Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Is this not the silliest thing you ever saw? Some kind of a foreign object got into Bear's paw and he started hopping around on three legs last week. It took a while to get a call in to the Vet, but when I took Bear in this morning, they did a real nice job fixing him up.
The Vet sedated Bear and cut the thing out. Now he's all bandaged up and healing nicely. But is that not the silliest thing you ever saw?
Street musicians are in every part of the city year round. Warm weather, cold weather, rain or shine. When it's cold and rainy you can count on being serenaded inside a warm street car. This time of year, you can be sure they'll make at least one 15 min. appearance every time you eat a meal at an outdoor restaurant.
Click below to join Chris and I last Sunday afternoon after church, enjoying a beer in Geneva's Old Town Square.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Remember these little guys from May 19th?
Well, look at 'em now!
There's 17 tomato plants! All healthy and strong. I've had a lot of bad luck growing things from seed over the years, but for some reason, tomatos and I have always gotten along. I had a tomato garden in Vermont as a teenager.
Chris and I are looking forward to homemade spaghetti sauce in a month or so. These guys had better not be at their peek when I'm in Virginia in the beginning of August. They had better wait for me to get back!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
It's hot in Geneva.
The last 2 weeks have ranged from 85 to 95 degrees. Not such a big deal unless you don't have air conditioning and most Genevans don't have air conditioning. Until the last several years, Geneva was cool and comfortable all summer except for a few weeks in August when they just toughed it out. In recent years, the hot season has extended to July as well as August and no one is ready for it.
Chris and I bought a one room air conditioner for our bedroom so we can sleep at night. It's quite fun actually. It reminds me of my childhood, growing up in Vermont, where the weather was similar to Switzerland and we only needed an air conditioner for one or two weeks out of the year. My sister and I set up pallets on Mom and Dad's bedroom floor where the one air conditioner resided. It was a big party! Kellie and I tried to convince Mom it was too hot to sleep in our own room as often as possible.
The last 2 weeks have ranged from 85 to 95 degrees. Not such a big deal unless you don't have air conditioning and most Genevans don't have air conditioning. Until the last several years, Geneva was cool and comfortable all summer except for a few weeks in August when they just toughed it out. In recent years, the hot season has extended to July as well as August and no one is ready for it.
Chris and I bought a one room air conditioner for our bedroom so we can sleep at night. It's quite fun actually. It reminds me of my childhood, growing up in Vermont, where the weather was similar to Switzerland and we only needed an air conditioner for one or two weeks out of the year. My sister and I set up pallets on Mom and Dad's bedroom floor where the one air conditioner resided. It was a big party! Kellie and I tried to convince Mom it was too hot to sleep in our own room as often as possible.
Somehow my diamonds are a different color this time of year. It's the same water and the same sun, but somehow the heat changes the exact shade of sparkle. The following video clip doesn't come close to capturing the beauty of this day last week and the unbelievable amount of diamonds sparkling on the water, but humor me and watch it anyway. You'll almost feel like you are with me, pulling over to the side of the road, stepping out of the car for a minute to take a picture.
A few weeks ago I accepted a part time job 3 mornings a week as church secretary. Our church desperately needed to find someone to replace the lovely man who is moving back to Australia. The job pays unusually well, and I'll still have time for my art career. Why not.
Speaking of which, my latest painting, Voyager of the Dawn Treader is nearly finished. I'll have it up here for you to evaluate in a few days!
Back to the secretary position.....
It’s in Old Town Geneva and I started last week. I knew you would want pictures. This is quintessential Europe at its best and I get to work in the heart of it!
Road to the church
7 Rue Tabazan
The door to our courtyard is the middle door among those smaller archways. The silhouette on the building is a historical figure... the executioner... according to the current secretary, (lovely elderly man from Australia.)
The door to our courtyard is the middle door among those smaller archways. The silhouette on the building is a historical figure... the executioner... according to the current secretary, (lovely elderly man from Australia.)
Our church shares this courtyard with several community businesses.
A delightful corner of our courtyard. I walk past this stairwell every time I come down to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.
Center of Old Town -- Fountain and cluster of restaurants with outdoor seating. Geneva is covered with outdoor seating on every corner and every square this time of year. I typically walk past this spot on my way home from work.
Another view on my way home. No, that's not the church where I work, but it's the Cathedral for which Geneva is most famous. Here it's peeking out above a regular building housing apartments and businesses.
The heat is especially bearable when we have so many gorgeous parks. Chris and I discovered a new park last Saturday. A brutally hot day, I suggested we go find the nearest public pool. Chris remembered seeing a pool during a bike ride, so we went to check it out, 5 min. from our apartment. It turned out to be in an enormous park! For 7 CHF it offered a beautiful, large, clean pool with a, Water Park worthy, slide. We could swim in the pool and then hop over to the lake to the Olympic height diving boards. Or we could play Bocce and beach volleyball... or just lounge out on the grass under a tree. If we forget something, there's a shop, and if we get hungry, a restaurant awaits.
It is a relaxing atmosphere, teaming with families and children. You just have to go prepared to see an occasional topless woman and lots of men in speedos. I thought topless sightings were reserved for "topless beaches." Apparently there's no park where topless is off limits in Geneva. But no one seems to care much. Even though it was a family atmosphere and most people were wearing "normal" bathing suits or clothes, no one seemed to notice or care about the occasional topless woman.
I'm not in Kansas anymore, Toto.
It is a relaxing atmosphere, teaming with families and children. You just have to go prepared to see an occasional topless woman and lots of men in speedos. I thought topless sightings were reserved for "topless beaches." Apparently there's no park where topless is off limits in Geneva. But no one seems to care much. Even though it was a family atmosphere and most people were wearing "normal" bathing suits or clothes, no one seemed to notice or care about the occasional topless woman.
I'm not in Kansas anymore, Toto.
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