Thursday, December 5, 2013

Thursday Thoughts


It has been a gloriously beautiful start to December when it comes to the weather. We have had clear days with blue skies and plenty of sunshine. Chilly days, but I don't mind as long as the sun is shining. I am still biking around town where ever I go. Got my studded tires on my bike so all is good. The last fall colored leaves are pretty much gone by now. Woke up this morning by the intense sound of the the yard service in our neighborhood blowing and clearing away the last leaves. Again I must say that they are very good at cleaning up the streets and neighborhoods here in Basel.

Frey is one of the big chocolate producers in Switzerland. Now at the holiday season has arrived they are all over the place. When I went to the store today they had a big campaign going on with 20% off on all their products. They were handing out taste samples as well. Dangerous to enter stores this time of year. I think you might be able to find just every and any kind of truffle here. 


They do make excellent chocolate. You certainly don't have to starve in Switzerland as long as you love chocolate and cheese. They had also set up a station where they showed people how they made their truffles. I quickly had to turn around and head somewhere else as this was becoming too dangerous at 4 pm in the afternoon when you are getting kind of hungry.


St. Nikolaous day celebrated on the 6th of January that I told you about yesterday is approaching and at the store you could now buy the small gift bags that the kids will get from Santa if they have been good during the year. Small bags stuffed with fruit, nuts and sweets. 


For the fancier version you could get these kinds of small sacks with Santa's picture printed on them. 

C is flying off on a business trip to Copenhagen and then he continues on southern Sweden for the weekend staying with his parents. I am staying in Basel. He is just gone for a few days and if I went to Sweden I would have wanted to go to Stockholm and it would all have become too hectic.

Hey December is here folks. It is a wonderful month in many ways, filled with lights, festivities and celebrations but it is also one of the most stressful times of year in many ways. All the holiday parties, all things that have to be completed and wrapped up before is over both at home and at the office. Again I am so relieved that we don't have to do a lot of Christmas shopping this year. However, C just let me know that he got me some things for Christmas so now the pressure is on me I guess. Do you love December or do you hate it because it is so stressful?

Tonight I am meeting one of my best friends here in Basel (Swedish F). We are going to cook together and she got ostrich meat so that is what we are cooking for dinner tonight. Have any of you had ostrich?

Having second thoughts about the Christmas tree again. We were all set to decorate it this year but ... then I don't want to do it myself this weekend, next weekend looks kind of busy, we are also leaving for Florida in the evening on the 25th (spending a night in Zurich before we fly off in the morning). In my world I don't leave the tree up until after Florida (mid January). Also we will probably have Christmas lunch/dinner with some Swedish friends here so we won't be able to enjoy the tree that much or long. So I guess it stays in it's box in the basement after all this year as well.

Have a great Thursday. The sun is shining here and it looks like a beautiful day.



6 comments:

Annika said...

Så fint allting.
OCH chokladen….MUMS!!!
Typ, godast i världen!
Köp bara en liten gran i kruka. Jag tycker att de är så fina, då får du iaf en liten gran.
Jag hör vad du säger, i mitten av januari har man liksom ingen lust att ens se det minsta lilla pynt.
Jag älskar december, men det vet du ju :-)
Sår härligt att ni ska till Florida!!!
Kramar!

eastcoastmom said...

Så mycket god choklad, jag skulle aldrig kunna stå emot!
Precis som Annika tycker jag att en liten bordsgran skulle vara fint.

Anne-Marie said...

Härligt med sol trots kylan. Här har det blivit alldeles för kallt. I morse hade många platser runt -15-18. Och jag kan inte värma min bostad riktigt bra. Det var mycket kallt inomhus i morse. Burrr.
Choklad och ost kan de verkligen i Schweiz. Man kanske måste vara mätt för att besöka affärerna. ;)
Jag firar inte jul egentligen så min stress är minimal.
Ni kommer säkert att få det mysigt i Florida med sol och värme.
Kram!!

Anonymous said...

Åh vilken choklad! Skulle rulla fram om jag bodde i Basel ;-)
Förstår vad du menar med gran, skulle vilja ha en men jag åker den 16e och M den 19e så det känns inte som att det är så mycket tid. Plus att vi ska vara hundvakt i SF nästa vecka. Så det blir minimalt med pynt här, har fått upp julstjärnan iallafall :-)
Kram!!

Liz said...

I detta inlagget "halkade du pa tangenterna" och skrev 6 Januari, men Nikolaus ar ju imorgon, 6 December. Drei Konige far du fira 6 Januari och ata speciellt brod. Skrev nedan om Nikolaus traditionerna som vi brukar ha, som sagt, de ar oftast ganska "nyttiga" i Schweiz, har blir det mer choklad och presenter.

Tycker nog att en liten gran, eller tom en liten plastgran kan forgylla och gora lite extra mysigt aven om ni inte ar hemma i jul. Det tar ju sin tid att kla och fixa med en stor gran, och det vore ju en bra kompromiss.

Hoppas du far en fin Nikolaus dag imorgon!
Stor kram!

Desiree said...

Annika, jepp finns väldigt god kvalitets choklad här. Men Godiva som finns i USA står sig bra. Den var min favorit där. Det var ett bra tips men en liten bordsgran. Det ska jag ta och kolla efter. Tack
Kram!

Eastcoastmom, som sagt bra tips med bordsgran. Det ska jag se om jag kan hitta.
Kram!

Anne-Marie, oj jäklar vad kallt ni har nu. Förstår att det även blir kyligt inomhus då husen i USA inte är så välisolerade. Vi ser väldigt mycket fram emot Florida och lite sol och värme så här års kommer att sitta perfekt.
Kram!

Christina, hi hi ja man lever farligt farligt här ;-)
Förstår absolut ert grandilemma. Samma här som sagt. Kul dock att ni ska vara hundvakter i SF och får njuta av denna härliga stad i en vecka.
Kram!

Liz,tack det är ju så sant som du säger att St.Nikolaus är 6 december och inget annat. Jag tyckte de små påsarna med gotte verkade ha en bra balans mellan nyttigt och lite godisaktigt. Frukt och nötter i påsarna är ju jättebra så att det inte bara blir en massa godis.
Ska ta tillvara på alla era bra tips om liten gran. Ska se vad jag kan hitta på stan.
Kramar!