Fellow tea drinker here (though herbal/decaf only, sadly), and I feel this particular pain. Sometimes I think I like the idea of the hot beverage more than the reality of it. And truly, there is such a short window of time in which it is just the right temperature. We'd probably do better to put everything down when we notice that the window has opened, and do nothing else but savor it. I know I won't be doing this, but I like to think I might. (Also, my daughter has a full-size microwave in her bedroom. She swears by it.)
You might be right about putting everything else aside for a short while, Rita. It's interesting that I've grown accustomed to my drawn-out process. Sounds like you have, too! Our bedroom is relatively small. Short of a total rearrange, I couldn't possibly fit a full size microwave in there. But tell your daughter I'm impressed with her approach! 😁
Her room is a wonder. She moved in for an undetermined time nearly two years ago (waiting for a visa; it's finally been approved), and she had to fit her whole world into a small bedroom. It's packed! But thoughtfully so, and I think it helps her feel like she's got her own space to live in.
Right now she is still here. In August she moves to Sweden (and the house will feel very very empty--and I know that's redundant, as a thing is either empty or it's not, but the situation requires both verys.)
I did not know that, but am glad to. Except for the miserable Covid summer of 2020, Grace lived in either DC or Stockholm from the time she left for college until 2 years ago. (We're on the west coast.) I don't know how I'd be OK without Facetime and free phone calls. (Remember when long distance was so expensive?) But I sure am going to miss our lunches out and skating dates and the long conversations we might not have had if she hadn't been passing through the living room and stopped to ask a quick question. 💙
I totally understand this! (And, loved hearing you read it too ...) I have even tried a thermo-style cup but that is SO unpleasant to drink out of at home - a bit too construction-worker first thing in the morning for me! I prefer sipping from something beautiful and I so look forward to that quiet, habitual start to the day. I only drink 2 cups but they are divine served in either porcelain or Mexican Talavera. Your faux-microwave story was absolutely hilarious. Thanks for this!
Right you are, Sue! In fact, I had a whole paragraph in here that didn't make it through the final edits about my thermo-style cups. We have too many, all the same style, and something around 15 years old (at least). Nissan-Thermos workhorses. My husband leaves the house with his everyday (he's an equal opportunity caffeinator, enjoying his coffee shop routine as well as our tea). Mine are only for times when I'm on the road for work. You've inspired me to seek out Mexican Talavera for my next "something beautiful." My current mug is quite nice, but I like having one on standby, just in case the inevitable happens. Thanks for reading...er, listening!
I can't drink tea that's been in a thermo-cup - it tastes absolutely terrible! My on-the-go tea is peppermint tea - I reserve the high-octane 'real' stuff for a proper mug every time!
Oh, Elizabeth, I love the way you mightily ponder the mundane! Your observations never fail to wake up the details one might otherwise sleep through. Speaking of hot coffee, my daughter Hannah bought a "mug+mug warmer" for Busy.
I tried putting the hyper link in here, but it was too long! But check out the
"Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2, 10 Oz, App-Controlled Heated Coffee Mug with 80 Min Battery Life and Improved Design, White." The description practically sells itself, he said sarcastically. The concept is out there!
I'm glad you love my ponderings, Stewart. The inside of my head can be a little treacherous.🤣 I will need to cogitate on the Ember. You're shocked, I'm sure. I see that it's been recommended below as well. It might take me some time to warm up to the idea.
We've long relied on a standard (non-whistling) kettle and make tea by the pot rather than by the mug, which of course adds another layer to the cool-down process. Most people I know are smarter than us and have electric versions like yours. I'm not sure what it will take for us to be willing to give up our old, virtually infallible, reliable.
Make your cuppa a ritual. Think Japanese. Be mindful, pour, inhale the fragrance. Carry it to the most perfect place in the house/garden. No digital equipment allowed. Just you and the cup and its steaming contents.
Then sit, sip and be at one with your new Zen world.
Prue, you make it sound so easy, not to mention tempting. What's coming to me is that I already have a ritual, just not an especially graceful one. I'm taking your thoughts to heart, though. Even if not with my tea, it's quite possible I need more stillness. I'm chuckling right now thinking about the Saturday Night Live "MORE COWBELL" skit and imagining replacing it with "MORE ZEN!" https://youtu.be/cVsQLlk-T0s?feature=shared
How are you doing -- home and feeling better, I hope?
I know what you mean - rituals are wonderful but its discipline, isn't it? And stillness. I think I'm only still when I'm looking at a view or stitching. Love the cowbell thing. Reminds me of the one I acquired to cheer my son home!
Home now, feeling as energetic as a box of frogs and have begun my get-fit for surgery in 7 weeks. Hmm...
Totally stealing "energetic as a box of frogs" -- 😅 I feel like you are, fortunately, more fit than many already. But I raise my glass to you and your process these next few weeks. Interesting timing...that you now how your son as a measure of what's possible. Lots of emotion tied up in all that, I'm sure. Hugs!
I'm a tea lover, too -- Earl Grey in the morning, peppermint in the evening. Maybe if I ever go to Australia, I'll learn to like coffee! Chiming in to second Stewart's mug recommendation (Ember). Your perfect temperature for about an hour and a half. Heaven.
Two recommendations for the Ember is hard to ignore, Karen, and 90 minutes at the perfect temperature even harder! I'm wondering if I can adapt to the minimalist, sleek-tech look when my heart says it wants funky ceramics.
Also, Earl Gray -- the hint of bergamot is just the most elegant flavor!
I’m a coffee and tea drinker , and have found most insulated mugs to be inadequate for keeping coffee hot , but work great for tea ! Life’s too short to drink lukewarm
Hear, hear, Melody! There are many nuances in the "recommended" temperatures for these things. Our green tea, for instance, is meant to be brewed at around 175°. And if I remember correctly, a proper coffee is 195°. From there, it stands to reason that an insulated mug might not do the job, especially if its interior was cold to begin with. I think lots of folks boil the water for their tea, so it's hotter at the outset.
And...you just got taken on a magical mystery tour of Elizabeth's minutia. LOL! Sorry about that, and thanks for the comment. :)
Too funny, Elizabeth. What a find! I think a stainless steel mug can make a big difference in keeping things hot.... but I don't like my tea in stainless steel. I can't imagine the mid-afternoon cutoff. Good for you drawing that line. (Luckily, tea is one of those things that is still good even once cool.)
Loved, loved, loved this post, Elizabeth! As a Brit I have tea in my blood (okay, perhaps not literally) and need to drink it (the tea, not the blood) the moment it has been made. I don't leave it to brew, either - no time for it too cool - that water is straight out of the kettle and onto the teabag, and then I get squeezing with a teaspoon until the tea is a bright chestnut brown and STEAMING. Splash of milk, and the job's a good 'un.
As for the microwave - adorable and hilarious in equal measure. I can't believe that anybody had bought it without doing their research.....! 🤣
I was given a set of boiled egg moulds once - I love them; they're great fun. One of the Amazon reviews was hilarious - the person using the product had very clearly not read the instructions, and had stressed how disappointed she was after she'd cracked an egg into each of the open moulds, closed them and then popped them into boiling water, rather than boiling the eggs first, peeling them and then clamping the cooked, still-warm eggs into the moulds.
I loved your tea-making video, so I can positively picture you in your process, Rebecca. I'm sure your tea tastes hotter and fresher. My creature-of-habitness may be my undoing! And you are right - there is NO helping some.
Lots to think about. I love how you find meaning in the smallest daily activity.
That might be code for overthinking, Sherry! LOL. Seriously, thank you. I'm so glad to know you enjoyed this one.
Fellow tea drinker here (though herbal/decaf only, sadly), and I feel this particular pain. Sometimes I think I like the idea of the hot beverage more than the reality of it. And truly, there is such a short window of time in which it is just the right temperature. We'd probably do better to put everything down when we notice that the window has opened, and do nothing else but savor it. I know I won't be doing this, but I like to think I might. (Also, my daughter has a full-size microwave in her bedroom. She swears by it.)
You might be right about putting everything else aside for a short while, Rita. It's interesting that I've grown accustomed to my drawn-out process. Sounds like you have, too! Our bedroom is relatively small. Short of a total rearrange, I couldn't possibly fit a full size microwave in there. But tell your daughter I'm impressed with her approach! 😁
Her room is a wonder. She moved in for an undetermined time nearly two years ago (waiting for a visa; it's finally been approved), and she had to fit her whole world into a small bedroom. It's packed! But thoughtfully so, and I think it helps her feel like she's got her own space to live in.
I totally get that/her! Remind me where she is? How often do you get to see her?
Right now she is still here. In August she moves to Sweden (and the house will feel very very empty--and I know that's redundant, as a thing is either empty or it's not, but the situation requires both verys.)
I completely understand! Both of mine, as you may know, are grown and flown and too far away for regular, in-person visits. Facetime is a godsend.
I did not know that, but am glad to. Except for the miserable Covid summer of 2020, Grace lived in either DC or Stockholm from the time she left for college until 2 years ago. (We're on the west coast.) I don't know how I'd be OK without Facetime and free phone calls. (Remember when long distance was so expensive?) But I sure am going to miss our lunches out and skating dates and the long conversations we might not have had if she hadn't been passing through the living room and stopped to ask a quick question. 💙
LOL'ing! So great, E!!!!! Written, as per your usual, to a "tea."
To a tea... Now why didn't I think of that!? Thanks, Courtney. Always appreciate your appreciation.
For a minute I thought you'd found the gadget of my dreams.
That makes two of us, June!! Alas. 😂
I totally understand this! (And, loved hearing you read it too ...) I have even tried a thermo-style cup but that is SO unpleasant to drink out of at home - a bit too construction-worker first thing in the morning for me! I prefer sipping from something beautiful and I so look forward to that quiet, habitual start to the day. I only drink 2 cups but they are divine served in either porcelain or Mexican Talavera. Your faux-microwave story was absolutely hilarious. Thanks for this!
Right you are, Sue! In fact, I had a whole paragraph in here that didn't make it through the final edits about my thermo-style cups. We have too many, all the same style, and something around 15 years old (at least). Nissan-Thermos workhorses. My husband leaves the house with his everyday (he's an equal opportunity caffeinator, enjoying his coffee shop routine as well as our tea). Mine are only for times when I'm on the road for work. You've inspired me to seek out Mexican Talavera for my next "something beautiful." My current mug is quite nice, but I like having one on standby, just in case the inevitable happens. Thanks for reading...er, listening!
I can't drink tea that's been in a thermo-cup - it tastes absolutely terrible! My on-the-go tea is peppermint tea - I reserve the high-octane 'real' stuff for a proper mug every time!
Oh, Elizabeth, I love the way you mightily ponder the mundane! Your observations never fail to wake up the details one might otherwise sleep through. Speaking of hot coffee, my daughter Hannah bought a "mug+mug warmer" for Busy.
I tried putting the hyper link in here, but it was too long! But check out the
"Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2, 10 Oz, App-Controlled Heated Coffee Mug with 80 Min Battery Life and Improved Design, White." The description practically sells itself, he said sarcastically. The concept is out there!
I'm glad you love my ponderings, Stewart. The inside of my head can be a little treacherous.🤣 I will need to cogitate on the Ember. You're shocked, I'm sure. I see that it's been recommended below as well. It might take me some time to warm up to the idea.
I like my morning hot drink and use one of these at home. It heats water faster than a microwave: https://a.co/d/dKBq9ta
And what is morning without a hot beverage?
We've long relied on a standard (non-whistling) kettle and make tea by the pot rather than by the mug, which of course adds another layer to the cool-down process. Most people I know are smarter than us and have electric versions like yours. I'm not sure what it will take for us to be willing to give up our old, virtually infallible, reliable.
Oh! And! As far as I'm concerned, a morning without a hot beverage is 💩.
Here's an idea - simplistic but it might work.
Make your cuppa a ritual. Think Japanese. Be mindful, pour, inhale the fragrance. Carry it to the most perfect place in the house/garden. No digital equipment allowed. Just you and the cup and its steaming contents.
Then sit, sip and be at one with your new Zen world.
The benefits, Elizabeth. The benefits...
Prue, you make it sound so easy, not to mention tempting. What's coming to me is that I already have a ritual, just not an especially graceful one. I'm taking your thoughts to heart, though. Even if not with my tea, it's quite possible I need more stillness. I'm chuckling right now thinking about the Saturday Night Live "MORE COWBELL" skit and imagining replacing it with "MORE ZEN!" https://youtu.be/cVsQLlk-T0s?feature=shared
How are you doing -- home and feeling better, I hope?
I know what you mean - rituals are wonderful but its discipline, isn't it? And stillness. I think I'm only still when I'm looking at a view or stitching. Love the cowbell thing. Reminds me of the one I acquired to cheer my son home!
Home now, feeling as energetic as a box of frogs and have begun my get-fit for surgery in 7 weeks. Hmm...
Totally stealing "energetic as a box of frogs" -- 😅 I feel like you are, fortunately, more fit than many already. But I raise my glass to you and your process these next few weeks. Interesting timing...that you now how your son as a measure of what's possible. Lots of emotion tied up in all that, I'm sure. Hugs!
I'm a tea lover, too -- Earl Grey in the morning, peppermint in the evening. Maybe if I ever go to Australia, I'll learn to like coffee! Chiming in to second Stewart's mug recommendation (Ember). Your perfect temperature for about an hour and a half. Heaven.
Two recommendations for the Ember is hard to ignore, Karen, and 90 minutes at the perfect temperature even harder! I'm wondering if I can adapt to the minimalist, sleek-tech look when my heart says it wants funky ceramics.
Also, Earl Gray -- the hint of bergamot is just the most elegant flavor!
Lovely to have you here, my friend.
I’m a coffee and tea drinker , and have found most insulated mugs to be inadequate for keeping coffee hot , but work great for tea ! Life’s too short to drink lukewarm
Hear, hear, Melody! There are many nuances in the "recommended" temperatures for these things. Our green tea, for instance, is meant to be brewed at around 175°. And if I remember correctly, a proper coffee is 195°. From there, it stands to reason that an insulated mug might not do the job, especially if its interior was cold to begin with. I think lots of folks boil the water for their tea, so it's hotter at the outset.
And...you just got taken on a magical mystery tour of Elizabeth's minutia. LOL! Sorry about that, and thanks for the comment. :)
Too funny, Elizabeth. What a find! I think a stainless steel mug can make a big difference in keeping things hot.... but I don't like my tea in stainless steel. I can't imagine the mid-afternoon cutoff. Good for you drawing that line. (Luckily, tea is one of those things that is still good even once cool.)
Loved, loved, loved this post, Elizabeth! As a Brit I have tea in my blood (okay, perhaps not literally) and need to drink it (the tea, not the blood) the moment it has been made. I don't leave it to brew, either - no time for it too cool - that water is straight out of the kettle and onto the teabag, and then I get squeezing with a teaspoon until the tea is a bright chestnut brown and STEAMING. Splash of milk, and the job's a good 'un.
As for the microwave - adorable and hilarious in equal measure. I can't believe that anybody had bought it without doing their research.....! 🤣
I was given a set of boiled egg moulds once - I love them; they're great fun. One of the Amazon reviews was hilarious - the person using the product had very clearly not read the instructions, and had stressed how disappointed she was after she'd cracked an egg into each of the open moulds, closed them and then popped them into boiling water, rather than boiling the eggs first, peeling them and then clamping the cooked, still-warm eggs into the moulds.
There's no helping some people....!
I loved your tea-making video, so I can positively picture you in your process, Rebecca. I'm sure your tea tastes hotter and fresher. My creature-of-habitness may be my undoing! And you are right - there is NO helping some.