April 2018
Easter Sunday, 1st April 2018
From today we officially live in Tödistrasse, though we actually moved in a week earlier.
When we were moving from our hill down to the estate we had some misgivings. One of them was losing our view of the mountains. Now that we are here we find that we can still catch some glimpses of the mountains. The picture above shows the Glarner Alps which you can see from our balcony in between the other houses.
When we were moving from our hill down to the estate we had some misgivings. One of them was losing our view of the mountains. Now that we are here we find that we can still catch some glimpses of the mountains. The picture above shows the Glarner Alps which you can see from our balcony in between the other houses.
Wednesday 10th April
When we lived up on Bochslen our house was at the very end of a cul-de-sac. So nobody, literally nobody, walked by our door. Here it’s quite different. Tödistrasse is not a main road, but it is the main access road to a whole residential area. Dozens of people hurry by on their way to the bus stop, or saunter in the other direction, often with their dogs, on their way to the Tobelbach. It’s also a direct route for scores of children on their way on foot or by bike to Tobel School.
Diawl bach a’r nwcwr
My father used to talk about the time when he was a child, back before the First World War, and used to play Diawl bach a’r nwcwr. In case you were wondering, that is in the Welsh language and means "Little devil on the knocker". You know how it works, you knock loudly on someone’s front door and you run away and hide before the occupant of the house comes to the door.
Now, I’ve discovered that diawl bach has not died out. Almost every day when I sit here in my little office at lunchtime the door bell rings urgently, and all up and down the house you hear the sound of the front-door openers buzzing, but no one comes in. Passing school children, on their way home for lunch amuse themselves by pressing all eleven doorbells at once, and running on to the next door.
Now, I’ve discovered that diawl bach has not died out. Almost every day when I sit here in my little office at lunchtime the door bell rings urgently, and all up and down the house you hear the sound of the front-door openers buzzing, but no one comes in. Passing school children, on their way home for lunch amuse themselves by pressing all eleven doorbells at once, and running on to the next door.
The fireplace
A few days ago we were talking about our new flat to some friends. We were describing the kitchen with its convenient serving hatch leading to the spacious dining-room / living-room and at the other end of the living room, a cosy fireplace.
“Ah,” said our friend, who is known for his outrageous sense of humour. “You’ve got a fireplace. That’s really convenient if you want to burn your old worn-out summer tyres or winter tyres. Actually,” he added, “I prefer burning winter tyres because they let off white smoke.”
“Ah,” said our friend, who is known for his outrageous sense of humour. “You’ve got a fireplace. That’s really convenient if you want to burn your old worn-out summer tyres or winter tyres. Actually,” he added, “I prefer burning winter tyres because they let off white smoke.”
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Look back to 1665: the Plague Year
Contact
If you’re interested in English lessons or translation and checking services, please feel free to contact me in the language of your choice - English, French, German or even Lingala!
Here are my details:
Here are my details:
Mobile
078 609 56 51
+41 78 609 56 51
+41 78 609 56 51
Location
Tödistrasse 9, 8634 Hombrechtikon
(New address from 24th March 2018)
(New address from 24th March 2018)
If you are travelling from Rüti / Wolfhausen, drive past the Hombrechtikon place-name sign for about 300 metres and turn right into Tödistrasse, just before the Tobel bus stop.
Approaching from Hombrechtikon
If you are approaching from the centre of Hombrechtikon, follow the signs to Rüti. At the Tobel junction (the Methodist Church is on the left) turn left. Tödistrasse is the next turning on the left, just past the Tobel bus stop.
The entrance to our new flat is about 100 metres from the junction with Rütistrasse, on the left-hand side of the road.
The house number is number 9 and we are on the first floor.
There are a few visitor’s parking bays a short distance beyond the entrance, on the left.
There are a few visitor’s parking bays a short distance beyond the entrance, on the left.
Arriving by bus
If you arrive by bus from Bubikon, get off the bus at Tobel and follow Tödiweg until you get to Tödistrasse. Our house is on the right.