I go through phases of being utterly obsessed with tea, and I'm in one now.
Whenever I travel abroad, I almost always bring back fancy teas. In fact, I still have this adorable elephant container from Williamson Tea that I’m pretty sure I bought in Paris over a decade ago. I store new tea bags in it now.
Their tea is from Kenya, thus the elephant. In falling down this tea rabbit hole, I learned that they still sell tea in these elephant containers. I’m resisting the urge to buy one with all my might. Maybe.
(Incidentally, you can find the empty containers on Poshmark.)
I don't know what exactly sparked this renewed interest in tea, but once Facebook caught wind, I was in trouble.
In the past week, I've purchased tea or tea accessories from six different independent retailers online. It started out with loose-leaf pu-erh from Little Red Cup Tea and then extended into sleep aid teas with hemp from Harney Brothers. I also bought pu-erh tea from Full Leaf Tea and a tea bag squeezer from Mark Wendell Tea.
For those who don’t know, pu-erh is a black tea with high caffeine (for tea) and high antioxidants. It is a unique type of fermented tea that’s traditionally made in the Yunnan Province of China. It supposedly may improve cholesterol.
Tuesday was a 14 oz infuser teapot from a retailer called Common Housefly in North Carolina. It was a great price and will let me infuse two cups at a time. (Before I had a chance to send you this, the teapot arrived. See the video below for my reaction to it.)
Many people buy mugs for tea that are way too big. I don't have any mugs over 12 oz and have a pretty set of four that are 8 oz.
I thought the teapot would be my last purchase, but then I found a set of adorable 7 oz tea cups from FORLIFE, along with a same-colored tea bag rest.
I resisted the very strong urge to buy anything from this company, like this tea cup, this teacup and saucer, or this little bowl. They're a little pricey, maybe for my birthday.
Then there’s this Gaiwan set for brewing tea and this gorgeous ceramic tea cup from Adhara Tea. So many pretty things!
All this tea excitement made me finish up the last of the loose green tea I purchased in Bryant Park back in 2018 during the holidays.
Tea is such a hidden gem and can be simple and inexpensive to enjoy. It's great for your health, and different teas have different benefits. The act of making and drinking tea can be turned into a meditative ritual.
In preparation for my new goodies, I cleaned out and cleaned up all my tea supplies to make room for what's coming.
🦩 Everyday Adventures
I Fired My GP
I've had an adversarial relationship with my General Practitioner (Primary Care Doctor) from the start.
Previous to being a patient at her office, I saw a doctor in the building across the parking lot. I really liked her, but she moved back to Poland to be close to her family.
I became a patient at this new place and was seeing the Nurse Practitioner exclusively. But then she left, and the doctor started to see me.
This is the first doctor I’ve ever had that I just did not get a good vibe from.
Then, recently, she started policing my Tylenol 3 prescription (acetaminophen and codeine) that I use for my migraines as part of a very effective cocktail. She prescribed me 12-20 pills at a time with no refills… as if I was suddenly going to stop having migraines. She also did not approach things with the curiosity I felt a doctor should have. When something is up with me, I like to explore why, not just jump into getting new prescriptions that I might not need.
My neurologist just gave me a prescription for 45 pills of Tylenol 3 with two refills for a 6-month period, which is what any doctor in my past would've done.
I know the way my GP acted was because of something happening, or that had happened, with her and/or her practice. But I've never been in that place before where I felt untrusted by my doctor with a very small amount of medication without any logical reason. I haven't found another GP, but I really don't use them for much. I might see how far I can get with Teladoc, which I did use once successfully to get a steroid when I had Covid.
With regard to my cholesterol, I started taking a plant sterol supplement every day and have been diligent about my water consumption, and my total cholesterol is 20 points lower than it was in October. I’m hoping I can keep that up and get it back down to where it's normally been so I don't have to worry about taking a statin.
📑 Project Updates
Cross Stitch
It's starting to come together, and I'm happy to have started the colorful part of the design.
I'm not going to tell you what the full text will say, but you are allowed to guess.
The Hugmobile
I saw some adorable note cards online and decided to design my own. They're the size of a business card and are kind of half business card and half note card to write a message on.
I ordered them from Moo.com and am thrilled with the quality. I love Moo because I can order a small quantity, so it's a great way to test out new designs.
Joy Mail Subscription
Now is a great time to subscribe to this newsletter to receive monthly correspondence from yours truly. This is usually in the form of a postcard, which may be collaged. But you'll also get some other goodies during the year. As a Founding subscriber, you'll get an envelope of goodies every month that may include stickers, postcards, a personal greeting, and other ephemera. Give it as a gift that lasts all year long to someone who would appreciate getting mail.
🌻 One Positive Thing
I searched the news to find one positive thing, and I could not. So here’s a positive thing happening for me… I just mailed my closing documents to New York for the property in Troy. I’m excited and terrified and full of hope for the possibilities. Follow along as I brainstorm ideas for how to monetize part of the property in a way that is community-focused and helps me live there sustainably.
⏰️ Currently
🍵 Drinking more tea than I have in a long time, including some Holy Basil tea I'd gotten a while ago for sleep.
🎄 Pleased that I sent out 98 holiday cards this year.
☃️ Enjoying the cooler, holiday-feeling weather. (Cooler by Florida standards, of course.)
I’ve been vending for a Vermont cheesemaker, and then just hanging out. It has a very different vibe than Albany. I love the scale.
Thanks, Elsie. I often read your posts though I don’t often comment. (This is the first time lol.) But I have to share with you that five or six months back when you mentioned possibly moving to Albany, I was overcome with the urge to tell you – check out Troy!
I’ve been doing the farmer’s market there for the last couple years and I’ve grown very fond of it. Great accepting vibe, diverse population, an art and music scene, interesting food of all types. It’s just a sweet place and maybe going through a renaissance of sorts? So glad you found it!
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