November in Berne: first frost, then rain, then fog!

Hiya

Suddenly, fog has settled on the land and the city. We had the first rain here today in quite a long time -- good thing too! Coming out of a meeting this evening, I could barely see across the street in downtown Bern -- an eerie feeling, it must have felt a bit like that back in the bad old times when Dickens wrote his instalment novels.

But the last few evenings we had the most glorious moonrises, with the full moon encircled in a rainbow-coloured aura. Later, perfectly clear skies and all the constellations of the winter sky clearly visible. Quite reconciled with living in this area.

Gorgeous autumn colours until very recently, too, but now the cold nights and the rain will really bring down all the remaining leaves.

The frost killed off my valiant tomato plant. Shame, but I didn't really expect it to thrive -- I don't have a greenhouse on my little balcony. But the hardier plants will do well -- I even got a fragrant lavender through last winter, which was one of the coldest on record, so I'm optimistic.

Should get my skiing gear together but have been busy working and clearing stuff out at home in preparation for the painters coming to freshen up my rooms. I dread that first week in December with strangers traipsing in and out and everything in upheaval. But it's a great opportunity to clear out old stuff and sort through my treasures -- if that's what you can call them! And I really look forward to having the woodwork painted a fresh, almost white eggshell colour and to be rid of the holes driven into the frame around my cupboards by my predecessor -- they've been ugly to look at for all these years I've lived here. Am considering a few other changes, like getting rid of an ancient, half-dead stereo and speakers, and perhaps getting rid of my tv, too. Don't really feel like going digital but am missing the English channels we used to get and no longer have. Unless you change to digital, of course, and pay through your nose for the set-top box that goes underneath the tv...

Finally, on the up side -- I'm really chuffed with how the mid-term elections have been going in the U.S. Here's hoping the Democrats will manage to implement some of the much-needed changes (Iraq, climate, health insurance, education, foreign policy, anti corruption, ...). It's a long list and we know someone will be sorely tempted to use his veto. At least, the end of that dreadful government seems to be in sight. Yipee!