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The Bay Area shut down at about the time Spring Swim Clinics would have been starting. This meant the energy Evya had reserved for the 2020 swim season had to be channeled elsewhere. We started with moving stumps and logs around the yard.
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Evya also exercised with Christina in the mornings, doing her should-be-patented "slinky stretches."
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Pools were closed for months, so Matt turned to biking to stay fit. Here is one spectacular view he earned after a steep climb.
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Swim team practice began as Zoom workouts in May.
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First day of the 2020 swim season!
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Matt's swim coach at Google also held dryland workouts.
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At a certain point, everyone needed a haircut but salons weren't open. Thank goodness Allyndreth has skills!
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We tried lots of new recipes over the months. This is our attempt at Cherries Jubilee.
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Matt worked on converting his Weber BBQ skills to the gas grill we inherited from Opa.
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Who knew an Angel Food Cake was supposed to cool suspended over a bottle? We know now!
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The cake turned out light and airy and not too sweet. A winner on the first try!
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Cookie dough!
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Evya tried a latke recipe she saw on a cooking show. They were tasty and fairly easy.
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Everyone was relieved when our pool was finally warm enough for swimming. We appreciated the luxury of having our own pool more than ever before.
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Springbrook Pool also opened for summer swim camp, in lieu of a competitive season.
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The opening of Springbrook allowed Matt to finally return to lap swimming, although his Orinda Aquatics Masters program wouldn't re-open for another two months.
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When Springbrook opened, it meant Allyndreth had summer employment as a lifeguard and deck marshal, enforcing COVID-19 health protocols and sanitation.
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Playdates with friends happened on FaceTime.
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Luckily, there were sister playdates available.
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Being home all the time did have some advantages - we beat the squirrels to our apricot harvest this year. This haul represents only the first half of the season.
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A rich tomato yield is something we appreciate every summer.
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Summer = cherries to Evya, who pretty much doesn't need anything else in life when she sets herself up with a book, a pit-catcher under her chin, and an ample supply of the juicy delectables.
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With the slower pace of sheltered life, we took the time to appreciate nature, and the turn of the seasons from spring to summer. A bird family nested right outside our living room.
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Tyrian's "Happy Child" rose burst into the blooming season.
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Matt captured Mt. Diablo in all stages as he drove to Springbrook in the mornings to swim.
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Matt also captured the crystalline rising of the moon in June.
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Fire season started early in California, with three mega-fire complexes raging in August after unusual lightning storms. The smoke painted the sky an eerie orange at sunset.
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Allyndreth was able to capture the fire moon.
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