 Our house We have lived in the same house, ever since moving to Switzerland, almost seven years ago. We have loved our house and it has been perfect for the four of us. Enough space for our two teenagers and their friends and easy access to public transportation, making it convenient for me to commute to the office and to the airport. Ever since our oldest daughter moved out to start studying at university, we have felt that the house was getting too big for just three persons, and we decided to start looking for an apartment. In Switzerland many people rent and the housing offering is quite large. Nevertheless, you need to decide relatively quickly and be able to present references and employment confirmations.  Boxes, boxes and a few more boxes Downsizing Last weekend it was time for us to move into a newly-built apartment! Fortunately, we have known the moving date for a couple of months and could start the downsizing, sorting, selling and getting rid of stuff well in advance. We have sold three sofas, donated sacks of stuffed animals and found things we thought were lost. It was a time-consuming, tedious and boring yet fun, rewarding and satisfactory process. For example, we know that we do not need to buy any toilet brushes the coming years, even if we would change them very frequently, I do not need to buy any black socks at all and my husband would definitely make it to the finals of "Dismount and mount your IKEA closets in the shortest time". Right now we are in the middle of unpacking all the boxes, going to IKEA to buy all the small, complementary stuff we need. Hopefully, we could soon start decorating and putting up curtains and paintings, but no stress, we will take our time. We already feel very much at home and adore our fantastic mountain view. Action 43 is completed, you are warmly welcome to come and visit us in our new apartment! 
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 Giant Galapagos tortoise and I My dream trip! The last weeks I have been on my dream trip: Galapagos Islands! These green, lush, tropical islands in the Pacific Ocean, turned out to be even more fantastic than I ever had imagined. I am a bit of a nature freak, enjoying being outdoors and have of course watched most BBC nature documentaries, with David Attenborough. Galapagos has been one of my dream destinations for a very long time, and I booked the trip, right after I had had my first clear scan last summer. For me it was top priority to get a chance to visit these enchanted islands.  Galapagos penguin Endemic species The Galapagos Islands are home to many endemic species, which means they cannot be found anywhere else on earth. About 80% of the land birds, 97% of the reptiles and mammals, and more than 30% of the plants are endemic. My favorites among the species unique to Galapagos, are the marine iguanas, the fur seals and the Galapagos penguin, the only penguin to be found in the Northern Hemisphere. This penguin has never seen snow or ice and it loves hunting fish and crustaceans in the shallow waters along the western islands. Most animals have no enemies and are not at all afraid of people. It is a strange feeling to walk in the middle of a bird colony, among marine iguanas or giant Galapagos tortoises, without them paying any attention to us humans. We did not only hike but also did a lot of snorkeling. In the clear, nutrient-rich waters there are colorful fishes in abundance. We swam with sea turtles, sea lions, penguins, rays and sharks! Robinson Crusoe and I Several islands have no human settlements and tourist access is limited to protect the precious wild life, hence giving us a Robinson Crusoe feeling. It was relaxing and recharging to be far away from the civilization with no telephone or internet access, at least for a while! Action 26 is completed and I have many unforgettable memories of animal encounters to cherish.  Marine iguana  Celebrating with a nice cup of coffee Scanxiety The last couple of days I have been experiencing the dreadful, every three months occurring scanxiety. I had my CT-scan on Monday and have anxiously been waiting to receive the results, and meet with my oncologist. This time I was utterly uncertain of what to expect, as I have been experiencing increasing stomach discomfort the last weeks. I have tried not to think of it, but that has been easier said than done. A relief The blood tests and scan results were excellent, with no signs of a cancer relapse! Knowing I am cancer free, is for sure fantastic news. The stomach discomfort is a consequence of the surgeries I have undergone. My bowels are still in a bit of turmoil and not fully back to the normal pace. What a relief! I am so happy that I do not need to go back to the hospital until the next planned check-up. Today I have been celebrating with a nice cup of coffee, and yes I have put the champagne in the fridge for tonight!  |
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AuthorHi, my name is Lena and I am a cancer survivor. I hope you enjoy reading my blog posts. If you want to subscribe, click on Contact. Archives
September 2019
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