Non-ProZ.com Feb 11, 2004:

To Levan Namoradze It looks as if you are quite right about what this actually means; the trouble is that it can't mean it in this context. I have translated several letters from this person, and he makes a lot of mistakes in Russian.

Non-ProZ.com Feb 11, 2004:

To Gary: I think it's in the side on your side of the pond and in the flesh on mine.

Non-ProZ.com Feb 11, 2004:

Eyesore I agree with Aleksandr about this too. An eyesore is usually something that looks awful (I think the National Theatre building in London, built in solid slabs of undressed ferroconcrete with streaks of rust showing through, is an eyesore, for example).

Non-ProZ.com Feb 11, 2004:

to those who added notes: (almost called you "adders", but an adder is a snake, so better not!)
If this was in the guy's own horrible handwriting I might think it actually could be "���� � �����", but this part of the letter is written by his wife, who writes very neatly.
"Became a real headache" might do, but it suggests more just a problem rather than an irritant.
And of the various parts of the anatomy in which one can have a pain, I think Aleksandr's suggestion is the most suitable, though Vladimir's is more graphic!

Alexander Demyanov Feb 11, 2004:

I belive "pain in the neck" delivers the meaning best.

Vladimir Pochinov Feb 11, 2004:

I think, you can also say "my family became a (real) headache for the Home Office" ("����� ������� �������� ��� �� ...")

kire (X) Feb 11, 2004:

actually the saying is ��� ���� � ����� :)