Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bat

Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!
How I wonder what you're at!
Up above the world you fly,
Like a teatray in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle little bat!
How I wonder what you're at!

Remember this crazy poem from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland? The next time you invite friends over for tea, there are two ways to ensure it doesn't devolve into a rowdy free-for-all where one guest tries to stuff another into a teapot:

1. Carefully vet your guest list - omit the Mad Hatters and March Hares, for they will inevitably be disruptive


2. Don't leave the brewing to chance - have a timer on hand so each pot of tea is perfectly steeped (after all, even the most polite guest may become unruly when presented with a weak, watery cup of tea!)

You're on your own with the guests, but I can offer a suggestion on the tea:

Timers similar to this 3-4-5 minute one are widely available in tea shops, kitchen ware stores, and tea websites. Each person at the table may be brewing a different type of tea, but one timer will work for all. Plus, sand timers are just fun (and for those over 40, it may remind you of the old opening for 'Days of Our Lives' - which I never watched, but as it was a lunch-time favorite in the dorm parlors during my college days I remember the theme well). Enjoy!