[child memory]

She has a small teapot. The small teapot has a long history in her family. The teapot was used to brew loose-leaf tea. This small everyday object had a particular meaning to her as teatime was an important part of the everyday life and special occasions. In everyday life, it was a happy moment, to wake up after the afternoon nap and smell the fresh pancakes being made in the kitchen. Half-awake, she would go to the kitchen to have a fresh hot pancake and tea. On special occasions and birthday parties, the teapot was also taking a central place as mom would bring a huge biscuit cake along with freshly brewed black loose-leaf tea in a teapot.

She remembers the smell of the tea. It was a strong black tea. The teapot was very hot and she was afraid to touch it. It was usually in the same place in the kitchen and when it was hot, she was not allowed to touch it. However, she remembers that the kitchen and the teapot had a very important role in everyday life and during the celebrations as the family and friends gathered to have a bite and to have a hot cuppa. 

[adult memory]

As she lives in London now, she keeps the small teapot in her apartment. It reminds her of her childhood. It was passed to her by her mother. Her mother, in turn, received it from her grandmother. The teapot is very old now, around 75-80 years old. The spout is chipped and there are some old tea stains on it. Yet this teapot carries a lot of history and stories, associated with her childhood home and her family history. As a child, she did not think too much about the role and history of that teapot. It has gained more meaning as she was growing up. She always wondered about the history of the teapot. 

She learnt recently that the teapot was given to her grandmother who was a doctor by her patients as a ‘thank you’ gift. The teapot travelled from Dossor, a small town in Western Kazakhstan to Almaty and then to London. The teapot carries a rich history, yet at present it has started to have a life of its own as she sometimes remembers or guesses what the little teapot had seen, how it was used, by whom, on what occasions.