The Arno at Sieci

Here we are above Florence with the Arno giving it some over the weir at Seici: the weir was built to divert water to a fulling mill built in something century to treat English wool imported to make fine Florentine cloth. The mill buildings are still there and falling down.

Inside the Sieci coop the guys behind the deli counter said the river wasn’t particularly full today. Little sign of the virus here as one of the shop workers let off a loud unadulterated sneeze.

Meanwhile a vile ad on the French Canal+ tv channel has come out ridiculing the Italian ‘coronavirus pizza’ . Absolutely revolting.

I filled in holes and started painting the interior of the house as heavy rain fell.

We have our first case of the virus in the Casentino - at Poppi 5km from us. He’d returned from a meeting in Romagna - not a known hotspot. His partner is awaiting her second test result having been positive on the first.

Really interesting the diff between UK preparing for the worst and Italy hoping its all over. I personally don’t blame journalistic hysteria. The case numbers speak for themselves. Some epidemiologists suggest quite convincingly that the death rate for the 80+ age class is 15%.