Fellow Blogger – Pecora Nera from an Englishman in Italy

Pecora Nera is the black sheep of his family. (Apparently that is what Pecora Nera means in Italian). This Englishman in Italy is extremely entertaining with his blog posts. His choice of photos makes me laugh and his action photography (see post Why does Mrs Sensible buy cat food) is also pretty cool. Pecora Nera writes entertainingly about life with his wife (Mrs Sensible), the neighbourhood dogs and Scooby Doo the cat. Although it is not just the animals that he writes about. He has also shared a nude selfie 😉 and his confessions showed just how devious women (especially those of us who are mothers) can be.

I’m excited to have you join me here tonight on the couch. This is going to be fun. Tell me a little about yourself Pecora Nera (can I call you that)? What drew you to blogging?

I wanted a forum on which to rant and shout about the way the Italian Ministry of Education would only allow Mrs Sensible (my wife) a yearly contract. Every year her contract finished in June, just so they didn’t have to pay her any summer holiday pay. Mrs Sensible is not the only teacher in Italy who only receives a 9 month contract, I found a post by Living in Italy (http://wp.me/p2BTJq-kI ) and he was in the same situation. I tried to write a few ranting posts, but I am not really very good at ranting, so I ditched them and decided to write about life in Italy as seen through my eyes.

It sounds as if your introduction to blogging was quite serious. It is quite the evolution to the fun posts you do now. How long have you been blogging?

Since September 2012.  In September, decided I was fed up with helping Mrs Sensible with the housework, so I invited a complete stranger  to live with us for a couple of months, providing she did the hoovering and the dishes; my first post explained how the Guestaway (http://wp.me/s2Ig3C-workaway) experiment went.

That is an interesting concept. Those Aussie gals are pretty cool 😉 I’ve shared some of your posts that I have tickled my funny bone in my intro, however I’m interested to know if your blog has a particular theme.

I am English and my wife is Italian, to be more precise she is Sicilian (so I have to behave) I write about our life in Italy. Recently we had another Guestaway move in, Scooby Doo the Machiavellian cat; he decided living with two large dogs was too stressful so he left home and moved into our garage, although I am yet to train him to wash the dishes or do the hoovering. He just eats, torments the local dogs and meows a lot.

I think it is absolutely hysterical that you have a CAT called Scooby Doo. So apart from gaining another guestaway, have you gained anything from blogging?

I have gained about a kilo in weight, Mrs Sensible blames the wine, but I think it is down to blogging. I have also found Friends, lots of them. I chat with wordpress bloggers from all over the world, which is great because living in Italy I miss going down to the local pub and joking with friends.

I guess blogging is a no-alcohol way of meeting friends. 🙂 Have there been any challenges in your life that blogging has assisted you with.

Apart from the suggestions that I should let Scooby Doo live in the house? Or that I should listen to Mrs Sensible more often!

😳 But it’s cold outside……..So, with such a busy life, you mustn’t get too much time to blog.

I don’t have a set schedule, I just blog when something funny, unusual or something that makes me want to bang my head on the wall happens. These usually occur after visiting Poste Italia, the local hospital or simply looking outside our window.

And do you find inspiration from anywhere else for your posts?

Living in Italy is all the inspiration I need; everyday something happens that is just mad or unbelievable.

Sounds awesome. Many of the bloggers that I have asked have a quote or mantra that means something to them. What about you?

Difficult question, I suppose. “oops, it wasn’t me, honest”

They all say that 😉 Well time is running out and a commercial break is due any minute. I’d like to ask you what draws you to other blogs?

Posts that make me laugh, choke on my wine or make me stop and think.

Great criteria! I think I might adopt those as well if you don’t mind. Okay, we’re getting the wind-up now. Do you have anything else that you’d like to share with us as your parting words?

I will happily share this wonderful pizza that Mrs Sensible has just made me, or the part ownership of Scooby Doo.

Thanks for chatting with us tonight Pecora Nera. Have a great night. 🙂