COVID-19 has blown out our birthday candles

Val and grandkids on her 65th birthday

It is a birthday celebration! Time to blow out the candles on a fancy birthday cake, gently spraying the cake with our saliva and germs. 

And in some cases, we moisten the cake with the combined saliva and germs of other family members or friends who are celebrating on the same day. 

The late-night musings of my overactive mind.

It really is an odd custom, but until COVID-19 came along to dramatically alter our world and our lives, no one even gave it a thought. It's what you did. Make a wish and lather your birthday cake with your germs.

Val and family, celebrating her 75th

Or in the case of some children's parties - particularly in Mexico - the kid's face is shoved into the cake, then the remains are served to the guests. 

Yum; skin cells, eyelashes, and assorted fluids.

Searching back through my collection of photographs, I found lots of fun memories captured in time. 

One of my all-time favourites is a rare photo from my third birthday and my oldest sister, Valdine, helping me blow out my candles. 

I was the fourth and last daughter. By the time I came along, Mom and Dad were so over the photo-taking mania. Hundreds of photos of the oldest child, a little less with the second baby, even less with the third youngster, and practically non-existent with the last kid. Lynda who? 

My 3rd birthday with my sister Val

This weekend, we are celebrating my sister's 80th birthday, in a socially responsible way, outdoors in my niece's large yard. I am looking forward to visiting with nieces and their spouses, great-nieces, and great-nephews, plus our combined collection of doggies and one very large cat. 

But late last night, I got to thinking. What about her birthday cake? How is my sister going to handle that one? 

How do you blow out candles wearing a face mask? And who would want to eat a cake that has been decorated with germs? And if you don't blow out the birthday candles, do you still get to

Thomas the Cat, on his 16th birthday

 make a wish? It's a conundrum. 

If I owned a birthday candle manufacturing company, I would be very worried about the future. 

The colourful paper plates, napkins, and balloons will probably have a future in our post-COVID-19 lives, but birthday candles? I think they will, in time, disappear from the retailers. Retailers can't afford to stock an item that no one wants. COVID-19 has blown the fun out of life.

Happy 80th Birthday to my sister Valdine, with love from your annoying baby sister. I am so pleased that we can still infect our birthday cakes together. 

Val on her 50th birthday

~

New, new, new! 

Twisted Isla, Book #6, Isla Mujeres Mystery series

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