Let's talk rubbish

I don't resent paying for the amount of rubbish I throw away each week - I think it's a great idea and certainly makes you think twice about what you can recycle. We fill between one and two 60 Litre bags each week and this size binbag demands two Abfellmarken. You can buy Abfellmarken in a strip of ten from Volg for 18chf. So this makes it 3.60chf for a standard bag of rubbish (you can of course also dump a 30 litre bag which would only cost 1.80chf)

So we probably spend around 7.20chf per week dumping our rubbish (although we could probably reduce that to no more than 3.60chf with a bit more effort) It sounds expensive but when you think about where it goes - ie to a landfill site where it will stew, producing poisonous gases for goodness knows how many years, then I think it's a pretty fair price to pay. People in the UK would do well to be forced to think about this by being charged for their rubbish. I used to have a neighbour in Cheshire who filled a black bin and had to take a further black bin's rubbish to the tip each week!

And of course by paying for their unrecycle-able rubbish people become more aware of what they buy, or don't buy, in the first place.

Perfect spot for pudding

We found a gorgeous little cafe on the edge of our village (towards Brite) which is full of scrumptious things such as cake, ice cream, fizzy juice, tea, etc but amazingly it is un-manned. You just pick what you desire and there are cups, glasses, cutlery and anything else you may need - pop your money in the slot and take a spot on one of the lovely little benches outside and enjoy.

We regularly bike out there with the girls after tea - it's about a mile each way - and is the perfect way to kill an hour or so before bedtime. See you there!

Children's show in Bassersdorf

My girls have always loved Punch and Judy shows, as well as any other puppet type activities taking place. There is a magic about puppets that little people just cannot resist.

So don't miss the return of De Chasperli, a puppet show taking place at Bassersdorf tomorrow (27th) from 2.30pm and 3.30pm. It will be in the old fire station behind the library. Admission is 4chf each.

Extended hours for Brütten Library

Brütten Library has opened after the summer holidays with a new look and extended opening hours. The centre of the library has been beautifully opened up with colourful rugs to provide a communal area for young readers, as well as a selection of toys and puzzles to keep tots amused while their parents browse.

The hours of opening are now 3pm – 7pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and 10am – 12pm on Saturday. There is a postbox outside the library to drop off items outside of these hours.

There is also a digital library on offer here.

Welcome

Welcome to the first post of the Brütten Bulletin which will bring you news and views on village life in this amazing place. I'm hoping this may also be the first port of call for English speaking newcomers to the village as I know from experience how difficult it is finding your way around when you can't yet speak the local lingo. Please do get in touch if you would like to find out anything by dropping me a comment on here. And above all, enjoy your new life in this fascinating village and country :)

Liebe Grüße,

Sarah