ком в горле

21:51 Feb 11, 2004 

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.

21:37 Feb 11, 2004 

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

20:53 Feb 11, 2004 

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).

20:48 Feb 11, 2004 

(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!

20:39 Feb 11, 2004 

20:20 Feb 11, 2004 

20:16 Feb 11, 2004