Endlich Fruehlingszeit in the German Corner

[admylin]

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

Thank goodness it's over at long last! That was a long winter. Welcome Spring!

Can't keep up with how fast this thread is moving tonight! That's the problem with writing a long post; the conversation has moved on by the time you get round to posting it. Will have to try and keep it short and snappy in future.

Ah, so that's why they didn't like us (not that I class myself as Austrian). I know a lot of Germans aren't keen on the accent either and I get laughed at if I use an Austrian word. I'm not too sure about Eurovision but have the feeling that Austria isn't taking part as some kind of protest (can't remember exactly what they were protesting about - something to do with having no chance of winning, I think).

That Swiss song is supposed to do well but I don't really like it all that much. Actually I think a lot of those performers are probably good singers but the songs they are given to sing are so retro, weird, crappy. I looked at the Russian one and I don't like the song but i love his voice and when I listened to him singing in Russian, I think one of his own songs, I love it.

I like this

I could imagine Josh with a different song. That one really reminds of an old 80s song but I can't recall which one it is.

Czech republic has pulled out in a huff about never winning. Thank goodness really considering the previous 3 year's songs. Crikey.

no one minds Austrians really in Germany. Now they're just a rump state with quaint language, sure no one minds them.

Teach us some Austrian then Linz. I have to admit I did used to get a bit irritated by this woman who studied in Austria and kept calling things by the wrong names - what is the word for Pfanne/Kochopf, it's something totally different, isn't it? I know I could never get her to say Aubergine, mind you it doesn't find its way into general conversation much

Hmm... racking my brains over what else Pfanne/Topf could be called; I'll have to ask DH. Aubergine is Melanzane, and lots of other fruits and vegetables have different names too (cauliflower = Karfiol, potatoes = Erdäpfel etc). One Austrian word I couldn't bring myself to say for ages because I just felt too silly was Sackerl, but it feels more natural to say it than Tüte now. The grammar is sometimes different too (you'd say ich bin gestanden/gesessen/gelegen here) and the genders of some words are wrong different too (das Monat, der Radio, der Schokolad, das Teller).

In some ways it's a bit like GB vs US English - Austrians can understand Germans OK as they watch so much German TV etc but Germans often don't have a clue what Austrians are on about. The influence of TV is quite noticeable though, especially among children - DD2 often says nee since she's been at Kiga (Austrian is "na") and tschüß is becoming more and more widespread (no one ever used to say it when I first came to Austria but I never knew what to say instead - I said pfiat di to future FIL once, not realising di was short for dich, before we were per du).

Right, language lesson over, must go and get the DC up!

I like Austrian, I could pretend I was speaking Austrian when I get the der die das bit wrong!

Dh just left for his morgendliche Besprechung with the docs and then he's coming back so we can go into town to get hima suit. He's representing his department at a conference and his boss has ordered suits only to be worn. Shame that dh is a mad scientist type who wears pullovers with holes, long hair standing on end and jeans.

Well off to drive dc to school now, they are late but I'm ready so instead of shouting at them I'm on here and just keep calmly saying it's late you know.

Oh, not been on here for ages.

Admylin
Glad to see that you have found a flat.

Nighy
Sorry to hear about the hassle with your ex. Am I allowed to mutter some swearwords here?

Canella
Salted water with a splash of white wine vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar for Spargel. Some spargel is stringy, there is nothing you can go do. Don't go for the cheapest batch, try and look for medium sized (thickness) ones that are reasonably straight. I find the thin ones are often quite stringy. We have gone all traditional, only serve with melted butter. I put sea salt over the top now, and sometimes a wee bit of parmesan just before serving.

The German entry to Eurovision is strange. What a horrible accent she has. Funny that the Swiss entry is French, I would have thought that the stronger German part of the country would have put an entry in.

Dropped dc off, they just made it. Now just have to wait for dh to turn up - which isn't 100% sure to happen knowing his work. Anyway, I can't start anything incase he comes so might as well just sit around.

I didn't get far with the holiday planning but thought the north coast of Germany might be nice or even Denmark as we could just drive there.

Have you all sorted your summer wardrobes? I hate clothes shopping here, in UK I always found stuff that I liked and that fit - here in every shop I need a different size and there are some really strange fashions at the moment too. I'll probably end up doing it all online.

Ds will be 12 this month. He doesn't want anything special so I will just have to surprise him - but with what??

Reindl is another word you can use for a saucepan, apparently - was that what you were thinking of ZZZen? Must admit I've never heard of it; even my ILs, who come out with lots of weird and wonderful Austrianisms and are incapable of speaking Hochdeutsch, don't seem to use it. It could be a regional thing, though.

admylin - That's always my excuse whenever DH points out a mistake I've made in German: 'But that's what they say in Germany.' I don't usually manage to get away with it, but I think I may have been right on the odd occasion!

We've been speaking French all weekend as ds has a test today. I had to keep double checking if it's le or la!

I used to be so fluent. Anyway, I'm amazed at the way French is taught at school here, they have only been learning since August and the standard is so high. Also they are learning real French, so using expressions and words that I only discovered when I went to live there. In school we never went near that much detail.

I keep asking the dc to take Spanish if possible so I can learn it with it, i always wanted to learn Spanish.

Oh, and I haven't sorted my summer wardrobe because it still feels like winter here! Cold and wet again today; I'm wondering when I'll finally be able to get our summer clothes out. We went to Bratislava at the weekend and I bought some clothes for the DC from M&S and the Early Learning Centre/Mothercare but didn't find much for myself - not in the way of clothes anyway; I did stock up on food!

Holiday destinations within driving distance are always good; we're going to Italy again this year, which is about 5.5 hours away. I don't enjoy flying anyway and if we drive, we can take bikes etc for the children.

I actually studied French so get very depressed at how much I've forgotten, though maybe it will start to come back once the DC start learning it at school. DD2 is very interested in Spanish, mainly thanks to Dora the Explorer - I keep thinking I should brush up my Spanish too (not that there's much of it to brush up) or make a proper effort to learn Italian, as it will be our fourth summer holiday there this year.

Right, must go and do something productive - no work (so far) for the second day running, so no excuses for not getting a few things done.

When you come back tell me about all the food you bought LinzerTorte! We just bought bacon - German style but it wasn't the same and the bread was wrong and of course we didn't have HP sauce...used to love the M&S crisps like prawn cocktail and salt and vinager and the barbecued beef.

hello, been out of action for ages - really busy. make that really really really busy with new house. Dd kindly had me up till 4 am so am dead today and only capable of monging, hense jumping back in.

I see Admylin's found a flat? Well done, good news, has it got a garden? Any other news from anyone?

Ds1 got his Übertrittszeugnis yesterday - he's going to gymi and very very happy about it. Can't believe he still had loads of homework last night. bloody hell, let them celebrate.

Also yesterday has ds2 1st appt w. Psychologin re ADHS. She confirmed the dx that he got a couple of years ago in CH, so now at least we can look at getting him appropriate help. So pleased tho strangley a bit that it has been confirmed - it's really real. Mind you, bit stupid really as it's blindingly obvious, bless him.

Anyone know what the weather is up to?

hey ernest - nice to see you back too!! congrats to your DS1 for getting into the Gymnasium! he must have done really well at school!! dd is only in the 3rd class but already talking about how hard she'll have to work next year to get into the gymi! there are 4 kids in our village in the 4th class and none of them got into the gymi - 3 of them are going to the Hauptschule! not much ambition in my wee village!

Hope you get some help sorted for your ds2 - i would imagine that there would be some good help on offer in germany?

mme lindt - thanks for the spargel tips! thats aved me a call to my MIL!! how long do you cook them for?

admylin - glad its not only me that finds clothes a bit weird here! i'm a definite size 14 in the UK - hips and back to wide to be ever anything less but here i can never get a 42 to go over my hips! and i'm worried thats a 16 in the UK! and its not that i've put on that much weight since we moved - prob only half a stone! and my size 14 trousers from the UK still fit me! think i'll just have to do a next online shop!

omg those other eurovision songs are worse than lena!! maybe she has got a chance after all!

canella, I just did a big M&S order. Got 2 absolutely beautiful dresses and so gunstig compared with what you'd get for that price here.

Not tried Next. Am on big economy drive now though, so lucky I got in there with my 2 dresses before we worked out the finances for the house. Don't think we'll have anything new for the next 5 years!

Agree - dress sizes are odd. I'm a 10, and some shops I need a 38, and the label always says it's a UK 12! Yet in some shops I'm a 40. Then I do and m&s order and it's a 10 every time. YOu know where you stand with Marksies.

20 mins for Spargel, Canella. And it should be gently simmering, not boiling. I normally bring it to the boil, bung in the Spargel then put the lid on and turn the heat off.

Ernest
Well done to your DS1, that is great. Doesn't seem to be time to celebrate at all in German schools. Glad that you have the dx for DS2, even if it is hard to take. How are the provisions for DC with SN where you are? I find it varies immensely from Bundesland to Bundesland

Canella
That is a shame that so few village children go to Gymnasium. DH's cousin's girl is from a tiny village in Niederbayern and was the only one in her class to go to Gymnasium, and even then she had to insist as her parents thought it was a waste of time. "Für was brauchst Du überhaupt Englisch lernen, Madl?"

Just been shopping, Manor supermarket had lamb carré on special offer so stocked up. Yum.

admylin - I bought everything from baking ingredients to biscuits of every shape and size, but annoyingly forgot to look for cheese. I have a packet of M&S salt & vinegar crisps in the cupboard from DH's trip to Warsaw, but am saving them for a special occasion! Equally excitingly, this new M&S has a cafe - although we were the only people in it (I was also quite excited to discover jacket potato and beans on the menu!).

Ernest/canella - I get a lot of my clothes from M&S (in Bratislava - where we have the luxury of being able to go shopping on a Sunday; the shops here are a nightmare on a Saturday). I tend to live in skirts and dresses as I got so fed up with never being able to find trousers that fitted! When we were in Germany, I decided I either needed to lose a stone or grow 20 cm to find trousers that fitted and it's not much better here. Also, I wonder whether UK dress sizes have changed; I always thought that 38 was a 10. I used to need size 10 tops and 12 trousers but now it's 8/10 - and I definitely haven't lost weight!

oh i am so glad its not just me about the clothes!! i was beginning to feel like a fat heffer! (altho i do need to lose that half a stone and maybe another half too!!). back running again so maybe i'll get into some german clothes soon!

can i order from M&S online? very jealous of you being able to go to M&S on a sunday linzertorte - i miss sunday shopping!

mme lindt - thanks again for the spargel advice - i prob had them on for a bit longer than 20 mins yesterday but will use your advice the next time!

canella - someone, possibly admylin, mentioned a while ago about ordering online from M&S. I've never done so as we've got the one in Bratislava - and I suspect that now they've opened the big new store with food, homeware and cafe we'll be making the trip slightly more often! It was great being able to go shopping on the bank holiday last Saturday (because of course I couldn't survive a whole weekend without shopping ) or on dull rainy Sundays (too many of those lately). I really ought to join you in the running - or at least some form of exercise - as I'm ridiculously unfit (everyone keeps telling me that running round after 3 DC all day must keep me fit, but it doesn't).

admylin - did DH manage to get his suit?

I have ordered loads from M&S. Sadly, they don't do food orders online just clothes.

Recently got a big order of socks and undies for the DC.

Yes, we got a suit. Walked into store, grabbed a sales person and got them to search through the rows and rows of identical looking blue grey or black suits! Took all of 40 minutes and cost nearly a weeks wage!

Thank goodness dh knows what he wants. In the past I've been round every shop in Mannheim with a friend and at the end of that long day he went back and got the suit from the first shop.

It's worth ordering a load of stuff from the M&S website, can't remember the delivery cost but it was OK and very quick, registered online and they tell you when it's sent etc.

Oh just noticed Ernset is back. Well done to your ds for getting into Gymnasium! HAve you decided where he's going? IS it a mega journey or nearby?

When is your moving date? Is it a new house? We'll be moving in July and it won't be our last move - that I can honestly tell you now! It's far from the dream home, more like we were desperate so we took the best thing going. A tiny pathch of grass exists but I can't se eit being used as we'll be on 2nd floor but we will have a balcony (good size) atleast.

At the moment M&S delivery is £7.50. Honestly, one pair of basic kids jeans covers the cost! I usually buy a shed load of kids jeans and socks and maybe 1 or 2 things for myself. V quick. Last time I ordered they'd sent the wrong size socks, but I had ordered the wrong size dress, he said not to send them back, but sent me (correct sized) replacements for everything! If I loose a leettle bit of weight the smaller dress will aslo fit me. Anyway, sorry, waffling, but excellent service ime.

Ad, the gymi is 5 minutes bike ride from the new house. That's why we chose that vilage. If we stayed here he'd have a 20/25 minute bike ride or a door to door bus journey of about 40 minutes (it's really only about 6 km away).

If we get ds2 ADHD under control, I am confident all of them should get into Gymi (ds2 is at least as clever, and definitely sharper than ds1, but ds1 is hard working and very self motivated and determined. ds2 isn't ....)

The house is lovely but the costs are mounting and it's spoiling it for me. I am stressed out at the cost, especially as unlike in the UK housing market, you are unlikely to get your money back when you sell. I hope I never have to move again.

WHat do you reckon for outside colour. Everyone is going for boring standard pale yellow and grey. I'll stick with the grey, but want either sage green or a how do i sort of duck egg blue? SO grey with blue, grey with sage green, grey with white? I really don't want to be a sheep and have the pale yellow that every house in Switzerland and Germany that has been built in the last 6 years is painted. (stubborn foreigner)

BTW anyone have any experience with the passport service in Dusseldorf? They say at least 4 weeks. ANyone got good news stories of quick turn around? (leave everything to the last minute as usual)

Ernest - I had a last-minute passport panic last year (was ill so forgot to send off my application in good time) but as far as I can remember it only took about two weeks for my new passport to arrive, three at the very most (and that was with posting to and from Austria so it should be quicker for you). They stopped dealing with passports at the British embassy in Vienna last year so we now have to send applications to Düsseldorf too, which makes it even more expensive (30 euros for return postage alone!), but at least I don't have to worry about it again until 2012 (there seems to have been a different passport to apply for/renew every year since DD1 was born).

I've seriously considered getting a German passport because of the extreme cost of getting ours at Düsseldorf. The dc still have German ones because at the last renewal stage we were on a very tight budget so they had to go German (dh is German since 1995). Their first passports were British and they are registered so if they ever live in UK again they'll be citizens of a sort.

It doesn't really matter what you have now that we're all European anyway.

Service was much quicker than they said though Ernest. Probably they say that to make sure you apply in time and they don't have people complaining.