Tea - the making thereof

but not the Japanese "tea ceremony".
I know almost nothing about the Japanese "tea ceremony" apart from that it is apparently long and complex and takes years to master.
I know a little about making tea however. I have made thousands of pots of tea in my life. 
The Senior Cat has tea mid-morning and mid-afternoon - and sometimes at other times. A friend has tea whenever she arrives. My automatic reaction to W...'s arrival is to put the kettle on. Other people turn up expecting tea too.
I thought I could make tea until I was at university in London. There I came across S.... Her family owned, and presumably still do, half the shares in a very large tea estate. The brand is a household name. 
S... knew about tea. Every so often she would head off to some point in London and get her own, specially blended variety. She would bring back other varieties for people to try too.
And she taught me how to make tea - all the while complaining about the lack of rain water with which to make it.
Tea starts with having the pot ready to use - no use trying to get it after the kettle has boiled.  
Tea is made with loose tea - never a tea bag.
The kettle is filled with cold water that has never been heated before. It is preferable to use rain water.
You bring the water to the point where it is almost - but not quite - boiling. 
You warm the pot quickly by pouring in just a little water and swirling it around.
You add tea according to the number drinking it and the strength you require as well as the variety of tea. (There are no rules about this. You learn these things as you go.)
You pour on the amount of water you require. The tea should actually "fizz" slightly if the water is just at boiling point. This means the oxygen is being released and this will enhance the flavour of the tea.
You allow the tea to "steep" - but not for too long. Again, the time depends on the variety and the strength you require.
If you take milk S...'s view was that it came after the pouring of the tea. Ditto sugar.
I am not sure why anyone would want sugar in tea - except for cases of shock.
I won't claim to be an expert but I know "non-tea drinkers" who will say,
    "Oh if Cat's making tea with rainwater then I'd like some".
Middle Cat disagrees with all this. She was taught to make tea by a Fijian-Chinese woman who says the water should never boil. The Senior Cat says this is nonsense and the above method is the only way tea should be made.
Tea with water boiled in the microwave is an abomination which should never be allowed.
All I know is that tea made the way described above tastes much better than tea made with a tea bag with water from an urn.
You may disagree - and if you know another way to make tea that tastes like tea should then please let me know.