Tag Archives: COVID19 pandemic

2021~ Un po’ di pepe year in review

31 Friday Dec 2021

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As we prepare to say Addio 2021, we continue to face uncertainty and frustration with constantly changing recommendations and regulations. In my last end of year post Reflecting on 2020, I wrote about examples of kindness and human resilience despite the global pandemic. A lot of the things I wrote about in that post have not changed…but there is one huge difference since 1 year ago.  Now we have vaccines!  There are still COVID cases, but they are fewer and those who are vaccinated are not getting as sick.  Things are slowly improving, even if it sometimes does not feel like it.  I no longer feel like an extra in a bad science fiction movie, where everything in the world is upside down…well, not often anyways.

One of my friends gives me a figurine for my Christmas village every year.  Last year was the masked toasting couple, shown in the photo between Tiny Tim and Eliza Doolittle. She added the little latex masks.  They are cute, but I did not plan to have them in my village again. If all goes well, they will be unmasked next year! This year’s figurine is a snowboarder, so that is already progress.

Starting in May, I took on extra work as a COVID immunizer. It has definitely been a positive, rewarding experience.  You can read about my experiences in post #4 below.  As a result, the # of blog posts I wrote this year decreased.  I average 2 posts per month, occasionally 3. May 2021 is the only month since starting this blog in April 2014 that I published 0 posts.  Several other months I only published once, so I need to get writing next year! The good news is that 5 posts from 2021 are on my top list, so at least someone was reading the ones I did write!

WordPress keeps end of year stats which I love to share because they are so interesting*.  In 2021, Un po’ di pepe had over 13,000 views from almost 100 different countries!  I would love to visit all of of them!  The top posts of 2021 based on the number of views are listed here, in case you missed any of them.  Lots of links are included!

#10 Tiramisù  The history of Tiramisù and my recipe, published for Giornata Mondiale del Tiramisù-World Tiramisù Day. Tiramisu'

#9  La Trinità di Masaccio is on this list again! When I first published this art history lesson in 2018, it did not get much love.  Last year, I discovered that it comes up as the 1st listing after Wikipedia in a Google search! This explains the steady trickle of views over the last few years. I also suspect it is on some reading lists for art history classes in the US, because a lot of views were referred from the course websites of Santa Monica College and a high school in Pittsburgh! How cool is that?  Didn’t I say the stats were fascinating?

My quick sketches of the vanishing point, perspective lines and triangular composition. The colour image is my entry ticket from 2004!

#8 In My Kitchen, Summer 2021 ‘In My Kitchen’ is a monthly blogging group hosted by Sherry in Australia. Check the post for the link.  I join in a few times a year.  For the second year in a row, I missed my kitchen in Puglia due to the plague and pestilence of the global pandemic. This post documents my summer kitchen adventures at home.

#7 100 years of Insulin During my career as a Diabetes Educator, I have taught thousands of families how to give insulin. This life-saving therapy was discovered in Canada 100 years ago, and I happily share the story of its discovery with all of you. Canada Post stamp from April 2021.Canada Post Stamp commemorating the discovery of insulin

#6a 6th place is a tie. Grano Arso a Pugliese gastronomic tradition that honours the resilience of our contadini ancestors. Grano arso is also the subject of my first non- diabetes related publication! There is not a lot written in English on grano arso, which explains why this 2015 post comes up 5th on Google search.

#6b Internment of Italian Canadians I am always amazed at how little is known about this time in history when it was a crime to be Italian.

#5 Napoli Street Art I absolutely love Napoli a perfect place for self-expression since the last few thousand years.  Join me on a graffiti/street art tour in the Centro Storico. This 2020 post comes up 4th in Google search.volto di Sophia Loren Napoli street art

#4 Reflections from a COVID Immunizer This post is based on notes I kept about what people said to me while working as a COVID immunizer.

#3 Limoncello Ricotta Cookies This 2018 post is on this list for the first time, and a lot of the views were referred from Pinterest!

#2 L’Arte sa Nuotare  made my top list again! During my 2019 trip to Firenze with Isabella we were on constant lookout for street art by Blub, the talented artist who plunges famous works of art underwater. This post also comes up 2nd on a google search, after the artist’s own Instagram page.  Spread the Blub love- read more about Blub in Blub a Napoli. Putto Raffaello Firenze street art Blub

#1 Italiano per Ristoranti-How to Pronounce your Restaurant Menu, this handy Italian menu pronunciation guide has been #1 every year except last year.  In a google search for ‘Italian pronunciation guide restaurant’ and ‘Italian menu pronunciation’ it comes out as the top suggestion! Molto cool! This post is available as a 6 page downloadable PDF via a link at the end of the post and was downloaded 44 times this year.  Someday, I will expand and turn it into an ebook. Speriamo! If any of you have experience publishing ebooks and can give me some advice, please contact me!

Bruschetta (broo.SKET.tah)

I also published my first ‘interview’ post this year.  I interviewed Diana Iuele about her study of Italiese, our italocanadese hybrid language.

Grazie mille to all of you for continuing to read and follow Un po’ di pepe.  I would love to hear which post/s you liked best, and what you would like to read more about in 2022 on Un po’ di pepe.  Let me know in the comments.  Looking forward to writing more cose interresanti /interesting stuff in 2022.

Tanti auguri a tutti i lettori di Un po’ di pepe per un 2022 piena di, pace, gioia, buona salute e sicurezza Wishing all readers of Un po’ di pepe a 2022 full of peace, joy, good health and safety!

 Virtual baci e abbracci, Cristina

Refer to Italian Christmas Vocabulary to make sense of my seasonal greetings!

*Note…WordPress’ method of collecting stats is odd.  The newest post counts as a ‘Home page’ view until the next one is published and I am not sure how much this changes the results.

Reflections from a COVID immunizer

21 Saturday Aug 2021

Posted by in Canada, Inspiration

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SyringesMany of you readers have probably noticed that my blog has been neglected since April. This is mainly because I have been working a few days a week on the Covid immunization team with the local health department. I thought I it was important for me to do my part for the cause. I also thought it might be nice to actually have the opportunity to talk to live humans. British Columbia is doing well-84% of the population 12 years of age or older has had one vaccine, and 75% have had both doses. These stats are amazing-so the clinics are reducing capacity as the number of fully vaxxed people increases. My temporary extra job will be coming to an end soon.

The experience has been overwhelmingly positive. What a pleasure to work with people who are mostly positive, appreciative, respectful and relieved, …..I don’t think I ran into a single grumpy person! Many were anxious, confused and uncertain, even still hesitant and afraid-but not grumpy! What a nice change. I was continually thanked for my service and I also thanked everyone for showing up!

I worked at several different clinic locations in Vancouver, and also Whistler, but my most frequent location was the Vancouver Convention Centre ‘under the sails’ at Canada Place.  Here is the venue, the lineup and the view from my lunch break.

Vancouver Convention CenterMy first day at the convention center we had 3500 vaccine appointments booked in 10 hours.  In June, the number of appointments was increased to 5000 per day! It was crazy busy, but ran like a well-oiled machine.

Working as an immunizer involves much more than just giving the vaccine. It also involves explaining how the vaccine works, potential side effects and obtaining consent, answering all sorts of questions, assessing allergies, needle anxiety and anxiety in general, monitoring in the aftercare area for 15 minutes, delivering vaccines to immunizers’ tables and often even drawing up vaccines. Drawing up the vaccines is stressful as every last drop needs to be squeezed out of a vial so that the remainder left in 3 vials can be combined to make 1 extra dose! No wastage, but talk about pressure! My first day, there were 3500 appointments booked. Anyone who has previously fainted, felt faint with a vaccine or is really anxious is taken to the First-aid area so they can have their vaccine laying down. Some people are still unsure and confused when they arrive at their appointment and they need more time and reassurance. Canada Place

A surprising number of people booked their appts on their birthdays so they could extra celebrate. They tried to make it fun. Families and roommates showed up together, sometimes in costume or dressed in a theme colour! I loved when young adults brought along their 12 to 18 year old siblings.  Stickers where available on the way out. 

VCH Covid vaccine stickers
You can imagine the interesting responses from people during or after their immunizations. I kept track of them in a sort of ‘covid immunizer journal’ on my phone, and am including my favourites here. Details have been altered, removed and in some cases combined, to protect identity.

The Convention Centre is right in downtown Vancouver. I was amazed at the vast amount of intricately tattooed arms that were presented to me. These often required extra thought re landmarking and placement. It is totally OK to give an injection on a tattooed area, but I tried to avoid doing nasty things like stabbing angels and kittens in the eyeball! I enjoyed asking about the significance of tattooed images because I find this information fascinating, and it also served as a good distraction technique. I had some requests to give the vaccine into a particular tattoo, usually a religious or medical image. I saw a few Plague Doctor tattoos, which are considered ‘dark and edgy’ according to the internet. Plague Doctors treated victims of the Bubonic Plague. They wore big black hats, long black coats, and bird masks with large beaks. The beaks were filled with herbs and spices to mask the stench of death and disease. The large beak also prevented getting too close to the ill person. I suppose this was the 16 th century version of PPE and physical distancing?

As the eligible age to get vaccinated decreased, the amount of anxiety and needle anxiety seemed to increase-even among the tattooed. I tried to be empathetic, but since I know tattooing is painful, I found myself quite often wondering ‘were you unconscious when you got those tattoos?’. Several did lightheartedly comment that they were so drunk or high that they didn’t remember a thing!  Travel was my favourite distraction topic. Many of my vaccinees had travel plans, either for real, or in their minds. It is amazing how animated and relaxed one can get while describing a potential vacation.

I was jokingly asked questions like ‘Did you just give me 3G or the microchip?’ and ‘Do you have a magnet I can use to check?’  Some of the more enthusiastic responses include: ‘I can feel the freedom coursing through my veins!’ ‘It feels like I just got my wallet and keys back after being in jail’ ‘Now I can go lick door handles’…my response- ‘Please don’t!’.
One of my most enthusiastic reactions was from a university student-probably a research scientist. She had her eyes closed and an orgasmic look on her face while she took deep breaths and said she was imagining all of the science, research and hard work that was going into her body at that very moment. For some, getting the vaccine was actually anticlimactic….’I endured 15 months of hell for that?’

We had either Pfizer or Moderna vaccine on any given day, depending on the available supply. People often wanted to know which vaccine they would be getting. The most interesting presentation of this question was ‘So, what’s in your candy dish?’  The cutest presentation of this question-which I was asked several times-was ‘Will I be getting the Madonna vaccine?’ I really wanted to respond ‘We only have Lady Gaga on the menu today’, but I don’t think any of them realized what they had asked.Moderna vaccine and syringes

In the aftercare area, it was obvious who had seen the TikTok video on how to move your arms and body to decrease vaccine side effects! FYI this does not help at all, but does no harm and some of the moves made me laugh.

A lovely 80ish year old woman expressed her happiness to be getting her second dose as she had ‘been through this all before’. She told me about surviving the Polio epidemic in the early 1950’s and how some of her classmates were not as fortunate.  They did not get the new Polio vaccine because their parents were distrustful and afraid. Now Polio is almost eradicated. She hopes everyone will listen to the science! 

Trust Science not Morons
My cousin sent me this amusing text wondering if I was still giving vaccinations. It was altered by autocorrect! I actually like their  version better! 

Text from Maria
I hope you enjoyed reading my Covid immunization diary notes. I also hope that where you live, vaccines are available and accessible to all. Please get out and get yours ASAP! Remember…..follow the science! As our Provincial Health Officer likes to say ‘Be safe, be calm, be kind’.

VCH vaccine signCiao and stay safe, Cristina

Settebello-Bloghiversario #7

25 Sunday Apr 2021

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Today is another bloghiversario-a blog anniversary.  It is hard to believe it has already been 7 years since starting Un po’ di pepe.  Where did the time go?  If feels like just yesterday I had trouble coming up with a blog name. This has been an amazing, rewarding experience and I have ‘met’ so many virtual friends and even reconnected with old ones.

7 is a lucky number in many cultures.  Settebello, the sette denari (7 of coins) is the luckiest card in an Italian deck of cards.  Let’s hope that means it will be a lucky year! We could all use more settebello.Settebello

Last year, I did not write a bloghiversario post.  We had been in ‘pandemic mode’ for 6 weeks, and it is hard to believe that 1 year later, the world is still sottosopra…upside down, and I still feel like an extra in a low-budget science fiction movie where plague and pestilence run rampant.  

I started out this pandemic being crazy productive-increasing from 2 blog posts per month to 3, trying out all the recipes I could never find the time to get to, Zoom yoga 3-4 times a week and planned out  many art projects.  I lost steam at some point and now have trouble concentrating enough to write a shopping list or paint my nails.  I am now spending most of my time reading and growing seedlings, but thankfully I am still doing the Zoom yoga 3 times a week.

5 masks hanging on a clothesline

The loss of life, paralysis of the world economy, and mental health effects of this pandemic have been devastating.   Each of us copes differently with the confusion, fear and stress of quarantine, distancing, and finding distraction from all things Coronavirus.  Some of us are madly productive, and others slow right down.  I have yo-yo’d back and forth.  What I am trying to say is, as long as what you are doing helps with coping and local guidelines to help everyone stay safe are followed, it does not really matter. Just stay safe!

I decided to do my part for ‘the cause’ and got a temporary new job.  I will be doing some relief work with the COVID 19 Immunization clinics for Vancouver Coastal Health.  My training session was a few mornings ago and it was a happy place.  The 3 people I immunized were so excited, relieved, and ecstatic, it made my week!  

Personal Protective Equipment

Today is also La Festa della Liberazione d’Italia, the anniversary of the liberation of Italia from Fascist occupation in 1945.  Viva la libertà. Since it is relevant today, I would like to share this 1955ish quote by Piero Calamandrei, an author and protagonist of the Resistenza:

La liberta è come l’aria.  Ci si accorge di quanto vale quando inizia a mancare. /Freedom is like air.  We only realize how much it is worth when it is lacking.

SettebelloGrazie to all of you for taking the time to read, comment, send messages and especially for giving me an excuse to research and write about things that interest me!  If you have any suggestions for posts or just want to say ‘ciao‘, leave me a comment. Here is a link to my first post Perché questo blog?/Why write a blog?

Grazie mille a tutti i lettori di ‘Un po’ di pepe’ per leggere e darmi una scusa per scrivere di cose che mi piacciono.  Lasciami un messaggio se hai un idea per un post o semplicemente per dire ‘ciao’.  Un abbraccio, Cristina

Forza! Continue to stay safe everyone, and hang in there.  Un abbraccio, Cristina

Reflecting on 2020

30 Wednesday Dec 2020

Posted by in Blogging, Inspiration

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5 masks hanging on a clotheslineAddio 2020!  Is that too polite? How about vai via 2020?  Via al inferno 2020?  Vaffanculo 2020 may be the most appropriate send off to this year that most of us would like to forget.  COVID 19 has affected life for everyone.  Even in my weirdest dreams, I never imagined plague and pestilence in the form of a planetary health crisis during my lifetime…..yet here we are.

My word of the year is sottosopra (sot•toh•SOH•prah)…..upside down.  I doubt I am alone feeling like an extra in a bad science fiction movie, where everything in the world is upside down. Kisses and hugs spread disease, lounging on the couch binge watching Netflix is responsible adult behaviour, NOT visiting family is a sign of love, and losers are the ones who DO go out on New Year’s Eve!Personal Protective Equipment

The loss of life, paralysis of the world economy, and mental health effects of this pandemic have been devastating.  It has been more stressful than most of us are willing to admit.  Each of us copes differently with the confusion, fear and stress of quarantine, distancing, and finding distraction from all things 2020.  Some of us are madly productive, and others slow right down.  As long as our activities help us cope and we follow local guidelines to help everyone stay safe, it does not really matter.

This has been a time for many of us to reflect about what is important, especially so in this quieter of Christmas seasons.  There are not many positive things to discuss during a global pandemic.  Even so, I have felt humbled by the outpouring of kindness, humanity and creativity that has come out of this terrible situation and speak to the resilience of the human spirit.  Just a few of my favourite examples include:

  • The adaptability and creativity of businesses, workplaces, schools and social groups, offering their services differently and online.  I have been doing zoom yoga 3-4 times a week! Many of these practices will likely continue in some form when the world is no longer sottosopra!
  • The world becoming emotional watching videos of neighbourhoods throughout Italia singing in solidarity from their balconies and windows.  This uplifting show of unity and community support spread positivity around the world.
  • Collective rounds of applause and banging of pots for frontline health care workers.  As a healthcare worker, I thank you all for your enthusiasm! This video ‘A Violin flies over Cremona’ of Lena Yokoyama playing Ennio Morricone for health care workers on the roof of the hospital in Cremona makes me cry.  The full 15 minute documentary, with English voice over by my amica Anna Ambrosini is available here 
  • Pandemic street art!  A creative response to the pandemic, often with a dose of humour.  I wrote about street art for International Nurses Day and have another post planned soon.John Doh street art
  • Volunteers helping the elderly with groceries and errands, sewing masks, donating blood and many other wonderful things.
  • Nerdy science geeks are finally cool!
  • The elementary school near home had to cancel their Christmas concert.  They walked around and sang in front of the homes of the older and housebound neighbours instead.  Singing with their antlers and little masks on-they were adorable.  My parents were so thrilled, as was 98 year old Pasquale across the street.
  • The extra effort to spread Christmas cheer this year with outdoor decorations and lights.   Tree lots here sold out the in first week and many stores almost sold out of seasonal stuff by mid-December.  My lights and decorations always help me get through the cold, wet, dark, depressing days of winter, so I have really appreciated this.


    2020     was consistent…ha fatto schifo dall’inizio fino alla fine! It sucked from beginning to end!

    Please remember the global Christmas message of goodwill towards everyone.  We are all facing challenges that are not visible.  Do not assume you know what others are going through. As our Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says ‘Be safe, be calm, be kind’.

    Il Bacio TV Boy Pandemic street art

    Wishing all readers of Un po’ di pepe a safe, healthy, happy, better New Year, where the world is not upside down!

    Tanti auguri a tutti i lettori di Un po’ di pepe per un migliore Anno Nuovo piena di gioia, salute e sicurezza, dove il mondo non è sottosopra5 masks hanging on a clothesline

     Forza!  Hang in there everyone!

     Virtual baci e abbracci, Cristina

    Street art images from the artist’s instagram:

  • No need to shit yourself @johndohart
  • Trust Science, not Morons, Mike Dellaria @dellarious
  • Il Bacio @TVBoy

Street Art for International Nurses Day

12 Tuesday May 2020

Posted by in Inspiration

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Angeli Custodi TV Boy Street Art Guardian AngelsMay 12th is International Nurses Day.  Since 1965, it has been a day to mark the contributions that nurses make to society.  May 12th was chosen because it is the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale.

The theme for International Nurses Day 2020 is A voice to lead:  Nursing the world to heal. A fitting theme for this (so far) sucky pandemic year.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize my fellow nurses and also doctors, first responders, lab and radiology techs, respiratory techs (Yes, especially the RT’s!), housekeeping staff, delivery drivers, mail carriers, everyone in the food distribution chain, and all other essential workers.  Sending much love and gratitude to you all!

Super Nurse street art by FAKEStreet artists have also been showing the love.  ‘Super Nurse’ is a stencil art mural by Dutch urban artist FAKE.  The artist is offering the image as a free downloadable PDF with a customizable background from his website Highonspraypaint to share with healthcare professionals, give as a gift, or put up in the workplace. Super nurse FAKE street art downloadable PDF

‘We can do it/ce la faremo‘ is Sicilian street artist TVBoy’s health care professional image released for italian labour day, May 1 as a ‘tribute to all health workers who have not spared themselves in these months and worked with courage and dedication, as always, even if we have only realized now the importance they have in our lives’.  I like to call her Rosie because she is posing like the WWII poster of Rosie the Riveter!We can do it TV Boy street art

The cover image Guardian Angels/Angeli Custodi, is also by TV Boy, aka Salvatore Benintende.  TVBoy and Banksy were also featured in the post Napoli Street Art.Banksy Game Changer Sock Monkey Super Nurse

Banksy’s newest work ‘Game Changer’ is a beautiful image.  A child ditches his makebelieve superhero action figures to play with a real one….Sock Monkey Super Nurse to the rescue!  He has donated the work to  Southhampton Hospital to be auctioned off to raise funds for health services. Banksy Sock monkey super nurse close up

Happy Nurses Day everyone!  Please share the love and kindness.

Images from the artists’ instagram accounts @iamfake, @banksy, @tvboy.

Ciao, Cristina

La Festa della Liberazione

25 Saturday Apr 2020

Posted by in Blogging, Feste

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Today is la Festa della Liberazione d’Italia, the anniversary of the liberation of Italia from Fascist occupation in 1945, and a day to honour those who served in the Italian Resistance. That makes today the 75th anniversary of liberazione.  April 25th has been an Italian national holiday since 1946- Viva la libertà!

There are usually rallies organized all over the country by ANPI (Associazione Nazionale Partigiana d’Italia).  This year the celebration is bittersweet, there not being much liberazione at the moment with everyone in isolation.

There will be balcony celebrating all over the country, including singing Bella Ciao.  This was originally a protest song of the late 19th Century, for women working in the rice fields in Northern Italia, then adapted as an antifascist song of the resistance.  Please listen to this Facebook link to a video of a beautiful version sung by a few of my talented young paesani in Orsara di Puglia! Frecce Tricolori Festa della Liberazione 25 Aprile

Le Frecce Tricolori of the Italian air force also flew the colours of the Italian flag over Roma this morning.

Today is also Un po di pepe‘s 6th bloghiversario / blog anniversary.  I usually write about the past year and what I would like to write for the next one.  This year, I would just like to share a 1955ish quote by Piero Calamandrei, an author and protagonist of the Resistenza:

La liberta è come l’aria.  Ci si accorge di quanto vale quando inizia a mancare. /Freedom is like air.  We only realize how much it is worth when it is lacking.

Continue to stay safe everyone, and hang in there.  Forza! Ce la faremo!  Un abbraccio, Cristina

In my Kitchen~Quarantine edition

06 Monday Apr 2020

Posted by in Mangiamo!, Photography

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Sottosopra (sot•toh•SOH•prah)…upside down.  I know I am not the only one who feels like an extra in a sci-fi movie where everything in the world is upside down. Kisses and hugs can be disease spreaders, binge watching Netflix on the couch all day is responsible adult behaviour, and NOT visiting your family is a sign of love!

Everyone copes differently with the stress of quarantine.  Some of us are madly productive, and others binge watch Netflix all day.  It does not matter what we are doing, as long as we are doing it at home-staying home and helping everyone stay safe.  If you have been hiding under a rock and this is news to you, please read these 2 posts: COVID19~Andrá tutti bene and COVID19~Insieme ce la faremo.  

I am one of those ‘essential’ workers, but I am ‘freelance’ now, and happened to not have any work booked at the hospital the last 2 weeks. I have been at home, only leaving the house to buy groceries or walk to my parents’ back porch-the socially distant designated drop off/pick up point. This week I work a few days… and am not sure what to expect!

While home, I have done yoga class via zoom almost every day, and spent a lot of time in my kitchen.  I made a kitchen ‘to do’ list -mostly things I am not often home long enough to attempt.  Making pasta by hand is calming, almost meditative, punching dough is violently therapeutic, and my freezer is now full. It is also time for another ‘In my kitchen’ blog post.  Here are some of the things I crossed off my list:Tortelloni stuffed with meat

I have made a lot of stuffed pasta, but not filled with meat.  Ricotta, spinach, mushroom, pumpkin…but not meat.  These tortellini are stuffed with a mixture of veal, prosciutto, mortadella and parmigiano.  They were delicious, so I will be making them again, although I may vary the shape.Candied orange peel

In the spirit of using absolutely everything, I candied my orange peels, using a technique based on Domenica’s and then dipped half in chocolate.  They are a small flavour explosion and a nice garnish for a cheese plate, or served on the side with espresso.  I ate a lot of oranges, so made a lot of candied peel and will see if they freeze well.

I love making bread-and the kneading part is a great stress reliever.  Making pane senza impasto —no-knead bread, was anticlimactic, but i wanted to try it.  The ingredients were just barely mixed, rose for 24 hours, then baked in my heavy cast iron pot with the lid on.  The bread was delicious, with a nice crispy crust.  Unfortunately, you can only make 1 at a time.No knead bread

Alumni of the University of British Columbia will drool at the mention of the legendary, pillowy soft, caramelly UBC Cinnamon buns. These were made for over 50 years by UBC Food Services and sold at all of the campus food outlets.  The recipe was once a huge secret but is now available. UBC Cinnamon bunsI have wanted to make them for years, but the recipe sounded really difficult and time consuming.  It was not as involved as I thought and I will definitely be making them again.  There is even some kneading involved!  They were so good, I had to try one, keep one for the next day, and immediately arrange for the rest to be picked up so I did not eat them all.  I will try freezing them unbaked next time.unbaked ubc cinnamon buns

Freezer space is at a premium right now, so the frozen raspberries from my garden had to be used to make jam. In a few months there will be new berries to pick.

The south facing kitchen is the sunniest place in the house.  A few weeks ago -whenever the full moon was, I planted my pomodori seeds by the window.  The tomato seedlings are all looking good and growing well on the covered back porch now.

Orecchiette are not the easiest pasta to make, but they are extremely low tech. No pasta machine, not even a rolling pin is needed.  Only a knife.  Making them was very meditative, but also stressful, because this was the first time I ever made them without my Mamma. As a surprise, I delivered the orecchiette to their back porch.  Orecchiette

Forza!  Hang in there everyone!  Check out the rest of the monthly ‘In My Kitchen’ blogging community posts from around the world on host Sherry’s blog here.

A special ‘Grazie!’ to grocery store employees, farmers and truck drivers who are making sure we have food!

Ciao, Cristina.  Vancouver BC, Canada

Quarantine Selfie Collage

30 Monday Mar 2020

Posted by in Art, Art projects

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Running out of things to do during this crazy quarantine? Art is a great stress reliever. Try this ‘Quarantine Selfie’, an art project suitable for the whole family. This project was my 2nd ever blog post-back in 2014, and I think only 12 people read it. If the painting looks familiar, it appeared-wearing an N95 mask-a few weeks ago in the post COVID 19 Andrà tutto bene. Stay safe and make art! Ciao, Cristina

Un po' di pepe

Autoritratto, 2013 Autoritratto, 2013

Autoritratto (ow∙tow∙ree∙TRAT∙tow) means self-portrait. Who says ‘selfies’ can only be done via phone? Try this mixed-media collage project to make your own selfie at home.

You will need:
 -3 self portraits on paper, all close to the same size
 -a hard surface such as a wood panel, cradled wood panel or board
- acrylic matte medium. This is acrylic paint without the colour, and it can be used as a glue and also as a protective coating over top of your work
- bits and pieces of old artwork to collage

selfiestuff

  1. Draw or paint 3 ‘selfies’ on paper. If you are like me, you have lots of them lying around from different art classes. You can also make 3 photocopies of the same image, and colour each one differently.
  2. Crumple each selfie into a ball.
  3. Open them up again and tear into several pieces.
  4. Find your…

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COVID19-Insieme ce la faremo

22 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in Italia, Italian life

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Coffee? Martina_illustratesWhat a week it has been!  The COVID 19 pandemic has changed life for everyone. Last week, I wrote about COVID 19 and the situation in Italia.  Then the world became emotional watching videos of neighourhoods all over the country singing in solidarity from their balconies and windows.  There was also a collective round of applause at noon for frontline health care workers.  This uplifting show of resilience and community support was much needed. Rainbow paintings by bambini, and the positive messages #iorestoacasa and #andratuttobene spread positivity throughout the country in a show of mass cooperation and unity.

This week in Italia there is discouragement and low morale, with new cases going up daily.  Stats are updated here.  Things are getting worse instead of better. There are now more deaths than in China and the numbers keep rising, despite extreme social distancing measures.  We all saw the morbid images from Bergamo of a convoy of army vehicles transporting coffins elsewhere because there is no room for them.  I feel terrible when I think of all the people dying alone in ICU, without their families, not even given the dignity of a funeral.  It is natural to feel demoralized under the circumstances, and the mental health effects of quarantine and social distancing, but it is important to stay positive and hopeful.

What we all have to remember is that the COVID 19 virus can incubate for 14 days.  Knowing this, it makes sense that measures taken today will take 2 weeks to have an effect, and the increase in cases were mostly infected before the whole country was in quarantine. Now there are even stricter measures in place.

China has had 4 days with no new cases. We also need to remember they are on day 81 (since Jan 1st), while Italia is only at day 32 (Feb 20th there were 3 cases).  If all of this is correct, it should start getting better next week ……  if everyone stays home!  Movement of people will just keep feeding  the virus.

What I do not understand is why other countries are not learning from what is happening in Italia and acting sooner?  It is not if, but when. For example, the UK now has more cases than Italia did at the same point, but they only just closed bars yesterday!  Despite social distancing measures, we see videos of socially and morally irresponsible spring break partying in Florida, and a packed Bondi Beach in Sydney.  The only way to contain this thing is to STAY HOME!  Wake up and smell the cappuccino already! The super strict rules need to be stricter and need to be enforced.  This cartoon sent to me on Facebook shows what is needed to kick COVID 19.  The coronavirus says:  ‘I’m leaving, there is no one here’.

I hope the balcony singing resumes, because music is the universal language and it is so important for social and mental health. Forza!  Insieme ce la faremo-together we will do it!  Stay strong everyone…and unless you are an essential service, STAY AT HOME!  Ciao, Cristina

Image: Coffee? used with permission by Martina Heiduczek IG @martina_illustrates

Coffee? Martina_illustrates

To lighten the mood I am attaching a hilarious video from Rimbamband of ‘Virus Corona’ (pronounced VEE∙roos Corona) to the tune of the 80’s hit My Sharona.  The lyrics are hilarious, but even if you don’t understand Italiano, it is still funny.

 

 

COVID19-Andrà tutto bene

13 Friday Mar 2020

Posted by in Amici e Famiglia, Italia, Italian life

≈ 26 Comments

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This is a blog post I did not want to have to write.  A few weeks ago, I was hoping the COVID19 outbreak in Italia would just fizzle out on its own.  That has not happened, and Italia-my other home-has been absolutely devastated.  My family and friends there are all safe, but they are worried and confused, with things changing every day.

Yesterday, I overheard a group discussing the cancellation of NBA and NHL games and how that was ‘drastic, fear-mongering because more people die of the seasonal flu’ and ‘only sick people over 80 are dying’.  Most of you readers may not know this, but my ‘real job’ is at BC Childrens’ Hospital in Vancouver.  As a healthcare professional, I need to discuss the situation and present the facts.

COVID19 stands for ‘Corona Virus Disease 19’ and is in the same family as SARS.   Some of you may remember the SARS outbreak in Asia and Toronto in 2003?  SARS was more deadly (10% mortality), but COVID19 has far more cases and has been spreading like wildfire.  The coronavirus family cause disease in animals.  The genetic code for COVID 19 has been linked to bats.  It originated in Wuhan, China and likely passed to another animal before being passed on to humans.

The death rate for COVID19 about 3.4%, much higher than the seasonal flu. Death is not likely for those under 60 and healthy, but it can be spread to grandparents, parents, friends who are immunosuppressed or have other health issues.  Children do not seem to be affected, but can spread the virus. 20% of cases will develop severe pneumonia and ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) needing oxygen therapy and possibly ICU and mechanical ventilation.

The situation in Italia-as of 13 March 2020, there have been 17,660 confirmed cases, 1,266 deaths, and 1,439 recoveries, leaving 14,955 active cases.  This data is updated daily here.

Why are there so many cases in Italia?  There are many reasons, including the fact the government has been transparent about reporting the #’s and facts from the beginning and they have tested over 60,000 people, revealing asymptomatic cases.  There is a large elderly population, the hardest group hit, and also the fact that Italians are probably the world’s most cuddly, affectionate population-which in any other situation is a positive thing.

For those of you who are not aware, restrictions started on Feb 22nd in Lombardia with the ‘red zone’ areas  being quarantined.  On March 4th schools are closed for 2 weeks.  March 8th the red zone is extended to include areas of Veneto and Emilia Romagna, Piemonte and Le Marche.

March 9th the whole country is declared a red zone. 60 million people are in quarantine until April 3rd-including travel restrictions and a ban on public gatherings.  The hashtag #iorestoacasa (I am staying home) is started to encourage limited movement and social distancing. Travel between towns requires printing an online ‘autodeclaration’ form stating the reason-medical appointment/going to work/family emergency.  Everyone has to stay 1 m apart and bars and restaurant close at 6pm.  Meanwhile, cases continue to climb. ‘Smartworking’ is the buzz word for those able to work from home.

March 11 Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte extends the restrictions to what is basically a complete shutdown.  Only essential services are allowed to stay open –pharmacies and stores selling food and other essential items. In his words:

Rimaniamo distanti oggi, per abbracciarci con piu calore e per correre insieme piu veloci domani/Let’s keep our distance today, to hug each other stronger tomorrow.

March 11 the WHO declares a pandemic.  A pandemic is ‘the sustained and continuous transmission of a disease in 3 or more different geographical regions at the same time’.  This does not necessarily refer to how lethal the disease is.  In less than 2 months COVID19 has spread to 116 countries.

At the macelleria (butcher/meat shop) in Orsara di Puglia, my Zia reports that only 1 person is allowed to enter at a time and everyone else has to stand in line outside, 1m apart from each other.  Many shops have attached tape lines on the floor 1m apart. Below is a photo from my cousin’s store selling cleaning products.  They have sold out of hand sanitizer, alcohol and mascherine-facemasks, but have lots of toilet paper left.

The containment measures may seem drastic, and they are, especially since it has been only 20 days-but it is the only way to stop cross contamination.  Without hosts, the virus cannot spread.  It will be contained if people are isolated. In epidemiology lingo, intervening to try and slow the spread and prevent the # of severe cases is called ‘flattening the curve’.  This is also to prevent system overload and ensure that health care resources can keep up.  20% of cases will develop severe respiratory distress, possibly needing ICU and ventilation.  This is not the seasonal flu and will overwhelm the system.  In Italia on March 10th there were 600 people in 55 ICU’s.  The median age is 65, meaning that there are younger people in ICU too.  An ICU physician in Lombardia calls it ‘worse than a bomb’. ICU beds in the north are full and doctors have to make decisions about resource allocation.

Many other countries are now where Italia was on February 22nd and need to follow her example and implement measures early.  Today in Canada, our Prime Minister is in isolation as his wife has come back from the UK and tested positive. This is unfortunate, but has got people listening.  There needs to be a balance between staying calm to avoid panic and hysteria, but also being proactive and prepared.

COVID19 is not an airborne disease.  It is spread by droplet and close contact with an infected person. Respiratory droplets are produced by a sneeze or cough.  They can travel up to 1.8m (6ft) and directly enter the body through the eyes, mouth or nose.  Contact refers to touching an infected person or object such as doorknob or railings directly.  Unwashed hands contaminated with COVID 19 can introduce the virus into the body when touching eyes, mouth and nose.  With these facts in mind, here are the most important things to help prevent the spread of the COVID19:

  • Wash hands! Soap and water or alcohol based hand sanitizers are both effective.
  • Avoid touching the face
  • Keep 2m away from sick people
  • Cough and sneeze into sleeve/elbow
  • If you are sick, stay home! There is no treatment for viruses-stay home, rest and drink fluids.
  • Go to the Dr or emergency department only if you are truly unwell. Call your local public health service first to ask what to do/where to go.
  • Depending on your location and the number of cases, follow the local health department recommendations re physical distancing, mask wearing, travel, etc.
  • Masks will not prevent you getting sick, but should definitely be worn if physical distancing is not possible-especially indoors.
  • Do not stockpile disposable masks and hand sanitizer-they are needed by hospitals.
  • Make sure you have 2 months supply of any medications.  There is no need to stockpile other food and supplies-and especially not toilet paper!

Autoritratto con mascherinaShort term pain for long-term gain.  There will definitely be short term repercussions to the economy, but health and safety have to come first.

Let’s hope that things settle down in a few weeks to a month.  Today, Friday the 13th at 6pm in Roma, Firenze and several other cities, balcony flash mobs occurred, with everyone banging pots and pans and singing out on their balconies!   Warmer weather creates a less friendly climate for viruses, so bring on the sun! These will be happening all weekend. Once this is all over, those of you who had to cancel trips to Italia will be able to rebook.  The economy will need you.  Remember #andràtuttobene-everything will be all right.  Forza Italia/Stay strong Italia!  Grazie mille to all of the front line health care workers!  Please read the next post: COVID19-Insieme ce la Faremo  Ciao, Cristina