Going To A Carpenter & Finding Out About Schnapps.

The two could have a connection...

We had to get some plywood cut to cloth yesterday. Following a Hot Tip ( of the parental sort ) we found the shop that sold plywood and could cut it to our exact measurements. The strange thing is, is that we have driven past it so many times but never knew it existed.

Once you are married for more than a few years, most shopping is done like this:

Bob / a husband:" Look, you go in while I stay in the car and make sure it's okay. "

which is a translation for:

" I am out of patience, tired and want to go home. Hurry up and don't dawdle! "

if you are lucky they switch off the engine and hopefully the hooter is off limits too. A lot of men, bless their hearts, are extremely impatient...

Armed with the measurements I stepped inside. Gosh, it was a huge place and workshop. Waiting for my turn, I met the local watchman - a cat - who gave me the once over and then proceeded to plonk herself on a nice piece of cut wood. What a life. When it was my turn, the carpenter asked me what I needed. A small fry job considering the warehouse was so full of heavy carpentry machinery. He looked at my measurements ( for the plywood ) and asked me more about them.

Bob had written them down, and I said that I would quickly ask my husband. When I dashed outside, he followed me and said he would ask the oracle himself. To cut a long story short, he discovered that Bob is English speaking. Once he had the right interpretation of the measurements ( it is never simply a case of measuring it seems ), he and I went back inside.

Cutting the plywood was the last thing on his mind, because the two of us began discussing the different accents you get. To be clear, it was the different Austrian dialects you get here in our area. Oh yes, one village sometimes can't understand the other... He originally was from Styria, and even the teachers had a hard time with him and his unusual accent.

Oh, what a nice man. He told me about growing up in a Gasthaus ( Restaurant ) and how his father burned Schnapps. Schnapps with varying strength:

• 35 % for the novices.
• 40-50 % for the experienced.
• 50-65 % for the brave or mad.
• Then you get what is called a Vorlauf, which is stronger then all of them and not really for human consumption. Gosh, I thought it was the weakest mix! My Mum uses this Vorlauf to clean windows & toilets and she gave me a bottle as well. Maybe that's why Bob likes to clean the windows?

You know, having small little conversations with new people you meet during the day, makes everything worthwhile. Everyone is like a rough diamond, and when we take the time to have a conversation it helps shine up the rough diamonds. It puts a happy slant on any day and let's be honest, isn't that what life is all about? Getting to know the people who form a part of our lives. Small part or large.

In a way, I am sorry for the new mobile cell phone generation. They will never know the joys of finding a kernel of interesting background about a person. Even just being able to Say:

" Hello, How are you today? "

and knowing how to handle a verbal reply and thus the start of a conversation, is not on the cards for most of them. Who hasn't seen a bunch of teenagers hanging out together? In fact why bother...all they do is put their heads down and check the status on their phones.

Biggi