It's very exciting to read how much you've connected with your new friends. We don't have the set ritual of a tea time, and I can't say I spend my time with the same friends day to day, but we do enjoy our shared tea or (I would say 'because this is Eugene,' but I was drinking it before it was cool) mate. Discarding the social ritual with the mate is even more appalling, but what can you do? Some brilliant person put our clothes dryer in the kitchen. I will sit atop it with my tea, and a friend will sit on the counter. Do you do much counter-sitting at tea time?