An Action Packed Saturday

Saturday, 4 April, 2020

Day XXVII of the Great Italian Lockdown was full of action and a surprise.

It was also the 32nd day since our last Varese Skorpions American football practice.

The day's surprise came when I weighed-in when I awakened.

Somehow, despite only burning an average of 53 calories per day since the Lockdown started, I weighed in 6.7 kg/14.8 lbs lighter than when I left California on January 9th.

Go figure . . .

zoom, Zoom, ZOOM

with Romania's Cluj Crusaders 

I was invited by Rafael Ruiz and Mihai Grigora, a.k.a. Mike McGregor to help coach their team from afar via the highly popular internet app Zoom.

Rafael and Mihai are coaches with Romania's Cluj Crusaders who are in Lockdown mode like most of the world. They asked me if I would be willing to give one hour clinics to the Crusaders on Saturdays.

After checking my packed social calendar, I was a surprised that I did have an open hour on Saturday mornings for the next few months.

Thus, today was our first session with the topic being "How to Properly Watch Opponent's Videos in Preparation for a Game."

I thought that it went well and I fielded several good questions at the end of hour together.

We have asked the players to turn in requests for next week's topic which Rafael and Mihai will prioritize.

This was definitely a positive break from normal Bunker life and I look forward to next Saturday's Zoom meeting with the Crusaders.

I needed my daily exercise, so I walked to the Panificio Ducale for some bread with my eyes wide open to take in the sights.

This wall of The Bunker complex

could use a little paint

 Spring has sprung

Sun worshippers?

Still locked down

Oh, how I miss their brioches, cappuccino and happy, outgoing workers.

  

The one and only original

Fiat 500

The line at the Panificio Ducale wasn't

too bad, about a five minute wait

Rusting wrought iron

Gnarly vines

Coffee, REAL coffee

not the capsules I use at home

A barista should really be classified as an "essential" worker, in my opinion. 

The line at our local pharmacy

 Didn't look like anyone

was staying here today

GO DAWGS!

 A lately manor in Varee's

Sant'Ambrogio district

A map of the many hiking and

biking trails in our area

On the outer wall of the Bunker

Complex, directions to Brinzio

We really need a new shutter

on this Bunker Complex window

This Bunker Complex door

has character, keep it

You know, now that I think about it, so does that shutter. 

Keep it too!

Another old directional sign just

outside the the Bunker Complex's gate

Our neighbors decided to enjoy

the glorious weather by firing

up the old BBQ

The aromas were intoxicating.

I opted to sit on The Bunker's

 balcony to read and enjoy a glass

of fine Italian Barbera wine

In the afternoon, it was back to the computer for two more Zoom meetings.

The first was with a group of coaches from all over Europe, Mexico and Canada to exchange ideas.

 The second Zoom meeting was with

our Europe Warriors Women's team

hoping to play in Barcelona next

December against a USA all-star squad

Our roster is now up to 47 players, many of them who played in last December's game in Mexico City.

It was great fun seeing and talking to friends both old and new today.

Zoom is quite the cutting edge tool.

Now for news from the net . . .

Not the senior year that the

Class of 2020 dreamed of for sure

 FIDAF holding a Madden Tournament

during the Lockdown was a GREAT idea!

Beats me too?

Lots of truth from noted

philosopher Charlie Brown

 Grim

After friends flew home from Finland to Los Angeles via a layover in London about ten day ago, I decided to check out the possibility of joining them if this Lockdown continues.

WHOA!

In terms of U.S. dollars, the fare for a one-way ticket on the 9:55 a.m. flight on British Air on April 16th which takes 11 hours and 10 minutes, equates to:

$1,765 for Economy

$3,228 for Premium Economy

$11,269 for Business Class!

YIKES!!!

This price didn't even take into account the cost of flying to London from Milano.

There's just got to be another way . . .

There was INDEED!

Milano to Los Angeles via Rome and London and it only cost $488.80!

Of course, there was a down side with this reasonably priced ticket. This itinerary would take 56 hours and 50 minutes to complete!

Note the 23 hour and 10 minute layover in Rome followed by an 18 hour and 20 minute layover in London.

This route would have me leaving Milano on a Friday and arriving in Los Angeles the following Sunday.

Would I be allowed out of the airports in Rome and London to get a hotel room? Are hotels even open?

Stay tuned . . .