26 | August | 2025 | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss

So let us be honest. Who has not tried in at home. If you manage to get a few seeds, plant it and watch what happens. The first time was out of curiosity and it was succesul. I had a few plants growing in the garden. Then Mr. Swiss came along with curiosity and picked a few leaves, mixing it with the tobacco in his cigarette. Of course as an amateur, he had no great idea, and neither did I. However, it was fun and we had the feeling that we were doing something special.

It stayed as an experiment, although the plant, known as weed by many, was interesting. Naturally when son No 2 arrived for a visit he gave us instructions how to do it properly. I would add this was many years ago when youngsters experiement with everything. Now he is married with his own children and it is all in the past. He does not smoke, neither do I or my other son – only Mr. Swiss, and at the age of 86 he is long out of the weed age. Mr. Swiss actually only now smokes a few cigarettes during the day. However memories of the experimental weed days have remained.

I do not make home movies, prefer to watch what the others do. However, our town is well known in Switzerland for our film day, at the beginning of each year. It is quite an occasion with film people arriving and showing the years film productions in Switzerland. Personally I have never attended, to many people and I cannot go out in the evening, too dangerous for me.

Today would have been a good opporunity for a film, I had a personal drama at home. I was busy outside in the garden doing some cleaning work and I began to feel somewhat dizzy, I get that feeling now and again due to blood pressure and instead of making a pause in my work I continued and then it happened. I lost my balance and winthin a minute I had fallen. That would not have been so bad, no injuries, but I have MS and when I fall it is impossible to stand again. What do you do in the garden alone? you call and hope for help and yes help came. First of all I heard my lovely neighbour call from her balcony above “I am coming Pat and then my other wonderful neighbour who lives opposite “‘Coming Pat.” and within a minute they were both at my side and helped me to stand on my feet again,. That was all I needed and when I am again horizontal I have the strenth to move. However, they stayed a few minutes to make sure that I was OK and to look if there was anything more they could do to help me. I thanked them both. I was so glad for their help. Living alone has its problems, but with such wonderful neighbours it is a great support. I have now certainly learnt a lesson not to persevere when you know you are feeling somewhat weak. Afterward have a small lunch I retire to bed where I stayed for a couple of hours. Gradually I am feeling OK and my blood pressure has normalised itself.