Piles of tea

You may never look at tea the same way again once I have told you this story. During the preparations for Julie and Jasmin's wedding reception here in China, I was out and about doing bits and pieces and I came home to the sight of one of Rose's ex pupils, Sharon, hacking away at a big round lump of tea, Now for those that have never seen tea like this, it is often sold here in solid lumps like a great big discus. Anyway, Sharon was hacking away at this solid lump with bits of tea all over the place, she was using a kitchen knife, I tried a hacksaw on it and it was as solid as a piece of Mahogany, We eventually got quite a lot of bits of tea off this thing and I thought it was being done for tea for the reception. They drink tea everywhere. but no. As readers may know Rose recently had 2 hysterectomy operations, which left her with a bit of a sever case of piles. (She had them before the op but now they appeared with avengeance) The next day I found out what the tea was for, it was warmed up in a large flat pan and then Rose sat on it in the toilet, it is, believe it or not a Chinese cure for piles! You may think that a little strange as I did, but wait, she has now moved on to pomegranates, boiled in a kettle and now she sits and washes in that. We had a visit to the doctor today to check up on her and they say all is well and most of this is in her mind. Obviously she is worried about everything at the moment. but I think the local 'cures' are stating to go a little strange.