Oh, the Guilt!

Forgive me Blogees, it's been four months since my last submission.  No excuse other than being too tired at the end of each day to speak, let alone write anything coherent.

But, having just left the new baby in the very capable hands of Nanny Noel to spend a few days taking the waters (okay, wine) in the Napa Valley with Dan

and closing the store for TWO days a week during the winter, I am now ready to enter the Blogosphere once more.

Yes, it seems we've been open for five months now.  Business is booming.  December was crazy busy and we exceeded even my most optimistic projections.  So far so good, even with the traditionally slow months of winter. Perhaps the thought of a nice cup of tea in front of the fire,

with a scone and clotted cream, some Billie Holiday playing in the background (or the Beach Boys if Noel gets to Pandora first) is enough to get people to venture out in the dark days of winter.










I love, love, LOVE my customers, and especially my "regulars" - the whole motley crew.  They give "bar scene" a whole new meaning.

One of them said Pippa's is just like Cheers only without the alcohol and the handsome Sam/Ted Danson - although there ARE a lot of handsome single men of all ages in Port Townsend.

I met my future son-in-law at the bar (just wait till my daughter meets him - you'll see.)  Ladies, come on down and sit at the bar.  Things happen.  That's all I'm saying.

It's been a real joy to get to know so many wonderful people.  Every time they share a story with me I feel blessed.   People are kind.  People are generous beyond belief.  I have been given gifts that touch me more than I can say.

Shereen, who I think may have given up trying to figure out what seasonings I put in my sausage roll, made me a beautiful bookmark and a woven basket for my garlic (in case I might use that in the sausage - nice try, still not telling.)

Raj, my favorite "brown man"/professor, brings me amazing curry powder and tea from his travels to Malaysia.

And Bo has given me vanilla beans from her trip to Tahiti and saffron from the spice market in Istanbul, not to mention her grandma's recipe for Cornish Pasties.

Ralph, a horseman through and through, gave me his Aussie oilskin stockman's coat after we swapped stories about our cowboy days.  One day I WILL get back in the saddle again, Ralph, and I will be snug and dry thanks to you.

Gabriel gave me jars of his homemade pickled okra and eggplant.  Sheila, my favorite Pom, gave me a bottle of Bundaberg Ginger beer from Queensland and takes amazing photos in the store.

William, the bravest man I know, gave me a CD of his piano recordings. Jane, on her first visit to the store gave me a book of Browning's poetry (my mother's favorite poem was 'Pippa Passes'.)  Michael and Molly, who had their own tea room in Palo Alto, gave me a brick of Pu-erh from China and a whole trove of tea books for my customers to enjoy

The amazing John built our window bar and a beautiful display case for the Pu-erh tea brick.

Carol  returned my chicken pot pie dishes with a bar of her heavenly lavender soap in each.   Jim and Donna sent me their copy of the movie "The Castle" because "no Melbourne girl should be without it".  And Mazzie, fellow Aussie ex-pat, donated the flag for our Australia Day celebrations.

Tim, a serious contender to win this year's Chili Cook Off,  prepares meals "to go" for me and makes real lox for our real Brooklyn bagels.  Jeannie, who will be showing her beautiful artwork in the store later this year, gave me one of her hand dyed silk scarves. And the marvelous Sarah pummels the knots out of my back every Thursday afternoon, in between the paying customers.

I've received lovely cards and notes from people who enjoyed their visit to the store.  In this day of instant email these handwritten notes mean so much.  Of course instant email is lovely too, especially when it means great reviews on yelp and TripAdvisor.

Here's the highlight reel from the last few months.  A big thank you to all the customers who have made the store what it is. And if you haven't found us on Facebook yet, here's a link: Pippa's Real Tea.  You'll get more current updates I promise.  And stay tuned because our website is almost ready.