May
30

Roaches

2006 | Filed Under Italian politics | Leave a Comment

While dropping off our little one at the day nursery today I was involved in the elimination of a large cockroach within said nursery. One of the nursery staff started screaming and lunging at the beast with a broom, but it was yours truly who administered the coup de grace, with my foot. These beasts are surprisingly resistant to being swatted and you can only really be sure that you have finished the things off when you hear a crunch. Yuck!

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May
30

Eternal optimisim

2006 | Filed Under Italian politics | Leave a Comment

Poor Mr B. Despite claiming that he is comparable to the likes of Churchill, Napoleon and Jesus Christ in the past, he has been unable to produce a miraculous result in Italy's recent local elections. With the exception of the retention of a guy down in Sicily who appears to have certain connections with those led by Godfathers and the insertion of Letitzia Moratti, a former education minister, up here in Milan as the city's new mayor(ess), Mr B's band has been unable to demonstrate through the election results that Prodi's win was little more than extreme luck. Mr B was hoping for more support so he could go about pushing Mr P out of the number one seat here in the Living Museum. He will push anyway, but his pushing-power has been somewhat weakened.

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May
26

Sharm El Sheikh, bombs etc

2006 | Filed Under Holidays | Leave a Comment

Well, I have finally got round to scribbling something about our 'holiday' in Sharm. Here it is:

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May
25

Strange fixations

2006 | Filed Under My son | Leave a Comment

Now, I don't know if this is a consequence of our tot having been used as a pin cushion while being in hospital, but he seems to have become even more reluctant to admit that he has filled his nappy (diaper) with smelly stuff. The other day he threw a real tantrum over being changed, to the extent that he attempted to drag his soiled nappy out of the bin. He got quite up tight about it, whereas we were on the verge of busting out laughing - I don't think we could help let a few giggles slip, which I'm sure would appal those versed in the latest and greatest child rearing theories - but it was funny. It's not the first time this nappy attachment has occurred, he has been known to get all emotional over the loss of an on-the-verge-of-bursting nappy too. Odd. Then at other times he will refuse to put on a clean nappy.

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May
24

Do you think in pictures?

2006 | Filed Under Thoughts | 2 Comments

An odd question, I know. While I was in hospital with my son, I met another dad who was looking after his small son who had managed to catch pneumonia. He noticed that I was speaking to my little one in English and we got chatting (in Italian).

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May
23

Of liars

2006 | Filed Under Work | Leave a Comment

I have a student who wishes to become a liar! Well, so it would seem since he expressed this desire once more this evening.

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May
23

Religion

2006 | Filed Under Religion | Leave a Comment

Just what is religion? Why does it exist and why are some of the main religions having problems these days with a loss in the number faithful? Recent world problems and personal problems have found me trying to develop a perspective on these questions.

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May
23

Football and stuff

2006 | Filed Under Italy | Leave a Comment

Is a little unclear at times just which is the main religion here in Italy: Catholicism or football. Certainly it would be true to say that much more TV time is devoted to the business/sport that is football than to the state religion. It would also be true to say that power games affect both.

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May
22

Out of hospital

2006 | Filed Under My son | Leave a Comment

Our little one has returned home - he came out last week after having spent two weeks being filled with antibiotics and various other cures. Externally he looks fine, however the latest attack has left him with a rather strange way of looking at things. He keeps his head lowered slightly, and says that he still has some pain in his left eye. The eye looks normal, but a recent CAT scan (TAC in Italy), has revealed that the erosion of part of the bone in his nose has continued and extended. This is worrying as it seems that further erosion leads to the risk of further attacks and, even worse, life threatening complications. My other half was worried before, but I was waiting until the outcome of the recent CAT and seeing as it indicates a worsening in the causes for his attacks, I'm now becoming rather worried too. Even though too look at him you would think he is a normal healthy and active 3 year old (he passed his third birthday in hospital, poor little lamb), it would seem as though the problem he has could lead to something which may take him from us. This is a horrible thought for a parent, I can tell you and I had a lot of trouble coming to terms with this worst case scenario. Many thoughts are flying through our minds at the moment and it is difficult to be positive, although his liveliness and sense of humour tend to make you feel that it is not possible for things to become really bad.

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May
10

Sorry

2006 | Filed Under My son | Leave a Comment

I've not been writing anything on this blog recently due to our little son being in hospital, once again. It's the seventh time with the same problem. The operation to remove part of his adenoids and his tonsils which took place in August last year does not seem to have had enough of an effect and the poor little chap's left eye has swollen up once more. It's a stressful time, and it looks as though he will be in hospital for at least another week.

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