A wall of pain

Today started crisp and bright.  A temp of -2 ensured a well wrapped demolition man.  Task today.  Remove the wall dividing the upstairs back bedrooms to create one room for Raphael.  All started well with the isolation of the electrics.  The next phase was the removal of the door and frame.  This was achieved in quick time before the supporting beading was removed which held the offending wall in place.  Out came sledge to get the damage done.  No problemo I hear you cry....... Three quarters of the way through the task.....OUCH.....*********etc... my arm let out an incredible scream of pain, followed shortly after by its owner.  I had managed to jar my arm to the point of feeling feint with pain.  I collapsed the wall, then collapsed myself.  A pleading call to loving wife resulted in a swift journey to the accident unit at the local hospital.  The resulting waiting time allowed some natural healing, so the result was not as bad as feared.  A couple of days of light duty should see me fit again.  Well that incredible green "chunscht" is challenging me, and I am ready (well almost) for the challenge.

Sub Note.  Have placed a bid for a trailer to start carting the debris away.  Will find out result Jan. 2nd.

The work begins

Today new tools made there way into the family Harrison tool collection.  A Grissly crow bar, size XL.  A long handled sledge hammer, and a small lump hammer.  Suitably tooled up, I took up the task of removing the wall between the main living room and the room located behind the said wall.  Having been a professional demolition man for a short period, the task held no fear for me.  The wall was in many respects well constructed and consisted of two skins, one being solid wood, the other being a sheet of chipboard.  The combination of crow bar, lump and sledge made short work of the wall when in my employ.  Having plied the deconstructed wall at one side of the room, my mind has now focussed on if and when I can purchase yet another tool for the Harrisons.  That being a trailer to haul away the debris.  

So one wall down and another one awaits upstairs.  That task is planned for Dec. 29th, maybe I will spend the time between now and then scouring the internet for a trailer that meets our requirements.

Farmhouse update

Well an awful (or not as the case may be) lot has happened since my last post.  Obama has been elected President of the USA.  And family Harrison has secured the farmhouse.  Ok, so here are more details of the house.  It was originally built in 1678 and at the time it consisted of a large barn, which was attached to a small workers cottage. The farmhouse belonged to the main house next door, which when combined formed the Höffli (main house of the village). The whole estate was walled in and belonged to a family from the city of Basel called La Roche (of Roche Pharma fame).

Over the years the house has been added to, but the barn remains in original form.  The addition in two extra phases has left use with a floor level that is up and down by as much as four steps on the same floor.

We secured the required funding during the period of banking meltdown, and have employed the services of an architect.  We met and reviewed the work of three architects, before choosing the one.  

We have received a simple first idea for the ground and first floor, and will start planning in ernest in January 2009.

So now I think it is time to stick my neck out.  I expect to be in the house by the end of July 2009.  Yes you read it correctly.

On Sunday 14 Dec. we hosted on open barn whereby friends, relatives, neighbors and villagers came to view the old property.  After consuming 100 hot dogs, grilled chicken and liters of gluewein and hot apple, the verdict from some was that we have a huge project, and others were just thrilled.

So as we closed the barn at 18:00 Reggie and myself were content to take the house to ourselves and start the next phase.

Watch this blogg.

Wife and son on holiday

Ok Ok. I know I should have booked two full weeks, but the thought of two weeks in a caravan just did not hold enough attraction. Anyway, here I am about to post my first blog. Back in my village in rural Baselland Switzerland with too much time and too few disturbances. Got home from the office at 6.00, and tidied up the kitchen and living room.... go you wild thang. I then set about drying my swim towel (did I mention I swim a Km per tag)? and then proceeded to iron three more business shirts to get me through the week. Now achievement feels good and feeling full of it I proceeded to cook an omelet (three eggs, mushrooms and ham) and chased this down with a nespresso coffee. I am sure that George Clooney would frown at the combination, but hey, what the heck. Caught up on day 11 of the Olympics and felt the warm fuzz that British supporters feel when their teams are achieving. Followed this with a review of the Sydney Morning Herald to get the incredibly sporting viewpoint of the Aussie press. How is it that a country that punches so high above their body weight in the sporting arena can be so arrogant and such bad sports?

The phone rang and it was our family financial guru. Discussion is currently focused on how to buy the dream farmhouse in the village. Now I could go on here, but I will not, as I am a suspicious person, and I do not want to count my farmhouses...chickens etc...

Anyway. Why a blog. Well it is a first, and maybe it could be fun. And of course my other half and myself have discussed possibly blogging our way through the ****house project to maybe help keep us sane or to ward off potential like minds from undertaking a project from hell.

So the bank will value the place this week, and I am hoping to follow the valuer through the place at the same time. I have only been in it once before, and that was an experience that can only be shared in a separate blog.

Must away now to my sleep.