Little Italy 23

[BananaGio]

Siamo qua!

Hello all. Hello Buch. Been wondering were you were.
Franca sorry to hear you are still week.
Rosa good luck with the moving. Ii don't envy you.
Cellini the book shop sounds lovely. Let us know how it goes so I can suggest it to local book shop.
Giveit hope dh's hand is better. Nothing like a man who can make good pizza. I'm now so picky that its funny that I the foreigner has to choose the pizzeria for my friends.

Justfor hello. I live in -taly but work in London. What part of south london? I'm married to an Italian who is not anything like Berlusconi. I think he is a gem in any culture. And not just because he looks after dc while I'm in london.

I hear the weather is bad over there. London is as wet but today it wasn't too grey.

MINERVA if you r still looking for school pls get in touch

EUROCOMM sounds a good deal milan/london
I feel so out of touch, long story wont bore you ;-)

ANother damp dreary foggy day in the Padania country. Both dds had a bad night so went and got dd1 at 1 - minirosa had a 20 min power nap in the buggy on the way and is now refusing to sleep - well she will if I go and stay with her ...Arrggghhh am trying to decide on a few things and I need my brain cells undisturbed seeing as there are so few left!

Justforone, we are all ears if you want to

Rosa, it's foggy, damp and grey here. So fed up. I am dreading of escaping to the Cote d'Azur...

Franca not far south enough ....Now if I empty x boxes per day then I will do them all in about x days so we can book a holiday and go to Tenerife........ Better fill the boxes first haddn't I ? ..Only about 50 left to do I think !
Domani I have to go and get a car load of stuff if its not foggy I might even go to Ikea.....Then again if it is I might not and will spend more money in Leroy Merlin !

Oh you see, I'd love to go to Nizza or Saint Tropez... and eat in bistros...

Ahhh I would be happy with a evening out with dh ( or without) to be honest no dds and a nice bottle of wine and maybe some fish ... Or even hard Rock cafe...can't see either happening in the future either.
he is being a wally ..we have the electrician at the house and I said get him to put the light fittings up. He said I don't know if we need ganci or whatever. I said well ask the electrician so I can then go to the shop domani and get what we need... MA no lo so force posso fare io.. Well if you are 100% sure bene . But seeing as we have the expert there why not ask him then he will a) do it better and b) quicker!
Ahhh men !

Ah rosa you'd deserve 1000 nights out, you work so much to make your family happy ! Shall I come to Ve and babysit for you? (any excuse to go to venice, really )

I know the feeling, last time we had a night out was nearly a year ago for our birthday, SIL and BIL babysat but we had to get back early as doing actual bedtime was asking too much! And I know exactly what you mean by having to be child free in order to think straight, I find by default the DCs are taking up 30% of my brain even if they're not doing anything. One reason I hate going to the supermarket with them, I always forget vital stuff. Good luck with the packing and the Ikea trip.

Only 30%? Mine have eaten at least 70% of my dear old brain. So much so, that despite going to the supermarket alone, I always forget vital stuff

Yes sorry, that should've read "30% of the precious remaining 30% of my brain that survived having children" :o

Franca you are on but it will have to be the sofa or dd1 ready bed .. DH seems to be a bit more switched on today ( I hope)Just spent EU1100 today ..In less than 2 hrs as well ! Bought a new mattress for dh and I its a memory form thing and I tried 4 in the shop ( felt a right wally ( so did the salesman holding my bag but they were spread out all over the shop floor))) but this was the most comfy. Then went to Leroy Merlin and bought shed loads of curtains. Now have to give to friend to shorten and divide. As in salotto I have 2 windows next to each other that are only in semi view of other people so I migght be able to keep them open a bit.Then for the dds room I got I hope ones that will last for a bit not princessy but a print with butterflies and birds in and then a shocking pink voile curtain ( it does pick up in the curtains btw) as I diddn't like any of the net/ lacy kind of things - they need it as people could look in when walking past on the ballatoio ( also probably getting the Ikea window frosting.) It is only if they walk past on our side - unlikely but will see.
Also bought some lights so feel well pleased. SIL wonders why I diddn't andare in cerca for curtains and lights - Cos I don't have the time and when I get overloaded with designs and colours I can't choose so there ...But I diddn't reply like that !
Next week shelves for the store room ..Are you guys bored yet with all this house stuff ????
Still need to go to Ikea............

Ahahahahah, well done rosa, you did so many things in just one morning.

Ok then, I will come in the spring, deal?

Today I worked in the library of the dc's school. Children and staff have been complaining about the cold in the last 2 weeks, so they put thermometers in the classes today, guess what? There were a mere 15 degrees.... brrrrrr... tomorrow I'll put the children in tights!

I found that in dd class it was colder than the other 2 classes as dd classroom is on the same circuit as the sala -so they turn the sala down / off round 9.30 and then turn it on again round 12. I teach in the same classroom and it is cold - dd goes in in layers . Tights are a good idea!!!!Its warmer here today but gelo is still foreast domani - hurrah !

It's terribly cold here today. We are planning to go to the mountains for the week end, but I really need to check the forecast, I can't bear it if it's too cold.

hello all - after a freezing and rainy start, it is sunny here - hooray! the mountains look mighty brrrr here Franca - you can see a snow line, like they've been dipped in ice!

Rosa, have so much respect for your moving mojo...you sound well capable! and bravo re>not wasting time faffing with curtains, lights etc. I, for one, am so over the whole sorry re-furnishing task..nearly brained DP at the weekend after looking at endless coatstands in endless places - it's going to be covered in fecking coats so no one will ever see it!!! he is a designer so i am plagued by his whims good taste.

sounds like you're better, Franca, do you volunteer or work in the library? bet it's nice. tis one of my work fantasies to be a librarian... speaking of book am in mourning for my Kindle which i dropped while tidying up yesterday. serves me right for choosing tidying over reading. have ordered another as will go mad if have no reading matter what with not speaking to anyone other than kindly shopkeepers and 2year old all day!!

on this self-pitying note, i am off to try to register DS at another materne and face incomprehending, quizical expressions of staff, then will try not to chicken out of going to English and Spritzer night tonight...arrrh...has to be worth it as maybe someone will also have a child who i can meet up with DS occasionally...keep your fingers crossed for me please!

Morning all!
On my way home now! I tell you I really could do with a night out without the children. Actually I reaaly need a weekend away to see dh again. We spend time together but its just stolen moments rather than real time because I want to spend so much time with dc after being away drom them for 3 days. I have a plan that next time I have to stay in london for the weekend, I will ask dh to come and meet me. I'm sure mil won't mind but I feel so guilty for both dc and in laws.

Rosa, good luck with the moving. You sound as if you coping better than I would. My Sil (and I'm pretty sure your is not a not annoying like mine) gets on my nerves at the best of times so in a situation like that her suggestion (or as I take them; criticism) would not be welcome at all.

Belated finger crossed Cellini. Hope you made it English and spritzer.

Dh and I were hoping for a night out when my parents came over but I have not told them when we are moving as Mum was down with a nasty virus so I don't want her coming here until she is back 100% . I sound organised but it is just getting it all actually in place. I did 2 runs for boxes today s I have a few to fill now and Hurrah hurrah my cleaning lady is back from teh Ukraine so at least thats a hand.
Cellini well how id dit go ???
Euro hope you manage a few hours with dh and great idea about the weekend in LOndon. My dh used to do it lots when I was working and we had no dds- We would add on a couple of days . The comp wouòd pay my flight and we would do the rest.We had some grest weekends- One May walking in Hyde Park was probably the best .....
Franca have a great weekend hope its not too cold. So far no snow here but the temp has dropped.

Hello, it's crisp but sunny here in Milan, so I am now going to pack for the mountains, we are going after collecting the dc from school.

Cellini, I volunteer at the school library. The library has been set up by the comitato genitori and we have a rota with 6/7 parents who keep it open and are responsible of lending books etc.

So Cellini, did you go last night? I hope you had a lovely time!

Euro, such a great idea re weekend in London! Dh is going next week as he is working on Friday, I toyed with the idea of going with him, but decided to stay here.

A librarian is one of my dream jobs too! I looked into doing a course when we were in the UK, but there is lots of IT involved, which put me off!

hello, just a quickie as i fear the creature is about to wake-ip from his nap.

Just wanted to report back> nearly didn't go but did, am v pleased i did,too! was v funny - about 10 Italians of different levels of English and three "native" speakers including me. The Italians pay 5euros each, everyone gets a drink, then you just chat and drink for an hour! lovely! i used to teach English so adjusted my speaking (pace and vocab) according to the level of the other people i spoke to, but it was just good conversational practice for them i think, tbh. They were all lovely though!

I'd recommend anyone with a good bookshop (that has some space - this was is a basement room, and there was a music appreciation group meeting upstairs - twas Bohemian!) to try and organise one.

Then, i managed to speak to the organiser re:anyone else with a similar aged child and lo and behold, she had a 2year old DS, too! So, they came over this morning and played which was lovely! My DS was so pleased with his new friend - and so was i!

Also, after the group left last night, the other English woman and I had a glass of prosecco and she is ace, also has a 2year old and there is a group of English-speaking parents and kids who go to each others' houses weekly to play - hurray! she emailed me last night as part of their group email and introduced me, and one of them lives on my road so has offered ot meet up whenever throughout the week! i am a re-born social butterfly!!

also, double bonus, the British woman put me onto her kids' school and i rushed there this morning and registered my DS for Sept - thank God!!! was starting to see the spectre of Home Ed looming before this and OFSTED would not be impressed with my efforts!

Sorry to hear about your mum's virus Rosa, but glad your cleaner is back and hopefully well-rested and ready to go!

Euro, your planned weekend sounds blissful...would love that with DP but think we'd have to marry to have a honeymoon in order to get away without DS for any period of time! I agree with Rosa re;Hyde Park...sigh.

Franca, glad you're off to the mountains, hope it's deep and crisp and even for you. the library sounds lovely, maybe something i'll investigate once DS is settled.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.(just realised this isn't a "quickie" at all - apologies!)

Oh wow Cellini, sounds like you had a lovely and fruitful evening . I am impressed by the bookshop and by the number of expats living in Bassano. Hurrah!!!

That's great Cellini, I am very happy for you as I know all too well the problems of being isolated in provincial Italy with small children!

Cellini that is wonderful news I am pleased for you ....They will be a great help I am sure as they will be able to point you in teh right direction for lots of things . Great for ds as well to have some new mates. Alos sounds as if you might even get in some private teaching if you carry on !!!!!
Back to teh boxes for 15 mins.... I have just thrown out well given to charity 5 of dh jumpers ( he hasn't worn them for 3 yrs at least so I am hoping he won't miss them ..I could always say a box fell in the lagoon ..........

My goodness you all sound so busy.

Justfor - I think this thread is for anyone with an Italian connection - I find it difficult to sort out who is a brit married to an Italian and who is Italian but has lived in UK and who is UK who's lived in Italy - I think of Little Italy as a place for all people with an Italian connection really.

I'm in N. London (british married to a southern Italian). Nope Italian men are certainly not all like caligula (erm Berl) but you gotta find them.

My dh certainly not like caligula but certainly like Toto. Today - I'm up at 6am doing my thing and entertaining ds while dh sleeps - bloody washing machine is making a tremendous noise (but still not waking up dh but I wish he would) - it then packs in. I'm on the phone to Bosch and it doesn't sound like it's worth repairing it but I cannot get damned door open and it's full of clothes and water. DH wakes up - he says you dw go buy a new one (oh I have about an hour to go do that) but I do have instructions on how to repair it - he just forces the door open and pretty much the entire river bloody thames floods the flat - oh love - if you'd just given me a minute to get buckets to catch the water ( ie if you'd read the instructions). I then have to clean up the mess - he reckons he's fixed it and it's ALL MY FAULT FOR OVERLOADING IT AND IT'S FINE NOW DEAR WIFE - erm but I'm at the electrical shop just looking at new washing machines - I call him and he confirms the washing machine has broken down again (betters still if he'd actually called me)- ooooh gooooood - I'm in the shop and have credit card so order a new one and a (new) man to come and fit it monday. I get home and dh still in pjs.

Ohh - sorry for long winded bloody post but feel soooo much better for saying it.

I will ensure dh not here when (new) man comes to fit new machine and I very much hope he's fit?!? I'm a middle aged woman with fantasies so need fit (preferably looking like robert downey jr) guy to come and rescue me monday evening.

Ha ha.

But seriously even the BBC was reporting on B and they never bother with him usually so things must be hotting up in the Rome govt camp.