Now, if you have to go into self-isolation because a family member has returned from Italy, there is at least a bonus in the present she brought back.
As bottles of olive oil go it is a small one, and will sit beside the other bottles of extra virgin olive oil, but it is the fact that it came from Esselunga, which is my favourite supermarket.
And here I shall briefly go off on one, and reflect on the pleasure there is in wandering around Italian supermarkets, where the veg still comes in all sorts of shapes, still with the dirt on them.
Unlike British supermarkets which have rediscovered that odd looking veg, and fruit is just as good as the regular shaped variety, Italian shops just sell the stuff as it is.
Although even Esselunga has crept into the “nice" equally sized veg and fruit. But then at Esselunga there are also mountains of different cheeses.
But enough of such preoccupations.
And back to the reality of self-isolation, which carried with it the knowledge of “that virus”.
In Poland things are following the rest of Europe and places, and businesses are closing down.
And in Italy I read in la Repubblica, that some workers are going on strike, because they have yet to be told to stay at home, unlike shop workers, teachers and many others.
But other Italians are embracing the new regulations with one women hanging a hand painted banner showing support.
So, I sit here on day three, secure in the knowledge that we have a Morrisons online due soon and that Ludo’s on Beech Road, will be delivering an order for their excellent bread on Saturday.
There is a shelf of unread books, which were bought on a whim but have lain unopened, the internet functions and I have a stack of films from the 1950s and 60 to re-watch, along with a shedload of research, and all my back copies of the Eagle.
Added to which I may just go through my catalogue of photographs.
So, I doubt I shall get bored, and we will rediscover the joy of conversation, with just another eleven days to go.
Location; home
Pictures; olive oil from Esselunga, 2020, and page from the Eagles Annual, number 9, 1959, and Closed for the night, 2020, from the collection of Andrew Simpson
And here I shall briefly go off on one, and reflect on the pleasure there is in wandering around Italian supermarkets, where the veg still comes in all sorts of shapes, still with the dirt on them.
Unlike British supermarkets which have rediscovered that odd looking veg, and fruit is just as good as the regular shaped variety, Italian shops just sell the stuff as it is.
Although even Esselunga has crept into the “nice" equally sized veg and fruit. But then at Esselunga there are also mountains of different cheeses.
But enough of such preoccupations.
And back to the reality of self-isolation, which carried with it the knowledge of “that virus”.
In Poland things are following the rest of Europe and places, and businesses are closing down.
There is a shelf of unread books, which were bought on a whim but have lain unopened, the internet functions and I have a stack of films from the 1950s and 60 to re-watch, along with a shedload of research, and all my back copies of the Eagle.
Added to which I may just go through my catalogue of photographs.
So, I doubt I shall get bored, and we will rediscover the joy of conversation, with just another eleven days to go.
Location; home
Pictures; olive oil from Esselunga, 2020, and page from the Eagles Annual, number 9, 1959, and Closed for the night, 2020, from the collection of Andrew Simpson
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