The eve of Nikolaus

I must correct my Blip yesterday where I poked a bit of fun at the Bavarians. Sorry as a guest in your state, I should at least get the facts right. It was worse than I wrote which last night was based on what Angie told me, Only today did I see the evidence with my own eyes - The combined  weigh bill, delivery note, invoice and receipt.

I had understood that the printer had worked eventually. Wrong it never kicked in. The poor man having entered everything on to the PC screen, gave up and hand wrote it! Doris in the office then rounded up the amount due to the nearest Euro and stamped it as being "Paid" ("bez" as in bezahlt,) Extra photo is the proof.

Today spent tidying up but got out this evening to walk the dogs in Erkheim, collect the carrots for the horses from the local riding club, fill up the car with diesel and a 20 litre tank for the tractor. I haven't yet put in any winter diesel, so will put it in tomorrow and run the motor for a few minutes to get the protection in to all the filters and fuel pipes.

Just about to leave the petrol station and debating on what to Blip today, I heard an unusual but known clatter of bells and some strange human outlines in the distance. Jumped in to the car and headed their way, spotted them on the side of the road, jumped out and said "I have to take a photo". The figure I addressed myself to said "You know who I am"! And indeed in the dark I could just make out who it was - Stefan from our village. He refused to be photographed but has set me up for tomorrow's Blip. Even better.

So today you have to put up with the sales pavilion built a few years ago by a local carpentry/joinery business in Erkheim. They were one of the three businesses we asked to quote for our re.roofing this year. Too expensive, perhaps we could have negotiated but I am not one for bartering. I expect businesses to start with their best offer and not build in amounts to cover discounts they say they are giving which will as good as ruin them - Guv. I like to think I play fair - they need to earn money and I need value for money.

I think though they have a generally good reputation and a very wide range of services around wood, from complete houses to kitchens, saunas etc. Here the website.

I like simple white Christmas tree lights and even more those on "trees" that haven't necessarily had shortened lives, so a thumbs up. Yes, I do know most Christmas trees come from commercial farms and don't have a problem with that nor indeed with the massive 30m high city centre ones which will end up being put to good use. Some councils around here ask for home owners who have a problem Christmas tree growing in their garden to contact them and they will remove it free of charge in Nov/Dec to use as the town tree.

This evening St. Nikolaus is out and about on the streets of villages and towns visiting children that he may not get to tomorrow on the official "Christmas Day" in catholic Bavaria. Before the reformation, 6th December was Christmas Day. Even in medieval England the feast day was celebrated.

Some painful truth for the naughty ones who fear his rather fearful helper Krampus with his stick but usually Nikolaus leaves a present when he has finished with chastising the bad ways of the past year but only so long as the children promise to do better.

We don't do Santa Claus and all that Rudolph bit. On Christmas Eve though the "Christkind" (Christ Child) does fly in to all houses at about 6pm with the odd present.