IrishOboe

Joseph got his Swiss ID card in the mail today and I got a letter from the NSH testing center.  I passed the German C1 test!!!!  Hopefully I didn’t damage Joseph with the study stress and we already know that the birth went okay even though I had just finished the testing two days before I went into labor.  Somehow it seems more worth it now that I know I passed.  A bit on the test:  The levels are A1,A2,B1,B2,C1, and C2 so I only have one more test to go to show that I’m fluent in German.  I don’t know if I’ll go for it someday.  The C1 is good enough for now.  Of the four sections (reading, listening, written and oral) I passed all but the reading and I failed that by one point (14/25).  I stink at reading comprehension tests in English anyway, so I’m not too surprised.  Luckily my scores in the listening and oral tests were high enough to pull me grade not just up to passing but up to “satisfactory.”  I’m not “good” or “very good” but I don’t care.  This test was a bit of a push for me and the test was hard enough so I’m super proud that I passed!  Excuse my gushing.  I think I’m also excited because here is proof that I have a brain – or at least had a brain – and am not just a cow and a frail piece of flesh.  Speaking of mothering and babies, Joseph is asleep on my chest in the Moby Wrap.  We’re both getting used to it and have made a few successful outings with him in it.  Hopefully soon he’ll be happy to be awake in it as I do laundry and other work.  For now he still likes all of my attention when he is awake.  Luckily it’s a pleasure giving in to the cuitie!

Stephan made some pretty Easter eggs with some old parsely leaves and onion peels for dye.  I think they came out quite nicely!  Click for more detail.

The Stücklins took us out to Blüemlismatt for a beautiful view and treats in the sunny breeze.  Here are the birthday buddies about to enjoy their Swiss treats: Vacherintorte!

We're starting to have signs of spring here in Basel and I've been celebrating by walking to school without shoes.  My, oh my how my feet have softened over the winter months!  I walk to school every day now since I'm not riding my bike anymore due to stability issues, so that has given my feet a quick chance to get toughened up again.  Interestingly enough, people don't seem to ask about what happens when I step on stones and glass and other dangerous objects, rather they are more concerned about the possibility of cold feet.  As it turns out, that includes the police.  Last Wednesday as I was walking past the prison on my way to school, two policemen in a van addressed me with a strong "Guten Morgen!"  Our chat was brief as they were only concerned that my feet might be cold.  I asked if it was legal to go barefoot and I'm happy to say I can go barefoot as much as I want with a clean conscious.  It's nice to know the Basel police care for the whole of a citizen's wellbeing.

Last night I paid a little visit to the emergency room with a friend.  The day started out innocent enough.  Stephan and I had helped his sister move and had avoided injury, then we had gone to a friend's birthday party where I heard about Basel's Sport's Night.  Once a year nearly 70 difference sports group set up station around the city for young and old to try out.  It was the stuff of my dreams.  I always love to dabble in something just for fun without the threat of commitment.  I've long wanted to try to walk on a rope and do gymnastics and this was my chance.

 

My husband said he had work to do, so I asked a friend from church if she'd join me.  We met up around eight and before ten we were in the hospital.  We at least got a chance to try something cool before our plans changed.  We waited nearly and hour to have our chance springing like gazells on Jumping Stilts.  Maybe we weren't elegant, but we walked away unscathed.

 

Then we had our ability to balance measured by a computer: I'm above average but favor the right (haha).  Sadly, my friend was a bit below average so on her request we went off to the balance room where number of balancing toys awaited us.  Unfortunately, the first one she stepped on threw her off before the proper exchange of pleasantries expected of polite company,  and her shoulder became intimately aquainted with the hardwood floor.

 

After spectacularly commanding the attention of the room (she had, after all, taken the aparatus located in center stage) I proceeded to receive a lesson in Swiss emergency care.  I was not impressed.  My friend seemed whole but shaken so we decided to seek medical attention.  Unfortunately, the attendants in the room hadn't a clue what to do.  I asked about a first-aid station, which I had noted when trying to a ticket for the event, but they were skeptical of its existence and only did some research once I insisted it must exist.  We walked the short way to the tent where they were generally lounging and loafing about and seemed rather baffled at our arrival.  They were gentle, but hardly inspired confidence.  Miscommunication could account for some of it, but thankfully I was more impressed with the emergency room, which we went to by taxi.  In the end my friend had a broken arm and we're hoping it can heal without surgery.  My dear husband picked us up with a Mobility (car sharing) car and we finally ended the night around 2am.  I'm happy my friend is okay and I'm also happy that my first visit to a foreign emergency room was not with my husband or offspring.  I might not panic as much having done it once before.

Last april I performed in a project of Baroque dance and music and some videos from it have been posted.  You can view them here.  For various reasons most of the pieces I danced in are not on the site, but you'll get an idea of what we did at least.

I am currently busy practicing the new harp that the schola ordered based on a Spanish painting from 1390.  It as a double row of 14 strings and is quite a challenge to learn to play.  I was walking around the house practicing my saltarello when I noticed this view and couldn't resist a picture.  I wish a treal photographer had been there, but it's cool despite my lack of camera skills.  Can anyone explain why through the naked eye I could only see the main shadow, but the picture produced another?  I'm baffled.  Click on the photo for a larger image.

I don't know if Mom will figure the title out from Hippo tapes, but BabbleFish will be happy to help those who can't read it.  (And my husband will be happy to correct my German).

I'm a big girl now! Today I only had to employ my alter ego once as I reserved a mobility car, drove it to Germany for piano lessons, then on the highway to Steph in Pfeffingen (only stalling once) and all the way home again (stalling once again, darn it!) signing out 30 seconds before my time was up.  Somehow I assume driving will be much faster than biking and didn't allow enough wiggle room.  Praise be to our gracious God that no incidents happened so I was able to make it just in time for piano and just in time to turn the car in.  A year ago I would have considered driving in Basel an accomplishment, let alone driving it with a stick.  I've had a total of two stick lessons and two Swiss road lessons, so this solo dual country tour was something to be proud of.

Thanks to my lovely husband for filling me with confidence and encouraging me to give it a go.  It also helps a great deal to know that he'd be patient with me if I had totally messed it up. :-* Happy Valentine's Day, sweetie!

There is no post that will be worthy of breaking my blog silence, so having recently learned that I have devoted friends that still check IrishOboe this little blip into life will have to do.  More momentous events will have to wait.

Yesterday in notation class the teacher showed two solutions on the board before handing back our homework.  For the curious, we are currently studying Codex Rossi, an Italian manuscript from the 14th century.  After stating which solution was right and which was not really possible she asked if it was clear.  It appeared clear to everyone, but being my stubborn self I piped up and said "no."  I explained why I had chosen the 'wrong' solution and was not yet convinced of it's invalidity.  The teacher then pointed out that in my transcription I had chosen the 'right' solution, which gave the class a laugh.

True to form, I cannot leave this story as an interesting anecdote.  The incident reveals more than my own inconsistency and even relates to the opening topic of notation class.  We often start down a certain path of thinking and continue to follow it while forgetting the other options we could have chosen to start with.  Our knowledge blinds us to other possibilities.  My transcription was consequent to one way of thinking.  A week later in class I saw a different logic which went so far as to prevent me from seeing what I had seen in the first place.

Still, the better moral to remember when dealing with Yours Truly is:

I don't necessarily agree with everything I say.

 (and when you don't have spell check it takes twice as long to write a post and I bet my mother and husband will still find mistakes)

I had five solid hours of time to myself at home today for the first time in a long, long time.  I have a clean room and house, organized papers, finish homework and practice and a moment for a post.  It's amazing how having time to do ones own work is a necessary requirement for getting ones work done!  I'm not sure when the next time I'll have such a 'break' but I look forward to it.  Live has been full of intense work at school during the week.  Though difficult, I am enjoying he challenge of lots more playing and am getting comfortable with fiddle and harp.  Wedding plannins is stressful and hard to manage, but at the same time enjoyable.  I've been putting furnature together at Stephan's in preparations of my move there, and there's nothing like a little solid, visible work to make it sink in that my life is about to change forever.  Love to all, and sorry that blog has not been a priority.  This time I can honestly say there is simply no time - I am not wasting more than a moment here and there!

One must always keep a sense of humor about when dealing with foreign languages.  Some offenses are more egregious than others, and this one was harmless, but I got a good chuckle out of it.  After submiting a question with an online form to my Swiss insurance company that specializes in health insurance for foreigners the next screen pleasantly informed me:

As proof that I'm busy doing all sorts of things and therefore cannot post, I'll take a moment to announce that today the fruit of some of my labor has been plucked.  I am now the proud owner of a Swiss driver's license!  It will be valid as soon as I pay the modest fee of 140 Francs . . .

As expected, my US license was returned to me undamanged but for the sticker "Not Valid in CH."  Basel, have great fear, Janet is now free on the roads.

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May 1^st is a holiday and it was also Ascension Day, which is a holiday, but since they fell on the same day, we only got one day.  It was a pleasant day, so I’m not complaining.  Stephan organized a hike to the castle Dorneck where we met up with a few more folks from church and enjoyed a barbeque before the rain hit.  It was lovely to go hiking again and we caught a glimpse of Swiss culture to boot.  Traditionally, the men of the town march around the local borders and fire guns to symbolize their readiness to defend their land.  Hopefully the video is small enough to upload so you can enjoy it.

2008-05-01_DorneckHike_firing.mpg

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Puzzle #1: What event does this picture reveal?

Puzzle #2: When did this happen?

[Stephan's pictures added later] 

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Obviously I haven’t had a class canceled in a while as it’s been super long since I’ve gotten a chance to write.  Life has been by no means any less exciting, despite a drop in frequency of performances.  Still, I’ll make you wait for it as I try to catch up chronologically.  [Haha, I didn't wait] The good or bad thing about writing about events much later is that I tend to write much less because all the details aren’t as fresh in my mind.  Here goes . . .

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I won't have time for an update for a while, but to keep yourself entertained you can check out the five star hotel I'll be staying in.  Don't ask me why there's never enough money for poor musicians and then they put us up in a five star hotel, but I bet you're not refusing your refund check either.  Interesting things of note lately have beeing watching elephans fight (or play?) at the zoo.  There's a place where you can peek in from the outside and the Stephetc. club and I caught the action on the way home from Bible study.  I also got to see a helecopter lift cargo to a nearby roof.  It was quite a shock to be sitting in class and then see a construction cone drop from the sky.  Hat's off to the teacher and the students: we all stopped to watch.