one week down …
weird to think that most people who read this are either sleeping upstairs or in nearby cities/houses at the moment …
as expected, home visiting has been oodles of crazy craziness, punctuated by moments of quieter bliss, and accented with shades of “omgoodness i can’t possibly eat any more!” there have been warm smiles and good-natured teasing all around. of course there’s the inevitable fambly stress-tests, but these pass quickly and we get back to enjoying each other again 
i’m actually impressed with how much visiting has been accomplished thus far … more than i thought was possible actually. and in the end i’m the one that’s devoted more than necessary anxiety to this whole thing. it’s been a while since i was in the midst of another family system from my own small 2 planet-rotation, and it’s been an adjustment to reacquaint myself with how other people do things. but, after one week with 2 more to go, i think i’m back in the groove and can leave unwanted stress baggage behind.
as far as ‘must eats’ go, chicken wings are still on the list, along with poutine (though i’m not so set on that one). that’s it really. i’m just eager to enjoy the juicy fruits and crisp veggies that the season brings, no matter which country i’m in.
as far as ‘must see’s’ go, i actually haven’t compiled a list yet. have been too busy (and sick, unfortch i developed a nasty cold 1 day before arriving & it’s just clearing up now) to spend much time at a computer. besides, the weather has been great and the company even better … but toronto is on the horizon and lots of exploration therein.
and lastly, ‘must buys’ … this is the nicer part of settling into life somewhere (meaning, in zurich) … that list gets smaller and smaller every time we come. partly due to greater exploration of our new city, and partly as we learn to live without stuff, or find substitutes. besides, we’ve just bought our tickets for august and the exchange isn’t in our favour anymore, so i’m not feeling as spend-thrift as i have in the past … hence the greater concentration on experience. it’s a richer life anyway when friends and family are in it 