Prefacing with this statement, as usual:
We are healthy. We have everything we need. We feel safe.
(We are, however, going through sleep problems with Lochie once again. Thanks, kid.)
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, greetings once again from lockdown. We are doing okay. Online school is going well enough and we are honestly finding lots of ways to occupy ourselves. When this all started, I wondered how we were going to fill the days since normally we spend so much time out and about. Turns out, I somehow feel like I have even less time than usual?! I think that’s a good thing though. I keep saying that if this had to happen, at least we have an amazing amount of educational and entertainment options to keep us occupied.
The news out of the rest of Italy isn’t great though. The death toll in this country has exceeded that of China, with 627 deaths in the last 24-hour period for which numbers have been released. I don’t know what official numbers are here in Sicily, but I’ve heard rumors of there being some cases in a town near us and of positives among locals working at the base. As far as we’ve been told, there are no Americans on base who’ve been diagnosed. Both Italy in general and the base specifically have, however, tightened restrictions here even more. Some of the changes:
-No one is allowed outside their homes for anything other than work, doctor visits or one grocery/pharmacy run per day (one member of the family only). So, no taking jogs or walks, even with the proper social distancing. Our friend was walking her dog and got told to go home, and nationwide something like 40,000 people have been fined for failure to comply. In the hardest-hit area in north, Lombardy, the Army is being dispatched to enforce the lockdown.
(By the way, I wrote a lengthy post for my Facebook page about my visit to the grocery store in town. If you missed it, check the Babies With Backpacks Facebook page.)
-The stores that are still allowed to remain open (grocery, pharmacy) are now closed on Sundays. This includes our base commissary and exchange. Children are not allowed in stores.
-The base is now taking the temperature of everyone trying to enter. If you have a fever, you aren’t coming in.
-Yesterday, guys went through our town spraying some kind of disinfectant in the streets again.
-Lochlan’s 12-month well-child visit has been changed to a telephone call with his pediatrician. The idea, I would imagine, is keeping healthy people away from the hospital. Works for me.
-Lockdown is expected to be extended past April 3, but no date is officially given.
-In Sicily, the airport, train and ferries are closed. The island is meant to be completely closed.
So, that’s the update. It’s not great. But again, to reiterate, we are personally fine.
Moving on to cheerier topics: how have we been amusing ourselves?
LIFE IN LOCKDOWN: A PHOTO ESSAY
- School! Owen and Fiona’s classes have both moved online, and the last two days have actually gone really well. The kids have even gotten to do meetups with their entire class and their teacher this week, which was a lot of fun for them.
Fiona had a full-class meetup too, after which her teacher decided to so small group meetups instead. 14 kindergarteners talking at once is tough, ha! Fiona’s Friday assignment was to create a piggie bank, and this is what she came up with. Love our creative girl! Owen does seem to take school perhaps a little less seriously when I’m his teacher, however. This was his brainstorming sheet for the informational text he was to write. (He ended up writing about Pokemon.) Building leprechaun traps! This was Fiona’s school project for St. Patrick’s Day, but Owen decided to do one too.
2. “Educational” (in theory) activities. As I’ve said, the silver lining of this whole thing is that it is happening at a time when there are SO MANY COOL THINGS online for the kids. Not pictured: educational videos from zoos, Owen working on coding from Khan Academy, science videos on YouTube, fun math games from abcya.com, etc.
We are also listening to audio books (and will probably listen even more now that Audible is offering free kid stories!) and are making a lot of progress in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. For fellow fans — we are at Xenophilius Lovegood’s house and about to hear the Tale of the Three Brothers. Chills!
3. Other fun stuff the kids are coming up with, including endless fort/rocket/wagon building. The mess around here is incredible lately, but at least they are occupied. 
4. Chats with friends and family! Unfortunately I did not snap any photos of these because we are always using my phone, but they really like getting to see their friends again. Of course, the second they are on the phone they turn into crazy people. And don’t get me started about their obsession with filters!
5. Walking the balcony. The kids have also been watching some kids’ exercise videos and Chris is lifting weights, but I’m still compulsively walking circles on my balcony. I’ve been trying to hit 10,000 steps per day, but averaging closer to 9,000.
6. Eating. OH MY GOD SO MUCH EATING. Those memes about people eating all their quarantine food on day one? That’s basically us. 
Anyway, I’d say that about wraps up today’s update. Other than to note on the travel front, I’m still working on getting refunds from everybody. Even with all flights cancelled, it seems refunds are not automatic so there’s a LOT of sitting on the phone to do. Fortunately, my sweet friend Leigh Ann managed to get through the insane Chase Travel line and not only did she get her stuff sorted out, she convinced her customer service rep to call ME directly. She (and he) are actual miracle workers.
Stay safe, everybody!
2 thoughts on “LOCKDOWN in Sicily: Our family update”
Love the Ravenclaw jammies!
Hang in there guys!
In the ‘goofing around’ photo and the one with the laundry basket, Owen has a new haircut. I really like it, it shows how good lookin’ he is.
Maybe I’m just jealous because I forgot to make a new appointment at my last cut, and now the sky has fallen….ouch. Sending love your way from the Great Lakes!.