Corona in Cortona… Isolation in Italy…..Covid Chronicles Part 3
Saturday 14th March — Monday 16 March …. Social distancing!
I used to be very sociable, and especially when I first came to Italy, I would drive miles, even for the opening of an envelope, (as long as there was a glass of wine in it!). I have noticed a big difference in me since the arrival of my first dog Busta, and then the other three (how did that happen?)
About 6 years ago, I was helping out at the kennels, and I was asked to take on of the pups to the vet, as he had a bad eye infection. He was one of a litter of 8 to a new mum who was pregnant when she arrived at the kennels. We saw the babies at 5 days old — I had never seen anything like it. Sadly though, Mum didn’t really have a clue, and anyway, was short of milk.
By the second week, two of the litter were already dead. The following week, when I got to the vets, he said,’ why has Stefania sent you? He is going to die anyway within 24 hours.’ He really didn’t seem to care, but I have to say, he probably saved his life, by giving him a rehydration injection. But he said that if I took him back to the kennels he would die. ‘And if I take him home?’ A shrug of the shoulders, ‘maybe he will live.’
Well what could I do? He had sat like a limp little child’s glove in the palm of my hand. I couldn’t take him back to the canile and probable death. So, I took him to the bar of course!! The other members of our x-pat volunteer group went rushing off to get puppy milk, and the prescription for eye drops given by the vet.
Saturday 14th March…. Day 4
He needed feeding every 3 hours, day and night, and I really hadn’t a clue. At that young age they really cannot pee and poo for themselves. Normally mum would stimulate them by licking them. So, after each feed it was me and a damp cotton wool pad.
One time I showered him with cold milk. Another time I dropped him. And it turned out after a few days that I had been giving him 24 hours’ worth of milk each feed! Also, when my vet saw him, (I already had 3 cats, and therefore a vet), I realised why I was being so unsuccessful with the eyedrops. His eyes were still closed, and I had been trying to put them in the spots above his eyes, instead of the eyes themselves! But despite it all he flourished.
The plan was to save his life and then find him a home. In the end though, I felt that he loved me so much that I couldn’t send him away. In retrospect maybe it was the other way around? Who knows? I swore I wouldn’t walk him — I hate walking, and with all those knee ops behind me, it’s not really surprising. More surprising, is that I did and do walk him… every day.
I don’t know if it was his early experience of hunger, but he still eats everything he can grab hold of… wood, carboard, cat poo, and most particularly my meals; I have just about learned never to leave anything in his reach, not even for a second, but I still make the occasional mistake and lose a sandwich.
Sun 15th March … Day 5
A friend and I have decided to set up a hermit’s club — and never meet! At the moment he is something of a natural hermit. I think he was super sociable a few years back, but right now he has just moved into his new house, the builders have just finished — luckily — and he is nesting. Don’t get me wrong I still love a good meal, or party, or just a quiet coffee ‘a deux’, but I also love staying at home. I have another friend who I met through the kennels, who has always been unsociable. I really didn’t get it when we first met, but I understand much better now, although I doubt that I will ever be quite such a loner as she is — except for now of course. I will be celebrating my birthday on my own next week, which is a bit sad, but hardly a tragedy. One of my birthdays was spent in hospital after one of the many knee ops. Worse still some bright spark decided that I needed a suppository — I didn’t. So, I spent the day sat on a bedpan with severe cramps… this birthday is bound to be better than that.
I actually think I am very fortunate. I have a house, a garden, my little limonaia, and most importantly of all my animals.
I read something the other day sent to me on Whats App. It is by an Indian doctor; you have probably seen it too…
It says it all. I would add, that nearly everyone who is reading this, is essentially rich, when compared to the poor of the third world countries. No one is blaming the rich, we all travel to a greater or lesser extent. But I really, really fear for the likes of India, Africa, and parts of South America etc. If we feel our health systems are not as up to it as they should be, how on earth are those poor countries going to cope? I know I am one of the fortunate, and my heart goes out to anyone who is suffering physically, financially or emotionally wherever they are; but especially for those in the third world who lack nearly all the resources we take for granted.
Monday 16th March…. Day 6
Limonaia — the definition is, ‘A building used to store citrus trees in winter’. Graham called my structure the limonaia because I thought conservatory sounded too posh, and anyway that doesn’t really work in Italian, they think you mean somewhere to study music.
About ten year ago, maybe more, I bought a E60 plastic green house and plonked it outside the back door. It was just big enough to for a small settee and little table. Instant success. Even in winter when it is really cold outside, it is frequently very sunny, in the greenhouse therefor, free heat and light.
After few years the wind had ripped it badly, and various other versions were bought, each a little bigger. Finally, three or four years ago Graham suggested I buy a proper posh lean-to greenhouse. He constructed it, moving the door to a better position and adding a cat/dog flap. Three incarnations later, it now covers the back door, and is big enough for a large settee, a desk for painting, a chest of drawers for my painting materials, a couple of smalls tables and two chairs. It has a little rug by the animal flap to ward off the worst of their mud or dust, and we all adore it. Even in the middle of winter I can be out there for an hour or two, and often I am importing heat into my sitting room. This spring has been so glorious that I often have to open the windows and doors, and can be out there in just a little t-shirt.
Under normal circumstances, (when we can all go out and about), within the next few weeks the walls would come down (half a day’s work), and shade cloth or split cane blinds put on the roof. You really don’t want what, would effectively be a radiator, tacked onto a south facing wall in the middle of an Italian summer.
I think we are at least a month away from the end of lockdown; it seems like it will be the beginning of May at the earliest, judging by all the graphs etc that I have been looking at. It’s possible then that I will have to try to dismantle it myself. I foresee disasters and frantic phone calls!
