Back on the Sauce
A few weeks ago now, Mr. Knittiot and I embarked on a caffeine experiment. After talking about it for a couple of months, we decided to see what life would be like without coffee (and caffeinated tea). Our coffee intake is not exactly what I would call out of control. I have one large cup in the morning, and my sweetie finishes off the rest of our 10 cup pot (which is actually about 2 large cups). Since caffeine has been an important part of our lives for the better part of a couple of decades, we created a gentle schedule in which we weaned ourselves first off the coffee, moved onto the less caffeine intensive black tea, then green tea and finally, we went down to strictly herbal tea. Now I do have to admit that it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. But that does not mean it was a good thing either. For the first week or so I woke up with a sudden urge to whine. I was tired. No, I was exhausted.
Slowly my body acclimated and by the end of the second week I was doing a little better. Even so, I couldn’t bring myself to think of the coffee deprivation as a forever state. It was just too much to contemplate. I found myself wondering if I was less jittery — one of the reasons I was worried about my caffeine intake was its effect on anxiety levels. I can’t tell if it has really made a difference or if that is what I have been telling myself so I feel better about not having coffee.
This weekend, we are driving to Maryland. I realized with a bit of a sinking feeling that was going to be the first road trip of my adult life that would not involve a hot cup of coffee as my early morning companion and it made me very sad. I mentioned it to Mr. Knittiot. A little later in the day he came into my office and started talking about how tired and lackluster his energy has been for the last couple of weeks. This led into a discussion about the caffeine experiment. After some careful analysis we declared an end to the moratorium and he promptly went in to the kitchen to brew himself a cup of Earl Grey (mmmmm bergamot & black tea).
So, I’m back on the sauce, sort of. For some reason we didn’t brew a pot this morning. Mr. Knittiot is happy with his Earl Gray and I’m enjoying a cup of peppermint tea. Maybe it is just knowing that I can have it when I want it that is enough. Hmm.
I’m close to done on the Ruby Joy shawl, but a social engagement this evening will keep me from putting the edging on until Friday. Not enough time for blocking and drying I fear. Also, I lack confidence in my skills as a yarn estimator and so I am staring at what is left of the Alchemy Haiku trying to determine if I have enough to do another 10 row repeat of the pattern plus the 12 row edging. I have a hunch that I do, and if that is the case, then I am never gonna make it by Saturday. But I’m afraid to move forward on another repeat for fear that I will run out of yarn in the middle of the edging and then what am I going to do? Yarn dilemmas.
May 4th, 2006 at 7:24 am
No caffeine is a tough row to hoe. I read somewhere that 80% of American adults wake up to a caffeinated beverage every day. No longer linked to pancreatic cancer, not damaging to bones in the amount you describe pre experiment…I gave it up 9 years ago because it always made me pee, and was debilitating if I didn’t get a cup by noon. Black tea is less of an evil mistress, and seems to fill the bill. I too, give myself permission to go back, but haven’t, except for one teensy trip to Italy, where it was irresistable and stupid to refuse.
May 4th, 2006 at 9:03 am
I love Laurie’s “teensy trip to Italy” description…oops, how DID this espresso get here and what am I doing in this boat?
I used to be horrible before coffee in the morning, but for some reason (could be that I have to get a small child and a large child up in the morning and it’s neither one’s fault that it’s morning and I’m uncaffeinated) I’m a lot better now. But I have to have it. And I like it the way people like wine…the varieties trip my trigger, and with various desserts, it’s essential. Though it is universally agreed in this house that lemon cake goes with tea.
May 4th, 2006 at 9:10 am
I’m not kidding when I tell you I was scared away from coffee in college by roommates who each drank a full pot (1 pot per roommate) every morning AND snacked on chocolate-covered espresso beans.
I’m trying life without white sugar. It’s been two weeks. I’m having reactions similar to your coffee-free life.
Can’t wait to see the Ruby Joy.
May 4th, 2006 at 9:46 am
You are going to keep going with the shawl for the following reasons.
Knitting with that stuff is an exquisite pelasure to be stretched out as long as possible.
If you turn out to not have enough, you will have to rip and it will suck, but you’ll put the shawl in the freezer first and use little scissors to nip the mohair binding if you get stuck.
Wasting even a mm of that yarn by not having it in the shawl would be a tragedy. No, really, I am NOT exagerating.
Don’t worry about finishing in time.
Yes, I am feeling bossy today, why do you ask?
May 4th, 2006 at 11:02 am
moeration in all things is good. I am not a coffee drinker, but I do like a hot cup of tea in the morn at work. I usually go decaf.. but even that has caff in it.. I don’t miss it when I don’t ahve it.. but I would hate it if I told myself never again.
stick a safety line in there and then go happily on your way knitting the next repeat. If it doesn’t work out you can rip back and feel “safe.”
hope to see you saturday!
May 4th, 2006 at 11:38 am
Mmmm…I’m imagining how good coffee would taste after three weeks without it. YUM! I may have to ‘quit’ for a while, too.
May 4th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
Okay, I’m supporting Juno on this. All her reasons are good. So stick a life line in that shawl before knitting the repeat you might have to forego. And keep knitting. So it won’t be ready for Maryland. We’ll see it at Rhinebeck (and I won’t be at maryland anyway). Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. And she’s right about the freezer.
Does mister knittiot drink gin as well? I find both gin and earl grey tea unpalatable in about exactly the same way.