Just a perfect day..

Yesterday was a nice day. It started calm and happy after a full night of sleep (not like the previous one where I was up from 1:30 to 3 am with Valtteri, finally making it to sleep after the fly in his room had been smacked dead, he had had a good long cry to tire him out and a mild painkiller to help soothe what ever might have been causing the mighty cry), breakfast (I'm always happy when Valtteri eats a proper breakfast and I can drink my coffee in peace) and a walk with Rekku to a nearby school's playground (I'm also always so happy when my stubborn terrier who thinks he knows better than me obeys like an eager-to-please border collie, staying with Valtteri's car not tied to anything while Valtteri played).

We then set off to Geneva to meet a friend with a recently adopted baby boy. Valtteri is discovering there are babies in this world too, as he usually is the youngest and has not really paid attention to babies yet. Our meet-up was at an Asian fast food place called Mike Wong's - a perfect place since besides the food (which I greatly miss from Singapore) there was also a play area for kids. This really is becoming a necessity for us, because there is no keeping still with Valtteri now that he knows running and climbing.. And is a fast learner. Five repeats on how to climb up the ladder style slide (he has only done stairs so far) and he got it. He slid down on his own, although it was pretty fast..! And got up and went to do it again. Oh, what fun!

The lunch was green papaya salad, morning glory and Pad Thai. Valtteri tasted them all, because like all Asian food I have had here, it lacked completely in the chili department. Morning glory was his favorite! And, special treat, mangosteen juice. Mmmm..! For dessert we went to Gelatomania, which I had not known about before. Maybe that's good, because it was absolutely delicious.. Such a perfect match with the Asian lunch: cinnamon, pineapple-basil, chocolate-ginger and passion fruit gelato. Ice cream (or gelato) is pretty much a must in hot weather. And it is hot now. Like Singapore hot, above +30c!  

In the evening, once Antti got home from work, we went cycling. I now have a bicycle, and have also had Valtteri with me on it once. It was a bit scary, but I'll get the hang of it with more practice :) We did 16km around the surrounding country side and villages. The scenery is amazing with hills full of vineyards, sunflower covered fields and of course the Saleve mountain in the background. And there were plenty of animals to see for Valtteri (and to be honest, he enjoys the agricultural machinery and cars just as much..). A few good up hills made sure that my legs ached later, and the fact that I did not have a camera with me kept the speed up. An image that I will not forget is a skinny agile beautifully colored fox hopping along a field like there were no worries in the world and he/she was just enjoying the warm summer evening.. Lucky for him Rekku was at home ;) (or lucky for us?)

Samoens

Se on sitten viikko ihanaa perhelomaa Alpeilla takana. Perhelomaa "mun perheen" kanssa siis, Antti se on nauttinut huippugolfista vuorimaisemien sijaan ;) Kyllä on ollut huippu viikko. Valtteri fanittaa enojansa ihan kympillä ja Rekkukin on nauttinut saamastaan huomiosta. Ollaan uitu melkeen joka päivä maauimalassa tai pienessä järvessä, kävelty vuorimaisemissa, ajeltu hiihtohissillä maisemia ihailemaan, tehty retki Annecyyn, ja syöty ja nukuttu hyvin, niinkuin lomalla pitääkin. Ai niin, ja riippuliidelty!

Lentäen alas vuorelta

Riippuliito on aika huikea kokemus. Tandem hyppynä se on helppo ja turvallinen keino päästä kokemaan lentäminen - siinä vaan mennään mukana ja nautitaan maisemista :) Alussa tarvitsee hieman juosta vauhtia, mutta varjo ottaa yllättävän nopeasti tuulta alleen ja lentäminen alkaa. Me lennettiin aamupäivällä, jolloin ei ollut vielä niin kuuma ja siksipä lento oli tasainen (hyvä mulle autopahoinvoivalle). Alas tulo oli myös helppoa, eikä ollenkaan töksähtävää. Kerrassaan mahtavaa vaan liidellä taivaalla ja ihailla maisemia :) 

Myös Thomas 7v. lensi, ei pelännyt yhtään vaan olisi mennyt uudelleen heti perään..

Alppimaisemia ja tuhtia ruokaa

Maisemat on olleet yksi Alpeilla lomailun parhaita puolia. Vuoria, niittyjä, metsää, järviä, lumihuippuja.. Niitä ei väsy ainakaan vielä ihailemaan. Harmillisesti multa unohtui kamera kotiin ja iPhone saa taas kreditit kuvamuistojen toimittamisesta. Eipä ois toisaalta kameraa hirveästi kerennyt kassista kaivamaankaan kun Valtterilla vaan vauhti kiihtyy. Tän viikon aikana poika on silmä kovana seurannut Tomppa-enoaan ja oppinut käyttämään käsiään kiipeämisessä, juoksemaan ja yleisesti saanut rohkeutta lisää liikkumiseensa. (Täytyy tähän lisäksi laittaa itselle muistiin että uusia makuja viikon aikana olivat musta- ja punaherukka, kermavaahto, ahven..)

Huonoja puolia täällä Savoie-Hauten Alpeilla lomailussa paljoa ole. Paitsi ruoka, sillä lähes jokaisen ravintolan tarjoama "perinteinen savoielainen" ruoka on juustoa, lihaa ja perunaa. Fondue on kyllä hyvää, mutta kerta viikossa riittää :D Kasvissyöjällä on aika vähän - tai nolla - vaihtoehtoa monessa ravintolassa, mutta kun kala kelpaa niin yleensä löytyy syötävää. (Pyysin perinteisen 'croque' leivän ilman kinkkua (pelkällä juustolla) ja sain vastaukseksi ihmettelevän, 'ootko ny ihan varma' vastauksen "but then it is nothing interesting!"). Kasviksia tarjoillaan aterioiden osana nihkeästi, ja vaikka salaattia tulee niin niin tulee myös kastiketta ;). Vallu veteli lastenruokaa ja mitä nyt muuta oli helposti tarjolla koko viikon, ja kun sitten Chrissen annoksen mukana tulleita kasviksia tarjosin niin poika veteli niitä poskeen kuin ei ois ikinä ruokaa saanutkaan.. Tiedetään ainakin mitä ens viikolla kotona syödään ;) 

Vuorille, vuorille, uudestaan

Ehdottomasti. Uudestaan, jos ei ihan Samoensin kylään niin joihinkin muihin alppimaisemiin. Kävelemään luontoon, syömään yks fondue ja jos aurinko paistaa niin uimaan. Mäkin alan taas näyttää pikkuhiljaa samalta kuin Singaporessa ja Vallukin on saanut rusketusrajat!

Back to volunteering

I visited the SGPA shelter yesterday. Agility practice was cancelled, so finally there was a Wednesday afternoon for visiting the shelter. It had to be Wed, because I read in the member magazine that an English lady volunteers in the office on Wed afternoons, and that meant guarantied English speaking advise on how I could help :)

I took the boys with me, something I could never had thought of doing in Singapore. Rekku stayed outside the buildings in the yard, tied to a fence. Valtteri came inside to learn about the shelter and took a little tour with me. There are dogs, cats and small mammals like guinea pigs at the shelter. Valtteri quite liked the guinea pigs ;)

 

The shelter is very different to what I had experienced in Asia. Luxurious even! There were big runs for the dogs to roam in, and all dogs got to go out for several hours everyday. However, nearly all of them were alone. And lonely. This big Doberman was 'beeping' continuously, such a sad sight. Shelter is always a shelter, and space does not make up for a family and a home.

 

I was told the situation is especially bad now before the summer. People call up the SGPA and say "I would like to give you my dog". When asked for reasons, they came up with all kind of explanations (allergy after having a dog for 8 years? Really?). Naturallly there are cases of owner passing away etc. too. What ever the reason, those that do take their dog to SGPA, have to fill up a form to pass on information about the dog to help with adoption. There is very little abandonment on the streets in Switzerland. 

Shelter work is regulated in Switzerland, and thus it is only certain people that can help inside the shelter with cleaning, feeding etc. The best way for people like me to help is to walk the dogs. Anyone can do that, and carrying a toddler on my back would not be a problem either I was told. In order to take a dog for a walk, one must arrive at the shelter between 2 and 4 pm and present an identity card (which is kept until the dog is returned). The carers working at the shelter will pick a suitable dog for walking. The dog must be back at the shelter by 4:30, as supper is served at 5. 

 
Unfortunately the SGPA website might not be up-to-date with the dogs looking for a home. I'm not sure this board was either, as I could see many more in the kennels. Perhaps some of them were till being evaluated. As the dogs come in, their temperament is tested with the help of a trainer that works with the SGPA. (Note to self: find out more about the assessment and any possible 'training plan' created for the dogs.) Before one can adopt, they have to either prove they have or have had a dog before, or take a short course on dogs and how to take care of them. This by law in Geneva canton. (The Swiss law on humane treatment of pet dogs is super cool! Prong collars forbidden!! More info e.g. at www.veterinaireonline.com/expat/dogs)

Valtteri was getting restless in his pram so I could not stay and ask more questions about the running of the shelter or SGPA, fund raising, staff etc. Maybe another Wednesday. For now, I was welcomed to walk the dogs on Mondays or Tuedays, as those were days with least walker volunteers. Can't wait to start! :)

 

(Ps. As usual, click on the images to see them in full)