More mountains.....

My sister works for the mountain. This means that everyone who works on the mountain knows my sister. And now they all think she has a certifiable sister. Moi. Why? Because the Adventures of Bog Dog continue.......

Yesterday was still a bit foggy, but Marge had to go to the top of the mountain for work, and the weather up there was superb, so she took David and me with her. And BD. I don't think there has been a more hysterical ascent in the 3 kinds of cable cars in the history of the mountain, and bless them, the staff entered into the fun of things. On the way down, the driver of the Rotair grabbed BD and said he could drive the cablecar. The laughter..... oh my word!

So our hero got to experience snow for the first time.

The mountains are spectacular, in summer or in winter...

Somewhere over there are the Jungfrau, the Eiger etc.... We had a great time. because we went up early with Marge, we got to the top before any tourists arrived, and it was quiet and absolutely beautiful. After walking about outside, we met Marge for coffee and then went to the glacier grotto - inside the glacier.

This is part of the glacier from above, as we were coming down in the cable car. A week or so ago, I had a really interesting chat to the head of the ski patrol/mountain rescue squad, and he explained crevass rescue to me. Some people who fall down them survive, but some don't. In the photo you can see some of the crevasses in the glacier.

Look at who was enjoying the view with me!

There are 3 stages up the mountain, or 4 really. Four. Three different modes of aerial transport though. The fog was below Trubsee, so we got out there, and enjoyed the sunshine and scenery, together with half of Switzerland, it seemed. Such a glorious day up in the mountains.

The lake is totally frozen in winter, of course, and the whole mountain becomes a winter sports paradise. But in summer, people were hiking, biking, bbq-ing, fishing, punting, playing...... There is so much to see and do. There is a mountain flower trail, and a science trail for children too. Bungee jumping from Angel Eyes (the very large extra cable car) over the valley, devil biking down the mountian, trotti bikes, the snow park open at the top all year round......

Hmmm. I am sounding like a one woman tourist board here.

Cowbells were ringing.....

It is all so green and rich.......

There were cows in abundance, as you can see.....

And I really can't express just how beautiful it is in reality. It is a thousand times better than any photo.

I love being up in the mountains. As Marge says, while I can't do the things I used to do in the mountains, I can still get up there, and enjoy them in a different way. Yes, I tend to push myself way too hard, and pay the consequences, but it is worth it sometimes. How could anyone ever tire of this sort of scenery? How could I contemplate being in the valley below and not being able to go up? Thank heavens for cablecars.

So we go home on Wednesday. I am very torn about it. Pulled in so many directions. I want to be here. I need to be here. I want to be there. I need to be there. My family needs me there. And my family needs me here. You get the idea.

David has just a few weeks before he goes back to uni again, and he has things he needs to do back home too, and so do I. Life is complicated. But I have friends there, and friends here, and hey, I can always come back, can't I??????? Soon.......

Fun with a toy dog.....

Today is foggy and damp, and I have just baked 2 cakes in view of the fact that I can't see anything outside, so I may as well stay indoors for a change! Carrot cake and cinnamon cake, so the house smells wonderful, and my son is totally delighted as he loves cinnamon cake. I am the Good Mum today.

You know, I always straighten my hair, because it is really wild if I don't, and I always wear make-up. But here???? I have resorted to wearing the hair tied up and out of the way, and no makeup except waterproof mascra, and a little lipstick if I am going out, because all I seem to do is wipe the lot off all day. Or it drips off by itself, and I can't tell you how many times I have come home and seen the racoon eyes in the mirror. Humidity does that.

Normally, I would have put on a jacket with a hood to go to the local supermarket in the fog, but today I didn't bother, and the hair is rising as I speak. Just as well I don't know many people! But it is such a change not to bother too much about what the hair does etc etc. In a sense, that is what holidays are all about. However, the miracle cream moisturiser is always in place. I live in hope of miracles.

Yesterday was a quiet day, and I played about with the camera and the computer. Marge has a little turquoise toy dog as part of the decor in her bathroom, and while we have been here, he has been moved, posed, and discovered a life of his own, so yesterday, amid much hilarity, David and I took him On an Adventure, and he went bungee jumping off the nearest bridge. He has been christened Bog Dog. It was hysterically funny, as people stopped to look over the bridge and see what we were doing, and must have thought we had lost our minds.

Anyway, we then came home, and I made a book of his adventures, and one thing lead to another, and he now has 3 books with a fourth ready to print. He has been for a drive, been to visit Marge at work, and been to the park. Forget the new hair look.....the people in the village probably think I am totally loopy.

If nothing else, it has made us all laugh, and the books will be great fun for Missy too. So here you go - meet Bog Dog! He has "special ropes" (elastic) for his adventures.

He is about to make his bungee jump!

Look at him go!

Cable-cars are great.....

There is a new cable car ride here. It goes to the same place the old one used to go to, but from a different place, so David and I poddled along to try it out. The heat...... you have NO idea.

And off we wooshed silently above the village, through the trees to Brunni.

After mopping the brow - why is it that heads sweat so much? - having some lunch and chatting to some friendly Swiss cows, we got on the chairlift and went up to Brunnihutte, and the "tickle path".

This is one really wonderful experience. It is a small lake, and all around the edge, there is a pathway which goes in and out of the water, which is icy.

The texture of the path constantly changes from gravel to moss to wood bark to pine cones, to stones, to logs to wooden slats and many more. In and out of the water, tadpoles zapping about your feet. Then the mud pool, followed by warmish water, followed by aerated water......

This is me in the mud pool. I nearly gave it a miss but David said it was wonderful, so in I went.

So you roll up your jeans and in you go. I can't tell you how wonderful your feet feel afterwards! It is a really good big version of "de-sensitisation", which I am well acquainted with, of course. David loves going up there, and with the heat, the sun, the cows, the paragliders floating all around us, and the views, it was a great way to spend the afternoon. The schools here are closed on Thursday, so we had 100s of little kids up there too.

One of the great things is that it is so accessible to everyone. There were people on crutches up there, prams, wheelchairs. Ramps everywhere, and rails. Benches everywhere you walk too, so that means plenty of places to sit and rest before moving on. Believe me, I use them all. So here at least, I can get out and try stuff. And, of course, just about everyone walks with leki poles or their equivalent. Children, teens and adults. So having leki poles with you means you blend with the crowd, and don't stand out.

There is also a free bus service through the village, so at the end of a very hot and super afternoon, we descended back to the valley, and hopped on the bus, which dropped us near the house. Perfect. As David said when we were flopping, "That was a great afternoon, Mum!" He was right. It was. Now if I could just get him to take decent photos of me on his camera.....the recycling bin is full of the ones I decided were not vital to the human race. Or this computer. Groan.

Today it is slightly cooler, but the sun is still shining through the clouds, but there is supposed to be rain later. Eureka. (I never thought I would be saying that!)

Words......

Two posts in two days....... you may pick yourselves up off the floor now!

We trundled down the mountain at dawn o' clock this morning to See the Shops in Luzern. The dawn bit was because of the heat. In and out fast was the plan, and it worked. The last shop I was in had little or no air conditioning, and we began to drip in a most unattractive fashion. There has been a lot of dripping in the past few weeks. Sigh. All my efforts to look glamourous and chic are doomed. One can but dream. I never have quite managed that look, by the way. I usually look more like I have been pulled though a hedge backwards, or caught in a whirlwind.

However, I digress.

What I wanted to chat about was the cunning plan I have hatched to train myself to focus. Remember the CRPS? Well, one of the nightmarish consequences is that you lose the ability to focus. I forget what I am saying, and my mind wanders all over the place. I walk in my door and have NO recollection of how I got there. When I tell you that I thought for a while that I was showing all the signs of Alzheimers, I am not joking. It was a scary time. However, I was reassured to find out from the experts that it was part of the CRPS. Well, it is all relative, isn't it. Reassurance and relief.

Anyway, I can't concentrate. So reading, which I love, is difficult for me. All those books piled up and only a chapter or 2 read. I forget as soon as I read, you see, and have to start again, and the same thing happens and I just about lose the will to live. And as an avid reader and bookaholic, this is sheer purgatory for me. So I sat up straight and made myself read a book recommended by the specialist called something like the Brain that trains itself. ( I can't actually remember the proper title.....sigh.)

Then I drew up a list of words. Random words. And I chose the one to start with. Circle. I looked for circles wherever I went. I took photos. I made lists of circular things. I thought of circles I wanted to write about, like circles of friends, crop circles, the sun, etc etc. I involved my friends and their little kids too, and they were fascinated. Things like a manhole cover in the road reminded me of stuff, like when my father had his hand crushed under one he was inspecting when I was a child, and I wrote about my memories. Balloons = more memories. Stepping stones, rings.... you see how it goes?

One thing led to another, and memories grew, and I wrote and wrote, and took photo after photo, and then I moved on to a new word. I thought initially that I would focus on one word a week, but some take longer, and some a few days. So far there have been the circle, hope, five, purple, mountain. And I have enough words on the list to last a lifetime or two. Sometimes the last word spills over into the new word too, and that makes me write more, and triggers more memories. And the need to know. I look things up, try to learn more as I go.

I don't know if it is helping, but I don't forget the word of the week, so that is something. Trying to focus on something which opens my eyes and makes me see more clearly has got to be good. And I am going to put the whole thing into a scrapbook to remember how and why I am doing this.

This week's word is mountains, because this is the perfect time to write about them, surrounded as I am by mountains at the moment. What they mean to me, the ones I have been up, over or under, the memories of those times, the sermon on the mount, why Jesus went up the mountains, the words from the songs in the Sound of Music, growing up on the slopes of Table Mountain (which is the first line of my old school song)........ you get the idea. I may sketch something I think of, or make some kind of thing to represent the word of the week too. I still have a circular project in mind. That word could have gone on for months. So much came to mind, and one thing leads to another, and off I go.

So that is my own way of trying to rewire my brain to fire on all cylinders again. The brain is a wonderful thing, and so help me, I may even get one of those brain training game thingyamewhatsits. I am trying to override the damage to my sympathetic nervous system. Build new neural pathways. The brain is plastic, not hard set. It keeps changing, keeps adapting, keeps growing. It is not static. And in my own small way, I am trying to be proactive.

Whatever it takes. Whatever way I dream up. Who knows.....this project of mine may help someone else too.

Now I am off to take more photos of mountains. I may try new settings on the camera for a change. Watch this space.

Reporting in at last!

Dawn in the Alps

Hello all. Well, that is if any of the "all" are still around. An extremely iffy internet connection coupled with a small granddaughter visiting has meant that I have been gone. You may just have noticed this, I suspect.

Missy and her parents are back home again, and in a week or so, we will be on our way too. Sigh. I love this place, but I am repeating myself yet again. One small girl's smiles and giggles had every adult here wound round her tiny finger. And Marge and I got to babysit for a couple of hours so Andrew and Ann could go out to dinner! The fact that they were just over the road helped. Missy was awake, and when she realised her Mum and Dad were nowhere to be seen, the little one tried so hard to be brave and swallow her sobs, but the wails now and then were heartbreaking. I rocked her to sleep after a while, and was convinced she would cry when she saw me the next morning, but the smiles were back in place. She is just too cute for words. And we all adore her.


Marge's beautiful garden....
A Swiss spider....

The weather has been absolutely amazing. Hot endless sunny days. There have been thunderstorms in the middle of the night, but each day dawns hotter then the previous one. Just wonderful. I am a perpetual puddle, though. Yesterday, in an effort to cool my face and head down, I tried to hold a chilled glass full of apple juice against my cheek. And managed to pour the lot over my head and down my front. Newly washed hair and all. Groan. I looked like a trainwreck. Now I am going to go and start reading the 397587292479320posts you have all written. I need to catch up in a BIG way. However, normal service will be resuming shortly, and there will be no mountains outside or granddaughters trying to stand to distract me. Nor will there be stunning weather I suppose. I can't believe how fast the summer has flown by. Beautiful, isn't it?
A Swiss Sunset.......

Missy and her parents arrive......

The little red train arrived on Monday, bringing on it Andrew, Ann and Missy. We just need Diana to whizz back for us to be a complete family here right now. Sigh. Timing - it is all in the timing. Missy has now travelled by car, bus, trains and plane. Not bad to be visiting foreign places before she is 6mths old! She has taken it all in her stride, and is full of giggles. Sweet girl. Marge was absolutely thrilled to meet her little great niece, and I do believe the feeling is mutual. Missy loves her Grauntie and her Gruncle. (Great Auntie and Great Uncle!) She appears to have given the "let's sit up" stage a miss and instead, she stands. And dances. Clearly very advanced indeed.

As you can see, we were well prepared for her arrival. She will not be bored. We have had great fun playing with her toys. Oh - she seems to like them too!

See? I told you she likes to stand, and just look at those little shoes. Too cute!

It is wonderful to have them here for a couple of weeks, so we all get a real chance to get to know the wee girl, and for her to get to know us too. She is starting to grin at me instead of shriek, and that is progress.

Yesterday, I went for a walk round the lake as the weather was completely beautiful. It was lovely to sit on a bench in the sun (like a little old lady) and look at my mountains. I tried a little sketching yesterday for the first time. I will not be causing any panic in the art world, let me hasten to add, but it was fun to do.

The farmer was busy harvesting the green stuff. Grass, I think, for the animals in the winter.

This is where I walked. All around the lake. Lots of benches to rest on.

So the family is here. I have taken so many photos, but most have Missy in, and as I can't post her photo, I am limited as to what I put up today. The days are developing a sort of routine at the moment. David and I are out all morning, and then at lunch I go for a walk. I suddenly realised that being on my feet is not the same as exercising, and that I neded to do more walking, so I am trying to do that. My leg is not great, especially after the fall, but I am alive, if not kicking.

Afternoons are for babies, and cooking, and trying to help around here as much as possible, not to mention do some translations for people who do not speak English. Hmmmmm. My German is improving rapidly.

David and I need to go on a few more adventures. I think there may be some in the near future. I will plan some. My leki poles and I are ready to go.

Right. there is a little girl in the bath and I need to go and watch her swim. I will be back!

PS: With so many people here, it is not easy to get the time to visit, so I apologise for my lack of comments. I will get there, and catch up. I promise!

1 August in Switzerland.........

1 August is Swiss National Day, and the Swiss certainly know how to celebrate their nation's birthday! It was a roasting hot day, full of sunshine and heat, and blue skies etc, and everyone was dressed in red. Everyone. That would include me. I do not wear red often. Not at all, actually, but then my sister came home with t-shirts for us all to wear. And caps. And flags.

We entered into the swing of things with vigour, because actually, if you blend in, no-one notices you at all. If I had worn anything not red, I would have stood out rather like a sore thumb. So we became Swiss for the day.

You will not be seeing photos like this very often, people. The reason for all the red was because of the concert in the village by a Swiss or German, I have no idea which, megastar called DJ Bobo. He whirled into the village and brought thousands with him. I gather that he requests all the people to come in red. One year, the stage formed the Swiss cross in white amid the sea of red people, and there was a helicopter taking photos this time too. The heat - did I mention that? And the suncream was being slapped on merrily all day.The village was heaving. I mean people everywhere. Families all out together, lots of laughter, fun, things to do, flags to wave, races to watch, bands to listen to, alphorns, bells ringing.......

And we had a grandstand view. The arena was in the carpark across the field from Marge's house. The sound of the rock bands echoing around, bouncing off the mountain sides was fantastic.
See all the red???????

Oh look....... there comes Marge on her way home from work!

All the tables at the restaurant were outside, and it was like a giant party. Such fun, and we met so many people.......

One of the special things which happens here is that the Swiss cross is lit up on the mountain. See?And then the fireworks. Wow. The dogs were less than enchanted, but we sat on the balcony, listening to the end of the concert, watching the thousands, and then the fireworks. Our feet were falling off after a manic day, but it was a good feeling.

Happy Birthday Switzerland!Ah yes, here is one more photo of moi. In red. So that was yesterday. Today it rained, and I think we were all relieved. Until I slipped and fell half an hour ago. Sigh. Ups and downs. They keep coming. Andrew, Ann and Missy arrive tomorrow, so the house will be full. Marge has made a beautiful nursery for the wee one, and she will not lack for toys either.

This is going to be fun!