First of all, I love your writing. You and your magical ability to manipulate language in that just-so way are what I aspire to and know that I will never reach.

Secondly, and this is honestly a bit selfish, I truly hope you do open the tea shop. The idea of actually having a place run by someone competent whose knowledge of teas I trust and whose style and tastes I like, and having it only a couple hours away is enough to make me fangirl. Trust me, if you open the shop, you've got yourself one guaranteed regular customer, gas money be damned.