Lazing around

After a rather busy few months, it has been wonderful to sleep in, relax, go walking, do some mending (!!) and enjoy having Jocelyn with us. We've both been enjoying reading novels, talking, etc. Tomorrow we will be going into Basel to prepare for our New Year's Eve party at Gallerie Weibel and hopefully to catch up with Bernhard and Lorraine. They are 'plotting' the evening with us. We're calling it a Jam Session and it should be lots of fun. Jocelyn will need to get over her cold so she can sing her little heart out.

It's been wonderful to receive cards and emails from many family and friends in Australia. We are blessed to know so many amazing people who care for us very much.

We were able to talk to Tim and Glenda on Skype Christmas Day and that was very special. We now have a camera so can actually see them. Very cute. We also chattered briefly to Amy, Tom, Heidi and Eloise. Then David and Sue called us in the evening (their Tuesday morning). Yes, it was rather late.

Life is quiet at the moment, which is great.

Last Christmas!!!!

What a happy bunch of people. Had to blog this photo of last year's celebration at David and Sue's home at Coalpoint, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia!!!!!!! Here we are (the 3 of us again) with the Ridley gang. We sure did have a lot of fun with them all. I wonder what 'Swanie' is doing this year?!!!! 

Christmas Eve Dinner

There's nothing quite like an Australian Roast Dinner and I was very happy to cook it for the 3 of us, even though it was tooooooo much!!! We passed on the Christmas Pudding!! This is our beautiful daughter Jocelyn (who arrived from Japan on Friday), me in the middle and the very handsome Roger in his Christmas bow tie!

We went to the FeG Loerrach at 4.30pm for their Christmas Service. It was rather chilly walking to the train and then the Church, so we did it briskly!!

No snow here. What a disappointment! It's been fine and sunny for over a week now. By sunny I mean -4C overnight and getting to 6C at around 12 midday and then rapidly decreasing!

Today we are on the train again at 2.45pm going to Loerrach to have a Christmas meal with Aaron, Amanda and Aaron's parents who are visiting from the US. In the meantime we will open our pressies and hopefully have some Skype conversations with our beautiful kids in Melbourne and our family in Newcastle.

Bring on Christmas!! 

These past days

Very frustrating not having wireless connection at the moment, hence lack of blogging! Apologies to all those that check for news regularly. I can't even post photos at the moment.

We are doing all things Christmas! The only little problem is that the sun is shining brilliantly and it feels like we are in Australia!! Well.... excuse me! Let me explain. When we sit in our sunroom with the sun streaming through the large window and our heating on, it feels like summer!

So.... Roger has purchased the real little Christmas tree and decorated it appropriately. Very cute in its little corner of the loungeroom. Tinsel is just a slight problem here. They just don't know how to do it. Will have to get our gorgeous Glenda to send some to us next year!

I have been baking! Made honey biscuits the other day. Very yummy but lots of mess. I can't believe I didn't bring my cookie cutters with me. Had to borrow Johanna's, but that worked out okay. Must make the Christmas Puddings and Christmas Cake today. Yes, I know, a bit late! I do miss the Rotary and Lion Cakes and Puddings! I like being lazy.

We haven't received many Christmas cards! I don't think people in Australia like going to the Post Office to send overseas mail. I'm sure they still love us though!

Jocelyn arrives tomorrow (Friday). I posted that she arrives Saturday. Fortunately she saw it and sent a quick email. Roger will travel by train to Zurich to meet her. VERY EXCITING.

Spoke to our lovely Glenda and Tom today. Their move into their own home went smoothly. We were praying hard that it would. Now we need to connect with Tim and Amy and find out what they have been up to.

Roger is suggesting we take Jocelyn to Freiburg on Saturday to check out their Christmas Markets. That should be fun. We can get a family ticket for 30 euros which is pretty good.

Wishing all my blogger friends out there a Merry Christmas and a Safe and Peaceful New Year (but lots of fun of course, that goes with the territory doesn't it?).

G A Y N O R

Our Children

Glenda and Tom moved into their own home today. We have been thinking of them and wondering how they got on. It is a very exciting time for them. Tim and Amy were going to help them out, as were some of their friends and Tom's family.

Jocelyn arrives here on 23 December. We are all getting very excited. I am going to have to keep myself busy or I will go crazy waiting.

Jocelyn has been in Osaka, Japan for the past 3 months teaching English. She's had a wonderful time and it has given her an opportunity to speak Japanese. She learnt Japanese at school and didn't really well. I think she has a gift with languages. We'll have to try her on th Deutsch!!

OUR FRIDAY

Friday was a bit of a recovery day for me! Why am I not keeping up with our pace of life?!!!! Roger went into Basel to RUN with Bernhard. He certainly didn't strip down to shorts this time! We received an email from Jocelyn reminding us that our temperatures are COLD. Jack Frost is definitely visiting each morning and it certainly looks like snow, but of course it isn't. Everyone is hanging out for snow here. Christmas just isn't the same without snow (evidently)!! The last 3 days have been sunny and around 11C but overnight 0C or -2C.

Last night we went to the Centrepoint International Apero in Basel. What a fantastic chance to catch up with friends and to meet new friends. We had a great time. Roger spoke to a young couple for most of the evening and I had a lovely conversation with a lady who is originally from London, but has lived in Basel for 35 years! Basel was alive last night. The Christmas lights are magnificent. We keep forgetting to take our camera with us.

Today I am baking! Guess what? I left all my cookie cutters behind in Australia. I just can't believe I would do such a thing (nor would you Jocelyn). Will have to ask Johanna if I can borrow hers. I don't think I want to buy a whole heap more.

We have invited an Australian couple for afternoon tea. They live in Reihen in Switzerland. We have been wanting to catch up with them ever since we arrived here! Then we are going to a German friends place for a venison meal (Bernadette and Werner caught 3 Deer!!). They are hunters (should I say that on my blog - sorry if I offend!!).

Sorry no photo's Jocelyn!!!!!

My Thursday

I left home on the 9.45am train to go to my friend Christina's place in Stetten to have my hair cut. I've only had my hair cut by Rabinna twice and now she is giving it up. She cuts hair so well. Oh well, I'll just have to be on the look out for someone else!

I then caught the train into Basel and met Tara. We had lunch together for the last time. Tara is heading back to Abu Dhabi with her husband Nigel. They have been in Basel since June and when they first arrived, only thought they would be here for 1 month. It has been great getting to know Tara and spending time with her. She is having a baby in June, which is very exciting. I'm going to miss our little outings together. There's always email, but somehow it just isn't the same. I much prefer the face to face!

Farewell dear friend Tara and blessings on you for the future.

Learnen Der Deutsch ! ! !

Yesterday I attended my first Deutsch Ladies Bible Study in Brombach, 3 train stops from Schopfheim on the way to Loerrach. It was at Bernadette's home. There were 11 ladies altogether and we studied the Love Chapter of the Bible - 1 Corinthians 13. The ladies were 'warned' that I was coming and were very understanding of my limited Deutsch, but I was so excited to be there and surprised at how much I could understand. A couple of the ladies have offered to speak Deutsch with me so that I can get some main phrases together. We will begin to meet after Christmas. At last I feel I am going to get somewhere. Plus of course I also get to know a few more ladies.

Saturday night Roger and I have been invited out to Dinner. Vennison is on the menu. It will be a very special meal and we are both looking forward to being treated to a traditional Deutsch meal.

Deutsch Kurs Christmas Party

Oh what fun! All those learning Deutsch at the VHS in Schopfheim were invited to a Christmas Party this evening from 6 - 10pm. Talk about the United Nations! We were asked to bring food from our country of origin. I made a Zucchini slice (not really Australian) and a Pavlova covered in lots of cream, strawberry's and kiwi fruit. It looked very, very yummy, though Roger and I held back! There were around 50 people there and we were asked to sing a song in our national language (hence all the Englisher's got together!!). We couldn't do any better than "We wish you a Merry Christmas!". Yeh, I agree, very lame indeed. We all had a great time and now Roger and I know of another gathering where people meet to speak English in Schopfheim once a month.

Saint Nikolaus Day - 6 December

Well, wouldn't you know it! We've just come home from Small Group and hanging on our door was a small gift from St Nikolaus with the message "Der Nikolaus war hier"! Oh how absolutely adorable. Just can't believe it. Our first ever gift from St Nikolaus.

The beautiful Advent Wreath was personally made by our beautiful friend Johanna and the picture just doesn't do it justice. Johanna is a very talented friend and when she gives you a gift, it is always given with so much love. How blessed are we?  

MOSAIC'S FIRST PUBLIC EVENT

Chamber Concert at Galerie Weibel Friday night 1 December. A balmy (cold) night with lots of warmth and enthusiasm inside was the setting for our first Mosaic public outreach to the English speaking people of Basel. Around 37 people attended the magnificent Concert brought to us by street musicians Cypria(Cello) and Alina (Oboe). Very professional and moving for all of us listening to the pleasing sounds of classical music.

Roger and I are so very proud of our Mosaic Team and the amazing way they all pitched in and rose to the occasion to put on this public event.

Yes, we're well on the way to going 'Live'!!!  

Our Amazing Musicians - Cyprian & Alina

 

Artwork

 

Our Mosaic Team and Friends

 

Having Supper