An Unveiled Moment

It's September already! Where has the summer gone?

To think I haven't visited the pages of An International Tea Moment since July 25th! I hope you'll all forgive my radio silence now that the truth can be revealed. And here it is:

We're having a baby!

It's the second for us, and Edie is over the moon about it. She's convinced it's a girl and refers to the baby as "she."  After kissing my belly, she'll ask me things like, "What's she wearing right now?" Or make suggestions like, "Tomorrow I'll take my baby in her stroller and you'll take your baby in MY old stroller and we'll walk to the mailbox. All together!" ("Tomorrow" meaning any time in the future.)  My favorite moment so far, though, was when I was resting on the couch and Edie asked if the baby was cold. I assured her the baby was plenty warm, but she came back a few seconds later with a doll blanket which she arranged carefully over my newly expanding waistline.

The prospect of a brother or sister for Edie is exciting. The road to get there is, well, less than. There's the issue of morning sickness. Or as I like to think of it, "Every-minute-of-every-day-and-night-for-nine-months sickness." Each morning begins with a round or two of dry heaves. The song that goes through my head at these morning moments is a play on Simon and Garfunkel's Sounds of Silence: "Hello dry heaves my old friend. I've come to retch with you again..."  The day simply can't begin until that task is complete. Forget all you've heard about nibbling crackers before getting out of bed, or moving slowly, or sleeping with a window open. It's just a part of what my body does. Maybe because it's the only exercise I get each day. I also refer to it as my "90-Second Abs" workout.

While I could write several lengthy posts about what I can not eat, but wish I could, I won't put you through that just now. What I will say is that one of my greatest anguishes is that I have not been able to drink tea for the past several weeks! "Because of the caffeine?" you may well ask. No. Because tea tastes like cigarettes.

It is a low blow. How my taste buds have betrayed me! It is a fate worse than death on many levels. And before you start speculating, no, I don't smoke. Nor am I around anyone who smokes. Therein lies the great mystery.

I have days when a light oolong will work. I've even had some recent luck with strong, plain black tea dressed heavily with cream and a touch of sugar. Those are the happiest of moments right now. When I can catch glimpses of the solace that once was my cup of tea.

I have so many teas I'm dying to taste! A fascinating selection from a generous and adventurous Greg of Norbu Tea. Some glorious samples from the kind and knowledgeable Beth of Teas Etc. But what I taste today is not a true representation of these teas. The reviews you see from me right now will speak only of the joy in being able to keep certain blends down and achieving some level of hydration.

I'm 14 weeks into this pregnancy, and there are faint signs of hope that my taste buds are relenting. It feels like the rehabilitation process when one loses sensation or use of a limb and must work day after day to make just the tiniest promise of progress. I will keep trying. This will be restored. Tea is simply a part of who I enjoy being.

In the mean time, I read about others' experiences and keep a list of teas I will try when I feel myself again. And I read. In particular, I am luxuriating in the new book by one of my favorite tea bloggers, Katrina Avila Munichiello. The book is entitled, "A Tea Reader: Living Life One Cup at a Time." It is an anthology of readings that speaks to the hearts of tea lovers. I look forward to giving a full review right here in the very near future.

So, there you have it, friends. The next weeks and possibly months of this blog may not be so tea blend-centric, but they will still celebrate the different aspects of enjoying tea. I look forward to getting back in the saddle again and enjoying many more tea moments with each of you!