LINK Film Fest

I have had another great weekend!  It's been a pretty good week actually, and I feel that next week is going to be even better!  Today is Mothers Day though, so a shout out to my mum is needed (who has been left childless today)....HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

That LINK Au Pair film fest weekend that I said I was going to got (unfortunately) shorted down to just a Saturday event.  The reason being that not enough people had signed up to at the time...but on the day were about 20 of us in the end.  So either way it was still pretty good!

Chelsea picked me up after getting a couple of other girls (Alison ans Alice) on the way, and dove us to Nyon.  We were meeting up in a room of a building (we got free use of it for the day) that would have made a pretty swanky apartment.  I met a load of new people from the area, plus Becky and Paul (who organise the activities were there too of course).  The plan for the day was to watch three films throughout the day (which had picked hoping that we hadn't seen them before...so nothing mainstream) and discuss them, do some kind of outdoor activity and eat pizza!

After we all got to chat for a while as people arrived, we all officially introduced ourselves to each other and played a name game...I am Abbie Avocado.  We then got ready to watch our first film which was 'The Diary of a Mad Black Women', this was to give us an incite into Black American culture.  It was chosen because Whitney Houston's funeral wasn't too long ago and Becky and Paul thought that it if any of us had seen that (because it was a bit different to the 'norm') then this film would enlighten us more.  It was alright, it was funny, but a bit too cheesy maybe.  As a group we all had a discussion about the themes and the hero's journey afterwards.

After we all ate our packed lunch's (just like a little school trip!  Haha) we split up into three groups and headed out into the city of Nyon for a good old scavenger hunt!

Nyon harbor................

It was fun, and I defiantly know Nyon better now.  We had to collect information, a couple of random items and take a bunch of photos that had to be creative at times.  I was with a group of girls I didn't know, but I did a bit better after the scavenger hunt.  We had a laugh together, especially with creating some interesting photos. 

Human WC on top of the WC........

Be the man..................

Hey Sailor........................

 Hail be to Rome......................

The fingerless Caesar............

Re-creating the town..........

You had to be there..........

All in the box................

When it came to adding up the points later on though, my team came last...think we may have been concentrating on the fun photos rather then the questions!?

Having burnt off some energy we sat down again for another film, the 1945 version of 'The Picture of Dorian Grey'.  For some reason I was really eager to watch this! A good black and white film based on a novel (especially one by the ever so witty Oscar Wilde) is gonna be great!

It does look pretty good......

The Au Pairs.............

We were all on a roll with the discussion after this film, I was in my element with!  There was so much to talk about because the morals and ideas portrayed through the changing picture on Dorian grey himself are so interesting.  Still need to actually read the book that it's based on though!  This was my favorite film of the day, and I would recommended it to any one!

Paper remnants.........................

It was then pizza time.............

Lastly we watched 'The Ultimate Gift', which I had actually seen already...but hey, the fact that I had only seen one of the three films they showed was pretty good going.  Another good film, yet everyone was very glad for the day to end...because we were sooooo tired...despite siting on our bums all day!

Chelsea ended up staying at mine that night after we dropped off Alison and Alice and grabbed some cloths from hers.  Chelsea came to church with me again today (a very rainy day I might had....I was missing the rain, so I felt at home).  We then chilled out at Liz's this afternoon to finish organising the little road trip around England at Easter!!  I am really excited for that road trip!  I love England!

Good night!

Easy Sunday

I haven't been up to anything of much interest lately.  That doesn't mean that I haven't been enjoying life though!   Ive been seeing friends, hanging out and keeping myself entertained.  I've had a bunch of surprise post, which is always much appreciated.  I think receive posts from friends and family is one of the simple joys in life!  I do my best to keep the tradition going.

The job is still great!  I am so happy to be with this family who treat like another member of their family.  Sure the boys will be boys and wind you up some days, but that's to be expected.  I can still drive on the wrong side of the road...they havn't been any mishaps....YET!!!  French classes are....well....their french classes!  Lets just say that I can understand what somebody says but I can't talk back to them.  My words get all mixed up because you have to think of all grammar being backwards, and I can't pronounce anything.  But I get by...and everyone speaks English anyway!!!  Hahahaha!

Last Sunday was a perfect Sunday!  Chelsea came to church with me on Sunday to see a bit of what the Mormons get up to, and seemed to find it interesting.  We then chilled out at mine with a film while we ate lunch, but trying to avoid being too lazy we did go out for a lovely Sunday walk by the river near my house.

This remind s a bit of home.....

You have to pose wherever you go.......

Chelsea just trying to prove that being with me wont make her do something silly like fall into the river (I am known as her bad luck charm).........

After a little walk we felt justified in watching another film...although I am pretty sure I fell asleep at some point.  Either way it was a blissfully spent Sunday with a good friend!

This weekend I hung out with Shelly Saturday night and have been doing the long awaited catch up of blogging today!  Life may well get a little more exciting next weekend.  I am going on that Au Pair Link film fest with Chelsea.  Maybe watching films all weekend isn't that exciting to you, but I will be meeting a load of new people, so that's always interesting.

I have actually been trying to save some money lately (even doing some extra babysitting on the side for parents at my boys school) because I am going on a road at Easter with Liz around England.  I am sooooooo excited to show Liz around my home, that I love a ridiculous happy amount!!!  I am also going home in a couple of weeks for a long weekend because it is my sisters 30th Birthday!!  Hahahaha!!!  So I am being spoiled with some good doses of England overt the next month.  Bring it on!!!

But for now.........I'll write soon!

Sssssssssssshaking!

Half term week I had to find some things to do to entertain the boys during the day.  One of those days Caroline (my host mum) came up with a place to take the boys for the afternoon that they would enjoy having a look around.

The Vivarium.......................

When I told the boys that I was taking them there, they joked around saying that I wouldn't want to go because it would be full of snakes.  If you know me well you will know that snakes CREEP ME OUT big time!!!  The way they slither and slide......uuurgrhg....my skin is crawling just thinking about them.  The boys know that I don't like snakes and think its hilarious to tease me about it.  I just brushed it off as them trying to scare me again.  When I saw the handle on the door of the Vivarium I started to get a little nervous that they weren't joking after all...........

The crocodiles I could handle........

Even the dragon like lizards are fine.....

The turtles are just cute......

 Snakes!!!!!!  I just want to walk away.......

The boy's were actually really nice about my whole snake phobia.  They would go ahead of me as we walked around and tell me which cabinets not to look into.

Raphael and Nathan pretty pleased to be there......

My one consolation was that I found Pascal.......

We also went to the Natural History Museum of Geneva that same week.  It's an alright place to spend a couple of hours wondering around, but it has nothing on the amazing Natural History Museum in London.  Yes, I am a bit proud to be English!

The Museum...............

One of my favorite sets from the museum..........

After a week of looking after two boys all day, who are used to playing sports everyday to burn off some of that energy I was very glad to have a chilled out weekend at a friends watching films and baking.

Chow!

The Zurich Express

Finally I have got around to telling you about my little weekend trip to Zurich, which happened a few weeks a ago now.  I had a long weekend off so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to take a trip to the city of Zurich to see some family friends.  I didn't go alone either!  Elisabeth came with me, yay!!! Without her French skills a may well have made a mess of things getting from Geneva to Zurich, because my French is as crap as ever...of course!

The family friends I have in Zurich are actually family, The Johnson's...Paul and Jenni Johnson to be exact.  The connection is that Paul's younger brother Ralph is married to my elder sister Ashley.  The plus side to this particular weekend was that Ralph was planning to be at Paul and Jenni's with most of my niece and nephews too!  I was keeping it a secret from Izzy, Ciaren and Euan that I would be there too.

Thus my story of the Zurich weekend commences in photos.  Lot's and lot's of photos!

Despite the look of the early morning sun, it was a late start after I picked up Liz...

Moi at the empty station awaiting our train.....

Ich lerne Deutsch, but not swiss German...that could be a problem, not that that will stop me Deutsch zu lernen anyway...........

No one to see you picking your nose Liz........?

She's just not looking forward to a dull three hour journey......

Not so dull anymore! A three hour journey with Tess, and we didnt even have to use headphones in our empty compartment......for the first 15 minutes, after that the headphones were in our ears for the next two and a half hours.........

Scenic views from the train.........

On our second train.  We had arrived at Zurich, but to get to Birmensdorf (where Paul and Jenni live) we had to get on another train.  However we were just a little hyper after refueling on some very suspect drink and skittles.........

Ooooppppppsssss!!!!  The wrong ticket for this train?!  That's not what the ticket guy in Geneva told us when we quizzed him on what ticket to get for the day.  He probably didn't really care what he gave us because were foreign.  It's lucky that Liz and I are foreign though as the ticket master on this train was so baffled by the language barrier when we tried to defend ourselves for having the wrong ticket that he just waved it off and waked away.  No fine for us!!

We arrived safely in Birmensdorf where Jenni picked us up from the station and drove the two minutes to her house, where we would stay for the weekend.  We had a very warm welcome to the Johnson house, with a meatball diner too!  YUM!!  It is always great to go somewhere new and spend time with people that you haven't seen in ages.  We spent a very enjoyable evening talking and watching TV while we waited for the next round of people to arrive.  When they did arrive I was satisfied to have surprised the little midget Johnson's with my presence.  Then it was off to bed for all of us.....or rather just the women and children as the men were watching football.

Sunday morning was church in Swiss German, actually most of it was in English because of translators and the option of an English Sunday school.  In Sunday school Ralph was introduced by a friend who used to be in Farnborough Ward, so he introduced me as his sister-in-law and I introduced Elisabeth as my friend.  Everyone in the class may well have been wondering why Ralph brought his sister-in-law and her friend to Zurich and not his wife!  Haha!!  Elisabeth then offered to play the piano for the hymns in Relief Society, which didn't go as smoothly as she may have liked!  Playing music you know while everyone else is singing the words you know in a different language turns out to be off putting.  She is actually an amazing pianist.........

Goodbye German church.............

Everyone chilling out after church......

My favorite photo from the weekend, the sight of Euan and I together is a rare occurrence......

 Crazy CiCi............................

We all took a trip to a frozen lake to while away a little of the afternoon....

Paul, Ellen and Jenni..............

Liz showing some sliding skills.......

Is the ice this thick?  Because it better be!.......

Do bubbles mean trouble?  I was a little nervous at walking across this vast lake...

Wes having rescued Euan from his big head only to pass the crying boy on to me...

My mate...............................

Leap..........................

Izzy has skills, you can't stop her from anything.....

A chilly Jenni and Paul......

Dancing to keep warm, it was FREEZING.......

Boys will be boys........

Everyone on the ice........

The Beautiful Lake........

 Cold much?................

Yes! Cold!...................

Our hostess.................

Dead Liz...................

Just to prove I was here......

Izzy and Abbie sitting in a tree K I S S I N G...haha...she wishes.....

 Another of Ciaren's unemotional falls to the cold hard ice.......

Liz and I.......................

I love Euan here running across the ice like he is on a mission......

Back at the house Izzy works her magic on my hair....

Monday Liz and I take it easy with a lie in, and catching up on e-mails...from...errrrrrr.....Andy, Liz's missionary boy in Africa........

Still not wanting to brave the cold we put off the inevitable by watching some 'Lost in Austen'.  Sadly for me Ralph and the kids thought that Liz and I had left already because he didn't bother to check up stairs!  So he went out sledging with the kids while Liz and I were getting ready to go see the city of Zurich.  This meant that I didn't get to say goodbye to them before Liz and I set of on our journey.  It was good to have seen them for a while though anyway.......

 Packed, ready to set off for the city.......

The town of Birmensdorf.......

 Auf Wiedersehen Birmensdorf........

We stuffed all our things into a locker at the Zurich train station.......

......and went into the city for a little wounder........

The girls in the city...................

Possibly the quietest city in the world, the kind of city that I would live in....

Zurich going old school with the use of a traffic man directing your way at an intersection.....

Can you tell I'm trying to pretend that I'm not cold?.......

The beautiful Liz..........

The light was rubbish for photos so they kept coming out fuzzy.  Liz had the amazing idea to steady the camera on her head to stop that from happening.  She doesn't even look stupid, right?....

Candid.........................

One of the things I like here are the cosey looking alley's.....

This was the end of our walk in this beautiful city.......

Zurich train station............

Liz getting our tickets back to Geneva, it cost 170CHF there and back...each!....

Strike a pose...........................

We had stocked up on some food for the train journey, I wasn't impressed with our purchases.....

....and Liz didn't seem to be either.  At least we had more 'Lost in Austen' to look forward too.....

I had a great chilled out weekend with friends and family.  It is the best way to spend your time.  True there wasn't much to do in the city, but then again it was so cold outside that we were happy to keep the outdoor's trips short.  Seeing the natural beauty of Zurich's landscape was wonderful.  Walking across the frozen lake was probably the highlight of the weekend, it was just too beautiful for words to fully describe.

Dankeschön an die Familie Johnson für mit Liz und ich bleibe bei dir!