I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK

Most of the lyrics DO NOT fit me .......

Made a round of phone calls to get some advice on my chainsaw problem. The agricultural merchants EVG in Erkheim which I use a lot are Stihl dealers but I find their parts/workshop service at least for my lawn tractor and other such matters, a little slow. MrB - 3 x Stihl chainsaws - suggested I go to the Stihl dealers in Lachen (population 202) which I didn't know of. He did warn me there were a couple of "unusual" ladies in the shop.

Set off, taking a few tractor Blips on the way, the wonderful weather driving them out of the sheds. Shop in the middle of the village was a modern very clean looking but I entered with trepidation as to how the receptionists was going to greet me. The sisters who own & run the garden machine business are dynamite. My broken saw was grabbed out of my hand, plastic covering, screws, nuts and bolts literally flew all over the table & floor and 20 minutes later I had a working chainsaw back with new gearing and a mini service all for under 50 Euros. So as to avoid danger of being hurt by the whirlwind activity, I fled to the showroom to look at new machines and spoke to other sister responsible for sales. The chainsaw she said I needed wasn't displayed, the service sister having finished my saw, grabbed a box from the store room, built a brand new one together, filled it up, started it and pressed it in to my hands ... here you go. 822 Euros. Left the shop saying I would have to think about it. I know from MrB's experience that they have good prices and don't try to "over sell".

On the way home stopped off in Ottobeuren at the small BayWa unit which only has agricultural machinery sales & service (they are nationally the biggest). MrB had mentioned they had Husqvarna chainsaws in the small shop. Indeed there were 4 saws and one looked interesting and about the same as the Stihl that had been recommended. Price 550 Euros. Went home to consider. During lunch quickly surfed in internet including the BayWa site and saw the saw advertised at 499 Euros and over 50 Euros cheaper than Amazon. After discussion with Finance Manager, returned to Ottobeuren and got ghe saw for the cheaper price including saw being built together, tanked, tested and having received a full instruction.

So set to work. Given some difficult work, dressed up in the full protective gear which many years ago, Angie insisted on buying after she had spent a few weeks in a convalescent unit due to a spinal disc problem. The hotel/hospital was full of forest workers with various limbs missing. The boots alone cost more than I have spent on clothes in 10 years and the trousers double my weight with all the metal in them.

Later MrB came by with his mini tractor and winch and the top of the tree shown in the Blip out of the hedge.(Flickr video)


Sadly the new saw is full of modern mechanics including lots of vibration reducing bits - not good as I need the vibration to keep my ever present kidney stones moving! Saw performed well though, like a hot knife through butter.

I wish I had been able to buy a Stihl from the ladies in Lachen. Alone their amazing service deserved it.