Sometimes they are called campanula, but this time the label said bell flowers.
Daily Archives: 19/08/2017
Daily Prompt: Simultaneous Reciting
There was a time when I was young. OK, not quite young, but younger, it was Christmas 2005, and I was 58 years old. The grey hair had arrived, but believe me the brain cells were still working, And so we had our annual Christmas party in the company where I worked, complete with speeches about how the company name was becoming known in the world and how good we were, blah, blah, blah.
It came to pass that our english representation were on a visit and were naturally included in the celebrations in the local village hall, complete with food and drink and a long, long, speech by our general director. Unfortunately his speech was in German and the english guys did not understand German. As known, most english only speak english. It was decided that a simultaneous tranlsation, over headphones and microphone, would be the ideal solution, and I was the chosen victim. I had the time apparently and so there I was sitting on a table on my own, a united nations lookalike official translater ready for the task ahead of me. Could I do it? No-one really asked, it was assumed. I knew the english guys, nice blokes, and they thought this would be fun. They were sitting at the front naturally, I was at the back.
I did a trial through the microphone “1, 2, 3, 4, 5 – can you hear me” – no reaction. I walked over to them and asked and they said “no” and both giggled: typical english humour and I was near to a nervous breakdown. I requested notes of the speech in advance from my direct boss, but was told they do not exist. I had no idea what No. 1 director would be saying, this was really simultaneous, thrown into deep simultaneous waters from the beginning. The speech began and so did I. I am a great talker, love to hear the sound of my own voice, but this was completely different. I had to keep up with what the boss was saying and did not know what would be coming. It was all statistics and events etc. etc. After an hour it was over. The english guys gave me friendly smiles and laughter and afterwards indulged in the drink and food. I still do not know today if they were really listening to what I was saying.
Eventually it was a successful evening. I won 1,000 Swiss Francs for suggstion of the year. Everyone makes suggestions during the year and on this evening they are put in a hat or whatever and three are picked for the first, second and third prize. Mine was chosen for the lst prize. Some compensation for my nerve wrecking job at the beginning of the evening. I decided I made a good choice when I decided not to apply at the United Nations for the job of a translator.
Good Morning
Look what I discovered at the bottom of our path where it meets the main road. We have a speed limit through our village, in most smaller places here, of 30 Kilometers per hour. They have now, probably temporarily, erected a speed measuring device. As you drive pass it shows you how fast you are. It is positioned just after the exit from our underground garage, so I do not have the feeling that we will reach any great speeds on it. Mr. Swiss said it has been there for some time.
Our appartment building is now a yellowy colour on the East Side. Yesterday our building team finally completed our new surface. The isolation is finished, and now all it needs is a roughening up of the texture and a coat of paint. Our windows were covered with plastic sheeting during the day, but at the beginning of the afternoon it was removed. The side wall is still covered in plastic. The workmen left with half our garden covered in plastic, but it began to storm with high winds, blowing most of it to one side. A workman appeared from nowhere, and removed it all. We are not sure what is happening to the side wall, but this is also covered in plastic. Perhaps a well-known painter has been invited to make an artistic touch to the wall – who knows.
Otherwise we are set for a nice quiet week-end with no disturbances, although this morning it seems two roof workers appeared from nowhere and ascended to the roof sporting a loud radio as they went. This was 7.30 a.m. but it seems a complaint was lodged by a neighbour and the radio was immediately switched off. We were under the impression that roof work was finished, but they have now distributed vegetation over it and perhaps the workers had to inspect the growth.
At last I eventually, finished the Game of Thrones. I have never been so relieved to finish a book. 800 pages of family feuds, death and destruction finalising with the hatching of three dragon eggs. I think the dragons grow up and return somewhere in the last book, but I will not bother to find out. I am now reading Book 3 of the Alex Cross detective stories by James Patterson. At least I have a story line which will probably have an ending.
I will leave you with yet another romantic view from our garden through the scaffolding. At least we are getting some blue skies today, it can only get better. See you around, enjoy the day and beware if you see builders in your area, their intentions are not always good.
Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss 