Rain!

My goals on returning home were to get into a better schedule and to work on copywriting 3 hours a day or 15 hours a week.  I want to report I was successful this week.  I am reaching out into new markets and I am studying a Business to Business case study course.  I like writing success stories so this is a good fit for me.

Oh, small miracle for me.   My client paid me through PayPal. PayPal sucked like $30 in fees from me.  I’m thinking there are a lot of things I could do with $30 other than pay fees.  And the website says “instant pays” don’t have a fee.  So I mention to my client we need to find another way to pay and I say I’m complaining to PayPal.  He says several uncomplimentary things about PayPal and how they charge fees even when they say they won’t.  He has had fights to get fees reversed and says, “You’ll never get them.”

But on a survey I complained again, and Jerold from PayPal called me from lovely downtown Manila.  We had a nice chat.  He explained that it’s free for the SENDER to send money through PayPal… but the RECEIVER gets hit with the fee.  But he took pity on my ignorance and reversed the charges!  I was so pleased with him; I had him put his supervisor on the line so I could gush.  I’ll still avoid PayPal all I can… but at least I feel happier with them.  And, I credit God for the miracle.

For the past nearly 4 weeks my daily planner has been blank.  I finally went back and put in Family Reunion…. LINE through the week.   Switzerland…. LINE through the weeks.  This week my daily planner is full again.  When I have lists, I am more productive.

Monday we made salsa and on Saturday we made relish.  While the tomatoes are getting sketchy, the cucumbers have a new lease on life.  I really think they should get a job in espionage. They are so successful at hiding until suddenly they are the size of Winnebagos. We’ve given bags and bags away.  The zucchinis have succumbed to the bugs. We have a carpet of dead leaves there… and only the tip of one zucchini still struggling to put forth new leaves.  Our beans are lush and full and have climbed to the top and over on the arched trellis. But—we have no beans. I think it’s been too hot.  The second series of blossoms are coming on.  I hope they are more successful.

We are also sharing the garden with birds, bunnies, shrews, and skunks. It think it’s been so dry, they are all coming to the only well watered spot. I would love to offer them the cukes.  But instead they took one of two cantaloupes we’ve grown… and a sampling of the tomatoes. To date, the carrots are still thriving.

Thursday Tom had a meeting in Branson in the evening.  He wanted to see a movie—Snow White and the Huntsman—that was no longer playing in Mountain Home, so we went to Branson early, did a little shopping, and went to the movies.

The movie was more intense than your typical fairytale.  Thunder roared… it kept rumbling… even when the movie showed sun… Hmmm.  We finally figured out that after weeks of drought, the thunder we were hearing was outside the theater.  It rained nicely there—through a good dinner at Bob Evan’s and dessert at Andy’s.  Through Tom’s meeting and part way home.  At home, we got 2.3 inches of rain.  Oh!  The yard LOVED it!

We had a sweet grandmother who did for her daughter and grandchildren—even to sacrificing her own needs. She passed away this week at nearly 91. It will be hard for her family to learn how to cope on their own. I made two salads for the funeral.  Tom stressed about the program as the original plan put forward by the family was not in accordance with the church handbook… and the family can be sensitive.  But the funeral was today and I think all went well.

I’ve been trying to catch up on my seminary and institute responsibilities.  We have training coming up.   I need to schedule training through the year.  I need to see that my teachers are enrolled in WISE which is the program to record attendance.  They have to get their materials.  And even though we hoped to have teachers trained this summer, we still have new teachers called.  I’ve been sending emails and making phone calls.  I hope I’ve been making progress, too.

My bishop asked me to give a talk today.  So I spent time preparing that. It was on being an active learner (No not ADHD) but learning by the spirit and taking responsibility for your own learning.  So I talked about how to get the spirit, why one needed the spirit to learn spiritual things (see Corinthians 2) and what some elements of a participating learner were—whether in the class room, reading scriptures, or in life learning.

I guess that’s all the news.  Hope all are doing well.

Home Again

I am happy to be home.  I promise to go back and put pictures in the Switzerland posts... but I probably have a thousand pictures-- like 200/day.  It will take a bit to go through them.

We had an uneventful trip home from Switzerland.  Almost a 12 hour flight.  They fed us dinner, snack sandwich, drinks, pizza... we didn't lack for food.  It was nice though, as we stayed up the whole time.  I read and tried watching a movie, but my earphones or the movie sound was jumbled... too much work.

Steve English met us at the airport and took us to Sally's house.  Cynthia and Christine came and picked us up from there. We weren't hungry... but we were tired.

I slept well. Mom... not so much.  Wednesday we ran some errands.  I replaced her hair drier that I fried in Switzerland.  It was designed to accommodate 220... but I neglected to turn the switch.  Oops.  ZAP!  We also did some grocery shopping.

Mom had worried that when she got her car in for maintenance, they said she needed a new transmission.  We mulled that over while we were away, but it turns out, they just recommended a transmission flush. We need to check and see at what mileage that is recommended.  That evening, we went to dinner at the Olive Garden.  MMMM.  I LOVE their salad!  I had three servings... then brought some dinner home.

Thursday, Cynthia (bless her heart) got up and took me to the airport at 5am.  My plane actually boarded at 6:05 for a 6:45 flight... and then didn't leave until after 7.  I got to Branson (via Denver) at 2 and Tom picked me up.  We came through rain storms to get home... but our place was still bone dry.  Grass is crisp and brown.

The garden, however, has tomatoes, peppers, melons, zucchini, and cucumbers!  Friday we made salsa and bread and butter pickles.  Saturday we made relish.  It was also Pioneer Day so I made cucumber salad, macaroni salad, and broccoli salad.  And Tom made some brownies.  We were supposed to bring a salad, dessert, and our meat.  I decided it was too hot for meat, so just made more salads.

I also made a cake for the 22nd.  The Pioneer Day was fun.  We had lots of less actives and non members show up.  It was in the park at Gassville.  They have a nice pavilion with a play area for the kids next to it. We learned about our Ward's beginnings, and a great story about the early converts in Arkansas.  The teller was 4th generation native to the Mountain Home area.

Today was Tom's birthday.  We invited the O'Brians over for dinner.  Tom wanted liver and onions.  Bro. O'Brian loved that, too, but not his wife.  So the men folk had liver, onions, and bacon, and we had salads and grilled chicken.  And, of course, Chocolate Cake for dessert.

They brought some fun gag gifts for Tom.  Rebecca and Miranda left a few gifts for him, and I brought back a few things from Switzerland (chocolate, mustard, and a nifty fire starter-blow torch kind of thing.)  He also got wooden spatulas from both Rebecca and me.

My internal time clock is not quite adjusted.  I'm waking up early.  My weight is also not readjusted... it's a few pounds higher than pre-trip.  I guess that's the price you pay for bread and butter and cheese and worst, and chocolate and all the wonderful foods of Switzerland.  I hope eating less now will pay off.

Switzerland- Mon- Wengen-Mannlichen

Sunday was cloudy and rainy most of the day.  Monday, however was gorgeous!  We wanted one last chance to see the Alps.

We slept in a bit and packed most of our luggage.  We needed to wait for Sue and Steve who needed to wait until the book store opened so they  could buy something for Sally.

So we got on the train at 11:45 and met Sue and Steve in Thun.  We went to Interlocken and too a train to Wengen.  We'd been there before, but it was more cloudy that day.  So it was like seeing it new again. Here we are at the cable car station.

 Then we took a cable car to Mannlichen.  WOW! As Sally says, "There's no bad view."

It was much chillier up at about 6,700 feet. But the sun was shining and the alps glistened with snow. Yellow wildflowers bounced in the breeze and black birds hovered on thermal lifts. We walked around and enjoyed the view.

Then we found a sheltered spot for lunch of bread and cheese and landjager. Sue and Sally found a bakery in Wengen, so we had lovely torts and apple struddel for dessert.

As we came down the mountain, each turn of he train brought more lovely views.  The train to Thun was running late.  So Sally raced ahead to hold a door and I zoomed Mom down and up ramps.  I'm not sure I've run up a ramp pushing Mom quite so quickly before, but we made the train with at least a minute to spare.

Tonight we ate well.  We had to clean everything out of the refrigerator.  This was our last night.  Now we are packed... just sleep and go.

Three suitcases, two backpacks, one wheelchair and Mama.  A piece of cake!  Sue and Steve will meet us in Bern, help us get to the airport, and return the mama-stroller.

It has been fabulous vacation. I don't think it could possibly have been better.

Switzerland- Sunday- Church, gschnatzletes

After the late night on Saturday, Mom decided to go to the local church.  This is the one that plays the lovely bells each 15 minutes and chimes the hours.  Sally and Steve went to the church and determined they had a 9:30 service.

So we strolled Mom up the hill to church.  Lovely building.  It was open.  But no one was there.  Remember, the information was all in German.  We think maybe because it was Holiday they didn't meet.  Or they met in another building? Later Sue and Steve read the information and it said check the newspaper for sure times.

So we decided to learn the sermons in the stain glass windows.  There were 12 pictures and eventually we figured them all out.  So we discussed Mary and Martha.  We talked about the story of the prodigal son.  We read in Revelations about the 4 horsemen. (We finally decided the last illustration was of Christ throwing out Satan and ushering in the millennium-- not the 4 horsemen.)

Then we went through the hymn book.  Sally played the songs and we sang the ones we found that we knew.  Not your typical Sacrament day, but it was quiet and peaceful in the church.

We came home and sat and visited.  We chatted about work and family and art classes and math classes and whatever came to mind.  Sue and Steve came over after their missionary duties.  And we chatted some more.   I love Switzerland and I am glad I came.  But perhaps the best part is being here with family.  I have loved spending this "Mama time" and Sally and Sue and Steve time.

When we went to the Kruez, Mom said she was really looking forward to ordering gschnatzletes.  These are small pieces of veal cooked with mushrooms and onions in a cream sauce and served over  a puff pastry called pastetlis.  So Susie volunteered to make it for her.  The meat is pricy-- but we fed 5 for about the price of one meal out.  It was mighty tasty! We have had a lot of good meals here... and I have the waistline to prove it!

Hard to believe we are in the winding down stage.  One more day and then we fly out.

Switzerland Saturday Schau Kaserei Springs

Saturday was a fun and busy day.  We actually slept in a little bit and left at 9:45 to go to Schau Kaserei-- or the cheese factory.  This was in Emmental which is the area Grandpa's family was from. It was a beautiful part of Switzerland.

We watched videos about how the cheese was made.  They called it Emmental Cheese-- the kind with holes-- what we call Swiss Cheese.  Clearly they don't call it Swiss Cheese becasue they make half a million different kinds of cheeses here. A building next to it had a demonstration of the old way of making cheese.  It was done in a big vat over an open fire.

When we went to the Springs later on for dinner, Christy Spring came from the Valais area which is in the mountains.  She said that people take their cows up to the alps for the summer and make cheese there all summer long and it's done the old style.

This was real easy trip-- one train.  One bus out.  There was a display of sculptures done in bronze. They were maybe 1/2 life size.  They each showed part of the life of a Swiss Emmentaller.  A boy with a dog pulling a cart with milk to the cheese factory.  A woman making bread.  A man herding sheep. A beggar.

There was a bakery close by and we bought some treats for later-- Napoleon, blueberry tart, apple strudel, and almond paste filled croissant (mandelgipfeli).

We got back to the bus stop too early so we sat on the bench and ate our lunch of bread, cheese, and landjaeger. One bus.  One train-- and we were back in Uetendorf by about 3. We did a little shopping since all the stores close Saturday afternoon and don't open until Monday.

At 4:45 we got on the train, changed at Thun, and arrived at Spietz a few minutes after 5.

Hans Spring met us with his SUV and we all piled in-- 5 of us and 2 alphorns. It was a titch crowded, but better than walking or taking the bus. They rent an apartment on the grounds of the church and the castle and have a spectacular view of the harbor and lake Thurn.

Hans is a Doctor and head doctor for the Swiss Ski team. So he's been all over the world. They were amazingly gracious hosts.  We had appetizers in the yard overlooking the church and the castle. Sue and Steve played their Alphorns to the delight of the Springs and the neighbors.
(photo from train window going to Uetendorf)

 Then we went down to the lower level that used to be the bakery room with a LARGE fireplace.  There we had raclette (roasted cheese) with potatoes, pickled vegetables-- including her home pickled zucchini and pumpkin.  We had two salads cucumber/dill and tomato.  We ate and ate.   Then they took Sue and Steve up to the church yard overlooking the lake and had them play their alphorns again.  People gathered to listen.  As a boat went out from the Spietz dock, you saw smiling people listening to the music. It made a perfect Swiss day.
(One of the train transfers... not the racing one.)

Hans took us back to the train station to catch the 9:54 train.  But the train was 5 minutes late and we had 4 minutes to catch the connecting train at Thun.  We were sure we'd miss our connection and have to wait a half hour for the next train.  We made a brisk trot to catch the next train.  Mom had chosen to not take the wheel chair, but she hoofed it down the ramp pretty briskly.  Sally raced on ahead to see if she could hold the train.

As Mom and I climbed the steps, we could see the train was still there!  We hurried to the top.  There was Sally, spread eagle in the train door.  We hoisted Mom up and collapsed in the first seats we came to.  Giggling and gasping for breath. "How's your heart doing?" Sally asked Mom?  She said her heart was fine, but her legs were like jelly.

We called it a blessing that the train waited for us. We walked tranqually home from the train station... and we all slept well that night.

Monastery at Einsiedein and Kreuz Hotel

Today we joined Sue and Steve and went to the monastery at Einsiedein.  It is a HUGE complex of connecting buildings.

It's a Benedictine Monastery so they believe in silence, worship and work.  The goal was to create the perfect monastery where every part of life could be accomplished within the monastery. So they had gardens and wood working shops and stables and blacksmithing. They also have a secondary school and a college?

The cathedral was amazing!  It was created in the baroque style with incredibly ornate plaster relief, detailed paintings all over the ceiling, mosaic on the floors and angels, nymphs and other figures adorning the walls, the speakers stand, the organ and any other possible surface.

The ceiling had pink scroll work, green and yellow hatch work, gold leaf and garlands, flowers, crests and shields, saints and angels and stories from the Bible in picture form.  Then,  each recessed area had its own mural, alter, and statuary.

We watched a video about life at the monastery. Very interesting.  In order to get there, we took a series of trains to Bern, Zurich, Waldenfield?  where we missed the train to Einsiedein.  If we had known the short-cut, we might have made it.  But alas... we did not.  And while Sally tried to keep the train doors open and Steve raced Mom along in the Mama-stroller, it was all for naught.

So we spent the next half hour with a lovely view of the Zurich Lake and the boats on it-- until the next train came. Einsiedein is a lovely old town.   I have to admit that  I love the beauty of cobblestones.  However, pushing Mama over them brings new meaning to vibrational therapy.  It really isn't that hard to push on the cobblestones, but it does make for a bumpy ride.

Coming back from Einsiedein we had another few tight connections.  Steve raced Mom down and up ramps!  We giggled as we raced to the trains.  The last one was especially close.  Sally was holding one door open as we climbed on the car before it-- closer to the stairs.  Mom had hiked down and up the stairs as the ramp was too far away.  Steve hoisted the wheelchair down and up the steps.  Sue, Mom and I got on the train and the door started to close.  Sue stuck her foot in the door to prevent it from closing as Steve scrambled up the last few steps.  Finally the door reluctantly opened and he hopped on the train.

On the way home, we went to dinner at the Kreuz Hotel in honor of Grandpa Howald.  We met the grandson of Frau Gosteli who was friends with Grandpa.  Dinned was DELICIOUS!  I had fish from the Thun Sea.  We had a wonderful view of the sea as we ate, and the fish was fresh caught that day. We had a sampling of about 8 different salads-- beet, corn/mix, cucumber, carrot, coleslaw, onion, greens.  Each had a unique dressing-- mild-- that just accented the vegetable.

While we were at the Kreuz it started to rain. We walked back to get a bus in the rain.  Steve pushed and Mom held the umbrella low enough he could see over it. She looked like a little mushroom. We took a bus to Spietz, then a train to Thun and another to Uetendorf.  Sue and Steve waved goodbye from the train as they went on to Bern.  We then walked home in the rain-- each of us snug under an umbrella.

We got home about 10pm. It was a good day.  A long day, but very satisfying.

Switzerland-Thursday- South and Italy

Today we had a 12 hour day.  It was great.  Hans Spring gave us an itinerary to go south into Italy and southern Switzerland.

We went from Bern to Brig, Domodossola, to Locarno and Bellenzona and then up past Lake Lucerne to Arth-Goldeau.  We continued to Zurich and then took a train back to Bern and to Uetendorf.  Each of these towns was a place to change trains.

However the whole trip was delightful.  The weather was perfect. We wound up into the alps and then took long tunnels through the alps.  On the Italian side it was dryer and more Mediterranean. The houses took on more color-- Lemon yellow, peach sherbet, burnt orange.  There were lots of old rock houses with slate roofs.   Really lovely and they just blended into the landscape.

 The train was supposed to get into Locarno by 12:22.  But it wasn't there on time.  Sally said, "We're in Italy."  As if that explained it all.  I realized how valuable it is for trains to run on time.   We typically had from 2-12 minutes between trains.  It was enough to get off, move briskly (or sometimes leisurely) to the next train and get on.  Sometimes it was just across the boarding platform.  Sometimes we had to go down under the tracks and up a different track-- or even a slightly different station.

We had  a half hour break in Brig and walked down the main street.  We lunched in Locarno on the shore of a lovely lake.  We had salad  and a pizza and I had gelatto in honor of Joshua.  It was tasty!  The weather was in the 80's and Mom took her sweater off for the first time since she's been in Switzerland.  Um.  That's not quite true.  But she's been bundled up most of the time.  There was an open air fair we walked through on our way back to the train station.

We went through lovely scenery!  Up into the Alps.  Down through narrow valleys with raging rivers. Past scenic farms set against a mountain backdrop. Along placid lakes with small towns hugging the edges. We saw different architecture-- all charming.

We were with the Holiday travelers.  Holidays began for school children July  6th. So everyone goes on holiday between then and August.  Trains were crowded with suitcases and backpacks.  Bikers and families and tour groups traveled with us.  Even in first class we had to search for seats.

Mom held up well.  She walked part of the time and rode in the wheelchair part of the time.  She climbed steps and rode the escalator and the lift. She hopped on and off of trains and got balanced enough to stand before the train stopped fully. (Against our recommendations I might add.)

We had supper of bread, laundiager, and cheese and apples on the train on the last leg home.

Wish I could show you pictures.