Der Herbst ist da - wir wollen aber kein Regenwetter: Life in Germany cont/d

[finknottle]

Too lazy to scroll through the other long one.

Here for Obst und Blaetter - guess what d came home from school singing yesterday?

All welcome, Austria & Switzerland & any German-speaking Leute too

Tengelmanns

check your plz if they deliver in your area

Schlecker I think that they do not charge over 15euros order

Gabster, sorry to hear about Dh's diagnosis. Damn, now he really has got something to complain about. That's no man-flu. Fingers crossed that he gets better ASAP.

KNow what you mean about the driving here. I refused to drive for the first year here, until DH got a driving ban so I HAD to get in the car. It had been so long since I'd driven in the UK that it was easier than I imagined. Mind you, they go so damn fast here, don't they? I get all flustered and panicky if I have to get in the fast lane, and they flash their lights because they want me out of the way, even though I'm doing 130kph!!

Wish you all the best. x

wow, poor gabsterdh. Not even manflu, but real serious tuff Hope he's on the mend soon and the asthma doesn't stay and cause too many problems. YOu must be exhausted looking after hm & ds. So poor you too. I guess you'll def not be heading into town tomorrow - I'll eat your piece of cake for you too - it's the least I can do under the circs. Are these antibiotics working now, d'you think ? I guess he's a lot more comfortable now he has inhaler too.

TheGabster - sorry to hear about your dh. I hope the antibiotics kick in soon.

We´re pretty bad on the diy front, been here over 6 years and there´s still things we haven´t got round to doing.

Morgen all
Gabster - you have my sympathies, definite treats for you I reckon.

And why OH WHY won't German supermarkets do online shopping ? Schlecker manage it perfectly well - I get all my household stuff & toiletries from them which is just as well as by the time I get to that bit in the supermarket my trolley's always full We have one in the village which is useful for sending the boys to for emergency ketchup & firelighters.

Have to take s2 & d to the doc tomorrow to get an Attest that they're lice-free. Could keep quiet as they've had them over half-term but figure it's not fair, lice are obv going round d's class & no bugger's said anything. Reckon the ruling about an Attest makes more parents keep quiet tbh, as esp for working parents it can be a pain to wait ages in the evening Sprechstunde.

Why does my head always itch when I even think about nits?

MmeLindt - lol about the Stepford wives. There was an American Women's Club in Heidelberg when we lived there, is was a bit Stepfordy by all accounts but I know some who did make friends though it and Americans are ime so friendly and that in itself can be a boost when you're in a new place. Report back please!

Gabster
How is MrGabster today? My Dad has asthma and got a different inhaler recently that has really helped him. That and quiting smoking at last, that made a huge difference. He has much more energy. He also has COPD and has to really watch when he gets a cold that it does not go into his chest.

Finknottle
I have seen that the Coops here do online shopping but have not tried it out yet. Will wait until our Swiss bank account is up and running, it is such a pain to have to run to the post office to pay things.

I took a trip over to France today to the Carrefour Hypermarche. It was in the middle of a huge industrial estate with furniture stores, diy stores, sports shops etc. I had a haircut in the supermarket (one of these salons with 15 cuts in a book, like a menu and you chose one). I was so unhappy with my hair and goign to a normal salon here is likely to be time intensive. Not to mention incredibly expensive, my neighbour said that for cut and highlights I should reckon wiht at least 200CHF (about 140eu) She pays over 350CHF.

The AIWC was nice, not too Stepfordy, there were quite a few Brits and other nationalities. I have joined and will go along to some of the activities, particularly the French lessons, cookery courses, childrens' activities, evening meetings in bars

Got to take the DCs back to school now.

migros have online LeShop I think & deliver

Thanks Ernest, had a look at Migros and Coop. Their delivery charges are quite steep, particularly Coop but I might use them occasionally.

After seeing the Hypermarche in France today, I suspect I will be doing most of my shopping over the border.

I was reading a thread the other day about a lollipop lady being sick and the children, some as young as 7yo being allowed to cross the road by themselves. I had to sit on my hands not to post. How strange it is, in Germany the children were very canny with crossing roads, they were so used to it from a very young age. The OP on the lollipop thread said that some of the children were just wandering across the road. On the whole I am glad that we are living in a country where the kids have a lot of freedom and are encouraged to become independant.

The youngest kids in our school here in CH are 4yo and there is noone at the gate to check if the kids are picked up by their parent or if they just wander off. They don't though, and if they did one of the mums would stop them.

Thanks for all the well wishes everbody, (and the chocolate, Lindt). Amazing how it cheers me up to - love MN!

Yes, dammit, its not manflu and DH really has something to winge about. Oh well, he is being slightly more useful around the house today - he even made me a cup of tea today!!

Thanks for the tip on Tengleman but they are pants in Munich - half the stuff is on its last legs when have used them before. Yes, do use Schlecker quite a lot though, its fab! Have a good one for pet supplies and baby stuff online too. Strange that the supermarkets can't quite seem to get it right here.

Dont blame you going over to France for food Lindt. Like I said, my friend did it for 8 yrs!!! Ooooh, Carrefour - I miss you so much!

Gobsmacked at the price of a haircut mind - and I thought Munich was expensive!!

NTQ did your toy thing arrive?? Hope it all works out OK and really pleased things are on the up .

Ernest - thanks for eating the cake for me - knew I could rely on you!! Make sure its got lots of chocolate in it.

Did I mention that my supermarket haircut cost 30euros?

I don't think I have paid less for a haircut in the last 15 years.

Went out for a 2 hour walk through the woods this morning, with two of my neighbours and their dogs. Twas lovely, the weather is fabbydabbydoo today. A gorgeous autumn day, the sun is splitting the pavements, it is so clear that we can see the mountains in the distance. It is soooooo beautiful here, I cannot believe my luck.

On the down side, I got the bills for the labor (blood tests etc from the m/c) adding up to almost 500CHF. I will get most of that back from the insurance, but I have to fork out first. And that was just the tests, I am still waiting for the Docs bill, and that of the hospital which is bound to be huge. Just as well DH's pay just went in the bank.

Feiderwessen (I think that's how you spell it!) - mmmmmmmmmmm.
That's all I have to say!

Federweisser

Although, I think I have also read/heard Federweissen. What is the difference?

I can only drink a glass of it, it upsets my tummy otherwise, but it is yummy. Am going to look out for it here, we have winerys all around us.

Hmm, how do I get my neighbours cat out of the house? Boris is a lovely cat but very shy so when he wandered in off the patio I just kept schtumm and let him. Now he is somewhere in the house and I have to go out.

hi ladies sorry to disturb you all but can any of you recommend a german version of mothercare? or any other good baby shops in berlin!

thanks

I used two catalogues for my baby stuff as I never found a mothercare type shop in Germany and I even ended up getting alot of stuff on trips back to UK!

Try jako

or Baby-walz online shop

In Berlin I saw this place had a baby section:

baby stuff and toyshop search for the nearest under Filialen

My parents left yesterday evening. I managed to behave and not throw myself at their feet begging to be taken back to UK! But, my dad did say a few times that if everything is too much, and seeing the way my h works and doesn't have time for us etc , that we could always come back home and he'd help us settle and h would just have to visit us for long weekends or holidays. It is nice to know I have an option anyway!

His latest thing is he's trying to get me to do all the searching and deal-doing for a car - he wanted me to test drive, get financing deal sorted and then he would just go round with the first down payment and for the keys . Well I'm not doing it, I've done all the handy work and fixing of lights etc with dad so I think h should take time to get the car.

Well, no Wall-e toys have arrived yet (gulp). Last ditch attempt by me was to get two puny Wall-e and Eve PEZ dispensers from Tengelmann today. Well, at least it's something, and DH won't be in the doghouse!!

Does anyone know why everywhere is advertising their Goose or Duck? Kirchweir or something?

Also, what does "alles klar" (sp?) mean? The Kindergarten teacher is always saying it to me, and I think she's being condescending...

Big rain and wind storm last night, so DS1 crept in for a cuddle in bed. I was secretly very pleased, and he fell asleep quickly. Then had to heave his sleepy body back into his bed. Awwww, so lovely.

What's everyone got planned for the weekend? Gabster, not much?

Nicm
I used BabyWalz a lot and there are a few Toyrus stores around. It depends on what you are looking for. Tbh, I found BabyWalz good but pricey and also bought a lot of stuff at home.

Got the cat out and the shopping done . Am just unpacking the shopping then I am going over to my neighbours for coffee. Hope she has cake as I have not had time for lunch.

Admylin
Quite right, car-buying is definately a "blue job" as we call it, you have done enough blue jobs, it is time for your DH to get going.

How did you get the cat out in the end, do tell?

SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

When we were in Portugal we accumulated about 6 bl* cats. Thankfully they didn't come in the house just stayed out the front. More every day. Not really a big cat freak personally, I prefer dogs but I really had enough cats for a lifetime that holiday. Gawd. THere was one particularly bad-tempered old biddy with a black face and a striped body who kept fauchen every time I went past, even when I fed her. Portugal was great but I don't want to see another Portugese cat for the rest of my life!

Thequietone, "alles klar" is just used like "O.K." It isn't condescending. I mean if you've said, "listen I'll be a bit later picking up ds today because I have to go to the doctors or whatever first" and she says "alles klar", she is just showing she's taken it in and accepted what you've said. Mind you could be condescending if she is looking down her nose at you and speaking in a certain tone of voice but the words themselves are innocuous.

Cats? Water pistol
Is the goose thing for St Martin's Day on Nov 11th? Here even the bakeries sell pastries in the shape of geese that week. Just realised this'll be our first year with no Umzug as we've no kiga children any more. Maybe we'll treat ourselves to a night out eating goose instead

We have another final regatta this weekend, shall be lugging gallons of hot chocolate and coffee along and hoping for sunshine and wind. Must search out the thermal underwear too.

Gorgeous day here today, went cycling in the vineyards with the children and the harvesters let them pick grapes and ride on the tractors. How great is it that there's no Health & Safety crap here?
S1 has a sleepover tonight, pizza, a Guitar Hero contest on the PS & Risiko mit Papa. I have stupidly said they can use the tv in the sitting room with the PS instead of banishing them to the boys' room as usual. Mind you I'll have the last laugh when I kick them out at 9 am tomorrow morning so woe betide them if they shriek all night as they usually do.

D & I will be stranded in the kitchen all evening playing games. You can almost not see the floor in her room for toys brought out/rediscovered during half-term and I can't face clearing space. Planning on just throwing her from the door onto the bed at bed-time
So I am enjoying the last 2 hours peace I'll have before a gang of 11 yr olds arrive and until my lot all go off to school/work on Monday morning. Is it too early for gin?

never too early for a tipple.

Yeah those pastry geese are for St. Martins but I forget why. Is it something to do with geese alerting people to danger (or am I mixing this up with another legend/story?). I like the bonfires they build and the whole Laterne Laterne thing. Only thing that I found a pain was trying to keep track of your toddler in the dark . Mine always wanted to get very close to the bonfire or run off ahead of the kiga group with her lantern.

How are you these days fink?

OK, thanks, been trying to recharge my batteries over half-term as have been plagued by back-to-back infections since the summer, obv completely run down.

Was thrilled to lose weight at first, thought it was at the least recompense for being ill the whole time but now I think I'm starting to look gaunt Had to take s2 & d to the doc for their nit-free Attest (am storming to the school on Monday waving them & getting stroppy, d's class must be riddled & not one word from parents ) ahem, and asked the doc about the hair loss He's a great GP & pointed out again that he's seen me more in 6 mo than the last 6 yrs and it may well just be stress which often takes its toll months later. Suggested iron supplements as well as he noticed that my nails are flaking and brittle & I admitted to massive weight loss (well, size 12/14 down to 8/10) and complete loss of appetite. He's more a "Get some exercise" type but said he sees me out on my bike the whole time so for now it's rest, recuperation & back to him if it doesn't get better.
Will admit am a bit glum as today is my friend's daughter's birthday & it's the first family birthday since she died. Was down there earlier, all v odd
Definitely time for gin methinks.

It's going to be odd for a long time I think. I wonder if children ever get "over" the death of a parent. Probably they don't.

Well I have to admit to not losing any weight these days but I am rounding myself up a bit (not intentionally) and it must be turned around ASAP I suppose. Sigh.

I think too you need a break but how to manage it with 4 dc and all you have to do / worry about?

Lol, only have 3 c - though admittedly at times, well, h, "How should I know where your mobile is? S1 mislays his the whole time too, ask him, his is usually in his jacket pocket or under his bed."
"No I don't know where your wetsuit is, I put the children's in the cellar, as you know, have you looked there?" Patronising tone, hate it And yes, reader, mobile was in his jacket pocket & wetsuit in the cellar with the others...

As for my friend I suppose it hasn't really been that long and it's still very much and very sharply the "1st this" and "1st that". They don't 'do' counselling here, did you notice? At times I just want to howl and throw things. Maybe that's just as good
Good of you to think of me, how are you?
You do still have my email?

for your friend's family and for you finknottle. It really hasn't been very long at all and how tough that must have been to celebrate her dd's birthday.

I've now finished my second week of work and I am absolutely shattered. I can't believe how much of a shock to the system it is to start working again. Part of the problem is that on the days I am teaching I have not slept well at all. I keep waking up ridiculously early in a panic, thinking that I've overslept. Of course I then can't get back to sleep again properly and lie there waiting for the alarm clock to go off. It will get better, won't it?!