Here 薄茶 follows right after 濃茶, without the relaying of the coal. It is basically used for all the 7 types of 茶事 except for the standard しょご (link, CQ47):

• あさ and あかつき to get out before the sun
• 夜話 to get out before the last train, or to make time for lingering
• はんご, 跡見 and りんじ are already a bit random, so here it's also common

For あさ, あかつき and 夜話, it is the rule to do 続き薄茶; for the others it should be made clear before the 茶事 starts.

🤔 I think this might be a great opportunity to use the 茶入 and 薄茶器 pairings: 大海 with 平棗, 肩衝 with the high 棗 etc.

• All is the same until after 濃茶 is drunk and 茶碗's back.
• Initiate: Instead of おしまい, either host or guest say it's going to be 続き.
• Switch the scenery:
  • Pack up the 茶碗, turn a bit and leave with 建水 and 茶碗 (dump 建水).
  • Come back with a タバコ盆. If you're alone, you need to prepare this before you start the 点前!
  • Optionally, with cushions, which you fold in half and hand to the guest with the folded side facing them like a 懐石 tray. They edge forward slightly. They put it down in front of them, unfold it and fold the front part under. Then they sit on their feet, pull it under their knees, then unfold the folded part so that it comes to be under their feet (KM23)
  • Again with the 干菓子 (rinse 建水)
  • And again with 茶碗 and 棗 (dry 建水). When sitting down, the 棗 goes directly in its cleaning position.
  • And, finally, come back with the 建水.

So, in total, 4 or even 5 times to go out and come back.

⚠️ If you got a 棚, it only 3 times, because you can take 茶碗 and 建水 at the same time!

• 薄茶: 棗 lives in the 火の窓 (in front of the 風炉) or in the 建水's top right. Because the number of times the 茶筅 is raised needs to change, this time it isn't raised at all, just whisk and rest and の.
• The first guest will not take the bowl, but instead offer it to the second guest. So during sweets time, both the first and second guest will take sweets. There's a dialogue here (I have something else to do). When the second guest then drinks, the first guest asks for 拝見 of the 茶入 and 仕覆.
• First 拝見: 茶杓 onto 水指. 茶入 in front, 棗 next to 茶筅, 茶杓 back. Clean 茶入 at 45°, put out, turn to 0° to get 仕覆; put out at 45°. First guest goes to fetch the 茶入れ and 仕覆 for 拝見 later. Like this, the host can then put the 棗 on the 茶入's position and will not have to spill the water from the bowl over the 棗. 拝見 takes place later though, now the first guest will drink tea, then third etc. until おしまい.

⚠️ If you cannot put the 茶杓 on the 水指, for example if it's a 鶴瓶, then you pick it up with R, transfer to L, take 茶入 in front of you with R, 茶杓 to R, 薄茶器 with L.

• Second 拝見: First guest asks to see 茶杓 and 棗 (in that order, because the 茶杓 belongs to the 茶入). So take 柄杓 and 蓋置, then put out 茶杓; then move 茶碗, clean 棗 (now its 01 instead of 10).
• If there's a 棚, put 柄杓 and 蓋置 on it only after all the 道具 are put out for 拝見, then exit, refill water.
• For 拝見 then, take 茶杓 to make a set (put it between the 茶入 and the 仕覆), and put the 棗 to the right of it all. This means you have to leave enough space for it when you fetch the 茶入.
• If there's a 棚, put 棗 on it after 拝見.

➡️ In the end, you should do 本仕舞い rather than 中仕舞い, I think; because it's already somewhat informal.

Best done with 棚:

• If you do it without 棚, then you'll have to take 仕覆（しふく）, 茶杓, 棗（なつめ） and 茶入 out after 拝見 in one go. For this, 仕覆 goes into 着物, 茶杓 is held with ring and little finger of right hand, and 棗 in right hand and 茶入 in left hand. 高橋先生 thinks this is not very elegant.
• If you have a 棚, you can leave the 棗 there