SWITZERLAND FORUM

[cklaurence]

Yes, there's that too... Thanks, Em. Hope your weather is still comfy. Ours is threatening to get too hot--a little more each day. Last couple of years April was beautiful and we had a couple of cool spells throughout. Doesn't look like we're going to have that luxury this year though. Not even a hint of a chill.

[Emeritus]

We just had a cool week, with nighttime temperatures in the low fifties and high sixties during the days. It's back in the low eighties again, but very breezy. No, make that very windy. Still, it's pleasant at the right time of the day.

[16Forever]

We just had a cool week, with nighttime temperatures in the low fifties and high sixties during the days. It's back in the low eighties again, but very breezy. No, make that very windy. Still, it's pleasant at the right time of the day.

I'm going to send some San Antonio heat East for you

[cklaurence]

Thanks for your generous offer, 16; however, we have quite enough of our own heat right here. If I find we need some, though, I will let you know.

[Emeritus]

How about some humidity? Unlike the rest of Texas, we have more than enough. Of course, our little southeast corner is a lot more like Louisiana than the rest of Texas, right down to the bayous.

[dredwak]

still here...storms took out 2/3 of the uverse...we never lost power...had a lightning strike right over the house though...flash and boom at the same instant...and no more internet...

[Emeritus]

We have had dense clouds passing over for two weeks, racing from Southwest (off the hot part of the Gulf of Mexico) to Northeast. We knew that somebody, somewhere would get rough weather, but the Gulf influence protects us from everything except hurricanes. We just don't get the cold fronts to set off storms.

[16Forever]

We have had dense clouds passing over for two weeks, racing from Southwest (off the hot part of the Gulf of Mexico) to Northeast. We knew that somebody, somewhere would get rough weather, but the Gulf influence protects us from everything except hurricanes. We just don't get the cold fronts to set off storms.

EM - do you know any rain dances? This is ridiculous...it's going to be a very long Summer.

[cklaurence]

I'm checking with the Seminoles on Raindancing. Chief Osceola is loads of fun and very informative. I'm a little reluctant to dance with the alligator he's selected, but he swears it won't hurt me...

[Emeritus]

It's still April and it was 87 degrees again today. I can't even imagine what August and September will be like. I'm still looking for somewhere with a cooler climate to spend the late summer. I wonder what it's like in Maine?

[cklaurence]

It's still April and it was 87 degrees again today. I can't even imagine what August and September will be like. I'm still looking for somewhere with a cooler climate to spend the late summer. I wonder what it's like in Maine?

Maine is spectacular in the summertime! When Petey was in dental school (Tufts, Boston), one of my bosses owned a home on a lake in Skowhegan, Maine, and as a perk for my spectacular skills and loyalty, he would fly us up there and let us stay for a week at a time. Sometimes he and his family would stay (the "cabin" as he called it, had I believe 6 or 8 bedrooms), and other times it would be just Peter and me (and whoever we took with us). Days were in the 70s, sometimes low 80s and no humidity and evenings were just chilly enough (30s, 40s and sometimes 50s) for a roaring fireplace (which doubled as a great disposal for our lobster shells, which were not only plentiful, but inexpensive and delicious). I believe those summer visits to Maine were the high point of the dental school years. We were beyond poor--I worked 5 jobs at a time just to get us by and lived in an incredibly dangerous part of town (research Roxbury, MA in the early '70s). Not only that, but we were THE token poor couple at Tufts which was at the time (and may still be) the top dental school in the country--Ivy League and expensive enough to prove it. Peter had scholarships and we got loans, and we paid back every penny of those loans too! It was a very tough 4 years for us, but it only served to make us better appreciate all we attained throughout our lives afterwards. Peter's family was even poorer than mine. They didn't have hot water, and he actually had to boil water for his baths. Talk about coming a long way, baby!!!

[cklaurence]

Looking back at my last post--our minds work in weird ways...follow how I got from the weather in Maine summertime to how poor my husband was growing up. Jeesh.

[cklaurence]

Good morning Switzerland. I go up to my dad's today. I've taken to spending a few days a week with him so his wife can get out and away. It must be so difficult to be there all the time--watching as one of the brightest men I've ever known deteriorates and has trouble finding his way around his own house. It is a heartbreak, the likes of which I've never known and hope I never see in anyone I love ever again. Of course, even though there was no history of Alzheimers in my family prior to daddy getting ill, I obsess every time I forget where I put something. Is that selfish or just a normal reaction, I wonder. Daddy was diagnosed when he was 92 and he's now 94, but still knows everyone. I don't know where my head will be at when he first looks at me blankly, although the doctors say he won't get to that point. They also said he wouldn't get worse than he was six months ago, but he has. His 95 year old sister, on the other hand, is 100% there mentally. Some tough stock I come from, huh?

I guess this wasn't the cheeriest good morning in the world. Perhaps I will brighten up as the day goes on. On the up-side, though--I got credentials for Princess as a "Service Dog." This means she has to be allowed anywhere I go. The reason I did this is that the townhouse community my dad lives in does not allow any animals. Imagine the stupidity of an "over 55" community that does not allow pets, when it has been proven that pets are therapy for the elderly! Anyway, now I can bring the Princess with me--good for her and me and wonderful for daddy, who has always loved animals. Princess weighs 40 pounds, but she jumps up onto his lap like a little lap dog and they cuddle so sweet.

Anyway, I won't be around for the better part of the day, but if I have the strength (mentally), when I get home tonight I'll be back. Till then, please have a great day and forgive me for dropping this on you...

[Emeritus]

One of the things about having friends is that we get to unburden ourselves. Please feel free.

[Baglady]

Claudia, cherish your time with your Dad. Tough to see our parents age and Alzheimer's is especially difficult to watch in anyone but you are fortunate (in some ways...) to live so close by.

And, whoever was asking for "rain dancers", please come take them! Flooding all over IN, most of the Mid West as well as other parts of the country. Enough already....

[Emeritus]

I knew that all of those clouds passing overhead had to be going somewhere!

[16Forever]

Hey Bags - that was me asking for the raindance. San Antonio is hurting, we haven't had any real measurable rain since September and as of yesterday it seems like the whole state was blazing with grass fires.

[Emeritus]

We haven't had that problem in our little corner of the state. We get more rain and the bayous keep everything wet.

[Baglady]

Hey Bags - that was me asking for the raindance. San Antonio is hurting, we haven't had any real measurable rain since September and as of yesterday it seems like the whole state was blazing with grass fires.

16F, none since Sept??? Good grief, Indy had 3" on Tues alone and another 5" predicted over the next 5 days.... Would be happy to share

[Emeritus]

I notice that the Miami Dolphins and the Houston Texans play each other in the second game of the 2011 season. The Texans have been around less that ten years and this will be our sixth meeting. That must be more than anybody not in our division. Of course that doesn't count the preseason, when we always play the Cowboys.

[dredwak]

happy Easter folks...

[TryThinking]

happy Easter folks...

Right back at you Dred.....

[cklaurence]

HAPPY HAPPY EASTER TO MY SWISS FAMILY. MAY THE BIG BUNNY TAKE SPECIAL CARE OF EACH SWISS FAMILY MEMBER AND MAY ALL YOUR EASTER EGGS BE GOLD!!!!!

[Baglady]

Hope everyone had a great Easter. My computer is down - maybe it just doesn't like water? Rain, rain and more rain... by Wed we should have about 10" so far - in April. If the saying about April showers holds true, May should bring a botanical extravaganza - right?

No news on the NFL front so I'm getting more than discouraged w/ both sides - aren't we all... The MN judge should rule on the lockout this week but however she rules will get appealed - ugh.... While we have the draft this wk, it just isn't the same w/out a labor agreement . Enough w/ the bad news, at least the Pacers didn't get swept by the Bulls !

Have a great day all~

[cklaurence]

Happy Monday--although the draft grows close, the season seems to grow further away. Now what?

[Emeritus]

Good morning, friends! Lady, I'm sorry to hear about your computer being down. I keep a backup, but it's not the same and I have to move things around. Most of Texas (but not my part) could use some of that rain. As for the May flowers, we had ours in March. ck, I agree that the lockout takes a lot of the excitement away from the draft. I want to see if the teams follow their own proposals about limiting their offers to top draft choices and how the agents handle that.

[cklaurence]

Call me a turncoat or any other name you find appropriate, fellow Swissies, but this is how I feel about all this right now:

Lock out? Shut down? Talks? No Talks? Hell! You want to behave that way over greed on both parts? NO DRAFT!!!!! Let's tighten this down solid. Until the two sides can come to terms with each other, then let's turn the heat up as high as it will go. Let everyone sweat. Let the schedule go completely to Hell.

Any thoughts about this?

[Emeritus]

I don't gamble, so I won't bet. However, I will be astonished is there is not an NFL season. There are too many teams that are making immense payments on stadium mortgages and there is no escape clause in the event of a work stoppage. Even billionaires like Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder are up to their ears in debt and they need revenue. Giving stadium tours won't pay the bills, because the TV networks won't pay to broadcast them. When it push comes to shove, I expect a deal to be made.

[dredwak]

brady wins...again...go LAWYERS...

[Emeritus]

Actually the lawyers are the only ones who win in these disputes. The longer they go on (and the NFL will immediately appeal) the more they gain. The important question is, who will ultimately pay those huge legal fees? Since the fans are the only source of income, we are making lawyers richer from a dispute which is not our own. That's what is called free enterprise. The enterprises are free to take us to the cleaners.