It’s hard to believe, but we’ve been back in the states for 5 months now. In some ways it feels like we just got here and in others we’ve been here forever. I still dream about Basel, you know. I still dream through bizarre conversations with my friends Barbara, Kate, Rachel, and Sunrita. I close … Continue reading Settling Into a Target Christmas
About two months ago a little picture showed up on my Facebook feed with the words: "Chestnut Hill Harry Potter Festival." Actually, a guy I'd never met before posted it and tagged my good friend Margaret. She is a big Harry Potter fan and everything of "Harry Potter" origin finds its way to her attention. … Continue reading Looking for Harry Potter in Pennsylvania
Life has been moving at breakneck speed lately. So much faster than when we lived in Switzerland. So fast that I feel like I'm dropping my Swiss-life intentions behind me as I'm rocketed along. But I do try to keep all those life intentions clutched in my hands and tucked inside my head. One of … Continue reading Hiking to be Swiss
In an effort to cram in as much as I could into my last month I took an Indian curry cooking class! Basel has a fairly large Indian community. There are a number of specialty food shops and quite a few curry restaurants around. I have always loved curry and I was excited to be … Continue reading Cooking Curry!! A Swiss Family Carlson Adventure
We are officially back in DC. Actually we have been here for 2 weeks, but it doesn't feel that long. My Mom and I drove across the country from the family farm in Iowa and pulled into the driveway at 7pm on the second day of driving. The first day of driving was filled with … Continue reading Culture Shock
When Mark was first assigned to the BIS in Basel I never dreamed how much living in Switzerland would change us. Other than the language barrier, I thought getting around there would be breeze. We would move in, live there for 2 years, and then just fly on back to the US. Easy-peasy. How different … Continue reading Switzerland has Ruined America for Me
It's been 5 weeks since we left Switzerland for America. First we went to Minnesota for a blissful time with Mark's parents before Mark had to go back to the reality of DC and work and I drove down to Iowa with the kids to visit my parents and wait for our stuff to arrive … Continue reading Moving is Complicated
We have moved. Officially. We have given up our keys to our wonderful apartment, tearfully hugged friends who have become family, taken our flight, and are in the United States. I just canceled my Swiss Half-Fare card for the trains. We need to mail our legitimization cards back to some office somewhere now that the … Continue reading The Surreal Nature of Moving
Previously, we ate our way through the streets of Amsterdam. Somethings never change. What else doesn't change is that we tend to stumble into some of the more interesting parts of a city. Like the alley in the Red Light District where we witnessed a negotiation between a horny 30-something guy and a dark haired … Continue reading Thelma and Louise Find Art and Red Lights
As my very last trip in Europe for this Swiss experience my BFF, the Thelma to my Louise, flew out to join me on a trip to Amsterdam. I'd only even been in Amsterdam as an entry point into Europe. I think almost every American has been to the Amsterdam airport. Shaun hadn't been to … Continue reading Thelma and Louise go to Amsterdam!!
My honest opinions. Day to day life, and how I go about handling it. An outlet for creativity.
by Elle Renee
"A Word of Substance"
Traditional Veg Recipes
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sailaway from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain
I want to be rich. Rich in love, rich in health, rich in laughter, rich in adventure and rich in knowledge. You?
Cultivating coziness one idea and project at a time
