Step One: Marry a Smar-tea.

"'Calm?' I'll show you calm!"

Tally:  2 lattes (Starbucks)

1 mocha (Peet’s. PEET’S!)

…so I’ve cut back 50% this week.  So I’m “fifty percent less sugar” or something slogan-worthy like that.

But this past week was noteworthy for this reason:  I rediscovered The Tea Cabinets!  Yes, two kitchen cabinets full of TEA–loose tea, teabags, tea in canisters tea in funky silk cones, even one sketchy-looking green tea in its own tiny box–in my own house.

Yes, in my own house.  In my defense, the cabinets also hold the my great-aunt’s china (rarely used) and a large jar of unpopped popcorn (also rarely used.  Microwave Jolly Time Lite Butter.  ‘Nuff said.).  But the Tea Cabinets have returned to the forefront of my addled mind, thanks to the Tall Drink of Hot Tea that is my husband.

Me (draped across kitchen counter):  Latte now.  Latte project is stupid and doesn’t take my neeeeeeeeeeeeeeds into account!  Stupid.  Can’t make brain work.  Ullrrrrrrrarrrrghammumph.

HotTea:  Do you need a latte, or do you just need caffeine?

Me:  Need a latte for waking up!  NEED!  No one has to KNOW!

HT:  We have tea.

Me:  Whwuw*&@HSmish???

HT:  Tea.  With caffeine.  Black, green, white, paisley…

(He quickly fills the teakettle and makes it boil.   It’s as if he’s done this many times before.  He adds sugar–yay!–and hands me the big mug with “IOWA” on it.)

Me:  sip sip sip

I can’t believe I had forgotten about our grand stash of tea.  I guess the last time I really drank it on a regular basis was when I was pregnant–the Stash Lemon Ginger stuff because I was concerned about my circulation.  I used to put loose tea in my hot bath.  I used to take hot baths.  I guess I always saw tea as therapeutic/day spa-ish, not, well…useful.

Black tea with sugar is very useful.

I’m going to delve back into the Tea Cabinets more next week.  I want to try those triangular tea-in-silk-bags ones.

Should I be jealous that my tea dresses better than me?