And a good morning from Kanton Solothurn in Switzerland where the carnival season began yesterday morning at 5 a.m.  I have been homebound for a week with the dreaded coughing and sneezing and otherwise unwell, but slowly the nights are now reduced to just one long coughing session and I a sleeping again, although I do tend to wheeze when breathing. Yesterday I was determined to venture into the open again and as I approached the town in my wheelchair in the afternoon I could already hear the beats of the drums and trumpets playing their music. I entered the town and found it full of people dressed in their colourful costumes, throwing confetti everywhere and just enjoying the fun of the season.

Thursday afternoon is for the general public to dress up and have fun. Especially the kids enjoy being something they are usually not. If it is colourful, then wear it and make sure that you can get some paint on your face.

And this applies to all generations. I suppose I could have decorated my wheelchair with flowers and masks and colours, but I decided I was colourful enough. It is a time in our town to lose your inhibitions and mix with the people. As I entered the town a young lady approached me and threw her arms around me and began to talk to me. She had been taking a drink in an outside restaurant. She was fascinated by my cane which I always have attached to my chair in case I might need it. It is not every golden oldie that has one with a colourful flower jungle pattern and she even tried it out. She also had her problems for a while with sclerosis (not the multiple one) and was now in recovery after a lengthy course of cortisone.  So is the carnival here, people cast away their problems and enjoy.

I had not mixed in the spirit of carnival for many years. I think the last time was when the kids were still kids and then I was the mother that had to go for the enjoyment of the kids. This time I could enjoy the atmosphere and take my photos. The people were so friendly and as soon as they saw me with the camera they gave me a smile for a photo.

I was not so sure if this guy was smiling or not, but he was quite impressive. What impressed me was not only did the kids have their costumes, but the parents were also dressed. Carnival is a big thing in our town. There was music everywhere and the main street packed with people in their costumes.

Even the weather joined in and it was warm like a Spring day.

After an hour and 98 photos later I decided to move on home. Mr. Swiss was also astonished that I took so many photos, but I really did not want to miss anything.

As I began to wheel away from town I cast a look back as I could hear a singer and music in another part of the town. I had not ventured into this part, but the streets were packed with costumed people and otherwise. I was never a carnival person, too much stress, but there are some things as a golden oldie you can now enjoy and let the others celebrate.

Today is Friday, and a day where people will probably be recovering from the festivities of the night where they spend the time into the early morning hours in the restaurants in their costumes. That is now more reserved for the active. On Friday evening there will be a few masked balls organised which continues tomorrow.

And now to today’s celebrations in the store getting the week-end food supplies. Although the supermarket is in a village just outside of town, they will also probably have some carnival music groups as well to liven up the mood.

Today it is raining and now there is some snow mixed with it, but nothing dramatic. Perhaps nature now needs some moisture after such a long dry period of weather. I will now move on and have a relaxing morning, with a few coughs and sneezes in between and a head full of memories of carnival Thursday afternoon. Have fun, see you around.