OUR NEIGHBOURS

Just had to take this photo, though the people are a bit small!! Every time Roger pops his head out the front door, Heinz, our next door neighbour is ready for a chat! Heinz has been adding insulation to the top storey of his home and it seems to have taken an awfully long time. So, here is Heinz, Hannelore and Roger surveying the completed work.

A GRATEFUL HEART

This morning at Centrepoint I was given a gift by a friend and it has really touched my heart. To be thought of when you are not together with a friend is a very special thing. This is not the first time it has happened and it has made me realize how special friends are and that they should never be taken for granted. I have been given quite a few gifts this year and I go 'warm and fuzzy' inside just thinking about them and the people that have thought about me in this way.

Some of the things I have received:

Self Raising Flour all the way from the UK
Golden Syrup all the way from the UK
Shortbread
English Tea
Twinings Earl Grey Tea (I have an addiction!)
Special cotton socks
Chocolate
Evening Primose Oil Tablets
Stationery
Cookies from Switzerland
Homemade syrup (cordial for those in Aus.)

This list does not include the lovely things that have been sent from Australia.

I feel very, very blessed and especially loved.

GOODBYE MARIA

I think I've mentioned before how much people come and go in our lives here in Basel. Maria arrived nearly 3 months ago from Sydney, Australia for long service leave and to see her boyfriend who is Swiss and lives in Basel. She literally threw herself into life in Basel, joining and volunteering at Centrepoint, volunterring at a child care centre in Basel and going to German lessons 4 mornings a week. Roger and I were most fortunate to meet her shortly after she arrived, at a morning tea at Centrepoint. So, here we are saying farewell to a beautiful lady who we have become very fond of.

Roger in action saying a few words about the lovely Maria

Wendy presenting Maria with the most beautiful bunch of roses

US ! ! !

PEACH and PRINCESS

Several months ago I posted a photo of our daughter Glenda holding little Peach who was about 5 weeks old. We've been asking Tom and Glenda to send up some up dates on her growth. I just had to share these gorgeous photo's with my blogging friends. I'll also share Tom's brief comments that he sent with the photo's. Peach is the puppy and Princess is her playmate who lives across the road!

MATES !

Time for a nap !

On the weekend we did some work in the garden !

This week we are going to the beach. What are you doing?

We're going to have fun at the beach !

I just found out you can't come to the beach with me !

IN THE GARDEN

A few weeks ago Roger and I went to the rental garden plot (very popular here in Germany and Switzerland and can be rented for around 150 francs/year) of Claudia and Jose Lois in Switzerland. We had a BBQ and very relaxing afternoon on a balmy Swiss day. Since then Claudia and I have met in the garden for Deutsch learning. I'll post some more pictures of the garden if I remember to take my camera tomorrow (though it could be raining so we might just go to the apartment - which will be very boring!!).

A lady of leisure - well, at least for Sunday afternoon!!

A gentleman of leisure on the same day!!!!!!!

Yep, it's really a garden with a view!

Fancy taking a photo of an empty plate!!

Ah, that's better - F O O D ! ! ! Claudia and Jose Lois really cooked up a storm!

Our coffee machine

We received a phone call several weeks ago from our friend Fritz in Basel asking us if we wanted a coffee machine. Of course Roger said yes. He loves his coffee!! Fritz said he and Ilona would deliver it one Sunday afternoon, so about 3 weeks ago they arrived with this machine. We had no idea it would be so big, and a Siemens to boot!! I felt a bit selfish that we would keep such a beautiful machine all to ourselves and jokingly suggested to Roger that we should give it away!!

ANYONE FOR COFFEE ? ? ?

Trip to Aeschaffenburg

Roger and I had a lovely visit to our friends Carole, Joachim, Jani and Jenny in Aeschaffenburg last weekend. We have not been there since March 2006 when we visited on our way down here to Basel. The weather was wonderful and we made the most of being outside. Lots of games to play, fun to have, food to eat and yes, ice cream sundae's!!

Jani and his girlfriend at the pool. Our Sunday lunch! Cute, aren't they?!!

Joachim about to peek at the chickens! My cherry sundae in the foreground and Jenny enjoying her apple sundae.

First love, young love! So cute. Joachim - too close!!

Jani and Jenny. They are such lovely young people and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing them again.