28 | November | 2020 | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss

I decided to ignore my morning cloud today. It casts such a miserable feeling when looking out the window. Yesteday evening as I was closing the blinds on the front side of the apartment, there was this wonderful breathtaking picture outside. I had to look twice to see if it was real.

Our neighbour in the big house opposite had had the trees decorated with these lights. I have never seen anything so wonderful. He is one of the special neighbours I suppose He did not build a house, but a villa. I remember it being built when they even employed helicopters in the building process. He enjoys celebrations and has often staged his own firework display for our national day, or perhaps to celebrate the birthday of his wife. I only know him as a neighbour, but this time he has really done something wonderful.

Yesterday seemed to be the day of lights.

When I entered town yesterday I was impressed. The Christmas lights have had their official “switch on” and the town was again populated with people, you could almost say crowds: something I have not see for some time. I thought 1st December would be the day, but I was wrong in my considerations. Of course the Advent begins four weeks before Christmas and yesterday was the time for it to happen.

There was even a flock of birds flying back and forth over the lights. I managed to get them on a photo, but it was only my mobile phone camera, so did not really do them credit. They probably wanted to view the light effect from above.

I am not really a Christmas person, do not actually celebrate the meaning of the whole thing, but I think we need something now and again to raise our spirits and certainly at the moment with our virus curse. For a while you can forget it all and enjoy the atmosphere of the celebrations.

I had another meeting with an elderly lady in town yesterday as I was scooting along. She had a walker and found what a wonderful transport machine I had and asked where I got it. A conversation began and it seems her husband died a while ago after 53 years of married life and she was now alone. We had a wonderful little conversation about this and that sharing our thoughts on old age problems and life in general. I find it wonderful how you can meet people when you have something in common. She immediately guessed that I was an MS sufferer. Her problems were rheumatism and the knees, but she did not so much complain. I think our main problems are getting to grips with the situation and learning to live with it. Getting older brings problems for most of us.

The magpies returned again yesterday in the back garden and I managed to get this one just before he flew off with his peanut trophy in the beak.

My little robin also returned to see what the sparrows had left him. He is such a sweet little thing, although I see he is putting on weight. He always appears when the others leave and prefers to be alone.

The sparrows were again watching from their lookout in the bushes. The seem to have everything under control and with one common swoop they all descend together to reap the harvest of my daily food offerings.

I was again left with the TV yesterday evening when Mr. Swiss retired to bed. As it was Friday the British TV usually have a good reflection of musicians. Yesterday it was half an hour of Sir Rod Stewart. I always quite liked his music, but did not know so much about him. There were films from his very young days and of course the various music. I must say I really became a fan yesterday and enjoyed the programme very much. He is also one of the most popular British singers.

Afterwards the programme was followed by an hour about Gerry Rafferty. I did not know so much about him, but it was interesting to learn about his music life. He died at the age of 62 in 2011 which I did not realise, but I did know that one of his songs, is very much a favourite of mine, Baker Street.