Items

• 2022-04-29

  Dementia and Covid

  Over the last two years, being away from people, and having to social distance, I have still taken care of my grandfather. He has Dementia. Now that things are starting to get a little better, and a lot of people have been vaccinated, I have been able to have him come stay the night at my house every Friday. The first couple of times he was confused, but now he seems to instinctively know the routine of it all. He likes getting to spend time with my stepdad and my girlfriend, and walk outside to see the horses. Covid has taken a lot, besides the countless lives. It rapidly increased my grandpa’s progression in memory loss. Most days he can’t quite remember my name or my mom's name. But at least he is happy, he laughs and smiles, and knows that he loves and trusts us. Him not being able to have as much social interaction as he used to has drastically changed his cognitive abilities. Today is a Friday. He was pretty quiet on the drive from his house to mine. I got him an ice cream cone. No matter where he is cognitively that man will always, always want an ice cream cone. Vanilla to be specific. We used to get ice cream cones from McDonald's when I was little when he would pick me up to spend the night at his house. I wonder how many ice cream cones we have left. I hate that his memory has been cut short and stripped from him. He had been slowly declining for the last few years before Covid, but once we hit the lockdowns, it was all over. He was good at hiding it for the first 6 months or so, but in the last year and a half it has been very clear. I miss who he was, I know we all do.
• 
  2020-04-14

  Sweetness At Home During the 2020 Covid Pandemic

  I had just quit my job on February 28, 2020 since my military spouse and I were about to PCS (Permanent Change of Station) from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to New Orleans, Louisiana in late March. Mid-March the DOD issued a Stop Movement order for all troops so we ended up not moving until it was lifted on July 1. During the wait, we were in limbo not knowing what would happen with our moving situation, but fortunately we still had our house and stuff. My spouse picked up Covid on our house-hunting trip to New Orleans the first week of March before the Stop Movement was issued, but was never diagnosed since there were not enough tests to go around in North Carolina. For about two months we stayed home together, enjoyed each other's company, and made the best of it. I spent a lot more time in the kitchen than was previously normal, and loved every minute of it. Two years previously, my spouse gave me an ice cream maker for Christmas, but I never took it out of the box and it ended up in one of my difficult-to-reach upper cabinets. When I was organizing my pantry and kitchen cabinets one day to prepare for the time we would actually get to pack up and move, I spied it and thought I would finally give it a try. I have wonderful childhood memories of sitting around with my family and grandparents outdoors while the homemade ice cream my mom and grandmother made, churned in the electric ice cream maker on a hot summers day. I called my mom for her recipe and found a similar one online to reference (published by the Taste of Home test kitchen). The military commissary was out of a lot of groceries, so I made an online order at Sams since they had still had milk and heavy cream, and picked it up. I already had plenty of sugar and vanilla in my pantry. Before Covid, I rarely had time (because of work and school) to make desserts, so this dish was a real treat, a simple recipe, and was super fun to make. The taste of homemade ice cream was so lovely and smooth, with texture velvety, eating it right from the churn. It brought back all the wonderful memories eating homemade ice cream with my family as a childhood, to comfort me during a time I could not travel to see them. Food memories like this can transport one to a time when the world was full of closeness with one's family, when forced to separate due to a world-wide pandemic.
• 
  2021-07-13

  Essential AF

  Most people think of essential workers as public servants, mainly hospital staff but this picture shows that there were some unexpected jobs that were at one point labeled essential. This photo got some unexpected comments on Instagram like this one - "In that dark time, you helped people stay positive thru a pandemic man! That was the most essential work then." And this other one "But ice cream was essential during the pandemic! It was basically my only reason to live for a lil while." A lot of people found this picture funny but surprisingly many were quick to point out that it was the simple things, like mascots and ice cream, that kept us all smiling.
• 
  2020-07-27

  Ben and Jerry's

  Ben and Jerry's outside doors displayed lighthearted and creative signs encouraging guests to comply with local and federal social-distancing orders. The first stated: "We're sure your smile is lovely, but... masks must be worn in the shop." The second sign read: "Please follow the cow markers on the floor" and showed a picture of cows standing six feet apart.
• 
  2021-03-29

  Being More Social In The LGBTQ+ Community

  After getting my last dose of the vaccine my husband and I have been able to be more social with others in the LGBTQ+ Community and Allies who have had their vaccine. For the first time in a year we actually had a date night eating ramen and other yummy food then we were able to meet up with friends who have been vaccinated for drinks. This finally helps me to possibly see a light at the end of the tunnel.
• 2020-07-21

  No Ice Cream

  Every year since I was born my family and I would go to a campground up in Wilmington, Ohio and camp a couple weekends out of the year. One main reason we would like it up there is because at their little store they sold Hershey's Homemade Ice Cream. Ever since COVID has happened they have kept this little store closed and that meant for us no ice cream. :( COVID has changed many peoples lives, mine not all that much. I currently work at UPS so I continued to work, even though my school went to online, I still lived a pretty normal life.
• 
  2020-06-25

  A Rest From Reality

  As someone who worked 3 jobs in high school, was in 10 clubs, and took AP and honors classes, high school was a never-ending to-do list. I never stopped moving, so quarantine felt like the rest I desperately needed to get to know myself. I had never just done nothing or had the chance to do things simply because I wanted to. After a few months of sleeping in past noon and eating ice cream for breakfast, I ended up learning how to paint which became something I could do just because I enjoyed it, and I had never had that before.
• 
  April 3, 2020

  Newburgh IN Ben & Penny's

  These photographs were taken to document some of what people in Evansville and its Tri-State region saw and experienced as the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic came to the area in the spring of 2020. Many of these images represent literal signs of the time, while others figuratively depict signs of the pandemic.
• 
  2020-03-27

  Ice cream from 6 feet away

  We went out for ice cream one night because it was the only thing left to do. I guess somebody sick was there too because they closed a week later.
• 
  2020-04-16

  Adventures During the Epidemic

  During the pandemic, we could only stay home every day. We could not go out at all, and every day is so boring. We studied and played on our phones a lot, but even now playing on our phones is boring. What I remember vividly is that during the outbreak, I tasted all the ice cream at the supermarket. One of the flavors tasted disgusting and made me vomit. It had onions, meat floss, milk, and cumin. The taste is unforgettable.
• 
  2020-03-24

  Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Confectionery Announces Temporary Closure

  Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Confectionery announces temporary closure: "This is a difficult time and no answer seems like the right one. However, for the safety of our staff and our customers we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors until this crisis passes. As after Katrina, we will reopen as soon as possible. Thank you, as always, for your support. Biscotti, frozen cannoli and assorted Italian ice and speciality gelato (Spumoni, Torroncino, pistachio almond) are available at many of our retail partners."
• 
  03/21/2020

  Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Confectionery New Operating Procedure

  Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Confectionery continues to operate with adjusted procedures to comply with new regulations placed on New Orleans businesses in response to the pandemic.
• 
  2020-03-21

  Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Confectionery Adjusts Hours and Operating Procedures Again

  Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Confectionery adjusts its operating procedures to comply with new regulations placed on New Orleans businesses in response to the pandemic.
• 
  2020-03-21

  Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Confectionery Limits Operating Hours and Procedures

  To limit the spread of Covid-19 and operate within the changing regulations for New Orleans businesses, Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Confectionery closes its dining area, prohibits walk ins, and adjusts operating hours.
• 
  2020-03-19

  Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Confectionery Celebrates St. Joseph's Day

  Each year on March 19th, Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Confectionery, located in New Orleans, LA, celebrates St. Joseph's Day by erecting an altar to St. Joseph in their bakery shop. This year they make connections between the current Covid-19 pandemic and the famine that took place in Sicily over 500 years ago. St. Joseph's Day is one of the busiest times of the year for the bakery, with folks purchasing specialty cookies and pastries for celebrations and altars.