Matterhorn

The majestic Matterhorn atop Zermatt, one of the many famous Swiss Alpes. Switzerland lacks many things such as open-mindedness, multiculturalism, political liberalism but it more than makes up for all of its shortcomings with naturally magnificent landscapes.

Petit Suisse

Constant naggings of the following sort are worse than tantrum-throwing or hissy fits.

Petit Suisse to me : You do not give me ... You do not give me ... You do not love me at all. You do not love me at all.

etc...

Alternate between the above two sentences and fill in the blanks with whatever he is desiring on the spur of the moment. Elongate the length of this constant nagging by an half hour and I am at my wits end. The worst thing is I do not want to cave in and give him whatever it is he wants which consists mostly of impossible,unreasonable or tooth-decaying foodstuff. What is an exasperated mother to do?

Readiness

Who knew that my husband's definition of being ready involves wait for it, having shoes on?

This means one thing I could be nude and be ready if my feet were shoed.
He is seriously worried that if we were to have an earthquake or any natural disaster or unnatural emergency and I was shoeless this would be a catastrophe.
As one knows to be found without ones shoes on the street when one is sans-abri is unforgiveable due to possible debris, broken objects and what not...

So he habitually tells me (much to my annoyance) that I am not ready unless I've got my shoes ON.

You begin to see where all our problems stem from, don't you?

Petite Suissesse

The reason I have blogged less about my petite suissesse is simple. She is a pigheaded, ultra-determined and tough little 2 year old who other than repeating endlessly after her older brother is just a normal kid. This does in no way mean she is not extra special or unique in her own sweet way. It just means that for the moment her daily encumbrances are less noteworthy.

Random conversations with Petit Suisse

My four year old son shall be referred to as 'Petit Suisse' and my 2+ year old daughter shall be known as 'Petite Suissesse'.

Petit Suisse to self : This morning I was a wee little baby and I suckled on your breasts for milk.

Self thinking must be some growth-hormone induced milk because you have miraculously grown in a matter of a few hours to a four year old.

Petit Suisse's sense/notion of past is reduced to 'this morning or a moment ago'.

Struggling to find an audience

My fears of not striking a chord with any soul out there who desires to express and share their views that do not already seem formulaic and conform to the myriad blogs that already exist. Maybe I came into this game a little late. I will persist no matter and if it means simply to be a platform to express my views then so be it.

To hell with attempting to appeal to the masses.

I now sound desperate for attention.
;)

Butterfly

Fleeting beauty
Oh how I envy thee!
Fluttering, flippant, coloured wings

Ephemeral beauty
Oh to live a short-lived wingspan
'Tis more than a lifetime of inutility

Epitome of fragility
Oh such pitiful fate of all existence
'Tis more than mere inexistence

---

Butterfly how thou hath conjured up
My own short-lived existentialism
Like the many before I

To have lived is far better
... than to have simply existed

Bored

I would welcome suggestions on what to do when one is bored in the pretend metropole but in reality a village 'Geneva'.

I do not expect a constant flow of ideas because it really is deadly boring here.

What to feed one of the world's most finicky eaters?

The following is an exhaustive list of what my finicky eater of a son will eat. Anything that does not appear in the list will not be eaten.
In no particular order
1. Carrots
2. Peas
3. Chocolate (for breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks if only he could)
4. Pasta without any sauce
5. Rice when accompanied by char siu or lap suong
6. Fried rice
7. Yoghurt
8. Fruits the sweeter the better/more likely to be eaten
9. Corn kernels (he will eat cans upon cans of this)
10. Vietnamese beef noodle soup

The pattern is that he associates good taste with high sugar content. If it tastes sweet then it tastes good according to this gourmand. Needless to say he does not have a very big appetite.

For a petit Swiss who does not appreciate one single bite of cheese of any kind is a shame really. He doesn't take to milk fat too well so rule out butter or dairy products other than yoghurt and milk which unusually he drinks (especially when flavoured with chocolate powder).