Es herbstelt schon! Autumn in Germany and Austria

[LinzerTorte]

A thread for all those living in Germany or Austria or anyone who just wants to chat/ask a question about living in or visiting this part of the world - all welcome.

Previous thread here.

Linzer your poor DC - mine would have been really upset about that too, really hate it when things like that happen :(

Antique I like Tesco for kids basics especially, though also for me :) Very good value for reasonable quality usually, with a few exceptions, but still easy to put too many bargain items in an order and have them add up to . Ds1 keeps growing and a couple of times I've needed to get him an entire set of new trousers or T shirts, and if its winter fleeces, and even sticking to absolute basics it comes to too much!

By the way random unoriginal thought, but who knows where all my DCs socks have gone all of a sudden, and why we seem to have hundreds of odd socks and no pairs? Perhaps the new dog eats odd socks, as although the odd sock issue has always existed in this house, it has reached epic proportions these last few weeks, so I am scrabbling for socks for the older 2 DC only a day ahead each day I'm behind on the washing, but not that behind, they have plenty of all other clothing items in their wardrobes...

Ambling you're probably right, I possibly live in a parallel universe - the fb group for Munich English speakers that I mentioned before is another place I sometimes think what on earth are these people talking about, this is not how things here work - only 50km away but the city must be an utterly different place to live in some unexpected ways, not just the obvious, expected city v country ways. I also wonder there though how much is people being "expats" in their expectations and view of how life should work (there was a SAH mum of 1 3 year old on there this morning asking what the right word was for a "maid" in German, as she was having no luck finding one prepared to do housework and child care, and thought she might need a certain key word to use to get her requirement across) - it is hard to know with some things what is objective reality versus subjective perception of the society around you.

Smoked be glad she's made it herself at KiGa - we are supposed to sign up to go in to make them with our KiGa DC on a week day afternoon (after the core KiGa hours), and the ones KiGa have parents make the kids make with parental assistance are horrendously complicated, well beyond my skill level - I use the fact I have always had a toddler with me to get out of it and keep re-cycling the one I made with DD her final year at KiGa, when she did most of it :o I have also had the DC take their Lego lanterns sometimes, and bought ready made lanterns (cop out). The St Martins Zug is something to see and experience the first time or two, I do remember thinking it was all very atmospheric and lovely the first time... but I am sick to death of it tbh - this'll be our 7th year, with no prospect of the kids outgrowing it as the youngest is only 2, DH never gets home in time to come and dragging 3 DC 'round in the cold and dark, listening to out of tune singing from Bustly efficient Elternbeirat types over a loud hailer as they stop far more often than can possibly be necessary or pleasant for a jolly sing along on the walk, while everyone else seems to have both parents and Oma there for just to keep one or two children happy, doesn't fill me with joy!

I shall take my cheerful self away again, now I have gone off on a tangent, oops!

MrTumble be warned, I had the same thing with missing socks, a few days after I started wondering why I had so many odd socks the washing machine started making horrible grating death-throe noises, and stopped being able to spin. The repair man came and opened up the motor, which had been strangled by all the odd socks. Goodness knows how they got in there ( washing machine made a full recovery BTW)

Now very much interested to see the St Martin's lantern extravaganza. So it is walking round in the evening singing? Hope there wasn't a sign-up sheet, I do normally miss that sort of thing, but presumably the staff would have told me .

Ambling I would say Tesco sizing is fairly generous width-wise, but not so much length wise, if your DC are tall, I would maybe size up.

Hi, there, just popping into thank those who gave me advice about things to do with the kids in Berlin; we are on the last evening of our holiday here and have had a great time, DS3 doesn't want to go home, DS1 had his hair cut in a trendy salon and now thinks Germany is cool ( hope his German teacher notices renewed enthusiasm). I am have sore feet and DH is xhausted, back to reality tomorrow. The expat life is appealing at the moment but my oldest are halfway through high school so we have left it too late!

I am glad you had a good time. I am off to Berlin on my lecture trip and I have never been there before, so it'll be good to see a new city.

Hi wiggly, glad you all enjoyed your holiday, my DC loved Berlin too!

Smoked At our KiGa a notice about the Laternenfest used to go up about a week beforehand; it usually takes place around the 11th November (St Martin's Day) in the late afternoon/early evening. We didn't have to sign up for it; it was assumed that most of the children would go and those who didn't were able to take their lantern home the next day.

MrTumbles As Smoked said, you can probably blame your washing machine for the missing socks. It sucks them down tiny holes and chops them up into small pieces. Or something like that. I've lost count of the number of socks of ours that have gone missing, although only ever the DC's - I suspect DH's are too big for the WM to eat. I should really only ever wash them in pairs (I tend to stuff whatever I can into the machine, which means that pairs sometimes get separated) and put them into a net bag before I wash them.

The Laternenfest is certainly one thing I don't miss; the novelty wore off after a year or two and eight years were more than enough for me! I realise now that we could have had it worse, though; the DC always made their lanterns at KiGa so no parental input required, thank goodness! It does mean we have about 12 lanterns in the cellar gathering dust, however, which I am not allowed to throw away.

Ambling The climbing course is now full, but they might be able to go next semester. I'm quite tempted to boycott the place now, but it would be the DC who lose out more than anyone - if they still want to go then - so I'd be cutting off my nose to spite my face.

Am not too sure about Tesco sizing; I haven't noticed it being particularly generous (but not on the small side either). I blame this thread (and particularly Antique, who started it all) for encouraging me to place not one but two orders last night. (DD1 wanted a cardigan, but as it wasn't available for international delivery so I had it sent to my parents' address - and found myself adding a few more items to the basket so that I could get free delivery. The fact that I ended up spending far more on these extra items than the postage would have cost is beside the point.) It's less than a month since my last order, so I think I'll have to ban myself from the site for the rest of the year.

Hi wiggly glad you had a good trip to Berlin. I remember having sore feet and being exhausted living there! We used to walk for miles to get to after school activities (and cycled sometimes too).

smoked lucky you that the kiga took charge of making the lanterns! Honestly though, those shop bought ones with the batteries and little light bulb are the least hassle compared to the candle ones. Take a lighter if you go on any lantern walks as you'll be re-lighting the things every 10 minutes!

tumbles have you checked down the back of the sofa and under beds for socks? I only have odd socks from dd who tends to stuff them down the side of her bed! Or one gets stuffed down out of sight and the other gets chucked on the floor so I end up washing the floor one and only getting the other one when the young lady decides to make her bed properly! Thanks to Primark she has an endless amount of socks to keep her going so she's not bothered.

Linzer what a shame about the course being full. Are you going to be able to find another activity or have they got enough going on? At the moment ds has table tennis twice a week and an afficial game every month and dd has just started cheerleading twice a week. That's enough for now as school hours have also increased this year. They might join one of the afternoon school clubs.
Dd has signed up for Streitschlichtung club or somethng like that. It's for the older pupils and they are taught how to help younger pupils solve arguments and once the course is done they get a certificate and can be called on to help sort out fights during school time and they'll also have a Sprechstunde once a week at break time! Lets hope it teaches her how to solve fights with her own brother (although they are getting rarer nowadays).

Ambling I find Tesco sizing very generous so tend to size down. The jeans were a bit long, but I'm only 5'4" so if you're taller than me you might find them ok. I got a normal pair of straight-leg F&F jeans and a pair of skinny jeans for wearing in boots in the winter. I can't remember exactly what they were called but had some sort of shaping/form-fitting something to other. They fit really nicely and both pairs were under £20 (each).
Was your poor DD really upset about her candle?

SmokedMackerel I've replied to your PM, but I'm not sure whether the reply will have come from my old or new username.

Linzer I'm this {} close to placing a second Tesco order! but am trying to hold off so that it goes on the November credit card bill so DH doesn't see both at once and wonder what on earth is going on. (Although that tactic is really only for self-delusion, DH won't be fooled for a minute!)
Your poor DC with the climbing club - such a shame they didn't make it clear at the Schnupperstunde.

wiggly Glad you enjoyed Berlin!

MrTumbles Fingers crossed all those missing socks aren't causing havoc inside your washing machine and that they are all just in a ball under a bed somewhere.

Hello Platanos!

MIL is here for a few days and has been taking DS out on walks, to the park, the zoo and all sorts, which has been lovely. I've got so much done around the house in between the hours spent drinking coffee and messing around on the internet and even managed to get a bit further with my coursework.

Sorry, forgot to mention the name change. I am the former old puppet. (Vague attempt at water-muddying.)

Woolly Your MIL sounds lovely; can you send her over here after she's finished visiting you, please? I fool myself that DH doesn't realise exactly how much I order online, but unfortunately he checks our bank account regularly - and can see immediately how much I've spent on his credit card (I know the number off by heart ), even if it doesn't come out of our account until the following month. I think I may have blamed you slightly unfairly for my Tesco order btw, so apologies - I've just remembered that the dictionary website I use has been bombarding me with Tesco advertising for days now, so I'm being reminded eveywhere I look!

Ambling Streitschlichtung sounds good; I think they offer something similar at one of the Gymnasien here. DD1 has just come home with a list of all the extracurricular activities on offer at her school, so we'll have to go through those at the weekend - she's expected to choose at least two.
I don't think I'll look for another activity for the DC as there's nothing else they particularly want to do; DD2 goes to piano lessons but didn't want to carry on with gymnastics this year, and DS doesn't do anything. I put his name down for scouts about a year ago, but the waiting list is around two years (!) so I don't think he's going to get a place until next September.

Just back from Lidl, where I wanted to buy a slanket but they'd already sold out (apart from one in a horrible leopard print design). Serves me right for not going yesterday.

We've got DD1's Heurigenabend this evening; I'll be interested to see how many turn up this time. We didn't ask parents to RSVP after so few bothered letting us know last year, but I'm not sure whether that means that people are less likely to come as they haven't committed to anything.

Argh no! I hope the run away socks haven't been eaten by the washing machine, esp if that means they'll take their revenge on it by breaking it eventually! It's DD and DS1s socks but not DS2's smaller socks so much, so I hold out some hope its my kids at fault, not the machine - with a laundry pile the size of mine a broken washing machine would be a major disaster! I did find 5 socks in the playhouse in the garden on Friday... :/ :o

Good luck finding all the socks MrTumbles

Linzer how was the Heurigenabend? Was there alcohol on offer? That would make a school meeting so much easier to get through! Wonder why they don't do it here in Germany? Although one year a group of parents did set up a Stammtisch and invited the teachers but it was before my 2 were responsible enough to leave alone so I never made it!

wooly that's nice of MIL to help out. Bet your ds is having a great time!
No, dd wasn't too upset about her candle as the candle stayed intact (even though it's a bit of a greasy kind of perfumed candle made with soya wax) and at home she pinched one of my nice silver serving bowls to put it in!

Is everyone enjoying this amazing weather? It's around 20° here. Dh is off to Bremen to help a PhD student today. He's just sent a text message to the house phone! When the phone doesn't accept text you get a call from telekom where a machine reads it to you!

Well, goodbye to the lovely weather, it is pouring here this morning. And I have doubtless managed to reinforce the stereotype that the English are unable to dress appropriately for the weather by sending dd off to Kindergarten in just a sleeveless gilet (didn't realise it was raining until after she left.)

Cruel mother,Spooked

Spooked I thought of you just now when I dropped a friend's DD off at KiGa, as there was a big notice reminding parents to dress their children appropriately for the weather. I think it's one of our school rules as well, although what's appropriate according to Austrian standards probably differs from the British idea!

Ambling The Heurigenabend went well thanks, and a surprising amount of parents were there after the poor show the last couple of times. Despite wine only costing €1.30 a glass, everyone was very restrained and stuck to one or two glasses (I may have had three) - although I did think, as I looked at DD1's teacher smoking and drinking, that I couldn't imagine a teacher in the UK socialising in the pub with other parents.
A friend of mine sent a text to our landline once and it was very strange to hear an automated voice reading it out.

MrTumbles Some of our socks do turn up weeks or even months later (corners of fitted sheets are a favourite hiding place), but I'm still convinced that the washing machine is eating some of them.

Early start here today, as a 5 year old, 6 year old and 7 year old arrived at 6.30am - not a problem in itself as I'm always up by then (albeit usually in the shower), but the DC also insisted on being up and dressed by the time they arrived, so I had to wake everyone earlier than usual which meant getting up slightly earlier myself too. After a late-ish night last night (deadline to meet), I'm now looking forward to my first coffee of the day!

Linzer what an early start! Ds had to be on the bus by 7:13am this morning which was early for him as he usually sets of to school at quarter to eight!
It'd be interesting to know if teachers in the UK would go to Heurigenabend although I'm sure they'd have to be careful not to drink one too many and then let some top secret school info slip.

SpookedMackerel did you get told off at pick up time? When people told me my dc must be cold or should wear a jacket I used to say something like oh it's our Scottish blood, we don't need 3 layers of clothing in October! My 2 also rarely wore gloves or hats so you can imagine the comments.

Well I'm off to get the car looked at so they can order the parts. The front brakes squeak so although the car just passed the TÜV the garage wants to change some parts and have estimated it'll cost about 350€. Anyone had their brakes done recently? Does that sound alot justfor the front two?

Linzer that is an early start . Dd and Dh leave at quarter to eight, and I thought that was bad enough!

Ambling no, they didn't mention it at pick up time, but she was inside rather than playing in the garden. Don't know if they told her to stay in or if she just decided herself though. I have been told off in the past for in appropriate clothing (lack of hats), but always by passers-by in the street. I have noticed lots of toddlers wearing cotton beanie type hats. Obviously to my British eyes they seem totally unnecessary .

Spooked The comments have definitely got fewer as the DC have got older - although they may just have become more Austrianised as they'll actually ask to wear hats, gloves etc. now rather than refusing to do so. They've all been wearing hats most days for weeks, at any rate.

Ambling No idea about the brakes, I'm afraid. What time does school start there? DD1 starts at 7.45 and she usually leaves with DH at around 7am as she likes to be one of the first in the class (school opens at 7.15 and it's a 10-15 minute walk away). The other two leave just after 7.30, but I quite like being home and ready to start work at 8 as I can concentrate much better first thing in the morning.

Linzer why were you acquiring 3 extra children this morning? Were you responsible for getting 6 children to school and Kindergarten today?

DD has to catch the school bus at 7am every morning, so we are also always up between 6am and 6.15am absolute latest - usually all dressed and downstairs by 6.30am, and DH has left for work by then :) Despite that it wouldn't be a great time for 3 extra kids to arrive, as the 6-7am hour is a finely oiled machine here, and distruptions would be fatal and result in DD leaving unbreakfasted/ with unbrushed hair/ without Brotzeit/ without a hat :o / or missing the bus - which is a total pain in the bottom if it happens because then I have to drive her (an 8km 'round trip) and then do the identical trip again an hour later, as DS1's Kindergarten is right opposite school, but he isn't allowed to get there til 8.30am, and she has to be inside by 7.45am!

The boys and I stupidly often slump and get too relaxed after DD has left for the bus, and and up still in a rush when I realise it is 8.10am and we need to leave for Kindergarten immediately, but the boys are in the middle of a game, DS2 has taken his socks off and lost them and filled his nappy, needing it changed before getting in the car, DS1 can't find one of his shoes or something else crucial... etc. :o

I bought a 10 pack of kids socks (DD and DS1 handily wear the same size so mostly share socks - that's OK at age 6 and 8 isn't it? :o ) That of course guaranteed that quite a lot of the odd socks turned up when I was putting away laundry yesterday :) I still have an absolutely ridiculously large collection of odd ones though, pretty much all DD/ DS1's...

I don't think we have Heurigenabend - or maybe I'm just not invited To be honest as we have no babysitting options locally (except Oma in the school holidays - she's too far away for just an evening, I have to take the kids to her, and as its 4 hours driving there and back, twice they have to stay overnight) I'd have to go alone (DH never would) so I guess it wouldn't be that appealing - don't mind going to parents eves alone, but a social thing where other people go as couples is very unappealing alone. Do you learn lots of interesting gossip/ get to know other parents on a different level at them?

I work 2 evenings a week, and DD and DS1's football training days and times have just been changed for the winter season, when they train indoors - of course now they will train one on each of my work evenings, making the already tight turn around on those evenings (dinner and handing over to DH, getting changed for work and out the door in time not to arrive a frazzled mess) even tighter, grrr! The trainers are volunteers though, so obviously I have to be happy with whatever they can do!

Do is improving somewhat - Aldi super cheap dry food seems to agree with her stomach much better than the very expensive tinned dog meat we were told to feed her :o so I don't have as much disgusting mess to clear up :o and she is somewhat calmer, and has fattened up a tiny bit, and is less frantic about stealing food (though it is still an issue). The barking is the biggest thing still, but is also slightly better, and she is no longer generally barking during the night, which is a great, and necessary, improvement!

Argh better go and help DS2 find his Playmobile motorbike, it appears to be becoming a matter of great urgency... :o

waves to everyone I didn't reply to!

MrTumbles The older two (a brother and sister in DS's class) come to us three mornings a week at 7 am anyway, as their mother has to leave early for work, but she had to leave even earlier this morning so asked if I could take her youngest to KiGa as well. DD1 makes her own way to school so I "only" had to take five of them. It wasn't too much of a disruption, apart from everyone getting up earlier, and they brought breakfast with them (even if it was doughnuts - I sometimes think I'm the only person in the country who fails to get excited about doughnuts).

The Heurigenabend was for the whole family (we don't have a babysitter either) - obviously not ideal if you have KiGa-age children, but DS was by far the youngest sibling there, and he enjoyed running round outside with the older children (while DD2 stayed with us and eavesdropped). No gossip, unfortunately - but I did get to speak English with another adult (the father of one of the boys in the class is British), so it was almost worth going just for that.

Good that the Heurigenabend was more of a success than last time Linzer, sounds like a good idea to get to know everyone especially if the class is staying together for a few years.

Great that the dog has settled down abit more MrTumbles, maybe she just needed abit more time. Still, quite a shame that the people where you got her didn't offer more advice.

Speaking of hats, just remembered dd bought herself a trendy winter hat in New Yorker. It'll be the first winter she's ever worn one once winter gets going!
Two big red 4's brought home this week from school. One from ds in chemistry and one from dd in German (but it was a dictation so was expected). Ds isn't bothered but dd is in a rather bad mood. Three years to go and counting...!

Glad the Heurigenabend went well and that you got some English conversation out of it, Linzer!

How is your DD feeling about her 4 now, Ambling?

Glad to hear the dog situation has improved slightly, MrTumbles. Did you find the Playmobil motorbike in the end? Have any more odd socks mysteriously reappeared?

I take it your DD hasn't contracted some nasty infection from her lack of waterproof sleeves, Smoked? I haven't had any comments so far this autumn, thinking about it, but it's early days yet.... I acquired a lovely winter coat and some winter boots for DS today for the princely sum of €20 from someone I know, so I'll have no excuse for inflicting my British weather-inappropriateness (that is the official technical term) on the poor boy come winter!

Linzer, that deserves a medal, surely!

Wooly dd survived the lack of sleeves unscathed .
But can I ask a boring and clueless question about winter gear? We were here last winter but dd 2 was mainly in her pram, whereas now she walks everywhere.
So... I have got her fleece lined waterproof dungarees, will that be enough for the depths of winter, or does she need snow trousers too? If so I can rush to Aldi as they have them in today.
Secondly snow boots. Dd 1 has some with a rigid waterproof foot part, dd2's from last year still fit, but are just standard snow boots, without the waterproof foot. Will they be OK? I don't want to spend uneccessarily, but don't want to get halfway through the winter and find they're not good enough .

spooked I'd say you will need the snow trousers rather than just the waterproofs if you're planning on going on plenty of walks and playground trips in winter. Even better would be a snwo suit, that's what my two wore in winter. I used to spray boots and the snow suit with this stuff, ds also had fleece lined wellies for slushy days worn with thick socks.

wooly dd has got over her 4, partly because she atlast got a 1 in English. For some unknown reson the teacher has decided to take dd's dyslexia into account and hadn't taken points off for spelling mistakes. To top the collection of bad grades though, ds brought a 5 home for his last german test. I have a feeling he is going through a 'bad year' since they were put in new classes for year 10. He reckons he can iron it out with the next test and the oral grade.

It's getting very windy here, leaves hitting teh windows (and we're on the 2nd floor). I wonder if it's the start of the storm that's just swept over the south of England?