Worlds of Fun by Tara Taylor

One amazing day my brothers, sisters and I all went to Worlds of Fun. But we didn't go for the reason you would think, we went to ride every ride. The first ride was the Spinning Dragon. The cars spun around in circles while it went upside down, loops and even deep pivots! Afterwards everyone screamed "AGAIN" "no" I said "we need to get to every ride. Next was the Cloud Poofer, it was amazing! We sat in our seats and all of a sudden the lights went off, and the strobe lights came on as we were lifted in the air (it is underground). Then we went went really fast in circles up and down!! I got out and figured out that Andrea had been squashed against my brother, Justin the whole time! Next was the Patriot. My brother Jeremy wanted me to ride it with him but secretly i was a bit freaked out at the sight of it. You were strapped in your seat with your legs hanging and then you were dropped 20ft or and turned upside down in a loop. finally when you thought it was over it would do a series of twists, spins, and loops. So I kind of decided I would do it later. Then we went on the Viking Voyager. It must have been the oldest ride in the park because all it did was squeak (it's a water ride). We went up a huge hill, so big that when you looked down you could see the tops of the trees. then we stopped, went up some more, and stopped again. I looked forward and saw a big pool of murky water. SPLASH! We went down faster than light! (It felt like it). And we were soaked! Finally my brother guilted me into going on the Patriot. It wasn't bad it was actually kind of fun. Now I always look back and I'm glad I rode that ride!

typical Monday

At work and first thing my computer blue screens$&@@$!$!)!. After several reboots .....still blue.... several calls to IT (oh no that is not good ) and now i am awaiting a replacement !!! ugggg. short message but just sharing my frustration!

The meaning of Justin...my birthhday boy

While sometimes you can find the meaning of your name (i.e. Justin means ´Just, Righteous`), I will tell you the how this name fits you and how each letter describes you so well. JUSTIN is.... You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you. You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries.---this has been proven by your battle scars from falling to do that perfect trick on skates--- You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice and you occasionally follow your own advice.... J is for great judgement...use it to the fullest You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way. And because you're so lucky, you don't really have a lot of worries. You just hope for the best in life. However you are sometimes guilty of thinking things come hard to you, And sometimes feel like you don´t deserve the good things that do come.... U is for understanding, understand and use what comes easiest for you. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. Yet you honestly do not see these strengths, nor do you always use them to your advantage S is for the success this package will bring you...... You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. As a child you would take apart any device, just to get these answers. You tend to seek answers to feelings often, in random locations and new ventures. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. T is for the temptations of life that give you energy, yet at times can cause you to run into trouble... chose them wisely. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm and the the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. You have an eye for color, design and energy, that is truly awesome. I is for the inspiration that comes with this energy....it will guide you if you use it positively. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia, but it keeps you alert. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. N is for nurturing, what you need to GET as well as what you need to GIVE to leverage your attributes. Justin my youngest man....these are your attributes and virtues ..from a mother´s point of view. While you will always be my baby boy, you have been a man for quite some time. I saw the wisdom in your eyes when you were born and I have been fighting since that day to keep up with your growth, not in size, not in age, but in spirit. You are unique, you are a treasure and a true talent........not just in art, but in life. As i watch you grow, I am constantly in awe of the wonderful person you have become...and you are to be one day older! Tomorrow I will be wishing I could be with you celebrating and hugging you close, gathering that electric charge that is always in the air when you are around. I will be remembering the fun we had in Paris, St. Moritz and Zermatt. I will be feeling the joy I had holding you when you were small and the fear I felt each time I had to let you go experience life by yourself. All of these feelings, all of the warmth, it surrounds me when I think of you. I have graduated from the fear and look forward to all of the joys that having you as a son brings, this is a good feeling that will carry me far...one you have gifted me. Have a wonderful day little man and don´t ever forget how much I love you and admire you.... your mom

Happy Birthday to my first little boy...

(photo courtesy of your sister Tara) This post is in honor of my first born. A boy, I knew it from the start. I was planning on having a baby, and I knew with a self pregnancy test at 5 weeks that I was expecting. Confirmed of course by my doctor. I was living in a house in Shawnee at the time. We were renting it to purchase. I was working in an insurance agency. Soon we were off to California, Monterey that is, swimming pools and movie stars! Ocean views to grow my baby, my dream. I stopped working and became a homemaker, crocheting blue and yellow baby wraps, painting rooms blue, etc. Did the ultrasound show it was a boy, you ask? No, I had no ultrasound, but I knew...all of the moms made fun of me, thought I would be disappointed, but I knew I was carrying a boy. He made me happy, knowing he was there so close all of the time, he made me sick by kicking so hard I thought I would never keep any food down. He was always on time, waking me up early and demanding food.... AND HE WASN'T EVEN BORN YET!!! I knew that kind of determination coupled with the love I felt, could only be from a little boy. When he was born, WOW, he was not what I expected. He came out chubby, round and happy! I was so glad. However, that changed quickly, when his impatience with my nursing ineptitude ended in bouts of biting (just with gums) and crying (from both of us). Quickly I changed him to formula. Soy formula wasn't popular then, so I am certain it was milk based and he was the colic-iest baby on the west coast! Scream..wow could he scream. The only thing that calmed him was to have his head rubbed. Strange, I wonder if that still works today? We had fun though, walking alot and playing in the sand. Soon we were to leave this paradise for Texas... Where he would then be joined by my first girl....but that is another story. Watching my Jeremy grow up was amazing. After the colic bouts, a butterfly was hatched. The most happy and lovingiest baby! He looked so cute in the little boy clothes and was always glad to meet new people. He was kind, outgoing and considerate. In a small town in Texas he had not been exposed to much diversity until one Christmas when he met a different Santa. He came bounding off of Santa's lap proclaiming, ´Mommy, Mommy, Choclite Santy´. As you can guess he had met his first black Santa Claus. The whole store laughed and he received a hand full of candy canes from Santa himself as he was now a celebrity with the kids. As he grew... through out Kindergarten to Sixth Grade, he was my listener. Always curious about why things were and how things worked, not particularly physical things, but more philosophical things. He was a great listener as I freely gave him my view of the world. Finally a man (OK a boy that thought like a man) that would listen to what I thought was important in life. Why people do the things they do, what makes for the best choices, what is good to achieve, how one should feel about themselves, how to treat others, how to love yourself, what is respect and most importantly what is responsibility. He listened, he questioned, he challenged... and he grew to have his own thoughts, his own view which we debated and it thoroughly energized me. He was my rock when I needed it... Through junior high and high school, there were ups and downs. Every boy goes through it. Every boy finds their way. Jeremy met a lovely girl in high school who swept him off his feet. The soft side, my lovely sweet boy came back and was as vulnerable as a baby. Fortunately for him, she fell for him too... While you know the history (graduations, marriage, etc), you might not know how I cried every time...so proud, so happy and feeling so much love for the little boy that was my first best friend in the world. Now as he gets one year older, I cry, as I am not there to give him a birthday hug and a kiss and tell him how much he means to me. From the alps in Switzerland, Jeremy, I send you all of my love and want you to have the best birthday ever. Please remember that my thoughts and dreams are always with you. Love forever, your Mom... HAPPY BIRTHDAY OCT 2!!!

Stories

29 June 2008,

A few of my favorite family pictures here.  Each picture has a story to tell.  Some stories are clouded by the distance of time but nonetheless meaningful and special to me.           

Grandpa Scheu (we pronounced it "shy" for some reason), Brother Richard, and Grandma Scheu circa 1948.  Gramps was a brewmeister before Prohibition and though offered some good (bad) money, by those who shall go nameless, to pursue that same career off line.  He declined and went into sales.  After his passing, Grandma had to go to work to support herself by working at an appliance store.      

Christmas 1951 at the Taylor home on Ellis Ave in Hickory PA.  Dad worked as a draftsman at Westinghouse Electric in Sharon.  Having been raised by his Grandmother in West Virginia after losing his brother, mother and father while a child, he always loved spending time with us kids.

He had the Amish in the area build his home from his design.  Being a handy woodworker himself, he and a friend added a garage later on.  Sailing was a passion, so he also built several boats over the years and we sailed every Sunday at the lake.  He dropped anchor at the Pymatuning Yaght Club where Dr. Spock, the baby doctor, not the Vulcan, was also a member.        

Growing up in the fifties was great for my brothers and me.  Maybe not so many choices for Mom, who, as was the custom, stayed home with the three of us boys until my older brother Richard started in college.  Then she worked as a cafeteria worker (not at the High School) and later at a dress shop in the area.  She had many talents that she put to use in an number of ways, church work, voter official, bridge club organizer, golf league official, etc.  Her NNY (No Name Yet) bridge club met continuously for 4o plus years.  

Aunt Betty, Mom´s sister, lived nearby.  We kids  spent summers with her as well as with my Grandmas Scheu and Vogelsong.  Aunt Betty and Uncle Chuck adopted Tom, seen here being held by Grandma Scheu.  I always had fun with Aunt Betty and Tom was like another brother.      

Uncle Chuck was a house painter and I thought he was cool, always making jokes.  His was the first death (62) in that I remember.  I recall the sense of loss and lack of my own immortality.       

As the second of three boys, I got a number of hand me downs.  A good wool suit in the middle of summer, sitting in the church with no air conditioning just could not be surpassed for teaching one discipline.  The bow ties and cool caps really topped the look off though.     

Dad was the family photographer with his German made Viewfinder 35 mm.  The excitement when the film came back from the developer ( sometimes weeks) was intense.  The Poloroid Land Camera was our first step toward instant gratification.  

Aunt Betty and Mom as youngsters, I would guess about 1928.  As with all siblings, the patterns they established at this age continued throughout their lives.  

Funny how we stay the same age with our brothers and sisters.  If I were sitting at this moment with my brother Don, I am certain we would be picking up with the same conversations we started even before Don could talk.      

My older brother Rich was our ground breaker.  Always pushing the bounds for Don and me.  Be it motorcycles, beards, dating, or getting in or out of trouble, Rich (later Rick) was always first.  While his life was cut short, he had a full life.        

Rick and his wife Shirley had two wonderful kids, Carrie and Scott.  Shirley's maiden name was Taylor, and she had a brother named Rick and another named Rob.  It could get rather confusing when we all got together, sorting out who was talking to whom.

        

Many photos and memories surround the Christmas holidays.  The family expands and contracts through the years.  Four generations here, including Grandma Voglesong (second right foreground).  

Like all families the last names differ (Vogelsong, Lewis, Moore, Wilson, Hobbecker and Taylor) and changed occasionally. 

  

Of course, we all think of our parents as they were when we were children.  We hear stories of their youth but remember only a few.  Mom and Dad lived through the Roaring Twenties, struggled through the Depression, married during WWII and upon Dad´s return from the Navy, started their own family.   I tell stories to you that were told to me with the expectation you tell them on to the next generation.  That way some part of all of us passes on down the years. 

Sometimes we are lucky and we have more than memories and stories to pass on.  This photo of my brother and me just "hanging out" brings with it no particular memories for me, just that feeling of the joy of the day it as taken. 

Friends come and go.  These were a few of mine, at age four.  Lucky for us, our neighborhood included quite a few kids.  People then were less mobile and tended to work in the same plants, go to the same churches, play on the same teams, etc.                 

Of course, we always starting new stories.  Imagine all the opportunities for our family and extended family.  Marriages, proms, games, movie contests, dogs, cats, new houses, moving out, moving in, pool leagues, births, deaths....       

Teri and Tara are always good for a story.  Here they are with a Republican friend during one of our visits to an antique store in Illinois.  My mother collected elephants and was also a Republican official at the voter polls.  She told me that an elephant with its trunk up is good luck.

These two are my good luck. 

Bob

Boat rides

15 June 2008 

Much activity this past week.  

The kids went with us on a boat ride around Zurich.  Julie, Justin, Tara, Teri and I went the length of the Zurich See last weekend as our last outing before Julie went back to Atlanta.  We had such a good time.  Living with and working beside a lake was never really an idea that I imagined would come to pass.  We are so fortunate.

I was in London on Tuesday for a short meeting.  As I was only there for a few hours, I did  not get to see much. Our offices there are close to the Tower of London which I saw in passing.  I bumped into an old associate from our days in Schaumburg, IL while there.  I will be back in London in another week.  Teri also has a business trip there, so we plan to have a little time off to do some exploring of London and perhaps Ireland.       

Teri and I went to our first movie here as well this past Friday.  Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull (loved it even if Harrison is getting on), in English with German and Italian subtitles.  Like the US, the theaters are multiplexes.                

 

Since Justin volunteered to stay home with Tara for the evening, we decided to splurge and rented a Loge.  These are private seating areas, sort of like sky boxes at a US football stadium.  Once Teri got the pass key, we went into our box at the top of the theater and found, upon entry, two lounge chairs and a small refrigerator.  We discovered that the leather chairs reclined with the touch of a few buttons.

In the fridge we found two mini bottles of champagne, snacks, candy and a couple diet coke.  We were in heaven, or at least the movie theater version thereof.  Teri has never really liked going to the movies all that much, but she volunteered to go as often as I would like if such conditions as this were the norm.     

With what I would call a very civilized added benefit, they include an intermission with all movies, when one can go for a comfort break or visit the bar.  This went out of style in the US some thirty years or so for those of you (practically all when I think of it) who are too young to remember movies with Ushers, double features, short subjects, newsreels, program guides, etc. 

In any case we had a wonderful time.  The Life of Riley (a vague reference no one will understand unless Googled).

Also this week in Zurich, we had the Euro 08 football tournament.  Teams from Greece, Italy, Russia, Sweden and other countries are here for a month of soccer.  With them comes the energetic fans who have taken up most, if not all, of the hotel space and daily can be found in the streets, bars and restaurants about town.   

As we headed home from the movies Friday, we had a number of these fans on our Tram singing such songs as "I want to be like You" from Jungle Book and other less recognizable, yet every bit as enthustiastically performed, tunes.     

Switzerland had their own team in the tournament, having earned a place solely due to being a host country along with Austria, which borders us on the east.  While not of the same caliber as the other teams, the Swiss fans were quite proud and excited (not a common Swiss attribute) about the opportunity to participate. 

They have not won a match but put up a respectable showing.

Saturday, Teri and I had an dinner engagement with a colleague of hers from Swiss Re and another couple we met for the first time at dinner.  It so happened that our host comes from Hickory, PA the town of about 18,000 where I grew up.  While I do not know him or his family, we lived within a mile or so of each other.  We compared notes during the evening on growing up in a small town in western Pennsylvania.        

The other couple attending the event have lived here for a long while.  He originally hailed from Italy and she from Estonia.  A very nice couple who gave s insights and advise on living here.  Along with our host, they made us feel welcome and comfortable.    

A very curious but frequently and regular thing happened on the way to the dinner.  As our host lives in Kustnacht, which is across the lake from us (on the so called gold coast), we took a boat from a dock in the town next to our village.   

 

As we sat down at a table in the bow shortly after embarking, we heard someone call my name.  Surprised, I looked up to find Jarow Meyers and his wife from Olathe, Kansas.   I worked with Jarow for several years, at what was once called Universal Underwriters but which has now been wholly absorbed into Zurich Financial Services.  It was their final evening in Zurich and they had taken this boat on a whim to avoid more walking and capstone to their first trip to Europe.      

When I say this is a rather frequent occurrence, I have bumped into more Americans I know here than in Overland Park, Olathe and the surrounds of Kansas City as a regular event, considering  the relatively short period we have resided here.   

I attribute some of this to the narrow the confines of Zurich, the small town population and the relatively high number of people I have met in 35 years with Zurich.  Even given that, it seems rather odd that I have seen some familiar faces from the moment we arrived.  From our first visit to the local mall, where we bumped into someone from Schaumburg IL who worked for the same boss as me, to recent encounters on the local trains, trams, busses (lest I forget Mr. King) and now boats, I am getting a growing sense that this is more than mere coincidence.     

In any case, these chance (?) meetings have taken me back to thoughts of home, friends and family.  

We are so thankful for the good life and new experiences we enjoy here but often talk about those of you with whom we shared many  wonderful times and fond memories.  

Bob 

 

Mother's Day(s) Out

June 8, 2008

We were so lucky to be able to be back home for a short visit last month.  Had such a good time visiting most of the family in Kansas City.

Of course, what would a visit be without a trip to our favorite places.  Bingo with Dad, Bar-b-q and real Mexican at Margarita's.    

That is not to say the food here in Switzerland isn't especially good.  Quite the contrary.  We've found very wonderful restaurants and some very good food.

However, the selections here are significantly more European than American, as one would expect.  Those dishes, such as hamburgers, often come with unusual side dishes or loaded with sauces we don't see in the states.     

We also haven't found much in the way of good Mexican or TexMex food.  On the other hand, the Italian, Chinese and other types of cuisine are many and well done.    

Beer rules the day, or so we found so far.  Any number of excellent brews.  No real hardship there, as Homer (Simpson, not the poet) might have said.  

One of the things we miss is the bar games we were hooked on in the states.  We recently found a couple machines at a bar called Pot Belly's.  Not exactly the same, but a little touch of home I guess.  We also got to play  some pool there, it is fairly close to the flat and the dogs are welcome.     

It may be just coincidence but we seem to leave something there every time we go to Pot Belly´s.  We've left any number of personal  items, including umbrellas and phones.  Well, the latter is not quite true.  Let me explain further.

Relative to the phone incident, Teri and I had bicycled to the bar earlier (Tara was home with Justin and Julie).  On the way, we crossed over the railroad tracks just before the train came through.  Truth be known, we started across the tracks when the crossing arms came down.  Teri slowed one of them down with her nose while I zigged and zagged between them in a panic.   

Having finally arrived without further incident (lucky for us the tracks in question were only 30 feet from the entrance) we sat down to play games and ordered Screwdrivers.  After explaining the complexities involved to the bartender, we had something which resembled the asked for drinks.     

Trying our luck again, we next ordered a couple Martinis.  I should have suspected something when the bar tender asked if I wanted these on the rocks.  Not knowing exactly what it was we got, we quickly switched to Coronas.

The rest of the evening went pleasantly enough.  When we left, it was raining quite hard so we hopped on a train with our bikes in tow. Hop is not the right word as the steps into the train were pretty steep. 

As we headed toward the central station in Zurich, we discovered we left our helmets behind.  We decided that this could wait until the next day.  However, Teri could also not find her company phone, so we headed back on the next train out. 

 A call to the bar on the way gave no comfort.  Upon leaving the train a half our later, skillfully avoiding the crossing arms,  we searched the area where the bikes had been parked, but to no avail.  Teri went back to the bar and frantically searched the floor and the girl´s powder room whilst I stayed with the bikes. 

On a hunch, I abandoned the bikes and gave a closer look along the tracks.  Happily, I espied Teri´s Blackberry sitting wet and evidently undamaged on the tracks a few feet below the platform where we had originally got on the train. Heroically, unselfishly disregarding my own personal safety in the interests of preserving Teri´s sanity, not to mention her continued employment, I retrieved the aforementioned phone.        

As Teri came tearfully out of the bar, her spirits immediately rose when she saw me, or rather her phone.  The remainder of the evening went without further incident and actually ended on a higher note.  We found ourselves, after again taking a train back to the city center, biking through the streets of Zurich.  We discovered an open Movenpick.  For those of you unfamiliar, this is the Nirvana of ice cream.      

  

All of which goes to prove that all´s well that ends well.

Hope all is well with each and all.

Bob