A CUP OF TEA
Hello dear ones! I hope you are all doing fine out there in bloggy land!💖 And thank you for reading and commenting. I truly do appreciate you all. I read your blogs and comment also but, strangely, I feel quite tongue-tied most of the time when doing so and admire those of you who can express yourselves so much better. The heart is overflowing but the brain is reticent.
I have been so busy lately that I have surprised myself. For weeks I have been struggling with low level depression and apathy. I have been in Maine too long. I need to go home but, of course, I am needed here. I sometimes wish I had a sister to share Mom's care with. I love her to bits but she has an irrational fear of leaving this island and this house and strangers taking care of her and a long list of other anxieties. I have tried to self help by forcing myself out of my normal routine. I took up a new hobby and I forced myself, quite against my will, to finish some crochet projects that had been languishing in bags like FOREVER! The new hobby is punch needle. Unfortunately, a flaw in my make up is impulse shopping. Oh, my, the money I can spend when I'm depressed! The last few months I have purchased everything anyone interested in punch needle and rug punching could desire. Different size needles, frames, background cloth, floss and wool yarn, patterns and various accessories. How did I find this hobby? YouTube. Hours spent watching vlogs at night when I should have been sleeping. Now I have more stuff to take up what little space I have in my room. I'm thinking about expanding out into the hallway.😶 So. Get ready for a ramble…
What does one do when creativity is staring her in the face but she has no motivation, no gumption?? I was thinking the other day about a new malady that has beset me in the past few years...a croaking voice. Yes, truly. I sound like I am just waking up. In fact, when I say hello on the phone, the first words out of my caller’s mouth is, “Oh, did I wake you?” The throat doctor said infected vocal cords and to lay off caffeine. I am not a tea or coffee drinker. Never have been. Cocoa and Pepsi are my favorites. So, I stopped drinking cocoa and switched to diet, caffeine free Pepsi. Whenever Roger and I go to an Asian restaurant I love the black tea. So the other day I searched via my favourite way of shopping...online...for Chinese black tea. I had no idea the varieties of tea out there but I ordered not only tea but the teapot with built in infuser and a spoon! The other morning I made a pot of the new tea and thought, wow, I think I'm onto something here. Shortly after that I went into high gear. I weeded my flower beds, I dusted the whole downstairs of the house, vacuumed the rugs, washed and hung out all the scatter rugs, washed floors and cleaned the bathroom and my bedroom. Hours later I came down off my high, took a pain pill for my back and moaned and groaned my way through the long night. You see, I hadn't had any caffeine to really talk about for years and then I drink several cups of probably very strong Chinese tea. My heart rate was most likely through the roof! The good news is that my Spring cleaning is pretty much done now.🙂 I have been drinking tea but in smaller cups and a lot weaker strength. Who knew I had a wild side.😏 However, my croaky voice is still with me so I will have to investigate caffeine free tea for my new teapot next. Do any of you have any favorites?
🌸🌸🌸
I have decided that Mom and I need a pet. A Maine Coon cat would be lovely. I am on the lookout for a female. She will be an inside cat.
🌸🌸🌸
I went to lunch with a friend I hadn't seen in many months on Thursday and that was truly enjoyable! We laughed and talked for three hours. ❤️ Fortunately the cafe wasn't busy. We always go to Harbor Cafe in Stonington. I have so missed lunches with friends…one of my favorite things to do.
 |
| Harbor Cafe on the right with my car in front. |
 |
| The view of Stonington harbor across the street. |
 |
🌺Happy Sunday!🌺 |
I'm thinking I need to try me some of that Chinese tea! I could use some of that kind of energy. I'm laying off Diet Pepsi indefinitely, and am mostly drinking iced tea made with Lipton Tea bags (when not drinking water). No sweetener - just black tea - iced. I'll let myself have an iced tea with caffeine early in the day, but if it's after 3 or 4, it's decaf for me. And still, I rarely fall asleep before 1 or 2 a.m. I'm a wild one! It's understandable that you'd be feeling depressed. Your situation is a hard one, friend. I think you're an angel for doing what you do. Congrats to your granddaughter! Oh, and when I'm feeling in a slump, sometimes if I just make myself start a thing (I'm talking creative thing), I get in the rhythm. I don't mean to be overly simplistic, but I do hope you'll give do some punch needle and show us what you've done. :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats you your granddaughter. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI suspected the energy came from the caffeine. That’s what I need to do I guess. I put off house work to go walking or cycling. Maybe I need caffeine, which I don’t drink and a rainy day.
Time with a friend is always good for the soul. My coffee buddy and I haven’t been together since Covid struck. Soon I hope.
Take care.
I’m sorry to hear you haven’t been feeling well lately. Taking care of an elderly parent can be hard sometimes.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to your granddaughter on her graduation!
Maybe, I too need some of that tea. Actually, I have been quite busy with bathroom renovations. No, I'm not doing the main work but there seems to be much to run for and of course clean up. Hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteI drink a lot of coffee but don't have those energy levels so maybe I need to try that tea. You are an angel caring for your Mom like you do and I'm glad you had some time spent with your friend. It'll be nice to see what you produce doing your new hobby. Very well done to your granddaughter on her graduation.
ReplyDeleteWow that tea had quite a kick. I drink water and lemonade. Too bad you cannot get your Mom to go on a vacation to PA with you!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to your granddaughter, what a fantastic achievement. It's very hard on us when our parents age and they need our help, especially so if they don't live close by. It must be so difficult having to split your time as you do, and I know what you mean wishing you had another sibling to help out, it was the same for me. Your mom is very lucky to have you. I've only recently started drinking tea, just the ordinary regular kind, it certainly doesn't have the same effect that your Chinese black tea did.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to your granddaughter! Awesome achievement!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you've been feeling a bit low. Looking after aging parents is never easy and doing so by yourself, away from the rest of your family, has to be quite difficult. I'm sorry your mom isn't willing to leave the island.
That's some powerful tea you drank! I just drink regular black tea, but, with milk and sugar. :)
Time with a friend is always so good and it has been missed in these Covid times.
ReplyDeleteMany congratulations to your grand-daughter, I enjoyed seeing the photographs.
Take care, my good wishes.
All the best Jan
Susan, this post was wonderful as it was so obviously straight from your heart. I hope that you will be feeling uplifted after the time spent with your good friend as the location and the view looked wonderful! Also, there was the good news about your lovely granddaughter's graduation and she and her sister are lovely young ladies. I can certainly understand how difficult it must be for you to be away from your PA home and husband for so long as elder care is difficult. I always felt pangs of guilt that I could not do it for my late mother and at times I feel she was resentful. Your thoughts of getting a cat for your mom might help her (and yourself) although the drawback is that any animal would require care and attention, which might be difficult when you were not there. Yes, I can understand becoming totally addicted to a new hobby and then buying anything/everything related to it. For many years, my addiction was photography equipment from 35 mm to digital cameras. Thankfully, that once costly addiction has weaned its way down.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete