AThanks petitecat and Chezza, the way I see it is no matter what's going on there's always people worse off so I don't normally like complaining but it has got me down lately can't help it. The family thing is over now but expect tot will return next Christmas ! Always hard when your parents are divorced. . I just end up being the punch bag :-(

AWent to see that big ship that run around earlier in the solent OMG looks unreal !

Hi everyone - been back at work despite the creaking back (I swear I could double for Julie Walters if they brought back that Acorn Antiques comedy).  I have been so busy that I haven't been able to catch up!!  Shocking.

Oh Lynne - flipping 'eck - that must have been scary.  Glad you are OK.

I hope Maisie is feeling better too.  I can't remember if this is right so forgive me if I'm wrong but are you OK now Chezza??  Did you make the eclairs?  Or was that Loubee?  I'm confused...put me in a quiet corner.....

Jean - I missed your photo cake - had to scroll back so far...it's lovely.

Barbara - are you off next week?  Have you got everything planned?

Oh Jo - troubles are like buses - nothing for ages and then they all come at once.  I know what it's like.  Yes - they were our chocolate shoes - I was ill with cold so had no hand in them - all my daughter's own work!

To everyone else - I will try to catch up but before I forget nice cake Kelsey.

Kathy

ADidn't make the eclairs I couldn't be bothered over this weekend and spent the whole day cleaning the house ready for the kids going back to school tomorrow, but I did say to the kids I would make them this weekend if I have time

ALol Kathy aka Julie .. hope that back improves x

Chezza it's the cargo ship that was carrying cars, it ran around in the solent. It's all over the news looks like this... thankfully no one hurt

[IMG]http://www.cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3318359/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

AOh yeah think I saw that on the news just off the Isle of Wight. Luckily no one was hurt there is always a travel tragedy on the news these days

AHi everyone.

Thanks Jo, yes last week was a busy week, fiddly cakes, a rest for 2 weeks, then got one for when I get back.

Sorry to hear of your family probs, god knows we all have them don't we?

Yes Kathy, on Sunday, flight is 5.45, when you mean planned, um, not really yet, gotta print out passes, got insurance, booked the car park, gotta get euros, got bits and bobs.

AForgot to ask Kathy. Is it cheap or expensive in Berlin?

If we were to walk into the city from Prenslauberg how many miles roughly would that be?

Hi Barbara - we found it about the same as London for food and drink.  I don't think I would walk from where you are staying as it's a huge place and you'll be walking loads anyway.  If you don't get the S-Bahn (which should be easy and cheap) see if you can get a bus.  Ask the hotel to help you.  My friend said that there wasn't much in that area but I personally don't know it.  How are you getting to the hotel from the airport?  Which airport are you going into?  I went to Tegel and it cost us €20 to get to the centre where our hotel was. Let me know if you want to know anything.

Kathy

AIn area Berlin is the largest city in Europe, and distances between attractions can be great. They have excellent public transportation in Berlin. You can get a pass that's valid on all forms - bus, train, S-bahn.

We were there in September.

AThanks Kathy, it's the other airport , schoneberg I think it's called. Was gonna get a taxi from the airport.

Jed knight, where did you stay?

Did you like it there?

What was the pass you had called?

AHow long are you going to be there? We bought the pass at the airport and took the bus into the city.

Our hotel was on Prenzlauer Alle - just past Alexanderplatz. Half a block away was the S-bahn so every morning we hopped on and then got off at Alexanderplatz. We had found a little cafe just around the corner there where we ate breakfast and had coffee. Then the bus into town and from there different attractions. The zoo was nice, as well as the new Jewish museum.

DH and I both speak German, but many people, especially younger people, speak at least rudimentary English.

I can't remember what the pass was called. You can ask at the airport, or Berlin's tourist information website would have info. I'm pretty sure it's in English, too. How long is your visit?

AMorning all.

Jedi.

I'm going for 4 days.

My hotel is Called Park Plaza, it's in Storkower street, Prenslauberg.

Unfortunately I don't spk any Germany whatsoever, it will be interesting I can only imagine to listen to my feeble attempts of the German language, ha ha.

AI can count up to twenty in German, and have a vague recollection of a song about a knapsack and Valkeries :-D

AHa ha ha, you crack me up lizzy!

Morning all

Nanny, 'Ich bin durstig' (I am thirsty). 'Mien Gut' (My God). I also know a dirty word, won't say which one. All you need.

I'm busily trying to ignore all the stuff that hubby wants to do in the house before my sister and her family come in April. It's a deadline he's set for us, to get our ass in gear and finishing all that we should have done two years ago. 

How's everyone? Hopefully getting rid of all ailments! I've almost got rid of my cough and cold. It's a bit difficult to tell if its my allergies, which cause me to have a runny nose almost daily. 

AMorning all. :-)

I've missed loads again!

How are you Lynne? You must've been terrified, hope you're all better now. X

Get well soon to chezzabelle and Kathy too. And everyone else who's poorly.

I forgot your shoes Kathy, they were lush. I think i liked them in Facebook tho.

Aww, cr*ppy new year jo, hopefully it's all out the way now and things will look up. I'm so glad the fruitcake went down well, everyone raves about it and it was the tier that went first at my brothers vow renewal. I've had three people ask me for one for next Christmas already.

Nanny I dashed to ystrad yesterday and I had a bargain, satin ice gumpaste, £7.74, £14 is the cheapest I've seen it anywhere else. If you've never tried it I'd recommend it, especially at that price. My best friend asked me ages ago if I'd make her son a cake for his 18th. He was having a big party, she wanted a big one to feed everybody. Then she said dw about a cake cos he doesn't want a party now, then New Year's Eve she said they're having a party in the house so can she have a cake after all! I said yes and didn't give it another thought cos I was up to my eyes in wedding cake, then I was ill, then I woke up yesterday and thought "oh no, I've got a cake due Friday!" I haven't even got a clear plan in my head, I hate not having a plan.

Leah's been a nightmare for days cos her iPad is broken. I went to get her one yesterday but the best I could do was order one to be picked up today. She's been crying and calling me, asking me to fix it, showing off, not wanting anything else to play with. I was close to the end of my tether. And I know it sounds ridiculous cos there are children in the world without food or clean water but she is literally devastated. I'm so grateful to my grandad, I was going to take hers to be repaired but he said "get her a new one, I'll pay". He adores her, she's his favourite and he doesn't care who knows it. :-)

Btw nanny I lived in Germany for two years so if you'd like a few useful phrases let me know. I'm a bit rusty but I can remember the basics I think. :-)

Lush cake Kuushi, bet they were delighted.

Sorry if I've missed anyone, I'll go back to check if I can get a connection at the hospital, taking my auntie to physio today. New year but same old, I'm still as busy as ever. :-)

ADidn't see that Jean, my post was rather long tho! I'm still coughing so if you've had this virus it's probably that. It's a nasty one this year I think. Anyway, off I go. Tschuss! (Bye) :-)

AMaisie it doesn't sound silly about the iPad, fingers crossed you can pick your one up today

Maisie, aw poor Leah. Your grandad is lovely for helping out though! About the cake, don't know what to suggest as I don't know the boy's interests, unless you'd rather get out of it. She's your bestfriend- she might understand if you cant?

Morning all hope everyone is feeling better today.

Thanks Jo, sorry to hear about all the problems you've been having hope things settle down for you now.

Kathy hope your back is easing off and your not in to much pain.

Hi Suzanne hope the loft conversion goes well.

Maisie I'm sure you will come up with a plan fro the cake cake and it will be fab. Poor Leah hope you get the ipad today and get it sorted. So nice of your grandad to buy her a new one.

Sorry to anyone I've missed minds gone blank.

AI'm glad nobody thinks Leah's iPad emergency is not really an emergency! :-) She doesn't understand money or that there are people worse off than her, she doesn't understand why her favourite thing in the world isn't working. If her iPad and my washing machine broke on the same day and I could only afford to replace one I'd be handwashing! :-D

Jean I could get out of it, she wouldn't mind at all. But I don't want to, she's my best friend in the world and never asks for much. And I don't make cakes for her and her family usually, her boys (January birthdays) don't want cake, her birthday is the same day as my stepsons and her daughters is the day after Leah's. Her husbands is less than a week after my husbands, both around Mother's Day usually. So I'm usually too busy making my lot cakes to make any for her. Her other boy is 18 next January and she's already booked me for his cake, his will be easy tho, he's man utd crazy so she wants a football shirt. I'm going to do a playing card theme but the only one of those I've tried before I hated. It was the worst cake I've ever made.

And yes, my grandad is a superstar. :-)

So Barbara - do you need a quick ready reference then?

Also Barbara - hierunter findest du einige nützliche Wörter;

1. Sprechen Sie Englisch?   (do you speak English)

2. Sprechen Sie Walisisch?  (do you speak Welsh....you never know!)

3. Wie viel kostet das?  (how much is that?)

4. ein großes    (a large.....whatever...you can leave the last "s" off and it still makes sense)

5. Wie komme ich nach.(.......how do I get to.....)

6. Vielen Dank  (thanks a lot)

7. Bitte  (please....can also use that to attract attention of waiters!)

usw....  (etc)

To be honest Barbara - I speak German but it really didn't matter.  As soon as they realised I was English, people just wanted to speak to me in English.  The only issue was the taxi drivers didn't speak English.  I suggest you have the address of the hotel written out and write out number 3 above.  If you wish me to look for my guide book, just let me know.  I am now extremely jealous!

Kathy

Oh Maisie - just read about Leah - that's awful and your grandad is so lovely to want to help.  Those things are flippin' expensive.

My back is still not great.  I can however straighten up given enough time!

Bis bald!

Kathy

AThanks Kathy and maisie for my language lessons.

My only concern is taxis drivers ripping me off, how much can I expect to pay from the airport?

ALmao Kathy, "Ich bin Waliserin" was probably the sentence I used the most when I was there! (Well, that and eine grosse bier bitte!) They all thought I was English. Then when you tell them you're welsh/from Wales they say "is that in England?"

Nanny you were supposed to say "danke schon Maisie and Kathy". Then we say "Bitte Schon" :-)

Isn't auto correct funny when you type foreign words! How did you get your keyboard to do the double s thingy Kathy? Sorry, forget what it's called now.

Tschuss erstmal! :-)

Haha Maisie - it's called an eszett!  I have it under "symbols" in Word and just cut and pasted it!  Nobody uses it nowadays I find - been told it's archaeic - a bit like me!

I think it's only the French who seem to know where Wales is!  Haha - I suppose you are all distant cousins so they ought to know.

Kathy

AMaybe I never knew what it was called Kathy cos that doesn't jog my memory at all! We were taught it in school but the German I learnt in school wasn't as much help as I thought it would be when I lived there. Then again I expect every language is the same, I doubt Germans learning English are taught that an appropriate response to "would you like to meet me for coffee?" might be, "awrigh, tidy, be there now in a minute butt" are they! I found it difficult to learn in school (all that der, die and das) but so easy to pick up when I was living there and hearing it all the time. I'm getting nostalgic now, I wanna go back! You're gona have a fabulous time nanny. :-)

The Americans don't know where Wales is either. "Hi there, where y'all frarm?" "Wales" "Wales, awesome, is that in Engerland?" :-D

A

Paul! !!!!!!

ATut, auto correct! !! I meant PMSL :D