Mumsnet little Italy 5

[francagoestohollywood]

Welcome!

Keeping all quiet until results of villio- I couldn't cope with having a Mc and people not knowing what to say so just family and you guys of course. I feel a bit the same about money you are right re holiday I think they are just as important even if it is a local or longhaul holiday family time is important. Don't work too hard and hope the rain doesn't go to Rome its grey and not nice. DD got soaked not because of the rain but because of the puddles. She loved it !

Hi all. I am not in Bulgaria as it's been postponed until next week now. Good job too as we've had a mammoth cystitis + diaorrhea fest these last few days and I'm not sure DP would have coped well all on his own.
Bl°*dy Alitalia, I can see why they're going bankrupt, I tried to change my flight to next week and they want something like 300 euros between change fees and upgrade. FFS, that's more than the effing flight cost in the first place! I've had to let it go as it's cheaper to book another flight but now have to go via somewhere else. What a faff!

Finally got DD into a school! Went and registered her this morning, it's a Catholic private materna but not too heavy on the religion aspect. It's a bit of a way away but on DP's route to work so he can't complain, plus it's in a greener area of Monza and not near main roads. I'm so relieved. I got the new fees for the international school through a few days ago and nearly fainted - they've upped the prices by a huge amount - so that has definitely become a no no. Now of course I'll discover that they're going to be opening this new section of the state school after all and DD would have had a place there....

Lol at DD's pediatra, she hates Monza as much or possibly more than I do. I just happened to mention that I was unhappy by the lack of choice schools-wise for non-religious people and she launched into a tirade about how I was right to be worried as in Monza everyone is a bigot and catholicism here is possibly even more bigotted than in the Vatican. She's quite a laugh, if DD was sick more often we'd probably become friends, we always get the last appointment of the day so we can sit and chat at the end - quite often not practical from my pov but there you go.

Got to dash, must pick up the results from DD's pee sample. I'll read everybody's posts properly when I get back (I drank too much wine yesterday and seem to have problems following text on a computer screen). I'm such a lightweight, I know.

Ciao a tutte!
Gio, good to see you back . I agree about the money too! also I can say from experience that - no matter how big the house is -, you'll always have toys scattered through the living room until the dc are at least 4... (and the mess doesn't stop then anyway). thanks for the website, I'll give it a go .

Rosa, sorry to hear the nausea is so bad. I hope you'll manage to go out for that pizza though, it is nice to get a bit of distraction once in awhile... the gossips might keep the nausea away for a bit/ . maybe not. nausea is bad .

I still have my mind set on this midwifery course, the admission test is in september. I guess that what scares me is the time needed. I'm not sure I'm ready to "loose control" of the family. I'll probably need to find a babysitter to get the children from school etc, and I'm not ready to do this... I will have to talk things through with dh.

Brangelina, glad you got a place for dd! (is she better btw?)I should know about dd's school next week (though I'll be sorry to leave the current nursery as the teachers are absolutely lovely) and lol at the paediatrician! Mine is simpatica as well and told me how she used to be frowned upon by other mothers as she sent her dc to school "leggeri" even in winter!

This morning I had to travel across town to get news about my tessera elettorale, as basically they still think I'm in the UK. I think it's a complotto not to let me vote... The thought of having Berlusconi back makes me and and more .

Brangelina your poor dd hope that she is on the mend soon. You were brave even booking witH Alitalia in the first place I don't think I would have risked it !
Good news about the school (???) Franca I hope you get the school for your dcs as you sounded as if you really liked it. So you are going to vote then ?? DH is unsure about if to go or not as he has no faith ! I cannot vote obviously so might go and watch su e zu i ponti which is always fun.
DD in again this pm as its raining too much so we have dido everywhere !!

DD's fine now, thank goodness, she just had a bout of fever and cystitis over the weekend followed by diarrhoea for 2 days. I tried giving her rice and that but DP made a miso and seaweed soup and she wanted that instead. It seems to have cured her though.

Franca, fingers crossed you get your 1st choice schools, though it's not usually a problem in Milan, or is it? Re the course, if you put it off this year would you be able to go for it next year with no problems? I understand your panic and appreciate you've just arrived back in Milan and have yet to get things settled, but then might that not also be an advantage to doing it now in that you will have less of a routine to disrupt? How long is the course anyway, is it a laurea breve 3yr thing?

Rosa you must try and go out for that pizza or your friends will guess. At the height of my ms I had to go out to a sushi restaurant, which is much more nausea inducing. At least you'll be able to eat the pizza crusts, there was nothing I could stomach at the Japanese place... I'm sorry your nausea is really bad, was it the same with your DD?

Gio I echo Franca wrt the toys perennially in your living room however big your house is, so if that's your only reason for a second bedroom then don't bother. I think you are wise to wait, especially in the current economic climate, and I agree wholeheartedly about not getting into debt. I hate owing money personally and I'm loath to regalare soldi alle banche as they're such a rip off already.

Rosa, what is this su e zu i ponti thing? Who goes su e zu i ponti? The politicians? Is it an election thing? Is it like a ducking stool? Franca are you going to vote? DP says he's not going to bother but I think he should as it would be come regalare un voto a Berlusconi.

Who said that Italy was becoming a desert? It is raining properly... feels like being home in Exeter !!!

Of course I'm going to vote, I still believe that Veltroni would be much better than Berlusconi and his gang to improve this country. Not that the pd is perfect, but it's the closest to my ideals (mind you I did the "politometro test" in the website of la repubblica, and I came out bertinottiana ... I'd never vote bertinotti really )
Plus the other day Dell'Utri - which has been prosecuted for mafia - said that he'll change the history school text books so that they'll not include the Italian resistenza in the 2ww. ffs!!!!
sorry for the rant, btw. what is the su e zu?

Brangelina, yes, I think you are right. It's a 3 yr course, but the day will be long from the start. I suppose that what makes me apprehensive is to delegate everything about the household, esp the children . As you know I've never had any problems in using forms of childcare (nursery), but I have always been the one collecting them and caring for them etc, not sure I want someone else!!!!

I have to go, I have 1 hr to dust all the house and then I have an appointment at the hairdresser (have a wedding tomorrow). and it's pissing down. typical luck. I will have frizzy hair 2 mins after leaving the salon....

Nooo I had none of this cr*p with dd but hey ho it happens!I am keeping everything crossed that on the night of the pizza it is one of my better evenings as I tend to go downhill later on!!I think one will guess anyway as I will not be having a couple of beers which is my going out treat as I don't go out too often ( and I mean only a couple any more and I would fall over !)
Glad your dd is better now Brangelina horrible cystitis in one so little ! LOL at soup curing her maybe you should suggest it on other threads !!!
Could you as Brang says Franca do the course next year when the dc are a bit bigger ?
Its raining here as well but 4 gocce then stops looks like there is more to come however as its pretty grey.
Su e Zu i ponti is a fun run round Venice 8km for adults and 5km for children . Lots of schools, families ( Mainly Venetians) do it. Folklore groups from the Veneto as well.Nothing to do with the elections but I am thinking that there will be a few bandiere along the course advertising the parties. DH is saying he is not going to vote He has been reading too much Beppe Grillo!

Lol, I did the polimetro too and got just a bit above Veltroni. I think it was my reply re the unions (child of the Thatcher era that I am) that moved me away from Bertinotti. Marcello dell'Utri should be in jail and nowhere near the legislature. Pillock. Solo in Italia....

Rosa, we need to get our other halves to vote, even if it is only a voto strategico to prevent Berlusca from getting in. I do agree with my DP to a certain extent, they're all as bad as each other and don't deserve our vote, but the idea of Mr Facelift and Astroturf hair getting in for another 4 years turns my stomach. Oh well, we'll see what happens.

It's peeing down here, has been for a few days now. Just like the UK, tea and biscuit weather. Typical weather for a hair cut too, you'll just have to bring a shower cap to put on afterwards. DP says that desertification is impossible in this area, that Milan sits on a falda acquifera and they keep having to pump the metro, which is his excuse for leaving the tap running when brushing his teeth. Drives me up the wall but that probably stems from me having lived in drought prone areas.

Franca, I totally understand where you're coming from wrt the course, but it might not be such an organisational nightmare after all. Maybe it will turn out you need childcare for only a couple of days. Often the idea of something is more frightening than the reality. Buttati!

Ooh, I forgot the notizia bomba - I went down to the state school this morning to pick up the pass to give to the other school, only to find out that DD has got a place after all!!! They've decided to open a new section in the local materna and have actually divulged the news before August, which is amazing!!! Maybe my email to the CSA worked after all.

I'm in

Brava Brava Hurray for dd that is great news for you see miracles do happen !
Dh is dead against not going I need to get him when he is in a not so negative mood amazing how everbody seems not to mention that Belusca claimed he had another group of people ready to take over Alitalia but it seems that there is only Air France ..Can't people see how much of a liar that man is !
Domanda where do I get sour cream ....I asked for panna acida and I got looks as if I had grown horns. I do not want panna fresca con limone I want the thick sour cream that I can dunk spicy nachos in . HELP ! Just eaten bread dunked in sweet chilli sauce and spaghetti con pepperoncino can you see a theme here. I will feel sick in an hour but I do with anything!

Funny you should mention sour cream, I've just munched my way through most of a large tin of sour cream and onion Pringles. I've bought panna acida in Esselunga before, but have never seen it in other supermarkets except perhaps Carrefour. Failing that, you can usually find the stuff in helth food shops and in some old fashioned latterie. Well, in Milan you can, tbh never tried locally. Do you have any Mexican restaurants nearby? You could get yourself a huge steaming plate of nachos with melted cheese, guacamole and the works.

No mexican places here there was one but it shut..We do have a Carrefour on the mainland but no Esselunga. Yesterday I wanted a big spring roll not the piddly ones you get here ( to dunk in sweet chilli sauce) today its nachos with the works. I think there was a snack restaurant in mestre that did some must think where it was...... Don't fancy pringles at the mo . Funny thing is I am hardly eating anything compared to what I used to and in 24 hrs I put on 1kilo!!! Gotta go Nanna time for dd.

That kilo will probably be wind..... My 1st 12 weeks were dominated by wind, I even had a wind bump.

Great news Brangelina re the nursery yuppie!!!

Brangelina, I will def try the test (I might not pass after all!). And I need to talk things through with dh. If he can pick up the children from nursery/school twice a week, I'll be more motivated to try and do the course.

Needless to say that I finished with the hairdresser right when it was raining cats and dogs. I had a groovy piega that lasted 1 min and a half and now I have a helmet .

You should've worn that shower cap....

If it's any consolation my nice new sleek style is now a frizzy bush. I had to wash it in the end and used my straighteners but with this rain there was no hope of it not rebelling. My fringe is also sticking up, it won't go flat no matter what I do to it.

Yes, try the test then go from there. Best to take things as they come, imo.

do you think I should consider buying straighteners??

Maybe, but I think you do have to spend a bit more money and get some good ones. I didn't get the famous GHD (got the next ones down) but apparently they're worth the money because your hair won't go frizzy even in the rain (or so I've been told by satisfied users).
I don't really use them that must tbh but they are handy for sorting a dodgy fringe out when you need to look anything but mad.

that much

can you find ghd in italy as well?

fantastic news Brange re scuola, you must be made up!
Straighteners go for GHDs Franca! Stupidly expensive but miracle workers, absolutely no comparison to any others i have used and your hair keep sleek, doesnt bounce back after an hour or in rain.
lol at your cravings Rosa, am also craving a spring roll after reading your post but just cos am greedy not cos am pg
Went through piazza popolo today and there is big stand etc all up for Veltroni speech/rally or something. I can but dream he gets in (anyone but Berlusca) altho don't envy him if he does by any miracle and gets a crappy majority.
bloody raining again....

I know ghd were 40 quid in England if I remember well . My main worry is to waste all that money on them and then not using them properly as I'm crap at things like messa in piega, make up etc

Hello, i hope you don't mind me jumping in on your thread but i need some advice and you ladies are the only ones who can help!

We visit my best friend who lives in Treviso (nr Venice) every year in the summer (we are sooo lucky!) but this yr will be the first time for us travelling with my then 7 month old ds. I'll hopefully still be b/fing by then (but hopefully not all day like now!) So I'm just a little nervous/curious to how Italian women deal with the whole b/fing in piblic thing? Obviously we want to be out a lot at the local piscina and definitely a trip to the beaches of jesolo. Plus hanging around in bars for a sprizz or two (well, one for me if bfing but at least its better than the none i had whilst pg last yr LOL)

Any advice?

PS Definitely get GHD's-I couldn't live without mine

Hi Lizzer, don't worry about bfeeding in public, it's definitely the done thing here. I never had any problems and I used to whip mine out anywhere. I used to get offered glasses of water in bars and seats when in DIY superstores. Everyone's quite cool about it. Don't expect changing facilities though!

Franca, I thought GHDs cost more than 40 quid, I thought they were about 100. I know my milanese hairdresser (the one I went to the other day) used to sell them at 145 euros a pop. I bought mine (babyliss) at around 90 euros iirc.

I reckon Berlusca will get in sadly, in the Guardian there are articles about him being the most probable winner and he is ahead in the polls.

I must get ready for boxing now, toodle-oo

Hi Lizzer welcome - and so you are coming to my neck of the woods !! Treviso is lovely I should go there more often .
Italy is 100% child friendly so don't worry about bfeeding in public. Not that I would advise that you pull your norks out and wave them round () but if you have a stragetic muslin cloth or maybe light scarf so the Lo doesn't boil. So you don't feel uncomfortable as well. You will find an abscence of changing facilities so I find that kneeling and using the buggy the best bet I had a handy little fold up towel to shove under Lo bottom to avoid any mishaps.
Jesolo as you know is touristy but again I would not forsee any problems there either. You might be weaning then and again I found that all places were happy to provide a pot of hot water to heat up food or milk .
PLease come and join us any time you want a chat or if you have any other questions.
ghds If I had not read the posts I would not have the faintest idea what you are all on about . Rain - I went out with dd and the heavens opened. bridges with a buggy and an umbrella a lovely tourist took pity on me.
Hope you wedding is a dry one !

Ciao Lizzer . You should be all right bfeeding in public places in Italy, I've never had problems (mind you I was mainly living in the UK when my dc were little! and I'm not particularly self conscious ). Agree about the lack of changing facilities, but then they'll let you change ds anywhere really. Expect lots of people cooing (is this the right word?) after your lovely ds

It's true, just checked, the GHD is 109 pounds !!!

Rosa, it will actually be a snowy wedding, it's up in the mountains !