Maddy Barone Send Message

It has been so blessed hot lately. Normally we have around 10 days a year in the 90s. In the first 16 days of June we’ve had 6 days in the 90s. Ugh! Even th air conditioner does completely cool the apartment on those days. But i suppose 82 is better than 92!

Made a jug of iced tea using this leaf. Wow, excellent flavor, no bitterness or astringency, and almost sweet on its own. Some straight black tea are just icky iced because they are so bitter/strong. Those benefit from a splash of flavoring or lemonade or even sugar, altho i avoid added sugar. This one is lovely. Didn’t even need additives to be drinkable.

I made a jug of this tea iced.

Blech. I found it rather bitter. I know I’;ve had this tea before, and although I didn’t adore it, I didn’t hate it. But this batch? Nuh-uh. I was able to save it somewhat with a splash of the watermelon flavored syrup from Simplee Simple from Etsy. But I did not enjoy this one.

The syrups from that etsy shop are really quite nice. I use them in my sparkling water, in some teas, and to make flavored ice cubes. So far the raspberry is my favorite, but I still have the blackberry and peach to try. Not affiliated in any way with the shop. I just like them.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SimpleeSimple2?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=636734444

I am not a big fan of Assam teas. They tend to be a little strong and bitter for me. When this one came in my Tearunners package I put it away.

With the weather turning hot I have been doing iced tea. My brother came by and left some lemonade for me. (I was positive for COVID several weeks ago, so couldn’t leave my apartment. My brother drove from Minnesota to North Dakota a couple of times a week to deliver some groceries for me) Being diabetic, I tend to not drink a lot of juice. but a light bulb went off in my head: Arnie Palmer! The tea I had been drinking was a little light, and the flavor didn’t come through. I decided to brew this one up next and use it for the Arnie Palmer. It was perfect at 3 parts tea and 1 part lemonade. Very refreshing!

No worries about Covid. I was certainly sick, but my temp never went over 102. I felt worse in February when I had pneumonia. I was re-tested on Thursday and today got word that I am negative. So, yay!!! I can buy my own groceries again!

I had this one tonight. I still like it. I think I’ll leave it at the top of the pile so I can easily access it again. It snowed today. :(

The bursitis is still paining me. The seat cushion iwth the cut outs for my sit bones arrive. I think it helps, but I get sore from that too after a while. Per the docs instructions, I have gone from frozen peas on my butt to sitting on a heating pad. The heating pad seems to help a lot. trange, I thought the cold would be better. Any way, I’m still here, still drinking tea, and stil lwhining.

It is 49 degrees out there today, and partly sunny. I am SO MUCH ready for spring. I went through my teas, looking for something spring-like. Found this one and made a cup. Very light in color and lilght inflavor, but pleasant for an afternoon cup.

I had a doctor visit over webEX. Like, online. Weird, huh? She believes my sore bottom is Ischial bursitis. That is bursitis of the sit bones. It is probably the result of too much sitting. Her treatment plans includes avoiding sitting, applying ice to the area and taking aspirin.

I work 10 hours a day. Sitting at the computer. When I’m not sorking, I am generally sitting and reading, knitting, spinning, sewing ,etc.

I ordered one of those extendable desk that you can work at standing. It won’t arrive for 10 days.

So, off to lie on the floor with a family sized bag of frozen peas on my bum. Excuse me

Work today was a roller coaster. Well, not really. It started off rough, got better, and then plunged directly into Hades territory. We woln’t get paid overtime, since Friday we are closed. But there is no way I can get my work done in only 8 hours a day.

A day like this calls for an old favorite tea. Cranberry Pear always reminds me of the first time I tried it. It was at the David’s Tea in Polo Park in Winnipeg. A few friends and I had a little time to kill so we went to get tea. It was a lovely day with lovely friends I don’t see often enough. I bought a few teas, but Cranberry Pear was the best of them. I got 50 grams of it to take take back to the States, and once that was gone I bought it again and again. Now it’s a discontinued tea, unless David’s decides to bring it back. I am hoarding what I have left because I do not want it gone. THIS is the tea I reach for on “challenging” days.

I’ve had this for the past two nights. AFter a spell of lovely warm weather we had over 5 inches of snow and the temps dipped to 5 F last night. Good tea drinking weather. It’s sunny and warm-ish this afternoon (28F) but I may have another cup tonight.

I like this one. It is exactly what it says: sweet and spicy. Warming. a comfort when you are stuck inside not only because of the pandemic stay at home order, but also because of the weather.

Today I finally made the switch from morning coffee to morning tea. At first I was going to brew a cup of North Winds, which is one of my favorite straight black teas, but I decided to try one of the straight blacks from my recent Tea Runners box. It is a Sri Lankan tea

I liked this one. A lot. It is very smooth. I didn’t get that faint bitter after taste that I sometimes get. I added 1 teaspoon of leaf to 10 ounces of 205 degree water and steeped for 4 minutes. along with one small lump of rock sugar (about the size of a pea) I can imagine this one iced. Pretty tasty.