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.
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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…

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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.”
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”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.”
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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.

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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.
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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.
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Stay home everyone, and stay well…Andrà tutto bene – it will be better. 🌈