Little Italy 26

[Rosa]

Siamo qui ... Ciao a tutti !

Awwww happy to hear your news Alex. Ds's best friends in the Uk were 2 bilingual children too!

Yesterday night we have finally started watching Dowton Abbey (we are late, I know!), we are already hooked.

Have a great weekend, I think I am going to cook some left over I have in the house, while, actually I should go out Christmas shopping. Bleah.

overs

Oooh Franca it is brilliant, isn't it? I love the clothes.

Alex that sounds a very caring school, I'm really glad it worked out well.

The baby is terrified of the Christmas tree

Awww poor baby, they get scared by the most bizarre things, don't they? Bless!
Tonight I dreamt I was at an unidentified hospital to give birth and could feel the baby moving. Then the alarm rang! I htink perhaps I crave some baby cuddles!

Another wonderful sunny day here. It hasn't tained in ages, beautiful, but the air stinks.

Hi all - I remember dd1 hating the In laws musical lights ...She got used to the tree however and would happily look at it. Minirosa was too young but she hated the very cute santa costume that dh got her ( well the hat actually) it now fits Cicciobello !
Well packing , sorting and trying to do 10,000 things in this house we leave in the morning. Minirosa has a bit of a chest again but at the moment its all moving fine . Am in a flap about not having my aerosol with me ( how sad Italian mamma is that?) but it does help her. We do thankfully have sea air in abundance so hoping that helps. Will pack the grintuss anyway !
Bacione all you wonderful Little Italy MN and will be logging in as I go . Back to the packing !!

Buon viaggio my dear, I am so envious of all you people going to the Uk.

We are all tired and so looking forward to the holidays!

Baci Rosa, have a wonderful time! (also, lol at Cicciobello wearing the santa costume )

Anch'io, Franca, we are exhausted too. Uni exams, school exams, work, adozione, it's been a hard year. Bambina sends you cuddles and kisses

She will now sit in the living room and look suspiciously at the tree, she looks like her nonna muttering malocchio

Awwww bless, they are adorable. Stop making me broody annunziata

Nearly home 1 flight left and car journey... All so very smooth so far . As for watching the tree I can imagine the epxression- if one thing moves I will scream.....minirosa is exhausted but won't give in... i am exhausted but would happily rest doze but maybe tonight!!! I love being in the UK its just Christmassy and smiley!!!

Hello all!

Have a lovely time, Rosa!

I have been watching Downton too, Franca! And can I pick your brains for an Italian expression for my article? I have just done wild goose chase and I really haven't a clue in Italian!

Annunziata, I am already beginning to feel broody, and it doesn't help that dh keeps talking about babies too!!

Dh says ... Correndo dietro un mulino a vento o aspettando un calendario greco....

Well what a landing.. Winds up to 40mph and 15 mins to landing the captain said it was gusting and we would try if not go back up and see. The plane is a 100seater an oh my god was it a rough descent. We were must behind the wing and minirosa almost took off despite her seatbelt. We were all over the place . landed and the captain got a round of applause. ( no Italian school kids on board). I then had to carry minirosa as there was no way she could have walked and The backs of my legs were wringing wet as was her one leg that was behind me. I squeezed water out of her leggings when I took them off ( sensible mummy had a change ). Dd1 was best off as she ran to the terminal with a ground handler. Another was helping people off the plane ( as it has its own steps imcorperated .and he looked as if he was standing in a shower the amount of water that was coming off him .. Poor chap. I then drove home as my mum had done one way and that was enough!!! Anyway here safe and sound and its lovely to be here. My pile of online shopping is far bigger than I thought ( opps)

How about fare brodo per gatti?

Rosa that sounds awful! Glad you are safe and sound, have tea and settle yourselves!!

Dio mio, Rosa, that sounds horrendous! Enjoy your time back in Blighty, I hope the return journey is less eventful!

Thanks for the expressions, I have included one from both of you! I was going to add "calendario greco" too, but dh got all offended! So I have left it out (but may still include it when he's not looking!!

Oh my goodness Rosa, what a dramatic arrival! I hope you are now enjoying the lovely Christmas atmosphere, I miss english Christmases. However, I am going to make Mary berry Tunis (I think it's the name) on Sunday as my db and sil are coming here for lunch.

Alex I second all the expressions suggested and can't come up with anything more.

Ooooh Franca I watched that on the I player it was last Tuesday Paul and Mary and it looked yummy.
Did the last bit of shopping today , Christmassy everywhere. The dds went to Christmas at eden , reindeer, a story and the big man, they loved it really magical.
The wind is back up again am glad to be inside !!! Carols round the village tree on Sunday then possibly Frozen at the cinema on Monday that is if I can face the city centre parking!!!!

eek Rosa that sounds frightening! Windy here as well, and the inevitable rain. I want snow!

Well, my Tunis cake was delicious!
Oh rosa so envious of your lovely British Christmas! Eden must have been great!
So, I finally wrapped all the presents and now feel vaguely ready, even if dd and I both had some kind of gastro virus, nausea, headache etc.
Hope you are all set for the big day!
Merry Christmas my dears!

Buon natale a tutti

The excitement here is magic . The dds are on cloud 9. We went to see Frozen yesterday ... Despite very very strong winds and heavy rain ( i had booked tickets otherwise we wouldn't have moved!) even the GPs came !!! Today its the Chris Dingle service for them - dd has asked why we don't have so many things to do for Christmas in Italy ???
Franca hope you are feeling better now, nothing worse than being ill over Christmas .I am being OTT on hand washing !!

Help if i wanted to do nigellas ham in Coke what cut of meat do I but in Italy ? Dh loved it but I don't think I have seen anything that could be considered similar!!!!

Coscia di maiale? I'm sure gammon comes from the back leg?

Well, we had a lovely day, dinner turned out beautifully if I do say so myself. Mamma did decide to tell one of my SILs that her new haircut shows off her double chin though... (why? why?!)

Hope Santa was good to everyone!

Yes had a lovely day actually even though they watched. Despicable me 2 after lunch ....really i don't enjoy them ! Some nice gifts and also a couple of thoughtful ones. yesterday the family was here so cooked and prepared loads and dh washed up. This afernoon its the pantomime might pop into M&S and see if there is anything in the sale. Still very windy but we seemed to have missed the rain thankfully. I am having my hair cut in Monday so fingers crossed i don't do the same thing!!!!

Un sincero Auguri di Buon anno a tutti su Little italy past, present and future.... Grazie for your ears, shoulders , consigli and jokes, and just for being there..... Heres to 2014 and a few hundred more posts..x

Auguri!!!

Buon anno a tutte!

We had a good Christmas and new year, all things considered. We ate well, although it probably wasn't a good idea for SIL to tell the children they were eating Bambi (she cooked venison) on Christmas day.

Father Christmas came on New Year's Eve and left lots of presents, so the last two days have been full of over excited children jumping about enjoying their new toys.

I took some mincepies with me to offer round to DH's family and offered them round, and they all loved them. SIL even asked me for the recipe for the mincemeat - I made a fantastic batch this year, with dried figs, apricots, prunes, candied lime in. It was lovely.

I hope you've all had a good time,

and here's to the new year!