KINDNESS IS FREE SO USE IT LIBERALLY

Still off caffeine here, so this mornings tea is brought to you by STASH  Mayer Lemon. I was quite sure it was Saturday when I woke up but the calendar says no. It’s Friday.

Yesterday was not a good day. Bruising your brain is not fun. Concussions are not fun. Like I said it wasn’t a good day. The nausea was back in full force and the pain was awful. I had run out of ice packs and ice so my kind neighbor Mr. Eddie popped up at the door with an entire bag of ice!

I’ve had concussions before. Never this bad. I ride horses, I played college volleyball, I jumped out of a giant live oak to prove I could fly ( I did not in fact fly), I have by now broken every finger many times, my tail bone 3 times, once in a cemetery on a headstone. I had 2 torn ACLs, and of course we have all had at least one pinky toe incident, but this thing is bringing me to my knees.

Yesterday one of my favorite authors sent me a private message telling me about her concussion and filling in any information I did not have. It was really kind of her to do and I told her that. She said, call me anytime if you have questions!

And Tommy, the kindest of them all, has done dishes, brought my meds, calls every few hours to check on me and picks up dinner. The only things in my fridge right now is iced tea, almond milk and spinach. I’m hoping he will be kind enough to go shopping tonight.

Kindness touches me. All the way to my core. For some reason I never expect it. And when it happens I will never forget it. It costs nothing but is worth more than gold.

Thank you all for being kind and funny and thoughtful. I am going back to sleep now!

xx P

TUESDAY TEA TALK

Tea Tuesday! It’s already 70 degrees and sunny here. I haven’t been able to find any Twinings Soothe in my market area. Neither have Twinings. I asked them. I am not going to order a tea on-line that costs less than the shipping, so I’ve turned my efforts to finding a similar one and I found this one. From Sri Lanka. And it is very nice.

I just don’t feel good on days I don’t drink Turmeric. It’s such a good cure for so many things. For those of you who were wondering about all of that tea in the picture yesterday, I’m happy ( she should mean ashamed!) to say that what you saw was a very small portion of what I have. And then a good question! How long does tea last? Well, it depends. Loose Leaf Tea maybe a year or two if you keep it in a nice dry place. Sachets last about a year. The more delicate the tea, the shorter the life. Now that said, you can still drink old tea. Aged tea is an example! It’s just that the flavor may have faded a bit.

It doesn’t last long at my house. I push tea like a drug dealer. Got a problem? I’ve got a tea for that. And I also cook with loose leaf tea. The best smoked chicken salad I make is made by poaching the chicken breasts in Lapsang Souchang Tea. It has a full-bodied, smoky aroma and taste. Basically when I bake I will use an appropriate tea in place of the liquid in the recipe. You get an extra punch of flavor!

I’m waiting for the postman now bringing a shipment from the Northwest! I don’t even know what they are, so we will be surprised together!

What is your favorite tea this time of year?

xx P

Really, Can You Ever Have To Much Tea?

Hi Thursday! You are looking mighty wet and gloomy this morning. Good thing I had a big Earl Grey London Fog to warm me up.

I told you yesterday that I had been on a tea ordering binge. This is how it started. I was straightening up my Tea Cupboard and saw an empty spot up there by the Cranberry tin. So I ordered some more tins of the holiday blends.

This is my addiction. I love these tins. I use them for everything including small posies for tea parties. Do I have a problem? Probably. What you can’t see is I have backups of almost all of them behind the ones you see. There was also another motive. Depending on how many teas I order I get a box perfect for re-shipping. I needed 5 boxes that hold two tins. Yes, I ordered tea to get a box. It is the perfect size for a tea-cup, some tea, a truffle and a bath bomb. Christmas is done.

Converting the world to tea one gift at a time. Also it is a really great gift I would love to get. Plus I’m going on a cruise in April and I need my money for that. Very shallow I know, which makes me deep since I do know it.

    This is what I will be doing today. Plus making Pumpkin Bread from Diane’s Kitchen. She has the best looking food. And there aren’t a million ingredients you can’t pronounce. Plus she has the cleanest baking pans I’ve ever seen! So pop over and begin to drool!

xx P

 

Please Bring Back The Sunshine!

Yellow seems appropriate today. Pretty much mainlining STASH Lemon and Ginger Tea hoping it will rid me of this plague of allergies. It’s damp and this morning every single allergen was at its highest level. I know this because the lovely weatherman, David Payne sent out a twitter alert at 4 in the morning.

My sense of smell is gone. I choked down some Vegan Protein Broth yesterday and it tasted and looked like baby poop. Well, I’ve never tasted baby poop but it looked like it! I must have sounded bad when I had to pick up a prescription and my pharmacist asked me if I was really sure I didn’t want a flu shot. No thanks. We will just stay inside and moan and whine like usual.

This has been a hella bad week. Thank God for Netflix. Our yard guy thinks I have a crush on him because I’m nice. I say hello. He told my neighbor he thinks we are swingers. I told Tommy and he said, You mean like on the swings at the park? No, babe, like in the olden days when couples all put their keys in a bowl and went home with another person instead of their spouse. He was properly grossed out. I on the other hand was hatching plans to run him over with the lawn mower. So instead, I cut my hair, in a very vicious manner.

My “boss” asked me whose world I was about to implode, as usually when I cut my hair shit is going down. I haven’t taken a picture, but the boy did so you’ll have to make do with that.

  Corbin is addicted to Snap Chat. But you get the idea. Before it was getting tangled in my arm pit during the night so it was a big cut. 8 inches. And that’s a real woman inches not a guys inches.

Another day of coughing and spitting but at least I have a good book. Vendetta by Iris Johansen, one of my faves. So far people are dying at an alarming rate and in such creative ways!

Enjoy your Thursday and try not to kill anyone.

xx Patricia

 

PLEASE, BE BRAVE!

I am childless this sunny and not too hot Wednesday! Starting my day with Stash Meyer Lemon. It is so good and uplifting. I also noticed at the market that they have a new packaging style that is nice.

This  week has been a week of feels. My Daddy’s birthday this week has hit me hard because after his last birthday he passed away a week later. It’s been 8 years and I still choke up and feel like an orphan whenever I see his picture or read his last email to me, which was about getting that wheat in on Farmville!

By example he taught us to stand up for everyone’s rights and if we were afraid, well just fake it until you aren’t anymore! It is because of him that we are like fearless little pirates charging in to defend those unable to defend themselves.

He had four unruly daughters that he sent to Woodman Camp every year to learn to shoot guns, bow and arrows, it was basically boot camp. But he knew there would come a day when we would need to defend ourselves so he gave us the lessons we needed to be strong and never back down.

At all of our weddings he asked us if we were sure and if not head out the back door now. He was a good man and I want to make him proud.

So Happy Birthday up there Daddy!

xx Patricia

WE RISE BY LIFTING OTHERS

Good Sunday Morning! A lovely start to the day with some Meyer Lemon Iced Tea that I tossed some strawberries into. So good. Like summer in your mouth!

Yesterday I spent the entire day at the pool. Reading, floating and just letting my mind turn off for a bit. I’m so lucky to have people who always have my back and let me have the space I need when I’m not up to being a functional adult.

OU Boy always knows what I need. Friday night he hustled me to the bathing suit store where I bought 2 new suits and a new set of white sheets. We all know how horrid it is trying on swimsuits. But this shop has wonderful lighting and helpful staff and I would have bought one more but the bottoms were white and well, that is never good.

Last night we tried out a new pizza place and it was amazingly good. I had a Greek Salad and toasted Ravioli and my mouth was a very happy place. Then we came home and snuggled on the sofa to watch Atomic Blonde. Honestly it was so boring I mentally checked out halfway through. But I did finish a book!

This morning I cut some lilacs to go in a vase and they smell amazing. And now I shall go and finish at least one more book today.

Be kind to yourself and know that you are not alone, even when you think you are.

xx Patricia

A New Tea and An Old Man

It’s Tuesday! Tons of new books came out today and I’m so excited. This morning I have been experimenting with teas. I have a really lovely Meyer Lemon from Stash that I adore. So I decided to cold brew it and add some fresh strawberries and a bit of honey. It turned out really nice. If I can keep the five-year old out of the strawberries for 5 minutes I’ll make another pitcher for later.

OU Boy had a reality check last night and I almost cried I laughed so hard. I was working out by the pool and he was doing laps when our neighbor ( who we don’t know from Adam) wanted to swim. She is 17 and at the time we didn’t know she has Asperger’s Syndrome. So in she goes and out he goes. She wanted him to get in and play with her. He was not about to. Then the blow came. “You’re almost 40? Wow that’s old. Some 40-year-old guy hit on me and I pushed my shopping cart into his balls.” Needless to say OU Boy took his toys and went inside. I’m still not sure he’s over that. Poor guy.

She is an interesting child though. She asked to use the bathroom and of course I let her and she came out and said, ” I grabbed a mint. More people should put a candy dish on the toilet.” Okay those are just left over bribes from when the boy was being potty trained, but sure, we’ll keep them in there for guests.

We pretty much live at the pool in the summer. The kids are having fun with the underwater camera and we all sleep better at night and find ourselves snacking much less unless it’s fruit.

Busy day of reading and writing today so y’all enjoy yourselves out there!

xx Patricia

Let’s Sing in the Sunshine!

Good Morning! It’s another hot and sunny day here in OKC. In a blue mood today so I’m starting off with some lovely blueberry green tea, which I made myself. I have a feeling I will be drinking a lot of tea today.

Yesterday I didn’t dare write anything personal because I was on a tear! There is a lady who lives just across from the pool at our condo. She is that girl who talks about everyone and complains that her neighbor upstairs urinates too loud. Yes, that’s what I said. He pees too loud for her. Her next door neighbor creeps around like a mime she’s so scared of her. Me, not so much. I know her type. She wants to be a big fish in this little pond.

This weekend I pretty much set up shop at the pool. Everyday all day. Met some really lovely people, got a good tan going and was just happy to be outside in the sun and pool for the first summer since the eye thing. And I only have a few weeks to enjoy it, so I did. Then my neighbor lady told me this Kelly woman said I had a bottle of Smirnoff’s out there and was drunk and I never wear clothes. Of course my first thought was to rip her a new one. Then I called my attorney who said, sure I can send her a cease and desist letter, everyone knows you don’t drink and if you did it sure as hell wouldn’t be cheap ass liquor. But he did question whether or not I had real clothes on.

Why do women do this to each other? I don’t know her at all. I know her aunt and she hates her, but what could I have done to make her upset with me? It really bothered me. Our maintenance man said she’s just jealous of anyone who is happy. That is really sad.

I thought that when I saw her next I would just confront her and ask her what her problem is, and I still may. But right now I’m still in “hiring a hit man” mode. So this morning when she came strolling past my door she said hello. I said nothing and then I looked at her and said, ” Oh, I’m sorry I wasn’t sure which of your faces was talking.” Have a nice day and bless your heart.

My sister told me to calm the heck down and refused to fly down here and help me with this. She is so adult these days. It offends me when someone doesn’t like me for petty reasons. This isn’t high school. I didn’t kiss your boyfriend or steal your spot on the cheer squad. I’ve said hello to you twice. I’m going to choose to believe she is just a bitter old lady who doesn’t have anything better to do. That is my official statement. Don’t need “premeditated” getting tossed around.

Enjoy your day. Don’t be a Kelly. Be a Cynthia, who could come help me maybe…..js

xx Patricia

SUMMER TEAS AND TREATS

Just another wacky Wednesday here at the Pirate Nation. I just placed a summer tea order and can’t wait to try the Pear. I love pears. Right now my favorite drink is bubbly water with pure pear juice. It’s refreshing and not too sweet. But this morning I went back to a good old English Breakfast.

Yesterday I cooked. Like from scratch. I was cooking up the chicken and had so much of it that I made a really good smoked chicken salad plus green chile chicken rolled enchiladas. I stuffed the chicken salad in fresh bell peppers. It’s so hot outside I wanted something light and cool. With a fresh fruit salad it was perfect.

I am experimenting with different tea blends. I took a Meyer Lemon from STASH and brewed it with a white tea from Taylor’s and popped it in the icebox. Definitely a keeper. Tazo’s Passion is a favorite around here. The kids think it’s kool-aid. And it has no sugar. Today I’m trying the Harney and Sons Chocolate mixed with some Chocolate Mint leaves. We shall see what happens.

              

Strawberry biscuits are melt in your mouth good! You can use your favorite biscuit recipe and just add a handful of chopped berries. Voila! As for the Mississippi Mud Cake, well that is a really easy recipe and every baker has their own interpretation of it. Mine is the good old pecan and marshmallow on top of the finished cake. Back in the oven to melt the marshmallows and then cover it with pecans and chocolate frosting. Slap yo Momma good there!

Have a great Wednesday. You can still kick ass, just be nice about it. I am off to play Susi Homemaker and then read a gory, serial killer tale!

xx Patricia

 

THE COLOR OF THE EVOLVED SOUL

Happily sipping some Royal Wedding Tea from Harney & Sons this morning. Another day in the 80’s and then some severe weather in a few days. Our storm chasers are at the gate waiting for the signal to play find the tornado.

Yesterday was a beautiful day, if a bit windy, and we laid out in the sunshine with our uber white legs and listened to the 60’s channel. It was peaceful and so nice. The tiny terrorists went with their Daddy on a hike. Or as we call it a treasure hunt. So everyone got to spend time outside and we are all better for it.

If you are like me and don’t particularly like sugar, that STASH Meyer Lemon tea is a big winner in the iced category. I made a pitcher and it was really good unsweetened.

Last night I finished reading a book that made me feel angry. Described as a laugh out loud version of The Help, I did not have one laugh. I had many uncomfortable moments and a lot of racism and the end the horrible woman said Oh I’m so sorry, and the black lady said Oh it’s okay. No, it’s not okay and I wrote a rather scathing review. With a note to the publisher. This is a first for me. But if you are not from Mississippi but are writing about it, do your research. Don’t put a shiny dress on it and call it something it isn’t. It was insulting and I was glad to see this morning that at least 5 other people had emailed me saying how insulted they felt as well.

Happy Monday! Make it a great one with a nice cuppa and a nap! I am off to do errands that must be done. People want to eat and all. Thanks for listening to my little rant this morning. I would wake up OU Boy but he’s tired of hearing me talk.

xx Patricia….being quiet….lol