Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Gig

On Wednesday we watched the sun go down over LAX with Norm and Helen, then got on the plane to Zurich... What a sad bunch we were. On the up side, the flight was pretty uneventful. Our baggage weight came in under the maximum- no charges this time! Allie slept on the floor, Toby slept, cried and fidgeted and people around us were nice through it all. Next time I swear I'm drugging him. Any suggestions? We arrived a good half hour early, picked up all the bags (before some business class people..hahaha) and made the train to Neuchatel. The poor wee boys only lost it half an hour before we got in. The house was even in one piece with no bad smells! Apparently, for a couple of days before we came home there was snow "the likes of which had not been seen in a long while". It was rained away before we could see it, but it's been snowing off and on since. The wind's not biting any more and the temp's above zero ;) The jet lag is a real bugger going in this direction. The boys were up from midnight to 4am last night. Walter and I finally went to sleep at 5, and we all woke at 11. Hooray for TV I say.

We're watching the movie "Chocolat" at the moment. I've never seen it because the hype put me off, but it's actually very entertaining. The village reminds me a lot of Saint Blaise! We need a chocolotarie with a saucy wench.

So, here are some last pics of an absolutely fab trip. Thanks Helen and Norm, for everything. The boys and I feel like totally new people :)

Toby loooves cats, especially Sangi, a Laffery cat.


Drew celebrates his 14th birthday. Toby is really the one who blew out his candles.


The boys on Redondo Beach pier, scene of many an "O.C" episode.


There's a really cool aquarium called SEAlab beside the 2nd street beach (Hermosa Beach) that Helen likes to take the boys to. It's a super place, with plenty of hands on stuff (sea slugs feel revolting!).
Allie beside a pool of native California fish.


Walter and Tobe at the pool


Grandma and the boys enjoy a last trip to the beach

Time Flies

We're winding down our whirlwind visit to Cali. We didn't see nearly enough family or friends, and yet are totally knackered from all of our comings and goings! We're sad that we missed a lot of people, but hey, it's more incentive to come and see us ;)
Here's a snippet of what we've been up to.

Cousins Drew (14), Brendan (16), Toby (2), Allie (4) in Redondo Beach.


Grandma Helen and Grandpa Norm enjoy a beautiful day at Veterans' Park in RB


Friend Kim and her adorable son Loic (8 months). They'll be on the same plane back to Zurich!!


Grandpa and Tobe- what a team!


Cousins Wini (5) and Anna (11) in RB. Wini just lost her first tooth :)


Bathtime for wee cousins.


Helen and babby Elliot (4 weeks) enjoy some Berkeley sun.


Two Witort men.


KyeeeeeeOooot!


Elliott tells a stunned audience what time it is.


Soccer with Allie.


Allie's new girlfriend Kate.


Matt and Ranas' new dawg 'Zinc'. Trop cute aussi!


A jaunt up Indian Rock. The pinnacle of a lovely day.


We return in 3 days. I'm very sad.

A long day's journey into.... yet more day

That's what makes me a little queasy when we fly multy time zones. The whole flight west was in daylight. Anyhoo, Walter saw us off in Zurich on Tuesday last. When we checked in we found out that the flight was unbelievably empty. Since I've been travelling with children, I've always tried to make it easier for us with bags. I thought I'd topped my best this time: 1 month abroad- stuff for me and 2 (dirty) boys- carry on for me and 2 (must be entertained) boys. This came to 1 quite large case and 1 carry on... and maybe my purse with a laptop in it. The (not enough to do) woman behind the counter told us we'd have to pay and excess baggage fee for the case as it was too heavy, and check the carry on because it was too *heavy* also. I think my expression made her reconsider, and she said we could stuff some of the carry on into a plastic bag if I could fid one! I pretended to do that and then put everything back. No-one asked anyone that I could see about carry on 'weight' when we boarded.... Do Iook like I invite officiousness from people? The excess baggage came out to CHF 40! I plan to take the maximum number of bags on the way back ,with nearly the max. weight each (sorry Walter)!

We got a whole row to ourselves, and settled in for the 12 hours. Swiss air must have some money to spend. We were on one of their new A340s, complete with personal entertainment center for each seat, special reclining seats in coach, wider seats in coach and super friendly hostybirds. 2 of the 4 video screens weren't working in our row though... esp after Toby was through with them. The boys should have been asleep 6 hours into it, but they weren't in the mood ofcourse. Then with 4 or 5 hours to go Allie threw up all over himself and his seat. Lucky for me (with no spare cothes of my own) he missed me. It turned out to be some kind of stomach bug as he kept it up every half hour until we landed, and he had a temp. :( Our section cleared right out then. Nobody seemed too judgemental, though. Better clientele than United. Since I was travelling alone with the boys, I thought I should get some help at the airport and asked the head hosty. She said she would arrange it and told me to wait until everyone had disembarked. We duely did, and there was a woman waiting there from the airline, talking to a Swiss family. There was also a wheelchair that was whisked away before I could get it. The woman marched off with this family (man, woman, 2 kids in strollers- what was their problem???) and we traipsed behind. Allie really needed to be carried. I eventually shouted at her to stop and had a go at her for not helping us. She got us to the front of the line in customs and passport control, and she helped with the bags. Not so bad after all. The best part was seeing Helen (Walter's mum) waiting for us :)

Since we arrived, we've all had the stomach bug and colds. Is it just me, or is it a bad year for bugs? We've watched a lot of TV in the middle of the night and generally hung out with family. The boys are in their element. They're really enjoying the half naked trips outside. It's a rare treat these days. There's not much planned, just grandparent, aunt, uncle and cousin time :)

Cousins Drew and Anna take a swing with Allie


Grandma swings with Allie and Tobe


Aunt Sherry looks on while Toby waters... stuff


The photo doesn't show Anna up to her knees in mud with Mr Allie who's now as tall as her.


Grandma Helen and Grandpa Norm had a birthday party for Allie and Toby. Drew made cookie cakes for both... lucky wee boys.

Good Day Sunshine

A sample of what the Stockwells are up to at Redondo Beach. I'll follow up later with a review of Swiss Airlines and a summary of the (always it seems) 'exciting' trip over!

Date Changes

We've set definite dates for being in the Bay Area: Arrive Feb 23 evening and leave March 2nd morning. That means we'll get a weekend to visit friends and family :)

They just seem to have had some kind of siren test here.... we know where our fallout shelter is too ;)

"Oui" Boys

I picked up Allie from creche today, and heard him understanding French! His teacher asked him to do something, he said 'oui' and promptly did it. He seems to be finally settling in well and we may have him in another morning. It would be nice if it was with older children. Either way, in August he's getting totally immersed at the Ecole Enfantin every morning, and Tobe will take his place at the creche. Any suggestions about what I can do with this new found "free" time? I was thinking- faff around, look at the clock, then go pick him up ;)

The boys have been fighting a lot recently- wee baggers. I walked into our bedroom one morning, wondering why it was so quiet (and quite nervous about what I would find) and thinking they were up to no good. What do you know- they had sat themselves down on the rocking chair and Allie was telling Tobe stories. I even got some pics, which will not be repeated for at least a year I reckon.









Walter took Allie to the snow a couple of weekends ago, as he hasn't seen Les Bugnenets yet. They played, but no skiing was "faired". He noticed a lot of parents teaching chilldren on the bunny slope themselves. We might start that way. Walter ofcourse took pics of the jollity:

Allie gets ready for a spin.


Allie goes.


Allie rests.



If I ever get peeved with the state of cleanliness in our house, I've found a good TV programme (in french) which elevates my mood: "C'est Du Propre"
There are some really manky French people out there ;) It's rather helping my learning too.

So, we'll be stateside from the 8th Feb. Walter's joining us on the 22nd and we're up north from the 27th to the 3rd March. Much ethnic cuisine will be consummed, and sweatshop clothing bought during that time......

Sick Puppies

The wee boys have picked up a nasty, coughing, sore throaty, maximo snot cold... just in time for Allie's birthday (yesterday). He openned his presents before creche (luckily) and when he came home at lunch, we decorated his cake. Then he went into a sharp decline, falling asleep at 4pm and sleeping through the night! Since Walter was travelling for the rest of the week we had his cake this morning..... mmmmm... breakfast cake ;)

See the chocolate round his mouth? That's why he wanted to decorate!


Intense concentration on every detail. Allie decided on a worm motif.


I've been avoiding the (numerous) pharmacies around here. Inside, the shelves are full of useless 'young forever' creams and such. One must ask for anything necessary. It seems to be at the discretion of the pharmacist too. Now, I could be more understanding about cultural peculiarities, but all these places tout homeopathy... big time, and this is the land of pharmaceuticals. Maybe that's why people here are into homeopathy, as a reaction to all the big pharma. Anyhoo, I don't trust pharmacists or doctors selling it (nice mark-up on water too). A couple of days ago I finally went into one as we had run out of children's ibuprofen. The girl behind the counter told me (seeming shocked that I had asked)that ibuprofen for children can only be sold with a prescription. What???? This seems to be the only country in the West that won't let you buy it otc. She had plenty of Tylenol (paracetamol), which is much more dangerous. I am particularly p%**@d off about the pharmaceutical situation. Costco here we come in Feb!

Uncle Gummy and Uncle Rubbup

That's what Toby calls my brothers Jamie and Robert. Actually, he was calling them John (my other brother) while they were here! They were here for a week, at the end of which they were more exhausted than after any night out. Each morning I held the wee boys back till 7 am when they would run up, throw the door open and jump on their beds shouting 'wake-up'. A few times Jamie and Rob also got to go skiing- at Les Bugnenets (near here) and Les Diableretes (in the Alps). They were suitably impressed :) I took the wee boys up to Les Bugnenets with the big boys one day, with the hope buried in the back of my mind that I might get a couple of runs in.... oy vey... Toby has this weird attitude that ultimately makes him mad the whole time. He doesn't like the cold, but he hates wearing gloves and hats. He hates the cold but doesn't like bright sun (and won't wear glasses). He really doesn't like being inhibited by clothes. If he had Allie's cold stamina he'd be fine naked in the snow. We got a sledge for them on the way up. It's a little squirrly (a round tea tray with brakes on either side) and their reaction swung between glee and utter terror. We'll have to rethink mode of transport a bit. I think we'll have Walter take Allie up for lessons (only on at the weekend now) and I'll take Tobe to the swimming pool.... maybe we'll alternate ;)

So, mementos of a fun time below:

Robert and Allie about to take a run on the saucer.


Emma at Les beautiful Bugenets.


See that layer of fog? Saint Blaise is blinkin' under it!


The wee boys enjoy a pre-snow snack.


Jamie and Robert enjoy Les beautiful Alps.


Non Snow activities: Allie plays soccer at minus 9 degs C.


Toby uses some nails from his toy tool box in a much more interesting way.


The fog has been dauntless for the last few weeks, so the trip to the sunny snow was very welcome. We really need to do it more often. The weather was broken a couple of days ago by a few inches of good snow. We ran around in it, then last night it turned to rain and it's now blowing an absolute hoolee out there. We've got even better weather coming when we go to...... LA!!!! I'm taking the boys at the beginning of Feb (after the Feast of Saint Blaise on the 3rd Feb, when the whole town will be out partying.... Swiss style) for a few weeks. Hopefully, Walter will join us and we'll get up to NoCal. I believe when I looked at the temps. the other day, there was 20 degs. difference between here and LA! I used to complain to my Mum about our winter weather. Strangely, she wasn't very sympathetic.

Walter's currently in Madrid and then Munich. He might be in Moscow next week, where the temp. is now minus 28 degs C.....

Baltic New Year!

We had a few days of balmy weather when my parents visited (zero and above). Now we're back down to the minuses again. It's petrified the now dead Christmas tree on the porch! They arrived late on Hogmanay and we "stayed up" for the new year. We had all just been in bed for a wee while when the local yahoos let off fire crackers in the building site next door. Buggers. That was the first time since wee boys that we've been awake :)
We made it out and about a bit, to show my Dad some sites (he was mainly interested in the site of the grandsons performing). Plenty of walks were taken, and not many pics. Here's what I have:
Down by the harbour.


At the Latenium.


Pretty much, they got up to this kind of thing:


They went home yesterday and we've gone into a decline. My brothers Jamie and Robert are arriving tomorow night, just in time to pull us out and send the boys into utterly bad behaviour. I'm especially looking forward to Allie and Tobe getting them up at 5:30 every morning ;)

I've had the boys painting. Allie has taken a shine to mixing colours to make all kinds of hues. I set both boys up at the table yesterday, they got down to business and were nice and quiet. I thought "ooh i can vacuum the kitchen for a minute". It's a tiny kitchen. It really was a minute. This is what I came back to.


That boy!

Today is Twelfth night (Epiphany), and the Swiss have a custom that is shared by New Orleanians- King Cake! Walter got very excited when we saw it on the news. The cakes here are more puff pastry filled with marzipan or apples and a very nice little metal trinket hidden inside. Apparently, one can collect whole sets of 'scenes'. Ours is a brass milk maid. Walter found it and will be hosting the party next year ;)



The king enjoys his pie.


Maybe we'll be galvanised into skiing wile the boys are here. There's a wee 'resort' near here- Les Bugnenets that supposedly has the best snow ini the area right now. Walter is due to start travelling a lot next week, but we could fit in an afternoon as it's only 20 mins away :)

Car Trouble

Yesterday, we bought our first tank of gas since buying the car! Woohoo! 52 CHF for half a tank. Doh. Gas certainly ain't subsidised here. The temp was -9 degC, we pulled up to the pump and Walter got the gas. He found a window squeegee in a bucket, pulled it out of the ice and set about cleaning the window. As soon as he did, all the water froze. He ended up cleaning the window off with our heavy duty ice scraper (required by Swiss law). Today, it's +5deg C and raining on the 5 inches of snow that fell last night. Tomorow, we'll probably have a hurricane.....
My mum and dad arrive tonight, just in time to see in the New Year in our new home. We'll be toasting all our friends and family around the world :)