Saturday 31 March

Had a sleep-in! Yeh!! We woke up to snow! Now that was unexpected! What's happening to the weather. Anyway it will be a day in as we are having Fritz, Ilona and Anna to Dinner and I am going to cook up an Australian Feast. (Kids, eat your hearts out!!!)

Have already put the Beef in the oven to slow roast! We will have my favourite roast which I don't cook very much anymore (and I used to cook every Sunday lunch for the family to enjoy). Then I will attempt another Pavlova and if it doesn't turn out, it really doesn't matter! I'll just cover it with cream, strawberries and kiwi fruit.

Sound yummy? You're invited ! ! !

Galerie Weibel

Our next Mosaic Event is 4 May featuring "All That Jazz". Roger and I went into Basel this afternoon to meet Benedikt at Galerie Weibel. He wanted to check out the venue and look at the beautiful Fazioli Grand Piano (and play it of course!). Benedikt has also asked a friend to join him for the evening. So it should be quite an event.

Fritz and Ilona Weibel were at the Galerie, also our friend Bernhard. Adam Weibel, Fritz' son and Ilona's daughter Anna were also there. So it was quite the party.

I had to laugh a little to myself as I sat there. (Last Friday we were at Galerie Ars Nova in Loerrach sharing a drink with friends).

This could become a habit. Maybe we could start up a TGIF!

Thursday Night

Much too tired to be posting really! I must crawl into bed soon. Have had a quiet evening doing nothing much (unusual for me). Roger is in Basel for the second performance of the English Seminar Choir that he is in. I went last night.

They're performing "Sacred Choral Music from Byrd to Stravinsky". All to much for me I'm afraid. Just as well the programme was only 50 minutes. I couldn't stand anymore. Will this music be in heaven, I wonder? Maybe there just wasn't enough variety in the pieces. I mean, how many Ave Verum Corpus' are there? (I don't really want to know - honestly!!).

I hope I'm not offending anyone with this blog (probably Jocelyn and Glenda actually - sorry girls).

Tomorrow's another day !

AN EVENTFUL DAY

Just when we thought we'd have a day of recovery............

We visited our village Optometrist today. Long overdue. I'm almost blind and Roger lost his reading glasses EARLY New Year's Day! Roger was hoping he would get his glasses back, but alas they have not been 'turned in' so to speak. I was told I needed new glasses before I left Australia but didn't want to part with the $'s!! Roger ordered and picked out his half frames in less than 5 minutes. NOT SO ME!! I ended up taking 5 frames with me for my girlfriends to inspect and choose which ones I should buy! At least that decision has been made, but oh dear, the cost is a bit of a worry.

Roger was just out the door to his Deutsch course when he was asked by a guy to push his car to get it started! (I was watching from the window!!). THEN he comes in and gets me and asks if I would clutch start the car. Now you have to realise we drive on the left hand side in Australia AND I have not driven a car since the 27 February 2006 when we said goodbye to our lovely Mazda 6!! I said I'd push, but that didn't work so the guy persuades me to get in the car! We started it straight away! (We're sure he didn't have the ignition on!)

Just quietly, I'm bugged!

Unhappy day for daffodils !

My friend Manda took this photo and I just had to share it with my blogging friends! This was last week.

Today the sun is shining brilliantly and it promises to be 15C. There are still patches of snow on the ground but the chill has gone from the air. Again, Spring is in the air!

We have woken up rather tired today, but will press on with many things to attend to. We skipped the walking group. It was all too much having to be out of the door by 8.15am after a very busy few days.

Visit to Galerie Ars Nova

We weren't able to get to the opening of the Art Exhibition at Galerie Ars Nova because we wanted to attend the AGM at Centrepoint Thursday evening.

Late Friday afternoon we took our friends Jack and Deanne to the Galerie. What a treat it was as both Matthias and Delia (the owners) were there as well as the artist Michael. When offerred refreshment we just had to say yes! (Now that was a nice bottle of French red 1998 - eat your heart out Tim!!!). AND YES, this is work!!

Won't tell you what we got up to next!

Snowing off and on all week in Schopfheim

IT'S STILL SNOWING !

On Tuesday I tried to post a photo someone had taken of the snow in Zurich. It was beautiful. Anyway, I couldn't. Sorry. But the snow is falling again this morning and it is so beautiful. We still quite get used to it, probably because we haven't had much this winter!

Roger has come down with a bad cold and I am struggling to fight mine off! I had a good Deutsch conversation lesson with Eliane yesterday. She is staying with her parents whilst Jakob is away in the US. Little Noah is changing rapidly and as always is so very cute. Eliane is so patient and kind with me, a very slow learner.

We took lunch to our Youth Pastor's home and shared it with David and Simea and gorgeous and very funny little Leah (17 months old). We always enjoy catching up with David and Simea and don't do it enough.

By the time we got home it was after 4pm! Roger went straight back to be.

TODAY we will catch up with our dear dear friends Jack and Deanne who are back from LA and will be here in Loerrach for 3 months. It will be such a joy to see them both.

TONIGHT we will go to the Centrepoint AGM (our English speaking club in Basel). We have to make sure we don't make eye contact with Lillian or Lorriane, or we will be put on a committee!!

I'll have to see if I can find a snowing picture for all you Aussies to enjoy.

Saturday afternoon bliss

Roger took this photo especially for Tim, Jocelyn and Glenda!! We'd love to tease you all and say we've got a new addition to the family. But then Jocelyn would probably recognise Wolfie (Aaron and Amanda's miniture daschund). We're 'dog sitting' for 4 days and rather enjoying it, though Friday night wasn't the best.

Don't you love the picture. Spot all my favourite things
1. A good book - "Away with the Fairies" by Kerry Greenwood (thanks Joce)
2. Chocolate
3. Cup of Twinings Earl Grey
4. Comfy Couch
5. Dog on my lap

As if all that wasn't satifying enough I then got up and had a long hot soak in the bath. I was putting myself in the mood for a 'night in' when Roger came in and said "Why don't we go back into Basel (yes, we'd already been to visit in the morning) and hear the Gospel Choir at the Munster. SO WE DID.

On our walk to Langenau

We walked to Langenau a couple of weeks ago (on the other side of the hill from Schopfheim) and then hiked back over the rather steep hill. It was about 10km's altogether so not too far. Roger took these photos and I just had to share them with you. Very special indeed. AND I was able to post all 4 on my blog at the one time! Now that's a first. I wasn't game to write something at the same time!

Roger tells me we're in for some snow next week. We've had the most glorious Spring weather the past couple of weeks and I'm not sure any of us want to go back to winter! Still we've made the most of it by being out and about. Roger went up the hill yesterday and write 'thank you's' and then went for a bike ride today and did his Deutsch homework. Somethings brewing in the air. It was very hazy today, and we're not used to haze!

St Patrick's Day Luncheon

Okay, so it's a couple of days early but we still had a lot of fun. There were 13 of us altogether (some of us have to work!!). Lillian was our hostess and did a great job. We had lots of green food and green clothing! Lillian has the perfect apartment (in Basel) for doing this sort of thing (lovely and big). And yes, I got to make a few more new friends!

Walking Monday 12 March

Roger and I had a great walk yesterday with our walking group. We caught a tram to Rodersdorf in Switzerland. About 13 of us gathered on a gorgeous Spring day and immediately set off UPHILL!! The good news is that we both coped very well with the steady climb up! We walked 2 hours back to Fluh. We decided to have a coffee with some of the group that didn't want to rush away. I thought you'd enjoy these few photos that Jewell took along the way. It's easy to pick out Roger (being the only guy who is usually on the walks). Enjoy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS

My Darling Sister Irene turns..... on 12 March. She's on the right here, standing with me of course. Our home is in the background.

Wishing you a very happy and special day Rene. Wish I was there to spoil you a little (like that ever happens). Can't even remember the last time I was around for your Birthday. You're one in a million sis and I can't wait to see you again in September !!!!! Have a great trip to Bali and may you get all the rest and relaxation that your poor old body needs!

(Irene and George visited us here in Schopfheim, Germany for a few days in Aug/Sept last year).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GLENDA

Today is your special day, our darling daughter and you turn 25 years old. May you have a special day and as your thoughts turn to all sorts of things (!!) may you be reminded how much you are treasured by your Mum and Dad. We are very, very proud of you and the way you live your life, always putting others before yourself and bringing out the best in people you rub shoulders with.

You are one special lady and we love you dearly our dear Glenda.

Happy 25th Birthday.

Hugs and kisses from Mum and Dad in Schopfheim, Germany xoxoxo

(photo was taken on Glenda and Tom's Wedding Day - 18 Dec. '04)

I keep asking for a recent photo, but alas one has not come my way!!

Tuesday 6 March

Trying to have a low day today (that is in not doing too much). Actually I'm so tired I think I am succeeding. But I know I will pay for it tomorrow when I will have so much to do. Oh, I have put 2 loads of washing on the line!

Had a lovely phone call with our niece Amy in Newcastle, NSW and then David rang to tell us the good news of Joshua's engagement to Jayne on Saturday. Very romatic too. Good on you Joshua!

Then I spoke to Tom and Glenda. Poor Glenda is not well at the moment. It's very busy for them both with Uni going back and meeting up with old and new students.

Roger and I will go for a walk soon and then do some shopping so we can eat tonight. Sorry I am being a bit boring at the moment.

The reason we are both so tired is that we had the second part of London Lab here in Loerrach over the weekend and Monday. IT WAS FANTASTIC but full on so need a little time to recover.

ANSWER !

To......Guess what we're looking at.

Congratulations Glenda and Esther. Glenda's been to Europe and Esther lives in Japan. Say no more! Thanks Pat for being the first to at least try.

Jocelyn took the photo of us and we are looking up at the departure times for the trains leaving from Munich. But I think the photo's rather cute, don't you?!!

(It's funny, I really thought more people were reading my blog !) I probably should just give up.

Oh, and by the way, we do have a son. His name is Tim. He NEVER leaves a comment on my blog. BUT when I talk to him on the phone he tells me it appears we are having too much fun here and not enough work. If only he could visit.

More later.

What about this one ?

COME ON !

My blogging friends are being boring. Only Pat has been game to comment. Please let me know your thoughts. It's not hard to leave a comment everyone! It's not rocket science you know.

Guess what we're looking at?