This has been a busy day
After using the word last for the 649th time, I figured it was time to put it away for a while.
Last Starbucks. Last sandwich. Last look at the lake. Last look at Freddie. Who knows if this was the last? But if it was, it was a good last day.
There is a shortage of chocolate at the Nestle store. At least there is now. Let's just say someone is going to be mad as hell at me when I get home.
But I saved a lot of money today! Using discounts, an employee's ID, (with her permission) and getting sale prices, I ended up with several candy bars. Can't have enough chocolate!
I also got a Covid test, required to fly and to reenter the US.
The pharmacist did the test. We made an appointment last week, he looked at the requirements then, we double checked them today, and he did a nasal swab.
He asked me where I was from. I told him 150 kilometers from Chicago. That may be right, or it may be wrong. He said he had been to Chicago and asked me if I ever heard of Cuver, Indiana. I said no, then thought about it for a second. I asked him if there was a military school there. He said yes, and that his parents had sent him there for 2 summers when he was younger. It taught him discipline. Plus, it was a lot of fun.
As he was prepping for the swab, he asked me, "Have you ever had a Covid test?"
I said yes, this will be my third.
"Good," he said. "This is my first."
There was a moment of silence, then he said, "I am joking."
I told him good, because I was ready to get up and go and come back later after he had some practice.
My test was negative, by the way.
Julia had planned to take me to a fort while I was here. The Swiss put forts inside mountains to guard the roads and passes. Some of the forts have been abandoned, some have been sold. This fort. in the mountain across from Chateau Chillon, was purchased and made into a museum.
We were going to go Monday, but it is closed Monday and Tuesday. So we went today.
It was closed today.
Why? Because the owners don't agree with the government's requirement that people be vaccinated and wear masks indoors. So they closed. As one of the attendants was explaining that to Julia, Julia said it was one of the dumbest decisions she has heard of. The young man agreed, wondering how he was going to keep working with the fort closed.
They did have some guests today because those guests made reservations and the reservations had to be honored.
Lunch by the lake (it was cold and windy). coffee at Starbucks, (it was cold and windy) packing, and dinner at Laura's rounded out the day.
Laura is a saint in that she lets Julia borrow her car to get the Old mMan to the airport. The 3 suitcases I am bringing home will not fit in the Porsche. In fact, the Old Man barely fits.
Now it is to bed and a sleepless night as I stress about the flight home. At least it will be a short night, because I have to be up EARLY tomorrow.
Peace and Love
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| Grape harvest is underway |
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| These are grapes at my favorite vintner |
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| Normally the patio is not this crowded. There is a pipe on the top, a flexible tube. Grapes are loaded into bin and then pumped to this extractor |
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| We had some fresh grape juice! It was out of this world!! |
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| The tube making its way from street level to the terrace |
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| One of the best views |
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| Another best view from the terrace |
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| Grapes being off loaded |
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| I don't think I could do that job |
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| They are starting to build the Montreux Christmas market |
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| This is a wooden sculpture in a tree |
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| Everyone loves Freddie |
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| There was only one canon at the closed fort |
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| Fort looked like it was in a mountain....cause it was. |
