Stephan returned from a business trip, and graciously spent what few minutes he had free to install a new system that not only includes more reliable Internet, but wireless connection! Whoo-hoo! Now I am home away from home! I think it's a good thing—one day without Internet was a nice break, but I'm not ready for a steady diet.
Among many people I know, IKEA seems to be almost a cult store, like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Penzey's. I've come to understand people's devotion to the last three, but had to travel to Switzerland to have the IKEA experience. Part of the fascination here is the reasonable prices: pretty normal by U. S. standards, but worth a special trip here. Or maybe it was the restaurant special: a huge plate of Swedish meatballs, with gravy and lingonberry sauce, plus a mountain of French fries with unlimited ketchup, all for CHF 5. I could have done without the gravy, but the meatballs were very good, the lingonberry sauce terrific, and I hadn't had French fries in ages. Even the shopping was fun, even for this non-shopper, though I suppose I'll have to go to Orlando's IKEA to discover what was the overall IKEA experience and what was due to the local flavor. The meal was my favorite, though—mostly because it was a good time to chat and renew acquaintance with a Swiss friend. Actually, she's not Swiss—she's an American living in Germany—but I meant a friend we only see when visiting Switzerland.
Father's Day is not celebrated in Switzerland (although they do have Mother's Day), but it at least gets a mention (and a large, yummy, soft pretzel for the men) when your church is an international one.
Settling in was not as difficult as it might have been, thanks to Janet and Stephan's patience and their creativity in finding a mother/mother-in-law nook in an apartment that was already crowded. We've been busy, with laundry and shopping and errands and even a party, but Janet's need to study for a major, intense, German certification exam coming up (if the baby doesn't come first) leaves me with time to write blog posts and take much-needed long walks. That will change, of course, but I'm grateful for the time to adjust.
I'm also grateful for inexpensive international phone calls, for e-mail, instant messaging, and other forms of communication with my other life. I don't think I would have made a very good traveller in the old days.
I certainly can't complain about the weather. Having left behind record-setting highs in Orlando, being able to wear jeans and a sweatshirt again is bliss.
