The Long Haul

Early start on a beautiful morning with temperatures due to soar back up to close to the 30°C mark and predicted to stay that way in to next week.

After a quick walk with Flash while Angie rode out, returned to secure the load of tree logs on the trailer. Yesterday had loaded two more 4 metre spruce logs to join the 7.5m one and the 7m beech. Well we think it's beech and later at the sawmill, even the owner was unsure - hardwood it is.

I am a dreadful coward when it comes to transporting such loads and end up no doubt doing twice as much as is necessary. Add to that my fear that the load is overweight, the tyres won't hold out, the lighting will fail ........ At least with the load being low, I can see what is going on behind me and witness at first hand hundreds of kilos rolling down the pavements at the first corner in the village.

Eventually set off for the 6km drive to the sawmill in Westerheim. We survived and the logs were still aboard! The owners two young sons, I guess early teens, are on holiday still and busily helping around the farm and mill. On Monday when I was there they were hurtling around on a massive new John Deere with a large slurry tank. They are allowed to drive agricultural vehicles from age 14 but only within the parish. (Have just found out the rule was changed to 15 a few years ago)

One of the lads unloaded my logs and I will return tomorrow with another trailer load of four, 4m spruce logs.

My other panic today was running out of diesel, so made a 11km return route via Erkheim to tank up. At the Autobahn junction there is a smart Shell station which I wanted to use as they have Shell V-Power Racing Diesel at well over 30% more than standard diesel. However I refuse to support a business which unashamedly changes it's prices by 15 cents/litre twice a day to suite the "vulnerability" of the motorists. So took the extra 1km upon myself to the supermarket station where the diesel was 7c/litre cheaper. have just checked the prices at midnight - there is now a 18c/litre difference between the two stations.

Eventually home, felled another 4m tree stump that was still standing from last year and loaded this with three more on the trailer, again going through the over the top securing. Richard the farrier was due today but called this afternoon to say he was ill. Farmer Franz dropped in on his cabriolet Deutz on his way back from getting his MOT and reminding me that my horsetrailer is still in the agricultural engineers garage but proudly displaying it's MOT pass badge. Must collect it tomorrow. He also said, the workshops were empty, the farmers now only getting the most necessary work done, the continuing effects of the milk price.

Then two local joinery firms were due to come by to quote on redoing our roof. Both are doing a roof each on two almost adjoining houses in the village. One an established large company who sent a very competent person who seemed to know what could and what should be done. He luckily also replaced a broken tile while up there and removed a birch tree that has been happily growing out of a unused chimney!

The other company, a new young team - seems to be the master joiner with I assume from the clothing, a qualified joiner and again from the lack of traditional clothing, an apprentice. The joinery craftsmen can still very often be seen on building sites in traditional garb - white collarless shirt, black waistcoat with 8 pearl buttons to signify 8 hour day, in winter a black jacket with 6 pearl buttons to signify the 6 day week and black trousers with two zips (not sure what this signifies !!) and a broad black hat. The craft is also the one that still sees many newly qualified craftsmen doing a three year "Journeymen" stint where they are not allowed home  - one year in Germany, one in Europe, one somewhere else on the planet and should be done with no more than a walking stick and bundle of clothing - no rucksack and no mobile phone!

Anyway they were due to arrive at 8pm as very busy doing the roof in the village especially with the great weather. They eventually arrived in darkness at 8:30pm and so we have postponed the visual inspection! Had a nice chat. Would be nice if they can come up with a good deal but they have said, no chance this year. The other company is also booked out until end October but depending on weather, there may be the possibility. Last year they did a roof between Christmas and New Year.

Now need a good nights sleep before tackling the second nerve racking journey to the sawmill - coward, that's me or perhaps better "Chicken George" a nickname Angie gave me, based on the TV series "Roots" and working for the company that bought a German chicken restaurant chain.