Lockdown Day 13

13 is not an unlucky number in Italy. That would be 17, so we have a little more time here, but hopefully this is all just superstition which, in combination with faith, there is still, hope and charity. 

There can be no actual funerals in this period, but there were funeral bells this morning. I don’t think they were virus related as we have very few cases here. That there can be no funerals is very disturbing in and of itself as it denies families here the opportunity to express with their sublime dignity their respects for ancestors, extended family or friends. Funerals are a catharsis and closure of which they are being denied. Rites and rituals can be of great comfort and have a stabilizing effect in difficult times. 

When I heard the bells this morning I was taking a leisurely bath appreciating the hot running water from the tap. 

There are a few things which I’m running out of that I cannot get at the local supermarket. Since I am of the demographic which should be extra cautious, i am, and I won’t journey to the larger store to get them. as much as I’d love the outing, even just to the store. How our needs and desires become relative. So, I’m being conservative, not to be confused with Conservative, in my use of certain supplies and carefully considering what is essential. 

I now understand why Pietro got nervous if we didn’t have 10 kilos of pasta on hand at all times. That really just represents 10 standard one kilo packages of pasta and whenever they were on sale, he would buy just a few. Slowly but surely stocking up.

Being conservative with that which I have on hand and, at the same time, using stuff I have had forever but never touched. Like books I’ve had for eons and never read, always waiting for a time like this, well, not exactly like this, but one in which I had nothing but time on my hands. 

This may change our collective behavior for at least a generation or two. Hopefully for the better. There are enough resources in the world to be shared equitably. Equitably does not necessarily mean equally, we’ve all seen the meme, but it means there is enough to go around with judicious planning.

So, each trip to the store, I pick up only a couple of extra things, except cookies, those I stock up on, but I haven’t heard of any runs on the cookie aisle.  

We had a tradition of a nice Sunday lunch, nothing fancy, just a little something special. Though it’s just me, I’ve made a nice Sunday lunch.