Driving to the office this morning gave me the chance to lug in something I would not usually lug in — a thermos. And I’m now enjoying a cup of hot tea that could only have come from my own teapot at home.

It’s all courtesy of a thermos, this low-tech marvel, insulator extraordinaire. This one is large, built like a pitcher with a spout that makes it easy to pour from container to mug … which … I just did.

The steam is rising, the thermos is hissing. The page proofs on my desk can wait another few minutes. It’s tea time.