My womenfolk had gone up to Stockholm on family business last weekend, and while they were there I asked a favour of them, to pop into Grace Tea House and buy me a glass gaiwan.

I’d meant to buy one last time we were in the capital, but only remembered I’d forgotten to do so when we were hurtling through the Swedish countryside at 200 km. an hour in the other direction.

They messaged me with two sad facts. Firstly, they were all out of glass gaiwans.

Secondly, they reported that the tea house itself was due to close with almost immediate effect – at that very moment they were in the middle of the shop’s “everything must go” closing down sale. They bagged me a couple of bargains – more on that in an upcoming post.

The tea house people stressed that the internet sales side of things would still be continuing, and that glass gaiwans would be back in stock some time in the autumn, which was nice to know on both counts.

Later that day I decided to give the tea house a good sending off in my own way, by having a session with the sheng Pu-erh brick I bought there earlier in the year.

And a good session it was, too. Goodbye, Grace, and thanks for the memories…