Uphill skiing!

No! I'm not crazy!

But I try to re-think many things of my life... and for instance the satisfaction of reaching a goal myself. For years, for instance, it's been rushing downhill on my skis, or doing nice curves while going down. And of course, enjoying skilifts to go back... uphill!!! It was time now to discover the satisfaction of "deserving" skiing downhill!

This Winter I decided to get a new ski-gear (mine was old, bought in 1996!), and I picked some material to go uphill skiing: special shoes, special "skins" (originally seal skins, but now nylon stuff) to stick under the ski, special bindings that allow the heels to be free while going uphill, and fixing it to the ski for a "regular" downhill ski. The material is much lighter than regular downhill ski, but I chose an "allrounder", because I still am going to enjoy skiing with the kids on regular slopes!

Yesterday I had a day of introduction to this sport. I had done 2 outings the week before with a friend of mine, so at least I knew how to stick the skins under the skis! And how to use the different heel levels, depending on how steep the slope is. And go down on a short slope without falling... almost (try to ski downhill with the "skins" there...)

We "climbed" approx 3000ft (from 3000 to 6000) in the "pre-Alps" yesterday, under a beautiful blue sky. We were a group of 7, plus a mountain guide who led us and taught us how to save our energy to be the most efficient (you don't want to go too fast, you want to save energy for the downhill which won't happen on flat slopes, but in deep snow!). I simply loved it. It was awesome to go up a mountain (actually, my being afraid of heights prevented me from going to the very top, but I still could enjoy a nice view from where I was).

At the end of January, I'll go for a 3 day tour with the same guide. My friend told me she'd watch the kids during that time. Aren't I blessed?

The Summit is called "La tête à Josué (Joshua's Head)" or "Les Arpilles"

I stopped not far from the summit, as I was getting afraid of heights.

But look the fantastic view I still could enjoy! (looking West)

and that was on the way down...

1.1.11

I wish you all the courage to go this way, discovering yourselves, and becoming who you really are. I'm on my way...

Happy 2011!

Wishbone... for Thanksgivings!

Today is Thanksgivings, or Turkey day. You all know that, of course. We don't celebrate it actually in Switzerland, even if I do try to count my blessings. And I try not to do it only one day a year, but everyday.

Some days are harder than others, especially these days...

To remind us of the big bird tradition (?), Léa made us think of the wishbone yesterday, breaking her own collarbone as she fell off her horse. O the pain... Poor girl, she was brought to the hospital by her teacher, and got an anaesthesia so that they could X-ray her shoulder and neck. She spent the night at the hospital and just got back home, a very tired but tough (little) big girl, eager to go back on horses... probably as of January.

We'll know more about ski season as it arrives, I had just signed her up for a ski camp during Winterbreak... First snow "down here" is supposed to arrive tonight.

I'm back!

Well... almost! I mean, I'm back on my blog in English!!!!!

For those whom I'm so thankful to have met during our brief stay in the US at the end of October, you know that I was just temporarily back on US ground!

Before starting this new post, I read the previous one. Counting my blessings for 2009...

2010 has been very different so far. Much more intense... middle-life crisis at full blast, let's put it this way... No fun. Everything seems to become jeopardized. And it's my fault. I need a piece of white paper to go on with my life and it's not the easiest when you're married with 2 kids. Well, don't worry too much, I'm getting as much help as I can, I still have wonderful friends who support (and bear!) me, and I'll get through it, in the end.

But I'll stop complaining about my being a desperate housewife (not even sure I'm that desperate, or even that being a working mom would mean being less desperate ;)!)... and tell you more about our great vacation in LA, St.Louis, and NYC.

Vladi had a conference in San Diego, and we took advantage of traveling with him to go back. Léa told me (in English) as we were landing: "Mom, we're not going to America, we're going home"... Yes, we indeed have a foot in each country, our hearts beating on both continents...

We started with a few days in LA... which is well known for it's great climate, as you all know. Well, not this year, obviously! It was rainy, cold, misty, and foggy. We took a trip to Seaworld, and didn't even need to go to the splash zones to get soaked, as our raincoats didn't do the job: I had to buy sweaters to warm us up!

Once Vladi's conference was over, we traveled to Saint-Louis, where we spent 6 beautiful days. Seeing old friends, some having even come from as far as Texas or Vancouver to see us was totally heartwarming and touching. Thank you Jenny, Catherine, and also Elke, who drove 4 hours from Indianapolis! Thank you Debbie for having us stay at your house, letting me be with you while you took care of your bees (the honey tastes really good!)! Thank you Kathy for "adopting" Léa for a few day as if she was your own daughter and inviting us to Candy-Apple making day! Thank you Jenny and Catherine for the excellent moment spent on the Pastries of Denmark terrace, speaking our hearts open.... Thank you Ganesh for letting Jiothy go to the breakfast with our "Monday Morning Whispering Hills Mom's group"! Thank you Cari for letting us visit Meramec school and welcoming us so warmly! Thank you Samuel's Church Choir people, for showing so much happiness at my being present, and thank you for the music notes you gave me, Neal! Thank you all of you, my friends, for showing us so much affection! I'm still very moved when I think of all of you. You are all unforgettable and I love you all! Shall I count my blessings now? You are each of you, one of them!

I'll post some pictures of these days... it might take a while though... uploading all of them!

After this "honeymoon" kind of vacation, leaving St.Louis was hard. We still had a few days planned in NYC though, and all went well. Our hotel was located across from Manhattan, on the Hudson River (you remember the plane that landed on the water in January 2009? well, it was practically in front of our hotel!), in Weehawken. In hardly 15 minutes by bus we were in the middle of Midtown! Close from Time Square, where we became almost dizzy the first night!

We took a boat trip to the Statue of Liberty, walked and walked through this crazy, sleepless city. We met Anaïs, our cousin, and went up the Empire States Building. Lots of fun and good time! I also enjoyed meeting 2 French friends and have lunch with them.

The 2 weeks went by... and we flew back home... Kids went back to school this morning, plagued by the jetlag (we slept much too late yesterday morning!)... but we all keep a great memory of this vacation!

OK, now... do you have time? Because you can watch the pictures of this great trip right here: Enjoy and comment please!

I'm so grateful because seeing you, my friends, has given me so much energy... I'll really improve my keeping up with this blog. Comment, and ask things you want to know and see about our lives in Switzerland! I'll be happy to add more content!

Love to you!

ready? set... Champagne!

We'll get there earlier than you, who are on the north american continent ;)! And tomorrow morning, I'll start the new year enjoying a "staying in bed late" moment! So I won't be up on Internet to wish you all the best for this coming 2010!

Enjoy! Be happy! Be healthy! Be wise (but not boring!)!!!!

And take care!

xoxo

As spring is around the corner...

This is a view from the ski slopes real close to home. Not spectacular view, but cute nonetheless! As you see, it's not the high mountains yet!

It's now or never that I'll tell you about our first winter back in Switzerland!

First of all, it's been all white for almost 2 months (end of December - end of February), due to a really exceptional winter on one hand, and also to the fact that we live on a higher plain (opposed to lakeshores and/or mountains!). It's been snowing 1-2/ week, and never really got warm enough to melt it all!

The kids went to ski school over the Christmas break. The first day was really difficult for Léa - who hardly ever enjoys that kind of challenge - but they made excellent progress and loved it (eventually!). A nice day out was to go ski as a family! We live approx 25 min away from a small ski resort, with plain lifts and no fuss. Perfect for our kid's level!

And during that long, and cold winter (we've litterally burned 90% of our wood - not that one, reserved for the fireplace - the one that we use for heating the house!), a huge feeling of warmth came to us: Grit visited us for a whole week, along with Klara and Heinrich! Oh the good feeling, oh, the good memories, oh the fun we had together in that white paradise!

      

Another visit that was for us THE Christmas gift: our friend Debbie arriving straight from Clayton with her two daughters! We were able to celebrate Christmas AND blow Hannucka candles together, visit the area, and discuss a lot about everything. Simply a great time, thank you my dear friends for visiting us!

     

In Switzerland, the water fountains are... real! Most of the time, you can drink from them, as Debbie's about to do. These pictures were taken in the village of Gruyères, homeland of the famous real Swiss Cheese "gruyères"! The castle and the surrounding village was built in the 13th century!

The good thing about living in Europe, is that travelling in neighbouring countries is pretty simple. No, no, I don't want to boast (just make you feel like coming and visiting us, haha!)...

Last week was a "Carnaval" break. It's very important culturally, but I'm totally stranger to that customs. Maybe next year I'll be more able to report about it!

Anyway, the kids were off school, and Vladi had a week off too. We skied together a few times, then sent the kids to my parents for 48h. In the meantime, Vladi and me hopped on an EasyJet plane to Amsterdam, where we enjoyed 2 great days together!

This post is already long enough... I'll start a new one!

For my US friends

My dear friends, I've been happy in your country, where I've lived for 3 years. These years were mostly happy, some periods were really hard, but on the whole, good memories are stronger than bad ones.

Now that I'm back in my homeland, I want to tell you how much you've meant to me, and to my family, when we could meet more regularly.

You've asked, and also I promised I'd blog for you, in English, so that you can "see" where we live, how we live. I'll try to keep up with this blog as much as I can, and especially, I hope that your comments will feed it!

I will start today with a very typical picture of our everyday life: the weather has been very rainy and ugly lately, and it's cold. Our heating system isnt' on yet, so we tried to keep warm as well as we could: a good cheese fondue for dinner, and a nice fire in the fireplace. The only problem with the fire is that, although the chimney was open, there was quite a stunk in the house. Maybe because it was the first time it was in use after some work had been done to it? We'll know next time!