I don’t put much stake into Valentine’s Day, but it’s been a rather glum holiday this year given the circumstances. I had tentative plans to hang out with a friend, but those fell through, so I resign myself to a lackadaisical day alone in at least a physical sense. In consolation, I’ve been texting with friends both here in Dublin / Europe and in the U.S. throughout the day. In the afternoon I catch up with some reading for my CMA study program. The fickle weather started off grey and raining this morning, which has been my incentive to stay inside, but the skies cleared up just in time for a radiant sunset that I was at least able to enjoy from the view of my windows.
As mentioned in previous posts, I have a fondness (obsession?) with iced tea, which harkens back to my Texas origins. One of the most frequently used household items that I brought with me to Ireland has been a two-quarter Ball glass jar, perfect for brewing a batch using one of Smith Teamaker’s specialty sachets. I boil the water using the electric kettle that came with the apartment, pour the water over the tea sachet until the jar is about two-thirds full, then let it steep for a good long while. Once it’s cooled to a strong brew, I remove the tea sachet and add 1/4 teaspoon of Stevia extract for sweetener, then top off of the jar with cold tap water. The new pitcher-handled lid fitted for the jar has been working perfectly — I’m so happy with it, it’s worth reposting a photo:
The COVID-19 statistics are slowly improving, with Ireland’s 14-day rate being a little better than France’s but not as good as Germany’s. As reported in the Irish Times, the highly transmissionable UK variant is accounting for 70% of the new cases in Ireland, and as a result personal services such as hairdressers and barber shops will continue to remain closed. It’s been 50+ days since my last haircut right before Christmas. Of course there’s not as much hair as there used to be on my head, but still it’s starting to feel raggedy. The longest I’ve gone without a trim was 80 days, last year during the first lockdown in SF. Worst case I could use clippers to buzz it, but I’m not that desperate yet.
Until next time….
