For about 15 years, my husband and I have been taking our own tea with us when we travel. It’s almost like I have to pack an extra bag for our tea paraphenalia. I always think, no I won’t do that this time. But after I get to our destination, I’m always glad.

It’s much easier if we’re driving, but we do it anyway when flying—cruises, hotels, conventions, camping, U.S. and abroad. When driving I have a tea suitcase that holds everything securely in a very sophisticated way. On flights we check a small electric water kettle (usually the Bodum) and the stainless Tea Travette in our luggage. (The Travette is a 21-oz. insulated teapot with an infuser that keeps the tea hot for 2 hours, available at teaembassy.com) In Europe, most hotels will bring you an electric water kettle if you ask them.

In a small zipper bag I include a stainless teaspoon measuring scoop, quick read thermometer, and paper filters for individual cups, along with my matcha supplies. Yes, believe it or not we travel with Matcha and prepare it in our hotel room. I usually carry our bags of loose leaf tea and this zipper pouch on the plane with me. If we check the tea in our luggage, we’ve had inspectors tear open tea to be sure it’s not marijuana. This way we can keep a closer eye on it. Before I board an airplane, I prepare bags of tea for “afternoon airtime” tea parties with a little chocolate or shortbread in my purse.

We carry our favorite black teas for mornings, oolongs and whites for afternoons, Rooibos and herbals for evenings, and green tea for airports and restaurants with 180˚ water. I always carry a peach Rooibos and a few teabags of lemon myrtle in case I get sick. Extra tea packets are a great hostess gift.

When I arrive at our hotel, I check to be sure we have hot cups or mugs before morning time. There’s nothing better than that first cup of hot tea while you’re getting dressed.

Before we head to breakfast, I prepare a few of our favorite morning teas in the empty paper bags and slip them in my purse. When ordering tea at breakfast we politely order tea with boiling water. If the brand they serve is not our preference we tell them we have our own teabags. We don’t make a big deal about having our own tea, but leave it to their discretion on the bill since they are providing us with hot water and all the condiments. I discreetly use The Tea Timer app on my iphone to steep to perfection. Sometimes we’re delighted with their selection and enjoy trying new brands.

Traveling with tea can sometimes be a handy thing. Once during a 5-hour layover in Phoenix we had a tea party at the Southwest gate because we had all our tea stuff in our carry-on. Oolongs and white teas are especially handy for airports since you can steep the leaves multiple times.

With my cup of delicious specialty tea, knitting, ipad, and Words with Friends, I’m a happy girl while traveling.

My husband told me this morning after his Matcha shot, “You know, I’m actually starting to enjoy this Matcha.” Each morning I prepare a bowl of this tea, and we split it into two 3 oz cups and drink it quickly like we’re doing tequila shots.

Since I quickly prepare it every morning, even when traveling, I’ve become very picky about my Matcha bowls. I enjoy my Matcha best when I can get a nice froth, but have discovered that not all bowls will give you that froth. Since I’m sharing it with someone else I like bowls that pour easily. Most of the Japanese bowls don’t have spouts. Many bowls become too hot to hold. Basically you have to buy a bowl and prepare the tea before you know if you’re going to like it, sort of like purchasing a pair of shoes. It’s also interesting how tea tastes differently in different vessels, so you have to feel it with your mouth (like my 1 year old granddaughter).

Well, Eureka! I found a bowl I really like, made right here in Austin, Texas by potter Bob Swaffar. He’s made it with an inward lip that keeps it from sloshing out during preparation with a beautiful spout that pours neatly. If you want to drink from the bowl, just position the spout in front and enjoy. It’s a great size for traveling also. The best place to find this perfect bowl is at the Tea Embassy at 9th and Rio Grande or at teaembassy.com. And it’s also a good price at $35.

I still haven’t found a smoother tasting Matcha than the one we sell at the Tea Embassy. You can also buy a cup of this special tea there if you want to try it out. Check out the Machocolate also.

Paul Holmgren, retired cell biology professor from Northern Arizona University, reports that “caffeine improves neurotransmitter flow in the brain. Increased neurotransmitter flow is associated with increased information flow in the brain.” He also explains that caffeine altered his perception, “ Not only was my brain more active after my caffeine fix, it also changed the way I looked at the world. I attribute this altered perception to the increased activity/flow of three different neurotransmitters: norepinephrine, serotonin and acetylcholine.” Dr. Paul believes that caffeine can act as an antidepressant, making many of us much happier. (www.drpaulsupdates.org)

Most people drink either coffee, tea, or caffeinated soft drinks in the morning to achieve this stimulating, pick-me-up, happier state of mind. Not being a coffee drinker, I used to be jealous of my café friends. They seemed to be having so much fun every morning, but I just didn’t like the taste of coffee. So I chose tea and quietly drank my tea every morning without a lot of affirmation. The first 20 years of tea drinking, I didn’t know much about it. The last twenty years, I’ve been learning. And low and behold, it turned out I was doing something really good for myself. Everyone knows now because of all the research that the Camillia sinensis plant is one of the healthiest things you can drink. Today I receive much more encouragement with my cuppa.

So what about the emotions behind all of our early morning drinking habits? I admit that I love my morning cup of black tea with a teaspoon of honey and whipping cream. I feel like someone wrapped a blanket around me and made me feel safe after I take that first sip. The only guilt I feel from those first few mugs is the teaspoon of whipping cream. But I’ve gotten over that. The comfort feelings far outweigh the health concerns. The rest of the day I drink my tea without any additives, so I’m guilt-free, really feeling good about  myself. Tea provides the perfect combination of caffeine, polyphenols, and theanine to stimulate and inspire my brain while relaxing my body at the same time.

Many coffee drinkers come into our tea shop admitting that they feel a bit guilty drinking coffee wanting to change over to tea. They love the effects of the coffee caffeine on their minds but not their bodies. They think the caffeine in coffee is the same as caffeine in tea, so they ask for decaffeinated tea. I try to encourage people to experiment, manage the caffeine in their lives, that tea caffeine is different, just as satisfying without making you nervous or stressed. The tea caffeine molecules attach themselves to the other polyphenols and theanine molecules (which coffee lacks), releasing in a more gentle way into our bodies, lasting longer and perhaps in a more fulfilling way.

I’ve discovered over my long life that most of us end up doing the things that really work in our lives, regardless of what the experts say, in a combination of how we feel physically and emotionally. My desire is to have truth reign in my body as well as my mind. Sometimes finding that truth is not always easy.

I know there are many proud, enthusiastic guilt-free coffee drinkers out there, but if you’re one of those coffee or soda people who feels a little troubled, I encourage you to try tea. There’s a whole world out there that is just as exciting and exhilarating, not a secret any more. If you’re one of those people who likes the hammer of coffee, you might try the velvet hammer of tea.

My first peach memory during our marriage was prechildren while on a camping trip with my husband’s brother and his wife in Alabama. We were so delighted to pick up a bushel of fresh peaches along the road on our way to our camping destination and raved about how delicious and juicy they were as we traveled. That evening while we were sleeping in our motor home, we were awakened by my husband’s brother who had a major allergic reaction to the yummy peach he had devoured (skin included). Our trip was delayed as we headed off to the ER to help him.

Last summer I blogged about how disappointed we were without peaches in central Texas. This summer there are peaches galore. We made our second trip to Fredericksburg this week to stock up and came home with Dixieland and Loring varieties. We stopped at Boar’s Market between Stonewall and Fredericksburg for organic peaches and vegetables. They shared a secret that we are trying this summer. They suggested freezing your peaches whole, with the skin, unpeeled when they are perfectly ready to eat. Then you can pull them out of the freezer one at a time, run them under water for a few seconds. The skin can be peeled off very easily. They are a beautiful color, unoxidized and frozen but soft enough to cut up for smoothies or cooking. I’ve tried it, and it works. But they are still not the same as a freshly peeled peach!

So we spent yesterday afternoon cutting up peaches for our Sims Peach Pie (which uses fresh peaches) and bagging the cut-up peaches (usiing Fruit Fresh) in small freezer packets for ice cream and smoothies. I sent out a text message to our adult kids in town that there was a peach pie in our refrigerator!

We also had the privilege of watching our oldest grandson (2) enjoy his first peach smoothie.

Sometimes the pie doesn’t last more than a day, but I just enjoyed another piece with my Sterling Silver White Tea this afternoon. The Sims Pie recipe can be found in Tea Treasures and More Cookbook as well as a previous blog entitled “Tis the Season for Fresh Peach Pies.” Tomorrow I will bake the Anderson Hotel Peach Pie, also in my cookbook and some peach scones. We overload on peaches a little bit during the summer since these pies taste best only made with fresh unfrozen peaches.

Writing this blog is making me thirsty, so I’m off to create a peach smoothie for myself!

My husband was an English major in college, but I was not a big reader as a child, so my vocabulary has not been the best. In fact, I haven’t played scrabble much through the years, probably because I was intimidated by other wordsmiths. So when we both downloaded Words with Friends, I was skeptical as to how long I would end up playing this game. In the beginning I was slaughtered by him and overwhelmed by his 60-point words, along with my new daughter-in-law, who is quite good. But even when I would lose, they would rematch me. I felt very loved that they would play with me at all.

But I am improving and even beating my husband now. I’m competitive, so I’m observing and changing my strategy; I’m getting better or maybe he’s just being nice! We play throughout the day, when we’re away from the house, in our home together or in separate rooms, or eating at a restaurant. I have to say, for me, it’s quite romantic to play with him. It’s like there is a connection, a feeling of being needed, of pursuing each other, even kindness when we help each other out. I am very surprised at how much I like it and the positive affect it has had on our relationship.

I’m also playing with a friend across the country. Even though we’re separated by many miles, playing with her throughout the day makes me feel a connection with her, even though we’re not communicating with sentences. There is a sense of unity as we problem solve the scrabble board. In the beginning I thought it was all about ego, whose the best. But as I play with family and friends, it’s becoming more about trying to be a better person.

I’m encouraged through this new game that as I get older, I can continue to learn new skills with friends, family, and, especially my dear husband. As we text each other throughout the day for reminders that’s it’s our turn, it brings back memories of playing board games with our children. As a child when my dad would play gin rummy with me, I felt so much respect from him. What better way to love a person than to have fun and show respect at the same time. A new name for this great game—Words with Friends and Lovers!

During our 40 years of marriage we were usually reading different books from each other. It was because it seemed foolish to buy two copies of the same book. (Unfortunately we seldom used the local library.) I can only remember three books we purposely read at the same time, and it was a very dynamic, fun experience in our relationship.

The first book we read simultaneously was Atlas Shrugged. What a fun book to read at the same time! Of course, we were usually in different places, but it was so fun to discuss the plot over meals, getting ready for bed, in the car. Another one we read was War and Peace. I hurried through the war scenes for the romantic times, while he looked forward to the battles. We especially enjoyed Herman Wouk’s War and Remembrance. We read that together and then watched the mini-series on TV.

Our discovery of the e-book has now made this dual reading experience a common practice. A year ago we broke down and purchased two Kindles before taking a trip. An Amazon representative shared a secret with me when I purchased them. If you purchase them on the same credit card number, you can share the library. He made the sale when he told me that. Now we could read many books at the same time all the time! I can even read my Kindle from my iphone!

Being an Apple fan, I recently purchased an Ipad, instead of getting a new laptop. When I discovered I could bring all my Kindle books over to my Ipad without any additional costs, I relented. Now I can choose between iBooks or Kindle in purchasing my books. My husband still enjoys his Kindle while I’m adoring my Ipad as we read away. I’m glad Amazon has been friendly with Apple in creating the Kindle App. I do hope they include the dictionary for the Ipad soon. Our physical library is running out of shelf space, so the electronic media has been a good choice for us. (As a calligrapher, I will never lose my love of the printed page.)

So our latest book we’re reading together to celebrate our 40th is The Lion by Nelson Demille. You will find us both laughing aloud while we’re separately reading ourselves to sleep. When we finish I look forward to sharing our favorite quotes and discussing what aspects of his plot could really be true, as I find Nelson does sometimes. Our next book we will share is Eric Metaxas’ new Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.

Another way to read together is audio books in the car as you travel across country. That’s a lot of fun, especially long distances. I’m learning I never get too old to enjoy old pastimes in new ways, and the changes don’t negate the past; they only make it richer.

When my husband got into this raw milk thing, I have to admit, I was a little skeptical. I don’t even drink milk anymore, but I’ve come to appreciate this amazing liquid. I especially like baking popovers and tapioca pudding with the raw milk. It definitely brings back memories of the old days of getting our milk at the doorstep. We’re actually very fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of a raw milk coop. Milk that is not highly pasteurized is the key to making your own cheese, so we were all set.

We have a small kitchen, and we don’t usually work in the there together, so I have to say we had a successful encounter as we worked without getting in each other’s way. We took turns stirring the milk as it reached 90˚. He held the thermometer while I set the timer. I let him do the fun job of cutting the great big curd into small curds. It is an amazing experience to see how something we eat every day is made. The New England Cheese Company kit made this experience delightful. (cheesemaking.com)

We used the microwave versus the waterbath method, and it only took about 45 minutes, as we reread the instructions about six times. It sure takes a lot of milk to create a small amount of cheese! Our mozzarella was a little tough, so we want to try again. We had the most fun eating it with fresh sliced tomatoes drizzeled with Chateau de Regne Iris olive oil from thepichetable.com, marinated shrimp, fresh basil from our garden and a glass of Pinot Grigio. We were like little kids who had just made our first Betty Crocker cupcakes. This experience reminded me that you’re never too old to learn and  enjoy new things for the first time. I’m looking forward to more positive discoveries this summer as our list grows.

As we proceed through our “40 List,” we are overcome with how long  40 years is and how much work and love it takes, and how rewarding and rich it feels to be in this place, still loving and growing together. I was so delighted to open a very tiny, very special gift from my husband. He gave me a beautiful 18 k diamond necklace. This necklace is extra special. It was created by Italian designer Roberto Coin whose signature designs hide a ruby in each piece.

I learned a few days ago that the 40th Anniversary gift is the RUBY. On the back side of this beautiful cross is a hidden ruby. Roberto says, According to an ancient belief, wearing a ruby close to the skin promoted long life, health and happiness and even today it is believed to possess these magic powers including the extraordinary ability of giving peace. In 1996, Roberto Coin started signing his jewels by setting a small ruby hidden on the inside of each piece, allowing the distinguished gem to kiss the skin.

I love the symbolism of the ruby, but my faith is not in the jewel, but in the cross of Jesus Christ, which is a perfect symbol of my marriage. Our courtship began as we were interested in spiritual things in college. I know we could not have made it 40 years without our spiritual bond and trust in God.

We enjoyed a brunch today at Austin Country Club and look forward to dinner at Austin’s Uchi tonight. This list is growing as we rack our brains with memories from the past and discover adventures for the future. This week is going to be fun.

Gold Class is a new theatre in town I used to dream about where you sit in luxury seats with your feet up and have people serve you delicious food. It was exciting because none of us had been there before, and we were seeing Letters to Juliet, a very romantic movie with great scenes from Italy and a good sound track. I especially enjoyed the paintings in the intro.

The blue cheese homemade potato chips were delicious, and the caesar salad was very creative, but the angel food cake with the strawberries was not the best. One of our kids said the cake was left over from our wedding 40 years ago. The experience was not perfect because our food order was delayed, but the most important thing was being together with our adult children and experiencing laughter and gratefulness together.

Our youngest son just married so our family is now complete except for hopefully more grandchildren. These past few weeks I’ve felt a sense of peace and release that now all my boys have someone to watch over them. I do feel very blessed. Of course, those reading this blog must realize that this feeling of blessing has been preceded with many days of pain and conflict mixed with joy over the last 40 years. Being in the tea business I’ve learned that the best teas and wines are those which go through the most stress during the growing time—highest and lowest temperatures, etc. I think it’s the same for humans, especially if we have God’s perspective.

My husband and I have a lot of thinking to do to come up with this list of 40 things. We should be busy for awhile. I think I’ll get the old photos out; perhaps that will inspire my brain.

One of the fun things about our Forty Memory List is the trail that each memory takes us on. For instance I started investigating the SaniFreeze ice cream place. I asked my husband why we called it the Sani-Flush. He says he thinks it was because there was a product for cleaning toilets back then called Saniflush, so the guys started calling it “the SaniFlush” and the Kopper Kettle down the street “the Kopper Kommode.” Of course, the female coeds would never talk like that!

On one of our first dates at the SaniFlush, I ordered orange sherbet with chocolate sauce. My husband and the Flush staff thought I was crazy. I can’t remember where I grew to love this concoction, but it’s quite delicious. Last night when we decided to relive our experience, my husband went to the grocery store to pick up some orange sherbet.

What happened to all you orange sherbet fans? Apparently nobody carries orange sherbet any more in Texas. He had to go to three grocery stores to find it. It must have disappeared with Orange Julius and cremesicles! I probably haven’t had orange sherbet in 20 years myself. He did finally find faithful Blue Bell Orange Sherbet along with Pomegranate and Mango Sorbet.

So late last night we created our orange sherbet delight. Being the foodie family we’ve become, we couldn’t use the old fashioned Hershey’s syrup. Instead we topped the sherbet off with The Silver Palate’s Fudge Sauce with Grand Marnier. It was quite delicious and fun reconnecting with that very unique flavor. Seeing the Sani-Flush photo on the Facebook site brought back sweet memories with lots of romantic feelings.