768 Tasting Notes
The last few days have been very stressful and I don’t handle stress well. As in I screamed at my poor dementia patient mother. Not to her face., I was upstairs in my bedroom and she was down in the hall. She asks over and over and OVER the same questions. I just lost it. I opened my mouth intending to answer her again but instead, I screamed my reply. I feel awful, not jsut because I screamed, but because I hurt mom. I don’t want to do that, and she cannot help asking the same question every thirty seconds. She literally cannot remember that she’s asked already.
I knew helping take care of her would be challenging sometimes, but I am at the end of my rope. I require alone time to recharge, but I have no privacy. Even my bedroom isn’t not my own space. She comes up at all hours of the night and flips on the light to chat. I am going to have a heart attack or a nervous breakdown.
Sorry for the vent. That was all to say that I went through my tea box looking for something that would be a special treat. I found a pouch of Banana Nut Bread. I’ve had it for more than a year and it’s never been opened, so I figured this was the perfect time to try it.
I brewed it for about 8 minutes in 205 degree water. The liquer is light, a little darker than yellow, but not brown or even amber. The flavor is equally light. I don’t know if it is the age, or the amount I used to brew, or the fact that I can’t smell, but I don’t taste much. It is mildly sweet. I enjoyed it. While I drank it I had an entire 30 minutes alone while my brother entertained my mom.
Preparation
Hot today. So. Freaking. Hot. Even with my valiant little A/C unit chugging away it is 80 degrees in my room. I skipped having coffee this morning and had a cold Coke instead. Caffeine is important. This tea doesn’t have caffeine and it doesn’t need it. It is SOOO refreshing. It love the delicate, almost sweet flavor. One of the best teas I’ve ever had iced.
Tomorrow will be hotter. I will need more of this to get through Sunday.
Preparation
This morning for some reason I was cold. I had the air on all night. So when I got up a made a cup of this. I can’t believe I still have any of this. It’s one of my faves. It’s getting a little older now, but still smooth and tasty.
Is anyone else ready for cooler weather? I am sick to death of sweating.
It’s hotter than blazes here (although no where near as hot as other places), yet I’ve had a slightly queasy tummy last night and tonight. So I picked a box of this up at the store on the way home from work. It’s a very decent bagged tea. Nothing remarkable, but certainly nothing to complain about either. I’ll happily drink this tea and then buy another box.
I decided to have this last night as a before bed treat. My sense of smell is completely gone, but I remember how lovely the strawberry and chocolate were. Still a nice smooth cup. In the summer I usually drink iced tea, but lately my air conditioner does such a great job of cooling my room that I’m drinking hot tea in the evening. Always nice to have a good selection of caffeine free teas.
I still have a healthy dose of this, which is nice because I needed a treat today.
I’m almost well but last Tuesday my mom came down with what I had. Hers was even worse, although her temp wasn’t as high as mine. My brother, who is her primary caretaker, was gone camping with a friend. All the nursing plus working the day job, plus the writing gig, plus the housework, plus the cooking fell on me. I am so tired. Friends invited me to their annual 4th of July potluck tomorrow, and I was pleased to accept. But now my brother is off camping again til sunday. he was only home two nights! I can’t leave Mom and I can’t bring her, as strange places and people make her very agitated. So I guess I’ll stay at home.
I knew being a caretaker for my mom would be challenging sometimes. And I knew that my brother has been doing this for ten years, and would probably enjoy the freedom to go places now that I am here. But I feel pretty tired and resentful right now.
That’s why it’s time to break out my favorite hoarded tea. I can’t control everything, but I have tea.
Our family has been where you are. Will be praying for your patience and contentment—they tend to run in short supply in these circumstances.
Thanks, gmathis.
I am so sorry you have to miss the gathering. I was in your shoes once and it is hard. Prayers for you and yours.
Thank you, ashmanra I know that this will pass, and someday I’ll be glad I was able to spend time with my mom.
I woke with a scratchy throat. Now it is quite painful to swallow, but only on the right side. (That makes me nervous. I remember when I had strep throat. It started out like that.) It’s also rather warm today, so I brewed this and poured it over ice.
Hm. Let me just say I vastly prefer it hot.
I began my new position as Operations Coordinator on Monday. I was in the office all week for training, and what a change that was from rolling out of bed and staggering to the room next door to punch in and work. I will be driving in to the office only on Mondays and every other Thursday from now on. What a relief that is. I hope I have this sore throat kicked by Monday. The office has a real Jekyll and Hyde temperature. It is about 70 in the morning from 7 to 9, then it seems like they turn the heat on, because after that it is about 80. I guess I can enjoy a hot cuppa when I first get there and then switch to iced tea for the rest of the day.
Preparation
This was part of 52Teas the 12 Days of Tea. I had a cup of it hot in December and I remember not liking it as well as I’d hoped. I decided to try this one iced. Still not my favorite. There is nothing wrong with it. It isn’t bitter or astringent , but I think the flavor profile is better as a hot cup.
It has been hot, hot, HOT in my little storage room of an office so I’ve been drinking a lot of iced tea. I had about a tablespoon of this one left so I mixed it with some of What-Cha’s Golden Monkey, dropped in my David’s perfect iced tea pitcher (I think it is probably a liter) and set it in the fridge overnight.
ZOMG.
SOOOOOooo good. Light, mildly sweet without being cloying, smooth, and utterly refreshing. Honestly, the perfect tall and sweaty glass of cold tea. So I was naughty tonight. I ordered another pouch of this from Lupicia. I had told myself -firmly!!- that there would be NO TEA ORDERS until fall. Oops.
But really, it’s only mid-May. I have many months of hot weather to drink down my tea stash. In fact, I’m cold brewing a liter of David’s Santa Secret right now. I am keeping a list of which teas I like iced. So far, the HoneyDew is far and away the top tea iced.
I understand your frustration. My grandmother started presenting signs of dementia over ten years ago. My aunt was her primary caretaker and I saw the effect my grandmother’s follies had on her. She often vented to me when she could no longer stay calm. Keep venting whenever you need to. There is a lot of information out there with suggestions on how to deal with the burden. I found that doing something easy and new with my grandmother, like watercolor painting, somehow kept her focused for a few hours. And while she couldn’t remember anything beyond 30 seconds, she at least derived some pleasure and sense of accomplishment from those simple things. I’m glad to hear you have other family around to take at least some of the load off temporarily.
Vent all you need to. This is a tough road.
Thank you, derk and gmathis. The beginning of this week was especially bad. It’s a little better now. Our town has adult education classes that start in the fall. That booklet should come in the mail soon. Maybe I’ll see if there is something mom would like to do.
I am so sorry, Maddy. Prayers tonight for you. I know it is hard.
Dear Maddy Barone, being a caregiver is really truly incredibly hard. Made even more so when your charge is a parent (with that backlog of history and expectation and protocol). Be very kind to yourself; you are doing the best that you can. Recognize that and work on carving out time for yourself so that you can nurture yourself to keep sane and well as you continue. Big hugs to you. And vent whenever you need to. Many of us understand just how it is.