What did ya do today?

[Sailor Kenshin]

Thanks for the generous offer, but the nib is what it is...the 'ow' was for that spring. I think its original home was in an automotive shock absorber.

Made a ham/bean soup from the bone off the Christmas ham. In the Instant Pot. I'm terrified of pressure cookers, and have returned or given away every one we bought (starting with the one my MIL gave us). The IP is something different. 40 minutes, no noise, no smell, easy to clean. Win!

[dneal]

Went to my favorite convenience store and took a couple of their housemade meatloaf sammiches over to a buddy's house.

Meatloaf sammiches are a special thing.

The pic of the "fried donut" made me laugh again. I love the way a fresh cork bubbles in paraffin wax, as it soaks it up. It's pretty when it's done too.

DonutDelivery - 1.jpeg

DonutDelivery - 2.jpeg

[dneal]

So I've fried 3 donuts. They all had the original seals. One wouldn't hold vacuum. So while I had all the stuff out anyway...

corked - 1.jpeg

Kugelfischer was a German fuel pump manufacturer. I have two models that are VDO (the gauge company) branded. Most of the Sports I would find at the Flohmarkt were seemingly corporate branded.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Pardon my ignorance, but what are the 'donuts' and what are they for? Seals, yes, but for what?

[dneal]

Pardon my ignorance, but what are the 'donuts' and what are they for? Seals, yes, but for what?

They're cork seals for piston fillers. Once you get them to size, you soak them in melted paraffin (cue discussion on differing substances called paraffin...).

When they hit the melted wax, they bubble as if they're frying and look (to me) like little glazed donuts. The bubbles are escaping and wax soaks in the cork.

OmasCork - 1.jpeg

[Sailor Kenshin]

So, the pen trio are piston-fillers. The bottom one is extremely handsome.

All we did today so far was prep/eat two meals and clean up after, and gaze at the miserable weather. Oh, also working on a pen pal letter, and when it's done, will empty another TWSBI.

[dneal]

Kaweco Sport 11
Kaweco Sport 112
Omas Extra (Dama)

The 11 and Omas are postwar (late 40's-early 50's). The 112 is pre or wartime.

[dneal]

The Omas is a solid little chunk of Italian celluloid. It has that smooth, almost lubricated feeling. It's seen use over it's 70-ish years, but I like that patina. I got it retipped some years ago, and finally got around to recorking it - as of whatever donut post the other day...

Today is my fourth (I think) attempt at a video.

[Sailor Kenshin]

You and your pens write pretttyyyy. 👍🏻

So far today, weird morning meal (hambeaner soup, apple, cheese, toast) prepped, served, cleaned up. Popcorn made, because yesterday was National Popcorn Day and we were making up for it. Amazon returns errand run. Two pounds of assorted cheese slices vac-packed in small lots (and by chance today is National Cheese Appreciation Day). Small bit of yard work done.

Try not to envy our glamorous life.

[dneal]

Aldi has this 1000 day old Gouda I eat with an apple, prosciutto, and brotchen - and Sam’s nails them, btw... Dampen and pop in the toaster oven for 5 minutes.

Hambeaner soup sounds good.

Even for a weird morning meal.

[dneal]

Cold, but sunny. Cleaned the garage. Pulled everything out and swept the walls cleaned.

The miscellaneous stuff you acquire moving around the globe…

[Sailor Kenshin]

Ran to supermarket early for sumos. Came back with three. Had to turn head away when they rang us up.

Ran to pharmacy, waited in car. Took off glove to check phone.

Glove vanished into The Great Black Hole where some of my crochet hooks and earrings reside.

(Re) started an exercise program (for the millionth time). Hurt knee on balance board.

Now watching Chiefs v. Jags, ice below and above knee. I feel like one of the players.

[dneal]

Made Gulaschsuppe.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Found missing glove.

[dneal]

That makes for a happy day. Ate gulaschsuppe. It's always better the second day.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Now I'm hungry.

[dneal]

Got new ink today. That's always a plus.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Getting new ink always lifted my spirits. What color?

However...

Looking at all my papers, pens, inks. Thinking.

I'm pretty sure people didn't used to buy in such quantities as we do now. As a kid, even as a young adult, I might have had one set of stationery, and a few school notebooks. Maybe there was a scratch pad or two lying around the house. When these got used up, we bought another.

(There were always a few ballpoint pens around that didn't work.)

The above was mostly pre-fountain pens, though I had a Sheaffer School Pen in 5th or 6th grade.

Now I have sooo much ink. Soo many pens. Enough paper to start a stationery store.

Is this what caused it all? Fountain pens? Chasing the Next Great Ink, Pen, Paper?

Also did some yard work. Picking up sticks.

[dneal]

Getting new ink always lifted my spirits. What color?

Blue

Played with ink today, got some hangers for the string trimmers and whatnot, and dedicated a spot in the shop for that stuff.

Contemplating the idea of a Commonplace Book.

[FredRydr]

Greased a few plunger rods as I refilled Vac-Fillers with ink.