Day 50, LAST DAY of working from home, Featuring Ricola Instant Swiss Mint Tea

Fever free on my last day at home, day 50!!

I saved this tea for last...It was probably the first tea I ever had.  It is for sure the first tea I remember drinking.  I would have been around  6 when I first had this tea.  I remember looking forward to it every year.  We only had it once a year.

Every Thanksgiving my Grosspapi and Grossmama  (Grandpa and Grandma) would bring this wonderful sweet Swiss tea, Ricola.

Here are my grandparents (my grandpa's first wife died, but Grandpa Pearl was the only Lehman Grandma I ever knew)

I visited Switzerland once in 1997.   My family is from Switzerland- both sides.

I was in Lake Lugano and Lucerne Switzerland.

When I was in Lucerne I wanted to take the bus to Grindlewald so bad (it was only about 2 hour away)!!  I had a free day in Lucerne and I almost went, but I let my aunt, who was with me, talk me out of it.  But, someday I will go.

Love fondu!

The Kaufmann side of my family is from Grindlewald Switzerland 

And my Lehman side is from Tavannes/Langnau area in Switzerland.

I love knowing where my family is from.  And it is so cool, that they are only about an hour and 15 minutes apart from each other.

I did a DNA test a few years ago and I was excited to see that some of my heritage can be linked to the holy lands.  One of my dads cousin is working on tracing it back to the time that the Jews fled because of religious persecution (in the time of Peter in/or around 64 AD) and went to Switzerland.  I would love to know more about when my family moved.

Anyway, back to tea.... There is something so special about this tea for me.  It instantly brings back these amazing memories of  Thanksgiving with my family and being with my grandpa. 

https://www.ricola.com/en-lb/products/instant-teas

Ingredients: Sugar, dextrose, extract (2,7 %) of ribwort plantain, marshmallow, peppermint, thyme, sage, lady’s mantle, yarrow, burnet, mallow, elder, cowslip, speedwell, horehound; caramelised sugar, natural mint flavouring (peppermint oil).

Ricola was started in 1930.  Today, over 100 Swiss mountain farmers supply Ricola with 1,400 tons of fresh herbs each year.

When we were little this tea was something that we could get in this local grocery store, Kidron Town and County.  Then it just wasn't.  In the 90's or early 2000's I went in search of Ricola.  I missed the tea I had as a child.  I could not find it anywhere.  This was before Amazon....can you imagine a time before Amazon????

Anyway, I remember searching on line and finally finding a company in Switzerland that would sell me a case!!  Yes, I bought an entire case of Ricola tea. It was great and instantly brought me back to my childhood and being with my grandparents.

Now, you can get this tea in the states again.  I love the mint flavor.  It is refreshing and delicious.

It's here, my last day at home....

Last time the Kettle is on, at least on a regular basis...the sign may pop up from time to time.

What a blessing and encouragement this has been for me.  I started out to bless  and serve others and as usually happens, you are blessed so much more in return.  That happened here. I was extremely blessed by all the smiling faces that showed up....over 100 smiling faces.

Sarah came over for her favorite, bubble tea.

Mike and Karen brought their grandson over (on her birthday!)  Z enjoyed a mango bubble tea and Mike and Karen tried the Passion Iced Tea.

I then took some over to my neighbors.  My neighbor said he wanted to try my kombucha.  Today, he said it was just like he found in the stores.  The kids enjoyed the bubble tea.

Tammy came back for seconds, I got her hooked yesterday!!  This time Titus came with her for some bubble tea.  He enjoyed the coconut and she the mango.

Tammy said I may have gotten her addicted to the jelly's.  They can be found on Amazon - sold by Tea Zone.  They have lots of fun flavors.

My last customers were my co-worker Duane, his wife Nikole, and her friend T.  Nikole's friend, T ran the tea part of Nikoles coffee shopin KY.  I said that they instantly made me nervous, lol.  T got kombucha, Nikole got a dark Chocolate Chili Chai Latte, and Duane got a Tiesta green tea- fruity pebbles.

Duane helped me then take my computer back to work.  I am now set up and ready to go back at the office.

Earl Grey is not sure about me heading back to work....

But, I have to go back. And now I am all set up.

#Kettleson

Find joy and give joy.