Lists, lists, lists....

 

What to take
what not to take,
rabies vaccines for cats,
blood-tests-to-check-efficacy-of-rabies-vaccine,
letters from doctors,
subscriptions to cancel
appartments to locate
vets in Zurich to locate
Catteries in Zurich to locate......
and so on, and so on

As you can see, my head is spinning. It's just as well that I will not have to hold down a job in the next few months because I seem to spend a lot of my sleeping time not sleeping. Still, I am putting the time to good use - I managed to make some progress on the Zurich cat boarding problem.Well, to be more accurate, I have managed to find an 'animal hotel' with an animal shipping company. That would solve the initial problem but not the ongoing one - where do the cats go when we want to go on holiday? I think that part of the difficulty is that I am searching with the wrong parameters. I think I am going to try 'pension aux animaux' - or rather, the German equivalent.... when I can find out what that is, of course.

If you look closely..

 

You just might see the bees.

I am past the first 'hive' section, which ends at the green lifeline (I usually 'fly' without a safety net, but believe me, working lace like this with three mad moggies leaping around makes lifelines essential. Don't ask me how I know - just take my word for it).

Apologies for the bad photo (I keep promising I'll do something about my poor photography skills, but I guess I'm all talk...)but I did want to share this awesome bit of knitting design. When you look at the chart, the bees just don't seem that obvious. And if I hadn't knit this myself I would assume that each wing must be made from a double yarnover, but no - it is merely (!) the clever placement of successive YOs.

The swarm section arrived just in time - I was getting to that stage where I was 'done' with the hives. The bees should be fairly rewarding to knit - I love the way they magically appear, so I guess that'll keep me going for a while - it's a bit like knitting with variegated yarn. You just can't stop knitting as each section reveals itself

When you get to the end of the first half of the stole, you pick up from the provisional cast-on and then work the other half, thus having symmetry. I don't usually mind about that, but in this case I reckon it is essential.

Decisions, decisions....

 

..so, lots of folk have been asking 'What are you going to do when you move to Zurich?'

And I always answer 'Nothing!'

But that isn't actually true. While I will not be seeking paid employment, I will be busy, busy, busy. When we decided to move to Zurich we had lots of discussions about my career. We thought it unlikely that there would be much call for a Gaelic-medium nursery teacher in Switzerland, which is the path my career was taking. So we have decided that I would hang up my teaching hat.

We've always been a good team and we decided to play to our strengths. While Number Guy is working hard, I am going to be our PA. And I do mean 'our'. My role is going to be to make life as easy as possible for the pair of us. As I won't be working, I will have the time to deal with the difficulties that life as ex-pats throw at us.

When I am not working out how to do X, Y or Z, I am going to craft. And travel :0) I plan to have a big map of Europe on the wall with pins in all the places I want to visit. When Number Guy is busy with work, I am going to jump on a train to wherever the fancy takes me.

In the meanwhile, in preparation for our move, I am going to stop teaching ahead of time. Again, there is so much to do here, and so much Numner Guy has to do at work that this seems to be the most sensible thing to do.

One of the 'must-do' tasks is to learn some German - classes start next week. I have had a mixed reaction to this - some folk are quite negative 'Well, they don't speak German anyway!' Not true. While Switzerdeutsch is the language of native-born Swiss, High German is also spoken - and it is the language of the written word. Makes German kind of compulsory IMHO

Of course, when I am not learning German, getting cats vaccinated, visitng friends to say 'Auf Weidersehen' etc, I have lots to do in the house. Hard decisions about what is going to Zurich and what is going in the bin. But when I am not doing tany of those things I am going to indulge in some sewing. I finally plucked up the courage to sut out the linen for a pinafore that I am making. Yes - a pinafore. But it's going to be a cool pinafore (if it isn't, then there'll be a lot of linen cushion-covers about the place).

So on that note, I'm off to sew, see y'all later

Ta-daa!

 

Keeping my place on the Honey Bee Stole was really driving me nutty. Of course, now that I have an understanding of this part of the pattern it isn't quite as important, but I still need a visual reminder now and again. Determined NOT to spend a lot of money on a magnetic board I had a scout around the house and came up with this: It might not be pretty, but it works - an old baking tray and some fridge magnets :0)

My tv knitting is currently 'Amelie', the current pattern on Rowan - miles and miles and miles of soothing stocking stitch - great for picking up when the bee stole needs too much of my concentration.

Not quite Carmen

 

We exposed ourselves to The Car Man yesterday, or rather some of the cast exposed themselves to us. I am quite sure it was necessary. No, vital to the success of the production. Mind you, I'd be surer if I had personally seen it happen. As it was, Number Guy got the the full frontal of two handsome and exceedingly muscular guys whipping their towels off ;0)

If you get a chance, go see this - if you take your 12+ child with you, you might want to be prepared to explain some girl/guy, guy/guy 'action' - but remember it'll be dark in the audience ,so no one will see you blush...

When we aren't off to the theatre we are busy, busy, busy - making lists of lists of things to do, cats to vaccinate, visits to make, friends to see. But it's good to know that we are unaided in this venture - as you can see, whenever dealing with a creepy crawly is added to the list, the cats are happy to put aside the death threats, unite and join in the fray.

Currently listening to ....

 

Radio Zürisee.

I know this will really surprise you all, but I can't understand a darn word....;0)
I begin German classes fairly soon, but of course this does not help with Schweizerdeutsch. However, I am determined to be able to speak some of this dialect eventully. I just need to try to ensure that if I pick up any books on it (strange, really, as it isn't a written language) that I get the Zurich ones. I mean, imagine the frustration of picking up some Basel Schweizerdeutsch!

Making the most of the sunshine

 

Sometimes you have to have a bit of lateral thinking if you want to do a few chores* and get some sun * I know, I must be a it loopy, normally I would just ditch the chores. Let's just say that Zurich is going to my head a little bit....

My daily bread

 

You don't hear that often!

 

Breaking news: Those of a delicate disposition may wish to sit down, call a relative or arrange for an ambulance to be on standby.

Our own correspondent reported that a 'reliable source' confirmed that a young student was heard to question 'Is there an ironing board?' as he explored his new residence yesterday. The young man's mother had to visit the local A&E department shortly thereafter, but insisted that this was mere coincidence....

Moving On

 

I am going to feel such a mix of emotions when we go - In fact I'm feeling many of them already ...

And though Number Guy and I fully intend to keep in touch with our friends - whether they want us to or not! - I'm sure there'll be some tears from me along the way. It's been great to have my friends' reactions - delighted for me, but going to miss me, too.

But I was just a bit worried by one friend's reaction. Heather -
"Great! We'll have a party!........;0)

Zurich here I come!

 

we're moving - to Zurich! Yep, you read that correctly. And I can't wait :0)

It'll be a few months yet - notice period to work, accomodation to arrange, cats to get Pet Passports for.... German to learn

We're nervous - but sooooo excited!

Who was responsible?

 

'Cos I'd like to say 'Thank you!'

Of course, I'll never know who planted the fruit trees in our garden, and I know they weren't intended for me, but I'd like to give thanks anyway. As I was gathering the apple and plums yesterday morning I had such a strong sense of continuity down the years...and I was so glad that the garden, and its bounty, is being enjoyed more than 100 years on. I don't know how long fruit trees live (ever tried Googling something like that?)and while they may not be Victorian, they aren't in their first flush of youth so I am appreciating them each and every year.

I'm going to resit the temptation to just wolf these beauties down - they are intended for jam today...and maybe a yummy plummy crumble, served with some clotted cream. Plums and crumble and cream. Oh my!

OK, moving swiftly along....I spent yesterday working on another Amy Butler skirt. I wanted to wear it out last night and decided that instead of lining it I would just apply a bias-tape finish. It's ok, Im pleased with it, but my first attempt at bias tape went plum pear-shaped. I carefully followed the instructions in Amy's book but it just didn't work. The instructions seem quite clear, so I guess I just screwed up in an easy-to-do-yet-hard-to-notice way. Oh well. In the end, amid much cursing, I cut out a facing for the waist and applied that. Picture - possibly-later.

So I guess I better go work on that jam - my son is back from uni for a while, and I'm sure if I don't get to those plums he'll do a great job on them ;0)