Last Sunday Peter and I took part in the Zürich Silvesterlauf – it  seems a little early as Silvester in Switzerland is actually the New Year, but the run always takes place on the second Sunday in December. That’s me above in the turquoise – and for once in a race I don’t look as if I’m about to collapse!

The Silvesterlauf is a city run – four loops through the centre of Zürich, totaling 8.6km. The route runs along the river Limmat, then crosses one of the ancient bridges, climbs up by the police station and then weaves its way through the cobbled streets of the old town, reaching Bahnhofstrasse, the main shopping street before turning left towards the Swiss National Bank.  The streets aren’t very wide in many places and often at the start there are queues to get through a particularly narrow section. Spectators line the whole route and cheer and swing football rattles as the runners rush by.

This year around 17,500 people took part in the various races. We went with friends and had signed up for one of the slower – and later races – because we wanted to run in the dark and enjoy the illuminations and Christmas decorations.

It was a fun event – we weren’t very fast as a result – but it was a lovely experience, not too cold, lots of running Santa’s to be seen and loads of spectators. So if you’re a runner and are ever in Zürich in December, check it out – it’s certainly unlike any other race I’ve ever done! Next year I hope I’ll have trained a bit more and be a little quicker!

See you there?

Helen

It’s done!! And I love it…..may I present Ilsa’s quilt!!

Made using the Moda Amelia fabric line. The batting is Warm & Natural cotton batting and the quilt is machine quilted using YLI machine quilting thread – I did freehand loops and swirls.

And now I need to run off with it to the post to send it winging its way to England for Ilsa for Christmas!

Helen

Nothing on the creative front to report from here today, but I have finished my Christmas cards and Christmas party invitations and my sewing machine is buzzing away as I quilt Ilsa’s quilt!

The big news is that Northumbria Police have made three arrests in connection with my mother’s robbery and two similar cases this week, which have also targeted old ladies living alone. So as I write mum has been whisked off to do an identity parade! Unfortunately she isn’t in the slightest bit observant, so may not be able to pick anyone out – but with a bit of luck one of the three ladies will manage to.

I’m very impressed with Northumbria Police – not only were they charming and sympathetically helpful with my mother, but they also seem to have got some results. When I called up this week to talk to PC Pickering, who was dealing with mum’s case, he really couldn’t have been nicer, more helpful or more reassuring. I’m glad the British police is full of people like PC Pickering.

I rather think I’m going to send him a big box of Swiss chocolates to say thank you!

Helen

Aaaah….Can you hear my big sigh….

I’ve finally made it to the machine quilting. Phew. Maybe this quilt will actually make it to England on time.

I love machine quilting and after having had a fairly stressful week, a gentle hour at the machine is really doing me the world of good. Sock knitting and gentle machine quilting are incredibly soothing. Advent and Christmas activities are pretty much back on track – which feels good.

The goal is to have all presents to be posted off done by the end of the weekend, along with all the Christmas cards and party invitations. It’s pretty do-able I think. It feels good to have a goal and to feel that I’m making progress.

Time for a cup of tea,

Helen

PS. Thank you so much for all your kind words and sympathy about my mother’s robbery. I think shock has finally set in a little at the moment and she says she can’t think straight right now, but she’s a trooper and I’m sure that in a week or two she’ll have forgotten most of what has happened – there are some advantages to having slight memory loss after all!

I never did get to show you photos of my trip to York last week, what with the missing camera and all the hullaballoo in between.

Anyway, now I can.

I love York – it’s a fabulous town to have a good mooch around, fantastically historic and full of interesting places to visit and things to see. The Minster is famous, but I didn’t make it there this time, it being more of a girly day and all.

It turned out that the Saturday we went to York was the busiest shopping day of the year. We spent a lot of time looking round the old shopping area known as the Shambles – as you can see it’s delightful, but wall to wall bodies! It was also a typically northern English very grey day!

However I did make it to the lovely yarn shop – Ramshambles – which was packed. Not as relaxing to look around as I would have liked, but on the other hand it’s really nice to see a wool shop full of people! Sorry, the photo is slightly out of focus – poor Lindsay was having a hard time using my camera!

The Shambles is full of higgledy piggeldy buildings dating back hundreds of years.

There has also been some wonderful restoration work done – on the Barley Hall, for example!

After many years of wanting to go there I also finally made it to the headquarters of the Quilter’s Guild – a gorgeous old building in a fairly quiet part of town. We had to laugh – we probably picked the quietest place to be in York on a Saturday afternoon!

But just look at what gorgeous things we found inside…and what a fantastic building!

So if you’re ever nearby…you know where to go!

Helen