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This is the view from Wädenswil station. Beats New Street any day! Next time perhaps I will travel across the lake on the boat!

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This brought back memories today of 2003 when we came to Switzerland and travelled from Zürich to Interlaken on a train. Jude was a toddler and Isaac only 4, and we were delighted to find a playground on the train complete with slide and climbing frame. So unlike the UK! So you know where the playground is situated, there's a mural on the side of the train.
As an aside, good to be back in Switzerland with efficient transport!

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London is getting ready for a weekend of celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee - here's Regents Street with flags across the street. Oxford Street is the same. It's red white and blue crazy! Made me feel quite patriotic. But then again, I love to see the Swiss flags, and the cantonal flags flying in Winterthur. I like people to be proud of the places they come from, and the places they live. This is my home for the foreseeable future and I'm proud to be here.

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 Three pics today! Whilst I was working hard in London, the boys were enjoying a Swiss Bank Holiday at the WildnisPark, talking to the bears. Last time we went, it was sub zero, icy and wet. Much better this time, I understand! And there was still half a goat in the lynx's cage.

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I'm in London for the next three days and I arrived in my hotel room to discover a lovely reminder of Switzerland - a Nespresso machine. Sadly I couldn't sample it as it was 22.30 and I can't cope with caffeine in any quantity after 5pm if I want to sleep. Needless to say a) John was very jealous and b) I will try it out tomorrow!

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I had a laugh today when John started describing a lovely place in Winterthur that he'd 'discovered'. 'There's a rose garden, and a sundial and a horse statue, and it's up on a hill'. I had to tell him that I'd been there in December when it was covered in snow.

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What a beautiful view! 

I spent an hour teaching in that playground this morning - I say teaching, I was actually playing with play dough with some delightful 3 and 4 year olds! The cows didn't pop down the hill today but we could see them!

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An evening walk in the park with my lovely husband. 

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Yesterday and today, a building has been on the love in Oerlikon. The story is here and here are pictures from my man on the scene, John who works near the moving building! 

 The finishing line.

 This is where it started (the barrier)

Building on the move.

And here's how it moved!

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Whiskers aka Wifkaas has come home!
Jude left him in England at Easter and his beloved seal has finally made it home to him in Switzerland. There are some very happy boys in my house today!

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This is the image of Switzerland that you often see in guide books. It's not all like this, obviously, but it's views like this that make me feel so lucky that I live here!

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Today was Museumstag in Switzerland, a day on which entrance to many museums is free. 

So Famille Stevens went to the Naturmuseum in Winterthur. The associated Coin Museum was also free for the day but we didn't have time unfortunately as there was too much to see in the Naturmuseum. We participated in a talk on bears - in German (I was very proud of myself for managing to understand most of it and translate it for the boys when they got lost!) and saw lots of stuffed animals, an exhibition on pets in Switzerland, lots of fossils and types of stones. We also went into a part that was like a ship with cargo exhibits in packing cases from around the world - the floor moved so you felt like you were on a ship. Most disorientating!

un musée - a muséum

accès gratuit - free entry

un ours - a bear

un navire - a ship

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I sometimes wonder about the sanity of my family but I'm the loopiest of us all so what do I expect?

We went to Amden to visit some friends and we all went on a long walk down the mountain to the lake. It was a warm day and we were rather hot so paddling seemed in order. Jude on the other hand decided to jump into the lake. As you can see from his face, it was rather cold, but he enjoyed it!

un lac - a lake

une montagne - a mountain

Jude nage dans le lac - Jude swims in the lake

C'est un peu froid! - It's a bit cold!

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Not sure what to say about this really. Except that it amused us all.

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I've been laughing again! This time, it was the Flughafenlauf which, as the name suggests, was a run around Zürich airport.
It wasn't my favourite race ever I have to say as I missed the start thanks to insufficient toilet facilities - I queued for over 25 minutes - then there were no marshals so I went the wrong way (uphill) and the race was longer than I expected, finishing with a killer hill that just about did me in.
Anyway, here I am with my prizes - an apple - une pomme, some muesli muesli and a jar of honey - un pot de miel.

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This is the view from the classroom in which I taught today.

Last time I was here, there were cows in the field beyond the fence. In fact, one of them was trying to get over the fence.

A little different to the view from most classroom windows I think!

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As I walked back from the shops today, I noticed this tree near my house. What a glorious red! This photograph doesn't do it justice.

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I saw this advertisement on my way to Zug today.
It's not the first time that I've noticed advertisements in English - see the Toblerone one in February. I checked out the website. Everything is in German or French except the advertisement. Money saving? Universal appeal? I don't know.

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A large crane has appeared in the centre of Winterthur. I wonder why?
All will no doubt soon be revealed!

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My Muttertag lunch in Konstanz / Constance at Maximillians, the French deli/restaurant.
C'était délicieux :o)

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Thanks to my friend Miranda for this picture of ISW's Red Run for the Red Cross.

The whole school ran around the park for an hour raising money for the Red Cross - Rotes Kreuz - Croix Rouge in Switzerland and their integration programme for immigrants called Mitten unter uns.

I ran too - and I was in the picture in Die Landbote on Saturday looking rather dishevelled! It was extremely hot and the kids all did very well.

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I discovered today that NovoNordisk, my husband's company, sponsored a marathon and half marathon in Germany last Sunday. Above is the official T-shirt. (I'd quite like one..)
It was also sponsored by the makers of my beloved trainers, Saucony. I really need a new pair of trainers but I need to find an identical pair as I know they won't upset my Achilles tendon.
So far, no sign of Saucony in any of the shops I've visited. The hunt continues...

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This is my Mothers' Day - Muttertag - Fête des Meres - present. I chose and bought it myself at a jewellery morning held by one of the mums from
ISW.
C'est très jolie, n'est-ce pas?

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This sweatshirt/hoodie is mine. However, Jude has decided to wear it around the house. I would buy him one too but there aren't any in his size left. As it is, the arms on mine are far too long but we both like it and will be 'share wearing' it I expect!

It's actually a very pretty blue colour - I think I got my iPhone too close!

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Here are all the Cantons of Switzerland. I have to admit that I didn't know all of them. Some of the emblems are rather fetching. Zürich is a rather tame blue and white triangles effort, but I guess it's quite easy draw! Now to work out which speak which language(s).

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Today I ran my first half marathon. In 2 hours and 46 seconds. I had expected to take about 2 hours 10 minutes if I ran well so I was pleased to be so fast.
However those 47 seconds are now annoying me, and I am determined that next time I run a 1/2 marathon, I will beat 2 hours. So roll on Greifensee in September!

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Actually a photo from yesterday on my train trip back from Zug.
J'aime le lac et les montagnes. Et le ciel bleu et les nuages duveteux. Et les jolies maisons. 

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I went on a lovely trip to Baar near Zug today on the train and visited ISZL. An amazing school!

And this is my lunch - Schale und Spargel-Kuchen. Or un café au lait et une quiche aux asperges.

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Today was there was a MaiMarkt in Winterthur. Very noisy, colourful - and smelly with the raclette stalls.
I was tempted to take a picture of the Cornish Pasty van as it was so incongruous but settled for this paprika stall as my photo for today.

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Living in Winterthur is teaching me that if you don't look up, you often miss things. Like this lovely balcony!

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Today was Maifeiertag - May Day and we all had a day off! It not being a Monday was strange as we're used to May Day always being a Monday in England.
And here there were trade union meetings and a march as its Labour Day. According to the Stadtpolizei on Twitter, a policeman was hit on the head with a stone and there were some arrests but it mostly passed without incident.

Here are all the flags hung especially for the day.

mai - May
des drapeaux - some flags
Fête du Travail - Labour Day