Normal service was resumed today. I was up before the kids and took a morning stroll to the bakers. It’s still cold here and looked like a classic “Hochnebel” day to me. Hochnebel means “high fog” and is used to describe an indistinct grey sky. You can’t actually make out any clouds forms, just a uniform dull and vaguely depressing grey sky. If you are near the mountains on a day like this you will often find that the peaks are in brilliant sunshine while the valleys are miserable under this grey layer. Hochnebel is the perfect word for it. Continue reading →

Saturday. The day started well. I didn’t wake up until 7, Ariane made french toast for the kids, there was no need for me to go to the baker’s and I was glad to have a mini lie-in. After breakfast it was off to the recycling centre (not much stuff this week) and then to new shopping center in Böblingen to get some birthday presents and go to the supermarket. There was always a threat of cloud but for most of the morning the sun was out. I even toyed with the idea of having a cup of coffee on our terrace (it’s sheltered and faces south).  Continue reading →

Nice surprise this morning – my eldest daughter was already awake when I got up and came with me to the bakery at 6:30. The sky was clear, birds were already singing and there was no queue when we got there. All in all, a good start to the day.

We live in a suburb of Stuttgart – a town of about 10,000 residents in a pretty “steady” Continue reading →

Good start to the day with the first truly dry and sunny cycle commute. It’s still freezing cold but it makes such a difference having the sun shining through the trees. The icy temperatures mean I am rosy-cheeked and wide awake when I get into the office. The first thing I do is turn on the coffee machine and look forward to that first cup – really feeling as if I’ve earned it.
I clearly remember the first time I tasted coffee. It was during a day sledging at Gott’s Park near Leeds. I was soaking wet, tired out and probably freezing cold but having too much fun to stop for long. Mum got out a hot flask of coffee – probably milky and with sugar – and I was so relieved to taste something warm that I enjoyed it. I was probably about 10. Back then in Yorkshire, all coffee was instant. Nescafe usually, or Nescafe Gold if you were posh. Continue reading →

Up early today to beat the traffic and get to Munich in time for my meeting at 10am. I certainly beat the traffic and have arrived an hour and half early. Mind you, I had planned to be early for a couple of reasons. First off, you never know and it doesn’t take much to create an hour-long traffic jam. Secondly, I am visiting a large insurance company (the WWK “Wittwen und Waisen Kasse” – means Widows’ and Orphans’ Society) which has an excellent cafe in its expansive reception area. Not only do they serve real Italian coffee from a noisy machine with lots of dials, but it is served by a real Italian. Continue reading →

I had a business meeting last week with three people that I have known for years. With two of them I was “per Du”, as they say here. That means that we had agreed to address each other with the less formal version of “you” at some stage. This is much more than just agreeing to use a different word – it signifies a new level of familiarity and friendship. It’s also much easier for an Englishman because Du sounds like you, whereas the more formal Sie (pronounced Zee) is less intuitive. Continue reading →