On the Fringe...

I've always felt myself to be a bit on the fringe.

Not quite fitting into one group or the other.

Happy with various types of people - some of them quite opposite from another.

I like living where I have all the convenience of the city yet feel I'm a bit away from it all. Bart has seen deer multiple times next to the house in CA now. They just won't be trudging through the snow like they did in Iowa. :)

I'm on another Fringe now. Not quite in Zurich, not quite in CA. A lot still to do but a lot has been done. This has been the most challenging move yet. Bart's been in CA since early April and we're managing separate places and challenging responsibilities. I know the Lord is keeping me going because my lack of sleep would normally have me wiped. I am wiped but I'm still going................

I don't know about him - we've hardly been able to talk this week! - but I really, really appreciate all my dear husband brings to our household. I can't wait to see him tomorrow.

I'm NOT on the Fringe about that! He is a doer. An organizer. I think if he had been here, we'd be a lot further along. That said, I think we're in decent shape for the movers to come along on Monday.

One week from today I have to catch a plane. A one-way ticket - CA via NY. I hope it's cloudy so I don't have to see the mountains. I will leave a small piece of my heart in the mountains and thus, will have to return.

Besides all the sorting, lists - shipping doc's were faxed via snail fax service in town (Waedenswil needs a Kinko's!), we also had the last week of school for the girls and their leaving parties.

For anyone who's done the overseas move, you know you have to get rid of the food and various flammables, etc.... that Customs (pick your country) does not like to have shipped. So I had my table for open house and while some things were taken, people seemed reluctant to take my stuff in spite of my insisting "if you don't take it, I have to throw it away."

Until Rachel's friends came over. Basically, if you need to get rid of "stuff", invite a group of Jr. High students over - no inhibitions. " oh, we use this" "my dad likes stuff like this" "Is this good? I think we should try it." Beautiful! The girls each had "leaving" parties at the Badi this week. A "Badi" is basically a public swimming beach with well-maintained facilities along the Lake (Zurich in this case). Some have rental floaties, chairs, even in-ground pools for those who don't care for the Lake.

I was worried about Kendra's party as the thunderstorms and rain typical of June finally arrived and her's was after school on Tuesday. I prayed, not for a perfect day, but that the Badi wouldn't close. She wanted a party and had forgone a Birthday party for the big leaving party. We had only 23 or so of her nearest and dearest on hand.

I hired our sitter and her sister to help watch kids. Also got chewed out by the "Bad Meister" aka Lifeguard for having so many kids and the adults not being right at the waters edge. He calmed down after I pointed out my capable and grown up helpers. grrrrrrr.... She had a great time and it never rained on us.

Rachel's group met during the day on Thurs. as Middle school was done Wednesday and Elementary campus still had school. The beauty for the Int'l school students is that the local schools are in session until July 15 or so giving them free reign at the Badi to enjoy themselves. Not to say they can't otherwise but I'll leave it at - there can be tension between the two language communities depending on backgrounds.

Rachel and Kendra in the Lake at Kendra's party:

Me? I've been saying "aufwiedersehen's" which are much better than goodbye as it essentially means until we see each other again. I don't like this part but I treasure all the moments. A special time.

And to help me remember. Just in case I might forget:

Why does Frau Olson have two - 2 - coffee machines on her counter? One is 5 years old and the present to myself for moving TO Switzerland. One is brand new, out-of-the box and my present for moving FROM Switzerland. I'll let you guess which is which. :)

I didn't intend on replacing mine until arriving in the States but there was this special one at the store and, oh, what a lovely reminder of my time here, Yes? I had to unpack it to make sure it worked and then packed it up again. I also have to buy a transformer for it in the US. My husband is so kind and patient with me.

I'm not on the Fringe re: my coffee needs.

I've taken 2 loads to the dump, about 6 bags to the garbage dumpster this week ( a normal week is 1.5 bags), drove around horse drawn buggies without blinking an eye, returned my girlies beautiful instruments to the violin maker, driven a last time on the one lane road through the Barn in Tanne - I will miss this. I was still in Robot mode until I started saying goodbye to all the "mums" (they are ALL UK except for the Japanese mom) from Kendra's class. There's a whole group of them that have been together since Kindergarten and they're such a good group of kids. Rachel didn't quite have the same. Whew! I'll miss seeing them and just knowing they're there even if we didn't see each other much lately.

Moving. On the Fringe again. New people to meet. New places to explore. Never forgetting the people and places and faith that molds us.