it has taken a turn toward winter

Foggy, almost like San Francisco, but not so low.  And cold.  About as cold as the East Bay gets in winter.  Except here it's only cold outside.  Heeeeey.  Did laundry today, and put it out on the balcony hoping the sun would come out.  Heh.  Nope.

Hankerchiefs: a very important part of my existence in this cold, cold world.

Getting to know more of Basel, I've been walking to and from school because it seems too cold to ride my bike (weak!) and have found some nice things on my way.  Today I noticed this public flowerbed that I've passed a number of times and never seen, which astounds me, because it is full of some pretty epic chard and kale plants. 

 I took this picture of my glove on one of the chard leaves for scale.  

Basel is funny.  It always kind of weirds me out how small it is.  For instance: the other day I was in a shoe store buying these funny slippers for myself (10chf). 

I dawdled on my way up to the counter and a girl slipped in front of me to exchange a pair of shoes.  Zing.  Later that day, while on the bus, I saw the same girl (across town) riding her bike down the street.  Then, in the train station on my way to Zurich, I saw her again.  THEN, two nights ago, I was walking home from having dinner with some friends, they live in another part of town from me, and Who Was Going The Other Way?  Yes.  Same girl.  Weird.  I wonder if she notices me.  There are other people I've seen twice, but three+ times?  Crazy.

I've been a little stuck in a cooking rut lately.  Rice.  Vegetables.  Rice.  Salad.  Rice.  What else do I know how to make?  Besides cereal?  Yeah.  Well, anyway, I got up the gumption to make a pumpkin curry for a friend who came over for lunch, and decided to make the curry paste from scratch.  Amazing!  So good, so easy.  Onion, garlic, some kind of hot pepper (we don't have serrano or jalapeno peppers here), a bunch of cilantro, a little bit of water.  Grind up with food processor.  Put in a pot with coconut milk.  Add vegetables.  Cook until done.  Yes.

Since I've been walking instead of taking the tram, I rewarded myself with this plant.  Cost the same amount as tram fare.  Hello Viola.

I also finally have a key to the bass locker at school, and now can keep one of the whales there as needed.  Plus, it means I can practice at school.  It feels like I get a lot more done at school than at home.  Ah, look.  I appear to be doing work.  I wonder how long I can keep it up?  What a skeptic!