Revealing truth from ski trip

OMG! Second time skiing outside of Sweden! It was fabulous! I enjoyed it tremendously!

But here's all the truths from today's trip!

I was of course so tired this morning when the alarm went off. Today I realised that I go up much earlier in the weekend than I do any of the week days! Strange what a trip to the mountains can do to you! I can for sure find several people that could stare that I'm for sure not a morning person.

When we came to Engelberg I bought a helmet when I was picking up my ski's. of course it's pink and it matches my outfit!!
Today it went better skiing in one way. I was much more secure and balanced, but at the same time I fell... A lot! But when I show you the slopes that we tried on I hope it will make some sense...
My god... We went down a yellow slope. Yellow is not a colour I'm use to when talking about skiing. It was a mogul piste! I have NEVER in my life tried it. It was either that way down or riding with the lifts. I tried. It was probably painful to see. I fell for sure, more than once, but I got down alive and pretty much in one piece. Then we tried on a really steep black piste, I swear it was a 90 degree steep on that! It took me about 5 minutes of breathing before going. First time it actually went well!! Second time... I fell at the very beginning. And I came into a spin and went down the slope with my head first for at least 200 meters! And during the fall I was trying to get a grip with my ski's but since I was upside down that only created a big snow cloud! Eventually I found a way to stop, I had snow all over... And I was angry and disappointed. So we went again!

I don't know what the deal was today, once I only stood still in the piste and fell! I truly believe that I was better than last weekend, I dared more but OMG I fell more than enough times!!

Already look forward to the next time!! :)

I now own a LED TV

Life's good sometimes! Found a really good TV and even found some nice colleagues to help me bring it home!

Even though my day had a pretty bad start, it ended very well :)

This morning I was late for a meeting with my manager. Not because I overslept or because of a traffic jam or anything like that... But simply because of my confusion!! I forgot. I took time in the morning to sit down to have breakfast with some of my colleagues. Something I normally do not do. Since I arrive late I mostly take something on the go. I even thought to my self "should I go up and turn on my computer before having breakfast?... Yes!" And then I didn't. After 15 min I remembered "hey, didn't I have a meeting scheduled for now" yes I did... I just do not like to make mistakes. I have to learn.

The day has contained of other less joyful topics. I was pretty tired when heading home. A colleague visiting from Sweden joined me and I asked a favour from her "could you help me drag a 42" TV through the whole of Basel? I promise we'll have fun!!" Luckily another colleague herd me asking and offered me, her and my TV to be a ride home. Bless him!!
Now I'm the proud owner of a 42LM620S :) glorious future!!

My home is now also decorated with a bucket of flowers and a box of chocolate since my tacos dinner with some girls from work. This nice evening also made my day!

My body is aching in a very good way!

I went skiing for the first time outside Sweden! It was amazing... I'm so happy that I live here in this skiing country. I was picked up early by some of my colleagues. Oh my God, did they suffer from bringing me along?!? Yes, I was like a child seeing things for the very first time. Stopped every third step to take a picture. And the view was beautiful!
I was actually better than I thought when it came to the actual skiing. I made it, I still had it. (After all it was about 5 years ago since I went skiing the last time). And then after a while I thought that I might bee some genius dealing with the snow... And frankly I fell. Not only once... But hey! I was still better than I had expected to be! (And I think that I scared my colleagues to think that I hardly could stand on a pair of ski's so they were probably surprised as well that I managed)

We were up on 3000m height. It was a bit of a challenge just after a heavy lunch and from the height I got a bit light headed. And since I'm not use to be outside a whole day, and certainly not to exercise for a whole day, I got quite tired. But wow, what a day!

In the evening I got home at 7.30 pm and I decided just to watch a movie. Then all of the sudden my TV flashed and turned all black. Yes, I think it's dead.
...well, why not... While I'm anyway in the fixing mode, just got everything in place and even the TV box delivered, why not?!?

Thursday I finally got the Internet and the TV box delivered, Friday I put together the latest IKEA purchase and made sure that it all works, Saturday something else breaks.
Just material things. I'm fine. Just material things...and of all the countries to move to I actually picked one where all electronically stuff is actually ok when it comes to prices! And with that knowledge I will go to sleep dreaming about the mountains :)

In German?!

Yesterday I received a mail inviting me to some information for immigrants. It was written in German. Yes, I think that we, the immigrants, should learn how to speak German... But it doesn't happen over night! Why not send such mails in English?

Today I exchanged a piece of furniture at ikea, I bought it yesterday. I actually bought two big things (and three smaller ones). Yes, I really had faith in me carrying them to the tram by my self. It went a bit so-so. A nice guy stopped and helped me. When I later, after a lot of fighting, finally got home.. I of course opened the packages to start putting them together. They were both in the wrong colour. I mean both of them!! Tomorrow I will exchange the other one... I had to surrender and admit to myself that I couldn't carry both at the same time.

Today I also got my Internet installed! And my TV-box! Weeee! But I was also asked: have you registered on Swisscom's web page to get your password?

What? Didn't know that I had to!!
How should I have known?!? Grrr I have been very patient with all things happened but now I am getting close to my limits...


Tomorrow is a new day.

No internet, no dish washer...

Friends, this is a sad day... Not much worked this morning.

Ok, from the start:
I went up, which is a struggle every morning, and put in some clothes, knowing that any time I could be invaded by handy men. The first guys came. There were two of them and one actually spoke English! (And what was more strange, he spoke to himself the entire time he was here!) these two guys were only here to perform some standard investigation of the electricity. Went fine.
Then number three came along, the dish washer guy. He did not speak English. We communicated briefly and I left him to his investigations. After a while he came toe with the words; "eine grosse Problem" ... That I understand. Well, he couldn't fix it. And apparently it's such a big investment to do (20 year old machine) so he will get back to the land lord to see if they will repair or buy a new one.

Then for the I telnet technician I waited... And waited. Luckily I brought my computer with me so that I could work from home. They didn't show up, but they called. Only German. First they asked me what I wanted help with.. Install Internet! Then they asked me when they could come. I kindly informed that I work 8-5 all week days.

Him - kann wir Mittwoch kommen? (Can we come wednesday)

Me - nein, Donnerstag ist besser (no, thursday is better)

Him - ok, wir sind Mittwoch am 6 komme (ok we will be there wednesday at 6)

Me - Donnerstag ist besser!

Him - ok Tuesday

... I just assume that he meant Thursday so I just said yes.

What an adventure...
Hope they will actually fix things then!

Still a mess!

What's up with Swisscom?! I ordered the whole package; cellphone, TV and Internet at the same time.... Early december!! Got the phone after two weeks (thank God!?!) but the Internet and the TV-box are far from in my apartment!
Yesterday I got an invoice... Hm... Yeh.. What is it that I should pay for? The intention of sending me the stuff? Today I received a confirmation of my cancellation for the TV-box! How did that happen?
Tomorrow I will have an electrician over to install the Internet... I hope. The guy should have called me to confirm that he's coming. But I haven't heard anything.
I am tired!!

Luckily for Swisscom the have the best salesman ever. Really good at giving service, nice AND he can speak English! Of it weren't for him I would be so angry.

Tomorrow there's also some company coming over to check something else with the electricity AND someone will come to fix my dishwasher! Finally! Hopefully things will be really good. And with the Internet (that I hopefully will receive) I could finish the movie that I started... That stopped working the last 30 min...

Also the 3G net is not working in all parts of the apparent.

But today when I was going to DHL to try to collect a package that I should have.. I of course couldn't find the place. I asked for direction. And since the guy understood that I was a lady in distress he went to get his car and gave me a ride to the service point! Really nice! I would never have found it!

So, not all is bad! Tomorrow will be a better day!

Oysters for dinner

I mean, I am new to Basel, new to the country! Anyway, with the right connections you can come to the strangest places!

I was on a new years apero (snacks and drinks mingling) with the Rotary club that I have visited before here in Basel. It was very nice and I recognised some people and was introduced to some new. A couple of new business cards are laying in my wallet awaiting response tomorrow!

One of the Rotary members asked me after some time to come to another New Years apero that are taking place at big private hospital. I joined!

When we came the red carpet was prepared for the guests. There where lights along the way to guide you to the right place. The CEO was greeting everyone at the entrance, really nice!
People were nicely dressed up, it was a lit if important people there I was told... The CEO of that, the director of that bank, the manager of this and the owner of that.
When entering the party we took the elevator to the second floor. This was where the cold food was served. Oysters, salmon, foie gras etc... and champagne of course! We found some people to socialise with that later accompanied us to the eight floor where the warmer food was served. It was lobster served in sea shells, some sort of shark bits in wasabi and some nice red meet. All very delicious! You could also have a look at the view, skyline of Basel. When we had grown tired of that floor we went back to the first floor for desert. Mmmm there were a jazz band playing, you could get coffee if you wanted, some cheese if you preferred that in front of the little sweet portions of delicate creations.

After the first floor it was time to go home.
That was an evening to remember!

First working day this year

It was as hard as ever to get out of bed this morning when the alarm goes off. But thank god, I entered the office before 8.30!! It's amazing to only have 20 min of commuting in the morning! And by tram is actually a nice way to get to work.

I feel that now is when my new job starts for real. But its truly so frustrating to be new... Even the smallest simplest routine takes forever to perform. I so long for the time when things are in my back bone and I don't have to ask for second opinions all the time... I wanted to work tonight to catch up after vacation. But I got stuck in front of "the hobbit".

Yesterday I was a bad person, I broke a couple of rules... Sundays are for resting. Not to make a sound. I was both hoovering and washing up one machine of laundry... Just one machine though, and some quick vacuuming.. All my black clothes were dirty. And I almost only use the happy colour black. And since I do not have green fingers (and didn't had time to give my plants water for two weeks) I had to throw 3 plants. And there were leaves everywhere... A real emergency I must say!

Have to get new plants... Some day...
Now, sleep!

Pictures: Just want to show my Christmas decorations at home, and a fab paper that my friend from work made me before I moved. :)

Back to Basel

Packing. Today I will go back to Basel and tomorrow is my first working day this year.

I am trying to pack, it's a challenge. I've bought quite a lot of clothes in Sweden. I have also received some Christmas presents that I wouldn't want to leave behind. I really hope that I will be home in time to collect my mail at the post office. Since they seem to disappear after one week if no one picks them up...
I fear that some of my plants has died while I've been away... They were not all feeling so very well when I left, which if course is sad. we'll see.

It's been a nice but a strange two weeks stay in Sweden.

Now the new year can start

My mother is all fine. The surgery went well, she's happy and as far as we know, no more tumours.

To celebrate I've allowed myself some more shopping :)

New year, new possibilities!

Christmas and New Years has flown by.. It's been a special Christmas in many ways.

After I landed in Sweden I went into a flow, Christmas shopping has never gone so smooth before! I was done two days before Christmas, and I was happy about all gifts! Love when I find the right gift to the right person. And Christmas Eve is all about seeing the faces of my relatives and the reaction hen they open their gifts, hoping for a smile!

This year Christmas involved a grandfather at the hospital, a mother awaiting surgery an ambulance and as usual too much food. With other words a bit much.

My grandpa got permission to leave the hospital Christmas eve, but got so tired from the adventure that we had to call an ambulance to pick him up and take him back... A bit stressful really.

Tomorrow my mother will have her last surgery taking out what we hope yo be the last tumour she will ever have. It's of course heavy and I'm anxious and tensed but convinced that she will be all good!

Focusing on one day at the time. Living so much here and now. Strange to even think that I live in another country and will go back there on Sunday. But also strange to think that I until recently had my own apparent and lived in Sweden. Feels natural to stay with my parents and trust me, it was several years since I moved out!! That might actually be the one feeling that us the most strange right now.

For me the new year starts when I know my mum is fine. Then I can share my future thoughts.

Right here and now I will sleep. Good night all!