In the bleak midwinter....

It turns out Walter has a childhood family friend living in Zurich, so we invited her (Kim), her husband Christian and their a-blinkin-dorable son of 5 months, Loic, over for a Thanksgiving meal. Walter picked them up from the Neuchatel train station last Saturday morning. It was a lovely, Sunny, snowy day, so they saw Saint Blaise at it's best :) Kim's a journalist who's been covering the pharma. industry for the last few years. I think she only intended to stay for a couple of years.... sounds familiar ;) Christian is French Swiss, and us poofs didn't practice our French with him. After walks were taken, we tucked into a real Thanksgiving meal. Well, the turkey was from France and I haven't seen a sweet potato in months, but Kim supplied some real stuffing and cranberry sauce, and some really really tasty homemade pumpkin pie. We spent a lovely day with them, and Allie and Toby were in their element. They ended the evening running around the living room with pillows stuffed up their fronts , bumping into each other. This is what Kim and Christian have to look forward to hehehe.... We're looking forward to descending on them in Zurich :)

Christian and Loic take a breather between courses.


Kim is amused by the witty dinner conversation.


Not a shabby affair



So it snowed from last Thursday night till Monday. Here are some pics. of the Cali. Stockwells getting down with the season. Allie is a total snow fiend, but Toby's not so keen on the large amount of dressing up or the cold. He's a Southern creature.

Our living room view, the first day it snowed. Purdy!


Walter took some snow froom the window sill and A n T had their first ever taste. They kept asking for more.... it must taste good!


The boys went out to investgate. Walter showed Allie how to make snow angels.


Ain't they cute in the snow?


We went for a walk and the water wheel was frozen to a stop.


The weather has calmed somewhat now, although as I look out the window, it's sleating and a couple of degrees below zero outside. That can't bode well for tomorow- they're not big on ploughing or gritting! The farmer's market in Neuchatel is still going on under a lot of sheeting. There are lots of Marrons stalls (hot chestnuts) and I'm just waiting for the gluweine (sp?) (mulled wine). That should make shopping rather easy. When we get ready to go out, i need to give us at least 10 mins: catch boys, lose one, catch again, get one to the loo, put woolly socks on one while commanding the other (now deaf) to put his socks and shoes on, put shoes on the one that hates wearing anything while he screams no, tell Mr. Deaf to put his shoes on NOW, wrestle one into his gloves(he really hates those) then wrestle him into his coat, tell Mr. Deaf to put his shoes on, let Mr. Screamy ouside, help Mr. Deaf with his gloves and coat as he cries bitterly that he should go outside first. I then have to find my stuff, put it on and find suitable shopping bags (it costs to have your stuff bagged here). When the cold started, I went to Migros and bought leggings and tights(boys and girls wear them here) for the boys, leggings for Walter, more socks and a snow shovel. My mum has also sent a couple of packages with vests (the British for undershirts) for me and the poor boys. I had utterly forgotten how cold the cold can be and how much one needs to deal with it..... I'm glad we don't have to pay the heating bills....