Why are you happy today?

[Alberto]

Because she was a stay-at-home mum (politically incorrect) her pension is not massive but still welcome.

How can she has a pension at all if she didn't work?
My wife too is a stay-at-home mum, and therefore we don't expect any German pension for her

[PandaMunich]

How can she has a pension at all if she didn't work?
My wife too is a stay-at-home mum, and therefore we don't expect any German pension for her

For children whose first 2.5 years (for children born up to 1991) or whose first 3 years (for children who were born starting with 1992) were spent in Germany, the mother gets pension points at a "worth" of the average German pension at that time.
So if a mother has two children raised in Germany, she will for sure get at least 5 years worth of pension points, i.e. will have reached the minimum necessary contribution time of 5 years to draw a German social security pension.
Even with only one child, if she then paid voluntary social security pension contributions to reach the minimum 5 contribution years (anywhere in the EU, for this, the UK still counts as EU), she will get a German social security pension.
For details, please read: https://www-finanztip-de.translate.goog ... r_pto=wapp

If the mother raised the children in another EU country (and the UK "counts" as EU for up to 2020) and then worked in Germany, then she will also get these extra pension years, please see here: https://www-eu--gleichbehandlungsstelle ... r_pto=wapp

--> your wife should now get employment in Germany, at least a mini job, and then her child raising years that happened pre-2020 in the UK will get her 3 years of German pension points.

[Alberto]

Thanks Panda

[bethannbitt]

I am happy for all the posts about "spunk" in the laughing thread. I've a good reason to be posting in the Unhappy thread today, but the "spunk" posts are a good diversion. Long live spunk. It's admirable to have spunk.

[HEM]

Because she was a stay-at-home mum (politically incorrect) her pension is not massive but still welcome.

How can she has a pension at all if she didn't work?
My wife too is a stay-at-home mum, and therefore we don't expect any German pension for her

My wife was working (DESY Rechenzentrum) when we met and then for a further 4+ years until Mutterschutz.
She had also had some Summer jobs whilst studying.

But her salary was not particularly high ...

[bethannbitt]

Mixed feelings, but I'm a glass-half-full kinda gal. A dear, dear friend of mine in Kansas who is the same age as my mother passed away yesterday. As good fortune would have it I was in the US in September and was with her to celebrate her bellybutton birthday. So my last memories of being with her are positive and loving, for which I can be most grateful. Timing is sometimes good to us.

[bethannbitt]

My dog Alfie, who is 16-17 years old and has been with us for nearly 15 years, is doing better today. Yesterday I was very worried about him, but his vet exam and bloodwork proved me wrong. So now my 3 Armenian-Germerican grandkiddos (3, 6, & 9) can enjoy another Christmas with him. We've made adjustments since realizing he's completely blind and partially deaf and they've helped. Furry creatures teach us so much about our human vulnerabilities. I'm very happy that I rescued this dog from a miserable beginning in his life and could bring him over here when we moved.

[AlexTr]

Well, this happened. Meet Jacob aka 10-ply aka Shakey Jakey. He's a German short-haired pointer. About 4-5 yo. Scared of everything. Got him from an Italian shelter where he'd been for over 2 years.

deutsch-kurzhaar-rassehund-mittelgross-friedrichsdorf-koeppern_0f0241f2-5bc2-4f23-844d-0a4ca1f14243.jpg (89.08 KiB) Viewed 889 times

[Fraufruit]

Congrats, AlexTr!!!!

[bethannbitt]

Alfie, my elderly pooch, started a new low-protein diet and gained back the 2 lbs. (out of 14) that he lost last fall. He's feeling much better.

[Kerfuffle]

This gives me hope and nice to see a statesman in action.

[bethannbitt]

OH MY GOSH! Here's the weather in the town I lived in for 19 years before moving to Konstanz in 2019. My friends are all hunkerin' down at home. I'm so happy I can video chat with them and that it's not cold like that here right now.

Ergebnisse für Lawrence, Kansas, USA

-17°C°F Niederschlag: 56% Luftfeuchte: 80% Wind: 16 km/h Stark bewölkt

[alison]

On 31/1, I will wake up in Berlin after a redeye to start the new chapter in my life.

And, as of Thursday, I already have a social event planned there of the kind that made me want to move in the first place.

Now back to packing . . .
Alison

[Emkay]

I might be in a very difficult time now….divorce, health worries etc…..BUT what great snow we have now. Neighbours are moaning about clearing. I love it. Just made a snow man…..just for me. He’s quite imperfect but, so am I

IMG_8868.jpeg (1.63 MiB) Viewed 596 times

[Emkay]

Well, this happened. Meet Jacob aka 10-ply aka Shakey Jakey. He's a German short-haired pointer. About 4-5 yo. Scared of everything. Got him from an Italian shelter where he'd been for over 2 years.


deutsch-kurzhaar-rassehund-mittelgross-friedrichsdorf-koeppern_0f0241f2-5bc2-4f23-844d-0a4ca1f14243.jpg

Congratulations AlexTr. He’s lovely. Rescue pets are so deserving. A while ago, I met an elderly lady on a forest walk with her dog. She told me she’s 80 and just adopted an old lovely dog. She said that they both might not have long left though being together has given them both a new lease of life.

[alma.freya]

On 31/1, I will wake up in Berlin after a redeye to start the new chapter in my life.

And, as of Thursday, I already have a social event planned there of the kind that made me want to move in the first place.

Now back to packing . . .
Alison

Welcome to Germany?

[Feierabend]

Two days ago bought a 24hr DB ticket to go up to Berlin to my Augenartzt appointment. You do not miss these golddust appointments if you can possibly help it.Train (only possible one I could take due to big diversions in central Berlin) arrived with only a 10 min delay, wow! We all settle down optimistically in the warmth, yoo-hoo. Announcement, there's a short delay, someone's had an accident further up the line. Ten mins later, announcement two, sorry, we're returning to the terminus. We all shuffle resignedly back out into the big freeze.
BUT, I applied online for a refund and it's amazingly arrived in my account after only two days. What came over them?

[snowingagain]

Last time I was delayed enough for a refund, it arrived without me having to apply (obviously I have account with them). Cool.

[Franklan]

Two days ago bought a 24hr DB ticket to go up to Berlin to my Augenartzt appointment.

I'd be happy to hear that eventhough the DB efjued, you made that Augenarzt appointment...

[Feierabend]

Thanks Franklan, yes I did, luckily OH was at home and brought the car to the station so we drove up.
Augenartz practices are few and far between outside of cities so I stay with the one I got into when I was working in Berlin. They are extremely busy so I hate to miss appointments as am being monitored for glaucoma. Eyes are so precious.