Annual Blog Birthday Takeover: Quarantine Edition!

As long-time blog readers already know -- and new readers are about to find out -- I have a tradition of taking over blog posting duties for one day, to wish Natasha a happy birthday.

Usually, I'll do this with a handful of photos from the past year, and a variety of birthday wishes for the year to come. However, this year has been... different, shall we say... and so I figured I would do something a bit different for my birthday takeover, 2020 edition.

This year, my focus is on Natasha's hobbies, interests, and passions that will continue uninterrupted while we are living through this time of socially-distancing and quarantine. Also, since coronavirus memes have been one bright spot for Natasha, I've decided to make this a multimedia experience, and added some topical memes and videos to the mix. Enjoy, and happy birthday, Natasha!

Gardening

We have been waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for warmer weather to show up, but it looks like it's finally decided to considering the possibility of arriving sometime soon. Once this happens, I am certain that Natasha will tackle the yard with a vengeance, introducing a flurry of annuals, perennials, and other plant life to our garden.

Coronavirus meme: This whole "learning at home" thing has been a challenge at times, especially for certain subjects. This meme sums up the situation with Biblical clarity.

Baking

Like much of the rest of the world, we have taken advantage of the abundance of free time at home to do lots of baking -- particularly of the carb-oriented, sweet and/or sugary variety. The last few weeks have featured cinnamon buns, cookies, and (thanks to Rachel's inspiration) a raspberry swirl cheesecake for Natasha's birthday.

Coronavirus meme: As Isaac Newton put it: "With every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." Unfortunately, this fundamental principle of physics applies to carb consumption, too.

Laundry Hanging

Although this may not seem exciting to some of you, being able to hang laundry outside is a sure sign at our house that spring has arrived. Moreover, it brings Natasha a productive, environmentally-friendly, cost-conscious joy that is hard to put into words. The laundry line was (for Natasha) a key feature of our house back in our house-hunting days, and she has made good use of it ever since.

 Reading and Drinking Tea

 

 

You didn't really think I'd get through this post without mentioning tea or books, did you? Although the reading hasn't quite spiked the way we thought it would when this all started, there has been no shortage of books around the house (and now a couple of e-readers, too!), and cups of tea to accompany all the books.

COVID-19 song: Who doesn't like "Come on Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners? No one, that's who! The only thing that could improve this peppy 80's classic is having a musical family update it for our current situation; enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Rc0UQBXTI