Yesterday Brian went for a bike ride – he went really far and really high. Like over one hundred miles with an elevation gain of 9 thousand feet. This trip was part of his goal to bike from our house to each of the countries that border Switzerland. Sometimes I forget how fit and fanatic he is.
Here’s his really far route:
And here is a photo he took at the Italian border – really high:
Well done my love!
We had two beautiful sunny days this weekend so we visited two pretty towns.
Rapperswil:
and St. Gallen:
We were all good and tired on the train ride home:
This morning I’m trying to get the house back in order after a crummy week and I’ve gotten distracted by these pictures that Mom and Dad gave us last Christmas. Look at cute me and cute Jennifer and the clothes – especially the litte nautical outfit that Jenna has on – I just love it. Mom – why didn’t you save those cute things? …just kidding.
Our bad week started last Thursday when Bea was sick and then Brian took a turn on Sunday and then I was out on Monday. Somehow it’s Thursday and I still feel even more disorganized than usual. The piles of laundry are scary. I was so sick on Monday I just sat in a lump on the couch while Claire got into a box of puzzles and games and spread about a thousand pieces around the living room. And then the pile of stuff sat there for two days. Uhg.
OK – thanks for listening to my whining. We’re looking forward to a great Fallish weekend.
I hope you all had a great Labor Day. Good-bye Summer. Hello Fall.
Here are a few pictures that Bea and Claire made this week. Claire is cute when she draws lately – she gives a running commentary about the kitties that she is drawing and she tends to make these loop shapes a lot. Bea’s drawings are more complex all the time – she often draws our family having a birthday party.
Here’s some jam that I made yesterday. Apricot jam. I always buy apricots when they are in season because they are so pretty, but then I don’t know what to do with them. I only remember how tart they are after I get them home and then they tend to sit on the counter for days and days and days…
So after my rhubarb jam success this spring I decided to try apricot jam – and yeah – I’m pleased again.
In other news – we got two bits of really happy news last Thursday. First, Brian was made a principal at his company and then we found out that Grandpa C. is in good health after a surgery. I am so thankful!!!
That’s what Claire says lately right as she pops into the room and gives me a big smile.
We went to the Wadenswil Chilbi over the weekend. This year was different from last year because Claire could go on some rides. At first she was completely in awe of all the colors and sounds – she staggered around slowly with her head tilted up taking it all in. It was so fun to watch her on the rides. I think I may have had just as much fun watching her as she was having on the ride. And I think Bea enjoyed being the big sister – making sure Claire was sitting in the right spot – watching over her and enjoying her fun with a little knowing smile on her face.
The view from the top of the ferris wheel:
It rained for a while so we had to take cover and eat some fair food. We had Cornish pasties, fried apple slices, raclette and big lolipops. Then the girls splashed in a puddle while we waited for the boat.
Good-bye Wadenswil Chilbi.
On Saturday morning I got around to cutting down some of the bamboo on our patio that had died during the winter. And then we made a teepee:
and what does every teepee need? an iPad of course:
I started this dress in Michigan and just finished it today. When I was back at Mom and Dad’s house Jennifer brought her new sewing machine over. It was so, so nice. And I am so, so jealous. I had wanted to make the button holes using her machine because you basically line up your fabric and watch the machine do all the work and the buttonhole comes out perfect. Unfortunately I didn’t get to do the buttons on her machine, but I guess they turned out OK on mine. I let Bea pick out the buttons and the fabric is flannel. It’s much too hot out for the dress today but Bea won’t take it off. I hope she wears it with tights this winter. The pattern is by Burda – #9504
Bea has started school, but it definitely still feels like summer here. It’s been hot, hot, hot since Bea and I got back from the U.S. I shouldn’t complain too much because we’ve enjoyed some great swimming – it was especially nice to swim with Bea alone. Normally I can’t interact with her much because I’m keeping such a close eye on Claire when we’re in the water. We’ve had those kind of days when you pine away for the evening when a delicious cool breeze comes over you.
Bea was surprisingly low key and maybe even a teensy bit excited about the first day of school. She did great… other than her German class. The kids have to take German (not to be confused with Swiss German) class once a week at a separate building. She was supposed to be in a class of four kids which is typical. But – she ended up being the only one to show up on the first day. It was very un-Swiss for people not to be there. Anyway she told me that she didn’t have fun at all and she acted angry about it for a good bit after.
I have big hopes for this school year. Bea is still not really doing any talking at school even though we know she understands everything her teacher says. All we can do is wait and hope that she will surprise us one day. In the meantime I look for little clues that make me feel she had a good day at school and I try to be positive. At then end of the day, when I peer into her snack container and find it empty I somehow feel good about the day that she has had.
A hot day at the pool:
Laowai 