A Day Off

I started this post back in Nov 2019.  I had a day off from work...all to myself.  It had been such  a long time since I had a day all to myself.  I didn't do anything special, just stayed at home, enjoying the stillness.  This is such a contrast from today, where working from home and caring for the kids is the new normal and there is very little quiet time.  In all honesty, although it can be quite the struggle, there is much to be thankful for during this time at home.  It is a time for us to be together, a time for me to spend more time with the kids doing different things, and a time to potty train my youngest (lol, this one we've been putting off)!  I'm also not commuting the 3 hours a day, have access to my tea collection throughout the day (a big bonus!) and I'm doing more cooking and baking.

I have thought about taking more pictures during this time, to remember it, to keep in mind that this time will pass and we'll be back to going our separate ways each day and packing the weekend with must do things.  So I thought, I must post this first!

So traveling back in time to November...the forecast was calling for snow. Since I haven't been blogging, I decided to take the time to snap some photos of food and tea that day...

9:15 am

Breakfast after taking the kids to school.  Pineapple, spinach and arugula smoothie made with soy milk.  Gluten free banana cake (made for my little one), boiled egg, and edamame; leftover from lunch prep.

12:30 pm
Lunch.
Leftover chow mein noodles from the weekend and homemade pickled cabbage.

1:45 pm
Tea time!  Decided to brew a compressed white tea.  This was white2tea's 2018 Nightlife.  Quite different from loose white tea and more suited for colder days like today.

Tea with a small dessert, homemade red bean filled mochi covered in shredded coconut.

5:00 pm
Late afternoon tea before the kids are home...it gets dark quite early now so not much natural light at this time.
Doing some reading and brewed a small leaf black tea from Taiwan.  Sweet, delicate, and non-astringent, it was perfect to just brew a large cup and sip it while reading.  A very nice ending to a quiet day to myself.

This was the first snow of this winter.  Staying at home, watching the snow fall, drinking tea, and having time to think, I ended up writing something...just a snapshot of a moment this morning.  Very roughly written I thought I'd share anyway.


As It Snowed

Hat, coat, snow pants, and boots.
As the snow begins to fall, we make our way
They marvel at the falling snow
Tongues out, trying to catch a taste
How funny they look!
But completely happy
We continue to walk.

I've forgotten my hat
The snow gently settling on my hair
Turning white by the minute
I've taken them where they need to be
The rest is up to them
Alone now, I turn to go
To begin my own day.