My week in books and tea 11.10.19

Last week’s post was a few days late (Friday) and I hope you don’t mind this one is too (Tuesday). I’m reducing my screen time on the weekend, especially Sunday afternoons and evenings. We’ve been inviting friends over playing (board) games and it’s turned into a hybrid game-tea time shenanigans. Last week’s blooming tea was a favorite, especially hilarious when the guys were sipping tea in cups that weren’t so prettea because this was NOT A TEA PARTY. Guess you had to be there to get the joke. Perfectly acceptable.

I’m recapping recent posts too, because for some reason, commenting has not been turned on by default in my last few posts. Sorry about that. So feel free to leave comment if you had planned to. I was wondering why I didn’t hear from anyone. 🦗(crickets)

• Books and Tea- October

• Choose Your Mark

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What I finished

My Cousin Rachel is my second duMaurier and I believe might like this one more than Rebecca. Philip surprised me and so did cousin Rachel. The reoccurring theme or lesson in both books and in Vera (Elizabeth von Arnim), grief is powerful and one should not make major life decisions too soon.

“That was the infuriating thing about a woman. Always the last word. Leaving one to grapple with ill-temper, and she herself serene. A woman, it seemed, was never in the wrong. Or if she was, she twisted the fault to her advantage, making it seem otherwise.” – My Cousin Rachel, Daphne duMaurier

The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas is one by the author I don’t see much. The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers are books you see all the time. But this book made me mentally reprimand myself for lost book photo opportunities because over the summer I went to the Netherlands. And tulips are a BIG deal there. But the book, the real hero in this one, is the black tulip and what it represents. Van Baerle our main character is a

“You don’t know, sir, what I suffer. You don’t know the struggle going on in my heart and mind.” – The Black Tulip, Alexandre Dumas

Tulips are a BIG deal in The Netherlands.  I discovered that when I visited a few months ago.  So when I started reading this book, I felt like I’d been in some of these places before.

The Queen: Aretha Franklin was a short audiobook I picked up a few months ago as one of the free audiobook selections included with my monthly Audible membership. At less than 4 hours (which equals 2 for me), this audiobook gives some history of the woman Aretha Franklin, her music and her legacy.

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What I’m reading

Wait for it…Nothing. Gasps! I’m still trying to figure out what I feel like reading next.

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Steep of the week

Tea latte I suspect this is a Victorian London Fog but I can’t confirm or deny that. Some weeks mean more tea lattes than others. Since I had several including a chai latte, I can’t conclusively tell you what tea I used here to make this latte butit felt like one I should share. But I can say with confidence, it was amazing.

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