128,948 positives in Italy. Up 3.4%. 15,877 deaths.
1,239 positives in Umbria. Up 2.3%

331,151 cases in the US. 9,441 deaths.
~~~~~~~
President Trump on Saturday warned that the nation would face “a lot of death,”  while also saying he would like to consider relaxing social distancing rules for Easter services.

I am sorry to tell our illustrious leader that you cannot turn on, and turn off, social distancing! If you do, do you think people will just decide to keep their sicknesses to themselves for that bit of time?!  If you allow Easter services, people WILL spread the infection…and prolong this agony of enforced isolation…not to mention major economic downturn and many more deaths. Puleeeze. I would say use your brain…but well, I forgot you haven’t visited the Wizard to get one yet…

~~~~~~
True-ism for the US…“From the Oval Office to the CDC, political and institutional failures cascaded through the system and opportunities to mitigate the pandemic were lost.”
~~~~~~~
”Denial is not likely to be a successful strategy for survival,” GOP pollster Neil Newhouse concluded in a document that was shared with GOP leaders on Capitol Hill and discussed widely at the White House. Trump’s most ardent supporters, it said, were “putting themselves and their loved ones in danger.”
~~~~~~
Luther returned from a trip to pick up our weekly dinners from Calagrana. Starting this week they are preparing a box of fresh vegetables and fruit. It helps us stay home longer with less trips to the grocery. The produce will vary according to what is available. Such a great idea..

Our dinner was also courtesy of Calagrana. Cabbage packages – they were stuffed with pork along with cauliflower cheese gratin! Maximum comfort food.

~~~~~~~
So, a new day. And a new week. Tomorrow we begin our fifth week of isolation. It has been a long slog and I fear we have a ways to go. But the heartening news is that our curve has flattened and begun to fall from its peak, as was hoped.  This makes it worthwhile. People here are taking this duty to stay home pretty seriously, nonetheless the police are out in force everywhere. If you stray far from home they will stop to ask why you are out and where you are going.
~~~~~~

I was talking to my brave niece last night. She is a nurse on the front lines in this war against COVID. I am so proud of her. A hero.  We talked of a lot of things but how to personally deal with this catastrophe did come up. It is something I wondered about. The nurses and doctors have to compartmentalize. They kind of check part of themselves at the door, kind of like checking a coat. Then, they work hours helping very sick people and trying to save lives. And, when the shift is over, they pick up that part of themselves and return to life as well as possible. It is a good way to do it. And one day, when the war is over, these brave people will have to deal with their feelings.  And she has a standing offer to come to Italy. If anything can heal a person, Italy can. Thank you for what you are doing my sweet niece. Be careful and stay safe.
~~~~~~
Stay home everyone, and stay well…Andrà tutto bene – it will be better. 🌈 

124,632 positives in Italy. Up 4%. 15,362 deaths.
1,210 positives in Umbria. Up 2.6%. 41 deaths.

300,915 cases in the US. 8,162 deaths.
~~~~~~~
A byproduct of the shut down in Europe (and China and…well, just about everywhere in the world!) is a reduction in air pollution and noise pollution. In my mind, it is an amazing thing. Do you think that Mother Nature is really pissed about what the human race is doing to her world? Do you think maybe this is her way of fixing it? Hmmm. Boredom makes for strange musings…

Here is an excerpt from a short blurb I read about Paris.

Parisians confined to their apartments by a lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus can at least now open their windows and breathe fresh air, listen to the birds and enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.


That’s because air and noise pollution have fallen sharply in Paris, where streets are largely deserted, empty of the traffic and tumult that usually drown birdsong and choke the air near landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe.
“

We’re really witnessing an improvement in air quality, including pollutants responsible for global warming,” said Karine Leger, head of the Airparif agency, which monitors air quality in the greater Paris region.


The same is true for noise pollution. At street level on some of Paris busiest thoroughfares, noise levels are down to as little as six to nine decibels at night, some 70 to 90 percent lower than normal, according to Bruitparif, which monitors noise quality.

What do you think?
~~~~~~~~
Buona domenica to all..and I was reminded it is Palm Sunday. It is normally a hugely important day in the clerical calendar here. The bells are tolling outside as they normally do on a Sunday…calling the faithful to mass. I can’t imagine what a hole this quarantine is making in some folks lives.

It also reminds me where I was last year on this day. I was in Catania, Sicily. I will read my trip report (https://nancygoestoitaly.com/sicily-for-easter-week-with-friends/) and relive better days…even though I was sick on that trip, I was traveling somewhere…

~~~~~~~
Have a nice Sunday at home everyone! Stay safe. Faremo insieme!

• Umbria has 969 positives and 28 deaths. This is a rise of 9.6%
• Italy has 92,472 positives and 10,023 deaths. This is a rise of just 6.9%.

Wow, it’s dropping, it really is. (!) The reduction in the number of cases is ahead of the deaths but that’s to be expected. It takes someone on average about a week to die, so there’s a lag. Not to be callous about it, but it is a fact.
~~~~~~~

Another very good Atlantic article .
The missing six weeks: how Trump failed the biggest test of his life

Quote below. And at the same time, South Korea acted decisively and have controlled the virus.

When the definitive history of the coronavirus pandemic is written, the date 20 January 2020 is certain to feature prominently. It was on that day that a 35-year-old man in Washington state, recently returned from visiting family in Wuhan in China, became the first person in the US to be diagnosed with the virus…

…It was not until 29 February, more than a month after the Journal article and almost six weeks after the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in the country that the Trump administration put that advice into practice. Laboratories and hospitals would finally be allowed to conduct their own Covid-19 tests to speed up the process…

…Those missing four to six weeks are likely to go down in the definitive history as a cautionary tale of the potentially devastating consequences of failed political leadership. Today, 86,012 cases have been confirmed across the US, pushing the nation to the top of the world’s coronavirus league table – above even China.

It is more than 110,000 now (since the article just 2 days ago). It doubles every 3-4 days…you can imagine what it will become. I have to hope, that sooner rather than later, everyone in the US, no matter their political persuasion will come to believe this is real, and it is a juggernaut.

My happy spot for the US is the amazing Governors/mayors of (some of) the States/cities. Due to the lack of coherent leadership at the top it has fallen to the States. And they are rising to the challenge.
~~~~~~~~

I finally baked my cookies!

The recipe is one from a David Libowitz. It is probably the best Oatmeal cookie I’ve ever had.
~~~~~~~

I was talking to a friend a couple days ago. We asked each other “when this is over will you feel comfortable going out?” We each answered no. And the double kiss greeting in Italy? It may take awhile. This is incredibly sad, as it defines the Italian culture.

I think I’ll call the syndrome PCVSD. Post Corona Virus Stress Disorder. I’ve been reading that it may well be a real thing. People will/already do, have agoraphobia. They don’t want to leave their safe place, their house.
~~~~~~~

Today is gorgeous. Watery sunshine. Birds are singing in the little forest behind us. The House Martins are flitting wildly about, as they do. And I got to go outside for a bit to pick up our weekly Calagrana dinners and wine. After lasts weeks run in with the Carabinieri I was nervous. And I was by myself. Drove fast, fast across the bridge and parked behind a bush.🤣 Right away Ely arrived with the food. Then, Gary, then Paul with Georgia (their pup) and finally someone else I don’t know. We all rushed about, unloading-loading, but I, for one, was deliriously happy to see people. Even if from / feet apart 😳. It felt wonderful. ☺️
~~~~~~~

Buona domenica everyone. We had good news here so you will too in the not too distant future — if everyone self quarantines. Stay home and safe. Forza America. Forza Italia.
💕💕💕

710 cases in Umbria. 9.5% increase.

74,386 cases Italy wide. A 7.5% increase.

Now we’re cooking with gas!! We’ve reached the top of the bell curve. It’s what we’ve been waiting for. Single digits! But unfortunately this doesn’t seem to be the case in Lombardia and north. Still growing there. No one understands why.
~~~~~~~~~

Trash
In Umbertide, there are places around the Centro with rows of trash receptacales. One for carta (paper), vetro and plastica (glass and plastic), indifferente (trash that doesn’t care) and biodegradable. The closest one to us is maybe 250 meters away, on the edge of the Centro.

As the days have passed, I couldn’t help but notice the ENORMOUS pile of trash that has been building up in our hallway. In our normal routine, Luther would be carrying a bag out whenever he goes for a run. And we carry some out whenever we go to the store. Now, however, neither of these activities are happening. So…it looks like dedicated trips to the trash cans must be made. I assume the police will let us do that as long as we are carrying a stinking bad of garbage. It even occurred to Luther that he could put the bags in the back seat of the car and if stopped, claim he’s going to the dump. Ah, the fantasies we indulge in…

~~~~~

From the New York Times —
“Based on epidemiological projections, as the virus ran unchecked, it would quickly expand to infect somewhat over half the population before herd immunity would slow its course. Assuming a death rate of about 1 percent of those infected, about 1.7 million Americans would die within a year.“

I will add that the 1% death rate is not in line with the facts so far. Here it averages 3.4%. So the death rate would increase by over three times if it holds true.
~~~~~

Someday this will be past for the human race. And those who survive will go back to their lives. My sister shared this poem with me. It sums up so many of my feelings.

When This is Over -Laura Kelly Fanucci

When this is over,
may we never again
take for granted
A handshake with a stranger
Full shelves at the store
Conversations with neighbors
A crowded theater
Friday night out
The taste of communion
A routine checkup
The school rush each morning
Coffee with a friend
The stadium roaring
Each deep breath
A boring Tuesday
Life itself.
When this ends
may we find
that we have become
more like the people
we wanted to be
we were called to be
we hoped to be
and may we stay
that way — better
for each other
because of the worst.
~~~~~~~~
Stay safe and at home my friends. Faremo insieme…

197 positive cases in Umbria yesterday. Still growing by 20% a day, or thereabouts.

2 new cases here in Umbertide. We got notice they will be disinfecting all surfaces around town. And to keep our windows closed.
~~~~~~~~
Public Service Announcement: Good source of info sent to me by a friend who works at Johns Hopkins University. coronavirus.jhu.edu
~~~~~~~~

I feel I’ve strayed from relating my own story here, so I’m going back to that primarily. Luther and I were just saying, as we arose to another day in our house…it is just like being under house arrest but we don’t have the ankle bracelets. 😂

I think today’s post will be stream of consciousness….
~~~~~~~~

There has been a very heated debate (mostly on Facebook expat groups) about whether people are allowed to go out of their houses to walk or run for exercise. Tonight on RAI One, one of the main TV stations here, they said that people are allowed to exercise, inside or outside, as long as they do it by themselves. I’ve been worrying about my inability to exercise my recently replaced knee. I don’t feel it is good to sit around the house all day, every day without exercising it. If this thing was short lived that would be OK. But we are hearing rumors it could go through the whole summer.
~~~~~~~~

Here’s another thought. We are in an agricultural area. I’m happy to report that the farmers are working their fields and planting. These are large scale (one crop in the field) farms. This reminded me of our lost Saturday Local Produce market. Where the people who come have farms around here to sell to us, the customers. And there is bound to be food in their fields which they would be selling to us in normal times. So what are they doing with this produce? The chain has broken. How can we facilitate the movement of the local food from the farms to the consumers here (who want it) with no venue? We need to come up with a new plan to help the farmers, so they will plant new crops at the proper time dictated by the season. We want them to keep planting. We don’t want them to go out of business. We need the chain to be unbroken. It is to everyone’s advantage to keep this going. I think I will post this on our local Umbria Facebook page…maybe we can come up with some ideas.
~~~~~~~

Hmmmm. I was looking in the mirror today. Not a good idea, in the best of times. And I realized I’m overdue for a haircut. It occurred to me, since all the hairdressers are closed indefinitely, that we are going to be – ONE shaggy nation! OMG we will look like cavemen when we emerge from our casa caves. Whenever that may be…
~~~~~~

I’m still following the news from the US. Most of it is heartening. People are taking this all more seriously I think, finally. Except for one report from Florida…they’ve closed all the bars and clubs. Yay! But they let the restaurants stay open half capacity….Noooooooooo. 😱 If you are trying to limit transmission of this thing then go the whole way. Half full still transmits the contagion. Bad idea. I’m sure they are hoping to keep the restaurants solvent. I totally understand that. But I’m afraid our way of life will not be the same for a long time. Our businesses and economy will take huge hits. Inevitable. But more important are the millions…and I mean millions, who will die. We all need to act now.

An finally, and I’ll shut my trap after this, but a quote from our leaders. (What are they thinking?! 🤦🏻‍♀️)
“ Over the weekend, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), a leading ally of President Trump, dismissed concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and said on Fox News that “it’s a great time to just go out, go to a local restaurant.”

Oh my god.
~~~~~~

Gosh, this is not a good note on which to end. So let’s talk about lunch. I made a big soup today. It will last days. It has tomatoes, carrots, onion, celery, mushrooms, cabbage, one jalapeño, mixed grains and a little pasta. Very healthy, very hearty and filling. I serve it with a drizzle of good olive oil. 🙂 Picture!

~~~~~~~

All y’all stay safe. Wash your hands! And Anderà tutti bene!