Tea

While in Big Town for classes yesterday, I hunted, and searched, and looked, and searched, and hunted.... for a kettle.

Finally found one, and was very happy as mine is packed, if I remember correctly, in the third or fourth box on the bottom row of a stack of four, in the trailer.

I like tea, more and more all the time. I've always enjoyed a nice cup of hot tea on a winter's afternoon, and while I'm a huge proponent of coffee for morning wake-up, I'm coming to realize that while I'm quitting smoking, perhaps I need to break that habit as well. Mostly because it was always coffee and a cigarette, and it's been taking twice as much coffee to beat the morning growlys into submission. More, if I didn't get much sleep the night before.

I swear to whatever deity you care to name, if I ever get off of these damn patches (I'm on step three, now, because, well, I'm butch like that, and pushing it) I'm going to burn the boxes and dance around them. After shooting them. And stabbing them.

Seriously, I hate these things.

Anyway, tea. I like tea, and while it's possible to make tea by putting a cup of water in the microwave and heating it and then putting the tea bag in the cup, I can taste a difference between that method, and putting water in a kettle, heating it on the stove, and pouring the was-boiling-just-a-second-ago water over the bag.

I am nowhere near schooled enough in tea-fu to make tea with loose leaves, although the Safeway in Big Town offers tins of Twinnings loose tea leaves in a couple of varieties. Not to mention I don't have a proper tea pot, which seems to me to be a necessity if you're going to make tea the "proper" way.

Anyway, there's something about the sound of the water beginning to bubble in the kettle, as I putter around the kitchen, and the sound of the low groan from the whistle just before it actually whistles, that's soothing to me. And, soothing has been a rare and precious commodity around me for a couple of weeks now.

So, I found a kettle, and I bought some tea. Store brand Earl Gray because otherwise I'm going to drink all of Mamaw's fancy Earl Grayer tea, from The Republic Of Tea. That stuff is gooood. Also, a store brand orange spice tea, because it smelled good through the cellophane... which is the same reason I first tried Earl Gray. And, a Twinnings variety pack, with their Earl Gray, Lady Gray, English Breakfast, and Irish Breakfast teas.

The Twinnings Irish Breakfast blend is quite good, if you're wondering. I haven't tried the others, yet.

But, I have tea. The ritual of making the tea, and sitting staring at the wall thinking about things, cradling a cup of tea and idly swirling a spoon through it.... it's relaxing. Slouching down in a comfy chair with the cup cradled in my hands, the warmth begins to radiate up my arms... and as I sip the warmth starts radiating through my chest, relaxing muscles and cleansing stress.

It's a hot, luxurious bath, in a cup, in some ways. I'm still exploring the different varieties, and figuring out my favorites.

So, what are your favorite teas? And, is there really a difference between loose-leaf and bag brewing?

And Now, For Something Completely Different....

Tactical Dating

If you carry concealed you pick up certain habits, no matter who you are.... or at least you should.

Things like making sure your cover garment hasn't ridden up, a casual tug on the hem as you climb out of a car. Or maybe a rolling shrug to settle your shoulder holster a little better.

One of my personal biggest things, is making sure that my draw isn't blocked. I don't lean against doorways on my right shoulder, I'll angle my left side towards what I'm looking at, or I'll simply stand a couple paces further back so that I'm not hemmed in with people.

It's not something I think about, unless I get in a situation where I can't keep my draw from being blocked. Crowded elevators, things like that... but in the dating world, it can become an issue.

Guys, whether you carry or not, if you're on a date with a girl who does, be conscious of your lady's requirements. The most annoying thing I've ever had happen on a date isn't him blowing his nose on the table cloth or trying to grab my ass on the way into the movie theater.

It's a man who carries himself consistently interfering with my draw arm. Hovering on my right side, trying to hold my right hand, trying to put his arm around my waist... I carry SOB so arm around the waist has to be in a pretty specific position before I can draw smoothly.

Come on, guys, you know better than that. How would you like it if the girl you were dating constantly hung on your gun hand in public in spite of your asking her not to?

If you're both right handed, it's not a total loss, your right hand in the small of her back or under her elbow is a gallant way to guide her through a doorway or give physical flirting, without having to compromise your draw or hers, as long as your hand isn't on her gun.

A steady who carries will gladly practice with you if you simply must put your arm around her waist. Discuss with her which way will work better, and one of you simply take one or two steps forward or backward, if the fecal matter collides with the oscillating rotating air circulation device. Stepping to the side is acceptable as well, but in my experience people are far more coordinated stepping back than stepping to the side. You and your sweetheart make the choice on what works best for you.

Hell, do drills while you're out. Pick a trigger word, and when either of you say the trigger word, you jump apart. If you want to do full drill, you might want to pick a secluded area to take a stroll in, so that you don't frighten unsuspecting passers by.

But remember, a gentleman is always aware of his date's draw clearance.

And while I'm at it, guys, we need to work out some arrangement about who gets the seat facing the door. I've learned not to argue about it for the most part, and how to position myself so that I can at least see in the peripheral, but it still gives me the creepy crawlies.....

Dance, You Bastards!

Mamaw is addicted to Dancing With The Stars, and I'm a bit of a fan of watching people who know what the hell to do with their bodies myself, so we watch whenever we can catch it, and the 50 inch isn't playing something else, like a DVR of the Big Joe Polka Show. (Which has NO reason to exist whatsoever. An hour of overweight old people shuffling around to multiple accordians. Ten minutes into it I'm ready to slit my wrists.)

Anyway, we watch the show, and I have to admit, some of the stars are putting a lot of effort into it and not doing half bad.

Others, not so much.

But does it make me completely crazy that watching it makes me want to take latin dance lessons?

It's Amazing!

How much difference a good night's sleep will make.

I took the patch off yesterday afternoon because I'm tired of the way it screws with my sleep. Either I can't get to sleep or I wake up six or seven times a night from messed up dreams.

Slept pretty good last night, woke up once when the train was going through and Farmdog just had to sing to it at the top of her little puppy lungs... but I slept.

And, I'm not too spastic about the nicotine being gone so far this morning. Put it this way, I'm doing better with not having that mood leveler from the patch, and instead having gotten an actual night's sleep.

We'll see, throughout the day. I may decide I need to go back on the patch... I may decide I need to go ahead and step it down.

In reports on the rest of the fam, Farmmom has made seventy two hours plus, go her! And Mamaw has hit the twelve hour mark, yay!

We're all made of win and awesome!

Seconding LawDog

I point you to TOTUS.

I'm not political, but it makes me giggle that someone has created a blog for Barak's teleprompter. And a Twitter account. And a seal.

Go, Look, Laugh.

That is all.

72hrs Plus

Haven't smoked at all since Sunday night.

Muscle soreness, mostly from tensing up when people say things that make me want to strangle them, I think, is pretty bad. Sometimes I feel like someone beat me with a baseball bat.

Sleep schedule is... non-existent. Either I'm out like a light at nine, but waking up every fifteen minutes or so, or I can't get to sleep until after eleven, and... waking up every fifteen minutes or so.

Blargh. I'm a girl who likes her sleep, and I really hate it when there's interference without good cause. Plus, lack of sleep doesn't make the cranky thing any easier.

That's getting a little bit better as it goes along... frankly I think I've done rather well, as far as not snapping at people goes. I haven't completely alienated any of my good friends, anyway, and I've manage to keep my hands to myself, so no assault charges.

Just because it's getting easier not to light up, doesn't mean it's feeling better.

Farmmom hit 24hrs without smoking last night, I dunno if she's smoked since, but major kudos to her for making it!

And Mamaw... wow. She's still holding it way under what she used to smoke. Honestly, I think maintaining at two or three puffs at a time spread out through the day would probably be harder for me than not smoking at all.

We're all getting there. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go take more advil, change my nicotine patch, and try to remember not to eat the first person who acts all cheerful.

Oops...

Back on the first 24 hrs again.

Also stepped down the patch, and I haven't noticed any more cravings or twitchyness than I had on the higher dose.

And, the dreams aren't nearly as bad, or weren't last night. Of course, I was completely exhausted last night, so that may have been it.

Anyway... starting over. Not nearly as bad as it was the first time, so far.