NORTHERN PLANNER

I think you should vote for tea in the final of the beverage bracket. Every cup is little dash of simple joy in your day. We don’t appreciate many, but sometime tea gently taps you on the shoulder and reminds us..

I did a bike ride to a local butchers and back this weekend (garlic and Guinness sausages if you must know).

It’s a ride past fields, woods and every country cliche you can imagine. Since it’s over and hills it’s bloody hard too.

I stopped when I got back to our village to pick up a Saturday Guardian and finally pedalled up the drive to put my meaty prize in the fridge. After swiftly changing into comfy sweats, and stowing my meaty prize in the fridge I put the kettle on.

The legs are burning, quivering every time they’re asked to move, but it’s a delicious feeling, hot, cold, heaven, hell all at once. The satisfaction of managing that hard ride makes the molten lead in every fibre a painful joy.

Then the boiling water is poured over the tea bags, in a warmed pot and it’s the five minute wait for brewing. It’s tempting to pour too early, or give it a good stir to speed it up, but the tannins will ruin it.

And then finally it’s ready. The tea goes into the mug, over the milk, slightly warmed by a little drop from two minutes ago,  waiting for it.

I taste it and it’s one of those cups that is just perfect. Every cup is good, but sometimes the fates make one or two absolutely sublime. You never know when…….

But you know what? Nothing tastes quite like tea after a good workout. It’s even better than the first cup in the morning that brings the world into some kind of focus.

I sit on the sofa and begin going through the paper, Mrs Northern can be heard pottering upstairs, the cat pads in and jumps onto my lap, happily purring as she settles into a furry little ball. Good cuppa this.

Simple pleasures are often the best, tea is one of them. That’s why you should vote for it over red wine. Do it here.