Little Italy 24

[BananaGio]

Ciao tutte!

Franca - I understand your pain. If parents have to buy a new loo seat and a photocopy allowance in a MC Milan school, then the problem is quite serious... Yu do wonder how regions which are less rich fare...

Exactly Minerva. Things work mostly because of the good will of the preside, teachers and parents...
Needless to say that if I bumped into Gelmini I'd have a few things to say to her...

I am dreading the elementare as I went to a private school in the Uk so I was lucky . In the past at dd1 materna they have purchased a stereo / Tv/ digital camera and our cake sale bought Eu600 of giocchi.....So teh genitori are quite generous. At Minirosas materna monthly we have to take what they put on the list each month scottex, crackers, ( teaspoons!!!) and in avanti they ask for paper and crayola pens etc. The nipotine I believe they have to take in a few more things but they don't have lots of genitori doing things as I know my SIl would be in there helping !
Today there was a party at Minirosas materna the welcoming officially of the little ones so she came out beaming and with a medallion but she ate nothing at all ......... Its raining and yuck here ! I am hoping things get better soon its all part of the process I know but I hate it. Apparently she stays in arms until she quietens down then stays vicino for a bit and then she goes and plays. She doesn't play much with other children but she has her firm favourite toys and defends them!

Oh bless her, I bet she was very proud of herself!
I think it is quite normal that she doesn't play with other children, she is still quite young and has only just started!

No, don't worry too much about elementari. They are not that bad . Talk to other parents, but take everything with a pinch of salt. I think that overall there are more teachers who are doing their job well than those who don't.

Whoops have to go and wash dd's hair, she wants me!

Gio all ok down there ?
Crikey what a wind up here thought I was going to fall in the lagoon this morning !
Well minirosa went in smiling today but her favourite teacher was there- This afternoon another sciopero - I am not affected as she comes home at 13.30 but this is the third in a month !
So the formica came past and left Eu2 , the tooth fairy left a small mini barbie. Thing is the formica came to MIl and SIL as well.
Right off to dig out the scarves and wool hats the cotton bandanas and cotton cuffie are now finished. Also I am grrrrr - My lovely cord coat from M&S has been worn 3 times this autumn along with the 3 in the spring ....Its out with the Decathlon pile thing and I am going to get my pumino from Lands End as they have a nice simple purple one at £140 seeing as the squall coat I have had from them for 6 years and it is still in very good condition I think it will be money well spent !

Oh yes, Gio how's it going down there ?

Terribly cold wind arrived here at about 4 this afternoon. Brrrrrrrrrrrr freezing! I am not ready to face winter, I like summer!

Was dd happy of the presents from formica and fairy?

Rosa, I want a warm coat too. I am trying to persuade dh that I need a new warm one for my birthday! Still haven't found anything I am 100% convinced. I'll check out lands end.

Wow 3 scioperi already , that's a lot. Mind you, I don't blame them, not sure about Veneto, but here they made things very difficult for teachers and anyone working in schools.

Actuallu MILs was one of the most intelligent things she has ever bought. It was a wooden ant that you unscrew its body and you can put the tooth in it. Then there is a slit that you can leave a coin or note in. Its lovely ...and she got 10 Euro from Nonna......
Had my hair done today hurrah its been almost 2 months since I was aiming to get it done !
Minirosa has a cough ....so get the aerosol out but she doesn't seem to have anything else....
Gotta dash its Gym time for DD1 ....
Gio all ok ?????????'

Hope Gio and Sputnik aren't involved in the mess created by the storm/flooding yesterday.

Rosa, aha the parrucchiere! It's always nice being able to go the hairdresser!

I forgot that Sput also has a flat in Rome ..Yes hope they are both ok. Well so much for my change .....Only 1 person noticed this afternoon so much for so called amici ! Even Dh says that is really different !

Oh well Rosa, my dh never acknowledges the change when I go to the hairdresser!

Total diluvio here yesterday, I didn't even go out and DCs school is closed down for 2 days. We went out today though and everything seemed normal. Took the Dcs on a shopping trip as they were off and bought pyjamas from DPAM, now DS looks like Christopher Robin or something, I can't quite come to terms with it!
Rosa please don't let my DD know about your tooth fairy, she gets max 1 euro, usually after several days when the tooth fairy gets round to it

all ok here. am always glad we live at the top of a hill when the rain starts! friend of mine was flooded though. dp had a nightmare getting to work with the metro being closed. What a week in Rome!
DD will be yanking her teeth out from now on Rosa
I am 40 next week . How did that happen???? Am beside myself at the Stone Roses getting back together. At the moment there are rumours there will be playing Milan and Bologna. Noone EVER comes to Rome, well noone I want to see. I want to pretend to be 18 for a weekend! But then I think I am 40 and would look ridiculous in baggy gear (like I am trying to disguise the fat) and it would take me 6 months to get over a heavy night so it''s probably for the best

Morning all!

Hope weekends were good for everyone. Had a very productive one myself: I managed to do the Xmas pudding, a cheesecake and a teacake, minestrone for the freezer, supermarket shopping, pizza out on saturday, an hour Skype call with a friend in Oz , and my cousin and her PFB's visit yesterday... The latter one was the most stressful one, as the PFB is totally out of control - my house looked like a tornado had passed through!
Even my DD was trying to get the boy to sit down with her and do some kind of activity for more than 2 mins - he was too full on even for her. I am not sure why this is though: my cousin is quite strict, but understandably is at the end of her tether and seems to lose patience quite quickly: he was always a "difficult" baby, refusing to sit anywhere for more than 10 mins (including in the pram) and had trouble sleeping. However, his verbal skills are amazing for his age and is quite good at sharing toys/showing empathy, which at his age (2 and a half) is rather unusual. It's a puzzle! I am really close to my cousin, she is struggling, and I would like to help her but I do not know how...

Minerva I am impressed.... well done. As we are going to be in the Uk this year I am not doing any xmas cooking but will do some things with the dds nearer the time.
Your cousins pfb sounds a nightmare do you think it could be a mild form of AHD perhaps ? Has she been to see a doc about it ?
The skies have clouded over and we have aqua alta forecast for the next 2 days so here we go again ! I am fighting off a cold but think I will go to the gym to try and sweat it on anyway........

Minerva my DS was on the hyperactive side, one thing I found essential around that age was getting him outside for a run around everyday in the park without fail.

Hello dears, it is now raining cats and dogs here. Which is good I suppose, as it hasn't rained for more than a months and the air was yuck.

Gio, you are more than welcome to stay here if you want to go to see the Stone Roses in Milan! Seriously, it wouldn't be a problem.

Minerva, wow well done for doing so many things in a weekend!
I don't think there's anything strange with your cousin's son, from what you are saying. He just sounds like a very lively 2 yr old, I mean they can be pretty full on! Is he the PFB they didn't want to send to nursery?

Its foul here am I so hoping dh is going to get back soon so I don't have to take Mrosa out with me to get dd and take her to gym club as I really would like to walk under an umbrella ( if I take MR then she will have to go in the buggy as its really chucking it.)
Went to ,make a lemon cake - checked 1st for eggs all ok..... Went to weigh flour missing 115g of farina con leivito no problem used plain and a bit of polvere. Then missing 40g of burro - oh well a dash of milk more. Then opened the egg box only 2 not 4 ...Crapppp. It was too late by then to change it as I had bunged it all in the bowl. I risked it and it rose beautifully - I spooned sugar and lemon juice over and the top became a soggy mess and it tastes foul ! Serves me right.......

Oh no Rosa! It is so disappointing when things go bad. I once ruined an orange and poppy seeds cake just by opening the oven door too early, the cake went all flat and tasted like a frisbee

Still raining.

Went to the supermarket and bought more eggs, flour etc and made another.... This looks much better ....

so annoying when that happens Rosa. Was your second one nice?
vile weather this morning here, thunder and rain-hope we dont get the floods again!
Franca I may well take you up on that
Minerva your weekend sounds very impressive and makes mine which involved lots of sofa and lying on it sound rather useless...

Go ahead Gio

Weather still vile here, but have to go and do 1000 errands, as tomorrow we are going to the UK!!!!

Thanks - but I have to confess that I have been a bit useless at work in the last couple of days... Too tired... Serves me right for playing superwoman at the weekend.

Franca, I do not think that there is anything "wrong" with cousin's PFB (yes, he is that PFB): he is actually a lovely boy who really tries to look after his little friends; just very energetic! I just feel for my cousin, who feels like a crappy mother because she runs ragged and is shouty all the time.

By the way, the weather is scary over here - driving to work this am was hard work: low visibility, tons of water everywhere. I hope everyone else is OK!

The weather is terrible. We I think have seen the most of it now we have had heavy rain but no strong winds - like last week ! Mind you what a mess in Liguria .
Franca the Uk how great hope you have a wonderful time and fill the case with all the little things you miss. I am about to do my British Corner shop order but it keeps getting longer !
Minerva I suppose when the boy is a bit older he can channel his energy into some kind of sport or something - maybe sputs suggestion of a run in the park or how about a trampoline ?
Must do something I really can't be bothered but house needs a clean !

Oh that PFB then! Is he going to nursery then now? I just meant to say that 2 yrs is generally a very tricky age that can make us all feel like crap mothers at times! I feel sorry for your cousin too, I know how hard it can be, especially with an energetic child. Is she having a little break when he's a nursery?

Rosa, I hope I will manage to fit all I want in our suitcase, but I am not very optimistic, as we are only taking a bagaglio a mano as we have a very quick transfer from the airport to the train station!

He has finally settled in nursery (he still plays up in the morning, but when he is there is fine). He will move on to full days from next week, so my cousin will have a break (ish, she has a one year old too)

Franca, have fun in the UK !