Notes from a blogger...

Random thoughts:

I went to Ikea in Dietlikon yesterday. It was much easier than I had expect and didn't take long at all. Now, I haven't been to an Ikea in a while, so I'm not sure if it's just where they've progressed to or if it's the fact that I'm closer to the Ikea homeland, but the displays on the showroom level were much bolder and more fantastic than anything I remember seeing before. They almost made me wish I had to furnish an apartment here. I purchased a huge bag made from plastic tarp to carry everything home in, it cost a franc and I believe I get a franc off my purchase every time I come back with it, so that's cool. They had started selling those bags at the East Palo Alto Ikea and I didn't understand why anyone would want an Ikea tarp bag to take home with them. But now that I could only shop for what I could personally carry home on the train I understood the appeal. I bought us new fluffier, firmer pillows, a fabric shower curtain which we both desired instead of the plastic one that was here, and a dish drainer like the one we have at home because we couldn't seem to get anything to stack right in the nice one that was here. Between this trip and our air shipment arriving things are feeling much homier at home.

It's cold here. Have we seen the last of the heat? The sun shines through at times, but I'm going to need warmer/more socks. An old friend from high school who is living in Prague has just posted a Facebook status wishing that summer would have at least said goodbye. I agree! I have some more clothes coming with our large shipment but my wardrobe is just ridiculous. I might need to check out H&M sooner than expected.

I just want to take a moment to apologize for my lack of editing on this blog. I try to fix typos when I catch them, but I don't get them all. I also am hit and miss on my special characters. I'm sure I've switched back and forth on using Zurich and Zürich... I'm not even sure if when I use the Mac command for "ü" that those of you on PC's see it corrected. And yes, I ramble. A lot. That's just me... this is my journal as well as my way of telling people about my wacky adventures. So consider this my official recognition of my own bad habits, but I'm not going to worry about them too much. There's more important things in life!

And, please remember that I don't post all my photos here so keep an eye on Flickr for more good stuff. I uploaded some things out of order recently: a couple random Zurich shots, then Fribourg, then I went and caught up with Monterey from July and San Diego from August, and then posted Gruyeres. So I started a collection that's at the top of my photostream, on the right hand side, "Our Year Away..." is where I'll stick photo sets from different adventures this year. Since the line between travel and being home is blurred.

All right kids, this blogger needs some socks... my toes are freezing! Remind me to soon talk about the expats and bloggers and also the spouses of CF's coworkers and how these circles of friends are so intertwined.