A long needed Easter Weekend

[Callie Shevlin]

Europeans get the greatest holidays! I had Good Friday off AND Easter Monday.  It made going back to work a bit harder, but I got a lot done this weekend.

I finished 2 brooches completely, have 4 more started in various stages and need to photograph them so you can believe!  

I had some friends come down from Neuchâtel and we cooked a brunch at 1 in the afternoon and had a great time.  Anton made a Swedish appetizer of hard-boiled eggs with smoked salmon, onion, shrimp and caviar on top, I made sweetened batter French toast (hahaha), Emelie and Jeremy made Swedish meatballs and sauce and potatoes gratin, super cheesy goodness.  I should mention that Jeremy is an American and Emelie and Anton are Swedish (hence the Swedish food).  Of course we were stuffed after this and some wine and juice and then plain wine, but they came to hike and hike we did, it was a lot of fun and a little muddy.  We took a path I hadn't done yet (and I have been hiking here but usually look out my window and decide on a destination and then just walk and hike there.  

We arrived home a bit tired, but not too tired for freshly made merengue cookies (Anton) and fresh fruit and home made whipped cream (Emelie and Jeremy).  

Once I get pictures sent to me I will post them in THIS blog, but for now is all wordy for you!

This week at work was long but I have accomplished a lot and am improving a lot since I got tossed into a new situation where I hadn't done any of the work before. It was sink or swim and I am Michael Phelps! 

I also received my Bazley book on the index of the geometric chuck (rose engine speak) and I have been reading it every night before bed, but it has been keeping me up with new ways to improve upon the old patterns, the opposite effect of why I read before bed.  

I also went down to Lausanne to the huge book store (has a small English section but nothing interesting right now).  I bought the next book in the French lessons so that I can continue on my own  and with the help of my colleagues who want to teach me past tense and future tense, so excited. Sort of.

The weather here is nice and spring timey one day (temperatures in the 60's F) and then snowing, yes SNOWING the next with intermittent rain/fog/hail involved.  I hope spring passes and it is summery/springy soon because it is beautiful outdoors.

I also discovered the climbing wall at the Centre Sportif and inquired into a personal membership to that (which has auto belay system so I don't need friends here) but the person in charge of the wall was on vacation so I shall see about that this week.

I will be at the SNAG conference in Phoenix this year so if you are around and want to say Howdy, Hi, Hello, look for me!

That's all she wrote!