It is the aroma of coffee that yanks me from the arms of Morpheus most mornings, but when Himself is away and I’m on my own I would rather have tea. For me, coffee requires company, but tea goes well with solitude. Besides, when Himself is at home, he brings me cup after cup of coffee, as my lap is usually full of cats and he is far too normative to allow the large beer mug for coffee-drinking. The beer mug is necessary for tea because, again, my frequently cat-besat situation prevents refills. Besides, a small cup goes cold too quickly.

When is a beer mug a tankard, Walkies? My tea mug is earthenware, and I have always believed that a tankard was made of metal — traditionally pewter or silver. Am I wrong?