Starting up again

Photo source: https://www.ilpost.it/2020/05/05/notizie-martedi-5-maggio-coronavirus-italia/

Yes, Italy has begun to reopen a little. Laws are set at the national level, then governments of individual regions can set more relaxed or severe versions of those laws based on their context, such as how many cases they have and how prepared their health care system is to handle new cases.

School are definitely online for the rest of the year and wont reopen until next September or later. Street markets can open if local police monitor social distancing. I'm not tempted to go. Last week I rode by the market on my way to the grocery store and there was a super long line to get in. 

Starting yesterday we can visit close family, but not gatherings: check on your parents, but don't invite the aunts. Funerals can take place with maximum 15 people present. Manufacturing can restart. Restaurants can sell takeaway, though honestly some in our town have been doing that all along with the city government's permission. We can do sports in a larger radius from home. Theoretically we could go run or hike anywhere within regional borders, but since Lombardy is still full of infected people (we live in the hardest hit region), local government wants us to be extremely cautious. For example, our mayor said that since we have a couple of parks in our town, we can't legitimatize driving out of the city limits for exercise and would risk getting stopped and fined. No hiking in the mountains yet, my love.

Every time we leave home, we have to wear something to cover mouth and nose, and to access public transportation, we also need to wear gloves. Probably any kind of gloves are alright, but I imagine a ton of plastic is going to be dedicated to single use gloves, thrown away (recycled? Fingers crossed!), and that makes me feel sick. As we approach Summer and the weather heats up, it's going to become ever more torturous to wear the mask and gloves.

Next, starting May 18th, some more shops can open (along the lines of essential), museums, galleries, and libraries who guarantee social distancing can reopen, and professional team sports will be allowed to restart training.

From June 1st, hairdressers can reopen as well as all the other shops, cafés and restaurants.

Garden delivery

Our garden nursery delivery arrived early this morning. Ciao! Bye! I'll be in the garden until next week.

Data, society, a pandemic, everything

I'm attaching links of the three best articles I've read thus far for their comprehensiveness and clarity, written by the same author. A serious read based on tons of data, taking at least 30 minutes to read through each, take your time to absorb each one.

The latest article was published on Apr 1st, and is specific to covid-19 in the USA. I really appreciated what it has to say, especially the final point: E Pluribus Unum.
https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-out-of-many-one-36b886af37e9

His first covoid-19 article, written Mar 10th and updated Mar 19th, was about the virus' emergence, spread, how  different countries have approached containment, how effective various strategies worked in different contexts.
https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca

The second article, published on Mar 19th, is about various ways that society can handle coming out from the peak and what happens afterwards, steps back to "life as normal."
https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-the-hammer-and-the-dance-be9337092b56

Celebrating Springtime in my backyard

Our cherry tree did it again. Fully loaded with buds, now bursting their blossoms, radiating with bees and promises of thousands of cherries.

It's going to be alright

Turn the speakers up or put on your headphones...

Prayers for spiritual kids

Who would have ever guessed that in 2020, schools would close for months and kids would end up studying in their own homes, led by their own parents. Most parents are struggling with this, but there are a number of silver linings. Two close to my heart are:
1. Kids don't have to worry about school shootings for the rest of the school year and have the potential to feel safe 100% of the time;
2) Kids can complete the school year with full religious freedom so they can pray and study scriptures with parents and siblings. Remember "prayer at the flagpole?" well, any day, any time!

Photo is from the same website at the link

Would you like some help presenting creative prayer ideas to your kids? Click here: https://www.prayerspacesinschools.com/prayer-spaces-at-home

Do Re Mi - Covid 19 version

A talented NZ lady transformed a scene from "Sound of Music," where Maria teaches the kids about COVID-19. It's sweet and very amusing!

Face Masks

Next time I have to go out to buy food, I will actually try this DIY mask (at this link - thanks JC!). Earlier I discussed my observation of the face mask trend in a previous blog post. I like that there is no sewing involved in this DIY, which means that:

1. I can make it five times faster; 
2. I could more easily change colors and styles to coordinate my Spring fashion going-out-in-a-pandemic outfit; and 
3. I can more easily reuse the handkerchief without one day having to undo stitching when I no longer want a face mask. 

I know that masks are for stopping the wearer from spreading germs, not for avoiding getting germs. This is one reason I didn't bother with a face mask for the first 5 weeks of the pandemic, and the other being that there is a massive shortage and it's 1000 times more critical that the commercially made masks are available to those who work among sick or the public, or are more at risk of not living through a case of Coronovirus. 

But if wearing a mask doesn't hurt, and may help reduce germ spread, then it wouldn't be a sacrifice to wear one of my cute under-appreciated handkerchiefs for those 1 or 2 weekly excursions get food. I've already stayed at home for nearly 6 weeks and lost my paycheck for the foreseeable future. Strapping a handkerchief to my face wouldn't be a major sacrifice and is visually reassuring to the people I pass in the stores. Maybe more than my neon pink bandana tied in a triangle that recalls bandits of the wild west.

The tutorial also provides ideas for recycling bands if you don't have hairbands available. Be creative. Don't panic, have fun!

Half mast

At noon today March 31st, our mayor invited the city to join in a moment of silence in grieving for those lost to Coronavirus, along with all other towns and cities across the country. Flags are at half mast. Our mayor then posted the somber video clip to the town facebook page. Click to watch

In our tiny town, two people have passed away and fourteen others are currently fighting it, at home (two) or in the hospital (five), or have already recovered (seven). I don't personally know them, still... feeling sad.

Should you go out?

There are many aspects to consider and sometimes it's hard to understand whether it's okay to go out. Italians have prepared this helpful website to help you find the answer. Click here to find out if you should go out.