MoreSmiles 15:365

This has been a Focus Week at WPS with everyone studying Famous Artists. In Spanish we've been learning about Picasso, Dalí and Miró, and looking at colour in their paintings. This afternoon Year 3 had a go at imitating Miró - here are a couple of examples. I was very impressed.

An old friend coming round for coffee made me smile too.

And hugs from my boys who are both poorly put a big smile on my face. 

Smiles 152:365

The weather here has been vile recently (a few brief glimpses of sun excepted) but there are some benefits - 10% "bad weather discount" in Migros today! Only in Switzerland! 

Both boys really wanted to throw themselves down into these cushions at the Kunsthaus today but restrained themselves as they were part if an art installation. That made me smile as did not having to pay the entrance fee as the museum had a "Tag der Offenen Tür" or Open Day :0)

And another Cole bottle, this time for my 

Schnüggel or 'sweetie/cutie' - except our "Schnüggel" (Jude) doesn't like fizzy drinks so I had to drink it ;)

Finally, I ticked another item off my 'things to do before leaving Switzerland' today. Still no cuckoo clock ;0)

Smiles 114:365

A new environmental art installation outside Technikum. I like the climbing men and the green plants.

John being away, we went to Bruderhaus for dinner, said hello to the mouflon and bison, and walked home via HB for an ice cream. We like warm evenings.

The boys were admiring a Ferrari and I asked if it had a D8 engine. Jude burst out "I sometimes wonder if we really are related!" (I know - it's a V8. But D and V sound similar...)

Say cheese in other languages
In Czech you can also say Řekněte sýr!

Smiles 95:365

We went to Basel today which meant that we had another game of 'Study the public transport network map and find funny names' - I think you will see our favourite on the above photo!

Jude's glee at being on a TGV was also a huge smiling point - he does like a good train. Isaac, on the other hand, loves a good leaflet, map or timetable!

I can recommend the Fondation Beyeler gallery - a good variety of interesting artists (although we were rather annoyed that ALL the Picassos, and the Warhols and Lichtensteins were on loan to other galleries!

After the gallery we went to investigate Basel and stopped for a drink. Not many McDonalds where you get this view!

And my website is back up and running and pink! Hurrah!

Smile in other languages
In Binary (Intel x86 ASCII set) - 
S= 01110011
M= 01101101
I= 01001001
L= 01101100
E= 01000101

(Thanks to David Pickup for supplying me with more ideas. Watch this space over the next few days!)

Smiles 89:365

A rainy Easter Saturday and a visit to Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum in Zürich. "Kids are free" always makes me smile, and there was plenty to see. Favourite sections were the swords and armour (Jude), the Swiss political cartoons (Isaac) the Swiss wheel (me) and the comfy leather sofa (John) in the Animali exhibition.
I also quite enjoyed the 'TV studio' and pretending to present the weather, ably filmed by Jude! See the smile?

Whilst we were taking a break in the Bistro, Jude asked "Where's Peck-ing?" We thought he meant Peckham (although this was strange as we were in Zürich) then we noticed the clocks on the wall showed the time in New York, Zürich and ... Peking. Love him - he had no idea that Beijing used to be called Peking!

Smile in other languages
As Kate Mosse's Sepulchre starts tonight, today it's Occitan!
In Occitan - sorire