Solothurn - my adopted town

Although I was born a Londoner from the East End, I have been living in Switzerland for the last 40 years. After two years in Zürich I went to the town of Solothurn and have been living in and around the town for the last 38 years. My husband and I lived in Solothurn for 28 years and for the last 10 years we moved a kilometer down the road to the village of Feldbrunnen, but as towns grow Feldbrunnen is really just around the corner tp Solothurn. I am not going into historical details with dates and all that, as you can find what you need on our good old Internet. I just happened to take a couple of photos this week on a rainy day and these are the results.

First of all we have our cathederal, the St. Ursen. Solothurn is a catholic town - very useful for getting more holidays during the year, so we have a cathederal, very old. My youngest son even sung with the choirboys before his voice broke and went on a couple of international trips with them.

It is the big building at the back with the tower. As you can see we have a River, the river Aare which sort of flows from the Bernese Alps, through the capital city of Bern and eventually arrives in Solothurn. From there it goes on a journey until it runs into the River Rhine (I mean nearly all rivers in Europe flow into the River Rhine and one time or another). The building on the left on the river bank is the so-called Besenval palace. In earlier days Solothurn was the French ambassors town and he lived in Palais Besenval during the Winter. These days it is used for art exhibitions mainly or other local happenings.

If you go down towards the left you arrive at the following building.

Known as the Landhaus, it is mainly used for exhibitions, concerts and lectures. Inside very roomy with a stage. The annual literature days are held there when Solothurn invites Swiss writers to read from their works or introduce their books. Although not only Swiss, but it can sometimes get quite international. Mainly books in German, French and Italian (3 of our 4 national languages) but now and again might get the odd English writer. It is also used for the annual film days, also mainly Swiss Films, but now and again you get the odd personality turning up. Two years ago Maximillian Schell was here (Swiss actor, but internationally known). This building also burnt down once - according to my other half around 1955, but was built again.

Still looking towards the Northern bank of the River Aare we have some original old buildings. Over the years their outward appearance has not been changed very much, just painted up a bit, but if you would like to live in one of the renovated ultra modern flats, then you have to be earning well. Something comparable to the docklands in London. The large white building on the left used to be a bank, but even small Swiss banks get taken over by bigger Swiss banks. After they cleared the gnomes out that changed it into a pool billard hall. with bar. My youngest son has spent many happy moments there. Three months after it was open, the roof caught on fire, so it was closed for a further six months to have it rebuilt again. The building next to it was a restaurant and over the years changed owners often. The original name was Storchen (storks), afterwards it became a pub with the name of Charleys and then eventually it was the sport bar. In the cellar there was always a sort of bar with young ladies who danced, mostly without clothing, from the eastern part of Europe. They even lived in the top floors. Today the building is empty and up for sale - anyone interested? For more see next photo.

The building third from left brings many happy memories back. On the ground floor there is the Restaurant Chutz. In earlier days when hubby and I were newly sort of married we often spent many a happy Saturday evening and Sunday morning there. It was known as a Jazz restaurant and Jazz groups from the local area would give a concert either on Saturdays evenings, or a so-called Jazz matinée on Sunday morning. My husband played drums himself (being a keen be-bop jazz fan) and now and again would play or join in in a jam session. Happy days - the last time he played was to celebrate his 60th birthday together with the piano player. He still has contact today and we still have the drums - you never know. The Restaurant itself belonged to a painter (arty stuff) and his paintings were often on the walls. These days there is not so much jazz there, but quite often the local rock/beat bands will have a concert. My oldest son is always there helping out - sort of roady.

So that was a short and sweet tour of the town where I live and have sort of got to love over the past years. Of course, not everything is so perfect. We also have our share of drug dealers, dodgy types and layabouts, but today they just belong to our civilisation. The place lives and that is the main thing.

Fluffy the Brave

Tabby: Nera, Nera – wake up, I want to have a few words with you
Nera: Meow – what’s all the noise, I am just catching up on my beauty sleep. What’s the problem?
Tabby: It’s Fluffy
Nera: Can we have five minutes peace and quiet here without having to talk about Fluffy. I have had a very stressy day and Fluffy is the last thing I want to discuss at the moment. Meow. If you knew what I had been through today, you wouldn’t start conversations when I am relaxing.
Tabby: Ok Nera, so tell me all about it and then we can perhaps have a normal feline conference together afterwards.
Nera: It is fairly obvious Tabby, just look at my fur coat.
Tabby: It looks as black and long as ever, although it doesn’t smell as strong as it usually does, and there are no twigs or dead snails tangled up in it.
Nera: Exactly - although I didn’t hear the bit about being smelly. My coat never smells. But just look at the bits at the top of my legs.
Tabby: What bits? It looks very tidy and neat.
Nera: Hiss, Hiss – tidy and neat. Do you know what one of those furless, whiskerless humans did today? As I was relaxing he started stroking my head which I found very pleasant. Then suddenly he had the scissors in his hand, grabbed my neck, pushed my head down and taking me completely by surprise, started cutting bits of fur out. The whole process was very degrading just to say the least, and look at me now. I feel like a recruit for the cat marine regiment going off to the tropics, short back and sides to say the least.
Tabby: Well it doesn’t notice that much and you really no longer smell and you don’t have things crawling out of your fur any more. So now I want to ask your opinion on something.
Nera: What things crawling out of my fur. I never saw anything crawling out of my fur and if you are going to be insulting, I won’t give my opinion on anything.
Tabby: You know ants. Mrs. Human once complained to Mr. Human about the ants that you bring into their (sorry) our home. Now to the problem, I have noticed that Fluffy has been fighting with other cats lately.
Nera: Well let him fight, he keeps them out of our territory and we don’t have to bother.
Tabby: It’s not that, but he is smaller than us, and younger. My reputation and yours is being undermined.
Nera: What is that supposed to mean.
Tabby: Well the Mr. Grey from across the field and the cat with the French miaow next door, Bobinette, are laughing at us two. They think we are two softies letting Fluffy do all the fighting for us.
Nera: Well in that case, perhaps I should have a few words. Although I must say Tabby, you have never been very successful in keeping our territory clean from other cats. It always seems to me you run away from the others with your tail between your legs.
Tabby: Nera, you could help me out now and again, but you just watch and do nothing.
Nera: I am contemplating and thinking Tabby, like all wise, clever, beautiful black cats do. Don’t forget, if I started fighting my fur would get tangled and I might loose bits of it.
Tabby: Like you did today when Mr. Human pinned you down??
Nera: I didn’t hear the last remark, but if you really think that I should have a few words with Fluffy, I will. Fluffy where are you.
Fluffy: I’m coming, I was just watching the boundaries of our territory for foreign cats. You know you can’t be too careful these days.
Nera: Well I was just going to ask you about that. Tabby was saying that you have started fighting with other cats lately. Basically that’s ok, but you must wait a few years to do that. After all Tabby and I have been here a few years longer than you have and we are the cats to be respected.
Fluffy: Well, to be quite honest, I only got angry with the other cats because they were talking about us, well actually Nera they were talking about you.
Nera: They were doing what. Probably admiring my beautiful silky fur and my long bushy tail.
Fluffy: Not exactly, I overheard them saying that you smell a bit strong now and again.
Nera: They said what??????
Tabby: Nera, stay cool, it’s not that bad
Nera: Tabby I have the feeling that you knew all about this
Fluffy: Well I did mention it to Tabby, but she said it is only in the Summer that you smell because of your long fur and the insects and twigs that get caught in it. Then I heard Mr. Grey and Bobinette talking about the cat next door that smells, so I though I would defend your honour and keep them out of the garden. Otherwise it might be that it gets all over the neighbourhood and everyone is talking about you.
Nera: Fluffy, who actually won the fight.
Fluffy: Well I did actually. I felt their presence, so did the sleeking cat walk and caught them by surprise. You should have seen them run afterwards.
Nera: Fluffy, do you think I smell?
Fluffy: Funny thing is yesterday you did, but today you just smell like a normal cat.
Tabby: That’s because Mr. Human cut the smelly bits out.
Nera: Tabby, keep that to yourself. I think the problem is now solved. Fluffy did a good job keeping those foreign cats out of our plot and I am sure they won’t be bothering us anymore.

Just an almost "normal" day

Today was a bit of a stress day. It all started at six in the morning when I arose still half asleep. It rained through the night and we had thunderstorms. I was thinking how lucky my furry monsters were having a roof over their heads and not having to be outside in the rain. First problem – only two feline monsters were at home. Fluffy, being blind, stays in all night. He usually has a meow time about five in the morning as if to say wake up everyone I am on my Todd (I am alone for non-cockneys), but as we are used to it, we manage to ignore him. Tabby was perched on the mini cat tree but as soon as she noticed footsteps in the hall she was up and ready to go at the cat flap. Our big fat black feline boss cat, Nera, was not at home. She was also not perched out on the porch with a half roof over her head, she was nowhere. Having visions of a frightened cat hiding somewhere from the rain and thunder feeling alone and hungry I went to the bathroom with a strange uneasy feeling.

Suddenly I heard my other half welcoming Nera – she had returned to the fold. Was she wet? Hungry? Frightened? – well not really. Her first action was to eat, but that is one of her hobbies – sort of living to eat. She was not wet, and walked through the home flapping her long black tail from side to side as if she owned the place (she does really) so another cat secret remained – where was she?. She gave up boyfriends a long while ago (I think it was after her operation) so we knew she hadn’t been seeing strange cats. In the meanwhile Tabby had disappeared to the world outside and Fluffy was glad to have company again.

Eventually I saddled the car and said goodbye to all. I arrived at the office at 07.15 a.m. and it was still raining. Said hello to everyone although no-one really seemed to be in a good mood. My next action was to switch the office computer on. The first thing I saw was Nera having a wash (my current screen saver) so went on to the office 2007 quickly as I had had enough of Nera already for the day. I made myself a coffee to wake myself up and eventually our export team was complete. I then said goodbye again as I had to go up to the hospital to get some info on an examination I have next week. I then had to go to my doctor to pick up my diabetes medicine that I was running out of, and the only good thing was to go to the bank and cash my premium bond win which arrived through the post yesterday.

Afterwards it was back to work where hubby rang me to say he had an appointment at the docs for his lumbago (oh what a life when you get older). I was off again at lunch time to the local supermarket hunting for food and a quick lunch in the self-service restaurant and arrived back in the office at 1.00 p.m. ready to send goods all over the world thinking to myself only another three years and 3 months and a few days and I will be in the happy pension grounds.

Eventually I arrived home safe and sound. Fluffy was at home, Tabby was just getting ready to go out after a day’s sleep and Nera was sleeping outside on one of the chairs. Actually when I come to think of it, Nera actually lives outside and only comes home for food. Hubby was busy at the computer so I got something ready to eat. In the meanwhile the kitchen was turning into a feline Piccadilly circus with cats coming in and out hoping perhaps for a weekly dose of tuna fish – no luck that is programmed for Wednesdays. Now things have settled down and here I am sitting at the computer typing a blog. I think it will be an evening with a book. Have just finished Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and have started Sterben (Dying) by Arthur Schnitzer. Not exactly something to cheer you up, but it is short and sweet.

In the meanwhile Nera and Tabby have disappeared, but we expect them back at around midnight for a midnight supper.

Pampas Grass

I think it was about eight years ago when they had a special offer in the local supermarket (again) for pampas grass. My garden had started growing and I decided it would be a nice plant to put in the middle of the “lawn” (I am not a lawn type – so it is more daisies than grass). When it arrived it was quite compact with a few strands of leaves forming a circle. I had often admired the gardens with pampas grass being the main attraction in Autumn showing their flowers. My pampas grass was very reluctant to show any flowers for the first two years. Although it grew quite a lot of leaves, it just stayed a bundle of long grass.

I think it was the third year when at the end of August some sturdy stalks started stretching through the leafy mass. As they grew taller there was something strange poking out of the middle of the stalks. Imagine the pride I had when I realised they were the first flowering stalks that were appearing. The first year there were only about five of them but it was a beginning.

A year later I was visiting the family in London for a week and called in at the local Internet café (my dad doesn’t have a computer – he found that when he got to the age of 80 it wasn’t worth bothering about), I tuned into home and found that I had a mail in my mailbox from my other half with an attachment. The pampas had managed at least ten stalks that year and my husband had sent a photo to prove it. Since then we havn’t been disappointed any more.

We usually leave them until the following year in Spring, so they usually get a coating of snow during the Winter.

When Spring arrives we take the hedge cutter and give it a short back and sides. The leaves are razor sharp when cut and we do have a bit of excitement now and again if they happen to get wound around your fingers. That is when the colourful mixture of German and English negative remarks are to be heard in the garden. However, eventually after collecting the cut grass and fruit spears the plant looks tidier, although a bit naked. By the time June arrives it is already half way there in growth and in Autumn, as now, we have our show once again.

Did I mention that our cats like to relax under the pampas grass in Summer to get away from the sun’s rays.

The Fight starring Mr. Grey and Fluffy

Just to say the least, Fluffy does not like Mr. Grey and Mr. Grey is not too keen on Fluffy. When they were smaller and carefree they would sit next to each other and watch birds together and other feline pastimes. Mr. Grey lives just opposite to us, and his timetable has always been a bit different to Fluffy. Fluffy used to go out during the day on his own until his accident when he became blind. He is now out during the day, but has a harness with an expandable dog lead which is attached to a pole in the garden, so he does have a range of about three meters to wander around. Mr. Grey usually went out in the early evening and spent most of the time outdoors, so the chances that they met were usually reduced to the twilight zone.

As the two boys got older I noticed that my Fluffy was no longer keen on sharing the garden with Mr. Grey. Funnily enough my big fat black cat Nera didn’t seem to mind and was often seen together resting with Mr. Grey.

Tabby on the other hand dislikes any other cats except for her litter sister Nera. She just tolerates Fluffy as Fluffy lives in the same place, eats from the same food bowls and in Winter, when the ground is frozen, also shares the same toilet - so far so good. Tabby has often chased Mr. Grey away, although when Mr. Grey retaliates, being a head and shoulders bigger than Tabby, it has been seen that Tabby is running in the opposite direction closely followed by Mr. Grey.

I have noticed lately that Mr. Grey’s daily routine is changing slightly and he is to be seen during the afternoon roaming around. My cats get about twice a week a feeding of tuna fish from the tin which we usually give them outside on the porch. Over the weeks, my cats just seem to have started drinking the juice and leave the actual fish for later, if Fluffy hasn’t eaten it in the meanwhile. Mr. Grey seems to sniff this from his home opposite and always seems to turn up when the fish is left. However, Fluffy is not exactly in agreement with sharing his tuna with a strange grey cat. Although Fluffy is blind, his ears and nose seem to be operating overtime. As soon as Mr. Grey is on the border of the garden, Fluffy is in action and follows him at a distance waiting.

Yesterday Mr. Grey arrived in our garden and was on his way to the leftover tuna fish. Fluffy noticed this attack on the tuna fish and bravely stood in the way. Mr. Grey also stood still and it was like the final scene from High Noon with Gary Cooper his hands ready to draw the guns for the final shoot out, only the cats didn’t have guns. Mr. Grey started growling – something like a lion at the zoo and his hair stood up a bit. Fluffy’s reaction came quickly. He started growling as well. It was a pity I didn’t have my camera ready for the leap in the air that Fluffy made. There was a hissing and spitting and Fluffy being very fluffy, a cloud of white fur flying through the air. I don’t really know what went on when the two cats went into a clinch together. I just know that Mr. Grey took off about one hundred kilometres an hour and Fluffy started licking her fur.

Of course, I was proud of my boy beating off the neighbour’s cat and Mr. Grey has not been seen since in our garden. We did notice that Fluffy’s right eye was closed in the evening and after a closer examination noticed it was a bit reddened, but by this morning everything seemed to be ok. Just a small war injury. Fluffy is now relaxing in the sun on the porch. I sometimes wonder what goes through their feline brains.