In May I received a message from my contact page from a really nice lady called Rossi Thompson. She said she was writing an article for the Daily Telegraph on What makes Ex Pats Grumpy, she asked me if I would like to contribute..
Would I like to contribute!!!! I immediately reached for my muse (a glass of vino rosso).
An Englishman in Italy is in the news
As I sipped my glass of wine, I pondered what is it that makes me grumpy. I didn’t think not being able to find my flip flops would be earth shattering news, Nor would her readers be interested that being asked to cook the evening meal made me grumpy (I tried to get out of cooking by cremating everything, unfortunately Mrs Sensible soon cottoned on)
Chicken marinated in a light tomato sauce.
With the deadline looming I asked Mrs S, what makes me grumpy. If you are married you will realise this is not a question you should ever ask your spouse. Out of the 487 items she listed before I suddenly switched off and went deaf I chose three items and if you want to read what they are please click this link.
I would like to thank Rossi for asking me to contribute and I would also like to thank the editor for not deleting my submission,.
Rossi Writes http://www.rossiwrites.com/
Rossi’s Facebook page
Telegraph Article
Englishman in Italy 
Your driving licence experience was definitely up there with major aggro issues.
What makes us grumpy in my house is the woeful internet connection. This is not particular to France or course, but it just so happens that the sector of the village where I live has a rubbish connection.
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The driving licence fiasco was pure fun, I would love to know what the Chief Exec of DVLA thought of my letter when it arrived. https://englishmaninitaly.org/2013/09/17/an-open-letter-to-mr-simon-tse-chief-executive-dvla/
Telecom Italia promised to connect me to their system and after 6 months they finally admitted they couldn’t. I signed up with Opensky Tooway, I hire a dish from them and the connection is very good,
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hahahahahahahahaha – and the good thing is, no one could stay grumpy after reading this )
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Thanks 🙂
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I thought of you last weekend while watching the movie “Jupiter Ascending”….okay, not the best flick in the world but they have a bureaucracy scene that from your descriptions could have been filmed in Italy. Yes, on another planet. Maybe it was a lesson in “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” I can hardly wait till it’s my turn. At least if I’m living in Venice I shouldn’t need a driver’s license.
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I need to go and watch the film. I will feel completely at home 😉
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You will indeed. Actually her having to go through all those levels of the bureaucracy to prove she is their queen made me really think of Italy….and you PN of course. The film just came out on DVD last week here. I only watched because one of my old “heart throbs” Sean Bean is in it;-)
It actually has more explosions than I’m used to (except of course from the next door neighbor on July 4th…a man with more money than brains in this tinder ready heat).
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Ha ha ha
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Oh, and in the movie…just like in Italy….they are very fond of their rubber stamps.
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OK- Apart from the several months it takes to get ANYTHING done here I’m p***ed with our neighbours
They’re nice people but because they’ve observed the huge range of practical skills we have they are constantly asking for us to help them out. The other day she was waiting at the back of her house for us to come home from shopping and calls “come here for a minute” Well, one and a half hours later involving sump oil, tools and spark plugs…..:(((
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It is the Italian way.
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Thank you, Peter, for your kind words, the links to my blog and social media and above all for your witty quote for my article. With regards to the mosquitoes, we are currently in Bulgaria and I have been eaten alive, my husband hasn’t been touched, which is funny because when we are in Italy the opposite thing happens. He gets all the bites, I am usually spared. Best wishes, Rossi 🙂
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HI Rossi, once again thanks and good luck with the mosquitoes. I hate them but they like me
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You’re famous! 🙂
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At long last, thanks to Rossi 😉
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Couldn’t happen to a nicer person 🙂 And I know it won’t go to your head cos Mrs S won’t let it 😉
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You know us too well.
I bet the guy who checks the stats for the Telegraph can’t believe the traffic the article is receiving from Italy. I keep going to the site every hour to make sure my bit hasn’t been edited out.
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They would never do that! You’re too famous now 😉
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OMG!!! You really are famous now. Please, may I have you autographed photograph? (I can sell it for heaps of money on ebay!) How many bottles of wine will it take to bribe you?
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How many bottles of wine? Good heavens!! A couple of glasses of wine will be enough 😁
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I get the best laughs every time I read one of your posts. I must say that you have kept a stiff upper lip while adjusting to living in Italy and it seems by seeing the funny and inane rules, regulations and, laws.
It would have driven me bananas while trying to cope. I think Mrs S. has the right idea. Move back to GB where there is a bit of rationale and sanity.
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Congratulations on being featured in the article! I enjoyed reading and appreciate how you ended with your love of Italy, despite some blips on the radar….It was always interesting to me how you really do take your whole kitchen with you in Italy!
PS: You are a winetaster? How exciting!
Buon weekend,
*Lia
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Hi Lia, I am a wine taster, also a grappa, limoncello, beer and any other alcohol taster.😀
I had to add a job description and it is my dream job.
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Enjoyed that tremendously. More papers need to talk to you about more expaty things! Congratulations!
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