Fed Zeppelin

What?  You mean you don't have one of these in
your workplace?...

I do love my new company.

I’ve been in Zurich all week for meetings and greetings and stuff so just so happened to be here for the Company Party on Wednesday night. (I didn’t plan it this way – honest!).  Coinciding with the start of the summer, it’s an annual event and one in which colleagues are encouraged to invite their families and loved ones along.  I have no idea how many folk are in our Zurich office, but at its busiest, I'd say there were at least a couple of hundred people there - including a reasonable herd of small children. It was really well-done with entertainers for the kids (and grown-ups too!), a mini-carousel outside the entrance to the building, a fortune teller (who was completely useless!), face painting, a lady on stilts (!) and plenty of food and drink to keep everyone well fed and watered.

Balls as far as the eye can see

Our office building has a large internal atrium that is perfect for hosting events as well as an outdoor patio space and lawn.  For some reason, the part of town where the office is located - and the building itself - has adopted a zeppelin theme!  So, yes, when I visit our Zurich office, I get to work in a building that has a 40ft long zeppelin in the atrium!  As you do.

Anyway, the weather was absolutely perfect, so it was a terribly civilized way to end the work day, sitting outside on the lawn in a deck chair, glass of chilled white in hand, chatting to colleagues and making new friends.  As well as the dazzling array of spherical mystery meats, they'd also set up a number of grilling stations, where you could make your own BBQ skewers of meat or veggies in case identifiable food was more your thing.  Later on I discovered the hot dog and fries stand, and the soft serve ice-cream stall.  Needless to say, this week was not a particularly good week for my detox.  Back on the bandwagon next week...

The party ran from 5 - 9pm, so it was solid four hours worth of providing entertainment and refreshments.  I think its such a lovely gesture – a recognition and thank you to the folks at home who enable the folks at work to do their jobs and provide the behind-the-scenes support that’s all too easy to overlook. Well done, my company, for taking the time and money to give something back and to say thank you – I’m proud to be part of an organization that makes that a priority.

But not a clue what most of them were!

This git nicked my watch while using a classic distraction
tactic on me.  I'm such a mark.

Merry stripey band

Kiddie carousel.  I was, alas, too tall.
I checked.

I bet he was nicking their watches too.  Though, thinking
 about it, that's a pretty good gig in Switzerland….

The sketch artist who was totally rubbish at drawing women..
Stephanie is less than impressed….

…..cos this looks NOTHING like me! (other than
 the cat and the glass of champagne….)

Covered in bee!

Ps. I know this is completely random but - before I forget - the other thing I love about Switzerland? The moo-ing airport shuttle.
Word.