We've had the builders in.
Well we are in the middle of having the builders in. That's in the middle (possibly) of the whole project and at the start of having the builders in. The builders were supposed to begin at the start of August- at exactly the moment we were off on holiday. However, contrary to the popular stereo-type project management is more often observed in South Germany by it's absence. I am not sure why this is, I suspect it is the side affect of another anthropological phenomenon I have commented on before - the reluctance of any individual to take responsibility and to make an independent decision. Any way by the time the workers arrived at our apartment chaos had reigned for over three weeks. Currently we are encamped in the living room with only the bedroom as the one other room that is habitable by humans and cats. The office is stripped and we are using it as a temporary food station with the microwave, the coffee machine and the kettle. The fridge is in there too.

Builder's Progress. Monday.

  • 7:13 Builder (Luigi) and Mario (plumber) appear and remove kitchen plumbing and kitchen and bathroom gas appliances. Herr Mario Segali disconnects the gas supply without telling us.
  • 7:30 Dagobert Toadsworth is supposed to appear but does not, waiting for him makes me late for my first appointment at the Grossostheim building.
  • 9:30 am Builders are using a power chisel to cut away plaster from the main waste pipe
  • 11:00 am Now cutting holes in the floor for the heating and waste pipes. Two in the kitchen floor, two in the bathroom floor and one in the bathroom wall
  • 1:00 pm Dagobert wanders in. Does nothing.
  • 1:30 The Squirrell calls the plumber who confirms the gas is off and that he has no time to turn on the downstairs heating. Then she calls Dagobert to tell him that there are no lights in the decant apartment and no heating in either appartment. Nor is there the special Teutonic 30 amp socket for the washing machine. This is a tad too technical for Toadsworth. The Squirrell goes to Janine's for the rest of the evening.
  • 2:00 pm I tell Luigi, the builder demolishing the kitchen, that I will be back in about an hour. He tells me he will be finished in about the same time. I put the camping gas stove in the decant apartment kitchen.
  • 3:00 pm I return and put the camping toilet in the bedroom. I leave a crate of coke in the decant apartment. Luigi the builder is mostly finished for the day. Mostly.
  • 4:00 pm Dagobert appears and mooches around but says nothing
  • 5:00 pm Luigi the builder and Dagobert re-appear but they say nothing and Dagobert just looks at things again.
  • 5:30 pm No one appears to install lights or to switch on the heating. We sit for the rest of the evening warming ourselves around a glowing internet.
  • 6:00 pm. Mrs Lion tells The Squirrel that an electrician rung here doorbell and said he was there to fix a broken light bulb.
Tuesday
  • 7:30 am. Herr Mario Segali appears at 7:35 with builder and proceeds to install two meters of copper piping. Builder continues to cut bigger holes.
  • 1:00 pm All activity ceases.
  • 3:00 pm Dagobert appears. Looks. Says nothing.
  • No heating in either apartment and no lighting in the decant apartment.
Wednesday (Day time temperature 16°C. Night time temperature 6° C.)

  • 10:15 am. Dagobert appears. Is unable to return a "Guten Morgen" and asks if anyone is here. The answer is no. He looks around and says ok. Then he goes upstairs to visit Mr and Mrs Lion.

  • 3:45 Dagobert appears to inspect the empty kitchen. He manages a gruff "Okay" to a cheerful Grüß Gott.
  • 4:00 pm. Luigi and Mario leave. Dagobert Toadsworth is downstairs doing nothing, engaged in what appears to be a cheerful conversation with an unsuspecting workman.

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