3 things i saw today and one observation

While riding the bus home from my 4th day of German class today, (going well, thanks - had 1st test today. got a 29/30 ... so lame - I forgot the word for country .. it's land ... sooo lame ... but I think I had one of the top scores in class so that's pretty cool...) I saw a polar bear riding a bike.

We kept catching up to him and then stopping at a busstop or stop light and he would pedal away. It was great. His feet (paws) were all white and matted down with mud from the wet road and when we managed to pull ahead of him, I saw that the head was not just a hat made to look like a head it was a full head with snout and all - I don't know how he (I guess I don't know for sure even if it was a he - but it would have been a v. large, tall she ...) was able to see and not crash into the bus, but he was v. steady on the bike. Everyone, from young to old snickered and giggled as we kept playing cat and mouse with him. Unfortunately, I don't think there were many kids on the bus - how they would have loved to see him!

I just want to know what he was doing in that suit and why ... and how and where to get one -

As we rode past the athletic fields by the University, I saw a bunch of little kids (under 7) on little plastic sleds laughing hysterically as they 'rode' down the 'hill'. The thing that made this sight so great was that the 'hill' was all of about a 1 degree grade. One would not likely even notice it if you were to walk down this decline, but it was enough for these kids - who I'm v. sure know that there are killer hills only about a 10 minute walk away - to have a blast on this v. cold day. Good stuff.

Lastly, when I stopped at the Migros - one of the 2 major grocery stores in ZH (the other being Coop) - to get a few things for dinner this evening, I was v. rudely encroached upon by a v.old and feisty woman. She could not seem to wait the 3 seconds it was taking me to pick out 4 clementines so literally elbowed her way infront of me and when I met her eye, she gave me a look which seemed to say, "What...? I'm not sure how long I've got anymore and I'm sorry, but
I need some clementines... do you see that guy behind me? My husband? Well he's likely got less time than me and if I don't get the clementines fast, he may wander out into the street or forget who I am, okay? Someday you'll understand and you'll push past younger produce-pickers too. Really." Our eyes only met for a few seconds but she really did seem to say all that.

I kept running into her and her shuffling husband in random aisles - they apparently shop like me - with no plan, pattern or logic - wandering from aisle 1 to 4 to 2 to 7 and back to the produce aisle again to see all the pretty colors together .... (oh and the fresh bread is baked in wafting-distance from the produce too - I'm not sure if this motivates her but it does me - if I can't eat it, I will always still try to smell it ...).

I wish I had my camera to show what she looked like. Thin, thin, thin. skinny stick legs donning too-short black pants with fishnet stockings sagging around her bony ankles and bunion-covered feet stuffed into 3 inch high block heeled pumps.

She wasn't wearing a fur coat as so many people (men and women) here wear, but a shiny, puffy, red coat that matched her red nails. She leaned on the cart while taking what I call tiny little 'Bette Midler' steps (I'm happy to show anyone who needs a demonstration...). All the while, her tall, surely formerly striking husband in his overcoat shuffled about 10 steps behind her, watching and obediently waiting.

Her hair was not white but blonde blonde blonde with barely any visible roots. Her make up was in place but barely - like it was starting to creep out of place and wander around her face - her red lips over-ran the natural lip-line and her pink cheeks had fallen from the apples to the sunken hollow beneath, but she was strangely beautiful.

I love that so many older people here really get 'dressed'. I used to dress up everyday. So much so that when I was in jr. high and high school, people always thought I was either older than I was or, in the case of college - a professor. Ha. I used to take such pride and got up early to create a new hair 'do', match my shoes to my purse, my hose, iron everything, etc... I still make an attempt but certainly not all the time and when I do it still seems no where near as polished as I used to be on a daily basis. I think I was the last kid to own jeans. I refused to wear pants for years. Odd kid.

But living here has inspired a new-found desire to rediscover this old me. I have yet to make more than a half-assed effort, but I'm thinking about it. I'll be sure to post photos if/when I ever really pull myself together...