[Obviously, MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This" with reference to "Hammer time" would be an appropriate track for reading this blog. Or perhaps, "Electric Avenue," though I can't recall who sings that.]
Most of you are probably aware that I have a thing for tools and gadgets (see also the blog regarding my tendency to name such inanimate objects like Bonnie). But I am positively a tool slouch when compared against Seth. Tim Allen's character in Home Improvement has nothing on him. When you put the two of us together, even in Germany, he becomes quite the enabler.
The Saturday of his visit here to Germany, we set out in the morning for a few tool and toy-related destinations. First destination was the Peugot motorcycle dealership. Seth obtained an old Peugot moped (yes, one of those combination bicycle/motorcycles that you probably haven't thought about in a while unless you're an incredibly green thinker with a long memory) that was missing a particular spring. His attempts to contact Peugot from the U.S. (which ended up being answered being answered by a delightful woman from France with an equally delightful name that eludes my shorter-than-moped memory), didn't result in contacts to purchase the spring, so he asked if I could see if they happened to have a store in Frankfurt. Well, indeed they do, so we thought we'd swing by.
The store sold both motorcycles and scooters and didn't really have anyone wandering around to tell us where the service department was. Seth noticed a sign and a spiral staircase going down into a basement level. Surely they didn't mean for customers to descend into the dungeon on a tiny spiral staircase that wouldn't seem to meet any sort of construction code, did they? Then I recalled we were in Europe where people are supposed to exercise common sense rather than suing at the drop of a hat -- or at a drop from a spiral staircase. So down we went and, sure enough, there was the parts counter, which looked like a parts counter anywhere in the world. There was a young guy at the counter, which I thought bode (is that right?) well for him speaking English. Um, not so much. Hmmm. I asked in my best German what I think was, "Do you have parts for old Peugot mopeds?" He responded that they only handled new models. I couldn't think of an appropriate follow-up question because, "Do you know anyone else who does?" is way beyond my nascent German skills, not to mention I might not understand his answer/directions to another vendor. So we were outta there.
Our next stop was the hardware store. Knowing how Seth likes gadgets and innovative construction materials and techniques generally (I take this opportunity to note he was the first in our family to be published -- I believe his work can be found in The Journal of Light Construction), I thought he might be interested in seeing a local hardware store. So I took him to Hornbach, which is the hardware store conveniently located next to IKEA and bears a striking resemblance to Home Depot, right down to a lot of orange stuff inside. He was as fascinated as I suspected he might be. He later admitted when I said I wanted to take him to the hardware store that he was wondering why I thought that would be interesting since he (rightfully so, I think) assumed that most stores here would be smaller than the big box stores we favor in the US. He figured it would be a five minute walk through a small store, but later said he could've spent hours in Hornbach. Good times.
While there, we looked at some of the lighting and he suggested that I buy some temporary fixtures and he would help me install them before he left so that I would at least have some lighting. While I didn't relish the idea of him working while he was on vacation, it was an offer too good to refuse. So we bought some fixtures and some other electrical supplies. The electrical techniques here are a bit different than in the US. For example, for ceiling fixtures, the romex wire is basically run in the concrete and a wire is hanging out with a temporary cap. So forget about trying to install a fixture where there isn't already a wire. And if there's not much wire to work with, you just have to add more yourself. And, oh yeah, there's no box like I'm used to where you can just hang the fixture from the box. No, if you want to hang a fixture, you have to drill a hole into the concrete ceiling. Which brings us to (go ahead and clap your hands in glee, here) the need for a new tool!! Specificall, a hammer drill.
Now, I had a great cordless drill in the US (which somehow didn't make its way over here and is either being enjoyed by my movers or is in my storage room), but I had never had the need to purchase a hammer drill (not that real need is required for a Preuscher to buy a tool, but I speak only for myself in that regard, lest I get Seth in trouble!). There was a very knowledgeable sales guy at Hornbach who introduced us to available options and encouraged the purchase of the Bosch, but which was over twice the price of the Pattfield E-BH 750. The sales guy seemed a bit horrified and practically whispered, "But do you realize it is made in China?" Of course, I wanted to buy fine a German engineered and manufactured product, but given the number of times I will need to use the Pattfield, I suspect it will survive the four years of my stay here.
So I now have lighting in the kitchen, master bath, study, hallway, and even the storage closet. The overhead fixture locations in the living room are in really strange places, so I'm not sure what I'll do in there, but lamps and the light that streams in from the hallway are fine for now. I don't think I mentioned it before, but I attempted to install a temporary fixture over the sink in the master bath (you know, since it's kind of difficult to apply makeup in the light of a floor lamp). When I turned on the switch, though, it just flickered, creating one of those seizure-inducing effects. So I was still using the floor lamp when Seth and Dena arrived. Well, it turns out that I actually installed the fixture correctly. However, that fixtures is (somewhat inexplicably) tied to a dimmer switch, and dimmers don't work with fluorescent fixtures. Who knew? I am Sparky's sister after all.... Have hammer drill, will light your world.
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