Posted on by kimhaynesjohnson

March 29: 7:56-8:27 The Moment I Knew My Husband Had Taken to the Hot Tea Ritual

We’re the world’s biggest YouTubers.

And by YouTubers, I don’t mean the kind that make videos and upload them, exposing every detail of our lives in the process, right down to how we organize our underwear in the drawers of our camper that we sold at the beginning of the month like some adventurers do.

I mean the kind that pretty much every weekday evening are checking for the latest posts from the people we follow. So when my slicing time from 7:56-8:27 rolls around, I’m usually just finishing the Wordle and getting ready to start the latest video from Keep Your Daydream or Turner Max Adventures or Randi’s Adventures. I’ve already watched and rewatched Plant Vibrations With Devin Wallien right when I got home and finished taking the dogs out and watering plants (Devin’s recent Houseplant Tour – 125 is my current favorite, and I’ll watch that one on repeat practically).

Seriously? A favorite word and it took five tries?

We have our fixed routine about it, too, like most other old people. We come in, change into t-shirts and pajama pants, empty our lunchboxes, figure out what’s for dinner, and then one of us will start the teapot for our evening hot tea during this time of the day. We decide together what kind of tea we want, and rarely do we have two different kinds. Usually it’s green tea, but sometimes we go all out and have black tea or white tea. On nights when we really feel like getting wild, we have spiced tea.

I’m always the tea fixer, but either one of us might hit the button to start the electric kettle after we decide which kind to have. That’s important because we need to know whether to hit the button for green tea at that exact temperature, black for that temperature, or white for that temperature. It matters.

My husband empties his lunchbox in the kitchen

Honestly, I wasn’t sure when I switched us over to drinking more green tea whether my husband would buy in, but he has.

Want to know when I knew it for sure? It happened one afternoon when I’d started the evening tea ritual a little earlier than usual because I was feeling chilly. He hadn’t even emptied his lunchbox yet, and already I was stirring the honey in his tea.

I heard him mutter something about meaning to cut something back. He took his tea and disappeared through the garage door. Next thing I knew, I heard the tractor coming from the barn and looked out and saw him coming across the yard – – with his tea! On the tractor!

And that’s when I knew I had a serious tea drinker on my hands.

I laughed so hard. It brought back memories of The Art of Racing in the Rain when that French racecar driver was in a race sipping on his espresso like there was nothing to winning a race. Here was my backwoods country husband still in his work clothes, on his tractor, sipping his evening tea, and here I stood laughing from the living room window and loving him so much because this is the life partner I’ve always wanted to be surrounded by trees with. In a house on a farm on the backside of nowhere where there is so much simple life to count on and celebrate at the end of the day.

Today is our anniversary,

and I’ll tell him

just what I tell him every day: that I love him.

and what I love most is knowing

that at the end of it

we’ll be right here in our chairs

sipping tea together

Living life on the edge!

Cheers!

14 Replies to “March 29: 7:56-8:27 The Moment I Knew My Husband Had Taken to the Hot Tea Ritual”

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  6. PRICELESS photos, and priceless love throughout this entire post! So much warmth emanates from every single line – the noticings, the gestures, the stirring of honey in the other’s tea…the true stuff of life. Happiest anniversary!! Such a fun ending to your poem – living live on the edge, sipping tea, ha! – and how I love this beautiful fulfillment of your heart’s desire: “I stood laughing from the living room window and loving him so much because this is the life partner I’ve always wanted to be surrounded by trees with. In a house on a farm on the backside of nowhere where there is so much simple life to count on and celebrate at the end of the day.” – just joy. I feel it, every bit.

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  9. Kim,

    Those are great photos of Briar with his tea, on his tractor. I love these little routines couples in loving relationships grow into. They show love and stability. Like you, I unpack my lunch bag first on days I work. Ken makes my lunch, and it’s such a loving jester, like you making tea. Lots of symbolism today. Fun title w/ a twist in the post. Happy Anniversary to you both. I’m glad you found the best partner for you. I know and cherish that feeling, too.

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  10. Happy, Happy Anniversary! This is such a touching post, especially since we are on the cusp of our 54th Anniversary. You describe the simplicity, joy, and wholeheartedness inherent in a simple, but meaningful life and relationship. Your poem is spot on! With your permission, I may share it with hubby when our 54th rolls around. Blessings!

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  11. First of all, Happy Anniversary! Your tea making ritual and YouTube videos sound amazing. Now I need to check out the house plants guy! I seriously need help! Plus, I now want an electric kettle! Seriously loved reading your post and the joy you have captured is inspiring!

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  12. Happy anniversary! I love reading about this slice of your day. I smiled at getting into the tee shirts and pajama pants. And that photo on the tractor with his cup of tea is so awesome! I loved all the details of this slice.

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