h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

How do I get the used leaves out of my teapot? I've been having trouble with this, usually resulting in a messy sink... er... thanks...

Hmm. A tricky problem. To which I have no real answer, as I don't make tea with leaves . But a dishwasher might help?

Well... thing is... what I'm dealing with is a wad of soggy leafy bits rather like coffee grounds, but in a rather small teapot (with a bamboo handle, so dishwasher is out)... hurm. I think I might try scooping them into the compost bin with a spoon, then rinsing out the few remaining leaves. I want to try a different blend, though... the English Breakfast I got always turns out bitter. Earl Grey is nice, might try that... hmm-hm...

What brand and flavor do you like?

I'm dull. I have Clipper Organic decaffinated ordinary tea. A long name though.

I don't think we have that brand over here (haven't seen it, anyway)... and I haven't been able to find any at all that are just plain black tea. All the local supermarkets' tea section is comprised entirely of bags, and the brand rage is Celestial Seasonings, Twinnings, Bigelow... I think there are one or two more... but at least it was better than the pathetic selection when I spent a week in NC!! Ooouuugh. I should have brought some with me... ended up buying two 99 cent packs of Irish Breakfast and Darjeeling (remaining bags of which I tossed out recently). Really pathetic quality water, microwave... really sad poor-quality cup of dirty water couldn't finish it got depressed. Sweet Tea is *not* an acceptable substitute! Far too sweet. At least I had the entire set of Hitchhiker books and a comfy robe (thoughtfully loaned to me by my friend I was staying with- a nice soft blue terry robe with a moon on the front ) to keep me comfy.

Sweet tea? What a horrid thought. What's even worse is that I bet there are people out there who will actually put sugar in that.

Undoubtedly! *shudder*

Ah, the joys of tea. Nice, hot tea. One day I'm going to actually experimnt and find new teas that I like. But sweet tea sounds awful.

Yes, nice hot tea I brewed myself a big pot of Earl Grey (nice nice easy to make, lol) with a tray including milk and sugar, as well as lemon slices in case I decide I want a change. Now I don't have to sneak upstairs and wake everybody up to make myself a cup

>^@.@^<

Oh wow. I only have normal tea, no teapot and, as of yet, no milk. *sigh* Still. At least I have a kettle.

Just the advantages of living at home. I'll have to get my own big teapot when I move out- I have a really really *beautiful* little white one with a blue floral pattern and a bamboo handle (Christmas gift some years ago- I fell in love with it at the thriftshop, told my mom- "eeh! Get this for me for Christmas?").

My uncle has a pottery studio (er, not quite as fancy as it sounds- he built it himself as an addition to the garage, hehe, entering it one starts to think worriedly of building codes... but it's a great place for an artist like myself ), and I've been kind of toying with the idea of making my own... I know the advanced ceramics class in highschool had making a teapot as one of the projects... I never got good at wheel-throwing, though, so I didn't take advanced after I finished beginning. Centering the blob of clay is the worst. Weak upper-arms. Uncle made a coffee pot, though... should be able to help me figure out a teapot

Ah, but the design, the design! I bet once you start you'll get hooked, trying to make the perfect teapot with the perfect weight, balance, that pours absolutely perfectly...

*giggles* Exactly! Much like Arthur and his sandwich-making knives... Ahh, yes, I can see it now- my hands dry and calloussed from constant contact with clay... piles of reject teapots around in various states of completion... but it would all be worth it in the end for that glorious marriage of art, science, and Tea enjoyment!! *daydreams about it for a while*... *sips *

We have a beautiful clay tea pot. It's that sort of earthy colour that you want to hug... or I do, anyway, but then I get that about earth and things. Must be being a country lass that does that to me!

*grins* I think I know what you mean, hehe. I'm partial to teapots with natural colors- celedon green, honey brown, the "Brown Betty" brown... white with blue... our teapot is kind of mottled brown with some pale green and marble/cream stripes at the top. Kind of retro color scheme now that I look at it... fits in with my bedroom, though.

Oh, then of teacups...! I like a good range of cups and mugs to enjoy my various beverages. Right now I'm using a really pretty blue mug my Uncle made. There's also a really great one he made that I love for hot chocolate- the handle is smallish, and about an inch down from the top, which is great for my small hands. The glaze also just looks quite appropriate for a rich cup of cocoa

Oh, beautiful. I don't have any proper cups. Mind you, I possibly wouldn't bring them to uni. I would say too special to use, but what's the point in having them if you don't use them? Mind you, I do have quite a lot of mugs that friends have given me. Most of them have sheep on. Except the 'Little Miss Sunshine' one. That cup makes me feel bouncy!

*giggles* I have one "proper" teacup- and I rarely use it. It's gorgeous, I got to pick it out from a colleciton my Grandma inherited. It has a raised thistle design on it, and fluted edges. Bone china. Absolutely beautiful. I use mugs for everyday use- either one my Uncle made (we have four or five of his), one of the basic ones in the cupboard, my Kliban "Love A Cat" mug, my San Fransisco mug, I have two glass Starbucks kind (clear green glass with frosted "Starbucks" logo; one's a Cappuccino style, the other's a basic mug shape- I know how to work an espresso machine. We have a home-model, hehe), two Star Trek mugs... mm... two CATS the musical mugs (one from Broadway, the other a London CATS my Aunt found at a thriftshop)... and a neat fruit-decorated one that came with a tea-ball my mom got me for Christmas. *whew*... long list, hehe.

Hmm. I think I have three sheep ones, the L M Sunshine, one with my old music service logo on it, three musical ones (they don't sing or anything, just musical symbols!!) and a few one colour ones. That's about it really.

Oh! Though I do have a minature cup with my name on it... it stands about half an inch high .

Oh, I've seen those! Very cute! I'm into little tiny things, hehehe. Can study well-done dollhouses for hours... love all the little fiddly bits

I tend to look at then for a while, but I can't cope with things like that. I think it's a deep rooted thing- I used to hate them when I was little, because they were 'girlie'. And I *hated* being a girl. Hence, I still don't like the idea if dolls, dolls houses or such things. Ah well. I got to play in the mud instead.