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Original poster

Fruehlingszeit in the German Corner - chat continues here

692 replies

SSSandy2 · 28/04/2008 09:47

"Deutsch or English
Native speakers, expats, anyone
From Brezeln to Bier

Please don't ask if you join in, everyone is welcome "

OP posts:
finknottle · 20/05/2008 10:48

Sandy, has your dd been playing long? It's flipping ages before children do anything but screech and scrape on the violin.
Commiserations

admylin · 20/05/2008 10:50

Yeah, they better had! Or atleast something for the dc!

I don't mind cooking but I get abit bored with Indian all the time. we 3 don't eat it all that much now - dh never knows when he's coming so he has his curry food in the fridge to dish up when he wants it. I try to do healthy regular meals for us 3.

Acupuncture for dieting? Sounds good. I had acupuncture once and I didn't really think it would do anything but it was a lovely feeling - I went into a dream and my eyes went watery and I felt all warm ! It was to relax me when dd was overdue and it really worked.

Original poster
SSSandy2 · 20/05/2008 10:51

no not long at all. Don't mind the sound tbh What is a bit of a grind is having to be so involved in the practice. "Ok do this, now do it again, now do that, etc" Yawn

I'm sure you know what I mean or did you have a cleverer way of going about it?

We also have a CD with our book, so when she's done her bit, she puts on the CD and plays alongside it -which then sounds very nice.

We have to buy a violin after the summer hols though. Ouch. Expensive, aren't they? Teacher reckons about 385,-Euro for a 1/4

OP posts:
admylin · 20/05/2008 10:53

Lol about the screaching violin! At Aikido the teacher brought his violin to a party and asked all the other dc to bring their instruments if they played one - well the guitars were OK and the boy with the clarinette but the dc with violins sounded terrible! Teacher played very well but it was painfull to listen to the dc!

finknottle · 20/05/2008 10:54

Rent if you can - ds2 went through 3 sizes in 2.5 yrs. We paid 14 euros a month rental.

Original poster
SSSandy2 · 20/05/2008 10:56

honestly don't find it sounds bad yet. Dd just loves the violin (so far anyway, always gung-ho at the beginning). She keeps playing something on a CD to listen to - "see mummy I was RIGHT to choose the violin, it sounds so nice etc." This is becasue I tried to put her off and guide her in the direction of cello but it didn't work.

I'm not sure if she picks up on the difference between how it sounds when a real musician plays on a CD and how it sounds when she plays

It's a nice instrument when you can play it though. The vibrations go right through your body, bit kinky in a way

OP posts:
Original poster
SSSandy2 · 20/05/2008 10:59

Did you rent through the music school finks or from a shop? We have private lessons (not via the music school so I couldn't rent one of their instruments)

OP posts:
admylin · 20/05/2008 10:59

Are you sickening for something SSandy? What with your kinky violin and erection ahnliche Spargel this morning!!

finknottle · 20/05/2008 10:59

Oh the practice... It was with hindsight the worst possible instrument for ds2 who gets so tearful and frustrated if he can't do things perfectly immediately. I was against it for 6 months, dh (Mr Musikwissenschaftler) and ds2 for it. I even changed my tune ('scuse pun) and went all for it too, hoping ds2 would maybe change his mind... and it was 2.5 yrs torture for him. And me.
After a while I didn't have to "direct" the practice as much. His teacher was lovely and he was good at it - just it was so hard and he kept wanting to stop, then he'd work harder at it and fly and be thrilled and she'd be all gushing and then...bloody circle.

finknottle · 20/05/2008 11:04

It was the local Musikschule, 45 euros a month (weekly lessons of 30 mins) and in our primary school so v handy.
After he gave up, he came to me and said, "Mummy I do love the violin but I think I love more the way it looks and sounds. It is HARD to play." Sigh.

finknottle · 20/05/2008 11:04

Wrong answer! We rented it through a music shop.

Original poster
SSSandy2 · 20/05/2008 11:05

you think I have spring fever maybe admylin, all ready for the mating season?!

Actually weird thing you know I had this totally vivid dream of a little girl toddling towards me and I just knew it was my dc but not the dd I have already IYSWIM since she's blonde and the one in the dream had dark hair and looked totally different. Was so vivid and real it woke me up. So who knows?! Time for dd number 2 maybe.

Geez finks, sounds like fun ahead. I did think violin would be too difficult for both of us really but I couldn't put her off. I put it down to "Pa" in the Little House books getting his fiddle out at every opportunity (honestly admylin you've read them, don't misread me!)

OP posts:
admylin · 20/05/2008 11:07

Does anyone know the etiquette for removal men here ? Will I need to feed and water them if we have 4 men to do our move or is it not the done thing? I know cups of tea are the norm to offer in UK for who ever is working for you/at your house but here - not sure.

finknottle · 20/05/2008 11:07

at Pa getting his fiddle out. Best laugh I've had in ages, thank you!

Don't be put off my my saga - it was ds2 and his perfectionist streak. He's such love but so sensitive and hard on himself. Plus recent events have made him and dd especially clingy, poor mites.

finknottle · 20/05/2008 11:09

I offer occasionally (builders from faraway places, ahem) but even they thought I was odd to do so - plainly foreign myself. On the whole, no, save your tea/coffee.

admylin · 20/05/2008 11:10

I've had a dream about having a baby too recenty. It must be spring and our hormones saying get a move on girl , time is running out! Although nowadays maybe not, there are plenty of nearly 50 year olds with toddlers around here.

admylin · 20/05/2008 11:12

That's the answer I wanted to read, thanks finknottle!

Ysa, great one lol at pa and his fiddle too!

finknottle · 20/05/2008 11:12

What is it with you two and all that rising sap?
Am still laughing about Pa getting his fiddle out...snigger. Think it's the picture of wholesome prairie folk.

admylin · 20/05/2008 11:19

Well there was no Hercule Poirot or internet to distract from fiddling in those days!

Original poster
SSSandy2 · 20/05/2008 11:24

gotta go, keep smiling girls!

OP posts:
trockodile · 20/05/2008 14:22

No Admylin, no need to bother with anything for removals (we have had both German ond English) Mine have usually had a kettle etc in the van and sort themselves out. The one time i did make an effort with percolator etc they did use it but then packed everything dirty so i had the joy of coffee granules,dirty cups and a crumbled open pack of biscuits to deal with after 2 weeks in the bottom of a box!

taipo · 20/05/2008 16:31

We couldn't offer to make our removal men tea or coffee last time because we literally packed the kitchen sink. I did buy them a coffee each though from the corner shop which I think they appreciated.

I don't get the Spargel thing either. I mean it's OKish without the yucky sauce and proper soup is nice (not like the one you had berolina which sounds foul!). Dh keeps on at me to do Spargel and I keep putting it off as I don't really have a clue about what to do with the stuff.

Thequietone, we had exactly the same problem with getting a letter from the UK stating that we were no longer receiving child benefit there. It took several phone calls, where noone seemed to have a clue and finally about 4 months later a letter arrived. We did get ours backdated and I think you should be entitled to the money. I hope you manage to get it sorted out.

admylin · 20/05/2008 17:49

Great, I was thinking something along those lines, if on the day we move I need to get some bakery stuff and drinks for us to offer the removal men.

I've just had a great email from SIL in Texas. They are Indian/Pakistani and were going to have 'suits' made for us to wear at the wedding. Well she has changed her mind and wants us to have our clothes (suit for men and dress for women I have been told)for 2 formel and 1 informal event so girls, tell me where to go to get a couple of nice frocks - I never wear dresses and I hate clothes shopping in Germany. Any tips welcome!

Original poster
SSSandy2 · 20/05/2008 20:08

This is dd's bike admylin, it's 24 zollhere

She got it for her 7th birthday and manages fine with it. Seat right down of course. Mind you she doesn't do any fancy stuff on it, just straight-forward riding.

OP posts:
admylin · 20/05/2008 21:11

Thanks SSSandy, I think the one I got for ds will be OK for him, there's no need for him to have the 26 although he could probably manage it. DD will get a 24 Zoll in October too for her birthday.