In our town, just at the bottom of the hill we live on, there is a residential care facility for severely mentally disabled people. Other people who are also mentally disabled, but not in need of 24 hour care, come and work there during the day and then go home again in the evening. They have a huge nursery where they grow and sell lots of different kinds of plants, and a garden shop where they also sell flower pots and garden decorations, most made by the people who work there. I love going in that store, as there are some truly beautiful things on sale, and I just love to admire all the hard work and time that went into making them. As someone who does a lot of handicrafts myself, I totally appreciate that the 2 foot quilted heart pillow is a good deal at only 50 Francs, you know?
Anyway, every few years they also have a big "fest" or party. It is a fund raiser for the facility, as they set up a large art gallery and several food stands, but it is also a way to bond with the community and get to know their neighbors better. The last time they had the party, was 3 years ago, when Oma and Opa were here for Nick's baptism. We all went down and had a marvelous afternoon. So, this year, when I came home and announced that I had seen the sign advertising the Goetschifest, they kids let out a huge whoop and holler and proceeded to ask me every day, how many more days until the fest.
This year there wasn't any horse riding available, which made the girls all kind of sad, but there were several other fun booths and attractions for the kids. I can't say which was their favorite, because they had so much fun at each one, but definitely the most anticipated was the ride on the train.
Underneath the mountain we live on is an old abandoned coal mine. (I know! So cool, right?!?) It was last used during World War II, when supplies from other European sources were cut off. The engine they used to haul out the coal is still in working order and every time they have a fest they haul it out along with a couple hundred feet of track, lay it down in the nearby cow pasture, attach a few passengers cars, and let everyone take a turn riding it. It is amazing how strong that little tiny engine is. It doesn't go very fast, but the kids love waving to the cars and bike riders on the street above as they pass by.
We walked over after lunch and stayed so long playing that, of course, we needed to replenish our energy supplies with a couple large helpings of made-to-order fries and drinks. :) After that, they were ready for another couple jumps in the bouncy castle,
and one more ride on the human-powered carousel.
We also had a very fun time playing a game of soccer on the "Foozball" table, which just cracks my kids up. I don't know how to pronounce what they call it in Swiss German, so I just call it by the American name. They think it is hilarious because of course, it is just a mispronounciation of the word Fussball, or soccer, in German. A whole new world of humor opens up to you when you grow up bilingual, apparently. The Foozball table, was right outside the room where the girls were waiting in line for the face painting. They came out with some beautiful designs, and the ladies doing it were super patient and hard working.
Just as we were really, REALLY leaving, we decided we all needed one more ride on the conveyor belt slide.
In the spur of the moment, I hopped on with Alexandra, in a rather awkward position, and ended up jamming my shoulder as we came to a stop. It didn't make a sound, but it hurt so bad, I literally couldn't move for a few seconds, and most definitely couldn't raise my arm at all. I finally managed to pick up Alexandra and move out of the way of the other oncoming sliders. But man!, it hurt for the next couple of days. Just another sign that my body is definitely aging, even if my mind isn't.
We walked home through the forest, saying hello to the horses, dogs, sheep and llamas on the way. It was a wonderful, fun filled day, and we can't wait for the next "fest" to happen.