Evendays

We stuffed ourselves on desserts last Wednesday afternoon. I normally hate mingling, but there was the promise of sweets and we gave it a shot and came out winners. Big time.

There was fruit of all kinds. There were three different kinds of mousse (raspberry, chocolate and white chocolate) and two or three cakes that had three layers of chocolate in them. There was mille feuilles and cookies and cakes and wafers and, well, everything but ice-cream and cherry cobbler. (European desserts are small, but very rich.)

So we mingled. Our Pepperdine student buddies gave some speeches. Really excellent, informative and short, and then we got to mingle again, meet some of the nicest people in the world (who were not just there for desert), many on the Board of Regents who came to see Pepperdine’s Lausanne facility, meet the students and the staff, and mingle.

I learned all kinds of things about my sisters and brother (a later post) who are all Pepperdine alumnae. I met some of their neighbors, some of their teachers, some of their spiritual family, one of their ex-bosses. A great time.

We waddled home, glad to have mingled. It gave us the chance to catch up, and to receive encouragement from unexpected places.

Last week the mailperson rang twice. Once on Wednesday and once on Thursday. Sherri from TN had sent us two cardboard boxes loaded with food that we can’t find here, or just can’t justify springing for. It was completely unexpected, and the Doritos are already gone…

There were Reeses pieces, pumpkin in cans and pre-prepared graham-cracker crusts. There were original Pringles (I’ve seen them in the stores here) and mini-Reeses peanut butter cups (unheard of in Switzerland, but still Wife’s favorite after 22 years away). There was a bottle of some famous barbeque sauce (delicious) and Cheetos (the hard, shriveled kind, I think they call them crunchies, another Wife favorite), corn syrup (impossible to find here) baking soda and powder (impossible to find in medium quantities). There were five kinds of cookies (many we’ll discover for the first time), some quick prepare foods and assorted candies. There was a box of dark brown sugar (does NOT exist here) and nuts and Captain Crunch (which we’ll eat for weekend breakfasts) and Clif Bars.

We will be eating through the goodies with self control and discipline over the next couple of months. Thanks Sherri. You went far beyond the call of friendship!