SWITZERLAND FORUM

[cklaurence]

There is no lack of people to blame these days at the Jest's organization, for sure; just as there is a big crowd we Fins' fans have to blame for our thirteen years of awful luck... I do so look forward to next year when the so-called thirteen year curse for the bad for the way Danny Marino was treated in his parting years (for which I truly believe the organization should be punished). Wouldn't it be nice if such a thing were true and next year a new, phantastic dimension opened, lol...

[Emeritus]

It looks to me like the Dolphins have a lot of the pieces in place to be a strong contender. They have a good defense. Their rookie quarterback will only get better. Bush has proved that he still has gas left in the tank. Give the offensive linemen some time to work together as a coordinated unit and the Dolphins can play with the best.

[cklaurence]

We'll be needing a couple of class receivers too, Em. Oh, and did I mention we need a new head coach and staff AND OWNER?????
What are you doing for the holidays--anything exciting?

[Emeritus]

I don't have any exciting plans. I'll do the church stuff and I've been invited to a number of parties and a big dance, but that's about it. There's a local school for handicapped children and we will deliver gifts there on Saturday. An electrical contractor just put up the house lights. Mostly I'll remember family and Christmases past.

[cklaurence]

Do you ever get to see your grandchildren, Em? I can't remember if you told me they moved away. I know you said World Weary's wife remarried, but I wasn't sure if she was living near enough that you get to spend any holiday time with them.

Looks like I'm spending the holidays in my easy chair recliner this year and heaven knows how much of next year. Putting quite a damper on my life. Not going to be able to attend the last Fin game, as I haven't the past two. Most games I've missed in the past forty-plus years. I'm heartbroken, but have no choice. If this meniscus tears any further it will snap clear through. `

On a happier note, we are about to get some deliciously cool weather for the first time this year. It's supposed to go down into the forties tonight and tomorrow night, high sixties during the days. It will be a treat, considering it has been so humid of late. Being inside with the a/c cranked up to high, I'm not really bothered by it, but it will be nice to be able to turn the a/c off and open the balcony doors off my bedroom, and perhaps sit out on the balcony on one of the lounge chairs out there. I'll bundle up in something flannel and pretend it's really winter. The mango tree is blooming early this year, so I'm hoping for a huge crop...

[Emeritus]

Tom's widow remarried and her new husband adopted the children, so they no longer bear our name. They take the money that I send without comment and I don't hear from them. The husband apparently doesn't want to remember that there was ever another man. Their holiday plans only involve his family. I haven't even received a response for a recent photo of the children. Perhaps when they are older the children will be curious.

[cklaurence]

Oh Em, that's so awful! How can someone be so callous? And what about Tom's wife??? Out of respect to Tom and you, you would think she would make sure the grandchildren always kept you in their lives.

I know my brother took on his wife's children (they were ages 4 and 5) when their father was killed in an accident and raised them, she made sure his entire family, cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents (even though she moved to Florida with the kids) were kept in the loop in Nebraska...I guess there's no telling how people will handle these things. I suppose I just figured that Tom's wife would be cut from that same cloth as Tom... there I go again--imposing my own ideals on others...

[Emeritus]

ck, I want to wish you a happy day surrounded by those you love. In this season I am grateful for your friendship.

[cklaurence]

My very best to you as well, Emeritus. I try to tell you (even when there's no holiday or special reason) how much I appreciate your friendship and the fact that you have remained family when all others have gone on to other blogs and never looked back to old Switzerland.
You are a unique individual--from the day I first met you as World Weary, continuing through till I met your other family members--including you, Em. Then, of course, when I recognized there was a mystery (what kind of a mystery writer would I have been if I had not?)--and attempted to figure it out, until you finally put it all together for me--I knew you were special.
Try Thinking too is still out there, as well as Ms Bags and Dredwak and they make rare, but highly-valued visits. Peace, of course is always monitoring, but has nothing to bitch about, so no reason to stick his 2 cents in for anymore. Steve the Cat we've also seen minimally, and good ol' Maineiac, but I think that about covers all of those who ever even say "Hey," out of the three hundred fifty-something family members we once had.
So Em, you might understand why you are so special to me. You have your own page at facebook, and I know you still blog at faux on some of the football pages, so there's not a reason in the world you need to take the time to visit here almost daily, year in and year out. You are truly a gentleman and a scholar, and I thank you and wish you a merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year.

And to all the Swiss Family, past and present (*hooverers included ) Merry Christmas, and may 2013 be the year all your dreams come true...

[cklaurence]

I came on to post and got so excited. Dred, Try and Em were chatting away! I tried to go back to see where it had started, and I realized that somehow the pages had rolled back to page 1! I was thinking that perhaps as an end of the year surprise, people had come back to visit--it was so strange...

Anyway, just wanted to say hey and hope all is well in your camp, Em. They year here is drawing to a quiet close, which is just fine by me. The Fins are through, as I had anticipated--it was fun to see the Jests go down before them though . I dread the thought of Tebow coming to Jacksonville next year because that will be the main focus of football news in this State. They love him from Gainesville to the border because of his UF days. UF QBs always seem to fail once they hit the NFL, but that doesn't stop the Gator fans from loving them. I guess that's because they never end up on their NFL teams to ruin their football seasons...

[Emeritus]

Rats! The Texans offense disappeared and they lost to the Colts. They had a chance to complete a sweep of the division, which is something that teams seldom do. It also costs them the first seed in the playoffs, but that doesn't much matter the way that they are playing. I'm sure glad that I don't make a big emotional investment in sports teams, or I'd be blue.

[cklaurence]

I was blue enough for both of us, Em. Holiday blues aside, I watched your entire games, during which I had my sixth sense rising that the Fins were going to bomb, which they did, miserably. They came out with the personality of their coach--calm, passive, passionless and with no sense of who they are--just as they've been for the past thirteen years since Dan Marino left us.

I wish you the best new year ever and an amazing 2013 and beyond...

[cklaurence]

HAPPY NEW YEAR ONE AND ALL. WELCOME TO SWITZERLAND, YOUR ALL-SEASON FOOTBALL FORUM.

Good morning, Em...

[Emeritus]

Happy New Year to you ck. Isn't the Jewish New Year in September? Sarah used to always have a calendar around somewhere, although I don't know if she ever looked at it. I've decided that instead of making resolutions for the year, I'm going to make them each day. I can usually manage anything for one day.

[cklaurence]

Sounds like a plan, Em. Keeping a resolution a day does seem easy enough. I think I'll try that too!

Yes, the Jewish New Year does come around in September or even October if it runs late. The Jewish calendar runs on different time than the one we follow. Just to keep things interesting...

[OnlyInUtah]

Congrats to the Texans for their win today!!!!!!!

[cklaurence]

Hey Utah--thanks for stopping by! I'm sure Em will be happy to see your note when he drops in (once he comes off his cloud). It certainly was a battle hard fought--and next week I'm going to have to root for the Pats, I guess. Maybe I can knock them out by rooting for them now, and then I won't have to wait till the actual SB to knock them out.
Y'know, for personal reasons, I dislike the Seahawks a lot. I didn't used to, but I do now; however, I would rather see them take the Pats out and be done with them now. I don't think there's a team in the playoffs that I hate like I do the Patriots. It goes all the way back to the snow plow incident, and has only gotten worse in the BB days.
At any rate, it's great to see you, my friend. You are missed!

[cklaurence]

Correction! I don't know what I was thinking this morning--probably just anxious to retire the Patriots early--but Redskins play Seahawks today--Seahawks don't play Patriots. It's really easy for me to pull for the Redskins over the Seahawks--that's for damned sure. If anyone sees Kansas, tell her I'll be mindful and if it gets too dicey with me rooting for her Skins, I'll immediately start rooting for the Hawks to make sure they lose!

[Emeritus]

LOL, I can see how that could get confusing, ck. Since I don't believe in magic it is a lot more simple for me. I just enjoy the games and if the teams that I like win I'm pleased. If they lose, I still got to enjoy watching a football game. I guess that I'm more a fan of the game than of the teams.

[cklaurence]

Well Em, now that my team is out of it, I'm more a fan of the game as well. I do, however, tend to pull for my friends' teams, and my nasty side can't help but make me root against those I don't care for's teams. The one exception being the Pats. There are a couple of people I really care deeply about--Maineiacgirl for one--she's a big Patriot fan, but even she couldn't make me want to pull for the Pats, lol.

Of course I'd love to see your Texans go all the way, but they've got to conquer their demons. Perhaps pulling the win out this week gave him back the confidence they need to go forward the way they started out the season. I sure hope so. I'd like to see Peyton go a couple of rounds as well--for old time sake. The Pats, although I doubt it's possible, should fall flat in their first game, tee hee.

It was good to see Utah here...

[Emeritus]

I've been sitting in the swing on my side porch, drinking coffee and watching it rain. I can't imagine anything more peaceful. The problem is that it has made me sleepy. I think that I'll toddle off back to bed.

[cklaurence]

[size=150]I just want you to know that I'm all about Houston this weekend, Em. That is one difficult venue to have to play in, and you know how I feel about your opponent. I may have to pull for them (which is my least favorite thing to do), but I will gladly do it to see your team advance and the Patriots go no further...[/size]

[Emeritus]

If you can believe the sportswriters, the game is already over. As one put it, the Patriots are getting another bye week. To here them tell it, the Texans might as well forfeit and save themselves the trip.

[cklaurence]

I only hope the Pats believe every word of it, Em. Let them go in there feeling like they own the world and have the day, and then let Houston go in there like snakes on a plane and attack those Patriots like they've never before been hit--and beat them into submission so they go home crying like babies, shut down on their first round!

WOW!!! It makes me feel great just to say that...

[cklaurence]

Don't want to jinx any teams today (and by any teams all of us who blog regularly here know exactly who I mean ), so i shall say nothing until either much later tonight or tomorrow.....

[Emeritus]

I'm not at all superstitious, but it sounds like a good plan to me, ck. My picks are so much more accurate if I make them after the games are played.

[cklaurence]

That Atlanta game was a killer-diller, no, Em????? I won't make any derogatory remarks about the person that made me so down on the Seahawks because you are probably friends with her, but she's, I'm sure, a really good person, it's just that she hurt me badly--something I never expected, and for some reason I can't get over it and I take it out on the team. Prior to that, I never disliked the Hawks, so it's just silliness on my dumb ol' stuff and takes away from my own viewing pleasure.

I don't guess it matters. She's a beautiful woman, with beautiful kids and she's leading a happy life. I wish her no ill--just bet against her team, lol (or FOR it, actually) to try and keep it losing. Whatever it takes, ha ha ha!!! Right now I'm just enjoying Monk...

[Emeritus]

She unfriended me, so I guess that we aren't friends. I just wanted Atlanta to win so people would quit the trash talk about them being unable to win a playoff game. They had the best record in football this year and they still get no respect. They can win it all, as far as I'm concerned.

[cklaurence]

Unfriended me too. What'd you do to her? I never figured out what I did--just one day after being relatively good friends, the diva days, her having stayed here with the other girls and never having (what I thought was) a bad word, she simply unfriended me.You? Maybe because you stayed at Switzerland, when so many others followed her lead and took off.

Anyway, it's nine-something and I'm totally exhausted! I'm going to shut down the computer and go to sleep. Sorry about your Texans. I tried--I really tried, I wanted to see them hand the Pats their hats, at home...................

[Emeritus]

I wanted to see the Texans win too, but I refused to be depressed by something over which I have no control. The Texas won twelve regular season games, which was a team record. I'd rather see them make their mistakes, learn from them and improve than be a flash in the pan success. As for our one-time friend, I wish her every happiness with whoever her friends are now. I always admired how smart she is and hope that it is working for her.

p.s. For some reason, the site word processor wants to underline random words. I don't care, but keep in mind that I never underline.