August 1 - Day 6

Today we celebrated the National Swiss Holiday in what seems to be the Normal Swiss way - "leisurely"! We had a slow, easy morning enjoying the backyard and sun. It seems quite different for me, as back at home, we are always rushing to do something, get somewhere, etc. Here, we get there when we get there....the pace is slower and since I am on vacation, it doesn't bother me.  But on a regular basis - I am not sure I would fit in, as a Bostonian I have been programmed for so many years to rush, rush, rush.

Today's lunch was an omelette which was slightly different that ours, as Rosmarie adds cornmeal to the mix. This made the omelette turn more into a pancake than our typical egg omelette.

In the afternoon we had a special treat. We swam down the Rhine River. The Rhine has a strong current and you can go in the water (68 degrees) with a float and just drift down. You have to be careful in some areas so that you don't end up in the wrong place. It was incredible to float by the old town of Rheinfelden (founded in 1218), look at the people eating in cafes overlooking the river and then maneuver our way under the Rhine bridge. That's where I told Sara to let go of me - she was on her own, as I had to make my own way through the current. What a great mom, huh???? We ended up on the island by the bridge and walked home. What a truly unique experience!

For dinner, I cooked my pesto chicken dish from The Finest Gourmet. It's an easy dish to prepare for a group, consisting of cheese tortellini, sauteed chicken, fresh sauteed vegetables mixed with pesto, chicken broth and grated cheese. I do find cooking here to be a bit challenging. Not so much with this dish, but I also made brownies from a mix I have at the store. Finding the needed ingredients & tools and convering cups to ml was a bit difficult. A simple brownie mix turned into a lot more work than anticipated!

We completed our day sitting by the Rhine watching fireworks over the Rhine bridge. Once again, a memorable day here in Rheinfelden.