Mini-Fruit

At the grocery store I was excited when I saw some mini-fruit!

The pears were sooo cute and smelled lovely too!

Mini Pears

Mini Tomatos

Sunset in Bruderholz

I was driving alone the other night in Bruderholz (a part of Basel which is situated on a hill) cursing the GPS for the strange directions it dictated, when suddenly, I rounded a corner and spotted the entire, unobstructed sunset.  It was beautiful!  Sadly, I only had my phone camera.  Thanks TomTom!

Boys!

At the zoo ("Zolli") on Saturday, Alex and Juli were exchanging gifts: flowers and rocks.  The flowers were... short lived gifts and the rocks were... tasted!  They were really speaking each others' language! Fun times!

Queen Anne's Lace ~ a gift!

Some History

They are demolishing the old exhibition aka rave or homeless haven which was originally the German railway station at the Swiss-German border. For some time now (1906?) the border and the site of the railway station were moved.  Now the German railway station know as Badischer Bahnhof is located in Switzerland about 1/2 a kilometer from the original place.  When it moved, the main building of the old train station was transformed into the Swiss International School (SIS) the back of which you see in the photo below and the rest became part of the Exhibition (which now, has also moved about a kilometer away).  In fact, our home is on old train land!  Ironic considering my home in Toronto was on old CN land! :)

I've heard they will replace the old train station with a seniors home.... I know there is a considerable aging demographic but the land area seems too big for that much specific housing. I digress...

So now that the old train station walls are exposed (the now, exterior most wall of the SIS), I saw this - humm hard to see in the photo but it's above the pink graffiti: "Schweizerzoll".  Swiss Customs! 

It must have been there forever (ca.110 years?!)!!

"Schweizerzoll"

Scooting along

Well, the bike we got Alex is a tad too big. He can't reach the ground just yet. Very soon though, very soon. In the interim we got him a "previously loved" scooter that is actually - well... almost previously loved to death. But he's enjoying it and it's keeping his need for speed in check. No more bike-stealing for my kid! ...I hope!

First glimpse of Totoro!

Today was the first time Alex watched (part of) the My Neighbour Totoro movie. He was mesmerized!

He wasn't so keene on the biggest Totoro at first because he's so big and loud: "TO-TO-RO!!".  After the umbrella scene he was better, but a bit leery still.

Overall, it's a hit and he's asking to see the movie again! Heehee!!

This is the actual moment Totoro appears on-screen.

Construction or Wedding?

Site offices and wedding tents will never be the same for me again!

I really don't know what they are thinking on this construction site. First there was the giagantic wooden stair, 2 flights high that led to absolutely no where and now this... a site office??

I wonder if they serve cocktails with nibbles...

A wedding tent? Really?

Hot Daze

We had some super scorchers days this week.  I was a bit disgusted by it.  Yes, it was too hot.

I love air-conditioning on days (and nights) like these 'cuz I just feel like a gross lump otherwise.  But hanging out at the local mall all day has it's downsides... i.e. the heat-wave shock when they force you out the doors kicking and screaming for the night.  I had to find a way to keep us cool somehow.

I thought of the big public wading pools but then thought against the tram, the direct sun... and literally, stuck to the shade on our hot little balcony.  We got the little wading pool set-up, some watermelon and freezies.  Ahhhhh nice!! I moved as little as possible after filling the pool and as a reward got a "pedicure" from a very willing little boy.  YEP, he watered my feet for 2.5 hours! He also practiced his aim with a water shooter.  He's getting pretty good at it! He only came out of the water when his toes and fingers were properly shriveled. :)

Flooding in EU

We are lucky and only had what seems like a second spring thaw. Nothing that couldn't be sorted out with some simple caution tape. Lucky us. But some of our friends haven't been so lucky.  I wish all our friends and family well in these soggy days.