finally.

Our little apartment is starting to feel more home-y, and it's nice. Last night, Mike got the projector set up so that we can watch movies, and what's funny is that the screen we were using at home in Denver--it looked SO massive there!--looks absolutely tiny on the wall we have for it here. So. We are now watching movies on the wall itself, so as to maximize viewing space. It's pretty ridiculous, but pretty fun.

In other news: yesterday, we ordered a loveseat from Ikea, as well as a wardrobe (so I can stop storing my clothes in suitcases!), an ironing board (so I can finally hem the curtains!), a microwave (to reheat our leftovers!), and miscellaneous other odds and ends for the kitchen. Mike also hung the light fixture in our room, so we're two-fifths of the way there, as far as light fixtures are concerned. (Who knew that the Swiss usually rent their apartments WITHOUT light fixtures...?)

Also yesterday, we had lunch at Dieci, a FANTASTIC little Italian place across the street from Ikea. Mike had a pizza piccante (with actual spicy salami, no less), and I had some delicious ricotta ravioli with tomatoes, olive oil, crispy sage, and parmesan. Delicious. We even got to speak a little Italian, which was fun, but I actually found it a bit tricky to get my brain to switch over from attempting to think in German all the time. (Haben sie pizza? Ich möchte ravioli, bitte.)

And now, a new feature, for your entertainment pleasure. What I'm reading, at the moment:

South: the story of Shackleton's 1914-1917 expedition [Kindle Edition]

Sir Ernest Shackleton’s first-hand account of his party's attempt to make the first shore-to-shore crossing of the Antarctic continent by way of the Pole. The edition I'm reading also includes the story of the Aurora, another ship involved in the expedition, as well as the story of the concurrent overland supply expeditions.                                       

HOLY SMOKES, what a story! The descriptions of life on the boat, ice conditions, water sampling, and the like can be a bit dry, at times, but on the whole, an over-the-top, nearly unbelievable, story of courage, leadership, endurance, desperation, heroism, etc., etc., etc. I didn't want to give away the entire plot in the description, but trust me. Absolutely, positively, worth a read! Especially if you're old-school and read a book that has pictures from the expedition. Just...wow.