This is the cushion cover I'm knitting so far...
The needles came with the kit. I hate knitting with wooden needles. It doesn't matter the size - these are 10mm- I just find them too smooth and slippy. Which is insane. You would expect that my much preferred metal pins would be smoother and less grippy.
So the E.D I just made - I'm re starting the knit, on my own 9mm metal pins. They are the biggest ones I own. I'll probably gift the wooden ones away, or use them as kindling!
Other E.Ds today will most likely involve what to have for lunch, what to throw away - I'm midst tidying my room- and what to watch n the telly box!
I'd like to take a moment to discuss tea.
I used to take milk with my tea, but I liked my brew to be weak, but not milky. I got so incredibly fuss arsey over it that I gave up milk in tea all together. So now I always have a 'one -dip' . I'm such a cheap date. It's so weak I should probably give up the tea bag altogether and be done with it. However, when one is faced with all the pretty boxes at the supermarket it's hard to not look!
My absolute favourite favourite flavoured tea is not pictured here. But it's Tetley Green Tea with lemon. It's the best by a mile. I love a Lady Grey and an Earl and I'm very partial to a very berry tea in M&S cafe!
However, here's what's next to my kettle at the moment.
Some of them are off on a visit! Now the Twinings steamed green tea tastes exactly like bog standard green tea. The fudge melts are DELICIOUS! Miss 21 also had but took with her some Cherry Bakewell tea! 'Twas lovely when you are trying to not stuff cake and biscuits in for the foreseeable.
Now I turn to something else entirely. It's the work of the devil. I have a dear online chum who raved on about it. I think there's something very wrong with her. She needs help.
Comforting my arse!
It is rank of the rankest proportions. I love licorice, pontefract cakes, allsorts, root licorice you chew from the health shop. Not this.
It's the smell of warm soil that hits you once the boiling water hits the tea bag. Once you have a sip, it tastes vile, like I imagine the water in a vase would taste like this, after the flowers died three weeks ago. There's a warm hint of licorice right at the back of your throat right at the end, but enough of one to make me do it again. The box is really pretty though.
Have you seen the recommendation on the front of the box? Well
I recommend not drinking it at all! This box is on its way to my mad friend two tea bags lighter. Two? Did I brave another? No, the other one will be packaged carefully and headed across the county in a taste experiment! I just hope my mild reaction won't put the recipient off!!
What Executive Decisions have you/do you make? Have you a favourite tea?
Lots of love from
Rachel *Top Brass, drinks tea* Radiostar xxx
I suggest you have an early night. It must be utterly exhausting making such important decisions like that. Your cushion cover looks lovely and soft. I've never used wooden needles, though I'm tempted to now just to see what they're like. I'm often attracted to idea of herbal teas but the reality just doesn't do it for me. My cupboard currently contains chamomile and vanilla, lemon and ginger, green tea with lemon and chocolate, rooibos and vanilla. I can't bring myself to bin them but they just don't cut it like a good mug of Yorkshire with a teaspoon of sugar. :-) x
ReplyDeleteI like a bog standard brew too. Never with sugar. When we were little though, we'd go to High Tea at my Nanna's and have cups of tea in real cups and saucers and there'd be sugar cubes and sugar tongs. Back then I used to take my tea with at least four sugars!!!
DeleteI have tried to get to like different kinds of teas (fruit and green) so many times but I am clearly a traditionalist and it is regular tea for me every time. I do use green tea bags and green tea for home spa treatments though!
ReplyDeleteI've just knitted a cushion cover, am planning on sewing it up tonight and blogging about it tomorrow.
I'm now going to try your cushion cover pattern out once I've finished this. I'm quite excited about stranded knitting !!!
DeleteOh good - I look forward to seeing what you do.
DeleteGreen tea with lemon is my favourite too! (Is that unmanly? But then I am from the South).
ReplyDeleteYou are forgiven for your Southernness, you cannot help it. I think embracing ones green tea with lemon habit is tres manly indeed.
DeleteI have tried so many fruit teas, like you I don't have milk in drinks, my favourite is Blackberry and Elderflower made by Taylor's of Harrogate, we buy them on line in catering size packs. As for ED my brain hurts with new systems at work, so not making any today.
ReplyDeleteNot keen on Elderflower. It's a bit floral which is why I shy away from the chamomile stuff too! I'm definitely a citrus girl.
DeleteAs far as executive decisions are concerned, when we first got married I made it clear to my wife that i was happy for her to make all the small day-to-day decisions but anything important and strategic she has to leave them for me. I know that in the 30 years we have been married there has not yet been any important decisions to make that have come my way, but I think my wife understands the lie of the land.
ReplyDeleteI predict a very long happy life for you Philip!!!
DeleteNo executive decisions taken today. I hate all those artificially flavoured teas that are so trendy now, the liquorice one makes me shiver just thinking of it. My favourite tea is lime flower infusion, possibly with a tiny chunk of ginger. It is common where I grew up but here in Britain, it is a rare find. With thousands of lime trees lining the leafy suburbs it is easy to collect your own, and dry it. If one can be bothered. Happy Thursday.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't like to taste any of the leaves that line Britain's suburbs! Not for all the tea in China!
DeleteOh Rachel!!! Feeling a bit grim here so you have really cheered me up by making me laugh about the tea!!! I have seen these liquorice teas on various podcasts and people say nice things about it, but I always imagine it taste ugghhh!!!! and it seem that I am right if your view is anything to go by! I like my tea not too strong, but not milky either and you are so right, it is so hard to get people to make it like that isn't it!!! I do need my spot of milk though. Hope you are having a good cuppa of something today! xx
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I cheered you up lovely X I had the best cuppa yesterday - one with a friend and a good natter!
DeleteEeeeewwwwww......fruit teas....no.....no......no......no.....no. Not in this house I'm afraid. It has to be either some kind of Twinings tea....preferably breakfast or afternoon or Yorkshire tea Either will do with just a touch of milk and a spoon of sugar......mmmmm bliss.
ReplyDeleteI'm having a bit of a laid back, go with the flow kind of day so no executive decisions today-x-
Aren't we English funny about our tea?! I think this is one of my most commented upon posts!! Laid back days are perfect! X
DeleteI'm with you on metal needles, I much prefer them to anything else and I've never tried circular needles either. I have all my mum's old knitting needles and some of my grandma's too, I dread to think how many garments have come off them. I don't drink many hot drinks, just a very occasional cup of tea, I've never tried the fruit teas.
ReplyDeleteI was really really doubtful when using circular needles for the first time, but I needed to as what I was knitting wouldn't fit on my long ones - anyway, I much prefer them now! 9 times out of ten I'll use my circulars over my longs! I've all my mums knitting pins, and my Nanna's, and my ma in law's relatives too!! I've hundreds!
DeleteI generally find that the fruit/herbal teas smell a huge lot better than they taste. Anyway, I prefer coffee.
ReplyDeleteI do make a nice mint tea with mint from the garden though.
J x
Mint tea is the one that I don't like. The licorice tea is one that DEFINITELY does NOT smell better than it tastes!! I seem to go in coffee and tea phases!
DeleteI have taken the delightful executive decision of an extra day off work to recover from the lurgy. Some dipstick in work likes their tea strong & milky???? I'm not a fan of fruit teas but have been gifted some hibiscus tea which is delightful. I don't think I've tried knitting with wooden needles but I do have some although I ordered a set of knit pro circular needles this morning & I think the tips are wood. xx
ReplyDeleteDid you see Debbie's comment on those Knit pro cubics? It looks like I will have some for my birthday in June! They are very pretty!!
DeleteEarl and Lady Grey are foul! There I said it.
ReplyDeleteFruity teas? Mint? They have their place but not with MILK, NO, NO! My husband puts milk in everything.
What can I say he's German.
English, Irish or Scottish Breakfast, splash of milk, hotter the better.
And seeing as you brought up knitting, who invented charts for lacy patterns with symbols? Insanity.
Yes, I'm old and cranky today
Hey there Mrs Old and Cranky, you didn't leave your name! I'm racking my brains but I can't think of who. Know who has a German husband!! Any knitting charts hurt my brain. I like them written out in words!
DeleteNo ED's here today I don't think apart from whether to buy my brother a 'standard' birthday card or a cheeky/insulting one. I went for the latter. I absolutely love licorice. If I buy a bag of pontefract cakes they can be gone in a day. You've got quite a collection going on there. Makes my two boxes look a bit paltry. Might have to remedy that tomorrow if I go shopping. xx
ReplyDeleteI'll get my butt in gear today and get the teabags in the post! I have the teabags, I have the envelope, I have the address and I even have the stamps! Just sheer laziness why I've not cobbled them all together and into the post box at the end of the street!!!
DeleteSame here Rachel. You're teabags are on my list of things to do today :) xx
DeleteYou're? Good Grief I'd fail the Year 2 SATS! Your, I meant Your! xx
DeleteMy executive decisions often have to do with throwing things out. I mull it over and then realize that nobody else in the house would even notice it was gone... so I gleefully toss and try to create a tiny extra space in our cluttered world. I like normal, regular tea with milk. No sugar. I am not a huge fan of herbal or fruity teas, however here's a nice winter treat: make hot chocolate using the powdered type of hot chocolate that you add hot water and some milk to, then put in a mint tea bag for a while. You get a lovely minty hot chocolate. My dad liked his tea "strong enough to stand a spoon up in it". He'd squeeze the tea bag against the side of the pot. (Always made in a pot, not just in a cup). And it HAD to be in a cup and saucer. Mugs were for coffee. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteWe always had cups and saucers for tea when we were little. I wonder who decided mugs were for coffee?! My friend makes a brew for me and her, she uses my one dip tea bag and another one in her mug and leaves the bags in form WEEKS. It's that strong! YUK I don't like minty drinks at all or hot chocolate but it sounds like a good recipe idea!
DeleteMy main ED with tea is it has to be served in a pretty cup. I love a cup of the Earl too. My normal tea is good and strong. It's such a personal thing, tea. Whenever I blog about fruit infusions I get a ton of comments saying they don't like it, but I do. In January. And sometimes during the year, like a good peppermint tea is nice to have for something different.
ReplyDeleteSounds nice too.
Peppermint tea.
Peppermint tea.
Love saying it :O)
That liquorice one would do nothing for me either, I'm just not a fan. Each to their own and all that, but nah, I'll stick to what I like.
:O) x
I like saying peppermint tea too! I don't like any kind of mint tea though! Horses for courses as you say! I'll take a photo of my tea mug! I have China tea cups but never use them! My tea mug is porcelain or bone china and was a present off Miss 21.
DeleteI love Teapigs Liquorice and Peppermint but it's very expensive at 30p a cup!!! Just found Pukka do one as well and it's less than half price so will try that next. I first came across it in France where it seems to be available everywhere, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets etc.
ReplyDeleteIs 30p a cup expensive? I've never considered the price that way! However, licorice with anything will never be drunk by me!
DeleteHi Rachel...Oh Bless You...your posts are always a breath of fresh air and you always make me smile...I think it's because you sound just like me and think like me!!!...I too hate the Liquorice tea...bad, bad, bad but love most other teas. I don't mind wooden knitting needles but I love the cubic shaped metal ones and I made the ED to treat myself to a full set...well two sets if I'm honest, both long and short lengths...now I have to make the ED to look at the bank balance....Debbie xx
ReplyDeleteI of course have looked at those cubics ones and discovered yesterday that the HG has a set in his Amazon basket for my birthday! Half price - what a bargain!
Delete