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.