Fire scare.

The week was a normal one little happened that one could talk about until Friday afternoon around four. I had just finished mowing the lawn when my wife asked me to come into the bedroom because she had smelt something that she could not localise it smelt like burnt oil to me. I thought it was probably a car out side that had a bust cylinder gasket or something and was burning oil, my wife closed the window and for me that was the end of the issue.

I then went outside to disperse the grass clipping in the bio tonne when the lady from next door who was outside with her two children and her Mobil in her hand ready to call the fire department asked me if I knew were the smell was coming from. At this stage the smell was very intensive but were it was actually coming from I could not say. I called my wife and together we checked all the cellars and found nothing unusual. We then went outside to see if we could localise were the smell of burning oil was coming from. In the mean time the lady from next door had called the fire department and they were on their way to us. We then actually found out were the smell was coming from it was the flat next door to our.

The fire brigade turned up in force lights flashing sirens going, in fact the full works. Neighbours turned up from no were not wishing to miss such a show. Police and ambulance turned up and it was a full-scale action, not to be forgotten for along time.

The firemen broke into the flat just as the grandparents (who were looking after the little girl while the parents were at work) came back from were they had been.

The cause of the burning fat and the heavy smoke was a frying pan left on the oven with chicken legs in it. The Grand mother had forgotten to switch of the oven when they left the flat.

So much excitement we haven’t had for along time. The main thing is no one was hurt and really little damage was done.

The photos are of the fire brigade out in full force.

Take care out there were ever you are. Tshüss

A new project.

Starting a new project is one thing, planning and financing it is the other. Separating our garden from our neighbours we had four conifer trees, which gave us a bit of privatise when we sat out on our patio. Now for some unknown reason they have died off on us in less the six months (no idea why) so we decided not to plant new trees but instead put a fence up.

Now there are all types of fences on the market, and picking the right one that fits in our budget was nerve robbing with two visits to the DIY store, also we had to consider our neighbours, luckily there we had no big problems.

The job entailed first of all taking the trees out complete with roots, transporting the fence home (on the roof rack of the car) secondly putting the fence up which meant cementing in the post supports (the fence has four section) lining up the fence accurately and then two coating of wood preservative, the job took me three days to finish. Both my neighbours and my wife are pleased with the results, and that’s the main thing.

On Thursday I visited my friend http://campdllroadblog.blogspot.com/ he was having some difficulties with setting up his Blog post and together we worked that out so I hope in the future we will see some interesting posts from him. I always enjoy my visits and we have a good chat, this time he give me one of his home made curries to take home with me, it was delicious and very hot!

Glad to hear that my brother no1broadstreet has arrived at his destination in the US safely and is enjoying his holiday. I have received a load of photos from him and I must say it looks very warm were he is. I am hoping that perhaps we can link up with each other via Skype while he is over there

Take care out there were ever you are. Tshüss

The photos are of the dieing trees and the new fence.

The gathering of the clan.

We were up at half past six on Sunday morning to be ready at 8am for the 90^th birthday link with my mother and the rest of the family. We (my brother and I) had made the time arrangements for the link the Friday before. The birthday party was taking place at my sisters and all the family was going to be there.

Apprehension was running high at this end because my mother knew nothing about the link it was going to be a surprise for her, she hasn’t seen my wife and myself for over 20 years, apart from photographs of course.

My brother opened the link and then brought my mother into the room were the computer was set up, from her reaction I must say she was thrilled to bits to see us and enjoyed every moment of it. The rest of the family came in and because every one was talking at the same time it was hard for us to understand what was being said.

My brother then introduced every one; one by one because we could not make out who was who, all of the children from my nephews and nieces we had never seen before and also the wife’s of my nephews. It was a family reunion and my wife and I enjoyed every minute of it. We would have loved to have been there with them to celebrate mum’s 90^th.

My wife and I had the impression that my mother enjoyed herself and that the party was a big success thanks to my sister and her husband for putting on a good spread.

The last two days have been scorches and I must say I was glad when the evenings came and it was a bit cooler.

Yesterday I was at work at my old company; the drive to work there and back takes me over 200 km of motorway. My observation and my conclusion is that the price of petrol and Diesel is not expensive enough although the price has gone up in leaps and bounds over the last few months. There are enough motorists who still drive at full speed I would say around the 180- 200 km per hour. Yesterday coming home, I was overtaking a lorry when from nowhere a Mercedes shot up behind me the driver holding a distance between us from about one and a half meters for the duration of the overtaking, my speed was 120 km per hour. When he over took me he was shaking his head as though I was the one that was in the wrong. Why I am complaining I don’t know because this is a common practise over here on our motorways.

The photos today is of rotary cutting dies for corrugated boxes taken yesterday at work. That’s only a few of them.

Take care out there were ever you are. Tshüss

It's Friday again

It’s Friday evening and there’s a rumble of thunder in the distant. Today was very humid and I had the feeling all day that we were in for a thunderstorm.

I have just put the German flag out on the patio for the start of the European football championship. Normally the English one would have been there as well but we didn’t qualify did we!! Which brought a lot of jeers from many folks that I know.

This week has had it’s up’s and downs, I was intending on going to a trade-fair on Wednesday that is being held in Düsseldorf, with the intention to meet up with a few old acquaintances (in my trade) who I had got to know over the years through my job. Well sorry to say this never came about because on Monday I started with toothache and the only appointment that I could get on such short notice was on Wednesday, glad to say the dentist didn’t have to do a big job on me, which is something. Now my wife has started also with toothache it’s her wisdom tooth that’s bothering her. (These things are sent to try us)

On Tuesday it was our wedding anniversary (44 years) we did not go out to celebrate, that will take place on the 13^th because on the 3^rd we were married only in the register office (it’s called the Standesamt) and on the 13^th we were married in the church. That’s the way it’s done here in Germany if you want to get married in the church.

I was going to go and donate blood this afternoon but then realised that I wouldn’t be allowed to because of the antibiotic that I had been taking earlier on in the year. There has to be a lapse of six months after taking medication before you are allowed to donate blood again.

Just watched Roger Feederer on TV win the semi finals he beat the French guy Gael Monfils in four sets, it was an interesting match and a tough one for Feederer. My wife and I will certainly be watching the final on Sunday.

On Saturday it’s my Mother’s birthday she will be 90 years old. The whole family will assemble at my sister’s house and then my brother no1broadstreet will link up with us via Skype so that we can congratulate my Mother on her 90^th birthday. My wife and I are looking forwards to the link seeing that my Mother knows nothing about our get together.

It’s now Saturday afternoon and I have just read my brothers blog, it was mainly about our mother’s birthday and it was superbly written in away that only my brother can.

The thunderstorm that was expected did not take place last night (well not by us) it passed us by, once again we were lucky.

The photo that I have added this time is of an old Bergische house that is just across the road in the woods from us. Rheinisch-Bergisch district,

Take care out there were ever you are. Tschüss.