I'll Give This A Go...

Half of me feels like writing the other half not. So we'll see which one wins...
On Wednesday, the trampoline finally got put out for the summer. The kids have spent a ridiculous amount of time on it since then. I have inevitably too. It's a good way to use their energy. I get some pleasure out of it as well, although my attention span is shorter.
Switzerland just scored against Portugal, who's perhaps taking it easy on them. But still impressive. Not the Switzerland has a chance to advance at this point but they could gain some pride or whatever the word is I'm looking for. It's not like they were expected to do good but as the hosting country you could hope they could win something.
They played on Sunday against Turkey. Unfortunately they lost that one. I enjoyed watching it though. Martina, a Swiss girl I met the one night out with Katie, picked me up at the train station and we watched it in Liestal. Her boyfriend is part of some club or something that organized this viewing in some parking lot. It wasn't crazy like the city, maybe 100 people. It was a good crowd though, all people about my age. Martina's really cool and plus she complimented me several times how impressed she was with my German. That always makes me feel good.
On Saturday Rebecca and I were invited to visit Jessica, a girl who lives in France, who we knew through Rebecca's youth group. She's half American so her English is perfect and her French, and her German for that matter. Ugh jealous. Anyways, she lives in Mulhouse but on the weekend we were at her parent's farm. We had a barbecue with two married couple French friends of hers. Which was nice to hear them speak French to each other and to know that I can still understand it enough.
Her mom is from Pennsylvania around the same area that my mom is from. She wouldn't have had to tell me though for me to know that. I realized it's such a distinct Mennonite population especially in that generation and the ones before. She reminds exactly like any one of my great aunts on that side with how she was. Being "disgusted" at things and speaking with a strong PA accent, saying a "gl-ay-ass of woo-ter." I just found it interesting how distinct it really is. Weird. I enjoyed my weekend.
I think I'm off to bed now so I can wake up feeling refreshed for the work week.

My Weekend blogged.

I was randomly reading a magazine, actually I think in the bathroom at Schowalters, anyways, this Christian Family Magazine. There's this section where people submit funny quotes from their kids I've only read a couple. The quote was something to the effect that this kid could not understand why his kindergarten teacher needed a break since playing with kids isn't actually work. It hit me then and this weekend especially that kids really can't fathom that playing with them is in some or many ways work.
I basically stayed at home this weekend and the whole time the kids wanted to play or just be with me watching TV or in my room. It made me slightly crazy.
We didn't end up having an official breakfast or lunch on Saturday and there was a reason for that. We were invited for dinner to the neighbor's, Gabor's birthday party. Him and his wife are in their sixties. Two other neighbor families were there as well. He's quite funny actually, filling our wine glasses as fast a we could drink it and the word "small" meant nothing when it came to portions of food. I ate a piece of pork fillet then he asked if I wanted a chicken leg. I though sure I could eat a drumstick. I end up with a half a chicken on my plate. For dessert we had chocolate mousse, then there was still cake! I was stuffed.
I really did enjoy the good food and the company of the night however.
Elke came down with bad cold this weekend so we didn't go to church on Sunday. I decided that night it was time to get out of the house and go watch some football in Basel. I was really curious how it is there with the "fan-zones" they have set up. It really takes me that extra push to go out by myself. I did though. In Liestal in mid-run from the bus to the train I see Rich. That was a surprise since I thought went back to the UK on Monday. Now he's back since the flat he wanted didn't work out. It was a pleasant surprise though since now I have someone to watch the games with.
So that made me happy enough, plus the prospect of an enjoyable evening of me, my mp3 player, football, basel, and good enough weather. Unfortunately, thanks to this african douchebag that followed me out of the train, and me being to nice than to tell him to "piss off" my otherwise pleasant evening, well wasn't. I can't understand why are African men here so desperate and forward. It's so pathetic. I woudn't even dare generalize like that except that this is like the forth time I've run into it this this year. Every african man I have talked to this year. I hate to even generalize Africa and you really can't in any other way. But I'm curious, from a cultural standpoint, to know where they learn to act in such ways. Sorry, I was just really annoyed yesterday.
Anyways Germany beat Poland 2-0....

Early Saturday Morning Post

Ok, well it's not that early, it's 9:50. But Saturday are typically eating breakfast as a family days. Which is actually more like brunch since it's always late. It's annoying because typically I can't sleep in when I'm used to getting earlier. I almost always wake up like a couple minutes before my alarm clock because my body is smart like that. Today I did pretty well, sleeping in till 9:30. I went straight for the computer, my room is still dark since I didn't even bother to put the roller's up. If you don't know what those are then you've never been to Switzerland or maybe you do know...Even if I did open them there I doubt there is much sun to be seen. My little MSN today weather thing says today is a high of 12 degrees and a low of 12 degress, with a cloud and rain next to it, not so different from the rest of this week.
The work week was alright. I spent quite a bit of time playing with Sarah. I enjoy playing with her, but for short amounts of time and the less pretend the better. We almost always play doctor. I normally like when I'm the patient and I just lay there, but not when she wants me to make birthing noises for 10 minutes. "MACH!" she always says, ugh..."Ich will nicht." Once I'm healthy again then I have to be the doctor or "Krankenhaus"(which actually means 'hospital') She means 'Krankenschwester', a nurse. She just dictates everything I'm suposed to do and I don't always understand what she means and then she gets annoyed. I laugh.
I normally spend most of my time with Simon and Sarah. Yesterday Simon was at a friends house and Sarah has school till 4:30. Elke and her mom were shopping the whole day in Germany. I ironed the whole morning. I then made lunch for Tim and Andre. In the afternoon Tim asked if I wanted to go bike riding with him. He normally does things with friends and I'm with the other two. So we went bike riding in the woods and went to Volg and bought chocolate. It was still rainy and cool though. We went back and watched an episode of Zack and Cody till Sarah got home.
I don't really have anything planned this weekend. I'm invited to go with the family to a neighbor's birthday party this afternoon. Unfortunately, the party is at the exact same time that the kick off of the European Cup begins, in Basel. Which is a pretty big event. The countdown sign and the train stations, that have been up for over a year are finally down to just hours. The city will be crazy with partys despite the weather. I would love to be there as well, but I don't have anyone to go with me. Makes me a little sad, especially since before I had Katie and then Rich, a 10 minute walk away. They're both gone now.
I'm gonna get take a shower now, or at least after I listen to my bbc Friday night pub quiz podcast. It's funny.