This week is wreaking havoc on me. It’s my husband’s birthday week. We celebrate birthday weeks in my family. Essentially, every day we celebrate his birthday with different people. We go out to dinner with his parents and my parents and friends and then just us and have a party and all week long he gets treated extra special. Last night I cooked him a special vegan mac and cheese with bacon bits (not real bacon) and roasted tomato soup. I didn’t get the whole mac & cheese and bacon thing but it actually turned out pretty awesome. Tomorrow I will be prepping for his party on Saturday which includes baking a chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting and raspberry sauce, making hundreds of the best ever vegan stuffed shells and decorating for his party. Saturday he will be participating in his first jujitsu competition then we will be hosting a joint party at our house for him and another friend. I love birthday weeks but it has really been a time suck.
On top of that I have been running from doctor to doctor to figure out why both of my feet feel like they are burning on fire all day long and standing is horrifically uncomfortable. Turns out I have plantar fascitis, which is essentially inflamed ligaments in both my feet and is probably partially caused by working. Doh! I need to be better to my poor feet. Between birthday week and running to and from doctors’ offices I am really behind with work. Today is the one free day, so I will probably be working until 2am but at least I will be watching some Doctor Who while I work (I’m only on season 2).
On the positive side, early this week I found some amazing new teas. There is one 2nd Flush Darjeeling that I am extra excited about and it’s a very reasonable price and organic. It has the most amazing burned chocolate notes and some nutty notes and is super buttery and malty. Absolutely delicious and certainly can compare with our PTA. This is a Darjeeling for people who don’t like Darjeelings. No floral at all. I would also like to make a chai out of this because I can picture it being pretty awesome. Hmmm, maybe a chocolate chai. Also, very excited about the 2 Indian white teas we will be picking up and the delicious Nepalese teas we tried.
Right now I’m having the Taiwanese Wild Mountain Black. I’m using a 50ml gaiwan. This tea really tastes fantastic gongfu style. I can taste more nuances. I prefer the smaller gaiwan to conserve leaves, especially since I can get 6 or 7 steepings. Today it is extra sweet. The powdered sugar and honey notes are up front and linger long after the sip. I’m also getting nice stone fruit notes with only a tiny bit of maltiness and breadiness. I must have underleafed but it is absolutely perfect for my mood. Sometimes I prefer this stronger and maltier but not today. Today it tastes like candy. I’m also getting a tiny bit of a burned sugar note, similar to caramel. This is soooooo perfect for my mood.
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I hope you can get some time to unwind eventually, especially because it sounds as though your feet could really use the break. I’m really looking forward to trying this tea, although unfortunately I’m only familiar with western brewing thus far. All in due time, though!
Thanks keychange! I will certainly have to make some time. Gongfu brewing is really easy. A tiny teapot will do or even a cup. The leaves just need room to expand. I generally fill the vessel 1/3 to 1/2 full of leaves and brew for 30 seconds or less. :)
Ouch! Burning feet sounds like no fun at ALL! Hope you feel better and get to rest soon. The new teas sound very intriguing :)
Thanks Stephanie! Not so fun, hopefully it will only take a couple months to heal. I’m super excited about the new teas. They will definitely round out our collection nicely.
I have fascitis as well!! it HURTS! only mine presents more on the top of the foot for some reason. I feel your pain :(
Indigobloom-ouch, sorry to hear that you have it too. :( It’s not so fun. Huh, that’s odd that its on top of your foot. Did you figure out what caused it?
oh dear! feel better!! happy birthday to the birthday boy.
from someone with a chronic neuropathic disease allow me to say: sometimes the body sends us warning shots across the bow. pay attention to what it says or else it may increase the volume. take it easy for a bit stacy, hmmm?
and of course… drink tea!
YAY FOR DOCTOR WHO! woot woot! Also, don’t wear yourself out too much madam:)
JustJames-Thanks! Our bodies definitely does give us warning signs. Before I got this, I had experienced prolonged periods of foot pain but totally ignored them. Now, I will be purchasing some ergonomic mats, some for the office and some for my kitchen (because I do a lot of cooking) and proper slippers for my hardwood floors. :)
Sil-I am loving Doctor Who. I am going to fly right through this series. I used to watch the 70s version I think when I was younger but I had always meant to watch this new series. I just found out about it too late and by then forgot about it. Thanks to Amazon Prime, I’m going to catch up on this and many other series too. I love being able to watch these while I work. Makes the day go so much faster. :)
once you’re caught up you will weep with the whacky UK seasons… random stops, months long waits. YOU’RE a WHOVIAN!!!! yippee! once you’re through a few seasons you’ll have to let us know which doctor is/was your favourite. (david tennant was mine).
1. Whoa! What a busy week!
2. This article on Runner’s World has some great stretches for plantar fascilitis, which is something I suffered from briefly when running in the wrong (aka too narrow) shoes. The stretches helped a ton! http://www.runnersworld.com/tag/plantar-fasciitis
3. Does this mean Doctor Who teas are coming? ;-)
JustJames-I’m loving it. Can’t wait to be an official Whovian!
Fuzzy_Peachkin-Yes, very busy! Thank you so much for the article, I was just googling stretches for Plantar Fascistic since my doctor only gave me one stretch to do. Hmmmm, Doctor Who teas, what an intriguing idea!
Hmmm, you have me envisioning “The Sonic Screwdriver” tea. Something bold, unique, something that has it all.
Sounds good already! :-)
stacy, have you tried the tardis blend? it’s quite impressive. in november i may buy some. (depends on how well behaved i am!!!)
Stacy, it sounds like you are an awesome cook, and wife!
I hope you heal quickly! You deserve some time for yourself!
Those new teas sound amazing, as does this one which I really need ony next order!
“Turns out I have plantar fascitis”
Whoa my sister just found out the same a few days ago, never heard of it before then. She works in a place where she is on her feet all day.
as i understand it plantar fasciitis is nothing to tangle with… i’ve had a couple of friends put on doctor ordered bed rest. theirs were pretty extreme cases, but just don’t fool with it? it can become chronic =0(
I was diagnosed with the same thing only just in one foot (due to an injury) about a year ago. I spent about 3 months in physical therapy 3 times a week, icing it every night, stretching every day and using electrical stimulation on it. Took about 8 months (starting from having a walking cast and progressing through sleeping with a splint on) and I’m generally better now. Every so often if I overexert myself I have to do the stretching again for a few days. I also have to wear proper arch support at all times now. But… there can be a light at the end of the tunnel. :) The teas sound amazing!
Feel better soon! A chocolate chai sounds awesome!
Fuzy_Peachkin-Thanks!
James-I have not tried the tardis blend yet. I plan on doing what I can to heal. Unfortunately, I am just on my feet pretty much all day. At work, I’m always standing and then at home its cooking, cleaning, and working out. It’s a lot harder than I thought to be off my feet.
tigress_al-Thanks, I like to think that I’m pretty good cook. I try extra hard when I’m feeding non-vegans since there is a perception that our food sucks but my friends know better by now. I’m also a hostess type person. Anyone that comes to my house gets fed and has some good tea. Thanks, I’m really excited by the new teas, both the flavored teas and the unflavored ones.
El Monstro-Sorry to hear that your sister has plantar fascitis. I hope your sister heals quickly.
Nicole-Oh no, sorry! Wow, that sounds rough. Good to hear that you are on the mend. :)
Tealizzy-Thanks. I’m thinking the chocolate chai might happen.
To mimic Sil- YAY for Doctor Who! I hope to make it to New York in November for Long Island Who. What better way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the show than to be with friends at a convention in New York, mere weeks before the actual 50th. I knew I like David Tennant from the moment he yelled “I DON”T KNOW!!" to the Sycorax leader, and ran over to push the red button that should never ever under any circumstance be pushed. That said, I do love Matt Smith.
As for your feet, follow the icing and stretching exercises, look for shoes that minimize the mobility if your feet/muscles. Good ones to look at are Clarks Waves (and their cheaper knock off of their own Wave line, In Motion). For fun, also check out Alegria. All of the above have a firm modified rocker sole, so it minimizes how much your feet are actually moving, and they are cushioned, yet supportive. You may benefit from acupuncture (my co-worker did) along with heel supports. Best of luck, Stacy.
Stacy- Thx, same for you!! that sucks :(
I carry ALOT of tension in my body for some reason. My muscles get wound up and tense all the time. Could be related to my Thyroid issues. It tends to get worse when I a) excercise alot and b) get stressed out over life haha. Yoga helps in most of my tension issues, but not so much with the feet.
I hope you can get some time to unwind eventually, especially because it sounds as though your feet could really use the break. I’m really looking forward to trying this tea, although unfortunately I’m only familiar with western brewing thus far. All in due time, though!
Thanks keychange! I will certainly have to make some time. Gongfu brewing is really easy. A tiny teapot will do or even a cup. The leaves just need room to expand. I generally fill the vessel 1/3 to 1/2 full of leaves and brew for 30 seconds or less. :)
Ouch! Burning feet sounds like no fun at ALL! Hope you feel better and get to rest soon. The new teas sound very intriguing :)
Thanks Stephanie! Not so fun, hopefully it will only take a couple months to heal. I’m super excited about the new teas. They will definitely round out our collection nicely.
I have fascitis as well!! it HURTS! only mine presents more on the top of the foot for some reason. I feel your pain :(
Indigobloom-ouch, sorry to hear that you have it too. :( It’s not so fun. Huh, that’s odd that its on top of your foot. Did you figure out what caused it?
oh dear! feel better!! happy birthday to the birthday boy.
from someone with a chronic neuropathic disease allow me to say: sometimes the body sends us warning shots across the bow. pay attention to what it says or else it may increase the volume. take it easy for a bit stacy, hmmm?
and of course… drink tea!
YAY FOR DOCTOR WHO! woot woot! Also, don’t wear yourself out too much madam:)
JustJames-Thanks! Our bodies definitely does give us warning signs. Before I got this, I had experienced prolonged periods of foot pain but totally ignored them. Now, I will be purchasing some ergonomic mats, some for the office and some for my kitchen (because I do a lot of cooking) and proper slippers for my hardwood floors. :)
Sil-I am loving Doctor Who. I am going to fly right through this series. I used to watch the 70s version I think when I was younger but I had always meant to watch this new series. I just found out about it too late and by then forgot about it. Thanks to Amazon Prime, I’m going to catch up on this and many other series too. I love being able to watch these while I work. Makes the day go so much faster. :)
once you’re caught up you will weep with the whacky UK seasons… random stops, months long waits. YOU’RE a WHOVIAN!!!! yippee! once you’re through a few seasons you’ll have to let us know which doctor is/was your favourite. (david tennant was mine).
1. Whoa! What a busy week!
2. This article on Runner’s World has some great stretches for plantar fascilitis, which is something I suffered from briefly when running in the wrong (aka too narrow) shoes. The stretches helped a ton! http://www.runnersworld.com/tag/plantar-fasciitis
3. Does this mean Doctor Who teas are coming? ;-)
JustJames-I’m loving it. Can’t wait to be an official Whovian!
Fuzzy_Peachkin-Yes, very busy! Thank you so much for the article, I was just googling stretches for Plantar Fascistic since my doctor only gave me one stretch to do. Hmmmm, Doctor Who teas, what an intriguing idea!
Hmmm, you have me envisioning “The Sonic Screwdriver” tea. Something bold, unique, something that has it all.
Sounds good already! :-)
stacy, have you tried the tardis blend? it’s quite impressive. in november i may buy some. (depends on how well behaved i am!!!)
Stacy, it sounds like you are an awesome cook, and wife!
I hope you heal quickly! You deserve some time for yourself!
Those new teas sound amazing, as does this one which I really need ony next order!
“Turns out I have plantar fascitis”
Whoa my sister just found out the same a few days ago, never heard of it before then. She works in a place where she is on her feet all day.
as i understand it plantar fasciitis is nothing to tangle with… i’ve had a couple of friends put on doctor ordered bed rest. theirs were pretty extreme cases, but just don’t fool with it? it can become chronic =0(
I was diagnosed with the same thing only just in one foot (due to an injury) about a year ago. I spent about 3 months in physical therapy 3 times a week, icing it every night, stretching every day and using electrical stimulation on it. Took about 8 months (starting from having a walking cast and progressing through sleeping with a splint on) and I’m generally better now. Every so often if I overexert myself I have to do the stretching again for a few days. I also have to wear proper arch support at all times now. But… there can be a light at the end of the tunnel. :) The teas sound amazing!
Feel better soon! A chocolate chai sounds awesome!
Fuzy_Peachkin-Thanks!
James-I have not tried the tardis blend yet. I plan on doing what I can to heal. Unfortunately, I am just on my feet pretty much all day. At work, I’m always standing and then at home its cooking, cleaning, and working out. It’s a lot harder than I thought to be off my feet.
tigress_al-Thanks, I like to think that I’m pretty good cook. I try extra hard when I’m feeding non-vegans since there is a perception that our food sucks but my friends know better by now. I’m also a hostess type person. Anyone that comes to my house gets fed and has some good tea. Thanks, I’m really excited by the new teas, both the flavored teas and the unflavored ones.
El Monstro-Sorry to hear that your sister has plantar fascitis. I hope your sister heals quickly.
Nicole-Oh no, sorry! Wow, that sounds rough. Good to hear that you are on the mend. :)
Tealizzy-Thanks. I’m thinking the chocolate chai might happen.
To mimic Sil- YAY for Doctor Who! I hope to make it to New York in November for Long Island Who. What better way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the show than to be with friends at a convention in New York, mere weeks before the actual 50th. I knew I like David Tennant from the moment he yelled “I DON”T KNOW!!" to the Sycorax leader, and ran over to push the red button that should never ever under any circumstance be pushed. That said, I do love Matt Smith.
As for your feet, follow the icing and stretching exercises, look for shoes that minimize the mobility if your feet/muscles. Good ones to look at are Clarks Waves (and their cheaper knock off of their own Wave line, In Motion). For fun, also check out Alegria. All of the above have a firm modified rocker sole, so it minimizes how much your feet are actually moving, and they are cushioned, yet supportive. You may benefit from acupuncture (my co-worker did) along with heel supports. Best of luck, Stacy.
Stacy- Thx, same for you!! that sucks :(
I carry ALOT of tension in my body for some reason. My muscles get wound up and tense all the time. Could be related to my Thyroid issues. It tends to get worse when I a) excercise alot and b) get stressed out over life haha. Yoga helps in most of my tension issues, but not so much with the feet.