Wait- I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. This is more like a normal, everyday coffee date, but I just couldn’t resist the title. It IS the first of my daily May posts, a project I’m taking on in hopes of getting myself out of a blogging rut. Call it “NaBloPoMo in May”. Since it’s the first Friday of the month, I’m linking up with Coco and Deborah for their Ultimate Coffee Date.
As I’ve said many times, I don’t drink coffee, so I’ll be drinking Earl Grey tea. Which Earl Grey? Glad you asked!
Last time I was in Waco, I went to a coffeeshop and had an Earl Grey that was so good, I asked what kind it was. The brand is Rishi, and now I order it straight from the company. Last time I ordered, they recommended an “Earl Grey flight”- YES PLEASE!
These are loose leaf teas, so I can mix and match. Every morning I boil my water, humming happily to myself as I measure out various combinations of tea leaves. Then I sit down with a huge, delicious mug of tea.
But first, I’ve been enjoying waking up a little later and starting the day with some gentle yoga. I know- WHO AM I??? I have to admit it’s so pleasant! Much nicer than tearing myself out of bed and rushing out the door to get a run in. The downside, of course, is that now I run after work. It’s been working so far, but my afternoon runs will soon be coming to a crashing halt.
In other news, we’re limping to the end of the school year here. My daughter is suffering from- and I may be inventing this term- “rising senioritis.” The seniors, which includes her boyfriend, are officially done with school. It’s been a challenge to convince my daughter that SHE is not done. I get a daily call from the school telling me which periods she was absent in that day. There are always “reasons.” Reasons include: “There’s almost no one left in the class now that the seniors are gone, so we’re not doing anything.” Or “It was a notes day and not a review day, so it was okay to miss.” (What does that even mean???) Another great reason is “Nathan picked me up early and we went to the gym.” Ahem.
I’m hoping we’ll make it to the end intact, and that I won’t scream too loudly when I see her report card. No matter how dire the situation seems, she always manages to pull things together at the last minute, so my fingers are crossed.
What would you tell me over coffee? Or would you rather have Earl Grey???
Anyone else have a “rising senior?” – For some reason, I just like that term and I’m going to use it all summer.
Top photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
27 Responses
We’re ALL rising seniors at work right now, Jenny. All of us. The semester is winding down for us, too, and EVERYONE WANTS IT TO BE OVER.
The day the students leave campus and campus turns Summer Quiet, we shall celebrate. And then we’ll celebrate when they return in the fall, too, but by then we’ll be eager for them to come back.
Yay for Day One in the books!
Yes, I guess everyone is pretty much done with school right now. But at least you’re still showing up, RIGHT?
Yes, I’m showing up. I’m trying to squeeze in some work from home days, though. So I can only sort of show up.
That tea sounds like the coziest start to your day. I’m almost done with my loose leaf tea, so maybe I’ll try the Earl Grey supreme or lavender!
They are all good! The lavender alone is a little too flowery for me, so I like it mixed with the regular Earl Grey.
I like “rising senior”. Very soon she’ll be a real senior! Yes I know you’re getting a lot of phone calls now, but I believe in Angie! The boys got pretty creative in their senior years.
I think I tried Earl Gray once but I can’t really remember it. I saw a London Fog on the menu at a coffee shop recently, and almost got it. I just like the name. I had no idea that tea flights were a thing, but I approve.
Yes! A London Fog is Earl Grey, milk, and vanilla. When I was in Waco I had a “Waco Fog” at Fabled bookstore which was a variation on that.
Thanks for the supportive words. We will get through the rest of high school! Somehow.
I didn’t realize senioritis was contagious, but it makes sense! Hopefully you and your daughter will make it through to the end of the year.
Glad you are back to enjoying your tea!
I’m still trying to figure how I can both sleep in and get out for a run early.
Yes- I want to sleep in AND run in the morning. What? It doesn’t work like that?
Looks like you are in tea heaven! Ha! I love all of your daughter’s excuses. This time of year is so tough to stay focused in school…especially if they’re “not doing anything” haha!
I am definitely in tea heaven, and it’s a good place to be.
They were pretty strict about the kids cutting classes when my kids were in HS. That did not stop them from trying though! Hope you both make it to the end of the year in tact
Yes, they were more strict when I was in high school as well. I remember being called into the assistant principal’s office once because of cutting classes. Okay… I guess I can’t come down too hard on my daughter!
I’m excited for the end of the school year because work over the summer always feels more chill! But mostly because I work near a university and traffic will be SO much better once they’re out in a couple of weeks and then even better once the district is done the third week of May.
Sleeping in and getting your run in the afternoon sounds so nice…well, except for when it’s in the 90s, yikes! I think our mild weather days will be coming to an end soon too as we get into May which is fine because it’s normal to be in the 90s this time of year but I’m hoping it doesn’t jump straight into the 100s quite yet.
Yes- traffic will be so much better in the summer! We live right near an elementary school and traffic is terrible during pickup and dropoff.
Ugh…90s, 100s. I miss winter already.
I’m here for your gentle yoga!
I also have a “rising senior” although she is only in seventh grade, lol. This last month of school is SO HARD. Everyone is burnt out and ready to be done.
Your Rishi Earl Grey flight sounds awesome!!! I am going to have to try that.
I think by this time of year all the kids are feeling it – I hope you both get to the end of the year relatively unscathed.
That Earl Grey tea flight sounds so good!
Good luck with your month-long blogging. I’m definitely in rut but I don’t think I could blog daily.
I really don’t understand why schools let seniors out well in advance of the rest of the school. It doesn’t make sense to me and was not something that happened when I was growing – nor do I think it happens in our school district! We still have quite a bit of school left here – the last day is June 10th. That is a ok with me, though! Our summer is going to feel extra long since we start after Labor Day and Labor Day is 9.7 this year. Booooooo! But we do have care lined up for the whole summer. I will just be ready to get the kids back on a school schedule come August.
I wish you could send some of those degrees our way. It has been downright chilly lately with highs in the 40s. I want sunshine and warm temps! It will be 60 tomorrow so I’m taking the boys to the zoo to see the baby farm animal exhibit!
I love how much you’re enjoying your Earl Grey in the mornings and that you can mix and match your flavors!
Ugh on the end of the school year wind-down and the lack of enthusiasm. I bet it’s so tough for students and teachers alike to stay motivated.
As you know, I don’t do coffee (even with three creams mixed in, it still tastes like… plain coffee). But, give me a foo-foo cappuccino, and I’m good. Sounds like you’re in tea heaven!
I’m ending my semester next week, and final in 10 days. A little seniot-itis creeping in, I admit, but I need to stay on task and keep my senior focused on graduation. ( please let him pass!)
How can a student cut class and go off campus? My kids have to be signed out by an approved person. The school district needs to up their vigilance.
I do not like running later in the day- I procrastinate and just feel sluggish unless it’s the first thing. Good for you to switch things up a bit and work in some yoga.
I do not have a rising senior. I have had a senior who checked out long before it was allowed. Lad’s math teacher called me almost daily his senior year. I finally stopped answering. Nothing more I could do. Her name was Mrs. Sweet and let’s just say – she wasn’t. After we sort of got on Lad’s case- we were very uninvolved with the other kids. Turned out they cared more than we did. That was a blessing.
Teens, Jenny. Why do they have to be so difficult and miserable (at times)? I swear I live with someone who is both Jekyll and Hyde and it can be exhausting. One thing I struggle with is I have two kids with wildly different personalities. And one is just SO MUCH EASIER TO PARENT. So then the other, more challenging, child gets upset and thinks we’re so much easier on Other Child when, in reality, Other Child is far less moody and has always been so much “easier” (slept better as a baby, almost always cheerful, FAR more optimistic).
I’m a bit scared about the next few years, if I’m being honest. Will the current moodiness get better? One can only hope, but I’m wondering if it will get worse?
I was 18 the second semester of senior year. That meant I could write myself a note to excuse myself when I cut class. My grades show it. I don’t remember being such an absolute flake, but a while ago, I found my report card and oof…it was bad. Hang in there!
The opposite and equally worrying situation is the kids who get entirely stressed out and torture themselves about getting perfect grades and test scores, and have panic attacks at school. My friend’s daughter is a perfectionist and hates herself when she gets an A-. She is not going to college despite having a pretty much perfect GPA, because it’s too much stress for her. I just want kids to be in the middle…go to school, do your best, have some fun, learn something. Why is that too much to ask?
haha, I loved the title!
I am still eternally working on being a better morning person but it hasn’t happened yet, haha. Starting the day off with tea and yoga does sound really nice though!
Best of luck to you…I had senioritis in high school but went to a school of massive over-achievers where peer pressure was to do better than everyone else, so I continued to limp my way through despite not wanting to. :’) Hope you both make it out okay!!
Your morning tea ritual sounds so cozy and so JENNY! I love it and I love that you treated yourself to this tea flight. It looks like the ideal setup for you!
My last two years of high school, I went to a collegiate high school, which meant all of my classes took place on a college campus. We were SUPPOSED to be there for the whole day, but senior year, I definitely enjoyed just popping in here and there when I had classes. It all worked out, but I definitely had that senioritis!