Not a cloud in the sky, or is it just one big cloud. I took this photo opposite my front garden as one of my first actions of the day when I raised the blinds. An hour later it looks just the same. Yesterday was not very much different and I noticed a temperature of 3°C when I was on my way home from town on my scooter. I am not very prone to cold, but even I was wearing gloves and even kept my face mask on which I usually remove when I leave town: not because of a safety measures, but it was just warmer. I think when our temperatures get down to 0°C it will be time to rethink my shopping tours and order more online goods or take the local train.
On the way into town everything was now looking quite bare and the leaves have now almost completely disappeared from the trees and are littering the remains of the lawns and paths, although our town authorities are constantly busy clearing them away.
I moved on to the store, crossing our Amthausplatz. The large building on the right is a bank. What else could it be in Switzerland. Banks are everywhere . Talking banks, mine sent me a new plastic card yesterday as the old one will soon expire. They now have quite a sophisticated design with black as the background colour. I got a letter with it to say they have now improved on buying in stores and there was a list of the advantages and instructions about registering to get the new improvements. There was also a little emblem I could scan, although that did not work Eventually I phoned my man at the bank, a very nice guy – known him for a few years. I asked how far they were intending to go with their new ideas in the name of safety. Although I am quite computer literate, I get older every year and am now becoming a platinum version of a golden oldie. The bank man informed that I would be getting a second letter with the entrance code for this new system and added if I had any other problems in connection with my banking. I told him at my age I am getting on quite well, the only small problems being the constant changes in the name of safety with their system. The guy muttered “I know” on the telephone, but more help was not offered. He did say I can always contact their help line if necessary. So life goes on in my banking world.
I eventually arrived at the store, parked my scooter outside (with this view from the store). unsaddled my walker which is fixed onto the back of the scooter and eventually found my mask which is law to wear when entering closed spaces.
It was then that I saw this dog patiently waiting for its mistress or master outside the store so of course I had to take a photo. I noticed that there were more people shopping and they had three cash tills occupied, usually there is only one or two. I decided Tuesday must be a busy day.
And so I eventually made my way home through town and noticed that the Christmas Trees are now appearing in he various strategic places.
The Christmas car was also now parked outside our oldest hotel as it always is every year. The Christmas lights are now installed in town, and all we need is the big switch on in December, although I am never so late in town to see them in their full glory. They are nothing really special but make a nice change.
And time to go, although Wednesday is a quieter day for me. I will probably be composing my online order for a week-end supermarket delivery. It seems after the new lockdown rules, things have got a little more reassuring and there is no problem with deliveries. I could order now for next day delivery, even same day delivery if I complete the order in the early morning hours, but I like to plan it for Friday delivery.
Oh what an exciting life I lead. Have a good day everyone and make the most of it.
Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss 
Good morning!!! Such a busy morning for you. The Christmas Truck is a great display. This year’s theme in the stores here with the Christmas ornaments for sale appears to be that sort of truck with a tree on top. I have seen variations in several places, I bought an ornament that is a tiny log cabin with a red bird in front … sort of peering inside thinking about whether or not to go in .. whimsical and it was only a dollar … so I decided to go for it. Have a great day … only 30 more days until Christmas !!! God bless you and your family. Keep up the work on the daily blogs … they are enjoyed by all .. .SLP …
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We don’t get the Coca Cola truck any more due to the pandemic. We have a few decorations, but mainly have the Christmas wreath where we light one of the four candles until they are all burning in the fourth week of advent. Otherwise just some good food.
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Our lockdown starts today.Numbers rising. I am heading out today to get all I can for Christmas gifts.
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No great lock down here, just the restaurants. Shops have reduced people allowed in but most are now ordering online.
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Good Morning, your post are always so detailed and enlightening nice job.
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Thank you and welcome
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Glad you enjoy them.
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The big reveal for our downtown lights will be Friday–the day after our Thanksgiving. Saturday is Shop Small Saturday when they invite everyone to ‘shop local.’ I will be skipping that as it will be way too crowded. Our downtown is shops, galleries and so many restaurants and bars with outdoor seating and no social distancing. We will take a drive at night to see the lights but no elbow-to-elbow shopping for me. Such great photos. Enjoy the day, Pat.
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I am managing very well with shopping. There are just the three of us and I have now quite a store at home. They switched on our lights for five minutes this afternoon to see if they were working, but the official day will be 1st December. The town is no longer so crowded, and people are very cautious. Taking photos keeps me busy, although I sometimes wish I could go to other places.
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But you give so many of us a tour of a place I know I will never see in person. I enjoy your photos.
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Good afternoon. It snowed earlier and there is a blanket of snow everywhere. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the USA. Our meal will be a ham instead of a turkey. Christmas lights are occurring already. They are early because of the pandemic. Good luck with your change to winter shopping.
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No snow here thank goodness, although cold enough. We do not have thanksgiving here. We have turkeys but more a Christmas dish. They were fitting up the Christmas lights today and they were even switched on but just for testing purposes. We will have to wait until 1st December. Today I am preparing a shopping list for a week-end delivery, so I aill not have to shop for a lot.
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Our blue skies have morphed into gray and we are still catching up on all the rain we didn’t get in the summer. It was raining all night. The sun came out for a minute or two this morning, then it grayed over again. It’s supposed to rain all day tomorrow, too — and also, cold. Not as cold as it will get, but cold enough.
I kind of wondered if when the cold hit that you might rethink scootering. The way very serious (winter) bikers do it here is to buy a full set of insulated leathers — jacket, pants, headgear, vest. Leathers look very cool, so it’s also a fashion statement but a rather pricey one.
Tomorrow is our Thanksgiving and we are still here. Yay!
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At the moment I am managing ok with scootering, but am gradually buying more online and having it delivered, we have a good system. I order for the weekend on Wednesday, have it delivered Friday morning, although Thursday delivery would be no problem and am covered for meals up to Tuesday lunch. I have no extra costs with delivery. I still pop out in between if I feel like it. My no.1 son goes into town every afternoon and can bring anything I might need. I also have a full deep freezer chest and a room full of groceries.
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I wish at least ONE of our groceries delivered, but they don’t. Fortunately, Owen does!
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We have two main Swiss chains and they both deliver. I have my particular favourite and am a member in a way. I buy almost everything there and they have good quality stuff with very reasonable prices for Switzerland. They also have many special offers. Although many stores are now having problems to survive, this one has even employed more people. They are expanding the delivery business which is paying off with many people in isolation and I am glad. The centre for my deliveries is in a nearby village. I get the hour when they are delivering and when the chauffeur is on the way I get a phone message to say that Fred or Joe or whatever his name is, is now on the way with my order and will arrive soon. About half an hour later I get a ring at the doorbell and Fred in person arrives. They are improving and expanding on the service constantly and I could not be more pleased.
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We may be the ONLY place in Massachusetts where NOBODY delivers. I don’t know why, but I suspect they simply don’t have enough people to handle deliveries — or we are so unimportant, we aren’t entitled to them (?)! Suffice to say, it would make life a lot easier if they DID deliver.
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Note: We are not having turkey because none of us particularly like it, so Owen bought a leg of lamb — normally too expensive to even think about!
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You are the second American that has told me no turkey. I am sure the turkey population of the lstates are thankful. I quite like turkey although very rarely have had it. Leg of lamb is very good
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The problem with turkey is the white meat is really dry. The bigger the turkey, the dryer it is after all those hours of baking. I used to like the day after Thanksgiving better because we made sandwiches — a big improvement on the turkey.
Garry loves lamb, so this is probably his favorite meal of the year.
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Turkey sandwiches remind me of the time between Christmas and New Year when I was still living in England. Mum would always make turkey sandwiches to use up the remains of the turkey.
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We got a solid seven or 8 days out of leftovers. By the end of the week, everyone could cluck.
You’re lucky she didn’t also make soup out of the carcass for one more round. I had two days of turkey in me, after that, it was dog food. We had a big roast chicken the other night and Owen is making broth from it. We use chicken broth for a lot of things,
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Whenever I think I am acquainted with every tree in Solothurn, I see an unfamiliar one. The new tree in the second picture is strangely wrapped with sticks. I suspect it is for protection from harsh weather. Trunks of orchard trees are painted white to reflect sunlight that might scald the bark. Sticks work well too. I suspect that the sticks in the picture are to protect the bark from desiccation and splitting in the potentially harshly cold wind.
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That is usually when young trees are freshly planted to give support for the first few years of their life
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Oh, I mean the slender sticks bound to the trunk, not the three stakes that support it. They could have been there for support early on, and were just not removed. I have done that, and actually did it with a scrawny lemon tree just recently.
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