Why I Left Twitter

A very good friend of mine recently introduced me to an Internet site called "Twitter". As I'm sure all of you are Internet savvy, I won't bore you with explaining what the site is. I was reluctant to join at first, as I am not Internet savvy and wary of signing up for things but since I trust my very good friend, I joined.

It didn't take me long to figure the site out and, following my friend's suggestion, I added a couple of people whom I began following. I had a lot of laughs reading their updates and comments and their colourful conversations with one another. I even put in my 2 cents worth from time to time. But that's just the thing. If you're only on from time to time, then Twitter is not for you. You need to sign in almost every day in order to keep up with what's going on and what the people you follow are up to. Of course you could stay connected via your cell phone, but that's not free, especially not for me since I'm not based in North America. And of course you can access Twitter from other sites such as Twirl, Twitter email, etc., etc. but that brings me to the same point yet again.

And that is: Time. You need time for Twitter. Lots of it. And that's what got me. Not the new Facebook chat, no. Time. Plain and simple. Now, if you have a job which requires you to spend time at the computer, or you have the opportunity to go online at work in between what you're doing, then you've got no problem. But neither of the above apply to me. So that means when I'm at work, the computer is off limits. That leaves evenings, free days (since I'm a part-time employee) and weekends. Evenings and weekends are out. That is the time I spent with my husband or on Skype/video-phone with my family back home. Free days are actually only one day midweek and that time is used for housewife type work.

And if you say, well, are you always that busy that you can't spend any time online, then my answer is, well, what are you reading right now? Exactly. I keep this blog and I'm also on Facebook where 90% of my friends and some family members are on with me. They read my status updates, see my pictures, make comments, write on my wall, send me gifts and drinks, dedicate songs to me, play games with me and yes, chat with me or send me messages. It's just the perfect online world for me.

So, as much as it was fun those few weeks on Twitter, I've made the decision to resign. Sometimes you just have to know your limits and have enough sense not to go overboard.

Bye Twitter folks, I'll miss you. But like I said, I know who you are and where to find you :-)

Where I've Been

Apparently, the big craze right now is to write poems. I'm not very good at it, although my version of "Jolene" by Dolly Parton was not too bad, or at least you people said so, and the "Astronaut" poem is something I am actually proud of.

So here is another one. I've been asked by some to add the "Where I've Been" application on Facebook since I've been to so many places around the world. But as most of you know, I am The Facebook Application Queen and have added so many that my profile is getting a tiny bit too crowded. So I am reluctant to add more. As I was having lunch at work the other day, I thought about all the places I've visited on this small planet and some lines began stringing themselves together in my head. Of course, the places mentioned in this poem are only a few of the ones I've been to, but to include them all would mean a bad poem gone worse, so I'll spare you.

Here it is, hope you like.

Where I've Been

I drank strawberry wine in Malta
and Sangria in Madrid
I ate a shark steak in Australia
and a little bit of squid
I've seen the sun set behind Fiji
and Prague's golden city domes
With a waiter called Luigi
I've played a drinking game in Rome
Under cloudy skies in London
I drank tea and amber ale
I've sat beneath the mosks of Tunis
as they towered tall and pale
In the land-o-lakes of Canada
I made my home not long ago
But my destiny has called me
To the land of cows and snow.

My Husband's Attempt On My Life

Do you die from eating dandelion leafs?? I hope not, cuz I ate half a leaf last night. You see, dandelion leafs are NOT Rucola!

After spending half an hour last night thoroughly washing them and making a salad, I took a bite out of one leaf and immediately realized there was something wrong with my Rucola, namely, IT WASN'T RUCOLA AT ALL! It tasted nothing like it and was very bitter. I spat it out, but not before I had swallowed some of it instinctively. Me: "Shit, that's not Rucola! It's very bitter. I don't think you are supposed to eat that stuff!" Husband: "Oh? Well, I guess, that's not Rucola then. Don't eat it." Me: "Oh, thanks hon for letting me...OF COURSE I'M NOT GONNA EAT IT!!!"

So in the trash the whole bagful went, together with my disappointment. I guess I should have tried it right then and there before I picked a whole bag and brought it home and washed it. But I thought I didn't wanna eat any bugs or dirt. Ha, little did I know. So, lesson learned. Rucola is Rucola and dandelion leafs are dandelion leafs and folks, DON'T EAT DANDELION LEAFS! They look exactly the same, but they are not at all the same. Thank goodness we don't pick mushrooms, eh?!

Eat Your Greens

It's springtime! And what better to eat than fresh greens. And what better than fresh greens you picked yourself. We had a long weekend this past weekend and beautiful weather. We armed ourselves with gloves and scissors (for the nettle), and plastic bags and off we went. We picked nettle, rucola and bärlauch.







Nettle.



Yes, the stuff that burns and gives you a rash if you touch it. I knew from my grandmother that you can eat that stuff (when it's properly prepared). She used to make soup out of it and you can also make tea. It's very good for the bladder and kidneys and jam-packed with iron. This I had seen last summer around the house and even had an unfortunate experience getting stung by it while trying to get some soil for some flowers I wanted to plant. So this time, I went prepared. Gloves on and scissors in hand, I picked a whole bagful of it. But I had to call my grandma to ask what to do with it exactly. She gave me her soup recipe and I made it. It turned out very yummy indeed and even hubby, who has a very horrible experience with nettle (he fell in it face first as a child once and you can imagine the consequences), tried it and loved it. Ate, like, two bowls. I had leftover nettle which I froze in Zip-Lock bags for other times.









Rucola.

I love rucola, but unfortunately, it's always so criminally expensive when it comes out in the stores in early spring. I thought, it's some kind of exotic green for sure and hard to come by or farmers slave to plant it, water it and pick it. Until I found out what it actually was....dandelion leafs!!! Who would have thought? I'm a city girl and new to the country and clueless when it comes to things like this. I said to my husband the other day, let's buy some rucola, I realize it's expensive but I love it so much and it's so healthy. He says, "Rucola? You want rucola? My God, let's go out on the weekend and I'll pick you all the rucola you want". Me: "What are you talking about? Do you know what rucola is? Do you know what I'm talking about?" Him: "Uhm, yes, I do. It grows under your nose. Lots of it. You want it? We'll go pick some this weekend." Turns out rucola is nothing but dandelion leafs and hubby was right, they do grow under our noses, everywhere, and we picked and picked till our heart desired. I'm making fresh rucola salad all week next week. One thing to watch out for, however, is where exactly you pick from. Make sure it's not from land where cows graze or you'll get a little something extra on your rucola and I'm not sure I want to be eating that, even after thorough washing....

Bärlauch.

I don't know what that is in English, since I'd never seen it until I came to Switzerland. It's a leaf with the taste and smell of something between leek and garlic. It's very yummy, stinky, but yummy and it's a great additive to sauces, salads, pasta/lasagna, burger meat (of course home made, duh), soups, etc, etc. Once I was introduced to this herb, I couldn't have enough of it. Last couple of weeks, at the butcher's, they had a special bärlauch season and you could buy sausages, hamburgers and all kinds of stuff with the herb in them. We did of course, but now, bärlauch season at the butcher's is over. Not for us though. My mom-in-law told us where it grows and we picked some up today as well. We'll have some fresh and the rest I'll dry and store for future use, like oregano, but so much better.

It was a lot of work. Picking the greens, washing them, blanching them (the nettle, or else to the emergency room with you trying to eat it like that), cutting them, drying them and storing them. But it was all worth it. How else do you get your vitamins and minerals?!

A Day in the Life of a House Wife

A couple of days ago, my husband turned 30. I threw him a big surprise party to include all his family and friends. He was surprised. And very happy. We celebrated till 5:30 am! He got lots of great birthday presents which consisted mainly of alcohol and chocolate (nothing wrong with that) but a couple of his nieces and nephews gave him a much more special kind of present. Window art. I don't even know how they made it. Must be something they teach in school. But I put them up yesterday and they look great. They come right on time with the beautiful weather we've been having lately and they brighten up the house so well. Did I say "house"? That brings me to my second point.

Nate, darling, you better be sitting down before you read the next line. I want to be a house wife. Nate? Are you still with us honey? No, I'm dead serious. If someone had told me that a couple of years ago, I'd have laughed in their face. But the odd realization came to me yesterday as I was off from work and doing things around the house and thinking about a friend of mine who recently quit full time work, finally, and has joined me in the ranks of part-time employees. Now, let's take a sneak peak at a day in the life of a housewife.

I slept in till about 9:30am. Got up leisurely and made a cup of coffee which I enjoyed outside on the terrace with the beautiful sunshine warm on my skin, the birds singing, the cow bells dingaling, the breathtaking view of the still snow-covered mountains and the green pastures dotted with yellow dandelions, blue forget-me-nots and red tulips. I then wondered slowly to the computer to see what kind of trouble my friends were getting themselves into. Shower. About 11am now. Starting to prepare lunch for my husband. I love cooking so it was an enjoyable experience. French doors open (now that we have nets, the flies and bugs stay out), light, fragrant breeze coming in (can still hear the birds and cow bells), barbie on, music on, drinking lemonade and grilling and humming to the catchy tunes. Lunch done. Hubby home. Enjoyed a nice meal together with a glass of wine. About an hour later, he's off to work again. I put the table away at a leisurely pace, get a load of laundry on. Pour myself a second glass of wine and enjoy it on the terrace. Check the computer again. Call home and have a nice chat with Mom. Laundry's done. Put it up outside to dry in the fresh warm air. Leaf through some magazines, play some games on Facebook (my personal favourites: Scrabble, Scramble, Bricks Breaking, Balloonster, Joe's Farm-that's a violent one and not recommended for persons under 18 lol). Hubby home. Where did the time go? Make a light dinner. Chill out on the couch, catch up on how his day went, watch some telly. Bed time.

Nothing wrong with the above picture methinks. I can so do this every day. Add walk/exercise, add trip to Bern for some shopping and get together with friends, ok, add some other house chores of course(don't mind doing those when it's the only thing I have to do). Well, maybe I can work (part-time) during the winter. Because, let's face it, days are short, it's cold, not much to do outside the house. But during the summer, the life of a wife suits me just fine.

Nate, breathe sweetheart. In through the nose and out through the mouth. There, that's better, isn't it? We'll chat when I see you next month.

Swiss Chalet Suisse

No, it's not chicken.

I'd like to write here a little about something which has been bugging me for a long time and I've been wanting to get it off my chest for a while.

I never really understood the idea behind the Swiss Chalet restaurant chain. It has absolutely nothing to do with anything Swiss or a chalet, or a Swiss chalet.

I took my Swiss husband to one of those restaurants when we were visiting back home last year and he was appalled. Not only because they use the Swiss name in vain but because the quality of the food, which is not Swiss at all, was far below anything a Swiss is used to. I was equally disappointed by the chain. I used to work in one of the restaurants and ate the food every day and thought it was quite good indeed. I am not sure if it's because Swiss Chalet standards have declined or because my own standards have escalated since I've been living in the land of perfection, but I have to admit I had some trouble finishing my plate.

Now, here is a Swiss Chalet (or Chalet Suisse in french) product worth of the name. It has nothing to do with chicken but it does have a lot to do with chocolate, which IS a proud Swiss invention known all over the world. And what's more, there is a picture of a Swiss chalet on each mouth-watering block. If anything deserves to be called Swiss Chalet, then it's this here piece of art!

I don't know why the founder of the Swiss Chalet restaurant thought that chicken and fries are something which people eat in Swiss chalets but I promise you, it's not. So next time someone says "Swiss Chalet", don't say "Oh, I've had their chicken, it's great!". Say "Oh, isn't that the most exquisite chocolate in the world? I've had that while staying in a chalet in Switzerland." Trust me. The Swiss will thank you.