Frühlingserwachen - spring finally seems to have arrived in Germany and Austria...

[LinzerTorte]

... or at least I hope so.

For everyone in Germany and Austria, and anyone else who would like to chat!

I was trying to find out whether Sigrid is actually a boy's name anywhere so that you could use it as an excuse if it came up in the interview! (Sort of like Americans who call their daughter Bryn - I had to keep resisting the urge to shout "But it's a boy's name!" at them.)

Btw bikes are allowed as Christmas presents, as birthday presents or at Easter - just don't make the mistake that I did and allow a bike to be called an Easter present! Hope your DD enjoys her new bike anyway; we also bought DD1's second hand, at the annual Fahrradbörse.

she's home!!!! and very dirty! as i predicted she's not been under the shower since she left home! so she wants some peace and quiet to watch the programme that i was made to tape for her each night, then she can have some lunch then it'll be straight up to the bath! she's just bogging!! but so good to have her back!

DS1 has also just got a new bike but its really a delayed christmas present from my IL's. But i had to give him it when we bought it before they called that an easter present!! then what would we have to buy for the other 2! Hope you got the bike bananas! and too funny about herr sigrid!! IS IT A BOYS NAME? - NO!!!!

2and1 - hope you're having a good duvet day! think you need to enjoy the days where you can just keep them home cause like you said that wont be happening when she starts school!

well off to pick the boys up - they sadly didnt miss their big sister at all - she's just that bit older than them and into totally other stuff! think they were just happy they could play her Nintendo DS without havign to ask her!

No great plans for the weekend - what are you all up to? The weather's supposed to be rubbish tomorrow - might brave taking them swimming to try to get ds1 to attempt going under the water! hope you all have fun!

admylin - have sent 3 DVD's in the post to you today! enjoy!

Thanks canella! Anyone wnat them after me?!

Glad dd got back safe. Mine always come back dirty too although they assure me everyone brushes teeth they just don't get washed! So, everything out of the suitcase, straight into the washing machine!

No plans here either, except to go into town with dd on Saturday morning and have a latte (her latest 'thing') and pick my specks up at Fielmann.

Dh came home really late last night, he'd got on the wrong train going in the wrong direction and after about an hour he realised he should be at Hannover by now! He got off and on one in the right direction and got back well after 10pm (oh well I got to watch Germany's next top model in peace). Göttingen is about a 40 minute train journey away usually. Anyway, after that he said he's not going at the weekend although teh conference goes until Sunday afternoon so we'll see if he changes his mind or not.

wow admylin thats a long day for your dh!!

i fell asleep last night watching Germany's next top model - who went home? Think their priming that Rebecca girl to win already - before i fell asleep there seemed to be much bitching about her!

Amira got sent home. Dd is watching it now on her laptop, she's not allowed to stay up so late so she only watched the first half hour. I loved the faces of the jurors at the 'bitching' - men just don't get why girls bitch and fight so much!

I'd love to watch Germany's Next Topmodel, but DH and I always watch TV together in the evenings (yes, we're an old married couple) and I know it's not his kind of thing at all. Must remember it for next time I'm doing the ironing, though (the only time I can watch TV during the day without feeling guilty!).

The DC are all at DS's friend's house at the moment so I'm enjoying the rare luxury of a couple of hours to myself in the afternoon. DD2 is having a friend to sleep over tonight, and both DD1 and DD2 will be staying overnight with friends tomorrow night. DD2's friend's mum has said DS can stay with them too so that DH and I can go out somewhere, and I must admit I'm feeling quite tempted!

Very nice Linzer, will they keep them long enough for you to have a lie in too? How did dd's Roman test go? Did she tell you about it? My dd got a 1 for her project and power point presentation about coconuts today so she's pleased! Well, off to drop ds at table tennis now then shopping for the weekend. Have a lovely time if you do go out.

Hi just popping in; dd is napping and I've written 3 pages (loads for me) as well as done lots of housework so I feel a deserve a little break.
Lovely weather has helped make this last week a good week. Hope you're all well, and hope you all have a great weekend (tho it looks like cooler and showers for us again) :(

Hello everyone - thanks for all the nice comments. Today I refused to turn the computer on, figuring if anyone really needed me they could use the landline for a change! I spent so much more time actually playing with the older two while S slept and it really worked. Moral of the story is Mning only on mornings while they are at school or when dh is working playing his computer . I'm not used to it as dd was 19 months old and there is 3.5 yrs between ds 1 and ds2.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Sounds like a good plan, Jenny. I try not to spend too much time on the computer when the DC are at home, but I still end up wasting far too much of the mornings on here some days.

Well done to your DD, admylin! I've asked DD1 a couple of times how her Roman test went but she just shrugs her shoulders and says she doesn't know, so we'll have to wait until Monday to find out. She did say that she'd left a couple of questions out because she couldn't do them, but I'm hoping she'll still get a 2.

It's much cooler here today and is supposed to be getting even colder tomorrow but warming up again next week. DH is in a decluttering mood today, which means he's sorting out the garden shed at the moment. We really need to get rid of all the clutter accumulating in the cellar; DH is still refusing to go to Caritas, but I've just remembered that the Anglican church has a second hand shop. I need to phone the office to find out whether the shop is open on a Saturday (the website is a bit ambiguous), and DH can take everything there if it is. It would also solve my problem of what to do with all my books! (I haven't been anywhere near the library recently.)

DS said he'd like to stay overnight with DD2's friend (I wasn't expecting him to say no), which means we can have our evening out! We'll be trying out a new Indian restaurant tonight, which was recommended by some friends of ours.

Canella glad you have your DD back safe and sound - if filthy! (Hopefully she's clean by now!)

Jenny glad you had a better day with DS1!

Linzer hope you enjoyed your evening out and you DDC were all - lucky you having an Indian. I really miss that and fish and chips, though we have finally located an OK Indian not ridiculously far away (35 mind drive) it is not like having a choice of 2 really good ones within walking distance like we had in the UK! I have been craving chip shop fish and chips in recent weeks and making them at home may be healthier but just isn't the same thing at all!

I really just popped on to say - does anyone know which supermarket chains sell Heinz (or any acceptable alternative) baked beans in Bavaria! Edica used to sell them until some point recently but I wanted to stock up yesterday (trying to fill freezer and cupboards with easy options for immediately after my c-section) and they had none and no gap on the shelf either, things had been moved about and it didn't look as though they'd just run out of stock, rather that they had stopped doing them! Oh no! I was a little surprised (but pleased) to see they sold them when we first moved here, but they only ever had 3 or 4 cans on the shelf - maybe I was the on ly person buying them?! I have never seen them in Kaufland or Aldi - do any fellow Bavarians buy baked beans, and if so which shop?

Thanks for any bean tips and hope you are all having good weekends!

Sorry for that nonesense sentence Linzer - I got distracted mid sentence as DH set DS up with the x-box 'Cars' game (rare treat for him, as I always say he can only use it when Daddy is home to set it up) and then disappeared up to the attic leaving me to supervise, and DS keeps bringing the3 controller to me asking me to change settings, which I am struggling to do as it is all in French for some inexplicable reason plus I never use the x box so don't know the menus etc...

I meant to write

hope you enjoyed your evening out and your DC were all fine at their respective sleep overs!

morning!!

2and1 - i only ever see beans when its british week at Lidl's. And sadly for you, its just been so doubt it'll come around again before dc3 comes! My dc absolutely love them (their favourite meal at the moment is mash, baked beans, carrots and mince in gravy!! all mixed together!) so i always buy two crates - so 24 tins - and that just about lasts us till the next british week comes round! I've also never seen them at Kaufland or Aldi - sorry!

linzer - so jealous of your childfree eve - its a long time since we had one! hope the dc enjoyed themselves and hope you enjoyed your indian and the lie in!! but how rude that the one night you get a lie in, the clocks go forward and rob you of an hours sleep!! disgraceful!!

2and1 Probably not much use to you unless you're passing through Austria at some point, but we can get baked beans at Billa and Merkur here (I think they sell Heinz at Spar - they def. do at our local "Gourmet Spar" - but I don't buy them as they're too expensive). We always buy a crate when it's British week at Lidl too, Canella - it's about time another one came round!

We had a lovely meal out last night and brought our leftovers home so I don't have to cook tonight either. Managed to have a lie-in until almost 9 am this morning (bliss!) and then we went out for breakfast at the baker's before we picked up DD1. She didn't go to bed until 11.30 pm apparently, so is a bit zombie-like this morning! DD2 and DS are due back any minute, and we're then going to soft play (taking two of DS's friends and meeting another two there) as it's a horrible cold and rainy day here. DD2 and DS have just got back so must go!

Thanks Canella and Linzer - not what I wanted to hear but saves going to different supermarkets to scour the shelves!

I have lived here over 3.5 years and have never managed to know when those Lidl British weeks are happening (though I have heard them mentioned after the fact) so have never made it to one - there is one not ridiculously far from us but it is not nearly as conveniently located as Aldi/ Kaufland/ Edica so I very rarely/ never go there and have never seen a British week advertised externally - I assume you have to go in store to find out one is coming up?

Glad you had a good meal out Linzer

Heinz beans in Munich can be found at Tengleman... not read anything else...just noticed beans and looking for them xx hope this helps 2&1

ok 2and1 - i promise the next time British week is coming then i'll let you know!! you need to look in that pile of adverts that gets delivered to you every sunday - there is always a Lidl leaflet and in it will be the specials for the week! Its my dh's fave sunday job - looking for specials for the week ahead! he needs to get out more!

But you dont need to look thro them specially - i promise i'll tell you the next time!

linzer - a lie in till 9am - dont think i'd even manage that anymore - i'm too in tune with getting up at 7am!! But its just the whole "not having to get out of bed thing" that is so nice once in a while! And glad you had a good meal! still jealous!

We've had a nice chilled weekend - got dd's new desk chair yesterday along with some new swish kitchen scales for me! think my old ones might have been over 10 years old! And then today just went out on our bikes a bit this afternoon! ds2 is so much better this year on his bike so we can actually get a bit further. He is only 4 and a half but he does really well! Last year he was too scared to go down hills but this year its only going up steep ones he's struggling with! sometimes wish we lived somewhere flatter! We live on top of a hill - will be so excited the day he cycles straight home!

Our Toom stocks Heinz baked beans, don't know if you have them in Bayern. I suspect supermarkets are bugged so I always moan loudly if I can't find something I want. (I couldn't find beans for a while and now they're back, so it seems to work!)

Morning all,

Have just taken DH to the station as he's flying to Istanbul later today. He's a bit worried about being in a plane full of football fans (or Fans und Faninnen, as I just heard on the radio) as Austria is playing Turkey tomorrow.

Despite tiring the DC out at soft play yesterday and putting them to bed early (they were asleep at the usual time), they were dead to the world when I tried to wake them this morning. At least DS wasn't complaining about being a Mittagskind today (he used to love staying for lunch at KiGa, but started saying about a week ago that he doesn't want to have lunch there any more); mind you, the fact that today's main course is Nutella-Palatschinken probably helped.

2and1 If you normally get the Lidl leaflet, it will - as Canella says - tell you when British week is coming up. Otherwise, you can always look online (but you'd have to remember to look every week, of course). Have just checked to see whether we have anything exciting coming up, but no - it's Auto, Garten and Erlebnis Trekking here.

Canella I'm hoping that DS will graduate to a proper bike this year. He's still whizzing around on his balance bike at the moment, but we haven't been able to get out on the bikes much so far this year as we've had so few nice days (it's cold and rainy here again today; where has spring gone?).

Morning, dc all tired this morning here too due to the summer time change. It'll be hard for a few mornings I think! Hope your dh gets abit of peace on his flight. How long is he away?

Canella, just checked the letter box and the dvds arrived, thanks!

Lovely day here so off to walk to the shops and post office - it's so tempting when the car is just sitting in the garage but I must start walking more.

I forced myself to walk to the baker's this morning as I forgot to buy bread on the way back from the school run, but it's only a couple of minutes' walk so it would have been silly to take the car. The bike would be quicker, but I can't remember the number to get the lock off it!

DH is away until Wednesday night. Maybe he'll even be on the same flight as the Austrian football team as I keep hearing on the radio that they're flying to Turkey today - not that I know who any of them are, so I can't get particularly excited about it. Or about football in general, in fact.

Canella I've finished watching another four DVDs if you'd like some more.

Thanks for the continuing bean buying tips! bebe I have never seen a Tengleman out this way - guess we don't have everything Munich does, but I will keep my eyes open for one when driving further afield and stop in if I see one, thanks for the tip!

Canella I'd really appreciate the forewarning of any upcoming British weeks! We do get a load of free newpapers and flyers in our newspaper and post boxes (although we have a sticker on the box requesting no free papers it is ignored) but tbh I just have a really quick glance and then throw them into the paper recycling bin without even bringing them into the house! DH does the same if he picks them up first but without even glancing at them! Not very German perhaps! I shall try to remember to scan for anything from Lidl from now on!

On the subject of bikes I'm already getting excited about buying the new baby a teeny tiny Puky balance bike next summer - I don't get excited about prams like some mums but I love the little bikes :) DS started with a balance bike at 17 months, when DD graduated to proper bike he was already tall enough and took over the balance bike, but DH sold the tiny balance bike to buy the next size up as he grew out of it (sob)! Last summer, when he was 2 years 9 months, DS just got on DD's outgrown proper bike and rode off (no stabilizers, no need to run behind, no falling off) - he came out of nappies and learnt to ride a bike the same week! Very comical when friends in the UK find 4 or 5 early to remove the stabilizers - but I think it is all due to the balance bike instead of becoming reliant on stabilizers and fact there is very little to do where we live except play outdoors on bikes, and plenty of room to do so, so they get the practice! DS regularly rode several km at a time last summer, and once did the whole 7km to the nearest proper town to a "Fishcher Fest" - but where we live it is pretty flat, good cycle paths well away from the roads, and I still took the trailer as a back up so there was no pressure to make it all the way home! DD struggled a bit with going down hills when she first learnt at 3.5, like Linzer's son, but DS was so young he had no fear! Definitely want to start this baby on balance bikes early too as long as he's tall enough and an earlyish walker to be fully confident on his feet next summer!

Got back ache and crampy pains this morning - boo hiss, but I am pretty sure they continue to mean nothing and it's just a 3rd preg thing - still an excuse to sit down :) DD was up a lot in the night coughing too,and is home now but upstairs playing with MIL, who is here because FIL came over to help DH with the logistics of returning his leased car to somewhere near Stuttgart today, so am not feeling very energetic anyway. My "Quarter of" internet order of cream eggs and Cadburies buttons came earlier this morning too :) Yumm!

Hope everyone has a good Monday! Better look busy as I hear them all muttering about coming downstairs!

at Cadburys buttons and creme eggs 2in1. My parents sometimes send the DC buttons and I usually end up stealing far too many of them for myself. My Lakeland order arrived today, which I was ridiculously excited about - the last line of the address was Australia, but it seems to have made it here without taking a detour!

Those tiny Puky balance bikes are so sweet; DS's friend's little sister has one. We never thought of getting a balance bike for DD1 and she was very late learning to ride a bike (7 IIRC), but DD2 went straight from a balance bike to a normal bike without stabilisers - albeit at the comparatively ripe old age of just-turned-5 - so I'm hoping that DS will find it equally easy.

Morning all! I hope everyone had a nice weekend :)

It's lovely and sunny again here today so I feel studying in the park may be the most, erm, 'efficient' use of my time. Definitely more efficient than studying in the flat and spending the whole time staring out of the window at the sunshine instead.

2and1 Do you have Real in Munich? We get our Heinz beans from there. I'm not sure if it's just a Hessen-RP-NRW shop though. Hope the cream eggs helped with the aches and pains!

Did anyone else see the article in the Metro in the UK a few years ago comparing Heinz beans in Germany to those in the UK? The Heinz beans here have fewer beans and a thinner sauce than in the UK, which makes me feel somewhat cheated. Not enough to stop buying them, obviously!

Canella I'm with your husband on this one - I love going through the supermarket leaflets on a Sunday and planning my bargain hunting for the weekly shop. I think you're right about needing to get out more though

Linzer It sounds like you had a lovely meal and child-free evening. It's strange how we really take things like good Indian food etc for granted in the UK - I don't know what I would have done if we had moved somewhere with no Indian restaurant.