Christmas Advent Tea Project
I have never felt so unfit and so unconnected with my physical self; the result of the the intensity of the last two years of writing. As a process of recovery the Christmas Advent Tea project has been devised. This involves me, each day, exercising (run, dance, yoga, pilates, floor barre, walk). This is followed by the opening of the advent window, appropriate to the day, to reveal a new or known tea which I will brew and drink whilst reflecting on the day. Additionally, due to the advent calendar gifted by my non-biological sister, I will open the window of another calendar and find a candle. The candle light will illuminate my reflections.
24th December 2025
reflecting that 30 years ago today was my wedding day
today a walk with a good friend who was one of the 16 guests
an 18 year adventure - no sadness - much learned
of today - St Albans Cathedral and grounds
biting cold wind
last minute flowers
mince pies, tea and more wrapping
now snug as an Elle with a hotwater bottle and Pan cat for company,
quiet and stillness descends
new traditions established and enjoyed
the last tea drunk and candle lit
an enjoyable 24 day project
physically - still a way to go -
but the project has been motivational
and I am aerobically fitter and cognitively healing
23rd December 2025
Royal Blend and Christmas Cookie
the chaotic Christmas wrapping table
yesterday it was clear
this evening the last of the gifts to sort
a day of
early morning 5k run in the dark
madagascan vanilla custard and double cream
vegetable orders
a leisurely breakfast out
M&S orders (mum)
haberdashery
hair
very strong mulled wine
another Christmas Movie
22nd December 2025
Green Tea and Mandarin and Winter Night
day one of annual leave
understanding and feedback
of home baking shortbread
Cranberry and Pistaschio
and
Crystalised Ginger and Dark Chocolate
when home baking also prompts
the cleaning of four cupboards
and then whilst all the oven baking was taking place there is time for some foam roller upper back release
hip release and lower leg S&C
there is no rush
and time for a movie too!
21st December 2025
I had forgotten that, after a 5k morning run, Sunday can be about a drive to a country pub for a Sunday Roast
with your Goddaughter and her mum,
and to just chill out on returning home
20th December 2025
Cocoa Mint Infusion and Amber Sandlewood
Time to get the house in order, tiding, cleaning, wrapping,
to make soup from the allotment grown red kuri squash
and to be tired and have an afternoon nap
19th December 2025
Victoria Grey and Wild Orchid
the final practical class taught and tutorial taken place
out of office on
walk, cycle, floor barre, S&C and more walking
completely exhausted - the type of exhaustion where your eyes water
are heavy, and you are no longer able to hit the
'show must go on' button
and thus the sofa with Pan snuggling, Tea and
Love Actually
is all you can manage
17th & 18th December 2026
Apricot Honey & Lavendar infusion (7th really), Breakfast Tea and Rooibos and Honey Infusion
accompanied by - black cherrry, christmas cookie and winternight stars
some nights away and some late nights
due to an amazing research presentation on
Who was/is Mary Honer
Who was/is Mary Honer
Who was/is Mary Honer
and some hosting responsibilities for the staff social
so catching up today a wellness morning
mum's christmas present
(never thought we would get here after the year she has had!)
outdoor heated pool
indoor steam room, sauna and deep sleep room
and a hydro massage - turned up to 10 intensity
and now some student reports
16th December 2025
University Campus in lockdown, drive to Wales and the University of Wrexham to locate wifi and present online
from there lunch with my supervisor and then a very long drive home from Wrexham...
too late to drink caffeine tea, Dargeeling FTGFOP, so a cande tonight
Silver Sage and Pine and savin the tea for the weekend.
A whirlwind day and a half filled with a week's worth of activity!!!!
15th December 2025
No Picture Today
a long drive to Preston to the University of Lancashire to give a research presentation on 16th.
Stayed with my wonderful friend Suzanne and her husband Nick in Hurst Green overnightsuch lovely conversation over supper
and a cup of early grey
14th December 2025
Toffolossus Infusion - not a clue what this tea is but smells, and actually tastes amazing - like toffee I guess -
and a christmas eve candle
a Sunday Lunch event day with friends and family
an easy, sunny drive up and back down the A1
completing some work before
some pilates
shell shocked by the news events of today
into the shower aware of the USA shootings
out of the shower and Syndey shootings fill the airwaves
at a loss to understand this brutality
13th December 2025
Black Tea and Vanilla with Amber and Sandlewood smells...
presentations and reviews
still work to do on a Saturday night
with the Christmas lights twinkling
the house quiet
and tiredness descending
12th December 2025
Pomegranate and Rose Infusion, and Wild Orchid
overwhelming experiencing the physical presence of the thesis
printed: the size, the weight, the substance
of the number of the pages
tears and exhaustion suddenly descended
walking, cycling, dancing, cycling and
the need of the bus
a weekend ahead to catch up
peer review a journal and
finish a presentation
11th December 2025
a disrupted day of dentist and plumber
around and alongside meetings, planning
and feedback... a date provided...
and Pan busy busy busy in the cold
brightness of the winter sun
10th December 2025
Countess Grey and Winter Flame
following a day of
secret santa, penguins and proseco
homemade foraged blackberry gin gifts
a memorable exam board (100)
searching for mulled wine at battersea power station
lego, chanel, the carousel
and christmas cards from overseas
9th December 2025
Christmas Plum, Apple and Cinammon Infusion
Silver Sage and Pine
early morning Yoga, Pilates, Floor Barre and Stretching
heavy, tired body that needed slowly waking up
and the end of the day a sound bath class
in between a day of meeting many people individually on line
slowly slowing down ready for Christmas work lunch,
exam boards (100%) and evening festivities
8th December 2025
Assam "Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe" and Christmas Cookie
following an afternoon run of 5.06k as dusk fell (36 mins)
some very dirty/muddy running shoes there on the door mat
a long day of research proposal feedback and a few short bursts of upper arm strength and stretch out sequences. (I am not sure why I include a full stop as grammar is to pot in these posts!!!!! or is it that it is more a poetry format - indeed that is what I will go with for the remainder of the posts - new poetry style posts )
The assam a distinct delicate flavour
the candle a more doughy hint to the frangrance
I am loving the self care ritual that is the tea, candle and reflection
the peace and calm that embraces the space as I take time to create
the photograph that captures aspects of the moment
a transition from work self to self self
even if tonight that will be about preparing a research presentation...
and making potato (bubble and squeak) hash browns!
7th December 2025
G&TEA (actually 17 by mistake) and Wild Orchid
on a day of mince pie making and homemade gin bottling
what an absolute coincidence with today's tea offering :)
an interesting flavour that fuelled an afternoon pilates foam roller session to release out the shoulders and hip flexors - the shoulder session absolutely needed, and very effective.
Christmas preparation accompanied by radio 4's Drama on Four celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen - loving Tamsin Greig as Jane Austen
6th December 2025
Christmas Green Tea (truly tasty tea)and Winter Night Stars
fitting for an evening which involved a visit to the Garden City Hospice 'Lights of Life'to place a candle in the woodland walk in memory of Dad. This was at the end of the first day of christmas preparations...the tree was delivered and decorated, the dining room adorned with paper stars and lights - some presents were wrapped - but the day started with very early tea in bed and reflective journalling and then a wellness walk drinking eucalyptus tea and enjoying the calm oasis of Wellness at 61...
so a day book ended by walking and sharing...
5th December 2025
Classic Early Grey (very much needed) and Black Cherry
an interesting combination
Walk, Cyle, Yoga/Pilates/Floor Barre/Teaching, Cycle, Walk and Walk some more (18,527 steps) - a spot of christmas shopping at Victoria station, some posh nosh with a close friend escaping the heavy rain as we headed for Grovenor Square to dedicate a rose in the 'ever after garden'...BUT after the delicious food we found the square is being dug up and the 'ever after garden'relocated to the Saatchi Gallery grounds! My body hurts, I am tired, and I have tea and a candle to relax me. It is Saturday tomorrow and the alarm does not need to be on!!
The christmas tree will be delivered.
4th December 2025
Chai, Cinnamon and Cheese and Biscuits
a refreshing moment watched over by a Pan cat
in the background with his eyes on the cheese!
Taking place following sessions with
the ring of fire for upper body strength and
the overball for hip flexors and abdominals - all after a
very long day of admin, feedback and report writing catch up, the chai tea more delicate than chai tea previously experienced, and a flavour that really compliments the cheese.Am I finally caught up with everything - well not Christmas prep - but that starts this weekend when the tree arrives.
3rd December 2025
accompanied by an Amber & Sandlewood aroma...
enjoyed at the end of a long day of
walk, cycle, cycle, walk
a celebratory programme meeting
a fallout from restructuring meeting
office shenanigans organised by the manager of mischief
a first mince pie of the season
a first mince pie of the season
train chaos
and a win on the premium bonds (I've not looked yet)
sitting in silence, decompressing, reflecting and enjoying the kick of the ginger
2nd December 2025
a sweeter smelling tea with a more delicate flavour
and more subtle, clean pine cone scent...
this morning was a fusion of pilates, yoga and floor barre
where my down dogs were certainly howling, my hundreds were split into fractions, my hip flexors complained and my gluts grumbled... but I finished feeling taller, more poised, and with head space for feedback, meetings and planning...
1st December 2025
I ran in the early hours of a cold, wet, dark morning (06.41 - 5.08 kilometres in a very slow 36 mins). It actually felt invigorating. It is my aerobic fitness that is bad, although my legs are certainly feeling it now. I have missed running, and having the motivation to run, and thus being connected to the natural elements. Running this morning I reflected on marathon training I have completed in the past, races I have run in as part of that training, how music helps, and how much I have missed runnng through the space and the air...
The black christmas tea has a wonderful, spicy, edge to it which I am really enjoying, and the candle a deep floral fragrance.
The day has been about contributing to some PhD research (Self-compassion in dance)as a research participant, and then student feedback, all of which is helping me feel back in balance and not being overwhelmed.
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