop, unlike in a clothes shop where I seem to get backpain after five minutes for some reason.

So today was a day of joy. I got sent a package from my aunt. With four books!

It took the good part of the afternoon to finish the "analphabet who could count". And I still have three to go! It's a joyous time.

Toilet haste

I went to a street party today with my neighbours. It's a party, organized by some thrifty people at our street. I know they've done it for many years, but I haven't been there before.

And even though "my" street is not very long, the house numbers go to 96 but all of them are houses with more than one family. I.e. there are thousands of people living just at "my" street.

Not all of them showed up though, and I must admit when the rain started I quit too. However, it was nice as long as it lasted and I very much appreciated the little stickers where you wrote your name and your street number. Annika 20! Yes I very much enjoyed that. Instead of all the Fritz's and Heinz's 80 and 88.

When I decided to leave (yes, was dressed too lightly and didn't want to admit it, was freezing) I realized I had "toilet haste". This is a Finnish expression for when you are in dire need of a toilet, fast! Omg. I walked faster than I probably had in my life.

It reminded me of a bus trip to some party or back from a party decades back, I remember having an urgent need too. Then I managed to hold it, until we stopped.

Tonight I barely managed, it was so close! In fact, I think it might've been a drop or two coming out before I reached the toilet. Yeah, I so look forward to diapers again. NOT!

But I rather wash underwear than having a pee in public in the street where I live. Imagine the shame! "There she goes, the one who couldn't hold it". I much rather be known for the person "oh, you're the one with the purple windows!".

Whichever case, I'm not completely like other people. And that I am proud of.

Saving school VI - take the money and run

I remember when I worked at this IT company, and we were given options and so depending on the profit of the company, we were all gonna get rich. Ha!

But a few years into the scheme, we were offered to take half the money out of the total, and I jumped at the occasion. Money for free? Oh yes. So I got sent a check, and since I had moved countries in between the offer and the pay-out, the check passed go (payroll) and I didn't have to go to prison.

A few years later the shares started to drop, and today the company don't even exist anymore. So, if you're ever offered money from a company, take it and run!

A beggar in a suit

Today when I was walking the dog, strolling actually, enjoying the surroundings and thinking about how beautiful Zürich is, I was approached by a man in a suit. This is of course no news to me, but it was surprising when he held his hand out, displaying coins. Oh, I thought, maybe he wants to change into a bill or something, but no. He stated that he had only 7 francs, and needed 8 for parking or something. All the while he had a 100-francs bill sticking out of his wallet.

But I gave him the one franc coin, and only after I realized that in most parking garages you can pay with cards.

I could smack myself for being stupid!

Dog-walking

Today I was out walking a dog. A dog I know, and she knows me, but she still loves her owner more than me. Fair enough. So we had a bit of a whining session at first, but then it went ok. She followed me, looking over her shoulder now and then, thinking her owner had disowned her. And no, he hadn't, he was just seeing a doctor about a thing.

That thing meant that he hadn't eaten since yesterday evening, so had to hurry home after and make pizza. Found a new paste in Denner, which contains no E-numbers and only 1% sugar. Spicy. Yummy! Better than fresh tomatoes that wet the dough and makes it soggy.

So we enjoyed homemade pizza, some wine and the dog got some treats. All is well that ends well.

And yes, I would be really irritated if my cats took to somebody else more than to me.

Weberpark IV

Weberpark III

Weberpark II

Weberpark I

Today I was exploring some art outside Zürich with friends. I understand this was a guy who for 50 years created and built a park with fairytale animals, and who didn't like to be disturbed when he worked. So now, after his death, the kids have decided to share this treasure with the public.

It was quite amazing. Wherever you looked there was an animal staring at you. Everything was art. Even the chairs and tables. I really enjoyed it.

Coordination and skill

You know, I'm still on a bit of a high since my riding experience today, and I cannot help about thinking how coordinated one must be.

I know, when you see horse-riding on television it all looks so easy, but trust me, it isn't.

First you have to focus on sitting right. Straight up and heels down. Hands in contact with the mouth of the horse. When trotting, you can either sit down leaning back a bit (depends a lot on the horse if your inner organs are getting reorganized or not) or doing the up-down bum movement, which I thought was an easy thing to do, but according to the teacher had to be up when the outer leg of the horse was going forward, and not vice versa.

How you sit and how you press your legs and feet against the side of the horse is crucial for how the horse is moving. If you think you steer a horse with the reins only, you are sorely mistaken.

An easy thing like going in a ring steering the horse, takes coordination and skill. And horses are flock animals. There were two others today sharing the area, and mine wanted to join the others so I really had to work hard to make him do what I wanted.

But I did enjoy galloping. However, today I could only do it slowly. I look forward to the time when I can really get going fast over a field or a beach or something. And the best thing of all is jumping.

Dreaming a bit I guess, think it might take a few more lessons before I'm there again.

Gigant(ic)

Wow, that was a lot of fun today, but even more strenuous than I remember. Of course, not having done anything like it in the last 35 years might have something to do with that.

At first I was a bit taken, since I was somehow expecting a slightly smaller horse. I had to give them my body data with height and weight, so I was kinda expecting not such a giant, who happened to have the very fitting name "Gigant". But it was something to do with another horse having back problems, so Gigant it was.

He was very gentle I must admit, and stood still when I got up (had to use a small ladder, but when I saw a professional do the same I didn't feel so bad). It was a strange feeling being on a horse again.

But I did remember quite a few things, and even though my body had to work really hard (completely soaked after half an hour, was probably stinking in the bus on the way home!), I enjoyed it. Especially the galloping!

Mind you, I'm having blue marks on my inner legs from the leather straps, and I have a feeling my bum will be a bit sore tomorrow.

But I think this is something I definitely will do again.

Cat trick

The other night I was tired and wanted to go to bed. Every night I make sure the cats are in, close the balcony door and that's it. But this night I couldn't find the little one. I looked everywhere. Under the beds, behind the washing machine (yes, I know, she's not allowed there), behind the curtains, everywhere I know they usually hide, couldn't find her anywhere.

So I decided to not be the curling mama, and let her be outside for the night. After all, last time she survived all right.

But I couldn't let it go, so just before going to bed I decided to open the balcony door in my bedroom and in a gentle voice say "Zina, come home, everything is forgotten". Then I realized two shadows behind me. Hey, two shadows?

Yes, there they were. Both of them.

Little buggers. They like to play with me.

Fish have bones!

I had dinner tonight with a friend, and I cooked fish. Whole ones. Ok, not whole-whole, since the guy at the fish counter took out the mushy bits in the middle, but still. And he (my friend) was mesmerized. That surprised me, since he's not exactly a youngster, but I guess not everybody grew up with a father who's favourite pastime was to fish. Especially not in Switzerland.

He was deboning the fish, looking at the skeleton, telling me how remarkable it was with the spine and that's why the fish was moving so elegantly.

Yeah, yeah. But even I was enjoying it, stuffed as it was with tomatoes (from my plant on the balcony), basil (again from the balcony), butter, lime, dill and caviar. Served with boiled potatoes, peas and a mix with shrimps and other goodies.

Neigh!

I am so super excited. Tomorrow I have my first riding lesson in more years than I care to remember. Found a pic of me when I was about eleven or so. And no, we didn't have cams like today back then.