Personal - Chrigi's Gschänk Egge - Chrigi's Gift Corner

Christa E. von Matt

October 2nd 1964

Ø 1 book/week, approximately 95 per cent in English

My favorite subjects are stories about explorers, pioneers, lighthouse keepers, etc. as well as background information about the history of places I've visited during vacations in the USA. Other than that I also like to read biographies as well as non-fiction books about animals (pets: cats & dogs, wildlife: bears & wolves)

Whenever I'm tired and/or can't concentrate for some reason a good mystery is a must :-)

Letters and mails. About 30 pen pals worldwide (most of them in the USA)

A Book about a trip I took in 1991

I take pictures of pretty much everything that comes in front of my camera

My favorite subjects are animals (preferably cats and cows)  

Even though my main craft is cross stitching I do other crafts as well like for example knitting or wood working

After having had to put my beloved cat, Jessica, to sleep on February 2nd 2010 I went to pick up Mr. Murphy from the shelter on February 25th 2010. He was named "Livius" at the shelter but I was able to change this name before I received his papers. Mr. Murphy was probably born in September 2009. Since he had no contact with humans for the first four months of his life (the first weeks in the life of a cat are imprinting!) he has several issues. One of them is his fear of humas. When I took him home from the shelter he hissed at me whenever I came closer to him than about two yards. I almost gave up and was close to calling the shelter to come and take him back when my patience finally paid off. After about eight weeks he started to seek contact and from then on he became pretty much the most attached cat you can imagine. Mr. Murphy follows me around like a dog. However, he still panics whenever another person is around. Mr. Murphy even hides when someone rings mom's doorbell downstairs. The only person he doesn't hide from is mom but even she's not allowed to pet him (unless I'm on vacation for longer than one week). To cut a long story short: two lonely souls have found each other!

Listening to music: Mostly (but not solely) modern Country Music. Some of my favorites are: Alan Jackson, Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, George Strait and many others

Playing music: Guitar (unfortunately only seldom because the pain in my wrists is getting worse). In the past I also used to play the concert flute and the violin.

I have lots of house plants in my apartment that give me a lot of joy. Since I also like to multiply them I have more and more pots in my apartment and I'm always happy to give away a plant or two. Want one?

When dad passed away on December 19th 2005 an acquaintance gave an orchid to mom and one to me. My plant has not only survived but has been blooming every year so far (spring 2016)!

Beginning in February I start veggies and lettuce from seeds in my kitchen. Therefore it's not surprising that my kitchen looks more like a greenhouse from February until about the middle of May. Thanks to the fact that we grow so much (and work hard) in our garden mom and I live approximately 9 out of 12 months from the "fruits of our labor". We usually grow: kohlrabi, sweat peas, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, leaf lettuce, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, fennel and Swiss chard. Each spring I also give away many pepper seedlings to several people in Switzerland.

David (a friend in the USA) used to say that I not only have the proverbial "green thumb" but rather a full "green hand" :-)

Beginning in 2017, I started "breeding" swallowtail butterflies. That is, I began to protect the caterpillars and chrysalises from predators. Since I took over 2,000 pictures of the various stages in 2020, I created a 36-page photo book in January 2021, in which I documented the life cycle of the swallowtail (from egg-laying up to butterfly) in pictures and supported it with interesting information. If anyone is interested, I'm more than happy to show the book. In case someone wants to "breed" swallowtails himself, I will of course assist you with advice and support anytime.

With only a few exceptions I used to travel to the USA (a few times also Canada) once a year since 1986. Unfortunately I wasn't able to keep this up after dad passed away. I did travel a few times since 2005 but not as often as before and I'm afraid that the trip to Arizona in 2014 might have been my last one. Instead of traveling I've started taking daytrips with mom to see various parts of our beautiful country and sometimes nearby places like the Black Forest in Germany or Alsace in France.

Despite the fact that I had quite some trouble creating this website I have to say that I enjoyed it just the same and learned a lot by trial and error. All I have to do now is to update it once in a while. Unfortunately I don't do this as often as I should. Just thinking of all the good pictures I would like to show under "photo cards"...

I also adjust all new photos taken on daytrips or other occasions on the computer. Furthermore I'm in the process of digitalizing all my old negatives (well over 500 rolls of film). Some time ago I finished digitalizing all the old records and tapes that I still had from my youth.

Other than that I like to write all the letters and e-mails I mentioned above on the computer, compile several lists (books, DMC-floss, music, harvest records, etc.) and still find new ideas of things to do at the computer :-)

Although I don't belong to a political party I'm highly interested in politics. My interest isn't focused on Switzerland alone because I like to know what's going on in other parts of the world as well.

So far I've missed only one vote since I reached legal age! This happened in 1987 when I was in hospital for 10 weeks. Back then we still had to show up in person at the polling station and couldn't send the voting material by mail like we can do today.

During my various travels to the USA as well as Canada I had the chance to see, climb and photograph many lighthouses. Up to this day I love reading books about lighthouses. I'm more interested in the life of lighthouse keepers, their families and pets than in technical details about lighthouses.

From 1998 until April 2016 I used to be a volunteer for Procap (club for handicapped people) in the Canton of Zug. Unfortunately I had to realize that the headboard of this organization isn't really interested in helping us handicapped people. They care more about their ridiculous high salaries. While we did the major work for our members and worked almost for free (most years I received less than what my actual expenses were) the people at the headquarter filled their pockets. The president, for example, received four times as much as my yearly pension is. I wouldn't have minded too much if this would be his only job but he's also at the head of a famous jewelry company and has his own law office too!  Disillusioned I quit my job as secretary at the general meeting in April and left the club completely. By now I actually warn people to NOT donate to this association because it has nothing to do with a "good cause" but is a tough business with a lot of money involved!

Health permitting I would love to do some volunteer work again but I don't want to rush into anything. I am convinced that something will pop up some day. There are times when you just have to be patient.

A typical evening with Mr. Murphy's predecessor (Jessica). She used to sleep on my lap while I stitched (usually from 7p.m. until midnight). 

Portrait of Mr. Murphy

(January 2011)

At my stand during a craft show at the garden center Zulauf AG in Schinznach-Dorf

(Photo: Raija Ahto-Kaajas, October 2009)

Portrait of Mr. Murphy at the age of ca. 6 months. (Photo: 03-07-2010)