OUR CHRISTMAS TREE

Well, here it is, completely dominating the loungeroom! Ready to be decorated. Now, you must realize that we either gave away, or left most of our decorations in Australia. I must also tell you that I keep sending the lovely German decorations we are given by friends to our family in Australia. So when it came to decorating the tree........

..... but Roger always has a good shot at it. The tassel decorations come from Japan! Roger then discovered tinsel in France (you can't buy it here in Germany). Australian's can't have a Christmas tree without tinsel (well, not at least these Aussies). This was taken during the day with the Christmas lights on, but you can't really see them. We will make another attempt some other time (maybe when the kids come back from their galivanting around Austria and Prague).

ARRIVAL OF GLENDA AND TOM

Yes, here's the gorgeous couple having a Gluwein in Loerrach at the Christmas Markets! It was/is very cold so they rugged up accordingly! A secret - they didn't finish their Gluwein (but at least they tasted it). We all agree it's not for us!

And of course the boys just had to have a beer for old time's sake! Here's to US ! ! !

CAN'T WAIT FOR TOMORROW MORNING

Y E H ! ! !

Glenda and Tom arrive tomorrow morning. I can hardly wait. I'm trying to get highly organized, but it's not working as I'm all churned up in the stomach and I don't know what to do next!! I mean, as if they'd notice that the house is spick and span, the dinner is cooked for tomorrow night, the washing and ironing has been done, letters written, etc. How very silly of me!

We leave early tomorrow morning to get the train to Loerrach and then our dear friend Aaron is kindly driving us to Zurich to pick up our darlings! They are suppose to come in at 8.15am. They would have landed at Frankfurt airport early Tuesday morning and then have to wait for their connecting flight to Zurich. I know they are going to be exhausted when they arrive. I'll have to hold my tongue. Now that will be hard!

They are with us for 36 hours, then we will take them back into Basel to catch the train to Zurich where they will stay overnight then fly to Austria and onto Prague. It's going to be freezing for them as the temperatures have been rather warm in Melbourne.

Roger is at his second Choir Concert tonight in Basel, so this will give me an opportunity to get some last minute things done. I'm on track, so that's a plus!!

Hopefully I will be able to post some lovely photo's of Glenda and Tom in the near future.

It's raining like crazy here. If it was just a little colder it would be snowing! Ahhhhh!!

Christmas Decorating in Progress

Aren't they SO cute! This was the easy part. Keep watching for the

Christmas Tree (Roger got a little CARRIED AWAY!!) and all that goes with decorating at this time!

Visit of St Nikolas

This is a yearly occurrence at this time of the year, especially somewhere like Schopfheim that has a real community feel about it. Anyway, after waiting and watching all day to see if St Nikolas would make an appearance at our door (and I had some home baked goodies ready), I eventually gave up, locked the door and closed the shutters rather late at night. I was feeling very disappointed.

When we opened the front door the following day there were these chocolates (pictured - Mon Cherie) hanging from the door!

We happened to pass our neighbour this afternoon coming home from Basel and he asked if we'd had a visit from St Nikolas! Then we put two and two together! Heinz had the biggest smile on his face. But he missed out on the home baked goodies. I'll just have to sneak them over to his front door! It could become quite a fun game actually!

FREIBURG CHRISTMAS MARKET

My lovely friends - Maria, Sue and Jayne

Do they look cold or what?!! It was freezing I can tell you. Thursday 29 November I left home rather early to meet these lovely ladies at Basel Badisher Bahnhof for a trip on the train to Freiburg (1 hr away - but boy did the time fly!). We found out that our ticket covered us for the trams in Freiburg, so we were pretty pleased about that. So we arrived in Freiburg around 10am and made our way to the Christmas Markets. Actually we couldn't stay outside too long as it was so cold! Our hands and feet started to freeze! Gluwein is all the thing (sweet warm wine - which I don't really like) at Christmas time and each region has their own mugs which you can buy. They're very nice actually.

Jayne was insistent that we found a crowded place for lunch (means the food is good - of course!!), but we didn't. Still lunch was very yummy then we hit the markets again. When we'd had enough we went back to the Train station and caught a train that was already there. It happened to be a fast train back to Basel (and one that we shouldn't have been on!). The girls kept saying, "Oh, I can't remember this scenery, etc..... you sure we're on the right train". But we did arrive safe and sound back in Basel and nice and quick as well.

Needless to say I was rather tired when I got home - and the next day as well.

What a life!

Photo's from our Mosaic Retreat

I just wanted to share a few photo's with you from our trip to Adelboden, Switzerland.
This is a view from the Chalet!
Just as you pictured Swizerland eh?


















Roger tucking himself in before reaching to the ground for a big snowball!

Nolan will be ready with his before Roger has time to look around!


















Amanda and Patti make an appearance, but are still close to the door!

Sarah all rugged up.

Roger with another snowball!