Friday Cozies – Week 38 of 2020

I feel like I was just writing last Friday’s post. I’m not sure how it’s Friday again, but I’m here to share a post with pictures and a bit about our week. August the Cat (in the header picture) is living his best life in this cooler weather. Today’s high is forecasted to be 63 degrees – I love New Hampshire! I hope it’s cooler where you are, too. In this week’s cozy post, I’m talking a lot about planning for Blackberry Bluff School, revisiting a favorite movie from my childhood, and warm drinks.

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We’re finishing up our 4th week of Blackberry Bluff School! Our school year will have about 6 more weeks of learning time than our local school district, and I’m so glad because we are moving sloooowly as we continue to find our bearings. But nevertheless, we progress. The math curriculum I chose is not interesting in the least, neither for Bear nor me. So I’ve ditched the curriculum and have been using fun manipulatives to practice math facts for now and am on the hunt for a new curriculum. Wish me luck! (Don’t worry, I didn’t give up on it after 4 weeks. We started using it this summer during our trial run.)

Have you used Trello? I’m playing with it to help me plan our school week. It’s been a challenge for me to learn the program because I only have snippets of time to play with, but I’m getting there. I’m really enjoying it and see a lot of potential. I started this post a little earlier this week and wrote a TON about this process that I just edited it out. I pasted it all into the draft of a new post, so expect another post from me about this in the next few weeks! But isn’t it pretty??!

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Bear and I watched Bedknobs and Broomsticks this week. It was his first time watching it and my millionth, at least. But this was the first time as an adult and I still loved it. Angela Lansbury’s character is one of my new role models. Plus, she had a killer leather bag that I never noticed as a child.

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I’ve been doing a lot more talking than I’m used to these last few weeks and have relied on tea, honey, and throat drops to get me through. It’s amazing what a drop of honey will do for a sore throat! I’m proud of the fact that I’ve learned to drink teas and coffees without any cream or sugar, but I’ve been indulgent lately. I get my honey from a local farm with my CSA debit card! Here are a few of the tea combinations that I’ve been enjoying lately:

• Celestial Seasonings Chamomile – with honey. I don’t usually like chamomile because it leaves a weird aftertaste. But Magic Lessons mentioned adding honey to chamomile and who am I to argue with the Owens Women? It’s been a divine addition for me.
• Plum Deluxe Pumpkin Spice – with a splash of milk and a bit of sugar. The flavor is deep and comforting. Every time I’m brewing a cuppa and my husband is around, he stops in his tracks and asks about it — the smell is captivating!
• Plum Deluxe Just Elderflower – with honey. I wasn’t sure about elderflower, because I’ve never tasted anything in the elderberry family before. This is just lovely. I was expecting a bit of grassy-ness, but was pleasantly surprised. Of course, it’s herb-y, but it’s crisp and comforting (my word of the day, apparently). I’m not sure how to describe it, but it’s $4 for 15-20 cups and definitely worth the investment!

The Plum Deluxe teas are loose leaf, which I struggle with. The mess, the extra work measuring out the tea, etc. I know it sounds minor, but sometimes it’s all too much. But then I got this Tea Forte Infuser Mug and all of that changed. The infuser that’s included is so much easier to clean that some of the other infusers I’ve tried. And, well, it’s so pretty! I love using it and find myself leaning more towards loose leaf teas again!

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In good news this week:

Barack Obama is publishing a new memoir! I plan to use an audible credit for this one. He’s narrating it and I just want to sink into his voice. Just sink.

Stephen West announced his 2020 Mystery Knit Along! (IG link, not Ravelry) I was wondering if he was going to do one this year. This one calls for nearly 2,000 yards of yarn. A main color and three contrasting colors. Friends, I’m just not sure I’m up for another gigantic and crazy shawl, but I have some lovely yarn from OnTheRound that would be a good start. I’m still in the contemplation stage with this one.

Andrea Mowry’s Junction Pullover has caught my attention. (IG link, not Rav) I was thinking that I wanted to knit a second Spark Cardigan, but this belt is kicking my butt. I could still knit a second one and just plant to not knit the belt, but Junction might be another option.

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That’s it for me this week. Tonight’s plan: finish my audiobook, watch The Gilmore Girls, and knit on that belt! I might be back on Sunday with a poem but if I don’t make here, then I hope you have a lovely weekend filled with exactly what you need.