Phase 3

Italy has entered phase 3 of the Covid-19 pandemic today.  All borders within the country are open today and no special requirements were necessary for interregional travel.  To celebrate, I was allowed to visit my client in the Emiglia Romagna region - complete with a half-hour traffic jam on the autostrada this morning.  I was all too happy to be back in traffic and on the move again.  I had a conference room reserved for myself today to ensure distancing and not to impose on the other office spaces, which have already been organized for distancing and safe working.  My client has been open nearly the entire time during the lockdown being a necessary industry, and in general I was not a welcome guest coming from the 'hot' risk zone over the past few months.  So, undescribeable to tell you how nice to be back and to walk out onto the assembly area and to have people greet me and ask me work related questions, which I was happy to answer! I treated myself to lunch at Ermanno's restaurant. Apparently people are still shy to get out and the restaurant was still mostly empty compared to nearly always full. It is definitely a new life with the rules that are now imposed for correct social behavior. I suffered through wearing a mask today in the proximity of other people, washed my hands more often, used the sanitizing gel everytime I entered the building or production area and gave the elbow bump to show some commaraderie with my colleagues and friends.  

I just can't explain enough the satisfaction to be out in the car today a few hours from home, in the countryside - which I will always identify as 'home' here in Italy and to be a 'relevant' person again face-to-face.

To top the day off, I stopped by Ermanno's vineyard after work and found Ermanno still working.  Great to chat about care taking of the vineyard, feel the breeze and not worry about wearing a mask. (It was very breezy and we respected the social distancing.) 

Life is more complete for this brief soul energizing escapade.  I think this photo captures the feeling pretty well with the movement of the branches on the tree above the photo and the leaves on the vines wagging vigorously.

An extra of Ermanno working along one of the rows and the Viano valley in the background.