Back to Work :-(

Has it really been a week since I last blogged? As I told my bosses on Monday evening at a Superbowl party, I really don't know how I ever had time to go to work! I've been so busy..... it must be just like retirement (I'm sure Mum will beg to differ on that point!). Sadly my liberty comes to an end tomorrow as I have to go back to work (OK 50% and then Monday is a bank holiday).


Actually, I'm a little ashamed of myself as I've been off work for over a month and I have not spent any time to really sit down and consider my future in any detail. At one point Fi and I discussed selling the house and getting something smaller so that I could become a full time house husband! That would be fine except where would I put all my bikes? A more realistic option would be to go part time, but now that I'm on the verge of going back to the office, I find myself strangely looking forward to getting back to the madness. Also, I had a call from my Swiss boss yesterday and it sounds like my job is going to change a bit, and in the direction I would like to go as well! I'm also looking for a promotion (that reminds me.... must apply for it) which would definately rule out part time work.


In the last week I've done two 20KM walks in the hills and one bike ride of 28KM, amongst other shorter walks and home-trainer sessions. The "long" bike ride was much better than last time out as the wind was howling from the North. That meant a gravity assisted outward leg and a wind assisted homeward leg.... no problem keeping the pulse down, along with the speed!
At the moment it is Fasnacht (carnival) in Switzerland. In the catholic Fricktal it started last week and in protestant Basel it starts next week. You would think that these guys could agree on the date! The story goes that the protestants have their festival later so that it annoys the catholics during their fasting. Anyhow, we went to the parade in Möhlin on Sunday and had a great time getting covered in confetti, listening to Gugge music and scrabbling for the sweets on the floor (a bit like going to see the Tour de France, just a bit colder). Some of the floats were handing out cans of beer and glasses of wine which I'm sure would be illegal in Britain. One float was dishing out freshly fried eggs.... surely banned in the EU on health grounds. This year football was a big theme with the European Championships coming to Switzerland: And tonight it's England vs Switzerland at Wembley. Hmmm. In some respects I would like to see the Swiss win as it would be a big blow heading into the championships having been beaten by a side that didn't qualify. But don't tell anyone I said that! Hopp Schweiz!!