A Year in Numbers

This past Sunday was our one year anniversary of moving to Zürich!  Hard to believe a whole year has already gone by...doesn't seem possible!  In celebration, we hosted three college-age girls from the University of Iowa (one is a good family friend) for their spring break!  And as it was St. Patricks Day, of course we took them to an Irish pub traditional Swiss beer hall...why not!  This is clearly in keeping with "Thanksgiving in India"...who needs tradition!?

To commemorate this rather auspicious occasion, I thought a little "Year in Numbers" feature might be appropriate:

207 - Of the 365 days we've been officially living here, I've spent 207 of them in Switzerland (that's only 57%)...

6  - Swiss Festivals attended when I was here:  

• Sechseläuten (Guilds parading and snowman burning)
• Knabenschiessen (Young boys...and girls shooting)
• Räbechilbi (Turnip carving, turnip lighting and turnip parading) 
• Zibelmärit (Onion decorating, onion selling and confetti throwing)
• Klausjagen (Cowbell clanging, rope whipping, and "stained glass" mitre wearing)
• Zürifasnacht (Crazy costume and mask wearing and parading)  
• now if I could just get to the Alpabfahrt (cows coming home!)....

Burning snowman...

Official design for Knabenschiessen

Turnip leopard

Onions anyone?

One Klaus of hundreds...

Your guess is as good as mine!

*****

2 - New drivers licenses - 1 renewed in NJ and 1 obtained in Switzerland (just in case...)

35 - Weeks without driving - 29 in Switzerland (by choice - I'd rather walk or take the tram)...and 6 in NJ (not by choice - by doctor's orders...after spinal surgery)

2 - Cars owned which consistently DO NOT start - one in Summit and one in Zurich.  

2 - Cars owned which DO start - with only one driver to use either of them!

*****

21 - Hours after arrival that movers came to unpack our container!

15 - Days after arrival that our first group of visitors showed up - Connor and his 3 friends for spring break...

6 - Groups of visitors that we've had already...with two more set to come in April!

*****

19 - Years since Notre Dame was last ranked #1 in Football...

14 - Points scored by ND in National Championship game... 1/3 of Alabama's total :(

3 - Straight Rose Bowl appearances for the Wisconsin Badgers :)

3 - Straight Rose Bowl losses for the Wisconsin Badgers :(

*****

4 - Years remaining on our "contract"...

100's - More memories to be made in der Schweiz!