Working 9 to 5! What a way to make a living! Especially nowadays. Does anybody work 9 to 5 anymore? I think not. It has gone way of the 8 Track. Very rare indeed. If your spouse is anything like mine, it is to leave before 7 and get home 6:30/7. Makes for a long day. Us Americans. We work, work, work. Busy little bees we are (or wasps and hornets in some cases). I love that commercial on TV right now. Who is it? Nationwide? Blue Cross? No idea. It is the one with the kids saying "Give us one more day of vacation," because Americans leaves like 40 million vacation days unused every year. Crazy!!!
Well Jen, do the Swiss work crazy hours like us? Well no. They don't. I don't even think they work 9 to 5; at least in regards to the retail stores, banks, and post offices. Maybe they do. Let's see...
I have had to relearn how to shop. Not very helpful to me. However, I am sure my husband's wallet is very grateful. See stores here open at 9-ish, close at 12 for lunch, reopen at 2, then close at 6, and 7 for the grocery store. Post offices have a 3 hour lunch, though I am not sure why this is. I have only been to the post office once. I will have to research it. However, this is not the case for Mondays. All retail stores and some restaurants are closed on Mondays. Doctors offices are closed on Thursdays. Nothing is open on Sundays, not even the grocery store, though maybe half the restaurants are. Oh and on Saturdays, all retail and grocery stores closes at 5 pm. Sometimes I do not remember this so it is eggs or cereal for Sunday dinner. Oops! Sorry babies!
I don't know how women work here, or even if they do. There is no time for anything else. The Swiss public school age kids come home for the 2 hour lunch break as well. How they get anything done is beyond me at the moment. And like the rest of Europe, the Swiss take August off. I have been told this place becomes a ghost town. Fine, twist my arm. I guess I will have to plan a nice vacation in August. Whatever....
My new shopping strategy is to hit the grocery store each day for the daily essentials, including dinner. Which is not too bad since there are two stores within a five minute walk of the house. So if I forget something I can go back. I never do though. I just wait for the next day. Add it to the list! Which is usually left at home on the counter. I am trying to get used to this. It is hard for me since I sometimes took mommy vacations to Target. There is not that option here. No late night wanderings with a Starbucks coffee and a bakery donut. Too bad, so very sad....
So 9 to 5. Really the time I have to hit the stores to run errands, hit grocery store and get the dailies. No wait, 9 to 4 because the boys come home, and then their activities start. Oh wait, and I can't go during lunch because things are either not open or are packed. So okay, when can I go? Hmmm...
Monday, February 16, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015
War!
Huuh, what is it ever good for? Absolutely nothin'! Say it again! War!...
Okay now you are thinking one of three things. 1: Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 1, 2, or 3, whichever movie they sing that in; 2: Thank you so much. Now that song is stuck in my head. Don't worry. It has been in mine for about a week since I thought of this entry. It will leave eventually; or 3: After the last post, you a hater now Jen?
Chillax amigo! We cool! You know sometimes life is not just raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. You are welcome for that. No. Sometimes it is about bomb shelters. Say what? Yes, bomb shelters. See Switzerland has a law that all houses built after the 60's need to have a bomb shelter. Yes, you read correctly. No worries ma, calm down. Breathe... This is Switzerland! We love everybody, we are neutral. Live and let live. We won't bother you, you don't bother us. So why do they have bomb shelters then? Well for nuclear attacks of course. Ma, relax, breathe. Everything is fine.
"Every inhabitant must have a protected place that can be reached quickly from his place of residence" and "apartment block owners are required to construct and fit out shelters in all new dwellings", according to articles 45 and 46 of the Swiss Federal Law on Civil Protection.
Pretty cool, huh? No that is not ours. But there are some really neat ones. A friend of ours made hers into a spare bedroom for guests. Where's my bed, honey? Oh, it is in our bomb shelter...
There are enough bomb shelters in Switzerland to house ALL of its inhabitants. That's right. 7.6 million people. Why you ask? Well, they have been through WW1, WW2, and the Cold War. And maybe no one is going to invade Switzerland, but that does not stop nuclear fallout. Doctor Jen, please check my mother for a heart/anxiety attack. Thank you! And mama, put your head between your knees and breathe. Yes, these rooms have thick armored doors, ventilation systems, and anti-gas filters. Not that kind of gas, you sick pigs!
So Jen, where is your bomb shelter? Well. I am not exactly sure. What do you mean?! Doctor Jen, can you check ma's blood pressure now, please? See, my house was built in 1900-ish. Before everything went to Hell in a hand basket. So I don't exactly have one. It could be one of these two places.
Door to under stairs.
Without flash because no light in room:
With flash:
I prefer the one with the wine storage even though it has a window. If I am going to go, might as well go out partying! Remind me to put a cork opener down there. That would be such a party foul. Only problem? Neither has a filtered ventilation system. Or a steel door. Or anti-gas filter... No honey, no beans tonight. We need to be in our bomb shelter...(to the Yellow Rose of Texas melody: We're gonna hunker in the bunker, and have some bunker stew!) Why thank you for these lovely gas masks as Christmas presents! That was so thoughtful of you... Personally, I would not want to use either. For any reason, let alone nuclear fallout! Well, okay the wine one is not so bad. But the one under the stairs? That is a spider condo for rent! No thank you! I will take my chances!
Wait, that's not a spider web, that's my cappuccino! Very delicious!
So no worries if you want to visit! We are prepared! Well, kinda.....
Okay now you are thinking one of three things. 1: Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 1, 2, or 3, whichever movie they sing that in; 2: Thank you so much. Now that song is stuck in my head. Don't worry. It has been in mine for about a week since I thought of this entry. It will leave eventually; or 3: After the last post, you a hater now Jen?
Chillax amigo! We cool! You know sometimes life is not just raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. You are welcome for that. No. Sometimes it is about bomb shelters. Say what? Yes, bomb shelters. See Switzerland has a law that all houses built after the 60's need to have a bomb shelter. Yes, you read correctly. No worries ma, calm down. Breathe... This is Switzerland! We love everybody, we are neutral. Live and let live. We won't bother you, you don't bother us. So why do they have bomb shelters then? Well for nuclear attacks of course. Ma, relax, breathe. Everything is fine.
"Every inhabitant must have a protected place that can be reached quickly from his place of residence" and "apartment block owners are required to construct and fit out shelters in all new dwellings", according to articles 45 and 46 of the Swiss Federal Law on Civil Protection.
Pretty cool, huh? No that is not ours. But there are some really neat ones. A friend of ours made hers into a spare bedroom for guests. Where's my bed, honey? Oh, it is in our bomb shelter...
There are enough bomb shelters in Switzerland to house ALL of its inhabitants. That's right. 7.6 million people. Why you ask? Well, they have been through WW1, WW2, and the Cold War. And maybe no one is going to invade Switzerland, but that does not stop nuclear fallout. Doctor Jen, please check my mother for a heart/anxiety attack. Thank you! And mama, put your head between your knees and breathe. Yes, these rooms have thick armored doors, ventilation systems, and anti-gas filters. Not that kind of gas, you sick pigs!
So Jen, where is your bomb shelter? Well. I am not exactly sure. What do you mean?! Doctor Jen, can you check ma's blood pressure now, please? See, my house was built in 1900-ish. Before everything went to Hell in a hand basket. So I don't exactly have one. It could be one of these two places.
I prefer the one with the wine storage even though it has a window. If I am going to go, might as well go out partying! Remind me to put a cork opener down there. That would be such a party foul. Only problem? Neither has a filtered ventilation system. Or a steel door. Or anti-gas filter... No honey, no beans tonight. We need to be in our bomb shelter...(to the Yellow Rose of Texas melody: We're gonna hunker in the bunker, and have some bunker stew!) Why thank you for these lovely gas masks as Christmas presents! That was so thoughtful of you... Personally, I would not want to use either. For any reason, let alone nuclear fallout! Well, okay the wine one is not so bad. But the one under the stairs? That is a spider condo for rent! No thank you! I will take my chances!
Wait, that's not a spider web, that's my cappuccino! Very delicious!
So no worries if you want to visit! We are prepared! Well, kinda.....
Monday, February 2, 2015
Beautiful Liar!
I could have picked several song titles for this. Songs by The Sex Pistols, The Cranberries, Queen, The Eagles. I also COULD have picked a song by The Rolling Stones. However, like Country Music, I hate the Stones. Can't stand them, well with the exception of "Paint It Black." Don't know why, but I do like that song. The best song title for this really is "Terrible Lie" by Nine Inch Nails. But I chose Beyonce and Shakira's "Beautiful Liar." Why? Well because Switzerland is beautiful. And it is one big, fat LIAR!!!!
Why you hatin' Jen? That's mean...
Well yes. But I have a very good reason. I did not sign up for snow.
Wait. What? You moved to Switzerland. From Minnesota. What is the matter with you?
Many things. However, that is not the point. When we were looking for houses I SPECIFICALLY ASKED about snowfall amounts. The lovely relocation lady said that there will be more in the mountains, maybe a meter by the school, but really just a dusting to about an inch down by the lake, and that it will melt quickly. Because of this, I put our snow boots in the sea shipment. Don't really need them right? And I left our very nice snow shovels at home. Don't really need them right? WRONG!!!!
This was 7:45 a.m. this morning. Yes, I know they are a little dark/blue. I am still trying to figure out my new Samsung phone. And it is very beautiful. And not very cold. But. That is not a dusting. That is more like 4-5 inches of snow. And that is after we had 2 inches on Sunday, which melted; 2 on Saturday, which also melted; and several days throughout the week where 1 - 2 inches fell and melted by the end of the day. And Friday night was a gawd-awful mess!
But Jen, It. Is. Winter. Yes, I know. But I don't do winter. Yes, that is odd and crazy for someone who considers Minnesota homebase and just moved to Switzerland where people learn to ski before they learn to walk.Well, what I should say is that I like winter. I like snow. I don't mind the cold (reasonable cold temps, not those crazy negative numbers). From inside my house. My favorite winter sport? Hibernating. Yes, that is right. Hibernating like a bear. And drinking hot chocolate, but I don't think bears do that. Unless they are the Chicago Bears, then maybe they do. And possibly Yogi Bear or Booboo. But I don't recall an episode where either was drinking hot chocolate. I do not ski. Well with the exception of once. On a converted trash dump in Brighton, Michigan where I tried to ski and ended up hitting my face on my ski pole and popping out my front tooth. Will I try it again? Yes, I am in Switzerland after all. I am not that crazy. But I will try it next year. Maybe I should ask Santa for a mouth guard for Christmas?
9:30 a.m. (Better picture before the clouds took over the mountain again.)
What I also mean is I like winter. If I am prepared for it. With like boots. And gloves. And scarves. I have all of that. In my sea shipment. My poor children have to trudge to the bus stop through this in gym shoes and semi-hiking boots. My husband took the train today because there was no way he could get the car up the hill to the highway - no snow tires on the rental. I drove him the five blocks to the station because he does not have winter work shoes here. Well actually, I don't think he has them at all. There was a very nice bat cave he used to park in back in the States and didn't need them. And I then could not get back into the driveway. Not even with pushing. My son had to clear a path, with his feet, to help me get up a small speed-bump sized lip in my driveway. I am not a great driver, but I should be able to get over a small speed bump.
Seriously, Liar, liar pants on fire people! I am still looking for this micro climate everyone told me about and I told everyone else about. Heck, there are palm trees not 4 miles down the road along the lake! Uumm, snow and palm trees do not mesh! It is in the dictionary if you don't believe me! Do I like Switzerland? Yes, who wouldn't? It is like living in an Epcot village. Will I head out today? Yes, in my Nikes to hit the grocery store for tonight's dinner. Will I enjoy it? When I get back and wrap up my feet in thick chenille socks and slippers to warm them back up.
Seriously though. I listened so I am not prepared. My bad?
Why you hatin' Jen? That's mean...
Well yes. But I have a very good reason. I did not sign up for snow.
Wait. What? You moved to Switzerland. From Minnesota. What is the matter with you?
Many things. However, that is not the point. When we were looking for houses I SPECIFICALLY ASKED about snowfall amounts. The lovely relocation lady said that there will be more in the mountains, maybe a meter by the school, but really just a dusting to about an inch down by the lake, and that it will melt quickly. Because of this, I put our snow boots in the sea shipment. Don't really need them right? And I left our very nice snow shovels at home. Don't really need them right? WRONG!!!!
This was 7:45 a.m. this morning. Yes, I know they are a little dark/blue. I am still trying to figure out my new Samsung phone. And it is very beautiful. And not very cold. But. That is not a dusting. That is more like 4-5 inches of snow. And that is after we had 2 inches on Sunday, which melted; 2 on Saturday, which also melted; and several days throughout the week where 1 - 2 inches fell and melted by the end of the day. And Friday night was a gawd-awful mess!
But Jen, It. Is. Winter. Yes, I know. But I don't do winter. Yes, that is odd and crazy for someone who considers Minnesota homebase and just moved to Switzerland where people learn to ski before they learn to walk.Well, what I should say is that I like winter. I like snow. I don't mind the cold (reasonable cold temps, not those crazy negative numbers). From inside my house. My favorite winter sport? Hibernating. Yes, that is right. Hibernating like a bear. And drinking hot chocolate, but I don't think bears do that. Unless they are the Chicago Bears, then maybe they do. And possibly Yogi Bear or Booboo. But I don't recall an episode where either was drinking hot chocolate. I do not ski. Well with the exception of once. On a converted trash dump in Brighton, Michigan where I tried to ski and ended up hitting my face on my ski pole and popping out my front tooth. Will I try it again? Yes, I am in Switzerland after all. I am not that crazy. But I will try it next year. Maybe I should ask Santa for a mouth guard for Christmas?
9:30 a.m. (Better picture before the clouds took over the mountain again.)
What I also mean is I like winter. If I am prepared for it. With like boots. And gloves. And scarves. I have all of that. In my sea shipment. My poor children have to trudge to the bus stop through this in gym shoes and semi-hiking boots. My husband took the train today because there was no way he could get the car up the hill to the highway - no snow tires on the rental. I drove him the five blocks to the station because he does not have winter work shoes here. Well actually, I don't think he has them at all. There was a very nice bat cave he used to park in back in the States and didn't need them. And I then could not get back into the driveway. Not even with pushing. My son had to clear a path, with his feet, to help me get up a small speed-bump sized lip in my driveway. I am not a great driver, but I should be able to get over a small speed bump.
Seriously, Liar, liar pants on fire people! I am still looking for this micro climate everyone told me about and I told everyone else about. Heck, there are palm trees not 4 miles down the road along the lake! Uumm, snow and palm trees do not mesh! It is in the dictionary if you don't believe me! Do I like Switzerland? Yes, who wouldn't? It is like living in an Epcot village. Will I head out today? Yes, in my Nikes to hit the grocery store for tonight's dinner. Will I enjoy it? When I get back and wrap up my feet in thick chenille socks and slippers to warm them back up.
Seriously though. I listened so I am not prepared. My bad?
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