Visiting in the Rain

April showers have certainly come this year, almost with a vengeance in their frequency. As I mentioned before, this is generally a good thing around because the winter months here in the lakeside plain area were much too dry. Still, what is rain on the plain becomes snow in the mountains. I've noticed, with some trepidation for the mountain-based communities, that the high mountain snow that was beginning to melt now appears to have been replenished. So there will be even more of it to melt. Still, life goes on.

Thus yesterday, along with Sweet Momma I, I set off for Lausanne to visit a mutual friend, Sweet Momma B, who is currently living there with her son, little Prince M and his father Proud Dad Big J. There were some moments, as here, when the sun broke through the clouds to shine in the Lausanne streets.

The young family are now living in Lausanne while Big J completes his MBA course at IMD, a top-ranked business school, self-described as "a world pioneer in executive education." IMD certainly attracts some high-powered visitors. Former US President Bill Clinton is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech on "Embracing Common Humanity" for the IMD Excellence Forum on 20 May.

Sweet Momma B is expecting another little one in May and, although looking very well, is getting quite fatigued in these latter stages. While she will relinquish one reason for this fatigue - her part-time position - today, the principal reason for it is lively little Prince M.  Prince M will remain a constant, albeit very sweet, burden.

As with all little boys I have known, Prince M loves a challenge, this one in the form of a light pole that he wants to push out of the way.

Seeing that his strength is not quite up to the task, he abandons the challenge with a sweet, if mischievous, smile, intended to charm and save face.

After a nice visit with the growing family, I returned home by train, leaving Sweet Momma I clear sailing to pick up her daughters at their respective schools in Geneva. Traipsing towards my apartment from the train station, I noticed a lovely, if quickly fading, rainbow.

Eternal reminder that the current April showers will one day cease and that the May flowers will arrive in abundance, this rainbow was much appreciated. Unfortunately, the rainbow's promise does not hold true for the coming weekend.