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Living overseas

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Original poster

Streupflicht und Schneeschaufel

699 replies

finknottle · 05/01/2009 12:45

Thanks Gabster for the inspiration for the thread!

Add your resolutions here & I can slip alongside and pretend I'll make some too.
Still too fragile - my sleep patterns go haywire when I'm home, stay up till 1 or 2am, then awake at 5am (6 here, usual flipping school time) then I come back & keep crashing on the sofa at 10pm and wake up at 4 bright & breezy.

We have snow, very pretty and h is off till Weds so am pushing him out for Streupflicht, bartered it for a fry-up with real English bacon, hmmmmmm.
Forecast is for -12C to -14C tonight - and when the children go back to school on Thursday. Yikes.

OP posts:
MmeLindt · 03/03/2009 21:01

Hi Ilovespinach, welcome.

Are you new to MN or just new to the German thread?

When I first moved I was devastated (as only a 19yo can be) at the lack of smoky bacon crisps. It took me a while but I finally found the Ungarisch ones that were a good alternative.

I agree with you about the Erdnussflips, they make me heave too. Just the smell of them, even if the DC have eaten them earlier and I smell it on their breath. Urgh.

Just tried to put the new French CD onto an old MP3 player so that DH can listen to it on his way to work but it does not work. Might post on geeky stuff to get some help.

ilovespinach · 03/03/2009 21:10

Hi MmeLindt,

I've been kicking around on MN for a while not noticed the German thread before....

Funny the things we miss from home. Our supermarket is getting better now though - 2 choices of cheddar (English & Irish) and Heinz beans

Good luck with the mp3 player - have to confess I hate using itunes and try to avoid it at all costs but i think that may be due to my ancient laptop...

MmeLindt · 03/03/2009 21:52

We had a parent teacher conference with DD this evening. It went quite well. The teacher is pleased with DD, she is integrating well and speaking more French. They are going to rearrange the class in the next couple of weeks so that she is not sitting beside the other English speaking children as she chatters in English all the time.

DS's French is better as he has only one English speaker in his class, and she is a GIRL.

Apart from that, DD is fine. She is quite timid so that makes it more difficult but she is doing good with her writing and especially reading French. She is not great at maths, and often just gives up and starts drawing hearts and butterflies on the page instead of doing the sums.

We are going to look for an art class for her so that she gets more practice speaking French and perhaps arrange some playdates with French speaking families.

admylin · 03/03/2009 21:55

Hi ilovespinach, how are you coping with the Swabian mentality? It drove me mad. We used to live near Stuttgart. Is your husband from around there?

admylin · 03/03/2009 21:58

BY the way, discovered - last week a Lidl version of Wotsits. Next to the Erdnussflips they had cheese flips and dd wanted to try them, reminded me abit of wotsits! Opened the salt n vinager ones tonight and put a small portion in a bowl but the big bag is calling to me from the kitchen, finish me finish me .. I'm not going to though.

MmeLindt · 03/03/2009 22:15

ADMYLIN
Get your hands of the wotsit impersonators.

I am going to bed now cause if I stay up any longer I will go and get something to eat from the kitchen, just because it is there.

admylin · 03/03/2009 22:27

I've decided to scoff the rest of the crisps tomorrow at lunch time, I've even got chedder cheese so will make cheese and branston sarnies too.

ZZZen · 04/03/2009 09:38

hi spinach, good to see you on the thread. How do you like life in Stuttgart?

You know the absolut weirdest sounding crisps I have come across (but not actually tried) are the Kebab flavoured ones with a picture of that half-Arabian, half-Turkish tv comedian on the front. I am a bit curious about how they taste but not curious enough to actually try them.

You know what I did last night after reading the thread? Yup, I went and bought a big packet of S & V (and I scoffed the lot). Tricked dd into going to bed early since I was drooling for my fix. I can stop when the bag is empty (obviously) but somehow not before. Dh cannot watch this, makes him feel very uneasy.

can't help at all on the geeky stuff ML. Have no idea at all. I am hoping dd will get inot the whole high tech thing and handle any problems for me

admylin · 04/03/2009 09:47

Actually, it's safer to go into Subway and buy a small packet of Walkers! That was one of our treats in Berlin as we passed a subway (you know those sandwich/baguette shops) on the way home from school so we would get a packet each.

ZZZen · 04/03/2009 09:51

I should not eat crisps, I should not eat crisps, I should not...

munch

blast

MmeLindt · 04/03/2009 09:53

I am not feeling like eating crisps today. I have an upset tummy after eating to rich food last night. I just can't eat heavy meals anymore.

My neighbour offered to take the kids for a while this morning so I am resting on the couch.

admylin · 04/03/2009 09:53

I know, I keep reading the healthy recipe and food threads to try and give me healthy ideas for eating! Wonder what Ernest is up to these days?

ZZZen · 04/03/2009 09:55

I get sick to death of cooking tbh. I don't mind making something new and interesting as a special occasion thing but the day to day cooking is right at the bottom of my list along with ironing.

I think you are lucky if you enjoy it. I did work with this (gay) guy once who was a fabulous cook. He didn't follow recipes but things worked out really nicely and he kept it quite simple. He said for him it was relaxation after a day at work and creative, like doing an artistic hobby. Wish I felt that way about it but I don't.

I need more ideas for quick and simple healthy meals

ZZZen · 04/03/2009 09:56

sorry you're not feeling well ML.

How's the weight reduction plan going? (Just thinking rich food + relaxing on the sofa = ? ). Ha - not that I have lost any weight myself or even given up coffee yet after announcing it all over the thread like Edmund Hilary on his way to Mt Everest

admylin · 04/03/2009 09:58

Think it's time for a cup of coffee now actually.

TheGabster · 04/03/2009 10:01

Ooooh - criiiiisppssss ... drool. I quite like the flips actually, although still always seem surprised they are not cheesy when I get them to my mouth - years of wotsit subjection.

Hi IloveSpinach - welcome. And goodby! Ha ha - only 8 days until I leave (sorry).

So glad no offence caused Admylin - and yes I reckon most people who study psych to any degree end up testing things out on friends and family. It's just irresistable.

Just trying to get 30m break for DS as need to draw up something.

PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME - new tenant for our house here in Munich has agreed to buy the kitchen (through the Mackler). Then rings me the other night to say he is "intersted" in it IOW is now mucking me about. He is coming round tonight and I want him to sign a bit of paper to agree to buy it and the amount etc. Can anyone help me with the wording? Kind of a "I agree to buy the kitchen for EURO XXX".

Am fuming because we have so little time left now if we have to take it out. Grrrrrr

ZZZen · 04/03/2009 10:05

Hi Gabs , don't leave the thread because you leave Munich. Time seems to have really flown since you mentioned considering going back. Eek 8 days!

Not sure about this. Wondering if there is a form (dept store) which you can use for this and you just fill in the details?

ZZZen · 04/03/2009 10:07

can the Makler get the money for the kitchen from him? I think all you need is that he hands over the cash and gets a receipt for it.

ZZZen · 04/03/2009 10:08

admylin did this (paid to take over the kitchen) when she moved to Hannover so she should be able to tell you how it was done.

admylin · 04/03/2009 10:11

Well, we did get the kitchen but they left it and we agreed they didn't have to paint (I painted a couple of rooms) - he said it was a 2000Euro kitchen , a year old but they took the dish washer with them and the fridge freezer is on it's last legs so glad we didn't have to pay actually.

admylin · 04/03/2009 10:14

Kaufvertrag you could copy something lik ethis and change a few words ie Gerauchtgegestand/Küche

admylin · 04/03/2009 10:15

here's another which looks fairly simple but official-ish!

MmeLindt · 04/03/2009 10:33

here Gabster

Don't let him dick you around. Tell him if he does not sign the contract today then you are putting it in ebay.

MmeLindt · 04/03/2009 10:35

I can't believe it is only 8 days till you go. It doesn't seem all that long ago that you were just thinking about it.

LOL at my weightloss plans. Serves me right that I am not well today. I am doing ok, go on the crosstrainer 3 times a week or more. I have to lose the weight now though, the dress is ordered.

hupa · 04/03/2009 10:52

Wow only 8 days. Is everything packed? How are you getting all your stuff back to England?

Well the sun is finally shining here after days of rain. It finally feels as if Spring is on the way. I know I´m tempting fate and I´ll be clearing snow by the end of the week, but it is good to think the worst is over.

Finknottle - isn´t it still a bit cold to be starting sailing again? I think it would have to be a damn sight warmer than this before you´d get me near a boat.