I'm still editing so there's noting writing-worthy to talk about, so I brought out a few of my teapots.

I never intended to collect teapots but I can't stand pots that dribble when you pour. I bought nine pots before I found one that didn't leak, then I made an off-hand comment to my family that you only need seven items to be a collector. That's where it began. I now own over 150 teapots and a multitude of tea-making paraphernalia.

These are three of my favourites:


The Frog teapot. Bought at Maleny in Queensland, Australia, by a lady I worked with years ago, and given to me for Christmas. Val was one of the nicest people I've ever met. She was always cheerful, and thoughtful and her kindness often made difficult days bearable. I lost track of her when I moved jobs but, thanks to the kind of person she was and her kind gift, I'm always reminded of her and the way  Buddhsomething as simple as a smile can help people.a's hand. This was given to me by a well-travelled friend. She found it on one of her trips to China and immediately thought of me. The teapot has always made me laugh and has always made me relax. I don't know if the story is true but apparently the monkey-on-the-brain lid signifies that no matter how smart you think you are, monkey is always smarter. I've always interpreted that, loosely, to read 'don't sweat the small stuff'. It works. Tweetie and Sylvester. Childhood memories. It doesn't matter how much Tweetie and Sylvester bicker, they belong together. They're a combination that most people would think would be enemies but they're lost without each other. I always admired Sylvester's devotion (albeit misguided) and Tweetie's strength of character.