Depressed, or just plain old tired?

Today I wanted to write about an amusing occurrence of a couple of years ago, but just before home-time I got a call from home to inform me that my son had found the freshly charred remains of a notebook under our very Swiss-like woodstack, which abuts the wooden barn, which in turn abuts the 60-year old wooden frame house that we dwell in (By the way, we use the wood for the lovely old ceramic stove in the lounge during winter!). When I got home I examined the 'evidence', which the children had been instructed to leave strictly alone.It had been found in a place easily accessible from the road and which my son and I have occasion to observe every day. It hadn't been there the day before. Though the black scorch marks on the wooden uprights which hold the wood so neatly (Swissly) in perfect martial rows were actually from the electrician's generator's exhaust when he was here to install some new cabling, the signs indicate that someone did try to use the burning notebook to ignite the woodpile. This brought to mind the incident last summer when a neighbour challenged some youths helping themselves to our wood for a late night teenage orgy around the fire in the forest or at the river. We weren't in at the time, and the youths informed the neighbour that they knew us and were taking our wood with our knowledge. However, they didn't stay to complete their robbery, choosing instead to leave when the neighbour remained in our driveway, observing them. I relate this simply to demonstrate that the increasingly degenerate youth of Switzerland have ever less of that endearing Swissness that made us so love this country when we first arrived, and to enter a private residence's property and even steal something from it, in broad daylight, just because the owners are not at home, is becoming ever more regular in this once perfect refuge from the rest of the world's crime. Actually, I don't really mind the stealing of the wood. I too was a teenager once. But to set fire to a home that has a sleeping family in it? I've read about the spate of arson in various towns around the country that has taken place, but, like most of us, never thought to have it almost happen to me or my family. Is it time to move back to South Africa? At least there the two meter wall topped with electric fencing will keep them out. And if they do manage to get onto the property without frying themselves, the Rottweiler's will rip them to shreds. And if the piece of poisoned meat they throw over the gate manages to kill all three of the Rottweilers, well, maybe I'll be lucky enough to pot them with the shotgun. That is, if the electricity company manages to keep the power on long enough for me to see them in the floodlighting... Maybe I should build a two meter wall topped with electric fencing and shards of broken glass? Nah, the neighbours would think me very un-Swiss, or, even worse, they may begin to suspect I don't like them. What about the Rottweilers? Oops, forgot the ban on Kampfhunde. The Swiss think Rottweilers are 'fighting dogs'... I suppose I'll have to use the shotgun. At least here in yodel-country the lights don't go off every five minutes, so I should get a clear shot. And unlike high walls and vicious dogs, firearms are freely available. Look out, Swiss youth...you burn my house, I'll SHOOT your ass! (and it won't be hard either, 'cause the way you wear your jeans these days, your whole damn ass is visible!). There, now I feel better about the whole thing already. Amazing what a smile can do for your mood, innit?! Hopefully the next post will be more positive.