Tuesday 28 February 2012

RIP Favourite Teapot

My passion for tea is well-documented. For the last 15 years my 10 cup a day habit has been largely serviced from a little blue-spotted tea pot, bought from Whittard after my mum's very wonderful friend Judith initiated me into the magic of her Earl Grey and Ceylon leaf tea blend. It's had a place in the kitchens of three houses, been with me though growing and feeding two babies, saved my sanity on many long afternoons with small children, and been privy to more kitchen table gossip than I care to dwell on. It kept me going as I slogged through writing my first book, and bravely fuelled the writing of ten more over the years that followed. It was pretty battle-scarred, and latterly held together almost entirely by tanin stains (I hate to think what my insides look like.) Until I dropped it on Sunday evening, that is, since when it hasn't been held together by anything.

Sniff.

I have a replacement. It's probably a bit prettier, with pink roses that haven't been dulled with layers of tanin. But it's Just Not The Same.

11 comments:

Lia said...

Oh dear... *bows head in respectful silence*

Rachael Thomas said...

If that first teapost has seen and heard so much the new one will have a long and intersting life to look forward to!

Rachel Lyndhurst said...

Weep!

You didn't fancy a Fortnum & Mason-style silver one as a replacement, then? I guess it would need cleaning a bit too often ...

Your new does sound nice though. We'll need a picture soon,you know. :0)
xx

Unknown said...

Thank you, Lia. It was such a lovely teapot... *bottom lip wobbles*

D'you know Rachael, I hadn't thought of it like that. If the replacement lasts as long as the old one, Daughter #1 will be 32 by the time it departs. Blimey. It might see me though a few broken nights with grandchildren... *blanches*

I only have about 3 bits of silver in this house Rach, and I don't think you'd be able to spot them as they're all black! That F&M pot did make a lovely brew though... Wonder how much one would set me back?

Trenda said...

Oh, no! Poor teapot. Poor you.

Hugs,

xx Trenda

Catherine J said...

Aw, it's sad about the little tea-pot. I'm raising a mug of finest Knitted Monkey Tea to toast the lovely new one:)

Sophie Pembroke said...

Oh no! So sad... My eternal clumsiness is exactly why, despite all the pretty pottery teapots in my cupboard, I mostly use my little, one person, stainless steel one.

Unknown said...

Thank you for your expressions of sympathy, ladies. I haven't quite been able to throw the old one away, so it's sitting (looking not very decorative) on the windowsill, scowling at its pretty rose-patterned replacement.

Am breaking new one in by having extra tea rations. With biscuits, of course.

Abby Green said...

Sorry to hear of your pot's demise ;). But take comfort in the fact that it was probably the most well loved and over-used pot in the world. I hope you buried it somewhere special?
x Abby

Nell Dixon said...

You could put the old one in the garden with a nice plant inside like some bulbs or a mini rose.

Unknown said...

Oh yes, that's a thought Abby. No-one could have loved a teapot more than I loved that one.

Fab idea about the bulbs Nell - thank you! Don't think I can bear to consign it to the garden so might try to get some of those mini-daffodil bulbs and have a little oasis of cheefulness on the kitchen windowsill.