Originally Posted by TestaRossa

Just reading the last few posts - I know many of you are here for lurve!! But even being here as I am, cos I just fancied living in Italy instead of gloomy wet England (hysterical laughter as the rains pours down - oops there's a bit of sun, better nip out quick!) do you find you stop looking at the treasures and old stuff - I have really quickly - only been here 18 months. Yesterday instead of going to the beach or into town to see the sites we went to IKEA.... how sad is that really? I mean, okay, my son's room will be a lot, lot tidier when he comes home next - throwing most of his stuff out while he isn't here is a good way of achieving this, even if it does mean he will never talk to me again, why does he need a broken RC car and bits of meccano which don't go together, answers on a postcard? Stream of consciousness done.

Originally Posted by Lorna at Vicenza

I'm not particularly religious either but my irish grandparents were so I know how catholicism worked for them - I'm always surprised by how the "rules" seem to have been changed and adapted here. Little ancedote .........
When we moved houses I was heavily pregnant and alone as OH was in Canada. One day as I was happily unpacking another box an old priest knocked on the door saying he was here doing his rounds and had come to bless the house. As we had no idea who'd been living here before and house had been empty for 3 years I thought it wouldn't do any harm - so I gave him the go ahead but told him I had no change so I'd drop something off in the collection box. (I'd heard stories about 50.000 lira being the going rate and was never going to give him that much). Just one year later a newer and younger priest (still in his fifties though) came knocking - again to bless the house.
"But it's already been done Father" I said.
I'm here to do it again - he said.
"Yes but it was only done last year" - I said again.
It's something we do every year - he said and was quite insistent.
I was confused and exasperated and ended up saying ....
"Look Father - I'm sorry but since when oh when has a blessing ever come with an expirary date ????"
Needless to say he was not impressed and left in a huff. My granny's priest in the UK regulary used to call on her when she was poorly - even gave her confession in the house a few times and never once asked her for a penny. I was not impressed with the Italian way of going about things that seemed just another way to get money out of folks.
That priest is in for a shock anyway if he ever comes knocking on my door to ask why my child hasn't been signed up for catechism classes !!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Lorna at Vicenza

Another little annoyance came to mind yesterday. What is it with the Italian vacuum cleaners?
The so called "scopa elettrica" is more hassle than just using a manual sweeping brush.
The better and supposedly more powerful "aspira-polvere" are never powerful enough to clean my rugs easily.
They have a silly little hole but no rotating brushes to get through the pile
and why doesn't anybody seem to make an upright hoover that you push infront of you???
Those little trundle along ladybird style ones with a tube and an end piece make hoovering up back-braking work.
If only Argos would deliver abroad !!!

Originally Posted by yellowdog

you can get dyson vacuum cleaners here. I've got two! One for the car and one for the house, I have a dog you see!