It's a little strange being in a land with 'religious' holidays again. Last weekend was Easter and everything shut down. Not a shop was open on Friday, Sunday or Monday, so we had to plan carefully. Especially since our freezer only holds a couple of packs of butter and some fish fingers. On Saturday I decided to go to Migros when it openned (8am), arriving at 8:30 actually. The parking lot was packed and the store was busier than I've ever seen it. It was insanity. Everyone was shopping like the end of the world was coming. Having made it out alive, we spent a nice, quiet few days with Walter who hasn't been around much. Friday saw more bike practicing by the lake, stone skiffing and sunbathing. Yup, it's very nice weather at the mo'. Saturday we dyed eggs, and Sunday the Easter bunny came, ate some of his carrot and left a couple of chocolate rabbits for the boys. Toby ate the rest of his carrot when he got up and we let them loose on the choc. I think they poisoned themselves on it- can one really get chocolate poisoning? They became all lethargic, saying they didn't feel well and moaned a lot. I don't think they've gone off chocolate, though, so we won't be doing the whole pack of fags thing if they ever try smoking. The village of Saint Blaise had an egg hunt on Sunday. By the end of the day it was egg carnage. A bunch of wee snits had pelted them against every hard object they could. What a waste.
Here's a visual of some of the stuff we've been doing:
Round Eastertime, it rained and rained. That was coupled with a warm up that melted the snow. The water at the port went from 8ft down to flowing over the sidewalk! Some boy entertainment included fort building:
We tried walking around the lake in Marin. Apparently, Lac de Neuchatel is famous for having walking access all the way around it. We got stuck, as a lot of the paths had been overrun with water. Behind where the boys are swinging there used to be a big beach, not water.
Yup, that's a roundabout. Allie and one of our neighbour chidren, Fiona went on it during one of our 'bog' walks.
When the weather started heating up we took a little stroll:
This is a low tunnel that goes under the railway tracks to the lake park. It also carries the stream that runs through StB out to the lake. I don't think i'd like to be there when a train goes over.
One of ALL the boys' favourite things to do is chuck stones in the lake. Walter has perfected his skiffing to more than 8 per stone! Toby has perfected his throwing to getting the rock in the lake and making himself wet at the same time.
The neccessary stop for refreshments on a warm spring day.
This is a view of our house from the church yard. Walter is standing under the 3 living room windows. To the left of those are the kitchen windows. On the nextfloor up are our bedroom on the right and the spare room on the left. The top floor has Toby's room on the left and Allie's on the right. Our house basically occupies the side of the building. We also have the first windows round the side. It's a nice set up, as the house has sunshine all day.... when it's sunny ;)
Last week Walter had to go to the US Embassy in Bern to get more pages for his passport. Since it's only 40 mins by train, the boys and I came to see what it had to offer the wee men. The embassy is 10 mins by bus from the center, and it also turns out that
the zoo is right beside it! We left Walter at the embassy and sauntered along the river side (VERY green, fast moving and full) to the zoo. I'd just like to say a little about the embassy. It is ofcourse surrounded by men with guns and barricades. When I went to the embassy in London (it was ~14 years ago) I was very impressed with the giant marines in their cool uniforms standing gaurd. It left an impression on me. These days, security it seems, is farmed out to private companies (men in black uniforms with 'Protectus' on their hats). Not nearly as impressive and not leaving me with a secure feeling..... Sadly, the building that 'The Borne Identity' led us to believe is occupied by the US embassy is not the same ;) Anyway, the zoo is very nice indeed. It's not the exotic kind- horses, alpaca, nutria (!), pigs, goats. Further along are native bird and other native animal enclosures. There was a very nice restaurant and park to play in. It was a very successful trip (meaning we did something the boys enjoyed and there were no melt downs) and Walter got to take the train with us.
The boys enjoy a hot chocolate break beside the river.
Allie and pelicans?
