In a Swiss valley

We had a great day yesterday. The weather was totally disgusting, rain, rain and more rain, but we didn't care, cos we were indoors, all day.
Westside centre is totally new and state of the art, nice shops, if pricey, and great restaurants. In the morning I found a lovely pair of lilac shoes, in the sale, plus some new tops. Then we went for lunch, where I think the waiter was totally overwhelmed by us, and there were only 5 of us He took our order, and then messed it up, and then did not come near us again! But it was still great, helped down by a couple of glasses of wine. It did take 2.5 hours though, and then we were too full to go in the pool. So we went shopping again (except Melanie who went for her massage).
Shopping after a couple of glasses of wine is much more fun

At dinner, we were still full from lunch, and Melanie was totally relaxed, but we still managed to eat well, drink more wine, and then we went to see Slumdog Millionaire. Very good movie, I can recommend it.

So next trip is a weekend away, maybe Barcelona, or Florence, or Austria perhaps. Ladies only of course All depends on what bargains we can find on easyjet.

What color is your soul painted?
Yellow

Your soul is painted the color yellow, which embodies the characteristics of joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, gold, hope, liberalism, sociability, friendship, death, courage, intellect, confidence, communication, travel, movement, attraction, persuasion, and charm. Yellow is the color of the element Air, and symbolizes the sun, grain, and the power of thought.

Lovely heh I pinched it from freeasthewind, click on the picture to link to take the quiz too

Tomorrow my lady friends and I are having a kids and hubbie free day at the newest shopping come leisure centre near Bern.
First we meet for coffee in Starbucks, then we hit the shops for a couple of hours, next lunch, and then the swimming pools, or spa. One of my friends has opted for a 2 hour massage.
Then we meet again for dinner at the Thai restaurant, before going to the cinema to see Slumdog millionaire.
It will be a great day, but maybe rather expensive, but we all need to indulge ourselves once in a while.

Quote from the kids:

Laura: Why is the broccoli white?
Me: Because it is cauliflower.

Enter Rebekka, sits down

Rebi: I don't like white broccoli!

Me:

I think maybe something went wrong somewhere

it is such a beautiful day, and they had been forecasting snow. Just goes to show, you can't trust the forecast. It is so springlike it lifts the whole spirit, and I think this weekend I will clean up our terrace, and get some new garden furniture, and maybe even fire up the bbq, although maybe that is going a bit far.

A collegue of mine was telling me that his first BBQ was last month though! But they did all wear thick coats, gloves and scarves

A friend who had been my best mate when I lived in Lincoln ( rather a long time ago now), was coming to visit tomorrow, her first visit in the 18 years we have been living here. I bought her a flight ticket as a treat, and it was all planned. Unfortunately this morning she started getting palpitations, and had to go to the doctors, and now she is not coming
She does have heart problems, which, considering we are the same age, is rather unfortunate.
I think that the excitement caused the palpitations.

The good thing about Easyjet is though that one can at least change flights, so I have rebooked her for July, and this time I might suggest her husband comes too ( he can buy his own ticket). Maybe then she will be well enough to come. I hope so.

On the good news side though, my eldest has been accepted for Gymnasium ( high school) and we have received and paid the bill to be Swiss, so party time later on
Now that will be fun planning.

my girls have been arguing again
why can't they just get on!

I am hoping this all changes by the time they reach adulthood.
This evening when we got home from work, the youngest was missing.
"She is at singing" says the oldest.
"Tis not Wedensday" says I, "OH yes, oh well, I don't know where she is"
The oldest then went on to tell me that she and her sister had had a bit of an argument about the singing, cos Rebi doesn't appreciate her sister practicing in the apartment.
I called the youngest's phone, no answer. I tried again 5 minutes later and she picked up. Apparently she was in the woods, calming down. This was at 7pm. It was cold, it was raining and it was dark

Needless to say I was furious, and have only just calmed down.
This is the day after the body of a 16 year old was found in an apartment in Aarau where she had been brutally murdered, and the day the trial started in Ireland of the guy who apparently killed a Swiss 17 year old last year. Both random killings from total strangers. Both girls in the wrong place at the wrong time.
My youngest just said " nothing is going to happen to me in the woods"

The innocence of youth!!!!

So now both girls have retired to their rooms, and the oldest has been told that if she is mean to her sister again tonight, then the laptop gets confiscated.
She is being sweetness itself

There is a debate in Switzerland at present about the famous bank secrecy laws we have here.
The laws date back 300 years and the Swiss guarded them fiercely. But now with the scandals involving UBS assisting US citizens with tax evasion, and the refusal to reveal information to the German government last year, there is now the danger that Switzerland will be placed on an international black list, which would be a disaster for Switzerland.

So questions are being asked in parlament, and in TV debates, about whether we should still have such strict secrecy laws.
Apparently the latest word is that there may be concessions possible.
Mind you, change happens slowly in Switzerland, so I expect them to be some time coming.