2 Years Later...

Well, it's been two years since the last post here, and much has happened:

1. I was awarded Swiss citizenship. 
2. I was offered, and accepted, a job in Switzerland. 
3. Mrs. Practical and I have made our home in a place called Hergiswil, Kanton Nidwalden (Switzerland), leaving behind in Texas our dog and 3 grown children.
4. Our youngest son graduated high school.

(That's the short version — between the lines are all kinds of details that just won't be dealt with here.)

Being a Swiss citizen and living in Switzerland is a dream that has died multiple deaths over the years. Its becoming a reality has an almost surreal quality, not least because everything happened rather quickly.  (31 May 2011 I interviewed for the job, and 3 October 2011 was my first day.)  It's as if I awoke from a slumber, saw that the door was finally open, got up, and walked through it in bewilderment.

This life change is marked not just by cultural differences, natural beauty, and language barriers, but also by abundant opportunities for outdoor exercise, whether walking, hiking, cycling, etc.

Then there's the satisfaction of no longer being under the presumed ever-expanding jurisdiction of the US government, the domestic and foreign policies of which have only worsened over time (in my humble opinion).

All in all, it's been a challenging, but rewarding adventure.

More later (maybe).

Fall Garden

This year we dug up a patch of garden in the back yard, and planted cucmbers,yellow and zucchini squash, peppers, lettuce, carrots, and corn. In the end, most of the zucchini was a no-show (not that I mind), though we did get some of the yellow squash. The cucumbers tried to take over the whole patch, and did yield several nice specimens — more than we could consume, in fact. The lettuce and carrots eventually emerged after several weeks of dormancy, and a few pepper plants have even appeared (after I went ahead and dropped in a few store-bought seedlings).

The most fascinating to me has been the corn. Early on, heavy rainstorms threatened to kill it, nearly flattening the young plants. I kept propping them up, watering and feeding them, and fighting off the pests that seemed determined to gobble them up.

I was also warned that it is very difficult to get a handful of corn plants to bear fruit, because they don't pollinate each other as well as a whole field does. But I found a gardener online who explained how to manually pollinate corn(!). It was a fascinating experience, daily monitoring the plants, gathering the tassles, collecting pollen, and applying it to the silks. In a short time I gained a little education in the complex workings of just one of God's creations, and participated in the process myself.

At this writing I've just harvested my first three ears, and dutifully iced them down. We'll soon steam them and get an idea of what "Texas Backyard Sweet Corn" tastes like. If the weather holds, later on we may get to enjoy some peppers, lettuce, carrots and tomatoes (added later).

No More "Cooks Illustrated"

I just cancelled my "Cooks Illustrated" magazine gift subscription and told them to refund the purchaser's money.

I simply have no interest in any magazine whose publisher thinks paid subscribers want not one but two layers of BUY! BUY! BUY! advertising on heavy cover stock attached to the outside of the magazine, so that there's no way to detach all that unwanted extra baggage without destroying the magazine itself (the staples all come out unless you give the ad removal process the time and attention of brain surgery — and I have neither the time nor the skills for that).

I get enough junk ads in the mail already, thank you very much. Anybody willing to permanently attach more of the same to a magazine — times two — has permanently lost my attention and interest.

The operator didn't even ask why I wanted to cancel (and I didn't volunteer it), which I think shows how insignificant are subscriber losses compared to the profits they're making.

Harrumph!

'Bates Method' Vindicated

This year, my birthday present from the state of Texas was a formal acknowledgment that I don't have to wear corrective lenses (glasses) to drive.

In order to renew my 'license' to travel in Texas, I had to appear at a 'Department of Public Safety' office and (among other things) take a vision test.



I passed the vision test without glasses(!), which seems to affirm that the 'Bates Method' exercises and philosophy have paid off.

After 20+ years of wearing glasses, it's refreshing to experience such vision improvement apart from the status quo 'you'll always need glasses' mentality.

Faux Fendant & Quintessential Coffee

As our family has explored and enjoyed various renditions of the classic (cheese) Fondue, we have observed that the Portuguese "Vinho Verde" wine is made from the same Chasselas grape as the classic Swiss Fendant. Locally, the "Vinho Verde" is available at a fraction of the price of a true Swiss Fendant, but (in our experience) provides the same (if not better) dry, fruity experience, especially since the locally available Swiss Fendants tend to be a few years old and (therefore) past their prime.

The classic Swiss Fendant wine is normally ideal for a Fondue, but whether due to age or not, the quality of authentic Swiss product available locally leaves something to be desired. The "Vinho Verde" is a very suitable substitute. Allowed a few moments to divest itself of its mild carbonation, it ‘becomes’ the Fendant.

Until very recently, I never thought I'd ever be roasting my own coffee beans. But after buying some green coffee beans and roasting them in Mrs. Practical's hot-air popcorn popper (which eventually died performing the same duty), the benefit of fresh roasted beans became rather obvious.

We have since invested in a 'FreshRoast Plus 8' roaster, and although it takes considerably longer to achieve the same darkness of roast as with the popcorn popper, the 'proper' roaster has performed quite satisfactorily (so far). The aroma of fresh roasted coffee beans is yet another of the sensory delights our household now regularly enjoys.

La Grange (TX) Fly-In '08

Our "celebration" of August 1st (the Swiss National Holiday) was punctuated with a long-overdue visit with fambly in La Grange, where — as providence would have it — an annual Fly-In BBQ took place at the local airport. Private aircraft flew in from all over Texas to participate in a $7-per-plate fund-raiser BBQ, and locals were welcome to join in and mingle, which we did.

We had the pleasure of soaking up some Texas heat, while getting up-close and personal with a few dozen private aircraft and their handlers. Of particular interest (to Mr. Impractical, at least) was learning of the Van's "RV" Kit-Built Aircraft.

In any case, some decent BBQ was had by all, and the flames of yet another impractical interest were kindled in yours truly (thanks Mom!)...

Fleet 'Downsizing'

Weary of being nickel-and-dimed to death (in $100+ increments) by our Honda Odyssey, this month I asked — okay, ordered (politely) — Mrs. Practical to just get rid of it. We had been considering replacing it with something more economical, like a Toyota Corolla, but I was getting so frustrated that I had lost interest in even owning another vehicle: I just wanted to be rid of the Odyssey.

Next thing I know, she's found (and we've traded in the Odyssey for) a 2007 Corolla with a 5-speed standard transmission(!) at a very good price.

The Wallace Fambly Fleet as of July 2008

So we're still a two-car fambly, which will be handy as Ben starts working and taking college classes (his niche seems to be logistics, and I'm delighted that he knows that already). The Corolla will be my commuter. This is the third Corolla I've owned, and I've been generally satisfied with the previous two, so I'm naturally optimistic about this one. It weighs a little over half what the Honda weighed, and is more fun to drive(!).

(We won't be buying another Honda. Ever.)