The Big Finn's Big Blog!

Over The Pond... AGAIN!

2011-06-09T10:15:00.000-04:00

Ok, so here's why I haven't blogged in over a month.

Our trip to London went well. We visited with friends (one of whom was celebrating his 50th birthday), saw a show (Million Dollar Quartet), took a self-portrait in an actual polo field, ate out at a couple of nice restaurants, and came home.

Then, Mrs. TBF went on the strangest business trip in history (Poland and India in the same week) while I stayed at home and... OK! I could have blogged then, but I forgot. Also, I'm happy to say that, due to the kindness of two different neighbors who had me over for dinner, I managed to eat very well while Mrs. TBF was gone.

Let's see... what else happened?

Oh! I was at our local grocery store, and two nuns in full nun-regalia were standing in front of me in the check-out line. I deliberately grazed one of the nun's habits, thus obtaining a nun "booster shot" from when I deliberately grazed a nun's habit who was standing in the security line in front of me in Lisbon Airport last spring - thus, obtaining (in my mind) an excuse for pretty much never having to go to church again (as long as I can manage to keep touching a nun). Ummmm... Actually... I'm guessing I shouldn't advertise it. I'm thinking I could probably be put in jail for that.

And now? I am currently sitting in a hotel room in Paris.

First, we spent four nights in Basel - my first trip back since leaving last July (Mrs. TBF's second) - and now we are spending four nights in Paris. We're currently staying in a hotel (it semi-sucks!) that Mrs. TBF's company arranged for a conference she is attending. Tomorrow, after checking out, we will head over to our regular hotel (which definitely does NOT suck!) for the last two nights of our trip. We'll chill for a couple of days, do some shopping, and eat some good food. Then, it's back to CT on Sunday.

Then? The home stretch to home renovation which will begin around August 1st. We have to finalize plans with the architect/general contractor, arrange for a mover to pack and store our stuff (we'll have to move out for about four months), and about a zillion other things that I don't really care to think about at the moment.

Over The Pond...

2011-05-05T19:00:00.001-04:00

We're heading to London for a few days for a friend's 50th birthday celebration.

...talk to you next week.

Cheap American Gas!

2011-04-29T10:30:00.000-04:00

It seems like everybody is complaining about the price of gas around here. Apparently, Connecticut has some of the highest gas prices in America. This morning, I paid $4.39/gallon for gas. And what do I think about it???

cheap, Cheap, CHEAP!!!!!

I'm not sure what the price of gas is in Switzerland these days, but the lowest I ever paid in the 10 years we lived there was about CHF 1.20 per liter. Using today's exchange rate, the current price of gas in CT - about the most expensive in the country - comes out to about CHF 1.00 per liter. That's right! Gas in CT is still cheaper than the cheapest I ever paid in Switzerland - even when oil was $50 per barrel.

People have gone completely crazy. I buy gas at possibly the most expensive gas station around because it is right along the edge of the Merritt Parkway. The Mobil I go to has its own exit. I pull off, fill up, and go right back on. It's convenient, and I don't drive any extra miles (it's on the way to/from Mrs. TBF's office) or spend time idling waiting in a line to buy cheap gas.

The alternative is going to the cheap gas station which is about 2.5 miles past our exit. There, I can save about 10¢ per gallon, but I'll have to wait in a line stretching into the street. Given the current price of gas, and calculating our 18.3 mpg average since buying our vehicle last September, we pay about 24¢ per mile for gasoline. That means, going out of our way to save 10¢ per gallon will actually cost us $1.20 to drive the extra 5 miles. Even if our 19.2 gallon tank were nearly completely empty (it never is), the 10¢/gallon times 19 gallons would save us $1.90 minus $1.20 driving to the cheap station. A total savings of 70¢ for the hassle of waiting in line with a bunch of tightwad geezers telling me about how they remember back in "the good old days" when gas was 19¢ per gallon (Yeah, and you made something like $75 per week!).

The only reason people are freaking out about the price of gas is because it's one of the few commodities where the price is posted on lit up signs all over town for everybody driving by to constantly see what the price of that commodity is.

Apparently the price hasn't gone up enough yet to cause people to change their habits. Most cars I see on the Merritt have only a driver, so people still aren't carpooling. I still see parents waiting at the bus stops in the morning with their kids in the back of an idling SUV - walking distance from their homes. I'm still not seeing that many hybrids or small, fuel-efficient cars on the road. It's a perfect example of people complaining, but then not doing anything about it.

It's going to take gas prices hitting $7.50 gallon before anybody does anything about it. And... THE OIL COMPANIES KNOW IT!!!

Enough ranting. I feel better now.

Is There Anybody...

2011-04-28T13:45:00.000-04:00

...OUT THERE?

Yes... WE'RE ALIVE!!!!

Have you all forgotten about us?

Does anybody still care?

Well...

I think it's time to start blogging again.

I know, I KNOW... I said that about eight months ago, but I'm going to try to make a real effort to set aside time every single day (or... every few days... let's not get carried away here!), to once again put my thoughts on the blog whether you want to read about what we're up to or not.

That's right, people! You're powerless to stop me!!!!!!

How can I quickly recap the last eight months?

Here goes...

Mrs. TBF is doing very well at home and at work. I drive her to work every morning, and I pick her up in the evening. Fortunately, her office is only about 15 minutes from our house, so it works out great. In fact, we still only have one car, and we have no intention of buying a second car in the near future. We thought we'd try it for a couple of months, all went well, so here we are with me serving as Mrs. TBF's personal chauffeur. Maybe I'll buy me a chauffeur's cap.

I continue where I left off in Switzerland: full-time retired person. My job continues to be to make sure that all Mrs. TBF has to do is work and relax. I take care of all the stuff around the house, finances, shopping, etc. I joined a gym where I swim three times per week, and I manage to keep myself busy AND out of trouble. The two major differences between here and Switzerland are that we now have a car, AND I don't have to take language lessons since I am fairly fluent in American English after nearly 50 years of practice!

Let me tell you something...

Not having a language barrier is a HUGE deal!

Mrs. TBF LOVES our house, and I pretty much decided after about one month of living here that I HATED a lot about it! Therefore, we have decided to do a MAJOR renovation on our house that will require us to move out for a few months. The hope is that we will BOTH love the house after the renovation. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing major wrong with the house. It's just that we want to bring it into the 21st century and make it completely our own. We've been working with an architect/designer and a contractor for a couple of months now with the goal of coming up with something that will (hopefully) end up being pretty spectacular, and we plan on beginning the work sometime around the end of July or beginning of August.

Other than that, just your normal getting-used-to-a-new-house-and-new-area stuff. New York City is only a 40 minute train ride away, and we've been enjoying going into the city for dinner, etc. Also, let me say this: It sure is easier having West Palm Beach and Chicago only two hours away instead of twelve hours away when we want to visit family and friends. Plus... no jet lag!

That's enough for now. I'll just start blogging again (tomorrow?) in stream-of-consciousness like I normally do, and then I'll throw in the occasional flashback from the last eight months. It'll be easier that way.

Whew! My brain is exhausted. I need to rest!

Fueling The Economic Recovery!

2010-08-24T14:55:00.003-04:00

Along with buying a new house, we also bought a new car this past weekend. We looked at a couple of beastly SUV/gas pigs, but then eventually bowed to environmental guilt by buying a mid-size, 6-cylinder SUV that averages about 20 mpg. We'll make do with one vehicle for now, and then we'll buy a sedan next month after we get settled-in to the new house. The SUV will be Mrs. TBF's so that she can ride high. I'll take the sedan, lean the seat back, and ride low.

That's how we roll!

While in one of the showrooms, we sat inside a sedan (to see if I fit). As Mrs. TBF was getting out of the passenger seat, she noticed she was sitting on something. It turned out to be a shopping list that had fallen out of somebody's pocket or handbag. Naturally, I told Mrs. TBF we had to keep it so I could try to return it to its rightful owner.

Aaaaahhhhhhh, the power of the internet!

It's a good thing I covered up the person's middle initial and last name in the photo because... I just went to Yahoo People Search and found the person's address and phone number in about five seconds. It turns out that she lives about five minutes from our temporary apartment. How convenient!!

I hate to think about the "strain" Maria's been under these past few days because she lost her shopping list. I think we might have to drop off an anonymous care package for her this evening.

Don't worry, Maria! You'll soon have strong bones, white teeth, and be strain-free! We're coming!!!!!

Things Are Moving Along...

2010-08-24T14:25:00.002-04:00

We'll be closing on our new home in Stamford two weeks from this Friday. The inspection went pretty well, the sellers agreed to fix a few things before closing, our financing was approved in a couple of days, and a home insurance policy has been purchased.

Now... we just wait.

Actually, we haven't just been sitting around waiting. We've looked at hardwood flooring samples (we're going to rip the carpets out of the bedrooms and install hardwood floors), visited furniture showrooms, etc. We're well rested after ten years of renting, and we're looking forward to the challenges and rewards of home ownership.

I won't bore you with a bunch of pictures of the house, but here are a few:

The TV/family room. It's right off the kitchen, and I think it'll be an area where we end up spending a lot of time.

The great room... into which I'm thinking of putting one of these things. The room has soaring ceilings, wide-plank hardwood floors, a nice fireplace, and it'll (hopefully) end up looking pretty nice... even though I think it kind of looks like a barn right now.

This is the view from the kitchen toward the breakfast area. It was updated a few years ago. It'll be nice being able to cook without constantly bumping into each other.

The front of the house. WE HAVE OUR OWN TURRET, PEOPLE!!!

This is part of the backyard. The property is really nicely landscaped, and there isn't too much grass to cut so there's no need to buy a rider mower.

Yeah, the house is big. However, it has a nice floor plan which makes it feel cozy instead of cavernous. Ok... the "barn" room feels a bit cavernous, but a little creative interior design work might correct that. If not...

...we'll just get a pet cow.

My Hunch Was Correct!

2010-08-12T12:15:00.000-04:00

The past few weeks in a nutshell:

Mrs. TBF and I looked at the Connecticut houses with the realtor, and we liked all of them better that the NY house.

We put an offer on a really nice house, negotiated back and forth a bit, and a price was agreed upon.

I side-swiped a concrete post in our parking garage with the rental car (Who the hell put that there?!?!?!?), and the impact did an impressive amount of damage to the car considering I was only going about 5 mph. The worst part was that it happened while Mrs. TBF was in Dubai on business. Since she had signed the rental contract, I had to wait three days for her to return before I could switch the car for another one. That meant that I had to drive around like a hillbilly for a few days with my side mirror duct taped to the car.

**cue up Dueling Banjos music now!**

I drove to our potential home in the hillbilly-mobile, and a home inspection was performed which turned up a bunch of major problems, so we backed out of the deal.

After Mrs. TBF returned from Dubai, we looked a few more homes. We put in an offer on another house, negotiated back and forth for about 30 minutes, and agreed to a price.

Andy, Di, and the kids, AND Jeanette all came to White Plains for a quick weekend visit. We all went into NYC together (first time ever for the kids AND me), and had a great time.

I went to my second home inspection in one week's time (this time Mrs. TBF was in London). All went well this time. Unless something really unexpected comes up, we should be closing on our new home around September 10th.

So much hunch was correct: it looks like we're going to be living in Connecticut.

The NY Finalist...

2010-07-17T08:25:00.000-04:00

Mrs. TBF and I went out with the NY real estate agent yesterday afternoon, and we looked at four homes in the White Plains area. One of the homes had just accepted a contract, so that one didn't really count (and Mrs. TBF didn't like it anyway). After looking at the three main candidates, we managed to come up with the NY finalist. And, here it is:

Other than the fact that the entire interior needs to be repainted (i.e. the entry foyer is really, REALLY orange!), and we don't like the exterior color (but the paint is in good shape), it's a pretty nice house.
And get this: the house was owned by Germans who have moved back to Germany. In something that struck me as funny, the Germans were afraid of the gas cook top, so they converted it to electric.

VERRÜCKT!!!

Cook top aside, the kitchen is really nice, the layout is great, the rooms are generous, and (something that appeals to me more than it does to Mrs. TBF) it has an pool and hot tub!

In about an hour, we're going to head out together to Connecticut to look at the six potentials from the 25 or so that I saw with the realtor on my own. And in my opinion, all six of the homes are nicer than the NY finalist.

I have a hunch we're going to end up living in Connecticut.

And Then There Were Nine...

2010-07-16T09:15:00.000-04:00

One of the first orders of business in our new home, other than Mrs. TBF starting her job, is to find a place to live. Right now, we're living in a company provided apartment, but eventually we'll move into our own home - hopefully before the 60 days of company-paid-for apartment living turns into us-paying-for apartment living.

Overall, the apartment isn't too bad.

So, while Mrs. TBF has cut her teeth at her new company, I have been going around with two real estate agents - one in CT, and one in NY - trying to narrow down the list of potential homes we've compiled over the past couple of months.

Let me tell ya, it's no easy task.

First of all, it's a real buyers market out there. That means that there are tons of homes to choose from. Secondly, I've liked A LOT of the homes I've seen in both CT and NY, and it's hard to choose between the two states.

The Connecticut homes I've seen tend to be sprawling homes on large wooded lots and a 15-20 minute commute to Mrs. TBF's office. The New York homes (Mrs. TBF's office is right on the border between the two states), while being only 5-10 minutes from the office and White Plains shopping, are more suburban and the taxes are much higher.

Do we go with a little less convenience and lower taxes, or do we go with ultra-convenient and high taxes? As I said, I've liked the actual homes in both states.

So far, I've looked at the homes without Mrs. TBF, and I've managed to cut the list down to three potential homes in New York, and six potential homes in Connecticut. In about half an hour, I'm going to pick up Mrs. TBF at the office, and we'll go look at the NY finalists. Tomorrow, we'll head off to CT at 9:30 in the morning to look at the CT finalists.

Oh... and let me back up a bit by saying that we originally thought that we'd rent for a year, decide where we wanted to live, and then buy a house. Then, given the buyers' market and low interest rates, we decided that it was best to buy a place right away. At first, we thought we wanted a small condo or townhouse, and then we changed our minds and decided that we'd go for a smallish home. Now, we're pretty much looking at homes that are WAAAAAAAAAY larger than we need with properties that will require me buying a rider mower or hiring a landscape crew.

What the hell happened????

Anyway...

We're hoping that we're saying "and then there was one" in the not-too-distant future.

SURPRISE!!!!

2010-07-15T04:20:00.000-04:00

Did you ever think I would blog again?

Was I dead to ya???

Oh, ye of little faith! I'm back with a vengeance!!!

Ok, maybe not a vengeance, but I do plan on blogging again on a quasi-fairly-semi-regular basis.

So...

What's happened since my last post lo those many months ago?

We've been to Paris, Chicago/Florida, Milan, Lisbon, Amalfi, and then back to the U.S... permanently!

Yes, you read that correctly. We have moved back to the U.S. In fact, we just arrived in NY this past Sunday, so I guess you can say we're "just off the boat." Or, in this case, the plane.

We're currently residing in temporary housing while Mrs. TBF begins her new job, we feverishly shop for a house, figure out what kind of car(s) we're going to buy, figure out where we're going, etc., etc.

We have a million things to do, but we're REALLY excited to be back.

The move went well, we said temporary goodbyes to friends (some are coming to see us in a couple of weeks), and enjoyed our last couple months of Swiss residency.

It was a great 10 years in Switzerland, but...

...it's time to begin the next chapter.

Hi!

2010-03-26T14:15:00.001-04:00

We're still alive, people. Just taking a little blogging break. Taking vacations from doing nothin' is a lot of work!

Once Again...

2010-02-16T07:50:00.000-05:00

... not a total waste!

While Mrs. TBF went through boxes of Kleenex, and I sat there not eating due to my stomach virus, we actually managed to accomplish something this past Sunday:

ANOTHER PUZZLE!

1,000 pieces in about 6 hours! Not bad.

A Tough Two Weeks...

2010-02-16T07:45:00.000-05:00

It's been a real sickbay around here lately.

First, I came down with a cold. It wasn't anything too bad: just a bit of a cough and gallons of snot. Then, Mrs. TBF got sick AND actually stayed home from work for two days. We started feeling better, Mrs. TBF went off to Miami on business (where she enjoyed views like these from her hotel room), and we thought the worst was behind us.

The last day Mrs. TBF was in Miami, she told me that she was starting to not feel well again.

Oh, ohhhhh.

When she arrived back in Basel, she had... a cough and gallons of snot. Then, rarity of all rarities, she actually stayed home from work for two days in a row...AGAIN!

By the end of last week, I was completely over my cold and Mrs. TBF was on the mend... again. Then, our friend Tom, who was in Basel on business, came by on Friday evening for dinner and to spend the night before flying back to the U.S. the next day. He arrived at our place around 6:30 p.m.

As he stepped out of the elevator, here's what he said:

"Dude! My colleague just dropped me off in front of your place. I couldn't hold it any longer, so I just went in a snow bank in front of your apartment!"

At first I thought he meant he had actually dropped a deuce in a snow bank in front of our place, but then I realized that he had blown chunks. In he came, wheeled his bag to his room, sat down (as white as a ghost) in the living room, and enjoyed a pre-prandial cocktail of... Perrier. That was a bit too harsh for him, so he switched to plain tap water.

By this time, Andy, Di, and Jeanette had also stopped by. Tom gave it his best shot, talked with everybody for a little while, then... went to bed without a bite to eat and slept until Saturday morning. On Saturday morning, he took a taxi to the airport, and then flew back to the U.S.

Here's the worst part...

Jeanette, Andy, and I all came down with stomach flu over the weekend. I wasn't too bad, but Andy and Jeanette actually had to stay home from work on Monday.

We're all better now, but let's...

STOP THE INSANITY!!!

Keens

2010-02-02T08:25:00.000-05:00

One year ago today we said goodbye to one old friend (King), and today I'm saying goodbye to another: a pair of Keens - perhaps my favorite shoes of all time.

Yeah, the tips are funny looking, but they have to be the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned. Having been worn from the U.S. to Japan (and many countries in between), the soles had been worn down to the point where they were almost smooth. It was time to donate them to charity.

Today, we had one of our quarterly clothing pick-ups for charity. So, with a couple of tears, and a head full of pleasant memories, I gently lowered my old friends into the Kleidersammlung bag, along with some other clothes, and brought them out to the curb yesterday afternoon.

I just looked outside toward the street, and the charity bags haven't been picked up. I guess I still have time to change my mind, run out there, and salvage the holy Keens. But I don't have to - all is not lost - because...

I had the foresight to buy a second pair! Actually, Mrs. TBF bought me the second pair.

I had bought the first pair a few years ago at Nordstrom during a trip to Chicago. Mrs. TBF ended up being in Chicago about a month after me, and while there, she called me and asked if there was anything I wanted her to pick up for me. "Yeah," I told her, "... buy me another pair of those Keens." That she did, and the back-up pair has been in the on deck circle in a closet at Mrs. TBF's mom's house for the last few years for me to use while in Chicago.

Now due to my advance planning, I'll be able to enjoy the comfort of my beloved Keens for a few more years to come. Ahhhh... life's simple pleasures.

Did I Speak Too Soon?

2010-02-02T07:45:00.000-05:00

You know how I went on about the end of the Sky era yesterday? Well, yesterday, just on a whim, I put in our new Sky card, and...

It's TOTALLY working.

That's right, ALL our channels as if nothing had ever been wrong.

Sky requires a 31-day notice when you cancel, so that means we'll still get all our channels until the beginning of March. That also means, I presume, that we could call them back and rescind our cancellation now that the card is working just fine.

Should we, or shouldn't we?

THAT is the question.

1 A.K.

2010-02-02T07:40:00.001-05:00

King went to Kitty Heaven one year ago today. Can you believe it? It's been ONLY one year.

Man.... this last year has reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaallllly dragged!!!

I thought it was just me, but Mrs. TBF feels the same way. It seems to me like King has been gone for three years. Really!

We were in San Sebastian only eleven months ago???

Amsterdam was just this past April???

My parents came for a visit in June/July, and we were in Ireland and Finland in July??? That was only about six months ago?? Are you kiddin' me????

Then, there were the trips to Amalfi and Copenhagen in September, and Scotland in November... plus, a smattering of trips to the U.S. sprinkled in for flavor. All that... and the year still dragged on... and on... and on?

What's going on here? I thought time flies when you're having fun.

No Offense!

2010-02-01T08:45:00.000-05:00

And speaking of Sky...

Yesterday evening, I was about to watch The Simpsons on one of the free (YES!!!) Sky channels. I looked at the show description to see which episode it was, and I noticed that it was the one where Bart starts working for the local Mafia guys: Cool! I hadn't seen that one in a long time.

Seconds before the show was about to start, a voice came on a said:

Warning. This show contains strong Italian stereotypes that some of our viewers [the Italian ones, I'm assuming] might find offensive.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???

They actually gave a warning before A CARTOON to avoid offending some viewers.

I COULDN'T BELIVE IT!

I called out to my dago wife and told her to get her goombah ass out to TV room so she could hear it for herself, but she was in the tub stomping on some grapes, or in the shower scrubbing off the garlic smell, or something...

Who knows? Fuggedabouit!

The End Of An Era...

2010-02-01T08:25:00.000-05:00

Remember a couple of years ago when I said that there was a chance that we might lose our Sky satellite subscription in the "near" future. Well, horror of horrors, it's finally happened!!!

This past October, a box began popping up on our screen telling us to insert our new satellite card and we'd have to press a button on our remote every 60 seconds(!!!) in order to get the message to go away - ANNOYING!!! Our card was supposed to have been sent to the U.K. home of one of Mrs. TBF's colleagues, but it never arrived in the mail. Mrs. TBF's colleague had to call Sky from her home in the U.K. (because Sky now blocks calls from outside the U.K.), pretend she was Mrs. TBF (after we coached her on what to say), and ask for a new card to be sent. Sky said they would do so.

They didn't.

After calling Sky a couple of times, and Sky saying they would send a new card but not doing so, we just asked our friend to call them and cancel the subscription. When, our friend called to cancel, Sky practically begged her to give them one more chance. About a week later, much to our surprise, the card came.

This past Friday, we received our new card from our friend, and...

IT DIDN'T WORK!!!

Our friend called Sky from her home in the U.K. this past weekend, and they told her it would be working within 24 hours (after we had to provide the old card number, the new card number, AND the serial number of our Sky box). After THIRTY hours, it still wasn't working, so our friend called Sky last night and canceled.

In the end it was kind of strange: WE wanted to keep our subscription, SKY wanted us to keep the subscription, but it just didn't work out. Shame!

But I'm happy to report that it's not a total loss.

Even without any card, the box still picks up quite a few free channels. Fortunately, one of the free channels, amazingly, is the U.S. Food Network. That means that we'll still be able to get our nightly dose of Iron Chef America every night at 10 p.m. - which is one of the few shows we watch with any regularity anyway. Plus, we'll still get the BBC channels, ITV channels, and quite a few others. Yes, no more NFL on Sunday nights, but... the season's almost over anyway, right? Plus, when the new season begins next September, we'll be getting close to moving back to the U.S. anyway.

Right, Mrs. TBF???

Way Too Early!

2010-02-01T05:05:00.002-05:00

Mrs. TBF is on her way to Miami right now. As usual, I rode in the taxi with her to the airport at 5:45 a.m., we said our goodbyes, and then I took the bus/tram back home.

Seeing that my gym now opens at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, my original plan was to take the bus back into town from the airport, walk to gym, and then have an early workout. However, when I woke up this morning, I decided against it. I mean, I don't have to go to work, so WHY IN THE WORLD would I want to torture myself with an early-morning workout when I don't have to? Instead, I took the bus back into town, got myself a venti Americano at Starbucks, and then took the tram home.

And speaking about my gym...

They used to open at 8:00 a.m. on weekdays. One day, I mentioned to one of the trainers that they would probably increase their membership significantly if they opened earlier because people could workout before going to work.

Here was the first objection:

Swiss Trainer: But who vood vant to come to verk so early in zee morning?

TBF: Ummm... Probably any number of people who are out of work and need a job.

Swiss Trainer: But... vee vood haff to find a zertified trainer.

TBF: To unlock the front door so that people could come exercise? Anybody can do that! Just hire somebody part-time to come in and work for a couple of hours until the regular staff shows up at 8:00 a.m.

Swiss Trainer: But who vood vant to verk for only two hours per day?

TBF: Ummm... Somebody who needs the money and figures that two hours of pay per day is better than ZERO hours per day of pay. A stay-at-home mom or dad, a university student, somebody who wants to take on a second job.

Swiss Trainer: A second job????

Then, the next objection:

Swiss Trainer: Anusser seeng ees zat vee surveyed our members to see if zey vanted to come verkout earlier in zee morning, and almost everybody said no.

TBF: Yes, but did you survey people who are not members?

Swiss Trainer: No, vhy vood vee do zat?

TBF: Because THOSE are the people who are not joining the gym because it's not open before they go to work. I mean, I don't work, so I can come here any time I want. And since I can come at any time, why would I want to wake up at 6 a.m. and come workout when I don't have to. However, a person who gets to work at 8:30 a.m. might not join this gym because he can't workout before he goes to work. Maybe if you opened up at 6 or 6:30 a.m., you might increase your membership... significantly!

I sensed the gears grinding in his brain, but it really was a lot for him to take in. The concept of doing something that might benefit the customer and actually increase business was just such a foreign concept that he really needed to take some time to think about.

Now, I'm not saying I had anything to do with it, but imagine my surprise when I heard a few weeks ago that my gym would now begin opening at 6:30 a.m. from Monday to Friday.

I wonder how crowded it is? I guess I'll have to ask because... there's NO WAY I'm getting up that early in order to find out!

Not A Total Waste

2010-01-28T06:50:00.000-05:00

Suuuure I've had a mild cold for the past week, and Mrs. TBF had a stomach virus for a couple of days, but...

... at least we accomplished something!

This one was a little tough!

Almost Forgot...

2010-01-28T06:45:00.000-05:00

With all the sickness in the apartment over this past week, I almost forgot that this past weekend marked the 5-year anniversary of us moving into our apartment.

I'm tellin' ya, I never thought we'd live in this apartment for five years. In fact, when we moved in, we signed a two-year lease and I had doubts about making it through two years.

I guess I was wrong about that one.

Will we make it to six? Maybe... but let me qualify that.

If we're still here next January, we'll definitely be on our way out. We've decided, and Mrs. TBF has already told her bosses at work that this will be our last year in Switzerland. One way or another - either moving back with the company, or giving notice and moving back at our own expense - we'll be moving back to the U.S. in the not-too-distant future.

Here's to hoping it's sooner rather than later.

EXTREMELY Rare!

2010-01-28T06:30:00.000-05:00

Not only did Mrs. TBF stay home from work on Tuesday, but she also stayed home from work yesterday too. That's right... TWO SICK DAYS IN A ROW!!!

Mrs. TBF went back to the office this morning which means she's all better now. I'm definitely happy that she's 100% healthy again, but I did enjoy having her home for a couple of weekdays.

That was, when I could find her.

Jinxed!

2010-01-26T04:00:00.001-05:00

Everything was going along smoothly. Then, last weekend, I uttered those dreaded words:

"You know what? I may be jinxing us here, but... this is the first year in as long as I can remember that I haven't had a cold or the flu by this time of the year!"

A few days later?

You guessed it. I woke up last Monday with the sniffles. It wasn't too bad: just a really runny nose that has lasted about a week. I haven't even had that bad of a cough, and no sore throat at all. In fact, I can't even claim it as a proper man-cold!

Now that I'm getting over my cold, Mrs. TBF has come down with some horrific stomach ailment. Last night, she had to get up every couple of hours to visit the "library".

Maybe I'll change my tactics:

"You know what? I may be jinxing us here, but... we have yet to win the Euro Millions Lotto!"

Hungry?

2010-01-20T12:15:00.000-05:00

I sure was at about 1 p.m. just after I had finished working out. Seeing how I was completely out of cash and all, I walked over to a bank machine not too far from my gym so that I could fill up the money clip. It just so happened, the machine was right next to THE Burger King.

I call it "THE" Burger King because it's the ONLY Burger King in Basel.

Since I normally try to watch what I eat during the week, I figured it was best to skip the fries and I only went for a Whopper. No fries, no drink, no cheese, no bacon. Nope... just a Whopper.

I'll tell ya, it's a good thing I had just stopped at the cash machine because...

A Whopper in Switzerland costs CHF 7.50. That comes out to $7.17 in American money!!!!

For "A" Whopper.

1!

ONE!!!!!!!!!

Last month, while in Chicago, I seem to recall seeing promotions for 2 Whoppers for $4!

It's unbelievable to me that a Whopper costs nearly four times as much in Basel as it does in Chicago. What's the minimum wage here right now? Actually, what is it in America these days? $8/hour???

Are the Basel Burger King employees actually making $30/hour?

Come on!! They're unskilled workers for chrissake! OK, they can speak multiple languages, but I'm sure their English is pretty much limited to "Would you like cheese or bacon?" or "Would you like ketchup or mayonnaise?" ... for which they charge extra, by the way. That's right, they charge you for each individual packet of ketchup or mayo... something like 30 cents per pack!! My friend, Dr. Andy, always orders something like four packets of ketchup with his fries. I wonder if he realizes that he's paying over a buck for ketchup.

And... as if it couldn't get any worse, my Whopper wasn't even hot - even though it was made to order. It was barely lukewarm!

But...

I'll be back.

TBF just needs to eat a Whopper every now and then.

She Brings Home The Bacon...

2010-01-20T03:00:00.000-05:00

This morning at about 8:00...

TBF: I need to go to the cash machine. I have absolutely ZERO cash on me.

Mrs. TBF: Do you need some cash? I have cash.

TBF: Nah... that's ok. I need to get some cash.

Mrs. TBF: You know what? I can't remember the last time I actually used cash. In fact, I can't remember the last time I actually paid for anything!

We're Alive!

2010-01-18T06:50:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I've been hibernating since we returned from Chicago. I really don't have any reasons for the lack of posts other than that I just haven't felt like blogging.

Have I been busy with other things? Nope!

Have I been sick? Nope!

I just... haven't felt like it.

Quite honestly, I still don't really fell like it, so let's just link up to some photos from our Christmas in the Windy City.

Maybe I'll have more to say in the next few days.

That is... if I feel like it.

To Shave, Or Not To Shave?

2009-12-10T09:30:00.000-05:00

That is the question.

I haven't shaved since October 31st. Ok... I've shaved my neck and my head, but I haven't shaved my face since Halloween.

Hey, what can I say? Every now and then, a guy needs to give his face a rest. Plus, I like to check on the progress of the gray whiskers every now and then. Verdict: a little more gray than the last time I had a beard (January 2007), but not too much more.

Not only have I not shaved, but I haven't even trimmed the beard. It's beginning to get a bit unruly, so if I do decide to keep it I'll have to give a bit of a once over with the scissors. Another thing for me to consider is that shaving my face reminds me to trim the ear and nose hairs, so those may be getting a bit on the wrong side of acceptable.

Ummmm... ok. I think I've answered my own question.

The beard goes before I go to Chicago.

We'll Be Home For Christmas...

2009-12-09T13:05:00.002-05:00

One week from now we'll be well into North American airspace on our way to Chicago for our Christmas vacation. It'll be our first time in Chicago for Christmas since 1999.

Ten years! TEN YEARS!!!

Ten. Years...

Can you believe it???

We were actually talking back in January about going to Tokyo this Christmas, but Mrs. TBF mentioned Chicago as a possibility, and Tokyo pretty much never came up as an option again.

Maybe next year.

Since we're actually going to be in Chicagoland for a full two weeks, we thought it would be nice to get out of the suburbs and head into the city for a couple of nights. We'll be doing our little part to help the U.S. economy by spending money on a hotel, Christmas shopping and eating at nice restaurants. Vienna, Rome, Paris, and London have been the recipients of our Christmas spending over the last four years. This year, we're bringing the money back home and spending it in Chi-town!!!

It still floors me that the last time we were in Chicago for Christmas, everybody was talking about Y2K. Remember that? What a bust! Just another thing - along with backyard bomb shelters, the oncoming ice age, and acid rain - collecting dust in the over-hype warehouse. I heard something about the warehouse men getting a spot ready for man made global warming. I'd ask them, but they're taking a break right now (damn Teamsters!). We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?

Anyway...

At this time way back in '99, we had neighbors who had bought a whole-house backup generator, people were stocking up on food and water, the end of the world was nigh, and we didn't even have an inkling of an idea that we'd be living in Switzerland less than a year later.

Here we are ten years later, and Y2K is a distant memory. Instead, I'm focused on B2A: BACK TO AMERICA!!!

How much time is left on the countdown clock???

The Final Word On Dieting And Hooter's Wings!

2009-12-08T07:35:00.001-05:00

People find my blog every single day by doing a search for "hooters wings weight watchers points" or some version of those words. Why? Because I've blogged about Hooters Wings and Weight Watchers... DUH!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...

If you're on any kind of weight loss diet - Weight Watchers or ANY other diet - you WILL NOT lose weight if you eat Hooters Wings. If you convince yourself that you will, you're just lying to yourself, and... that's not good.

Here's the proof:

This past Saturday evening, we had a long-overdue birthday dinner for the Switzerland-base, British Dr. John. Since we were the ones who introduced the Dr. John family to Hooters Wings at the Hooters in Norfolk, VA last summer - where Dr. John labeled them at the restaurant (in an embarrassingly loud voice) as being "Maaaaahhhvelous!" - we thought we would surprise him, along with Dr. Rammy, by making them some homemade Hooters wings for his belated birthday dinner.

I did a quick internet search for Hooters wings recipes, found a few suitable recipes, and picked out the one that I thought was the best.

If you look at the recipe, you'll find that not only are the wings breaded and deep fried, but...

AFTER REMOVING THE WINGS FROM THE FRYER, THEY ARE TOSSED IN A COMBINATION OF A 1/2 CUP OF BUTTER AND A 1/2 CUP OF HOT SAUCE!!!!

Let's see now: deep fried wings tossed in butter before serving? Ummmm... you're not going to lose weight eating those. Nope... you're just not! But... just in case you do. You'd better head to the doctor to have your thyroid checked!

Anyway... they ARE evil! But... they sure are good!!!

There's Nothing Like A Hot Bath...

2009-12-08T07:15:00.000-05:00

ESPECIALLY after you've been without hot water for 24 hours!!

That's right, HEAD FOR THE BOMB SHELTER!! We were without hot water for 24 hours last week from Thursday to Friday!

Is it the beginning of the complete breakdown of Swiss society as we know it??? Probably not, but THIS may have been!

Other than the fact that Mrs. TBF had to take an ice-cold shower on Friday morning before going to work (I just showered at the gym), in hindsight, being without hot running water in Switzerland proved not to be too big of an inconvenience. You see, both the washing machine and dishwasher have their own built-in heating elements, and therefore only have cold water feeds. Of course, I didn't think about this until about 20 hours into the 24 hours, so I guess... YES! It was rather inconvenient being without hot water. But next time - IF there ever is a next time - I'll be ready.

It's when things like this happen that I realize one of the major things I like about owning a home as opposed to renting: having complete control over a situation.

As a homeowner: I would have called a repairman, he/she would have shown up, and the problem would have been solved.

As a renter: I called the absolutely-no-sense-of-urgency rental office, the person told me that they would relay the message to their colleague, and then I proceeded to sit around with my thumb up my ass. Every fifteen minutes or so, I would remove said thumb from ass to walk over to the faucet to see if any hot water was coming out.

Finally, I got tired of waiting, so I went to talk to my downstairs Swiss neighbor who speaks absolutely ZERO English. Somehow, through a complicated system of semi-German words, grunts, and charades, I managed to ask her to call the management office to see if she could make any headway with them. I headed off to the next-door grocery store to buy a couple of things, and when I returned a few minutes later there was already a note from my neighbor stating that the repairmen were now working on the problem, had not yet determined what the problem was, but assured her that the hot water would be working by the end of the day.

By 3:30 on Friday afternoon, there was still no hot water, and I was getting nervous. Was there a chance that we'd have no hot water for the entire weekend??? I decided to head of to the gym for a workout, shower, and a good thumb scrubbing. When I returned home, the hot water was back on.

All was well with the world again.

Waste Not Want Not

2009-12-01T05:55:00.000-05:00

I've read a couple of articles this past week about how much food the average American wastes. Alarmingly, the figure is something like 40%!! You can read a short article about it right here if you wish. The amount of fresh water and oil needed to produce the food that is just thrown out is staggering.

Why do Americans waste so much food? In my opinion, there are three major reasons:

1. Food is too cheap.
2. Refrigerators are too big.
3. Food being sold in too large containers (i.e. "extra-value-economy sizes").

Here in Switzerland: our food is expensive, refrigerators are small, and food is sold in small quantities. Guess what?

We rarely waste any food.

In fact, I would say I'd be overestimating if I said we throw out food more than once or twice per year. The last time? Last week: I threw out a tiny jar of cloves that had an expiration date of 2002! Other than that, I can't remember the last time.

So, here are some tips:

Buy only the food you intend on eating. If you have have leftovers - EAT THEM the next day, or stick them in the freezer! Don't buy massive containers of food. I mean, do you really need that gallon jar of pimento olives from Costco?

Oh, and here's another tip that I practiced this past Sunday night. Rather than leaving leftovers, just eat until you're ready to burst, fall into a deep coma, and become as one with the sofa in front of the TV until it's time to go to bed.

A Thanksgiving Controversy???

2009-11-27T07:10:00.002-05:00

One of the comments from yesterday's post seems to question whether or not Brussels sprouts are traditional Thanksgiving fare. I have to say that I don't really remember ever eating them at Thanksgiving when I was growing up. But then again, we often ate a lot of of Finnish side dishes along with our turkey. I know Brussels sprouts are a traditional Christmas side dish in the U.K., and I think a lot of Americans/Canadians eat them with their Thanksgiving/Christmas meals. Oh... who knows?

How about if we just let Herman Munster settle it for us? And pay attention to what he says at the 14 second mark.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T09:55:00.001-05:00

Even though it's just an ordinary Thursday in Switzerland, I'm still trying to create a little Thanksgiving spirit around here.

I know it's not quite the same as an American Thanksgiving dinner, but we ARE going to have some turkey, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts.

I'd have no problem grilling a whole turkey, IF I COULD FIND ONE!!! Sure, I could have ordered a fresh one at the butcher a couple of weeks ago, but why bother just for the two of us. In a couple of weeks they'll start appearing in the grocery stores, and I'll buy a couple to stick in the freezer for later use.

In the meantime, turkey Schnitzel, sweet potatoes, and frozen Brussels sprouts will have to do. But I sure will miss eating the Pope's nose.

Can I buy a bag full of frozen ones somewhere?

Double Shot

2009-11-25T11:30:00.001-05:00

Mrs. TBF and I had our H1N1 and seasonal flu shots yesterday evening.

As some of you already know, Mrs. TBF works for one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, and apparently they want to take care of their own: FREE H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations (both manufactured by the previously mentioned company for whom Mrs. TBF works) for all employees and their spouses/significant others/children. Figuring that I'm not as young as I used to be, and considering the fact that I would never turn down something FREE in Switzerland (free Basler Leckerli being one of the few exceptions), I decided to go for both.

Seeing how I have had two rather unpleasant bouts with flu over the past two winters, I figured it was time to start getting a seasonal flu shot. Hell, I might have already had the swine flu last December, but since I'd be getting one, why not get two for the price of one? Oh... did I mention that they were FREE? Oh... I did? Sorry about that.

Not only were the shots FREE, but we also got some FREE water (a choice of still or sparkling!) after the shots while we were sitting for ten minutes to see "if you have any kind of reaction"! We didn't.

So far so good!

Putting Down Roots...

2009-11-19T06:40:00.000-05:00

We're back home. Actually, we came home on Monday, but it took a couple of days for me to get things back in order. So, blogging had to take a back seat.

Not only are we back home, but we're back home for an entire month before our next trip. BELIEVE IT, OR NOT! We haven't been at home for an entire month since August.

So much time on our hands. Whatever shall we do???

The trip to London/Scotland was really nice. There was a little hiccup when our brand new hotel in Glasgow where we were supposed to stay on Saturday night called us on Thursday afternoon - TWO DAYS BEFORE OUR SCHEDULED ARRIVAL - to let us know that the hotel had not yet opened and that we wouldn't be able to stay there OR eat dinner there. However, all ended up well in the end when they set us up in a nice hotel in Edinburgh, albeit an hour drive away from Glasgow.

The itinerary went like this:

Friday: Flew to London, checked in at the 51 Buckingham Gate Hotel (highly recommended by me), shopped a bit, had some lunch, took a nap, met our friends Simon and Rosemarie for dinner at Quilon (Michelin starred Indian restaurant next to our hotel), and zzzzzzzzzzzz!

Saturday: Met up with Jeanette, Mark, and Lisa at Heathrow and flew to Glasgow, rented cars at Glasgow Airport, drove to Edinburgh, checked into our hotel, high tea, shopped a bit, had a nice dinner, and zzzzzzzzz!

Sunday: Drove up to our palatial rental house outside of Inverness, got settled in, went out to stock up on supplies at Tesco, dinner/roaring fire back at house, and zzzzzzz!

Monday - Saturday: Sightseeing (Loch Ness, Inverness, Isle of Skye, Ullapool, etc., etc.), shopping, relaxing, eating well, etc.

Sunday - Jeanette, Mrs. TBF, and I drove back to Edinburgh and flew back to London. Mark and Lisa drove back to Glasgow. We said goodbye to Jeanette, and then Mrs. TBF and I spent the night at Simon and Rosemarie's house outside of London.

Monday - Early morning taxi back to Heathrow, A.M. flight back to Basel.

Enough about all that. Check out all 150+ pictures HERE.

Finn Elvis

2009-11-05T03:40:00.000-05:00

I'm not really sure what was going on here, but...

...my dad certainly had an Elvis thing going on at breakfast on 10/28/2009.

The Folks Are Alright!

2009-11-05T03:30:00.002-05:00

As usual, Mrs. TBF and I stayed at Jo the mother-in-law's townhouse while we were in Chicago. Mrs. TBF flew to Chicago with me, left on business for a couple of days the following week, came back for my 25th reunion, and then flew back out on business again. That left me with some quality "alone" time with Jo Mama.

One evening, I told her that I'd take her out for dinner. Of course, a negotiation ensued which resulted in us having to go out to eat at 5 p.m. (I obviously lost the negotiation) at a place where she could eat a salad. We agreed on California Pizza Kitchen, and off we went. And... let me tell you: I earned some big-time son-in-law points parking in the spot right in front of the door instead of my normal parking spot: far away, requiring her to walk and get some exercise.

Jo Mama is doing well. Although she complains about every and all possible ailments throughout the day, she's really in very good health considering that she is nearly 80. You'd never guess it by looking at her.

Also as usual in the fall, I rendezvoused with my parents (on their way from Canada to spend the winter in Florida) at my sister's house. I only saw them for a couple of days because they didn't get down to Chicago until the tail end of my stay, but we managed to spend a decent amount of time together.

They, like Jo Mama, are also doing well. They look fit, happy, and ready to spend the winter living the good life in warm, sunny Florida. I plan on going to Florida again this winter, so I'll see them again soon. This will be my third year in a row going to there during the dead of winter.

Does that now count as an annual trip?

The Nieces and Nephew...

2009-11-04T05:55:00.000-05:00

Here were my favorite pictures of the nieces and nephew from our trip.

In this first picture, we had gone to see my sister run in a 5k race. Music was blaring over the speakers, and I thought it would be a great time to torment the nieces with some public robotic dancing. Fiona tolerated Uncle TBF, Kiera was mortified, and Sinead pretty much just ignored me.

I took this picture of Finn immediately after he walked in the door after football practice. I don't think there was enough Shout in Chicagoland to get all those stains out.

Finally, my little niece Sinead whipping around the yard on her little Barbie 4-wheeler. I told her about how when her mom and I were here age, we made bowling pins and a bowling ball out of aluminum foil, and used our hallway as a bowling alley.

She didn't care.

Kids these days! Sheesh!!

The Evil Bean...

2009-11-04T05:35:00.000-05:00

We sure drink a lot of coffee when we're in America; a lot more than we drink in Basel. Why? I'm not really sure. Maybe it's the jet lag. Or... maybe it's the fact that it's so damn cheap.

Example:

We usually get lungo and grande Americanos at Starbucks. In Basel, it costs the equivalent of about $12 or $13. In Chicago, it cost something like $5.50. Plus, in Chicago, I order them, and I have them in my hand in about 30 seconds. In Basel? It usually takes at least five minutes.

What's up with that?

We Must Be In The FRONT Row!

2009-11-04T05:25:00.000-05:00

Ok... it was actually the fourth row, but why split hairs?

Why are we so happy in these photos? One: they were taken just after we arrived in Chicago. And... Two: they were taken just after we arrived in Chicago after flying in first class!

That's right, folks: complimentary first class upgrades yet again!

While going through security at Heathrow, the agent told Mrs. TBF that her seat had been changed. She had been upgraded to first class. Unfortunately, I hadn't been. Mrs. TBF told the agent that she wouldn't take the upgrade unless we both received them, a quick phone call was made, and... Bob's your uncle, as the Brits say.

A little while later, we got on the plane, turned LEFT, and were escorted to seats 4E and 4F.

YES!

Mrs. TBF used miles to upgrade me to first class for the return, and we're already booked for first class when we go back to Chicago for Christmas. I'm just thinking...

Can I ever fly in anything but first class again?

No Apologies...

2009-11-04T05:05:00.000-05:00

Hi!

This is the point where I should be apologizing for not blogging, but... I'm an adult, blogging is an optional activity, and... I don't have to apologize if I don't want to, DAMMIT!

So there! HA!

Rather than bore you with a long post, I'll be brief right now and then catch up with multiple mini-posts.

Chicago was great! Family, friends, shopping, eating, 25th NU reunion, etc. We were gone for 12 days, and we didn't return until last Thursday.

Last weekend was our friend Rammy's 50th birthday celebration. I called it Rammy-O-Rama! It was pretty much a 24-hour extravaganza, and we're still recuperating.

This Friday, we're off to London. We'll spend the night there, and then we'll spend the entire next week in Scotland. Who goes to Scotland in November. Well, apparently WE DO!

More posts coming up soon. I promise!

Packing... Again!

2009-10-14T11:30:00.000-04:00

Since we last spoke, we went with a group of friends via private shuttle bus to a wine tasting about 30 minutes from here. It was a great evening, but... I unfortunately forgot to bring my camera. Sorry 'bout that. Then, last weekend, we went to Paris. No, I did NOT forget my camera this time. You can view some of the pictures by clicking... right... HERE.

Paris, as usual was great. We relaxed well, ate well, and shopped well. I came home with some new shirts and bathing suits, and Mrs. TBF came home with a new handbag, a new pair of sunglasses, and probably other things that I just can't remember at this time. We had such a good time, in fact, that we booked another trip to Paris for February while we were online in the lounge at our hotel.

Right now, I'm taking a break from packing for our next trip: Chicago. The main reason for the trip is to attend my 25th college reunion. However, I'm sure that I'll have time for family and friends too. Mrs. TBF will fly over with me, head off on a business trip next week, come back to Chicago for my reunion, and then head off on business again the following week. If all goes according to plan, she will depart for London from the East Coast around the same time I am departing for London from Chicago, and then we'll meet up in London for the flight back to Basel. But enough about that...

I still can't believe that I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE MORE THAN 25 YEARS AGO!!! Sheesh!

Rest In Peace...

2009-10-01T08:30:00.000-04:00

...and style.

We received a package from Italy today containing assorted pottery we purchased while we were in Amalfi: a few plates, a vase, a couple of other odds and ends, AND...

A proper resting place for Dominique and King's ashes. Finally!

Up until now, they've been in the little white boxes in which we received their ashes from the vet. Also, they've been on a shelf right above our TV.

Not very appropriate.

Now they'll be in this beautiful "urn" we purchased last month in Amalfi. And, they'll have a new place of honor in our bedroom so they can sleep with us every night we're at home just like they did for so many years.

It was a bit of a trick getting the bag containing Dominique's ashes through the opening, but I managed. Also, I'm sure King would complain about having to spend all of eternity in the same urn as Dominique, but...

...he'll get used to it.

Wednesday Wife

2009-10-01T07:45:00.000-04:00

I went to IKEA yesterday with my "Wednesday Wife" - Dr. Di.

On most Wednesdays, I walk our friends' two dogs, and then I walk over to my "WW's" home. We talk for a couple of hours, I drink coffee, insist on her NOT putting out any snacks, watch as she pretty much ignores me by putting out a bunch of snacks on a lazy Susan, and then proceed to happily spin the lazy Susan and... systematically devour every last crumb.

Yesterday, we mixed things up a bit.

Dr. Di picked me up at home, and we went furniture shopping. Of course, I had to wear a pair of Mephisto walking shoes I have because the leather perfectly matches the leather furniture in their living room, and Dr. Di wanted to buy some throw pillows. That was a bit weird, but... whatever.

Our first stop was IKEA. I bought a pair of scissors, and Dr. Di proceeded to buy a couple of gigantic bags of stuff - neither of which contained even one throw pillow. After going through the checkout (with my pair of scissors, and Dr. Di's two gigantic blue bags) I decided I "needed" a couple of hot dogs, as I normally do on one of my 3-4 visits to IKEA per year.

Let me just say: I don't know what you're up to, IKEA, but... I DON'T LIKE IT!! IKEA has obviously changed their hot dog recipe. The hot dogs don't look the same, they don't taste the same, and they do NOT have that nice snap when you bite into them like they always have in the past. Plus, when I bit into the wiener, the inside poked out of the casing on the back end, and it pretty much reminded me of when a male dog sits down and shows himself off in all his glory.

Um... I finished the hot dogs anyway, but... I'M ON TO YOU, IKEA!!! I'm boycotting those wieners from now on!!!

After IKEA, Dr. Di and I went to Möbel Pfister (nothing purchased other than coffee and coffee cake in the café) and then OBI (nothing purchased). Finally, at Micasa, Dr. Di found some pillows. Of course, she had to have me stand in the aisle where she repeatedly put different arrangements of throw pillows around my shoes until she found a combination she approved of.

Thankfully, there were no witnesses!

Finally, we ended up at Office World.

Let me just preface this by saying that Dr. Di's husband, Dr. Andy, often calls Dr. Di on her mobile phone on Wednesdays while he's half-way around the world on some business trip. Usually, when he finds out that I'm sitting in his dining room, talking with his wife, drinking his coffee, and eating his snacks off of his lazy Susan, I end up hearing a loud "Neeeeeesht guet!!!" (not good!) coming from Dr. Di's phone. I can pretty much predict what he'll say when he reads the following:

At one point, while at Office World, I actually accidentally called Dr. Di "hon'" (short for honey) like I call Mrs. TBF.

"Neeeeeeeeeeeeeesht guet!!!!!!!!!"

Everybody Makes Misteaks!

2009-10-01T06:40:00.000-04:00

We paid some of our Swiss taxes this week. Unfortunately, it happens every year around this time.

There's a reason why I said "some" of our Swiss taxes. You see, for the first time ever, I actually read the footnote on the tax statement from our accountant. Here's what it says:

Cantonal taxes are payable by 30.09.2009
Community taxes are payable by 30.09.2009
Federal taxes are payable by 01.03.2010

Wait a second!

Federal taxes aren't payable until March 1, 2010?????

You mean to tell me??? Doh!!!!

I came to find out that I've been paying our federal taxes (31% of our tax liability) FIVE MONTHS EARLY EVERY YEAR FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS!!!!!

According to our accountant, the federal tax authority pays us interest on early payments. But when I asked him how I could verify that they had actually done so, he pretty much just shrugged his shoulders. Oh well...

I won't make that mistake again.

71Nyhavn Hotel

2009-10-01T05:35:00.000-04:00

Just a few words about our hotel in Copenhagen - 71Nyhavn.

First of all, I misread my confirmation when I booked the hotel on their website. I read CHF600/USD 582 per night, and that turned out to be the cost for our entire stay - two nights. So, while still expensive for what it was, the hotel ended up costing half the price I had originally thought it would cost. So, that was good news.

The hotel is decent, but it's not fancy by any means. I guess the best thing about it is that it's in a great location right in Nyhavn. However, if you ever plan on staying at this hotel, I have one big tip: REQUEST A ROOM IN THE NEWER PART OF THE HOTEL!!!

The old part (pictured here), is the part that faces the canal. While the view is much better, the rooms absolutely suck. They are small, and the bathrooms are tiny. In fact, the shower is just a shower head coming out of the corner with a shower curtain that hangs from the ceiling. The shower floor is pretty much the bathroom floor with a drain. If I had had to shower in there, I would have been standing there with a shower curtain stuck to my body with water pouring down on my head. Not good!

Mrs. TBF took one look at the room, said "NO WAY!", and then went down to the front desk to POLITELY voice her complaints. We ended up being switched to a room in the newer wing. Although it had a view of the street instead of the canal, the room was much better. Also, the bathroom was a real bathroom with a bathtub shower combo.

What I find interesting is that the man at the front desk told Mrs. TBF that a lot of people complain about the old wing, however "....we are not allowed to make any changes because the building is protected," which I take to mean that it has protected landmark status.

That would be fine except for the fact that the restaurant we ate at on Saturday night is in the oldest building in Copenhagen, which I'm assuming must also be protected, AND... THEY HAVE A GLEAMING, MODERN KITCHEN.

What's up with that?!?!?

Copenhagen 2009 Recap

2009-10-01T05:05:00.000-04:00

Last weekend's visit to Copenhagen, our first in eight years, was a triumphant success!

Our friend, Dr. Andy, who lives here in Basel, actually works for a Danish company and has a studio apartment in Copenhagen where he occasionally sleeps when he's not living here in Basel OR circumnavigating the globe on one of his many business trips.

Got that? Good!

Here are a few bullet points from the trip:

Copenhagen is a really nice city, and I could definitely live there. The locals seem happy and worry-free, they probably speak the best English of any non-native English speaking country in Europe, the shopping is good, the restaurants are good, and the quality of life seems exceptional. Zürich and Geneva usually rank higher than Copenhagen on the "most livable cities" list, but I personally would probably choose Copenhagen.

Copenhagen is very expensive. We stayed at a place called 71Nyhavn Hotel which was a five minute walk from Dr. Andy's apartment. It was nice, but it wasn't fancy or luxurious, AND it cost about CHF 300/USD 290 per night - NO breakfast included. The VAT is something like 25%.

Liquor is expensive. A 50 cl/16 oz beer costs about CHF 10/USD 9.70. A glass of wine at dinner cost something like CHF 30/USD 29 PER GLASS!!

We went to Christiania (you can read about it here) on what just happened to be its 38th birthday. Lots of hippies, flea markets, people openly smoking pot, dogs roaming around without collars - cool place!

The World Cup of Archery just happened to be taking place right by our hotel. A Venezuelan woman won, and a Danish woman came in second (awwww!). We sat and watched the exciting competition, mesmerized for hours with tens of thousands of archery fans. Ok... there were only a few hundred people watching... we watched for a few minutes, and... well... archery pretty much sucks as a spectator sport.

Tuborg is better than Carlsberg!

We had a great dinner at Kong Hans Kælder. Top-notch/friendly service, the food was great (other than the minor issue of Dr. Andy biting down on buckshot while eating his wild mallard course), and we happily wined and dined for 4+ hours in the oldest building in Copenhagen!

Click HERE if you'd like to see all of the pictures from Copenhagen.

Friday Flashback: Back To Copenhagen...

2009-09-25T07:35:00.003-04:00

We're off to Copenhagen this weekend. It'll be our first time back in a little over eight years.

What makes Copenhagen special for us is that it was our first "real" trip after moving to Switzerland in October 2000. For the first ten months, we pretty much just stuck to traveling around Switzerland by car or train, or we'd drive into the Alsace or the Black Forest (which I despised!). Having found a good kennel for Dominique, and a couple of neighbors who were willing to stop by and throw some food down for King, we decided that it was time to actually jump on a plane for a weekend getaway outside of the clean and safe confines of Switzerland and our immediate neighbors. I looked online, booked a last-minute trip, and off we went.

The highlight of that trip eight years ago was probably the canal boat cruise where I took this self-portrait. The weather was hot and sunny, a waitress served ice cold beer on the boat, and we just relaxed and watched the Danish scenery pass us by. We also visited Tivoli Garden, and enjoyed a couple of really nice meals in Nyhavn.

This time, we're going with friends who used to live in Copenhagen. Not much is planned (other than dinner at a nice restaurant on Saturday evening), but I have no problem with that.

What will we do?

You'll just have to check back next week to find out.

A New Workbench!

2009-09-22T09:55:00.000-04:00

After 22 YEARS, we FINALLY have a new mattress!

I'm not sure if you remember or not, but I first spoke about our mattress woes in early 2007. If you like, you can refresh your memory by reading about it HERE.

So, going back to that trip to Chicago in early-2007...

We actually went to IKEA, looked at the mattress, and decided that it wasn't packaged well enough to survive trans-Atlantic transport to Basel. Sure, we could have gone about the trouble of getting extra packaging, but neither one of us felt like going to all the trouble, so we just decided to explore other options.

After returning to Basel, we went to a local furniture store to see if we could actually order a custom-made American size mattress. It turned out that we could. However, the store quoted us a price of CHF 3800 which is currently about $3,700 (How about that weak American dollar, huh?). I was all prepared to just go ahead, bite the bullet, and order the stinkin' thing, but then I made a HUGE mistake...

I went online to see how much the exact same memory foam mattress would cost in the U.S. As it turned out... $1,600!!! There was NO WAY I was going to pay more than double for the stupid thing in Switzerland. Just wasn't! Nope! NO... WAY!

Zip ahead a couple of years...

Now, it's Spring 2009, and Mrs. TBF and I are waking up every morning with stiff backs. Our mattress has developed a big lump in the middle which we have affectionately begun calling "the terp" after hearing the term during our weekend trip to Amsterdam, and something needs to be done... SOON! But what???

That's where pure luck comes into the picture...

One evening a couple of months back, while dining with friends, I began talking about our bed woes and how much the local furniture store wanted to charge us for a custom made, American queen size, memory foam mattress. Suddenly, like the voice of an angel, I heard our friend say: "Our company makes a competing product. I'm sure I could get one for you for much less. Let's see what I can do."

Oh... and by the way... in order to avoid getting in trouble at work, our friend will remain anonymous.

Anyway...

It turns out that he did indeed get us the proper size mattress, for about EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT less than what the furniture store quoted us, and he delivered it to us last week. In fact, he even hauled away the cardboard.

How's that for service???

Since then...

WE'VE BEEN SLEEPING LIKE ROCKS!!

Mrs. TBF says that she can barely wake up because she's in such a deep coma. Me? I don't even hear Mrs. TBF's alarm go off. We've been going to bed early because we can't wait to get into bed. In the morning, about a minute after waking up from my coma, I feel completely wide awake and refreshed! Our lives have been significantly changed for the better!

Anonymous friend... YOU ARE OUR HERO!!!!

I emptied and threw out all the water bed tubes last Friday. Tomorrow, I'll be going to the dump to throw out the mattress cover/etc. that's all wrapped up with duct tape in our storage area.

Good riddance!

Late Forties...

2009-09-17T04:00:00.000-04:00

By turning 47 last weekend, I officially entered (as far as I'm concerned) my late forties. We celebrated with friends (Drs. John/Rammy/Andy/Di & kids) at Drs. John and Rammy's house.

Knowing my fierce opposition to wearing the "Over The Hill" hat - not because I object to being called "over the hill," but rather because it's really hot and makes me sweat profusely - the gang opted to place the hat on top of a large yellow balloon on which they had drawn my likeness. I've now discovered that my friends think I possess the nose of a pig.

Damn friends!

Mrs. TBF To The Rescue....

2009-09-17T03:35:00.001-04:00

...again!

I'm happy to report that the "issues" concerning my Chicago itinerary have been resolved.

To make a long story short...

I tell Mrs. TBF that it will cost over CHF 1,000 to change my itinerary so that I can leave Chicago on October 28th instead of the 25th...

Mrs. TBF calls her special-double-secret-probabtion, Executive Club Gold/Platinum/any other precious metals phone number and speaks with a representative...

Mrs. TBF has "words" with said representative and asks to speak with her manager...

Unlike the underling, the manager THINKS OUTSIDE THE BOX and says "...let's see if there's something else we can do."

Instead of paying CHF 1,096/"nothing else we can do" to switch my return flight from Chicago, the manager says Mrs. TBF can use 25,000 miles to upgrade me from Business Class to First Class, plus no change fee.

TBF is happy he gets to stay in Chicago an extra three days, and, more importantly for British Airways...

Mrs. TBF is happy!

A Lesson Learned!

2009-09-15T08:25:00.000-04:00

I called British Airways a little while ago to see if I could change the date of my end-of-October return flight from Chicago to Basel. When I booked the flight in August, I made the reservation so that it would coincide with one of Mrs. TBF's many business trips to the U.S. This way, we could sit together on our flights to and from the U.S.

Awwwwwwwwww... Aren't we cute??

Naturally, as often happens in the world of bidness, Mrs. TBF's itinerary has changed due to factors beyond her control. We'll still be flying to the U.S. together, but her schedule change now necessitates her remaining in the U.S. for a couple of days after my scheduled return. But, no problem, right? I just figured I'd call BA and change my ticket and stay in Chicago a few extra days. Right?

Wrong!

Yes, I could change my ticket. However, coming back three days later would cost an extra 1,000 bucks, and I'm just not willing to pay the extra money. So, my trip to Chicago will stay at ten nights instead of thirteen. Oh well... lesson learned.

From now on, I book my trips to Chicago based on when I want to go and return.

It Could Have Been Worse...

2009-09-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

MUCH worse!

I walk Mrs. TBF to either the tram or the bus every morning. This morning was no exception. However, there was one notable difference this morning from the past 100+ mornings: it was 10˚C/50˚F, I could see my breath, and I had to wear a jacket. After returning home, needing a warm-up, I decided to check the weather forecast for Amalfi.

Were we lucky, or what? We had blue skies, sun, and not a drop of rain for our entire stay last week. This week in Amalfi? Rain nearly every day!

Timing is everything!

Back From Paradiso...

2009-09-14T08:20:00.001-04:00

One last lick...

One last leap...

One last gaze...

Just like that, our trip to Amalfi is over. But no problema... Next year, we're planning on going there TWICE: at the end of May, and again in September.

We're back in Basel now. Most of the vacation laundry is done, Mrs. TBF is back at work, and I'm getting ready to go to the gym. Unlike Amalfi, everybody is speaking Swiss-German, it's cool and cloudy outside, and there's no little bowl of those beautiful Amalfi olives next to me for me to nibble on. But that's ok. We do have several other trips coming up in the near future that should help keep our minds occupied.

Mastro Lindo Returns To Amalfi...

2009-09-08T12:30:00.002-04:00

Mrs. TBF and I are spending the week in Amalfi, Italy. This is our fourth time in Amalfi, and we're staying at the same place we always stay - Hotel Santa Caterina.

We just LOVE it.

We're not sure if they treat all repeat guests the same way, but WE certainly receive the hero's welcome. We BOTH received the double-kiss-on-the-cheek greetings from multiple members of the staff upon arrival, and gladly accepted our upgrade to a junior suite.

It wasn't long until we were in TOTAL relaxation mode.

The days have mostly been spent in a reclined position, but we do occasionally jump into the sea where I swim, and Mrs. TBF rides the noodle. The bar/pool guys (who refer to me as Mastro Lindo - the Italian version of Mr. Clean) take good care of us by delivering drinks and snacks whenever we want. Around 9 p.m., we head out for dinner at some of our favorite places, and then we come back to the hotel where we sleep like babies. Hey... you know what???

It kind of sounds like every other time we've been here!

There is one difference, however...

No Russians this year! Well, at least, not many. We've seen one Russian couple with a small child, and that's it! Last year, the hotel was just crawling with Russians. This year, it's mostly Americans, some Brits, and some Italians. But, who cares?

When we're here, it's pretty much just us and the hotel staff, as far as we're concerned.

Happy... relaxed... tan... well-fed... LIVING THE DREAM!!!

40 YEARS!!!!

2009-09-01T18:05:00.006-04:00

This is my friend Carl. We were talking on Skype today about the fact that we met right around now... 40 YEARS AGO!!! And for the record: I WANT his AWESOME man-chair that you can see a little bit of in the background!!

I had just moved to Wheeling, Illinois a couple of months earlier in June 1969. My neighbor, Bob Nuenfeldt, and I were talking on walkie-talkies when all of a sudden we heard this voice cut in to our conversation...

"Who is this?"

It was Carl, who just happened to have his walkie-talkie on. See? He was even an electronic gadget guy back then!

It turned out that Bob and Carl knew each other from first grade, so Bob and I ended up walking to Carl's house which was one street over from my house. I was just shy of seven years old.

And isn't it a small world? Carl's mom is from Finland! What are the odds??

Oh, and in case you're curious... this is how we looked a couple of months later when we were well into the second grade. Carl's the guy in the fourth row/second from the right with the Colonel Sanders tie. I'm in the bottom row on the far left. If I remember correctly, I'm smiling with my mouth closed because one of my front teeth was just hanging on by a thread and I didn't fall for my dad's I-won't-pull-it-out-I-just-want-to-see-how-loose-it-is trick until the next day.

You think that's bad? A few years later, my sister actually fell for my dad's just-let-me-tie-this-piece-of-thread-around-your-tooth-and-this-doorknob-no-I-won't-do-anything...

SLAM!

God, she was a dork back then!!

Today, Carl told me that his father, Bruce (greetings to you, Bruce!), checks out my blog on a regular basis.

Who knew?

Well, certainly not me since Bruce has never left a comment. For that matter... neither has Carl.

Come on, guys. Leave a comment.

I dare ya!

Good To The Last Drop...

2009-09-01T09:10:00.001-04:00

Horror of horrors, we nearly ran out of coffee!!!! Fortunately, in the nick of time, I ordered/and received my new supply of 600 Nespresso capsules!!

That should hold us for a couple of months!!

Ok... let me preface what I'm going to say next by saying: I'm not complaining, I absolutely DON'T mind, and... you DO NOT need to compensate me in any way, but...

We sure went through a lot of coffee recently while my parents were visiting. Sheesh!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, though, seeing how we Finns tend to be rather large consumers of coffee. Plus, having to buy a little extra coffee is a small price to pay for the joy that a visit from my parents brings. In fact, it's been nearly a month since they were here... How about one more picture?

Well, what do you know? Drinking coffee! What a surprise!!!!! Not!

Hmmm... Now that I think about it...

We kind of went through a lot of gin too!

Lost And Found...

2009-09-01T08:40:00.001-04:00

Is anybody missing a diamond?

I found this "diamond" while cleaning under the sofa last week. I'm not sure if it's real or not, but I AM sure it doesn't belong to either one of us. In any case, let me know whether or not it belongs to you. If I don't hear from anybody by October 1st...

... it's going in the garbage!

Road Warriors...

2009-09-01T08:30:00.001-04:00

Dr. Andy, Dr. Di, and the kids came over for some grilled flesh (clearing assorted meats out of the freezer) this past Saturday evening. They come over fairly often, so no big deal... right? What made this evening different was that Dr. Andy returned from a business trip and came directly from the train station to our apartment where he met the rest of his family.

Still no big deal???

Well... then how about these facts? Dr. Andy had in the past week flown to South Africa, the plane had to make a quasi-not-quite-an-emergency landing in Rome due to a door that didn't seal up properly, had to return (flying "...at low altitude, but high enough to get over the Alps") to Zürich where he spent the night, flew out to South Africa the next day, then flew to South America a couple of days later, spent a few days in South America (where he might have taken another flight...not sure), had a three hour delay in Sao Paulo which resulted in him being switched to a flight to FRANKFURT, and then had to take a three hour train ride from Frankfurt to Basel.

Who says business travel is glamorous?

Even after this debacle, Dr. Andy still seemed none the worse for wear, and he and Dr. Di ("Yes, I'm wearing a down vest in August! What about it?") managed to stay at our place until 1:30 a.m.!

Yesterday morning, it was Mrs. TBF's turn to jump into a taxi and become a "junior" road warrior. I say "junior" because her flight to Munich was delayed by only one hour, and it was spared the need for any quasi-not-quite-an-emergency landings. However, she gets full road warrior credit for staying at some dinky hotel in Holzkirchen (about 30 minutes outside of Munich) in a room with a toilet that trickled all night, and construction that began right across the street at 6 a.m.!

I guess that's why they get paid the big bucks!

Duped!

2009-08-28T04:50:00.000-04:00

For a few years now, we've been buying Weight Watchers yogurt at our local Coop grocery store. The reason we bought it was because it was labeled as 1.5 points per serving, thus making it easy for us to calculate it into our point total for the day.

On a whim, a couple of weeks ago, we were at Manor and decided to try Nestle's Hirz 0.1% yogurt. The verdict? It tastes much better than the Weight Watchers stuff, and secondly, after using my handy-dandy WW point calculator, we found out that it contains only ONE POINT per serving - half a point LESS than WW!

So, it tastes better, it has fewer points, AND... I get to call it My Dick Hirz yogurt!

SCORE!

Pleasant Dinner Conversation...

2009-08-27T06:50:00.001-04:00

A couple of things relating to toilets and plumbing...

Earlier this week, I called my folks. When I told my dad that our toilet had broken, he actually thought that I had sat on it, it had pulled off the wall, and then shattered into a million pieces on the floor. I told Mrs. TBF about it at dinner, and we both laughed. But then, we kind of began wondering how often this actually happens here. You see, toilets do not rest on the floor here like they usually do in N. America - they're bolted into the wall and just hover above the floor. In fact, I don't remember EVER seeing a toilet resting on the floor in Europe. Is there some kind of weight limit I should be aware of?

Gonna have to start paying more attention to this...

Seeing how the vision of me lying on the bathroom floor on top of a pile of reading material, fecal matter, and the shattered remains of a toilet hadn't ruined our appetites, I guided the dinner conversation to a related yet equally inappropriate topic.

TBF: Do you know one of the things I'm going to miss the most about Switzerland someday when we move?

Mrs. TBF: What?

TBF: Swiss toilet paper!

Mrs. TBF: Oh yeah, it IS good! American toilet paper SUCKS!

And you know what? Mrs. TBF is right! American toilet paper DOES suck! The Swiss TP is thick, absorbent, a pleasure to use, and generally far superior to its American counterpart. Just don't buy the recycled TP. I did that once... NEVER AGAIN!

I read in an article not too long ago about how much forestland could be saved if people would just switch to using toilet paper made with recycled paper. I figured I'd do my part, and I went next door to the grocery store and bought an "experimental" eight-pack. BIG MISTAKE! That stuff is awful. Just...don't...buy...it!

And finally...

Why is water pressure so much better here than in America. Toilets flush better, the water pressure in the shower is much better... I definitely prefer life in America to life in Switzerland, but I just wish the entire Swiss bathroom experience could be replicated in America.

Hmmm...

Maybe it can.

like: the Swiss bathroom experience and Swiss toilet paper

no like: Today? nothing!

Stare-Worthy

2009-08-26T06:50:00.000-04:00

The Swiss love to stare. If it weren't for the need to sleep, I'm guessing that staring at things (along with cleanliness and safety) could become a 24/7 pursuit.

Cleanliness, Safety, and... Curiosity*. They should put it on the Swiss flag right under the white cross.

I, as a 6'5" foreigner with no visible signs of a care in the world, am often the subject of their collective gaze.

Yesterday, I was particularly stare-worthy because I was wearing my Kerry Wood t-shirt. Every seat was taken (school had just let out) when I got on the tram to go to they gym, so I stood at the front of the tram facing the back. It wasn't long until I noticed about thirty pairs of eyes (young and old alike) staring bullets at my chest. They'd stare at my chest, confused looks would ensue, then they'd whisper amongst themselves. Stare again... confusion... whispers...

THAT'S ENOUGH!

I finally had to just turn my back to the whole car. I don't mind some staring, but too much is just too much.

I was thinking of wearing this t-shirt today. I don't know... The words are in Finnish, and the print is pretty small so they'll have to strain. Perhaps it'll be too much for the locals (and me) to handle.

Maybe I'll just wear it next week instead and give us all a little break.

*That's me being nice. I'd vote for nosiness, but I don't think it would go over too well.

Home Repairs...

2009-08-25T05:20:00.000-04:00

The weather was absolutely beautiful this past weekend. We hardly saw a cloud all weekend, it wasn't too hot, and there was a nice breeze - the way summer should be. We went out for dinner with friends on Friday night, and then we took the train to Baden (by Zürich) on Saturday night for a "Sommerfest" at our friends' house. On Sunday morning, Mrs. TBF played tennis with Dr. Rammy, then we enjoyed a nice impromptu brunch at Dr. Rammy & Dr. John's house, and finally we went home to just laze around. Shortly after returning home, a small problem stuck...

The toilet in our main bathroom wouldn't flush.

I took the panel off the wall, tinkered around with the mechanism a bit, realized that it was unlike anything I had ever seen before, and then just resigned myself to the fact that a plumber would have to be called. I called our rental office on Monday morning, relayed the problem through a combination of English and German, and then just waited for a call from a plumber.

That call (fortunately) came this morning, and the toilet is now repaired.

It's when things go wrong that I really dislike living here. If I get a non-English speaker at the rental office, I always wonder if they truly understand what I'm talking about. Plus, I often don't fully understand what they are telling me. Things usually work out in the end, but I often end up sitting around the apartment waiting for a call that I'm not sure will even be coming. If I leave the apartment, and the call comes, the repairman will often hang up after hearing our English-speaking answering machine message instead of leaving a message. Aggravating!

But... all's well that ends well.

Now, I'll just wait for the bill. You see, in Switzerland, we're responsible for all repairs up to 2% of our annual rent. Can you believe it??? We pay NYC-level rent, and we have to pay for repairs up to a certain point... even if something breaks down due to no fault of our own. For example:

About four years ago, not long after moving in and while we were out of town, a torrential rainstorm came through town, and rainwater seeped into one of the covered outdoor outlets. The circuit shorted, the power to our rooftop garden was cut off, and the outlet needed to be replaced. This ended up costing something like $100. So, to recap: we weren't home, the problem had been caused by an act of nature and/or faulty construction when the building was built ten years earlier, it was an outlet we had never even used, and...

WE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR!!! It says so right in our standard Swiss rental contract.

SHEESH!!!

TBF like: our apartment!

TBF no like: standard Swiss rental contract!!!!

Sweet Relief!

2009-08-20T06:55:00.000-04:00

Today's high is supposed to be 35˚C/95˚F. Tomorrow's high is only supposed to be 26˚C (high-70s), and on Saturday it's only supposed to get up to 23˚C (low 70s)!!

Maybe, by tomorrow, I'll even begin wearing a shirt again! Woo-HOO!!!

Yeah, it's been pretty hot this week. But this past week doesn't even come close to comparing to the summer of 2003 here in Basel. That summer was absolute hell. Temperatures regularly approached 40˚C (over 100˚F) for what seemed like three full months, and we had very little rain. Mrs. TBF has "air conditioning" at her office, but I remember her telling me that it pretty much just cooled the office down to the point where I would have been just sweating rather than sweating profusely.

Speaking of sweating profusely...

Here's a self-portrait taken after riding my bike back from the gym on August 6, 2003. I would ride my bike to the gym, change out of my soaking wet bike riding clothes, and then I'd change into fresh workout clothes. After my workout, I'd just stand under a cold shower, dry off, and then change into fresh clothes for the bike ride home. By the time I was at home, those clothes would be soaked through.

Lots of laundry that summer!

We were miserable (along with all of the neighbors), and the pets were miserable too. But hey, life goes on!

God bless "too cold" (as all the Europeans call it) American air conditioning!!!

I Got Nothin'

2009-08-18T07:55:00.001-04:00

There is ABSOLUTELY nothing going on right now... other than the fact that it's hot outside.

The highs this week are around 33˚C/low 90s˚F, but the humidity isn't too bad, so it's tolerable. Plus it cools down significantly at night, so sleeping is no problem at all.

Would I use air conditioning this week if we had it? Yes. Do we need air conditioning? No. But hey, sometimes life is about having more than just what you need, right? I guess it would be nice to have the option of cooling off the entire apartment with the flick of a switch.

I've heard Swiss people say many times that "...air cone-dissoneeng ees completely unnecessary becuss you only neet it for two veeks per year heer in Sveetzerlant!" To which I respond: "Oh yeah? If you lived in a warm climate where you only needed heat for two weeks of the year, would you do without a heating source in your home?"

Anyway, I'll be leaving for the gym in a few minutes. Oddly enough, that's one of the few places I go to that has air conditioning. After my workout, I always sit in the hot sauna, and then I follow that with a plunge into the ice-cold dipping pool.

After that, all is well with my boring world.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

2009-08-12T04:30:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I haven't reduced or reused anything today. But I did recycle!!

Every three months or so, we receive a couple of recycling bags in our mailbox - one for shoes, and one for clothes. I love it! It's easy, free of hassle, and the frequency of pickups encourages us to go through our wardrobes on a regular basis. I go through my wardrobes, pick out a few things I no longer want, throw them in the bag, and VOILA! Out they go to the curb on the designated day. TODAY was that day.

Mrs. TBF is pretty good about it too. At first, it was like pulling teeth to get her to go through her wardrobes. But now, she just kind of snarls a little bit and then gets it over with.

I like recycling here. It's not quite as easy as it was in Chicago where we could just put everything in one container, drag it out to the curb once per week, and that was that. Instead, we have to bring our plastic bottles, batteries, light bulbs, and Brita filters (you read that correctly) back to the grocery store. But that's really not a problem. Bottles and cans have to be brought to community recycling bins, but that's not really a problem either (for us at least) because there is a recycling area right in front of our building. Bundled newspapers and cardboard are set out on the curb and picked up once per month, and there are also regularly schedules pickup days for larger household items, metal items, and garden waste - just about everything. In fact, as is evidenced by the large list/schedule we receive from the town hall at the start of the year, it seems like just about everything can be recycled here in Switzerland.

Here are some of the things, with instructions regarding where/when/how:

medicine, used motor and cooking oil, electrical appliances, refrigerators, wine corks, stones and construction waste, mirrors and windows, tree stumps, kitty litter sand, and last but not least...

ANIMAL CADAVERS (at the main municipal services area on Monday from 13:30 - 17:00, and on Fridays from 13:30 to 16:00!).

The municipal services area is about a three minute walk from our apartment. Ummm... remind me to avoid it on Monday and Friday afternoons - especially Friday afternoons!

That would really put a damper on my Friday evening T.G.I.F. cocktail!!

The Lazy Days Of Summer...

2009-08-11T08:20:00.000-04:00

Since the kids will all be back in school soon, I figured it would be fitting if I got back to blogging on a regular basis. I guess the main reason I haven't blogged for the past few weeks is that not much has been going on.

Give me a minute, and I'm sure I can think of something.

...

...

Ok... here we go.

My parents are back in Canada now. If you'll recall, they were here back in June, then they went to Finland (where I met up with them) for several weeks, and then they came back to Basel for a few days before heading back to North America during the first week of August. We had pretty good weather, got to enjoy meals on the balcony and rooftop, and had a relaxing time. They partied with a bunch of our friends during our August 1st/Swiss National Day BBQ and also got a chance to experience Dale...

We've been cat-sitting Dale for nearly three weeks now while Canadian-Swiss and Orange-X (whom he obviously misses very much) have been on vacation. At his own home, he seems like a totally laid-back cat. Here at our apartment??? He's been...well...a challenge!!! He howls all night (had to confine him to the non-bedroom side of the apartment during the night) and sleeps all day, basically shows us no attention unless he's hungry (which is most of the time when he's not sleeping), has had several not-using-the-litter-box incidents even though I am constantly checking to make sure it is clean, and has pretty much helped us make the decision that we will be a cat-free household from here on out. After King died, we kind of talked about never having a cat again, but now???

Definitely never!

We're taking good care of him, but he's just not returning the love. What makes it worse is that Mrs. TBF is in the U.S. right now, and I'm having to deal with the beast on my own. Yaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!

BEAST!!!

Dear C.S. and O.X.: Please hurry home, and safe travels. We look forward to visiting the well-behaved, calm Dale AT YOUR HOUSE.

Other than that: grocery shopping, watering the garden, gym, cooking dinner, cleaning the house, etc., etc.

ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

'66, '85, '02, '05, and... '09

2009-07-22T04:55:00.003-04:00

This was my fifth time visiting the fatherland. And, therefore, my fifth time in Helsinki.

After visiting with the relatives in Kauhava for a few days, I took the train back to Helsinki. Mrs. TBF took the same 6:05 a.m. flight that morning that I had taken a few days earlier, and she met me at the train station.

Here are a few of my favorite photos:

After dropping off the bags at our hotel, we went straight to the Kauppatori (market square) for some grub. It's a beautiful location right on the waterfront with lots of food stalls and vendors selling fish, vegetables, souvenirs, etc. However, one does need to watch out for the (very aggressive) seagulls. Those beasts will just swoop down and steal your food if you're not careful. Also, a couple of times while I was walking I heard a splat right next to me and realized that I had narrowly escaped one of their seagull bombs. The tent where we ate, along with all the other tents, were covered in seagull crap. We quickly ate Baltic herring and muikkut, and got the hell outta there... unsoiled!!! The Finns have got to do something about those damn birds!

There aren't too many places in the world where one can buy salmiakki candies or ice cream. Best described as tasting like salty licorice, it is definitely an acquired taste. If you can convince yourself that your are not eating a scoop of sludge (or seagull shit) on a cone, it's really quite tasty. However, there is one nasty side effect: salmiakki tongue!

On Friday night, we had a nice meal at Ravintola Savoy. The restaurant interior was designed by Aino and Alvar Aalto, and it is protected landmark. Everything - even the chairs (although I assume they've been reupholstered) - is the same as it was when it opened in the late-1930s. I snapped the first photo when Mrs. TBF and I first sat down at 9:30 p.m. The second photo was taken at 11:15 p.m.

Overall, we had a relaxing, enjoyable weekend in Helsinki with one bit of adventure sandwiched in the middle. More about that later...

Food For Thought

2009-07-22T03:35:00.000-04:00

For the past few years, Mrs. TBF has had to endure my sermons regarding how I would solve America's health care issues. Ok... maybe my idea of an annual weigh-in and a "fat tax" is a bit... um... extreme.

Let's scratch that one.

However, a much simpler approach which most Americans could (but are for the most part unwilling to) do is... Ready for this????

LOSE WEIGHT!!!!!!**

Losing weight would cut down on type 2 diabetes, knee operations, back problems, unnecessary tests, etc. Plus the money one would save on food could go toward purchasing that shiny new car, big screen TV, or straight into the savings account.

Yeah, sure! Like people would actually put the money into savings. Right!

The benefit of that would be that the sales tax on non-food items is much higher than it is on groceries, and that would result in more money going into government coffers. Which, in turn, could go into health care (which people would now be requiring less of).

See? I told you I had it all figured out.

Anyway...

I saw this little letter to the editor in The Economist yesterday:

SIR - Some of the expense of health care derives from Americans' diet and sedentary lifestyle. We have the highest percentage of overweight and obese patients in the industrialized world. One-third of Americans are obese; that is 50% more than the British, 100% more than the Germans and 250% more than the French. The cost of treating obese patients rises as their body mass index increases.
Obesity lessens life expectancy more than smoking. I would like to see Europe's health-care costs with the same levels of obesity.
DR. ARTURO BONNIN
Dayton, Ohio

See? I've been saying it all along!

**I'd also like to take this moment to remind people that you don't loose weight, but instead, you lose weight.

loose vs. lose

Finnish Relatives

2009-07-20T12:45:00.000-04:00

I saw quite a few of my relatives while in Finland.

My grandmother had 16 children. Two of them died as infants, and three have passed away in the past few years. Of the other eleven, two (including my father) live in North America, and the other nine live in Finland. Of the nine who live in Finland, eight of them (one aunt couldn't make it because her husband was in the hospital) made it to a family get-together we had at my one aunt's house.

I tower over almost all of my relatives. I say "almost" because my dad has one brother who got most of the "big" genes in his family - my Uncle Laijo. Just look at his forearms! They're like logs!!! They make mine look like toothpicks. I wish I'd had a tape measure because I'm betting that his forearms are bigger than my thighs! Incidentally, when I was in Finland in 1966 as I was approaching four years old, I used to hang from his index finger!

After our little reunion, we stopped at the house where my dad was born. I told him I wanted to physically touch it (which I did) - something I hadn't done since 1966! As we walked back to the car, my dad pointed to the corner of the house where he was born.

I thought that was pretty cool.

Kauhava Or Bust!

2009-07-20T12:15:00.002-04:00

We have returned!

Last Tuesday, at the butt-crack of dawn, I embarked on a 12+ hour journey from Basel to Kauhava, Finland. Kauhava is where my dad was born, and since my parents were spending some time there I figured I'd join them and visit with some of the relatives I haven't seen since 2005.

It doesn't look too far away on the map, but it seemed to take forever to get there. First, I had to get up at 4 a.m. to catch a 6:05 a.m. flight to Munich where I connected for a 9:00 a.m. flight to Helsinki.*

Those early-morning flights are killers. TBF does NOT recommend them!

I had some time to kill at Munich Airport, so I went into a barber shop and asked if they'd give me a shave. They seemed willing to do so until I told them that I wanted them to shave my head, and then they refused.

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SLAPHEADS!!! Who do I talk to about that?

When I finally arrived in Helsinki, Finnish frugality took immediate hold of me because I took the Finnair bus from the airport (with a bunch of Japanese people) to the central train station (5.90 Euros instead of 40 Euros for a taxi). At the train station, I snapped right back into travel diva mode and bought a first class train ticket to Kauhava, looked at my watch, and realized that I had about two hours to kill before the 15:30 departure. The two hours were spent pretty much eating, drinking, and watching a bunch of people walking by - pretty much all of whom looked like they could have been related to me in some way.

The train ride was pretty uneventful, and I finally arrived in Kauhava around 6:45 p.m. Man, that was loooooooooooong trip!

I was met at the train station by my parents and one of my aunts. We went back to the apartment my parents were staying at, I had a bite to eat, watched some Finnish TV, and went to bed just after midnight.

This (photo taken at 12:22 a.m.) is about as dark as it gets at night in July in Kauvaha, Finland. I forgot to bring a sleep mask, but don't worry - I didn't need one! I think I fell asleep about 10 seconds after my head hit the pillow!

*Since a lot of my older relatives don't speak English, I figured I'd go to Kauhava alone, and Mrs. TBF then met me in Helsinki later on in the week.

Dublin: Toner's - Now And Then

2009-07-11T09:40:00.002-04:00

While in Dublin this past week, Colm, Diana, Mrs. TBF, and I enjoyed a couple of pints in a pub called Toner's. It was at this very same pub, in 1992, that Diana, Mrs. TBF, and I were enjoying our pints (while Colm was back at the apartment studying for his M.B.A.) when a very drunk man suddenly staggered out of the front door into the alley right by where we were sitting, and then proceeded to projectile vomit all over the ground only a few yards away from us. A few seconds later, his friends walked out and gave him a good ridiculing. Aaaaahhhhh, the memories!

Unfortunately, I didn't capture the projectile vomiting on film. However, I did dig up a few photos of us taken at Toner's in 1992.

Now: July 6, 2009

Then: Approx. July 1, 1992

Dublin: The First Evening

2009-07-09T05:20:00.000-04:00

The day after Japandy, Mrs. TBF and I took off for Dublin.

How's this for bad luck? Ryanair used to have direct flights from Basel to Dublin. I say "used to" because they had them until July 1st. That's right, they discontinued the flights as of July 1st, so we opted to fly Aer Lingus out of Zürich.

It's the last time we'll do that.

Ok... I'll just admit blame by saying that it's my fault for not reading the fine print. Aer Lingus has a 6 kg. weight limit for carry-on bags. 6 KILOS!!!! That's about 13 lbs. I mean, my shoes weight nearly that much.

What a joke!

Naturally, we were both over the maximum allowed weight on our carry ons. So, we ended up having to check one bag. Not only that, but we then had to PAY 30 francs for the privilege of checking the bag. It was a total example of over-zealous, Swiss rule following. When we checked in with Aer Lingus in Dublin for the return flight home, they didn't even weigh our bags. Nope... they didn't care one bit. I mean, if it's a regulation size carry on bag.... WHO THE F#$% CARES HOW MUCH IT WEIGHS AS LONG AS YOU CAN LIFT IT INTO THE OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT YOURSELF???? Whether it weighs 5 lbs. or 25 lbs., IT STILL TAKES UP THE SAME AMOUNT OF ROOM!!!!!!!!

As a result, if I ever fly to Dublin from Basel again, I'll choose to fly BA or Lufthansa out of Basel... EVEN IF IT COSTS MORE!!! It's the principle of the thing.

Enough ranting!

The reason for our trip to Dublin was to see my sister, my Irish bro-in-law, and the kids who were in Dublin visiting Grandma Nellie. We stayed at The Westbury this time, and I won't go into details, but...

The Merrion (where we stayed last time) is MUCH nicer. The Westbury has a great location right on Grafton Street, but we'll stay at The Merrion again if we ever return to Dublin.

Our bro-in-law, Colm, was off fishing with his brother the day arrived, so my sister left the kids with Grandma Nellie and met us for dinner at a pub not too far from our hotel. We all enjoyed the pub food, and Mrs. TBF and I washed it down with Guinness - as you do in Ireland, right? Of course, my sister insisted on drinking Heineken.

Whatever!

After returning to our room, we thought we'd open the curtains in order to check out the view.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Mrs. TBF quickly closed the curtains, and I immediately began treating her for third-degree burns!

Japandy!

2009-07-09T04:25:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Dr. Andy's birthday this past weekend. Some time back, Mrs. TBF decided on a menu of sushi and grilled steak with an Asian marinade. Hence, we decided that the theme of this dinner party would be... JAPANDY!

Pretty good, isn't it? I came up with that one, and Mrs. TBF is still seething about it!

Dr. Andy's birthday was actually last month. But due to travel/work conflicts, we were unable to celebrate until this past Saturday. Even this date proved to not be perfect since Dr. Rammy and Oliver were unable to attend due to a prior commitment in England, but we still had a nice, intimate gathering.

One of the sushi offerings was a Mrs. TBF creation: steak tartare sushi. Go ahead, Google it. You'll see that sushi AND steak tartare come up often in the same paragraph, but NEVER as "steak tartare sushi." I'm telling you, Mrs. TBF invented steak tartare rolled up as a sushi roll! And???? It's GREAT!!!!

As an aside: I once came up with what I thought was my own invention: the oyster martini. It was probably around 2004 or 2005 when, on a Friday evening, I was sitting at the dinner table with a martini and a plate of raw oysters. Suddenly, I came up with the idea of scraping an oyster off the shell - oyster liquor and all - right into my martini. At the end of the drink, when the gin is still just barely covering the oyster, you just slurp the whole thing right down.

Try it! It's great!!!

I called Dr. Andy, and I told him to come over to try my invention - the "oyster 'tini." He came over, tried it, and praised my creativity and inventiveness. Unfortunately, he Googled "oyster martini" after going home and came up with hundreds of hits. The next morning, he came over and broke the bad news over a cup of coffee.

Oh well. I guess one inventor per household is enough.

If It Ain't Broke...

2009-06-30T14:35:00.000-04:00

...don't fix it!

When will I ever learn?

I've been wearing Jockey underwear for as long as I can remember. I noticed a few months ago that some of my old tighty whities were starting to look a little worn, so I decided that I'd pick up a new supply during my last trip to Chicago. For whatever reason, when I went to the department store, I decided to get all fancy and buy a bunch of different brands - none of them Jockey. I bought some Polo/Ralph Lauren, 2(x)ist, and Emporio Armani.

The Armani underwear is great. Of course, at $25 each, THEY SHOULD BE!! Am I stuck in about 1977? I think men's briefs should still be something like 3 for $10. The Polo underwear is not bad either. However...

The 2(x)ist underwear has got to be the worst underwear ever made. I'm not sure what body type they've designed this underwear for, but it seems to me that it would fit me much better if I were lacking a rear end AND a scrotum. Sheesh! Talk about uncomfortable! Naturally, that's the underwear I bought the most of. Double-sheesh! I just threw it all in the garbage. That's right! I don't even want to look at it!!!

Next time, I'm just going to do what I've always done: I'm going to order Jockey underwear on the internet, have it sent to my mother-in-law's house, and have it waiting for me when I get to Chicago. Unfortunately, I won't be back in Chicago until October which means that I'm hoping my current supply holds up until then. Either that, or...

I'm gonna be goin' commando!

Yard Bird

2009-06-30T08:05:00.004-04:00

There are few foods I enjoy more than BBQ chicken. In fact, it just may be my favorite food. If you ever want to distract me for a good hour or so, just grill a chicken, put the whole thing on my plate, and I won't look up until the carcass is gnawed clean. I'll eat all of the skin, meat, the pope's nose, the bloody blobs inside, and even some of the bones. Don't believe me? Just ask Mrs. TBF... she'll tell ya!

This past Sunday, we went to the home of Orange-X and Canadian-Swiss for some BBQ. When I saw that we were having rotisserie chicken, I started to get all tingly inside. Even better, they kept brushing them with butter and then let the butter and chicken drippings drip into a pan filled with potatoes.

WOW!!!

The smell drove me so insane that I almost began chomping on Dale. Instead, I took a little bite out of C-S as she carved up the beautiful, brown birds. She kind of tasted a little bit like a combination of Canadian maple syrup and Swiss chocolate. I would have taken a bite out of Orange-X too, but, fortunately for him, C-S served up the food just in time. I kind of imagine that he'd taste like a combo of rijsttafel and bitterballen. Hmmm... maybe next time!

I'm happy to report that I got some pope's nose. Also, I ate most of the skin that Mrs. TBF had pulled off her yard bird and put on the side of her plate (Jeez! What's the matter with her?!?!?), PLUS I grabbed some of her bones and gnawed on them just like I do at home. I think I also enjoyed the potatoes.

...can't remember exactly. I was in the yard bird zone!

TD F 90-22.1

2009-06-23T13:25:00.004-04:00

Do you have a foreign bank or securities account? If you're an American person living abroad, then you probably do.

Did you know that you're required to file IRS form TD F 90-22.1 by June 30, 2009. That's the "Report Of Foreign Bank And Financial Accounts". On this form, you have to report all of the foreign bank/securities accounts you held in 2008. This year, the form has been revised from previous years. On the current form, you have to list all sorts of details such as: Maxiumum value of account during calender year reported. You didn't have to report that on the previous forms.

The penalty for not reporting your accounts to the IRS? $100,000!!! Of course, our accountants told us that they have not heard of one fine being levied... YET!

I can understand the U.S. government wanting to keep track of Americans with foreign assets. I mean, there are a lot of tax cheats out there. However, do they really think that somebody attempting to avoid paying U.S. taxes by hiding millions of dollars in an offshore account is really going to file this form - OR, even worry about a $100,000 fine??? Instead, I end up filling out the forms, spending $7.00 (twice) on sending them with a proof of mailing from Switzerland because I have to send my forms and Mrs. TBF's forms separately just to make sure that at least one set gets to the IRS (...kind of anal that way!), and all this just so some IRS clerk on the taxpayers' tab can just sit there entering numbers into a datafile that will probably never be used anyway?

What a waste of time and resources!

Isn't it about time the U.S. adopted a better method of taxation???? Anyhoo... Our forms are on there way to the IRS as we speak.

The forms must be postmarked one week from today. You better sharpen those pencils.

** UPDATED ON JUNE 24, 2009: Apparently there are a lot of people finally getting around to filing this form - 7 hits resulting from "TD F 90-22.1" in the last 12 hours.

Two Milestones

2009-06-23T08:35:00.002-04:00

In all the excitement preceding last week's parental visit, I completely missed two major TBF milestones :

June 16th marked the 25th anniversary of my graduation from Northwestern University, and...

June 17th marked the 5th anniversary of my first blog post.

Having blogged for five years is no big deal, but JEE-ZUS! I graduated from college over 25 years ago! YIKES!!!

Time flies!

Out With The Old-New...

2009-06-23T08:20:00.001-04:00

... and in with the New-New!!!

Our Nespresso machine bit the dust this weekend. It had a two year warranty, and it lasted just over three years. I consider it a personal victory that the thing lasted 50% longer than the warranty period: perhaps a new record for a product made in Switzerland.

Actually, the thing did break - and was repaired free of charge - one time during the warranty period. So, in all fairness, the fine people at Nespresso did take care of us. However, I STILL SAY...

Swiss Quality: HA! RUBBISH!!!

Seeing how the fine people at Nespresso pretty much had me by MY coffee beans since I had ordered about 500 Nespresso coffee capsules the previous week, I had basically no choice but to go out and buy another Nespresso machine. And, that I did.

We are now the proud owners of the latest (and greatest?) Citiz Nespresso machine. It's sleeker, has nice little features that our previous machine didn't have, and the coffee seems to come out hotter than before: all good! Plus, we have a brand new zwei Jahre Garantie! That means that IT WILL BE THE LAST COFFEE MACHINE WE EVER BUY IN SWITZERLAND!!!!!!!!

And now for an installment of like/no like:

LIKE: The Swiss certainly know how to make machines that make a great cup of coffee.

NO LIKE: Swiss Quality is a sham! The coffee machines should last, in my opinion, AT LEAST five years!

Came And Went...

2009-06-23T07:55:00.001-04:00

My parents arrived in Basel this past Friday. This morning, I drove them to the airport (at 4:45 a.m.!!!!), and now they're gone. But no worries because they're going to spend a few weeks in Finland visiting friends and relatives, and then they'll be coming back to Basel at the end of July.

We didn't really do too much this past weekend. The folks adjusted to the time zone with a few naps, ventured into Basel a couple of times, and we had a few drinks (and enjoyed a fire) on the rooftop. That's about it.

Who knows? Maybe we'll actually venture out of the Basel area when they return at the end of next month.

Bougainvillea

2009-06-16T18:45:00.000-04:00

This is me wondering how much bigger our bougainvillea (one of the true stars of our rooftop garden) will actually get this year if it's already this big by the middle of June.

Last fall, for the first time, I sent "Bogie" (and other plants) to a greenhouse to spend the winter - he (yes, he's a he!) came back home the first week of May ready to explode with flowers. In prior years, I had him winter-over in our stairwell. While the stairwell is warm, it's also very dry. Bogie would go dormant, lose all his leaves, and have to start from scratch when I'd bring him outside in May.

Although I have yet to receive a bill, I think sending him to a greenhouse was a good decision. Don't cha think?

Another thing...

I took this picture earlier this evening at 8:50 p.m. just before the sun set. The late setting summer sun, along with the fact that we have VERY FEW mosquitoes here which permits us to actually enjoy the sunset outdoors are two of my favorite things about living in Basel. I know (because my friends often tell me) that I can sometimes be very anti-Switzerland, but I think I'll start to balance it out by sometimes reporting on the things I actually like about living here. In fact, whenever I write about something I dislike about Switzerland, I'm going to (try to) balance it out by writing about something I like about living in Switzerland within the same post.

This post?

Like: 2
No like: 0

Just A Thought

2009-06-16T18:20:00.000-04:00

What ever happened to postage stamps?

I rarely use them any more. Way back when we lived in the U.S., I used to have a roll in the car's glove box, a roll in the desk in the home office, and a few extras tucked into the checkbook. Nowadays... NONE!

That's right... I don't have any postage stamps in the apartment at all.

Today, I had to actually mail a letter. So, I went to the post office that is conveniently located about a one minute walk from our apartment, bought ONE stamp, and mailed the letter there. Yes, I guess I could have bought a book of stamps then and there, but...

I didn't.

Nope... didn't need 'em.

I started thinking about it, and the last time I actually mailed something was when I mailed our U.S. tax return back in April. Before that? Who knows? Maybe a few Christmas cards back in December???

I do all of our banking/paying of bills electronically, and all correspondence is done via e-mail, so there's just no need for me to keep postage around the house.

Hmmm... how things change! It's no wonder the postal service is hurting.

One Of My Favorite Things...

2009-06-09T13:40:00.002-04:00

...is to watch people falling asleep in public. I find few things funnier than a person nodding off, suddenly jerking awake, and then looking up at everybody and wondering why they're all staring at him.

I'm even chuckling right now thinking about it.

The 2+ hour train ride from Lausanne to Basel last month provided a worthy subject. First, the guy spent about ten minutes "digging for gold" - that, I tried to ignore. However, soon the eyes grew heavy, and the head began to nod.

I got my camera ready.

A couple of minutes later, Mrs. TBF said: "NOW!"

Snap! Photographic gold!

Another one for the "falling asleep in public" collection. They go into the file with this one from somewhere over the Atlantic in January 2007, and this one from Tokyo in October 2007.

Maybe one day I'll publish them all in a coffee table book

I Forgot To Mention...

2009-06-09T13:20:00.000-04:00

In early May, Mrs. TBF and I celebrated the 25th anniversary of our first date. Since the anniversary fell right before my trip to Chicago and Mrs. TBF's trip to New York, we decided to celebrate the anniversary later in the month - in Lausanne.

Lausanne was actually the first place we traveled to (other than day trips) after moving to Switzerland. We took the train to Lausanne, checked into the same hotel we stayed in eight years ago, unpacked our overnight bags, and... then I watched Mrs. TBF break out the laptop so that she could take care of some important work e-mails.

But hey... no worries! That just took a few minutes.

We went down to the spa, swam in the pool, went in the sauna and hammam, and just plain relaxed. Afterwards, we had a drink in one of the hotel bars before heading out to dinner at a restaurant called Hôtel de Ville in nearby Crissier.

The restaurant was FANTASTIC! Perhaps the best meal I've ever eaten: definitely in the top five. Waiters in tuxedos... 11 courses... great wines... etc. I even wore a suit... and a tie! Of course, I could go on and on, but I won't. Just go check it out for yourself if you're ever in the Lausanne area. It's expensive, but worth it!

The next day, we woke up still full from the night before, but we managed to make it downstairs for breakfast anyway. After breakfast, we tried to burn off a few calories by walking along Lac Léman a bit, and then it was back to Basel. Short... but sweet!

Kind of like Mrs. TBF.

Getting All Spruced Up...

2009-06-09T12:35:00.002-04:00

...inside and out!

Our next-door neighbor, the Migros grocery store, is being overhauled (it's about time!!) The interior is being rearranged and modernized, and the outside is getting a fresh coat of paint (a.k.a. an empty canvas for the local graffiti artists).

I think it was around the time we went to Amsterdam that I first noticed that something was going on inside. Stuff was being moved around, and then new shelves started going in. Then, late last month, the scaffolding started going up. In fact, they even began working on it AT 5:37 one Saturday MORNING! That's right... 5:37 A.M.!

So let me get this right...

I can't make noise between noon and 2 p.m. during "quiet time", but workers can hammer pieces of scaffolding together right next to our apartment building before 6 o'clock on a Saturday morning??? clank...Clank...CLANK!!!!!!

Whatever!

Anyway...

Although it's been open during the entire renovation, there's going to be a grand re-opening on June 18th. With the new layout, it seems like there's a lot more shelving which means a lot more room for new products.

Fritos? Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing?

Fat chance!

Eight Eyes

2009-06-04T11:20:00.001-04:00

I experienced a major life milestone while I was in Chicago.

On May 7th, at 3 p.m., I showed up at my cousin Greg's office for an eye exam - don't worry... he's an opthamologist. In fact, I arrived fifteen minutes early. God, I'm such a Swissy! Even he wasn't there yet!!!

First of all, I'd like to say that I successfully took public transportation from my sister's town in the northwest suburbs to my cousin's office on the nort'side of Chicago. So, who says you can't get anywhere using public transportation in America? It only took about 30 minutes longer than it would have if I had gone by car (assuming absolutely no traffic), so it wasn't too bad at all.

After Dr. Greg examined me, my suspicions were confirmed: I now need glasses for reading!

Greg told me that my distance vision was perfect, and that I should just pick up some cheap reading glasses (the lowest magnification possible) at a drug store. So, that's what I did. Kind of...

Never being one to pass up an opportunity to go to Costco, I did just that and picked up a three-pack of reading glasses for about $20. Oh, and by the way, I checked out the price last week at our local grocery store in Basel, and...

$25 for ONE pair of glasses!

My glasses are now positioned on the bidet/magazine rack in our "library", in the TV room for when I want to read instead of watching yet another one of Mrs. TBF's cooking programs, and on the desk in our office to be used when blogging or surfing the net.

That is... when they're not all on my head simultaneously for display purposes only.

I actually thought I was being very frugal by getting three pairs of glasses for $20. However, my dad one-upped me.

While I was in Sudbury, my dad told me that he had to get a new pair of prescription glasses. Apparently he had to wait a week before getting them, so he went to the drugstore to buy a pair of cheap reading glasses. Oh, and here's the best part...

HE LEFT THE PLASTIC TAG ON THEM SO THAT HE COULD GET A REFUND AFTER RETURNING THEM AFTER RECEIVING HIS PRESCRIPTION GLASSES!!!

That's my dad - the master of frugality!

What A Difference...

2009-06-04T10:50:00.001-04:00

...a couple of months makes.

The rooftop garden: the first week of April.

The rooftop garden: the first week of June.

They Grow Up So Fast...

2009-06-04T10:20:00.001-04:00

This our niece (and goddaughter) Fiona. She's going to be 14 in July, and this picture was taken while we were in Chicago on the eve of her 8th grade dance. She's something like 5'7" or 5'8" now - a little taller than my sister, and half a head taller than Mrs. TBF. It's hard to believe that she and her sister Kiera looked like this when we moved to Switzerland.

Man, we've been here a long time!

I took this picture of the entire clan after going out for breakfast on the Sunday morning (May 17th) before returning to Basel. I tried a couple of times to get a picture where everyone's eyes were open.

No such luck...

Back In Chicagoland...

2009-06-03T03:20:00.002-04:00

The three of us drove up to Sudbury on a Friday. On Tuesday, we made the 12.5 hour drive back to Chicago. Let me tell you, there's nothing like discovering you have a big zit on the back of your neck at the beginning of a 12.5 hour drive - it really makes the time fly by.

Man, I miss puberty!

The day after arriving back in Chicago, Mrs. TBF joined me. She had been on a business trip in NYC, and she was able to take a couple of vacation days (although she was on the phone with work for a good chunk of them) and come out to Chicago for the weekend. She snapped this photo of me (after she had been on the phone with the home office for 30 minutes) standing in front of Bed Bath and Beyond leaning against my rented Impala.**

I LOVE B-Bab (as I call it), and I LOVE driving an Impala. Let me tell you... when we win the big lotto, NO Rolls Royce for me. NO sir! I'm buying an Impala. Maybe I'll just buy a new one every month so I always have that new car smell.

After B-Bab, it was Mrs. TBF's turn. Ugh... shoe shopping at Nordstrom.

LORD, TAKE ME NOW!

I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

**For the record: I washed the shirt between wearing it in Sudbury and wearing it in Chicago.

Sudbury Relatives...

2009-06-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

We managed to see quite a few relatives while we were in Sudbury. I always had my little camera on my belt when we were together with the relatives. Unfortunately, I pretty much always forgot about the camera on my belt until I was undressing to go to bed at night. DOH!

You're just going to have to take my word for it - we saw a lot of relatives.

Fortunately, I did manage to remember the camera when we were visiting my Aunt Astrid and Uncle Elmer. They live about 30 minutes outside of Sudbury, and we went out to their place one sunny morning for some coffee and cake.

I also remembered to take a picture of the trees that morning. Why, you ask? Well, look at those trees! Do you notice anything unusual? That's right... barely any leaves at all. May 11th, and it still felt like late winter or VERY early spring to me.

Summer comes late and ends early in Northern Ontario. My Uncle Erik told me that he doesn't know why anybody bothers to plant flowers there during the summer. You can't put them out until June, and they're pretty much on their way out by the beginning of September.

Remember...

2009-06-02T08:42:00.001-04:00

It's just what brothers do.

I've got loads of 'em!

Mother's Day 2009...

2009-06-02T08:40:00.000-04:00

Aren't we just the best kids in the world?

We drove to visit our mom on Mother's Day, and then we made her cook a big meal for us and assorted relatives on her special day.

I can't remember the last time I had had double-baked potatoes. They were awesome!

Sudbury In May...

2009-06-02T08:30:00.000-04:00

No visit to Sudbury is complete without at least one trip to Canadian Tire. My dad and I braved the mob of Saturday shoppers just so I could pick up a spare Get Lost Wasp.

They really work!

Later on, my parents took us to Kings Buffet (no apostrophe!) for the all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. Oddly enough, there weren't too many Asian things on the buffet. And... I didn't find the food to be very good. Perhaps I'll have to take Kings Buffet off the things-to-do-while-in-Sudbury list.

More May Moments...

2009-06-02T08:15:00.001-04:00

We - me, my sister, and my little niece - had an early start on the morning of Friday, May 8th. How early? VERY early!

At 3:50 a.m., we pulled out of my sister's suburban Chicago driveway and began the long drive to my parents' "summer" home in Sudbury, Ontario.

By 6:50 a.m., my niece was taking a nap. At 11:50, my niece was wide-awake and enjoying her lunch at Burger King in Manistique, Michigan which has got to be in the running for the highest average weight per employee of pretty much any business establishment in Michigan. Hmmmm... maybe the entire U.S.? NO! Maybe... the entire world! My advice to the Manistique BK employees: stop taking advantage of the employee food discount! WHOA!!!

A couple of hours later, we were approaching the Canadian border. I multi-tasked by simultaneously driving while taking unflattering pictures of my sister sleeping.

That's just what brothers do!

About 12.5 hours after our early morning departure, we arrived in one piece at my parents' place. I felt a little sluggish from the day's junk food diet, but, other than that, none the worse for wear. And...

I'm proud to report that even in my road weary and jet lagged state, I somehow managed to construct this architectural masterpiece for my niece.

TBF the architect. Maybe I missed my calling.

Things We Did During May - Part I

2009-05-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

On May 2nd, we had our ceremonial burning of the last oyster crate of the season.

I know, I KNOW!!! It's OK to eat oysters during the summer. However, we're old-school when it comes to oysters, and we still prefer not to eat them during the "r" months.

Oh yeah... and I'm officially taking credit for coining the phrase: "That thing burned faster than an oyster crate."

Stand back, people!!! It just takes one oyster crate for devil horns to be achieved.

Jusqu'au 1er Septembre, mon cher huîtres...

Back To Blogging...

2009-05-27T09:45:00.000-04:00

I thought it would be nice to take a month off from blogging. However, I just received this e-mail from my parents:

Mitä on tapahtunu, kun sinun Home page:iin ei ole tullu kuukauteen yhtään mitään!!??.

Isä ja äiti.

I guess my hiatus is over.

What's been going on for the past month? Well... you're just going to have to wait and see. Little snippets will begin to trickle onto the blog over the next few days.

Let's start slowly...

Hoochie Mama's Day!

2009-04-28T03:25:00.000-04:00

I just received an e-mail from Gucci with some gift idea's for Mother's Day. Here's one of the suggestions from the fine-a people-a at-a Gucci.

So, mom...

Whaddya think?

* For those of you who aren't as shtreet as me, here's the definition of "hoochie mama".

Just Wondering...

2009-04-27T04:40:00.000-04:00

Dear Mom & Dad:

Do I have a relative named Masa? I've seen him on Facebook, he has the same last name as us, and... well... he sure looks a lot like me.

Love,

Your son

Shake, Rattle, and ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz!

2009-04-24T03:55:00.001-04:00

In my never-ending battle to keep my workouts interesting, I've signed up to use a new exercise machine at the gym. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce the Fitvibe.
For those of you who don't know, the Fitvibe is a vibrating machine on which one performs various exercises. According to the fine people at Fitvibe: Exercising on a high quality vibration plate will improve muscle strength, bone density, blood circulation and will make your body leaner and more flexible. A friend of mine at the gym has been using it, and he let me try it for about 30 seconds. It seemed to be really effective, so I figured "Why not?". I was in the midst of a real workout rut, so I thought this might just "shake" things up a bit.*

Of course, like most things in Switzerland, the Fitvibe doesn't come cheap. Also of course, it's not included in my gym membership. In order to use the machine, I have to dish out 1 CHF per minute - or about 87¢ U.S. per minute. The price itself got my heart pumping faster, which I figured was a good thing as far as exercising goes.

And naturally...

In order to use the machine, I first had to sign up for a training session with an instructor that costs 40 CHF. Fortunately, the trainer waived the session fee when I told her beforehand that I would sign up for a 100 minute package. At that point, she told me that she had done a study and found out that if I use the machine for just eight minutes per week, then it's worth it to shell out 400 CHF for the unlimited time for one year package. "Ummmm... Let's start with the 100 minutes, and then we'll see where I go from there." Sheesh!

So, she set me up with an 8-minute (what a coincidence!) workout. I kind of laughed at first. Eight minutes? Was she kidding??? "No, I'm not keeding...", she said. "You sood not use zees machine more zan two, maybe sree times per veek. And also, for not too long - ten minutes sood be enough. If you haf cancer or tumors of any kind, it may cause zem to spret eef you do too much. Also, eef you get zee headache, stop using zee maseen immediately!"

ZZZZZZZiiiiiiiiiiiiippp! (sound of record skipping on turntable!)

What? Hmmmmm... This sounds dangerous. I like that.

I proceeded to do the exercises that, as I requested, would focus on my legs, back, and abdomen. And?

I COULDN'T EVEN DO MORE THAN 30 SECONDS ON SOME OF THE EXERCISES.

That's right. My muscles were giving out!

I've been working out at this gym religiously for the last 6.5 years, and this stupid machine made me feel like I was working out for the first time.

Last night, I was a zombie. Mrs. TBF pointed out this morning that the only dinner preparation I did last night was to make the salad - she did the rest, including the clean-up.

Then, I fell into bed about an hour earlier than usual and slept like a freakin' rock!

This morning? Oh... I'm sore. REALLY SORE!!! But... NO headaches!

I think this Fitvibe thing is going to be good.

*comedic legend in my own mind

Needing To See The Light...

2009-04-24T03:15:00.000-04:00

Crystal Light, that is!

I just drank my last Crystal Light "Skin essentials". All I can say is: "T'ank Got I'll be back in Chicago in less denn two weeks so I can stock up on Crystal Light."

In the meantime, where the hell am I supposed to get my antioxidant vitamins & plant extracts to help nourish my skin???? Where?, I ask you!!!!!

Skin emergency, people!!!!