The Chores!

OK,  maybe it’s really only a chore,  and not that big of a one after all.

Before we take the car out onto the roads in the New Year,  there’s a little bit of windshield cosmetic work that needs to be sorted out.

What that actually has to do with the theme from “Green Acres” is a bit of a stretch,  but that stupid tune has been going through my brain for most of the day.  Even when I was out in the parking garage sorting out the Vignette.

For those of you who might have been born in this century (which would make you what?  Twelve?) and who may not know the show to which I am referring,  here’s a little sample:

 

 

So was there some relationship between the idea that his name was “Oliver”  (well,  “Olivah” if you go with the Eva Gabor version)  and the possibility that he’s driving an Oliver tractor?    Actually no,  it was a Fordson model “F”,  but that was fun while it lasted.  And yes,  on the show it was referred to as a “Hoyt-Clagwell”. Not a real make.  I can’t make this stuff up kids.

And what’s with the suit?  C’mon Dude!  Buy some coveralls!

 

So here’s what we had on the windshield:

You’re probably wondering why I had two,  and not just the one for the whole year?  Maybe you weren’t,  but I’ll tell you anyway.  In August we had the windshield replaced when we were home in Canada.  It was a convenient time to sort out the rather large “star” we had acquired that was right in the line of sight of the driver.  I’m not 100% sure,  but I think that wouldn’t pass muster when it came to inspection time.  Best to avoid those types of surprises.   Besides,  it was bloody annoying.

When we arrived back here in Wienerland at the end of our vacation,  I had everything I needed (or so I thought) to go and get a replacement at the ÖAMTC.  That barely pronounceable acronym stands for “Österreichische Automobil-, Motorrad- und Touring Club”,  in case you were wondering,  and is the Austrian equivalent of the AAA or CAA,  only with the addition of an air ambulance service.  

The only thing was,  the ownership was actually sitting on someone’s desk,  which I didn’t get back until after I had gone down to Slovenia and back to drop off my sister-in-law.   So instead of the replacement,   I simply bought (well,  the company bought) a couple short term replacements until the end of the year.   Hey,  I TRIED to get the free replacement,  but it just didn’t work out that way.  The annoying part was that I didn’t find out that I needed the piece of yellow paper (ownership, but not pink) until I had bellied up to the counter at the aforementioned ÖAMTC. 

I don’t get upset about those kinds of things any more.  What’s that expression,  “It’s like wrestling with a pig?”   There’s no point really.  You’ll both get dirty,  but the pig will enjoy it.  I just go,  “Well,  I tried”,  and walk out.

 

So of course,  there’s a certain amount of scraping and rubbing involved,  but the idea is to put the thing in behind the rear view mirror where it’s more or less out of sight from the driver’s point of view.

The blissful little side effect of having it out of view of the driver is that you tend to forget that it’s there,  thereby becoming oblivious to the fact that you had to PAY. 

 

There we go.

 

*****

 

Speaking of theme songs that go round and round,  we decided today to watch “The Third Man”,  which was shot right here in Vienna back in 1949.   A few things have changed since 1949,  (they cleaned the place up a bit)  but it was fun to try and name some of the locations where it was filmed,  the main one of course being right across from the Augustinian Church.  If you happen to go to the Google maps link,  where it says, “Palais Pallavicini”,  right across from Josefplatz was the entrance which led to the apartment of Harry Lime.  This was also the location where he was supposedly run over and killed,  just after coming out the front door.  Bit of a mystery,  and I won’t spoil it for those who may not have seen it.

Anton Karas played the theme song on the Zither,  which is OK for about the first,  oh I don’t know,  twenty minutes?.  However, it does start to get a little tiring after a while.  Thankfully there was no way for him to play any sort of “suspense”  music for the sewer scenes.   That whole sequence was adorned with blessed silence.

Not giving any more away.  You’ll have to watch the film some time.  It’s a little hokey,  but fun just the same.

Especially if you live in Vienna.

Keep it between the ditches.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

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