It's About Time

First day of 8th Grade (with dog)

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Since moving to Switzerland, time has taken on a whole new meaning for all of us, but most especially for Maureen. Today she started 8th grade at the International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL.ch). As I mentioned previously we do not have a car thus we are dependent on public transportation - including Maureen. As such, in order to get to school she is responsible to get up on time, make her train, then her bus, and arrive in class before the bell rings. Every day. By herself.

In the time we've been here she and I have practiced the route to and from school together many times. We navigated the platforms and the bus station as a team. Then last week, she went alone several times. One day she couldn't remember which ramp/stairs to take out of the train station and missed her bus. Another day she missed the return bus by a few minutes and was forced to wait 40 minutes for the next bus. But with each solo excursion her confidence grew. Today, instead of waiting for the next train to get home (30 mins) she decided to take a bus back which got her home 20 minutes earlier than expected. Our girl is growing up...

Today I have a poem about how the meaning of time has changed for Maureen.
(Photograph is of Mo's hand and her new Swiss watch)

Dog Train-ing

Switzerland has an amazing public transportation system (SBB.ch). We made the conscious decision when we moved here that we were going to use the trains, buses, and boats exclusively instead of owning a car. "But what about your dog?" you may be asking. Well, dogs can ride public transportation with a half-fare ticket unless the dog is small, then it is free! And as luck would have it, our Smidgey is just under the 30 cm height maximum and fits in a carrier, basket or other suitable container. On public transportation she's considered hand luggage!

Below is my poem about Smidgey's Train-ing experience:
(Photo credit: Joe)

Gruezi from Suisse!

My husband, one of my daughters, and I moved to Zug, Switzerland about two weeks ago for my husband's career. Our adjustments have been big (we really need to learn German!) and small (my daughter has to remember to order "Wasser, no gas" so she doesn't get sparkling water).

One adjustment that caught us off guard our first weekend was that businesses are closed on Sundays - grocery stores and restaurants included. We had only been in the country 36 hours and realized that we didn't have resources to eat. After raiding a vending machine (it wasn't pretty), we discovered that small shops and restaurants are actually open at train stations. It's nice to know there is a place to go if we find ourselves unprepared again...

Below is my haiku about a fellow traveler we "met" in the Zug train station:
(photo credit: Maureen)

Blog Hiatus

The BIG move happens at the end of July...stay tuned!

Rock Art

I stumbled upon this "sign" during a recent jaunt on the trail...pretty sure a snake didn't assemble it. ;o)

Emperor’s Indecent Exposure + Poetry Friday

Recently I have been working on a twisted fairy tale poetry collection called Felonious Fairy Tales. Today I am going to share a poem I wrote based on the fairy tale, The Emperor's New Clothes  (it's a political one...can you guess who it is about?)

Emperor preens

attention-whore looks

for his next trick

foreign rogue

see opportunity in the unseen

Emperor’s extortion contortions

large sum of money

for election alterations

Emperor is fitted

victory visible for the unfit

Electoral College flaws 

transparent

whirring danger looms

Emperor’s advisors spin truth

self-preservation fabrication

foreign rogue constructs

fitting suit

stretching the truth

royal procession

Inaugural ball

orange puff buff

Emperor wears

nothing but

spray tan and goosebumps

media calls Emperor out

the naked truth replaced 

by twittering blue bird

foreign rogue

pulling threads from afar

Emperor’s puppeteer 

©2017, Bridget Magee. All Rights Reserved.

Join the Poetry Fun at Reflections on the Teche

Fair Weather Friend

My contemplation on the jogging trail...