Cripes, I’m old. Well, old-ish. Oh, don’t try to tell me otherwise, I have too much evidence on my side. I’m not talking about that grey hair nonsense because my hair’s been grey since my late 20’s, hidden by frantically applied chemicals for decades. No, the knowledge of my getting on in years comes from […]

One of the main reasons I moved here was to be near water again. Living in Burgundy was divine, two words: wine country. But I am coming to learn that this woman cannot live on wine alone, no matter how hard I try. Hailing from the land of the Newfound, an island in the North […]

Oh dear Finders I hope the holiday was kind to you. I took my own advice and ate all kinds of things I say are good for me (medical expertise aside)… But the tale today is about what I didn’t eat: poultry. Neil and I planned a very quiet Christmas at home, lots of lounging […]

Well mes amis, I am reborn, delivered from the depths into this new life. No heels at ungodly hours. No parents hootin’ and hollerin’ at youngsters all hours of the day. No hipster crashing about the apartment next door like an inebriated elephant. While certainly we have some stompers above us, the situation is markedly improved. […]

So, a little while ago, something called The Economist Intelligence Unit (don’t ask me) revealed the “best” countries for a child to be born in next year. Number 1? Switzerland. Sweet Jaysus, not only do I have to move again, now I have to have a baby sometime in 2013. Canada was #9, so my […]

Incredibly (or maybe predictably is the right word), I find myself packing up my belongings yet again. I’m up to my very high arse with all things moving this week, so if I were you I wouldn’t expect the usual level of brilliance you find here three times a week. Ah yes, a fresh start […]

A while back I asked you to send me photos of the blook from wherever it happened to find itself. I had a grand time watching it travel around the world like that garden gnome on TV, everywhere from St. Pierre et Miquelon to Paris to Memphis to Morocco. And now I have yet another […]

Obviously, there’s a lot to love about putting a book in the world that has your name on it. No matter how simple it is or how few copies are sold, it endures (at least until it goes out of print). But probably what I love best are the emails I receive from kind souls […]

Well, it appears that Saint Martin really is a saint after all. Without the festival that bears his name, I’d actually have to write something clever today. Finders, I’m just too tired. I’ve been averaging about 4 hours sleep a night for over 9 weeks straight. So, if it’s a clever story you’re after, you’re […]

Like most market towns in Europe, Vevey has its share of traditional celebrations and I’m hoping to see every one of them. First up, the 543rd (!) annual Foire de Saint-Martin. Okay, all you végétariens out there, brace yourselves and maybe even avert your eyes. It all started, as does any respectable party, with the roasting of a whole ox […]

Back before I landed here on the Swiss Riviera, I was blabbing about feeling that there was some reason for me to be here, that I was being drawn to this charming town by some intangible force beyond the lure of snow-capped mountains, sparkling lakes, chocolate, watches and multi-function army knives. Charlie Chaplin spent his […]

You know, it’s the oddest thing. I noticed it in France and now the same thing here in Vevey and La Tour-de-Peilz. The most common place of business is a bakery, right? Not even close. I’ve never seen so many hair salons in my life, sometimes three right in a row. This surprises me in […]

So. Let’s say you wake on a Sunday morning in late October to snow, howling winds and temperatures typically found in the Arctic this time of year. And let’s also say that, in what has to be the unluckiest turn of events for lunatics who run 26 miles just for the hell of it, the […]

The move-in/settle-in frustrationaganza is finally settling down here. There are still a few outstanding To Do Tidbits, but with temperatures in the mid-twenties and the sun high in the sky, it’s time to get out there and see what there is to see in the Swiss Riviera before the grey of winter descends upon us. […]

I don’t know how many of you are familiar with Goodreads. Basically it’s a social networking site devoted to the joy of reading. People make lists of books they’ve read and books they want to read, review and recommend books to friends and it’s a great way to discover your next favourite book. Finding Me […]