In a Swiss valley

Just been into town, and there was a busker with his own piano

That is a first. He had quite a crowd though, and he was good. The piano was on wheels to enable him to push off at a moments notice

Mandonna is going to host her first concert in Switzerland at the end of August. The tickets went on sale at 8am, restricted to 4 per person, sold out within 3 hours ( 60'000 tickets) and then started appearing on the internet auction sites at a premium on what the sellers had paid for them. Some people are even selling up to 8 tickets, how did they manage to get them

Maybe I am old fashioned, but it seems totally immoral to me. It robs the real fans of a chance to get tickets at standard price, and is just a ploy to make a quick buck. I guess if no one bought them at inflated prices then maybe the practice would stop. Mind you, looking a bit closer, it seems that people are only bidding on those that are reasonably priced, so serves the others right.

I have dreamt up a new system, where a ticket swipe card is issued to all who want one, at maybe Fr10 per card, with a photo on it. Then when the owner wants to go to a concert, he buys on line, or at the booths as normal, gives his card number, and his purchase is registered. Then he scans his card in at the venue, if necessary also show another piece of ID or have the photo checked and gains admittance. Then if he couldn't go, he could deregister and get his money back, and the place can be sold on by the promoters and not by the touts. It is brilliant, you read it here first

Whoever came up with the expression "No Smoke without Fire" had obviously never seen the inside of our barbeque.

I think my next purchase is a gas or electric version. The food may not have that smokey flavour, but it is a lot more reliable and much quicker

In other news, we have a bank holiday here today, again, which is wonderful. The sun is shining, which for a bank holiday is almost a miracle. Unfortunately hubbie has the flu ( hence I am attempting to get that BBQ going, instead of him) and Rebi is still recovering from her 125 km Ötzi walk. We spent a couple of hours at the local hospital yesterday in order to get some crutches. Seems that the last 5 km's were 5 too far and resulting in some muscle tears or something. She will be fine, but it means that between her and hubbie, we have not done much this weekend.

I did go for a bike ride today though, alone, which was actually really nice. Lovely countryside, lovely sunshine. Gave me a real happy hormone boost, and must have burnt some calories

Well, we are 3 days into the great walk in Ötzi's shoes (see here for that post). My daughter just called to tell me she is still there. Of the 22 who started, there are 9 of them left. She has given up with make up or doing her hair, and had freckles galore as well as very sunburnt shoulders. She said that yesterday she discovered what it must feel like to die ! Apparently they walked up to an altitude of 1200 metres, mainly straight up. in hot sunshine, with no trees or shade
The weather is a bit too gorgeous, but at least today they had more cover from the sun.
I think the teachers are a bit too ambitious personally. This is a hard enough trip in leather shoes, without making it tougher with taking the direct route up. For the 13 that have dropped out so far, there must be a great feeling of disappointment, which is a shame for them.
The 9 will be victorious when they finally get back on Friday, and it will certainly be a great building experience for them, but it could still have been so great and victorious and included a few more perhaps if the teachers were a little more realistic as to what 21 century kids can do
Still, for us, it is very peaceful with just one child at home, we have more food in the cupboards and fridge, and the place is a lot tidier

The Euro08 is kicking off in one month, hosted by Austria and Switzerland. It seems that there is a serious problem facing the thousands who want to sit on their couches and watch the matches: We are running out of potato crisps

So now they are going to import thousands of tons of potatos from other parts of Europe in order to meet demand.

Crazy but true

My daughter has just shown me the link to the pictures of the shoe making etc. All in german I am afraid, but you get the idea

click on Bilder der Woche

This relates to my previous post by the way

Ötzi is the name given to the Neanderthal body found in the Austrian / Italian alps in 1991. 1991 happens to be the year my eldest was born, and tomorrow she and 21 colleagues from her school are setting off to spend the week walking in the mountains, wearing leather shoes similar to what Ötzi wore.
I do think they are slghtly mad.

They made the shoes themselves last weekend, pieces of leather stiched together with string and leather cord. Apparently they will be stuffed with hay before they set off tomorrow. But the walkers are not allowed to wear socks, or inners or anything similar, under threat of being sent home if caught!!!!
As a concession to the fact that once they reach the snow after 70km walking, it may get cold, they will be allowed, at that point, to wrap bandages around their feet.

The young people are already plotting to wear the bandages the whole way, and socks and non-slips are being sneaked into rucksacks.  In addition to being sent home if you wear socks, there is also the chance of being sent home if your shoe breaks and you need more than 30 minutes to fix it. And you are just sent, no one tells you the way, or takes you to the nearest bus stop.
They are tough at her school, and even worse she volunteered for this   She could have been going to Paris instead.

Ah well, all one of lifes experiences. Below is a sketch of the shoe
and here is a picture of ÖTZI himself    ( not a pretty sight, you have been warned)

one thing I have noticed this week, is that logging on from home seems much more efficient than logging on at the office.
Maybe because I don't get collegues wandering in all the time, and the coffee is not so good at home. Plus the travelling time I am saving.
Wonder, if I can swing working from home one day a week as a regular thing in the future

Today 1 May is a bank holiday in Switzerland and most parts of mainland Europe. Here it is this year a 2 in 1, which means we lose a days holiday actually. It is Auffahrt, or Ascension day, and it is Tag der Arbeit, or labour day, when the workers are meant to take to the streets to protest. Not many do of course, as they are not particularly militant here.
So the sun is shining, which actually was not forecast, so that is a bonus, and I am sitting on the patio using my laptop. And it is so peaceful, only the birds singing to be hear. Don't know where everyone is.

Unlike in Britain, all the shops are closed today as well, and the Garden Centres, everything, so nothing to do but go to Church, or protest, or relax.

I think you can see which I am doing