Zurich - Zagreb

In one hour - at 8am - we catch the train to Lausanne (3mins) then the train to Zurich Airport (about 2.5hours I think). The flight leaves at 11.45am and gets in at 1.25pm (from memory).

We did the usual thing last thing last night of packing at the last minute. So didn't get to bed till after midnight. Then Lily woke around 3.15am, up to her (she was scared, and Charlotte wanted a drink), then I woke at 6am (heard the six bells). Girls woke about 15mins later. So not heaps of sleep...

Very excited about our holiday. Should be a trip of a lifetime. Meeting new relatives and seeing ones we haven't seen for a while.

Speaking of, it's been 2 years 2 mths since MK has seen his parents (1 year 4 mths for the girls and I).

And this is the longest we've been out of Switzerland since the trip to Australia last year.

Hope we've packed everything!

The French (language) Connection

I've thought for a while that, given the chance, Charlotte would pick up French easier/quicker than Lily. Nothing specific, just says the odd French word (when we're out she'll often call me Maman, and she babbles in French sometimes including practising rolling her r's) and seems open to the language.

But I've just worked out why Charlotte will find French easier (in my opinion). Charlotte copies words she hears. In a way Lily didn't. And the sh*t word is the most obvious example. So if she picks up and uses swear words, then she'll do the same with French words.

Merde! It was staring me in the face the whole time.

Sunday brunch

This morning Lucinda and I and the kids had brunch at Cafe de Grancy. Having heard a bit about this place last year I was keen to give it a go. Well, it wasn't that great. Pancakes were OK, but nothing special. My fruit salad was a super small bowl (esp for the price). Lily had bircher muesli which was alright. Lucinda had bread basket plus bacon, scrambled egg and something else. Looked alright, but presentation wasn't great. And quantities were ordinary. My prawn and calamari salad was very nice - the seafood was tender and yummy.

I dunno, maybe I have set ideas about how brunch should be...generous serves, pancakes that aren't burnt, everything looking tempting. This didn't live up.

Afterwards we went to Parc Milan, second day in a row! Kids had fun, again, and much better when they stuck to the shade.

I'm knackered every afternoon though. Combination of the heat and Charlotte's 6am wake up calls I think. It's considered a lie-in if she sleeps till 6.30am. Sometimes I go back to bed after getting her cereal and starting the tv, but lately I just stay up. She didn't have a nap this afternoon (we got home around 2.30pm and MK was up already and just didn't get round to putting her down) so at least I know she'll be out like a light tonight.

Reductil

Mum told me the other day on the phone that her GP prescribed her Reductil. She'd told the Dr she'd like to lose weight but has no willpower. Dr said she had the perfect drug for her - Reductil.

I'd never heard of it before but it sounds interesting. Mum told Dad about it, he did some research on the net then went out and bought it over the counter! (he's in Hong Kong and Mum currently in Australia). Most places it's prescription-only.

I know it's for people with BMI over 30 but I wouldn't mind some myself. Just to lose interest in food for a while would be a great kickstart. Only for a month or two...

MK's all-night bender

Last night MK went to a bbq down at Vidy for a work colleague's b'day. I saw the email invitation and thought the kids and I would go (partners and kids invited) but MK told me, even though it was 6pm onwards, the food probably wouldn't start till 9-ish. Ok, got the hint...we didn't go.

So I went to bed around 10.45pm, read for half an hour then went to sleep. Woke at 5.50am (thanks to Charlotte for putting me on that schedule), felt MK's side of the bed and he wasn't there. Heard him come in around 10mins later, have a shower (they'd swum in the Lake, he told me later), and come to bed. Good grief! Once a year, I'd average, he pulls an all-nighter with the work colleagues. Rarely goes out, but when he does he makes it a big one.

Well, he's on weekend nightshift this week. So coincidentally the hours he kept last night are similar to the ones he'll do tonight and tomorrow night (6pm-6am).

I took the girls to Parc Milan this morning, the park near where we used to live in Lausanne. They had fun and it was in the shade which was my priority. Julia Y, her husband Mike, Sophia and baby Isabella turned up later in the morning so Lily had fun playing with Sophia. And I was able to catch up with what's been going on in Julia's life the last 3 months.

They had just had brunch at Cafe de Grancy, which I'd heard a lot about last year. Lucinda and Stefan are coming over tomorrow morning and we were going to have lunch at Restaurant Delta downstairs but I suggested Cafe de Grancy for brunch so we'll try it out. Apparently they make good pancakes. That would be a first here...

Thursday nights are no longer Lost

Well, it's over...the final three episodes of season two of Lost. Love that show, didn't think I would but I really got into it. MK did as well. We managed to catch the very first episode of season one when it started - was it earlier this year? - became hooked, then when season two started powered through three episodes every Thursday night.

Thank goodness it finished before we go away next week. Missing one week meant missing three whole episodes. And I'll be away for two Thursdays.

At the moment I'm watching Desperate Housewives. But not very attentively as it's old episodes. Every Friday night there are two episodes back to back. Maybe one day soon they'll get round to showing season two.

And god only knows when Lost will be back on...considering it's not due to start again in the States till, when is it, September? Oh well, at least for this moment in time we are up to date.

Sh!t

Lily never really copied my swear words. Which meant I was never overly concerned about swearing (in moderation) in front of her. Different story with Charlotte. She's taken to saying 'shit'. And I know I shouldn't say this but it sounds so damn cute. She'll be playing by herself, chatting away, and then you'll here 'shit, shit, shit'. Not aggressively, just part of the chit chat. But I do think it's in context of something going wrong.

But every time she says it, I say a quiet No, children don't say that. And leave it at that. Sometimes Lily jumps on the bandwagon and says that it's only for adults, not big kids, not little kids, just adults.

Well, we were in her bedroom just now getting ready for her afternoon sleep and she said 'shit'. I said a quiet no, and she looked me in the eye with a cute look and said 'no shit, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no'. I stifled the biggest laugh I've had to in ages (ok, so when she threw her Raggy at MK last night at the dinner table and it landed on his plate was pretty funny but didn't come close to this).

Wonder if she'll say it while we're away next week. That'd be funny. Not.

Wednesday hottest day of the year

So yesterday was the hottest day of the year, apparently. We were at home in the morning, had lunch with Christine and Alessandro at the restaurant downstairs (Delta), then after naptime went into Lausanne (near where we used to live by the train station) and did some shopping for things to take to Croatia. Went to La Bricotine, which is one of my favourite gift stores.

Also popped into the Coop there which was our local supermarket for nearly 18 mths when we first arrived in Switzerland. They used to make such a fuss of Lily there. One woman we called the 'Coo-coo Lily lady' as that was here favourite thing to say to Lily. Not long after we left the supermarket was totally renovated and now it looks very different. Much nicer. But not the place we became attached to.

Yesterday afternoon's hot weather indoor activity

Pulled out some paint and brushes I bought at Ikea ages ago and let the girls get creative. This week the temps have been in the low 30's. I just can't drag myself outside...sun just pounds down.

Lily's questions

Lily just asked me this question that reminded me of some others she's asked me lately. Funny thing is they come straight out of the blue with no context.

The question of the moment is - What do you know that I don't know?

The other day in the supermarket - Why do we live here if we come from Australia?

And - How do you get money?

I'm not smart enough for these sort of questions!

Baking class - Carrot Cake and Shortbread

Did a baking class with Rose and Monica this morning. I made a Carrot, Spice and Sour Cream Cake last night which they each took half home today. Plus made a frosting today for it. Today I made a Carrot Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, then Demerara Shortbread (not made with demerara sugar but with raw sugar, it's just the outside coating), then Chocolate Shortbread.

The girls were at garderie till noon, so I went and picked them up while Rose and Monica were still here. They left around 12.30pm, and seemed happy with all their goodies (Monica had made a Carrot Cake and bought it with her as well for us to try).

And we've set another, tentative date for the last Thursday in August (first week back at school). No idea yet what we might make.

Pooped now...off to lie on the white couch and read my magazine!

Dinner on the back balcony

It's been too hot to eat dinner on the balcony, and too warm at the kitchen table so tonight we headed out the back. To the balcony off of our bedroom. Haven't used that balcony at all this summer. But it's much cooler, and still a great view. What's not to like.

In lieu of naptime today

Charlotte had quiet time instead. Which meant watching a Wiggles video. But not for long...

Trying out a ticker

I've just added a ticker to my blog*. Not sure if I'll keep it but sure is a constant reminder of how much weight I still want to lose. And the goal I've set for myself is the first one I want to hit. The next goal is another 3 or 4 kgs past this.

I'm still doing WW online. Just some days better than others.

*Ange, you could set one up on your blog for pregnancy countdown.

Pancake Sunday

Had Christine C, Alessandro and Lucinda (Stefan with his Daddy) over for pancakes this morning. Very nice...served buttermilk pancakes and oatmeal pancakes with maple syrup, butter, homemade plum jam, natural yoghurt, pecans and honey. Plus watermelon afterwards. The kids were really hungry by the time I'd cooked them, and Lucinda, Christine and I got to sit out on the balcony while MK sat with the kids (even after they'd finished and left!).

One of my favourite ways to entertain. Food I love plus it's easy to knock up. Win, win.

Too damn hot

I feel very Victorian-era at the moment...I just want to sit in the shade (or indoors preferably), being fanned, and sipping cool drinks. I feel quite wan in the sun.

This morning after I dropped the girls off at garderie I went for my usual jog/walk (45mins) along Lake Geneva. It was gross-hot. Sweaty hell.

This afternoon we went to Michele B's place and stayed for dinner. There were others there, so it was fun. The kids played in the paddling pool a bit and ran around.

Not sure what the weekend plans are. This is the weekend Lucinda, Christine C and I were supposed to be going to Zurich for a girls weekend away. Lucinda cancelled earlier this week but hopefully we can re-schedule. Then Christine said she's worried that when we do eventually get away together it'll be for my going-away. As sad as that sounds, it's actually a great idea. Going away for my going away party. And Zurich would suit me just fine. Great city.

Lily pic

Taken yesterday at a local park.

Ears and bottoms

Yesterday I rang Dr C's office to get an appt for the girls. She was able to see them today. Two issues - Lily's ears and both girls bottoms. Only one word for the latter - worms. Constantly. Cobantril is our standard fortnightly drug. And Lily said it hurt yesteday, so thought it was time to get it checked out again (we definitely do not go to the Dr for every itch). Yep, nothing she could do except another prescription for Cobantril (it's not expensive, but this way we get a refund on insurance).

And thought it was time to get Lily's ears checked again. Dr C said a couple of months ago to come once she no longer had a cold. So she had a hearing check today and it wasn't perfect (no further explanation) so Dr C is going to make an appt for Lily with an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist at the Children's Hospital for further testing. Been a long time coming.

After the appt we dropped off David's cookies. For the last couple of weeks there's been cookies left over (out of 12) so we agreed to have a break as David is on holiday from Friday till mid August. Suits me, especially with summer holidays and then the trip to Croatia.

Compliment? Think not.

Just got back from my jog/work (I'm now able to jog half the way, and intermittently on the way back). It's really warm so today I started wearing my sports top (spaghetti straps) that Mum bought me ages ago. And my baggy shorts as usual.

Got to the top of the stairs, outside our apartment, and saw the next door neighbour's cleaners. They called me 'solide' and laughed, sort of. Laughed back. Came inside and looked up solide in our French/English dictionary. Surprisingly, it means solid.

Ok.

Edited to add: on reflection, they were saying something about the lift before the solide comment. Had no idea what it was, but I am choosing to think that they were saying something about me climbing the stairs instead of taking the lift. Solid, like sturdy - a stair climber. Crazy would have suited me better.

Sick as a dog (good till then)

I was going to come on here and do a post on how well the last couple of days have gone...MK left 8am Thursday morning, girls were in school and garderie (Lily all day as she went to Lewis' for lunch and I picked Charlotte up at noon), then in the afternoon Kelly deV rang and came over for a play date with Caroline and Chloe (they arrived not long after I got home from picking Lily up from school). That was fun, haven't seen them for a while so good to catch up.

Friday morning both girls went to garderie, picked up at noon, then we followed Christine and Alessandro to Laura Land in Payerne, about 45mins away. Big shed filled with jumping castles, rides, climbing things, little boats on a 'lake', heaps of things for kids basically. And cheap - Sfr9 per kid which included 5 jetons for the rides (not all activities needed a jeton). Pam and Isabella were also there. The girls loved it. Only thing, we got caught in heavy rain on the way home and I was on the part of the autoroute that I'm not so familiar with so it was a bit hairy for a bit. Got home just before 6.30pm.

Yesterday we bought some lunch at Migros then drove down to the park at Pully Port. Girls had fun, then Lily hooked up with an American girl - also 5 yo, attends ISL - and they played happily together. All three of them had 4 rides on the mini train. Think they loved that the best.

And in all, the girls have been good. It's been fairly relaxed and apart from the usual squabbles easy going.

Till last night.

I started feeling sick after the girls went to bed (thankfully Charlotte was asleep within 10mins thanks to no afternoon nap). Nothing much to start but didn't feel great. Then got worse. That's when Charlotte woke crying. She was hot and had had a runny nose during the day so I got her up, gave her Medised, held her for a while then put her back to bed. By this stage I felt really crook. Like I was going to chuck any minute. Then I did. It was very painful. Real gut cleanser. This was around 9pm. There was another chuck around 10pm, another painful one - more so in a way but shorter - all the while telling myself 'this will pass' over and over.

Around 11pm I attempted to go to bed, still feeling like shit. Checked on Lily as she was wearing knickers for the second night in a row. The night before she'd asked to wear knickers to bed, instead of a pull-up, and I'd agreed. I'd woken her around 10pm and put her on the toilet, she went and was dry in the morning. But I got to her too late last night and she was wet. Got her up, changed the bedding, new clothes and back to bed. Just in time to go back on the loo and wait. Felt for certain I'd chuck again (poor Lily was crying out for me but there was no way I could move and she eventually fell asleep) but nothing.

Doubled over, staggered off to bed, too sick to brush my teeth, clean my face. Just closed the blinds and windows, turned the computer off and fell into bed. Wishing for sleep.

Felt alright this morning, bit dodgy this afternoon. Have eaten breakfast and lunch, probably not wise but I was hungry (and if ya saw what was in the bowl you'd know why). Fingers crossed nothing more happens.

I have no idea what made me sick. Please god not gastro. Food poisoning? Who knows. Girls are fine, thankfully.

MK due home around 10.30pm tonight.

Lily's last day of school

Lily has now finished one whole year in the Swiss public school system. I felt a bit emotional yesterday, especially as we don't know whether we'll be still here for the new school year that starts the last week in August. And Lily started to talk about being the big kid next year (in ecole enfanitine they have two years in the one class...and I just found out Tanguy was Lily's 'big kid' this year).

It's been a year of ups and downs. Rocky start, and the whole French language thing didn't kick in for Lily till around Easter (not by Xmas as other people had predicted).

At the beginning of the year I pushed Charlotte in the pram to school, before going on to garderie. By the end Charlotte was walking - often running - all the way there.

We had Lewis for lunch every (most) Tuesday starting mid February, and Lily went to Lewis' place Thursdays.

Until Xmas, school was every morning (except Wednesday) from 8.45am till 11.25. After Xmas two afternoons were added (1. 50m-3.20pm), then after Easter two more afternoons.

And now the summer holidays - two weeks of garderie, trip to Croatia, week at home (hopefully Ma ma will come), then Mum and Dad are visiting for a week, then MK has a week off (not sure where we will go, but if we're here we will go somewhere) then school starts back. Yep, got it all covered.

Lily's last swimming lesson

Yesterday we decided that it would be Lily's last swimming lesson for a while. For the last couple of lessons Lily hasn't wanted to do what Christina asked of her (ie using the small noodle, letting go of her) and has been getting out of the pool and refusing to go back in. Yesterday at the start of the lesson I asked if Lily could use the big noodle (Lily's request) so that's what they did.

But still at the end of the lesson Christina's first word was 'difficult'. She is still not able to do what she should be able to after so many lessons (10 lessons with Sevane and 15 with Christina). So we agreed to wait till September to start again (if we're still here). Give Lily some time.

We cancelled Lily's intensive 5 day lessons for next week. And if she's not going, I'm not going to drive 20 - 25 mins out to Chexbre just for my lessons. So I cancelled mine as well.

Going to ask Yasmine if Lily can go to garderie in the morning instead. And we saw Sveva, Bianca and their Mummy at swimming yesterday (first time in ages) and they'll be at garderie next week. So that will make it extra fun for Lily.

What's going on

Last night Lucinda, Claire B and I went out to dinner at La Stella (easy for me to walk to). Others were invited but couldn't make it. Had a great night, lots of laughs. Hopefully just what the Dr ordered for Lucinda.

This morning Aussie Jen and the girls are coming round and we're going to walk up to the Deer Park (Jen loves it there). Girls can play in the paddling pool and we'll have lunch there. Hot enough for it.

Tomorrow morning MK leaves for the UK, back Sunday. He'll spend one night in London, then two nights with Christine and David in Cambridge. Going to an airshow (Duxford?) on the weekend.

Garderie must start their summer hours this week, as Charlotte will only be there tomorrow morning and not all day. And it's Lily's last day of school. I feel a bit emotional about that, especially when she bought home a work book yesterday full of lovely pics and drawings she'd done, all started with a drawing MK and I did while at that disastrous (I cried) parent evening at the beginnning of the school year last September.

And it's no problem for Lily to go to garderie on Friday morning.

Croatia trip details

Three weeks till we'll be in Croatia. I'm really looking forward to it. Have extended the girls and my time there. Started thinking the only reason we were coming back on the Monday was because MK has to work Monday night. And MK's parents will still be in Croatia (they don't leave for Frankfurt till the following Saturday). So the girls and I would have returned home for no real reason of our own - no school, no garderie, no committments. Why not stay longer? So MK is still returning on the Monday (he looked and it's not possible to take that week off), but the girls and I are returning on the Friday.

So the Croatia dates are:
Zurich - Zagreb
Tuesday 25th July

Zagreb - Zurich
Monday 31st July (MK)
Friday 4th August (RP, LPK and CPK)

The only thing is I'll have the catch the train from Zurich Airport to Lausanne with the girls...it's only about 2.5 hours, but after a flight of nearly 2 hours from Zagreb it's going to make for a long-ish journey.

Heavy heart

I've heard some bad news recently about two women I know. They are both around my age and have kids. And it's cancer for both - lymphoma (possibly Hodgkins) for one woman and breast cancer for the other.

It's hard to get my head around. Young woman, devastating diagonoses, life and death issues.

It really does put things into perspective.

Too hot for baking

Now Baking has been soooo quiet the last couple of months. And I haven't minded at all (although I miss the spare cash). Really the only thing I've been doing is David's weekly cookie order for The Red Room.

But tomorrow I have a pick up for a Family Chocolate Cake (with frosting, writing and sprinkles) and I'm a bit bummed. It is way too hot to crank up the oven and be in the kitchen for any length of time. Plus I usually do David's cookies on a Monday night so I really should be doing them as well.

MK had today off after dayshift (6am-6pm) on the weekend. The girls were at school and garderie in the morning, and there was teacher training in the afternoon so no school for Lily. After Charlotte woke up we all went up to the Deer Park and the kids played in the paddling pool there. It was pretty busy, we caught up with Mhairi, Lewis and Christopher and their friends. But I tell ya, that little pool must be more like a cess pool than anything else, with all the kids who'd piddle in there.

Last day of school for Lily

...is next Thursday, not Friday like I thought.

The note came home from school late last week saying

Fin de l'ecole

Jeudi 6 Juillet a 15h.20
pour tout le monde

Might have to ask Yasmine if Lily can come to garderie Friday morning...

Charlotte and the cup

For some unknown reason, Charlotte has started sleeping with a cup. Just a regular plastic cup, like the one we give the girls each night with water. So even though I've recently introduced a no toys in bed rule (soft toys and books are exempt, but it was becoming crazy in Cs bed - puzzles, games, all manner of things to do in there rather than sleep), the cup has found it's way in there. And she'll say to you 'no toys in bed' then ask you for a cup.

It's a serious thing - the other night she woke around 11pm asking for her cup. And that's the last time I took the cup out of her bed after she fell asleep. Now it stays in all night.

Crazy kid.

Topless bathing

This time of the year you're reminded how they love their topless bathing here. Not that I go to the pool or anything, but on my walk the other day I went past the Pully plage (pool) and saw a topless woman. Not an uncommon sight.

It was the most prevalent in Majorca. Every second person, it seemed, was topless. And it crossed all boundaries...age, body shape, weight, boob size. And because the place was full of Poms, you can only assume it was naked Poms we were seeing. MK's funniest - and probably only - comments were 'it's the Breast of Britain' and to ask 'do you need to put sunscreen on nipples?'. Ewwwwww.

I'm not sure you'd see as much topless bathing in resorts and on public beaches in Australia and definitely not in the States. I think it might be a European thing.

Magazines

I love my magazines. At the moment I subscribe to Vanity Fair (USA), Good Housekeeping (USA), Bon Appetit (USA), Cook's Illustrated (USA), delicious (Australia - gift from my brother) and the latest, Weight Watchers (Australia - sent to my parent's address). Plus my sister-in-law sends me Super Food Ideas (Australia).

I've given MK a long list of magazines I want him to pick up when he's in the UK next week.

But I never buy magazines here...mainly because foreign language magazines are hard to find but also as they are quite expensive. But the other day in our local Coop I spotted Woman and Home, a UK magazine. Hmmmm, wouldn't mind that as a treat. No price on it so took it up to the counter. Took them ages to find the price...the girls and I were standing there waiting, waiting. I knew it wouldn't be cheap, maybe Sfr9 or Sfr10. Still we waited. Then they found the price - Sfr13.60. What's that, around $AUD14! So after all that I said no thankyou, too expensive, and left it.

And went home and added Woman and Home to MK's list.