January Saldi

With school back and the kids settled into more of a routine again after the Christmas holidays, we have been lucky to have some dinners with new friends from kinder who are very much like Melbourne people, down to earth, open and relaxed...they are like a bit of our old home in our new home...

One night we spent about an hour discussing the nuances of swear words in Italy and Australia, with many of them dropping the 'c' word at the dinner table in front of the kids to practice it's pronunciation, we reciprocated with their profanities and learned the right context to use them, all in all a very educational dinner...Sfiga, cazzo, merde! We also got to enjoy the two dads infuriate each other discussing politics, both from the left, one moreso than the other, and they screamed and yelled and swore at each other, it was hilarious, and a great insight into the politics of this country...why listen and agree when noone else does? I have also had my eyes opened to some great new vegetables from Napoli and the south to make anchovy salads and pasta with, tried it tonight, and unfortunately it was delicious...no gym for about a month and all this good food is making the elastane in my pants work hard.

Sales have also kept us occupied and given us an excuse to get out of Biella while there is no snow with a few trips to Torino, Milano, Novara and Vercelli to see what is on offer. Shane has been updating his 'dad' look and has raised the bar significantly in the clothes stakes all at a very good price, he is proud to admit. I'm hoping the sales stick around for when mum comes over in March, I'm dubious, but very hopeful...with the economy going the way it's going, there might be sales every month until we come home. I have resisted the temptation of buying a Piumino, known in Australian circles as a Puffer jacket...I came close as EVERYONE in Biella has one, and with good reason too, it's bloody freezing! However, Shane the good sense fairy has talked me out of it.

Hoping to get to Milan next week to see the Picasso exhibition as well, I have to say that I have really enjoyed going into Milan and Turin, and getting a bit more of the big cities of Italy...I'm feeling comfortable and Biella, but I now get why people ask us 'MA PERCHE' BIELLA?!!!' ('BUT WHY BIELLA?!!!!') when we tell them we are living in Italy for a year. It's a pretty sad little town at the moment, with a lot of businesses closing down due to the 'crisi', BUT on the upside, it's quiet, we've got to know a lot of great people and the kids are as happy as we've ever seen them, and despite what Shane has said in the past, I think he likes running into people every time he walks down the street :)