Mr Crosby, Chili con Carne, and a good Hair Day

The other day wasn’t exactly sparkly. It was rainy, the handyman came by, work got hectic, and I felt depleted. I’m also quietly mourning the loss of one of Colin’s former hockey coaches, who passed away unexpectedly. I may write more about that someday.

But yesterday was my day off, and I found myself with an hour to spare before my hair appointment. For the first time in a while, I was at the mall, and I didn’t mind that it was still drizzly out.

I treated myself to a yummy lunch — chili con carne with lettuce instead of rice — at Guapo Mexicano. 

Then I headed to Starbucks for an espresso, a sweet treat, and a small but delightful surprise: Filipe, the store manager, recognized me. We’d met during a coffee tasting he hosted last fall. OK, I was the only guest that day, but still, we connected, and he remembered. What a contrast to the day before. A little human connection goes a long way.

After that, I finally started Emily in Paris. It’s light, a bit silly, but entertaining — and created by Darren Star, the same mind behind Sex and the City, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Melrose Place, all of which were absolute faves of mine.

If you don’t know it: Emily is a young executive from the U.S. navigating life and work in Paris, where her French colleagues treat her with thinly veiled hostility. Her biggest “flaw”? She doesn’t speak French, but makes do with a translator app. The show leans into some clichés, like her showing up at 8:30 a.m. to find the office locked — because the team doesn’t start until 10:30. As a Swiss-German, that made me laugh. Yes, it’s exaggerated. But also… kinda not?

Next up: my hair appointment — and voilà, transformation complete. From middle-aged hockey mom to a new and improved version of myself! It always feels good to get pampered and walk out feeling refreshed.

Later that evening, we tuned in to the IIHF quarterfinals:

• 🇨🇭 Switzerland beat Austria 6:0

• 🇺🇸 USA vs. 🇫🇮 Finland: 5:2

• 🇸🇪 Sweden vs. 🇨🇿 Czechia: 5:2

• 🇨🇦 Canada vs. 🇩🇰 Denmark: 1:2 (!)

This means Switzerland will face Denmark, and Sweden will take on the USA in the semifinals.

While I’m thrilled for our Swiss team, I felt a pang for Canada. A little gem I came across: Young talent Celebrini respectfully addressed his idol as "Mr. Crosby". Canadians really are the epitome of polite and respectful ❤️🇨🇦🏒

So, what’s the takeaway here?

In German, we say: Nach dem Regen scheint die Sonne — “After the rain, the sun shines.” (Or as the English put it: “After the storm comes the calm.”) It was still raining yesterday, but having time to care for myself instead of rushing to the office made all the difference.

Referring to Emily: Sometimes, no matter how much others seem to resist or misunderstand you, keeping your head high and staying true to yourself is what really counts. And if you can laugh a little at the quirks around you, then you’re already winning.

I did miss most of the first two periods of the hockey game because of terrible traffic — a 30-minute route took me 90. But I stayed calm, listened to music, checked updates on my phone, and reminded myself: this was out of my hands.

And finally, hats off to Denmark — the underdog team that beat powerhouse Canada and secured a spot in the semifinals. Hard work, consistency, and mental grit go a long way.

So — how was your day? And please: keep your fingers crossed for the Swiss team tomorrow!