Mumsnet Little Italy 9

[Brangelina]

Aka le Patatine

Right, I need advice on costumes for Carnevale. At DD's school the theme is art, so they have to go as either an artist, a picture, an art form etc.

I thought of doing a picture as it's possibly the easy option, but which one? I could always stick a big shell on DD's bum for la Venere di Botticelli, or disguise her fluffy raccoon as an ermine in La Donna con l'Ermellino, or simply pierce her ear and stick one of my pearls in it for Vermeer's Girl with the Pearl Earring.....

Ideas please. Maybe I should start a thread on general MN, though leaving out the comment about earpiercing so as not to invite flaming.

Blimey- we are just going with last year's Tinkerbell frock! (now of course, super trendy thanks to Trilli....)

Laughing loudly though at your suggestions....

Off to read Ed thread....

quite like the Venere idea, you can make the shell and then rest would be a very long haired wig and (thick) tights/top, so not too expensive. or you could get 12 fabric sunflowers/gardenias and stick them on her and make a vase with cardboard... will have a think while I hang the washing....

wish it was Carnevale here....

I was hoping to recycle the witch's hat myself, but alas can't think of a famous painting of a witch...

I am considering the Venere, but worry that it may be too cumbersome for the average school day, plus I worry that super style-conscious DD will refuse to wear it. Also, how will she sit down? Will I have to cut a hole for her bum???

Sigh, and to think I got stressed from Carnevale at nido, where there wasn't a theme. Of course the school had to choose a theme that couldn't be bought in Esselunga[grrr].

true, not easy to sit down with a shell stuck on your bum.... La Gioconda?

Blimeyheck- just read the Ed thread....methinks the reaction wouldn't have been nearly so...er.....reactive if it hadn't been a private school (which they do so love to leap on like it's a fruit shoot taken with a Gregg's pasty) If, sunrise, you'd have said "there was this girl and she said...." they'd all have been "oooh, I agree, baa baa."

Pffft.

FWIW I'm the most pedantic pedant I know and bad grammar makes my brain bleed. I refuse to read posts that aren't written properly- not that you see many on MN but blimey- Somewhere Else I Hang Out in Cyberspace is very very scary on the bad grammar front....

But how will I get her to smile enigmatically?

Must put the washing on myself....

could you get her to Scream?

2nd load nearly finished! oh, how I hate washing sick bedding......

Lol yes, I could just provoke her into a tanrum and hope it lasts all day. I'm also thinking of wrapping her in a sheet and splattering paint over her à la Jackson Pollock. DP is useless, he studied art so you'd think he's have a few ideas. Instead he's been useless!

Sheets of sick in the washing machine = lovely, half-disintegrated carrot chunks in the guarnizione. Yuk!

Did you see that MN will be offline tonight?
How desperate am I going to be, there's nothing on the telly, I've finished all the sudoku puzzles on my DS and DP is out at his serata dei rimbambiti. Sigh, I might have to go to bed early.

oh, no! but might be good, will have to fold washing instead

hello again everyone!! and thanks for all the supportive messages. I have decided not to go back on that thread anymore, clearly there is still a lot to learn about the intricacies of the UK attitude to class etc (which I think are always lurking at the back of all those "education" threads tbh).

I do think the fact that they don't teach children grammar really hinders them massively on all fronts. Languages is an obvious example (I went to a German course a couple of years ago and realised that for an english speaker it's pretty much impossible to learn it properly, as there is simply no understanding of verbs/nouns/pronouns etc- what we used to call analisi logica e analisi grammaticale!), but really I think that type of analytical thinking sets you up for life in the sciences as well... having said that, italian schools fare pretty badly in international league tables too so who knows!

Interestingly enough (to keep with the education topic) I went to visit our local catholic primary this morning, which has a pretty bad ofsted and a very rough intake, and I found myself really loving it. I wonder how they fare on spelling

Carnevale- oh how I would love it if we had Carnevale here! Halloween simply doesnt come close!
does anybody know if there are plans for some London celebrations of Carnevale? I know there used to be an italian playgroup somewhere in N London (which I never managed to get to...) are they still around?

Sunflower- much sympathy. my daughters are crap sleepers too, and tonight my dh is away for work, i am so dreading it.... I am sure I'll be up and down like a yo-yo...

sunrise did the yo-yo last week for 3 nights, so good luck!

Italian schools fare badly from medie upwards I think, primary schools are supposed to be right at the top of the league tables (for the moment....).

I've never understood this non-teaching of grammar myself, I mean it doesn't do any harm. Is it perhaps not politically correct? Boh.

Brangelina are you British or Italian (sorry if I missed it!)

btw, you won't thank me for it but if you have any spare time after all this MNetting I heartily recommend:

www.nonsolomamma.com/

it's brilliant. there is also a book which I have read over the Xmas holiday, at times getting close to literally PMSL!

No you didn't, I forgot to write it. I'm British but my mother's Italian so I suppose I'm both.

I've looked at nonsolomamma and even been on it a couple of times but it doesn't grip me as much as mn (fortunately!).

I now live in Italy btw, in case that wasn't clear.

I agree that scuola elementare here (It) seems pretty darn good. I am fearful indeed of scuola media.....pah....don't know, maybe it's just the ones round here, but all the teachers are 60 yr old spinsters with their glasses perched on their bosoms on long strings......and I find them offputting....

I used to look at genitoriche a bit, but it was far too worthy and right on for me.

is MN off tonight then? good as I'l do the washing too and maybe get to read a bit..

LOL at kinder 'pubblicità ingannevole'. so true though.

will look at link BS but I hope not to get hooked as I've got very little time to spare.

update re my education issue: went to the school, spoken to secretary who was grumpy and stroppy as hell and told me she was sure the headteacher was too busy to make an apt for me but she would ask. She also checked dd's place on the list and gloating with evil smile she added 'she's 47th anyway...'. so that's it. she prob won't go in (30 places) and I will change the application order anyway as I'd rather she went to the other school. I'm sure head won;t bother replying.
whatever reason they have to act like that (oversubscription) I do not care - it's not the place for us.

oh how i loved analisi logica e grammaticale!
ds goes to a school that it is by many locals considered roughis, we love it, he loves it and he is doing very well, has friends, etc. I do think it is all about class, poor Brits.
Where are you from BS if you don't mind me asking? I am from Campania.

blimey pippi how can you be 47th if you live opposite? do you think people are cheating to get their kids in?

I'd complain if I were you, they are supposed to be providing a public service which you are paying for. No need to be rude, who the hell does she thing she is? Also, your DD might still get in even after being 47th on the list as maybe a lot of other parents will bugger off to the other school anyway. Mine was 31st on a list of 20 places but got in.

Brange, any progress on the costume?