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

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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

Gab, acc to our paed & ime, you need to give med when temp over 38.5.
Poor lad, may be teeth, may be virus. I used to sometimes wait and see if I thought it was a virus and they weren't too miserable as the temp is the body fighting the infection, I wouldn't give them anything but if v poorly & miserable then I would. You know your son best but if temp hovering up to 38, I'd wait till Monday.
Can't recall how often with my 3 I'd say, if it's not better in a day or 2, then doctor... but most things were better by day 4.

gab, I'd just wait and give junior neurofen in the meantime

Thanks guys - you're great.

He seems to be much happier this afternoon. Gave him a second dose of Calpol when I got him up at 2.30 ish - temp hovering just under 38 but he seems more normal now, not hot in the face (IYKWIM) and is more like his normal self so glad I waited. Phew.

Think it might have been a tummy bug as am amazed his nappy had not leeked when I got him up this morning (my little pooper, bless him).

Happy Gabster - off to make tea and dinner. I think a small bottle glass of wine may be in order .....

Glad he's better, it is always a worry.
Meant to say I wait with med if temp was under 38.5, over needs bringing down.
Your "more like his normal self" hits it, you do tend to know.
I am never wasting a Sat again on housework. It's nearly time to start supper & all I've done is clean and do laundry all sodding day. Back to keeping on top of things next week.
On the bright side, h fixed our dryer. I reckoned it was just the heating element which was dead so he got a spare part online for 40 euros (half the price of the one on the manufacturer's site) and fixed it.
I would not have survived housework pre-gadget/household appliances Feel like Mrs Mop and am going to make up for it tomorrow by doing something glam.
If I can think of anything. Might just swan around in silk pyjamas till lunch then open the Sekt

Glad to hear he is a bit better. My paediatrician advice was similar to fink's. Let his body fight the infection until you feel that he us not coping well. Every DC is different. Some are exhausted when their temp goes over 38, some are still fit as a turnschuh wenn over 39.5. My dd rarely has a high temp so when she does it is always a big infection.

Just come home from the art gallery. One of the artists had gorgeous drawings and paintings of cows and horses.

I bought a beautiful wooden Swiss music box that plays edelweiss for my niece's first Xmas.

LOL fink. My dh is leaving for uk at 2 pm tomorrow so I will have to save the lounging and Sekt for the afternoon.

Thanks everyone for advice.

Fink - v. impressed about the dryer. Job jobbed! Reckon the PJs and sekt sounds like a fab idea. Have spent all evening cooking and cleaning and DH has just asked me if I fancy a lay-in in the morning and he will get up with DS!!! Kewl - and I have earplugs just in case Ds cries anyway!! he he

Music box sounds lovely Lindt - you sound very cultured - art gallery etc. Did DH go with you?

I used to think my DH was cultured. Back in the days we were dating - exciting, sexy, educated. Shattered illusion - he is lying on the sofa where has been since approx 2pm (hence the guilty offer to get up with DS in the morning I think) with his more than ample tummy on display, an empty wine glass and stollen cake crumbs on a plate at his side, watching ..... wait for it .... soldier solider . Now isn't that a pretty picture!

Gabster
How is your wee man this morning?

No, DH did not go with us to the art gallery, not his thing. I am so glad that I have DD so I can drag take her along. She is actually quite interested in art so is happy to do so for a little while.

DH took DS to the supermarket. We have a fab supermarket on the way into Geneva that also has a clothes dept. DH bought himself a new gillet. He has a bit of a shoe and gillet fetish.

I would say that DH is still the same as he was when we met but a bit more dictorial. Actually, thinking about it he is getting more like my FIL which is quite scary. He has agreed to a dog though, so he is ok this weekend.

We found a dog breeder on the net with a Westie puppy but she wanted 2000chf for it. I did not know that they were that dear.

Looks like a Heinz puppy for the Lindt household.

How long is your h going to be away mmelindt? Did you give him a shopping list?

I've just applied for the job in Newcastle for h. It would be great if he got it. Well I had an awful night last night with the first bad cold of the season. I was up dead early with blocked nose and sore throat so I took as many medecines as I could take in one go and got a big thick cardi and scarf on and went back to bed 'til 11am. Seems to have done me a bit of good, I have to function all week so I can't be ill.

Admylin
He is away till Thursday.

This was my shopping list

Nurofen Iboprofen capsels (the red ones)
Cadbury's Hot choc (just tried the Swiss hot choc but it is not so yummy)
Mincemeat pies (the Xmas ones not meat ones)
packet of stuffing mix (sago sage and onion)
turkey bags (for cooking the turkey in, should be next to the foil)

I must tell him to leave it in the trolley for a MNetter to find.

I am feeling a bit as if a cold is coming too. Will dose myself up with Lemsip.

Wow, that's a long trip! I think mine might be going for a week to Oxford, being sent by work not for interview but he's uselss at shopping. Well I hope he goes then I'll give him a list and see what I get back - should be a laugh if anything.

Are you doing a real Christmas dinner? I want a Turkey crown but not sure what that would be in German. Any idea? You know what I mean, it's like a big roast Turkey but has no bones, but it's not really just Turkey breast like you get here all year round.

I have never heard of Turkey crown. I don't think I have ever heard of it here.

I always do the whole shebang, with roast tatties, chipolatas, etc. Only once a year though. I might do it on 26th and invite our neighbours though as it is a lot of work just for us and the DC.

We had fish fingers one Christmas lunch time! We were on a student budget and h wasn't joining in anyway so I just fed the dc the usual . I hate having such a grumpy old git as a h - last night he was on about how teh dc didn't need anything for Christmas because they didn't have any 1's at school so it sounds as if it's going to be jolly as usual in our household.

Oh, I forgot that your DH is Ebeneezer Scrooge. I would just ignore him and plan my own lovely Christmas celebration. Actually, my DH is not one for planning and decorating or anything Christmassy. I do all of that.

We once spent Xmas Eve in McDonalds at Frankfurt airport waiting to pick my parents up. Their flight was delayed because of fog in Heathrow. If bloody BA had informed us that the delay could be hours then we would have went into the town and had a meal there instead of hanging aroudn the airport for 6 hours.

Poor DH, his Heiligeabend was ruined

I love Christmas eve in UK as usually everything is ready and you can sit and have a drink and look forward to the next day. I'm seriously thinking of going to the doctor to se eif I don't need any sort of anti-depressants as I'm close to tears alot of the time. Trouble is I don't think I'd get any help with a German doctor. I never used to b elike this and all I need is something sad to come on TV and I have to leave the room as if some massive burst out is swelling up and I don't want to let it out. Alcohol only helps short term.

Oh, Admylin. You have sounded really down these past weeks. And no wonder, with all that you have gone through.

I do think it depends on the doc tbh. Some of them are very lentil-weavery and will send off with some flowery tea and homeopathic meds (which I am not knocking. just that it sometimes is not enough)

I had a fab gynae in Hannover but no great doc unfortunately that I could recommend.

Could you ask one of your neighbours/school mums for a recommendation?

I sometimes feel a bit down and that is when I drag myself out for a walk in the vineyards, even if I don't feel like it. It is very tempting to just sit at home and MN all day.

No I've got the mn addiction under control, not really on that long and I do go out in the Eilenriede forest but it seems to just make me feel even more down because I think sad thoughts when I'm walking. I have read about some herbal remedies but then it said you shouldn't take them on the pill (st johns wort is it ?) - I could ask my neighbour who is training to be a heilpraktikerin but I don't want to start telling her I'm depressed.

Yes, I think the St Johns stuffy is the one my SIL used to take.

Could you phrase it differently, that you need something to lift your spirits, that you have a bit of "Winterdepressionen", that always seems to be absolutely acceptable here. You could say that you are a bit homesick and would like something natural to boost your energy levels.

Yellow light was always recommended, afair. I had a friend who used to put a yellow scarf over a lamp to.

I was a bit worried she would set fire to the flat. ;)

And perhaps a change of scene would be good, could you take the tram over to the Maschsee? I always found walking in forests a bit depressing, tbh. Sailboats and ducks are much more cheery than muddy footpaths and slugs.

Well the Weihnachtsmarkt starts soon - or has it already strted so I'll go round that and try the Glühwein! Neighbour said there will be an historical markt too so looking forward to that. She wants to go one evening and says we can leave mine and he dh in charge of the dc but my h won't be begeistert, would have to plan it for a time when he's just been out too so he can't twine.

Oh, yes, the Christmas markets.

Go, DH has no choice, he gets out during the day while you are stuck at home alone.

I don't know why, but I have this irrational guilt thing that comes over me when I go out with my friends too often. I did not go out Friday night as I had already been out on Thursday last week. DH is now away till Wednesday, after being away 3 nights next week. He has colleagues coming this weekend so will not be around. And he is 4 nights in Munich the week before Xmas. Ok, all work related but he is out of the house, having conversation with ADULTS.

I just booked my Easyjet flight for my SIL-to-be's henny weekend in June. A whole weekend away from everything.

admylin - sorry to hear you´re so down at the moment. You´re right about St. John´s wort (Johanniskraut) - it can really help, but it does affect the reliabilty of the pill. It´s no wonder you´re feeling down with the stress of the past few months.
If I was you I would still plan a lovely christmas and get the dc as involved as possible and try to ignore dh´s lack of enthusiasm as much as possible. I´ve no idea what a turkey crown would be in German I´m afraid.

The dc have had a great time playing out in the snow this weekend and we´re forecast more for tonight. I forget who asked, but I´m in Nord Hessen about half an hour from Kassel. We do seem to have our own mini climate because I drove to another town this morning that´s only 10km away and they had absolutely no snow.

We had snow in Hannover but it's all gone today. We went out with the neighbours and their dog and her dh played snowball fighting with ds and he had a greattime - I was thinking thath is really missing out on that sort of thing and it isn't fair on the dc or on me which is why I've been thinking I'd be better off back home with my family for their sake.

This week I'll try and get a nice advents calender set up for the dc and I know dd would love one of those Kerzen Kranz things. I'll try and buy one as I'm not very good at selbstbasteln!

Next wek I have to send a cake in for ds as his class is selling cakes - any ideas what would go down well? I have done brownies before and flapjack but that didn't go down too well.

I always make scones, they are popular. Bit of a palavar with knives and jam but worth it

Sounds like you are making some contacts there, that is good. I am so glad of my neighbours.

Can't do scones as the dc at Gymnasium are selling the cakes themselves in teh 1st and 2nd Pause. Not sure what to make and don't know any of the other parents yet to ask. I could ring the Elternsprecher.