Tuesday (Feb. 12) Mom and Dad look the train and bus to Lichtenstein while I got some work done. They came home just in time to make it to BCF Bible study, which was an interesting discussion on the role of women in church. I Corinthians 11:3-16 gives plenty to discuss. No my parents know why I like Bible study and Bible study knows why I can’t keep my mouth shut. ;) I’ll let them tell you about Lichtenstein.
Wednesday (13) – oh boy, I didn’t write anything down and I’m not sure I can remember. I’ve been in a bit of a funk the last few days. I think we slept in and had a late breakfast with Veronika then she drove us to the water own in Binningen and we saw the nice, though hazy view. We also visited the castle-turned-restaurant and I recalled that the last time I’d been there it was light up with Christmas lights and Ester told Stephanie and me that we needed to find Swiss boyfriends who would take us to dinner there. We didn’t object, and I already had my Swiss boy in mind. It was satisfying to look at the castle and know the most important part of Ester’s ‘prophecy’ has been fulfilled – at least from my point of view.
Veronika drove Mom and Dad went to Luzern to see the transportation museum. They said it would be better with kids or with grandpa (Langdon) but enjoyed it anyway. I say they don’t enough of the kid left in them because I sure loved it when I went, though I, too, couldn’t help thinking how much fun the nephews would have there. I believe Veronika cooked potatoes and ham for us that evening, but maybe it was Thursday night.
I felt bad sending my parents off to do things, but I was beginning to panic with all the work I had to do. The famous quote of the week particularly amused my dad: “It’s so easy to get sucked into doing what you’re told.” He enjoyed the irony of it coming on the heals of a statement I made in Bible study. I was trying to remove the foot from my mouth after saying I’ve never seen discipline done the way Jesus did (implying it’s never so full of love). I was referring to church discipline, but there was an awkward silence after while everyone looked at my parents so I added “Not that I have a problem with the way I was disciplined.” Well, it made my dad laugh. I still hold to both statements.
Thursday (14th) we had a lazy morning and Mom and Dad went shopping. In the afternoon we tried to eat at a cute guest house but they were closed for the week of Fasnacht. We found a pizzeria and enjoyed their lunch menus. I had pizza with mozzarella, tomatoes, pineapple, kiwi, chicken and curry. It was good, and so was the coffee. Hmmm. During lunch I got a Valentine’s request via SMS. Somehow I was lighter walking out of the restaurant than walking in.
We went for a walk in the nearby forest and I do believe it was that night we ate with Veronika.
Friday (15th) we got up early and met Stephanie at the train station at 7:30. It was so good to see her again and the four of us enjoyed the two hour train ride to Murten, where we enjoyed the cute medieval town and took lots of pictures. It was just about freezing, but we still enjoyed climbing the ramparts and it made the coffees and hot chocolates in a nice tea room all the more enjoyable. They played us a dirty trick by providing us with a basket of croissants and not telling us we’d have to pay for them. They weren’t as overpriced as the drinks, but I don’t find that very nice manners and it only added to my distaste for eating out in Switzerland. Japan is still paradise for dinning out in my mind.
We finished with the town sooner than expected, so we all headed back to my place for more hot chocolate, coffee, and conversation before going to the Bloms for dinner. It was a lovely time as expected and we had a great dinner of raclette, bulgogi, and pickled vegetables. Yum, yum. We had wonderful conversation then a yummy banana pudding dessert before we had to get home and put Mom and Dad to bed. I’d called for a taxi that day and was happy at 4:30 this morning when it came as planed. My German has slipped noticeably in the past two weeks because of no school, talking with my parents, and using English with Veronika so Mom and Dad can understand.
I sent them off and went back to bed and supposedly they recently landed in Miami. I’m sure there will be a comment to this post once they arrive safely in Orlando, which will still take a fair amount of time.
I am little miss prophetess, as I predicted a massive bout of depression for today and the coming weeks: Mom and Dad are gone, and Stephan is still away and will be for three more weeks. Thank goodness for Stephanie, whose bright disposition will shine some sun in my life as I try to get back into work mode and forget about my emotional needs. I’m really hoping my prediction of a difficult few weeks is not true because it was stinky enough to have a terrible Saturday. Usually when I’m sad, depressed, needing love, have the “I don’t wannas” or otherwise am not right in the head a run clears the head brilliantly. It was lovely run, but soon after I was curled up in bed with tears streaming back toward my nape convinced I couldn’t get up and do anything productive. Luckily I had rehearsal that forced me out and though I really can’t do what I need to do for this piece, it wasn’t overly depressing and it took all of my concentration so I forgot myself for nearly two hours. I still don’t feel very excited to get back to school. I’m hoping that will change once I force myself in it, but it sure makes one doubt about whether one is doing the right thing with one’s life if one is not excited to get back to it. Hm, looks like I need English lessons, too. Well, don’t worry about me. I have so much I need to do for school and upcoming concerts that I won’t have much time to sit around and cry.
Love you and miss you, Mom and Dad. Thanks for a great visit!
We're home, safe and with all baggage despite a couple of attempts to separate us from it and a hysterical run-around at the Orlando airport -- well, maybe things seem funnier when you've been up nearly 24 hours.
I wanna go back to Basel. The Miami airport sure was total culture shock. Not only was it dirty, disorganized, and noisy, but the airport announcers in Basel speak better, clearer English than those in Miami. It was quite weird. The same kind of shock I had landing in Los Angeles after clean, orderly New Zealand.
Be that as it may, we are home and safe and with our luggage, so I shouldn't complain.
[[[[[Janet]]]]] We both have trouble with Post-Parting Depression. Even though I'm more excited than you are to get back to work -- perhaps because I have my Valentine here this week. :)
Well, we don't like the funk you're in
And quite prefer your spunky grin.
Alas, we also played a part
In giving that said funk a start
Though the result was quite a shock!
We aimed to play ze Kuschelrock
And not the kind of stuff that stunk.
When did we start producing funk?
[[[[Janet]]]]
Shakespeare was a tad more romantic in his love poetry, but for fun and wordplay you're giving him a run for his money. It made me smile and warmed my heart, not that that's where you were directing your sun's rays....
Mind you, it's easier to be warmed here in Florida. We went from 19 degrees in Basel (4 a.m.) to 80 in Miami (mid-afternoon). To ease the transition, the airplane seemed to have everything in between, albeit rather randomly.
There was once a group of romantics
That blindly went spreading their antics
They won girls but then
Crushed all other men
Cause they had no clue how a man ticks.
I think the Transportation Museum would grow on me once I got the layout in my head. I'm usually reasonably good at reading maps but I had a terrible time finding things with this one. Part of the trouble is that it is under construction; another is that it is so spread out. I was bothered at first because I could find no lockers for our coats, but we did need them, as going from one exhibit to another often required travel outside. This is what comes from living in Florida for so long -- one gets to resent the frequent coat on/coat off routine. Still, it was a lot of fun, and I'll write about it on my own blog. If I'd figured out the scooter lending system when we first arrived, instead of as we were leaving, we'd have gotten around faster. :)
Our nephews, as well as yours, would enjoy it a lot, I think -- at least those nephews who I know are planning a Swiss visit in the not-so-distant future.
There's naught to keep this humble plod
From stumbling bravely through the sod
Along the path that angels trod
And making Ester's prophecy
Come true with Swiss efficacy
By stating here for all to see
I'll take you there, just you and me.
Except if Steph has company
We'll make it four. Do you agree?
Well, I sure agree!!! If I can find some company....
I wasn't fishing for a dinner date, but I'll gladly accept, though I'm not clever enough to respond in verse. Love your poetry, and I'm feeling very much better - even without the Florida heat. Welcome home, Mom and Dad!
We could always nudge candidates we like to this blog page... ;-)
(That comment was @ steph.)
I agree about the poetry! I haven't attempted verse of any sort since my brief foray into clerihews -- one of which I realize is seriously out of date! -- but I'll have to think of something in the way of an appropriate response.
Though I must admit that, being one of those tiresome people who tend to read poetry so that the meter stands out, rather than paying proper attention to the meaning of the words, my mind keeps reading "efficacy" as "efficiency" for the sake of the rhythm. I'm admitting this to provide an excuse for posting my favorite limerick:
A decrepit old gas man, named Peter,
While hunting around a gas heater,
Touched a leak with his light;
He rose out of sight -
And, as everyone who knows anything about poetry can tell you, he also ruined the meter.
Hmm...I had thought of making a return to the clerihew form, but think I will despair of finding a proper English rhyme for "Stücklin."
Janet came up with "Brooklyn." Perhaps my middle name Paul will help you some.
I'm a meter man myself and, having looked up the correct pronounciation of "efficacy" and finding it different from what I'd thought, would go with your proposed change.
As a grammar man, I tend to want to drop the "though" at the beginning of your opening sentence, but I'm not sure if I'm not misreading something. After all, it's a skilled writer writing here.
I wouldn't tell Mom your middle name because I gave her the puzzle hint you gave to me, but I suppose now she doesn't have to work for it. ;)
I just commented on Steph's blog that my observation skills in writing are rather poor. This is reinforced by the fact that despite having read your poem a number of times, I never noticed that it said "efficacy" and not "efficiency" until Mom pointed it out.
As the author of this blog, can't you go in and edit my middle name out? That way your mother will still have the riddle to chew on.
Too late! Ha, ha! (Bonus points for the source of that. Words are to me what images are to Janet.) Though I confess I'd forgotten both the riddle and the hint in the flurry of fun-filled recent days.
And Grammar Man, you are absolutely correct. I shouldn't have started the comment (nor the sentence above) with "though," no more than this paragraph should have begun with "and." Alas, I find that on blogs I often write more as I speak, in stand-alone phrases and with plenteous ellipses, a bad habit even though it provides a more conversational flavor to the medium. Beginning with "though" was meant to indicate a continuation of the previous comment.
I appreciate the correction, because the practice is also a sign of plain laziness, even in speech, and does a disservice to others. I only sailed through my SATs because of hearing and reading correct grammar from the cradle and would rather do others the same favor. (The teaching of English grammar went through several "new and improved" phases while I was in school, with the result that I had no clue about the subject -- other than my gut instinct -- until I studied French in high school.)
The ones who are dear to me
Aren't always near to me,
Yet still in this comfort I boast:
Their hearts remain close to me
(That's how it's s'posed to be)
Through letter, phone, e-mail and post.
If you're going to allow Brooklyn (thanks, Janet!), here's a quick one:
Stephan Paul Stücklin
Does not hail from Brooklyn.
It would not be amiss
If you said he was Swiss.
Too late, ha! ha! The first thing that comes to mind is The Pirates of Penzance. But when I think more I'm not so sure.
