goodbye party and rock climbing

On Sunday, I was the soon-departing and thus honored guest at a "So Long, Switzerland" party at Diana's house. I've had more than my fair share of parties thrown for me while living here, and I'm honestly surprised and flattered that people keep showing up for them! I would have boycotted a long time ago if I were anyone else. On the up side for everyone, these events invariably include really good cakes.

Diana asked me a few weeks ago if there was anything from this area that I still wanted to buy before leaving, or that I wished I had been able to get. I already have some stuff--a fondue pot painted with pictues from the story Schellen-Ursli, books and cds in Swiss German, prints from an artist in the Alsace. But I have always really liked the black on white Scherenschnitte (here's an example), which are maticulously cut out by hand, and I said I regretted that I wouldn't be able to take one of those home. She shared that little bit of information with about 25 of my friends, and they gave me TWO on Sunday as a collective going away gift! two! I am really delighted with them.

Monday night I went indoor rock climbing for the first time ever with Raphael, Valda, Elaine, and other friends. I am still trying to find something I'm better at than Raph, but I was smart enough to concede ahead of time that it wasn't going to be rock climbing and he could just consider this a freebie. I wouldn't try to beat him. Well, he was disgustingingly good at it, naturally, though I am pleased to report he fell off a wall and I didn't. He fell off the same wall last night when we went again, and, once again, I sucessfully made it to the top of all my climbs. We just won't talk about the fact that his routes are a full grade more difficult, include some overhangs, and I tend to cheat by using holds that aren't actually on my color route. Yup. But now that I am feeling comfortable with the whole idea of scaling 30 foot walls, next time I'll try to be a bit more serious about sticking to a route and grade that's right for me without using the other holds that happen to be there.

I am off to deliver an apple pie. Later dudes.

All Ye

Song for you. I like his attitude, his hat, his message, his song writing that draws on both old and new African-American oral tradition, and the fact he says "holler at yo boy." Who says that!? =)


All ye heavy laden
All ye heavy hearted
All ye heavy-burdened
oh, come.
The Lord will give you rest.
Yes he will.
Oh, come.
He will give you rest.

Oh come, and be healed.
Come, and be filled
Oh Come, and be healed
By the Spirit of the Lord.

Friends

I feel like I ought to post an update, even though I don't have much to say. I've been hanging out here at Valda's, applying to jobs, getting rejected for jobs (story of this year!!), drawing pictures and thinking. Monday night Rebekkah, Diana, Lucy, Gina, Janet and Joseph came over for dinner. We went for a walk up near the zoo and came back to play a game. The way the game works is everyone takes a card with a statement or a question on it, and thinks about who in the group best fits the question or statement. They vote for that person, place the vote behind the question card, and pass it along to the next person for their vote. Along with Rebekkah, I was voted most likely to be targeted by a con artist (though Valda clarified that didn't mean she thought he would be successful), most likely to be chosen as a vice presidential running mate if any of the the group ever ran for president, and unanimously identified as the group member who has "perfected the art of flirting." Great. That's a heck of a reputation.

I've been enjoying the woods this week. I went for a nice run yesterday in the Allschwil Forest, and Saturday afternoon Raph and Lukas (and later, Dom) and I took bows, arrows, a target, and a bunch of marshmellows up to the woods near their house. We took turns shooting until it was too dark to find our last arrow, and then focused on the important work of making s'mores. Or Raph and I did anyway. Dom and Lukas don't fully appreciate smokey, burnt sugar with chocolate. While I worked on catching marshmellows on fire, the three of them told military stories. The running trails and grill times and military stories in the woods with friends are some of the things I'll miss the most when I leave.

Sunday I had lunch with Hans and Barbara and Dom, reconnected with their neighbor's cat, finally finished that rose picture I was working on for them, and watched Agatha Christi Movies with Barbara until I eventually got around to going home late in the evening. Hans agrees their house will be much quieter starting in a week and a half.

Brian bought me a guitar "and a pretty sweet gig bag" yesterday, so I am going to get serious about learning some new songs when I get home. It's been on the to-do list too long, and I'm tired of the two songs I can currently play. =)