Warm Weather? Really Erik

Ok so I hear my husband on the phone telling his sister "Yeah it was warm today".  I can't stand it anymore as he says this all the time so I yell out "It is not warm!" There is nothing warm about putting on three layers of clothes and then a jacket, scarf and hat to go outside.  It takes us almost an hour for all three of us to get bundled up enough to go out for a walk.  Really warm is not the word I would choose.  In his defense yes it has been warmer than it was last weekend.  Last weekend I don't think it got out of the 30's, this weekend it did get into the high 40's but I still would not call that warm.   I don't get it as he runs around our flat in a t-shirt and shorts complaining that it is hot in our apartment while I always have on long pants, at least two layers on top and my hands feel like ice pops.  I will say that my blood has thickened a bit. When I was in Florida if it dropped below 70 degrees I would claim it was too cold and turn the heat on or put on a light jacket.  Now when the temperature does climb out of the freezing range I do feel the difference and don't dread going out in it quite as much as I did when the temperature was below freezing.  So yes I have acclimated a bit - BUT by no means do I call this weather phenomena warm.  I have to keep from looking shocked when the locals state that our warmer weather feels like spring weather.  Great I think 40's in the spring?! Yippee - can't wait.

So enough griping about the weather.  Our sunshine ran out on Wednesday last week.  I had an early morning trip to the doctor and it was all of 17 degrees walking to the bus station only to find that it had warmed up to a big 19 degrees at 11am on our way back.  That is cold my friends but at least it wasn't raining.  Thursday nothing much happened except some morning rain and cloudy weather.  On Friday my friend Rachel and her son Oliver met us for coffee in Lenzburg.  Oli and Ali shared some hot cocoa over a cute game of peeka-boo at the cafe.  Then everyone came back to our place for playtime and lunch.  Although my hostess skills were lacking. Here is my friend who I typically meet on her side of the world or in Zurich.  I don't have coffee to serve to my English friend nor do I offer her any tea (which I had).  I served her crappy sandwiches on stale bread as I was too lazy to go the store the day before.  My child was pushing around her almost two year boy and afraid I didn't do much about it.  All in all I had a lovely day as any day that gets me out of the apartment and interacting with other adults I am happy. Although I should probably do a better job of entertaining and feeding my few friends I do have.

Sonja reading to Ali and Noah

I love the weekends mainly because Erik is around.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being a play at home mom but with very little adult interaction and few friends to chat with I just really crave other adults to spend time with.  Especially my cute husband. Saturday brought us less than spectacular weather. So nothing like inviting friends over for dinner to motivate us to complete some much needed house chores.  Erik finished hanging the light fixtures as well as a much needed coat rack (the walls are concrete).  I did my fair share of cleaning - which is much easier when there is someone to watch the little one.  We invited our neighbors Sonja and Albert over along with their son Noah who will be three in March.  Erik made delicious chili which we served with a salad, cornbread, homemade guacamole, and chips. YUMMY.  We really had a great time.  They are super nice people and our kids get along so well.   Her and Noah were chasing each other through the apartment - it was really sweet. We let Ali stay up way past her normal bedtime and she was exhausted, basically begged us to put her to bed around 9pm.  I like them but sad that they are moving in a few months. Hopefully we can stay in touch especially since our babies are due right around the same time in June.

Sunday is always my favorite day - where Saturday is usually chores and such, Sunday is sleeping in, (yes Ali lets us sleep in - I love her), a big lazy breakfast, followed by playtime and a nap.  Then a leisurely lunch followed by a walk to somewhere beautiful close by.  Sunday we went south to this really nice forested area Erik had seen while biking.  It was just a short distance from town and full of trails and fun things.  It was a nice day - again not warm, a bit overcast and cold but no rain.  The sun came out a few times but didn't stay out for very long.  It was kind of funny as the sun shined for about 10 or 15 minutes before lunch which is what woke me up from my morning nap - "what is that shining in my face - oh the sun".  Anyway back to our fun walk - there were tons of people out, pushing strollers, jogging, riding bikes.  It was great.  Alison really enjoyed the walk, we (Erik) carried her in the backpack for the first half until she got squirmy and wanted out.  And when we let her loose - man look out - she was walking with a strut in her step and determination on her face. At some point she was running to keep up with us.  You can just see the joy on her face every time we go outside or explore some place new.  She really just takes it all in as well as makes total strangers wave and smile.  That day she stared straight up into the sky to watch an airplane fly over head until she fell backwards.  Who didn't see that coming. She is just so much fun.

Downtown Lenzburg

On our way back through the main part of the old historic town center I was struck by all the modern shops that are in there.  In the main strip which I've posted pictures of previously, there is a tattoo/piercing store, a cigar/wine store, several coffee shops, a meditation center, gourmet Italian shop, a cinema, a new age fairy/dragon store (I haven't been in that one and just noticed it last week when our friends from the UK were here).  There are several paper stores - which sell a variety of different things including paper and office supplies, there is a lingerie store, several clothing stores, a children's consignment shop (I have been in that one several times).  Bookstore, restaurants, toy store, high end children's clothing store, several small appliance/home items shops (we paid over 60 francs for two shower curtains).  But i just thought how odd that here you are in this medieval town center and there are all these kind of edgy shops.  On the adjacent streets, I have seen signs for Pilate's, kinesilogy, meditation, hypnosis, Ayurvedic, acupuncture.  It is just a funny juxtaposition to me.

Well that is all from here.  Sorry for the lack of pictures but Alison did something to my little portable camera and it hasn't been working right since.  Also our video camera died the weekend we were at Pilatus.  Looks like I will be doing some shopping when I get to the states in a few short weeks.  For those that are wondering - Ali and I will be in North Carolina from February 5th - 17th, then heading down to Jupiter, Florida for a week.  Erik arrives on the 25th and we will stay in Orlando visiting friends and family and attending a much anticipated wedding of one of our dear friends.  We leave Orlando on March 4th to head back here.  So let me know if we can catch up at any point.  Also (we'll see who really reads the blog) let me know what kind of chocolate you like and I will try and bring some back with me.

This is how her daddy sleeps also

Enjoying her favorite book

Monday morning playgroup