31 Days of Tea

I’ve noticed several of the blogs and podcasts I follow starting their Vlogmas posts, and although I didn’t much feel like sharing my pathetic little Hanukkah celebrations (I light candles just before I start my shift each evening), I did kind of want to get back out into the world a little bit. I’ve been a hardcore hermit since just before the panini started (first because the Black Lives Matter movement was gaining steam, and I felt other voices should be heard than mine, and then later because my mental health took a nosedive). But I’ve been ruminating and thinking and having urges because I miss my podcast family, and I miss everyone I’ve been fortunate enough to meet in the process.

I wasn’t comfortable recording today (we’ll see, it may happen before this month is over). So much has happened since I last podcasted. I haven’t knit in nearly a year. I did not get married in September of 2020. I no longer live in the same place. I don’t work at the grocery store anymore (new side gig, actually quite exciting!) I’m no longer with the same person. My life has changed in a lot of really significant ways. And I’m still struggling to put some of it back together.

So I figured why not start small? I was making myself a cup of tea this morning, and I remember back in March 2020, that was my intention. To start a tea diary. I’m not going to go with anything quite that elaborate, but I did want to see if I could stick to coming by and chatting with you all a bit over a cup of tea for one month. I have FAR more than 31 kinds of tea in my stash (it’s actually a bit embarrassing). And I wanted to challenge myself to have a different kind each day, but all from David’s Tea. No, they’re not sponsoring me – and I didn’t buy the advent calendar. This is all from stash.

At the same time, I’ll try unpacking a few boxes, reading a few books, watching a movie or two, and talking about whatever catches my fancy.

So today’s tea is Forever Frosty. The description says it’s “a jolly, happy blend with orange slices, spices, and sugar-dusted almonds.” The ingredients list is considerably longer than that (there’s MARSHMALLOWS in it! – so obviously not sugar-free, but only 1g of sugar per tea bag). It has all those sweet & spicy notes that make you think of Christmas, smells like an old-fashioned spice cake, and is warming and welcoming and lovely. It’s not cloying like some of those spicy, sweet teas can be, it’s a very light flavor, like walking through the kitchen after the holiday baking has been cleaned up. and I’ve been drinking it as I write this, and I’ll be sad when it’s gone – sort of. I do have a few more tea bags from the Christmas Classics sampler I bought at the beginning of the year. It was just the pick-me-up I needed this morning, as I see the fine, sunlit dusting of snow in the yard.

So welcome to December, and happy fourth night of Hanukkah! I hope you all have the best day possible.