nouns...nouns....nouns

I love my time in Switzerland

     Yes, I get to visit my daughter.  It gives Emily a break from us and reminds Julia of why she moved so far away
But I love the people here, especially the people I have met through Julia.    I w0n't name names, because some of the people are not in my pictures yet....but they will be before we leave.
     I also like the places.  The scenery.  The old architecture.  The scenery.  The lake,  The Alps.  The scenery
     And I love some of the food.  Especially the perch pan fried in butter and served with fries  This year was not as good as in the past, but he dish was still amazing.
     Julia dropped Jackie and me off and  told us what restaurant to go to.  We went in and this man in sunglasses said "Bnn jour."  I said "Bon jour" back, took two steps and realized it was George!  I have known him for at least 15 year and he and his wife  Monica are always on my list of people I want to see.  A planned surprise!
     So....enough words.
     I also though it would be neat to walk up to characters in the production and ask for a picture with them  That led to many interesting conversations!

Long time friends!

I love the scenery!

amazing

I had an amazing experience

     Every 20 years or so, Vevey puts on a celebration of wine.  It's a called Fete des Vignerons.  Google it, you will be amazed.
     The local people are the show.  I am going with what I have heard, so there may be some exaggeration.
     100 million franc to produce, including building a 20,000 seat temporary stadium in the market areas.  a 12 million franc LED floor designed by someone who did Olympic opening ceremonies.  Cast of 5,000 or more people.
     All put together to produce a 2 plus hour show that includes fireworks, cows, goats, horses, flying fairies and just an amazing experience.
     Honestly, that is the reason we came this year.  This once ever opportunity for us could not be passed up.
     Unfortunately Jackie only saw half the show.  My poor judgment thought a 2 p.m. show would be fine, when it wasn't.  To be fair, the 2 p'm. show does not do the technical aspect of this fete justice....the LED floor was a star of the show but can't be seen doing the daytime very well.
     Then again, the show starts at 9.....so she might have had a hard time keeping awake for the whole production.
     No pictures today....maybe later.  Internet was down here for a while after we got home....at about 1 a.m.  And we have places to go and people to see this morning.
Peace and Love

stairways to heaven

I did Dad things today

     Lots of time Julia orders wood for the winter while I am visiting..  With her status up in the air, she did not do that this year.
     However, she had some wood on the ground floor patio that needed to come up.
     So I carried the wood up.  13 armfuls..  15 steps.  I think I got my cardio workout today.
     I then swept up the downstairs patio, and the upstairs patio, and pulled a couple of weeds
     It rained lightly most of the day, so there was nothing else to do.
     Tonight we are watching the Cubs.  And I am wearing a sweatshirt!
     Tomorrow we go to the fete again, this time at night.  Hopefully I will get to see the whole spectacle this time.
     Jackie will be by herself, but she does have a couple of phone numbers if she needs help.
     I finally saw one of the cats that visits Julia.......it is a very beautiful animal.  I also found a mouse in the woodpile, so maybe that is why the cat hangs around.
     Pretty laid back two days thanks to the rain....but tomorrow and Friday are supposed to be dry and nice..
     And I am looking forward to a visit from my nephew on Saturday!!
Peace and Love

Bob Dylan was right

The times have been changing

     I did a ramble today.
    My plan was to go to the top of the mountain, have a coffee, move down to Chardonne, maybe have another coffee and buy bread and a  Chardonne in this wonderful little bakery just a few steps from Julia's old place.
     Sunny and warm when I left the house.
     Reached  Mt. Pelerin,  the top of the mountain  and discovered the wonderful restaurant with the beautiful patio overlooking the lake was closed.  Not only that, but there was no other place to get coffee.  So I wandered a bit, and noticed the clouds were forming on the eastern part of the lake.
     I took the funicular down to Chardonne and went to the bakery.
     It's gone.
     There is a bread store in its place, but it was closed.  No window full of pastries, no display case full of cookies and candies and Chardonnes.  No coffee in the pleasant cafe part of the shop..
     I wandered down to the grocery store, which is still there, to buy bread but hey didn't have the huge selection they used to have either..
     I misunderstood the bill, and tried to pay 3.40 franc instead of the 5.70 total, which was my fault all the way.  But confounding the situation, I mixed all my franc together.  It was a mess..
     Then it rained.  And drained.  And lightning.  And thundered.
     I hid under the patio of the post office and Julia came to get me.  That was at 3 and it is now past 8 and it is still raining.
     I just hope we get Jackie down the hill safely.  I may have to hold on to the back of her mobility scooter as an anchor.
     If you don't hear from me again, we ended up flying off the side of the mountain and crashing through the house in front.
     Some pictures from my ramble.
Peace and Love..

in Corseaux

in Corseaux

main drag

going up in the fun

The funicular is a vertical elevator..  One car goes up, one goes down and they meet in  th middle, where the track splits..

Mt Pelerin

ne storm has passed

Strange cows in Switzerland

fire department

storm moving in at the top of the mountain

grapes of wrath?

no plans at all

I did nothing today


     I started the da with a  bit of a headache and did not want to aggravate my situation.  So I relaxed.
     But here I am., 9 p.m. and feeling ready to go for a walk or hike or go for coffee.
     Tomorrow.
     I did watch some interesting remodeling and home  buying shows.    
     One show, Escape to the Chhateau, follows a British  couple who buy an abandoned chateau in France and work to restore it.  I saw some episodes last year, so this must bee season two or three.
     They want to put an elevator in one  of the towers because there are a lot of stairs  His idea for an elevator is a tube like device that operates on air.  Air is sucked out the top, and pumped in the  bottom, so the elevator shoots up,  much like drive up tellers..  I don't think he will finish the project in the next 10 days, but I am curious.
     I  also watched some house hunters type shows, which are pretty similar to ours.  But today two couples opted not to  buy at the end of the search  Instead they found properties on their own.  Don't often see that in the states.
     So, that's ii  Tomorrow should be a cooler day....mid 80s here today.....and manybe a chance for me to go up the hill to Chardonne.
Peace and Love

relaxation Swiss style

I did not do much today

    Yesterday I had a period of dizziness and nausea, followed by a terrific headache.  I am not blaming it on the wine, because I did not have that much yesterday.  Friday night, maybe....but not yesterday.
So instead of visiting with my niece Megan, down from Zurich, I spent the day sleeping while Julia and Megan explored Vevey and the fete booths.
      We had a barbecue last night and the champagne was flowing, but not into me.  I was very conservative.
     Jackie has been fine....we worked out he shower situation.  At home she sits on a bench.  Here we use a yard chair, set it in the shower, I hose her down, she washes, I hose her down and she gets out.  What I thought would be a problem is not a big issue.  It's a two person job, but we get it done.
     Our showers are small....less than a yard square.  The control is right in the middle.  I can set the water to the right temp, hit it with my elbow and go either from scalding hot to freezing cold to no water in a second.  I have learned to keep my elbows in.
     Getting up the slope has been ok for there too,.  I will post a video of that some day on Facebook.
     Years ago I found a wine dealer I like.  We went there yesterday and bought some wine.  I like it because of the view, the hospitality, the samples, and the bread sticks.
     Years ago I wandered down the street from Julia's previous apartment.  I saw the vintner's place.  I read  the sign in my terrible French, that said enter on the terrace.
     So I went up onto the terrace opened the door, and stepped into some one's living room!  I hastily exited.    
     As I was standing there, and elderly gent came along and asked me something in
French that involved me saying "I don't understand " several times.  This led to him calling a young boy over, who was the son of the vintner.  I asked in my best French where the cellar was and was it open.  I have no idea what he said, but it involved him going, "Papa voom, voom voom."
      I went back with Julia the following Saturday and we went down toe the lower terrace, where the shop was.  The woman took us into the cellar where the family was working......a girl boxing bottles, the young boy applying labels, the dad doing something.  We were able to see the vats were the wine is stored and almost understood everything she said.
     Since then I make it a point to go there.  The view is amazing.  And I like the wind.
     Today I spent my entire day inn a chair on the patio.  Still have a headache, not quite as bad.  No dizziness or nausea.  And I slept 10 hours last night.
     Hopefully we can watch the Cubs tonight....the feed was not working for Saturday's same, but we saw Friday's game.  Electronics are strange.
 Love and Peace

From the vintner's terrace

My view for most of the day

Eureka!

I have a lot of people to thank today

     Julia for helping me download pictures and sorting out my password problem.  Emily for finding my blog password and e mail address.  John for the Cubs.
     Had a neat day today.  It is ending now on a very quiet note.  The Alpine horns play at the festival.       When they started tonight, you could hear them at Julia's.  We stood out on the covered patio and listened to the horns echoing off the mountains and over the lake.  Then the traditional cow herders song was sung and you could hear it up here.  Very peaceful, very calm.
     So....new story.
     Julia and I were on our way out of Manor, which is a big Macy's type store.  A woman was pushing a carriage and yelling "Anna!  Anna!"
     We continued on and a short distance later I saw a little girl sitting by herself on the sidewalk next to her tiny scooter.  I told Julia to stay there and keep an eye on the girl.  I went back to where I had seen the woman and said I had seen a little girl by herself.  She followed me to where the girl was and it was Anna!!!  Everyone was happy.
     I used my zoo training for dealing with lost children.  Don't pick them up, don't move them, don't talk to them, just watch them and call for help.
     Another thank you to the home folks who sent a picture of Corki and are shipping guy hearing aid charger so I can hear better.
Peace and Love and some pictures

Normally this is a quiet street by Charlies

This is an entrance to a bank

Linda D.......cows on parade, Swiss style!

Ahhhhhhh

A little pause for refreshments

Lousy picture..but we are watching the Cubs beat the Brewers live!!!