I am surrounded by flowers at the moment. The remains of Summer and the Autumn arrivals like these chrysanthemums at the local cemetery.
I also saw this wonderful hyrandgea in the garden of a house.
Good Morning
I am not sure how this morning will progress so I am taking things as they come. On Saturday morning Mr. Swiss lost a tooth – no big deal really,, no pain, but mainly inconvenience. These things always happen at the week-end when no-one is available to help. It is now Monday morning so he will be calling to dentist for an appointment and I am not sure if and when I have to play chauffeur to get him there. At the moment I am carrying on as usual. I am sure the dentist is not waiting for Mr. Swiss so I might have time. I am not keen on morning emergencies as I like my routine at the computer and having breakfast. I also have to shower and get ready. At the moment Mr. Swiss went back to hugging the bed and I am doing what I always do. Looks like another sunny day today, although the weather gurus say there is a cold front coming.
I discovered a brave carnation in my garden this morning, although it looks like it had to fight its way to be seen. Perhaps there might be a few more appearing.
It was a lovely visit by No. 2 son with his family yesterday, although I discovered 2 year olds can be quite exhausting. He is now making first steps at communication with his own language, his dad’s German dialect and naturally his mum’s vocabulary. It is quite amusing to see how he sorts it all out. I never thought my offsprings would be speaking a different language to mine, but after 50 years in a polyglot country like Switzerland you are ready for everything.
Things going as normal today, I will be off shopping this afternoon, although I must go shopping come what may. I will just have to fit it in somewhere. Sometimes I just long for a life where there are no musts, just wants. I always have to check at the beginning of the week whether Mr. Swiss or I have a doctor’s appointment. Getting old is not always fun. Even we have our stress situations.
I noticed this swan family on the river at the week-end and I am sure they are the swans I saw nesting on the river bank with their eggs. The cygnets would now be at the stage with their still brown feathers and there were 5 eggs in the nest.
Perhaps only three chicks made it. I love see the swan families, they are always so perfectly organised.
And now I must organise my life. Mr. Swiss is still hugging the bed and I have time to do what I want to.
My garden is looking good with the rudbeckia, sedum and reeds which decided to make their home there.
Take care, have a good week beginning, and hope to be around later, whatever the day brings.
FOTD September 15 2019: Japanese Cherry
One Word Sunday: Volume
If you visit our town at the end of February/beginning March you will have your share of volume from our local carnival noise.
FOWC with Fandango: Middle
It’s a strange feeling taking the bus to Basel airport from the station, you were in no man’s land for a stretch on the road until you reach the airport. On the road you noticed that right and left there was nothing, because it was almost no man’s land.
A town on the borders of Switzerland, and on the borders to France, not forgetting Germany. There were even two stations, one in France if you were travelling in that direction and the main Swiss station. My first journeys to Switzerland were by train as 50 years ago flying was not as affordable as it is today. I remember the train crossing into Switzerland at Basel after travelling through France during the night. I also remember seeing the Basel zoo which is on the French-Swiss border.
A few years ago I travelled by train to my son’s wedding in Germany. The train pulled out of the station and made a stop just a few minutes later along the tracks to another station. The border guards mounted the train and you saw them on the platform, some even with their dog.
Or were they police. Eventually you see so many uniforms you are not sure what they are. The customs officers might even mount the train with a few questions about goods to declare, although that does not often happen. The last time it happened to me was when I was on my way to Germany via Schaffhausen on the Swiss border, but that was many years ago.
Being in the middle of Europe as Switzerland is can have its confusion. Even locally we change languages after an hours train journey from Solothurn where they speak German, to Neuchâtel where French is the language and it is still Switzerland.
It might be a small country, but being in the middle can have its problems.
RDP Sunday: Talk
It was one of those dark nights, no moonshine, just a few stars dotted across the sky, definitely not a night for a walk through the cemetery. Rose and Charlie found it ideal, they had a lot to catch up with as they had not seen each other for a few years, and what better place could they meet than at the cemetery. Charlie had been there almost ten years and Rose only arrived a week before.
“So now we are together again Rose, I really missed you the first few years: taking walks on my own on the dark nights.”
“Oh Charlie, I missed you too. The first year was the worst, but afterwards I just found that life must go on. And now it doesn’t any more.”
“That’s death Rose, just have to get on with it like the rest of us.”
“Where are the rest of us Charlie, are we the only two here.”
“No, of course not Rose, there are hundreds of us, but only a few special ones like us. They have their own deaths to live like us.”
“Look at that nice bench Charlie, I often had a sit down after I put the flowers on your grave. I suppose it is now our grave. I hope you liked them. You always said you were partial to lilies, so I always brought them for you.”
“Oh yes Rose, I really liked them. It made the place look a bit more comfortable and homely. I suppose it is finished with the lilies now.”
“Probably might be Charlie, you know how much I like yellow roses and Benny, our son, and his wife have already put some on the grave. Hope you don’t mind. You know, I did get a funny feeling sometimes as if you were near when I made my visit.”
“That was the idea Rose. Didn’t like leaving you so sudden, but if the heart stops beating and you have a hungering for something special, then there is nothing you can do about it.”
“Anyhow it’s a nice quiet place here. None of that stress from life any more and we are together again. Hope you don’t mind me having the top floor.”
“No problem Rose, I can just float up now and again if I want to and you can visit me down below. Things are so much easier now. When I think of all those aches and pains I had from the rheumatism and it’s all gone now. Now and again I get a bit hungry, but nothing that a flight into town won’t cure.”
“You are right there Charlie, just a nice peaceful rest.”
“Evening Charlie, is that the wife?”
“Good evening George, yes she has now joined me. Let me introduce you, Rose this is George, he has now been here at least twenty years.”
“Good evening Rose and nice to meet you. Now if you want to know anything or are a bit unsure of things, just ask me.”
“Thank you George, but I am settling in quite well at the moment.”
“That’s what we like to hear, isn’t it Charlie. Next week is full moon, did Charlie tell you about the preparations?”
“No, he didn’t. Is that something special?”
“Not really special Rose. It’s a sort of getting to know you evening, isn’t it Charlie.”
“Yes Rose, I am sure you will love it. George usually organises it and we all meet at the bench for a talk. You would be surprised at the familiar faces you might see. Even your grandmother will be there. She kept asking me when you would eventually arrive. You were her favourite granddaughter you know. Afterwards we take a flight into town to quench our thirst. ”
“Oh, that will be nice Charlie.”
“Well I will be getting along now Rose and Charlie, so wish you a very happy remainder of the evening. Daylight will soon be arriving.”
“Did you hear that Charlie. Now daylight is not so good for the undead like us is it?”
“Definitely isn’t Rose. We might melt or explode into flames, so better be getting back home. Oh it is lovely to have you at my side again Rose. Think of all the expeditions we can make together when we get organised. You don’t even have to be worried about getting bitten, after all we have all ready got our bites.”
And as the two vampires walked back to their grave, they knew that they would now stay together forever and Rose was so looking forward to seeing her grandmother again.
September Photo a Day Challenge: 14. Dappled
This is a glass door I encountered on a wheelie in town in my chair. It was certainly a dappeled pattern with its contours reflecting the light.
And then on my journey yesterday along the river bank, I noticed the river also catching the sun’s rays and light reflections on the water surface.
