Catch Up

So I know what you're all thinking (yes, you, the dedicated minions of boring blog readers),the nekkid rugby players were too much for my delicate sensibilities and I spent the summer in therapy.In fact, I spent the summer travelling back to Canada (consequently barring my reentry to schengen, but more on that later) where we stayed in a wonderful hotel in Montreal, the Auberge du Vieux Port then we went west for the Edmonton Folk Festival and enjoyed some magical, musical moments with Boz Scaggs, Chuck Brodsky, Loudon Wainwright and Steve Earle.After 4 days of music, beer tent, heat and people, we headed to Clear Lake for some peace and quiet at the hut.
At the end of August and Max and I flew to London while the Big G headed home to Switzerland and Max was allowed to return a week later in time for school. On the other hand, I am still here in the UK, exiled.

Swiss Bit


Last weekend, the Big G and I went up to Neuchatel for a rugby tournament.I didn't know much about rugby, so he kindly explained the rules, what happens in the scrum, and how this was an abbreviated 7 tournament.He neglected to mention just how abbreviated this particular semi final was.Only in Switzerland...NEKKID RUGBY!




Even the referee was mostly naked....

Press Leak
Fear Is The Mind Killer

Yes, we are afraid, very afraid, all the time. Here's Chris Cooper with a little levity to relieve us, even if only momentarily, of our constant terror.

Published on Thursday, May 28, 2009 by CommonDreams.org
First We Got The Bomb And That Was Good
by Christopher Cooper


And here's the Tom Lehrer song he refers to:

The Cat Came Back



About 2 months ago, right after the snow had melted away out of the yard, we had a visitor.She was a very friendly, freshly spayed female girly cat who immediately made friends with the boys and started to worm her way into my heart.



The nights were still quite cool and after a week of her hanging out, I started to let her in the house.She wore a collar, but no address, and I couldn't help but think that the owner must want her back, after spending money on having her spayed, so the Big G printed off some posters and within 20 minutes of putting them up, the owner arrived at the door to retrieve her.But...
She kept coming back everyday, playing with the boys (or at least attempting to engage them in play), sauntering in to nom at the crunchies and stretch out on the sofa.If she was still hanging out at the door after 11 pm, I'd let her in for the night.She's pretty much a fixture around here now. I wonder what the penalties are for cat stealing in Switzerland?
Here's the Squidge (alias Maddie-Lambbone-Girly-Katzen):

LCOTM

3 Day Shred

Meh...so I haven't blogged for more than a month, I guess once I reached my 100th post it was some kind of pinnacle...NOT. At any rate the last month has been spent discovering what it will feel like when I'm in my 70's and can't climb stairs, crouch or walk properly anymore. What could be the cause of this illuminating glimpse into my future? Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred.Yah yah, I'd read all about how tough this workout was and how everyone who did it was sore to the point of tears after the first few days, but after stealing level 1 from Youtube, I thought I could handle it...and I was sore the first day.Sore, but in a good way sore. By day 3, my knees ached when I woke up in the mornings, after 7 hours of NO WEIGHT being on them.WTF??? After a modified workout on day 4, it was apparent that I had severely DAMAGED my knees...jumping jacks are NOT good for those of us with older skeletons, despite Ms. Michael's repeated admonitions that she gets 400 lb women to do them, so I can do it too! She promised shredding in 30 days and I have to admit that there is some truth in advertising, because I managed to SHRED MY KNEES in less than 3.
My next post will wax poetic on the wonders of Tiger Balm and Ibuprofen.

Swiss Bit



It's Not Just Me....
Ok, maybe I contributed to this, but I refuse to take full blame:

Le fromage au top!
Les Suisses sont toujours plus friands de fromage. L'an dernier,
ils en ont englouti en moyenne 21,7 kilos chacun, soit 430 grammes
de plus qu'en 2007. Cette augmentation est surtout due aux fromage
importés, la consommation indigéne restant stable.La mozzarella
remporte la palme (2,4 kilos), suivie du Gruyére AOC (1,84)
et du Raclette suisse (1,32).

from 24 Heures Mars 21

Translation:Cheese on top! The Swiss are increasingly fond of cheese. Last year, they have swallowed an average of 21.7 kilos each, 430 grams more than in 2007. This increase is mainly due to imported cheese, the remaining indigenous consumption stable.La mozzarella wins the palm (2.4 kg), followed by Gruyére AOC (1.84) and the Swiss Raclette (1.32).

Swiss Bit


So in an effort lose some of the padding I've acquired over the last 12 months of eating cheese, tasty bread, potatoes, cream and chocolate, I've been trying to go for a walk everyday.And, I bring the camera along, because you never know who you might meet.




This surprised looking, but not unfriendly fellow was enjoying the forest which was traversed by this small river.Today I thought I'd walk towards the chateau that's in the next village over.




and this is the view on the walk back home.

Information, Knowledge, Wisdom


I found the above video over at Adbusters as well as a really interesting project called One Flag.
"We invite you to create a flag – free from language and well-worn clichés – that embodies the idea of global citizenship"

You can vote on your favorite flag for 5 more days. This was my favorite:

Motown 50

Swiss Bit


I noticed these 'passengers' in a parked car the other day.




What initially caught my eye was the fellow with the bright yellow torso and the large grin. He looked quite pleased to be on an outing.A closer examination revealed that all was not as cheery as it seemed.



The evil monkeys to the right were threatening to suffocate the poor creature with the velveteen heart pillow and what I thought was a happy grin was in fact a cry for help.It was obvious that this poor fellow had suffered severe abuse, subjected to the rack until his forearms were as long as his legs and it looked as if his ears had been removed to be sent off with the ransom note.And what of the other passengers (conspirators)?



The hounds of hell, with a toothless lion (possibly a former kidnappee now suffering from the Stockholm Syndrome) were ready to drag the poor yellow fellow onto the backseat and tear him to shreds.



On lookout was this shifty eyed character, who had already rendered the teeny tan bear immobile. Cool as a clam, the tilt of his hat and the thin lipped grin that let me know that nothing was going on here, move along.Kermit made a last ditch bid for attention, despite having lost his arms and his pupils.

I don't know how common toynapping is in Switzerland, but I will have to keep my eyes peeled from now on.

LCOTM

Motown 50




Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmarvin.

Paris Hit Big G In The Head

We took the Max to Paris last month, where he climbed the Awful Tower (actually we rode the elevator up because it was night and the stairs were closed), made him absorb some art at the Louvre and some history at the Musee de Paris,ride the Metro, wander around Notre Dame (and pose for appropriately touristy pictures) and let him drink beers at sidewalk cafes. A good time was had by all, except for the part where a street leapt up and hit Big G on the head and caused me to lose my balance and my wallet at the same time.Or maybe I lost my balance and that's when the street hit Big G in the head, and really, I have no idea what happened to my wallet.

Track Back full on silly



Hahahahahahahahahhaha.
thanks to Stacey Nosek over at Pajiba

Track Back



Sh Boom! The Big G and I off to London for a 'Marriot Weekend' tomorrow...life can be a dream!

Vimeo Valise


This is just what I needed on this blustery grey day: kids, terriers, bubbles and buckets.

Bubbles & Buckets from Paul Joy on Vimeo.
Remember you can always watch these in HD over at Vimeo!

Motown 50


Ladies and gentlemen....The Supremes!

Press Leak

In the midst of this euphoria over the monumental and historic event of Barack Obama's election to the US presidency and all the hopes that we pin to this, there is a small and quiet voice that speaks of how dangerous and difficult the road ahead truly is.Below are three articles via Common Dreams that recognize that voice and address its concerns for more eloquently than I can.

Published on Friday, January 23, 2009 by the San Francisco Chronicle
The Gulf Between Hope and Change
by David Sirota

Published on Saturday, January 24, 2009 by the New York Times
More Than Charisma
by Bob Herbert

Published on Thursday, January 22, 2009 by The Washington Post
Calling a Time Out
by George McGovern

Swiss Bit

So we got out of the house over the last week or so, traveled up to Basel on Monday and Tuesday (and missed all the feverish inauguration coverage) and took the Max up to Les Mosses to ski the weekend before last. I hadn't been on skis in a dozen or so years, but was pleasantly surprised how it all came back to me.Not so pleasant was the stiff and sore muscles the next day.

Up in Basel they were thawing out from the unusually cold weather all of Switzerland experienced at the beginning of the month, and the Tinguely fountain was a delight of ice and Tinguely mechanical weirdness.