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May 29, 2003
Getting to know you, getting to know all abouuuut yooooooou
Elenore (the new nanny), came over today to hang out with Seth and I so she can get to know us better. She is so sweet and conscientious! She is also coming over on Saturday when all of us are home. She is very concerned about doing things just the way we want her to. She is so serious, I am having a hard time helping her understand that we are very relaxed.
One thing she apologized for was that Seth had not had a bath before I got home yesterday - he had a small spot of food on his shirt. She thought I would be mad. In Italy, the children are kept very clean and their clothing always looks fresh from the store. I laughingly explained to her that my children definitely looked lovingly worn most of the time!
She also asked me if I wanted her to speak Italian or English to the boys. I told her that we were making an attempt at learning Italian and would appreciate any help she could give us. She said that she would say it in Italian first and then repeat in English if we didn't understand. Yeah! I hope we can at least pick up a passable understanding before we leave. It would really be cool to call ourselves bilingual though.
I had left her a note yesterday, detailing what to do during the day. I gave several suggestions for what Seth might eat for lunch. "You can make him a sandwich like peanut butter or lunchmeat or tunafish" was what the note said. She told me, "I made him a sandwich with peanut butter and lunchmeat but he wouldn't eat it". So then she opened the can of tuna and tried to feed it to him and said he wouldn't eat that either. I was dying laughing inside but she was so serious. Then she asked if it would be okay if she cooked her type of food for the boys for dinner. I told her that they love Sicilian food. She was concerned that they wouldn't like it so I told her my policy of tasting and then if they don't like it, they can make themselves a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She said "what is this - jelly?" So I showed her in the refridgerator and she suddenly realized what I had meant on the note and said "ohhhhhh!" She had thought that I was telling her to feed Seth all of that at once for lunch! At least she didn't put peanut butter, lunchmeat and tuna together on the sandwich.
The language barrier is going to be interesting if not entertaining. I really have to be more clear with what I mean.
Posted by DebC at May 29, 2003 10:02 PM
Comments
That is very funny. She sounds very sweet,but I don't know how she is going to react to your sense of humor!! LOL
Posted by: Kim at May 31, 2003 3:16 AM
Hahahahaha, I am trying to behave myself. You are right that my sense of humor does not translate well - sometimes not even for English speaking people!
Posted by: DebC at May 31, 2003 10:09 AM
I was reading this post laughing cause someone so serious, will be confused all the time hanging around you. Well anyway she sounds really good with great attention to detail. And tell her to taste lunchmeat with PB & J (not very good).
Do the boys like her? How is Jake handling his battle wound?
And that was a beautiful navy picture that you sent. I printed it and put it in my scrap book of drunk people :) LOL
Well I haven't forgotten about you but school is keeping me extremely busy these days.
Posted by: Shemelle at May 31, 2003 4:10 PM