What I Like

Everything in bloom in Pully

I love the "Bonjour".  The Swiss way of saying it is high pitched, a little sing song, and always with a smile. Everyone you pass in the street says it, especially in our suburb of Pully. Strangers acknowledging each other. Most often it is Bonjour Madame or Bonjour Madame Monsieur if Steve & I are together. It is such a pleasant, simple, civilized thing to do.

I love the flowers of spring.the trees have gone from blossoms to leaves in the 2 weeks we have been here. It can drizzle in the morning but seems to clear up by afternoon. I love how shiny everything looks. Switzerland's cities are very clean. I love the parks, the lake, the snow covered mountains, my grandchildren.

French Alps across the Lake

Yes, there are challenges. Using the washer is one that we think we have licked. The French language is another. Learning French at this age is not easy, but I keep hoping the effort is stretching my brain and keeping me fit mentally. I love the farmer's markets with white asparagus and tiny baby artichokes, small delicious and aromatic strawberries from Italy, and the middle eastern spice vendor. I always buy too much. I love seeing the old men dressed to the nines, in sports jacket & slacks, shirt & tie, with a plaid wool cap and wearing tennis shoes out walking their dogs. I love seeing the school children out for an excursion walking 2x2, hand in hand, chattering away. I hope to someday understand what they are saying.

Yesterday I met the Jim Wylie of Lausanne. For those of you not familiar, Jim is THE Bernina sewing machine Guru, salesperson and repairman in Santa Rosa. George (soft "Gs" ) is just like Jim in many ways. He is about the same size, loves to talk about the machines and will talk forever. He knows everything about every model. He lived in Utah for several years so his English is perfect. His shop window has at least 10 used machines of various prices. I found a less expensive machine that is about the same vintage (about 16 years old) as mine in storage in Portland.  It comes with a one year warrantee. It looks almost exactly like mine so the learning curve will be nonexistent. George will also buy it back from me if I want, of course at half of what I paid. We'll see.

His shop is across town from our place so once again we borrowed Jed & Helga's car. The sewing machine weighs about 40 pounds and would be awkward to shlep to and from the bus stop and up our hill. We are lucky to have this option but we both really love having a fabulous public transportation system and not having to drive on a daily basis. I brought some sewing to work on and I am looking forward to starting up sewing again, on the next rainy day!

Posh Squash Pully, Switzerland

This morning I planted Posh Squash Pully, my deck garden. Two planters of herbs, thyme, chives, parsley, mint, oregano, plus strawberries and one tomato plant. I would like to get  another tomato plant but it is early in the season for tomatoes so I will hedge my bets and wait a couple of weeks.