Thoughtfulness

A few days before the U.S-Canada border closed to all non-essential traffic due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, I received three parcels from the U.S. I'd been eagerly awaiting. Since I dodn't have any March meeting photos to post, I thought I'd snap a couple of shots and share them with you on our pen club blog...

(please click on images to enlarge)

The first parcel to arrive was from Teri Morris of Peyton Street Pens in Santa Cruz, California. Inside the box was my beautiful new purple Levenger 'Facets' fountain pen (a hard-to-find discontinued model) and two unexpected gifts--a black Sheaffer 'Imperial 330' mechanical pencil and a Pentel eraser! It's not the first example of Teri's thoughtfulness - my previous order contained a lovely Sheaffer '300' ballpoint (which I really enjoy using---thanks again, Teri!).

The second package contained another Levenger writing instrument---a 'True Writer' ballpoint in the cool "Purple Mosaic" pattern. The pen came from Shawn Newton of Newton Pens (located in Hot Springs, Arkansas), a talented penmaker who has been raising scholarship money for high school students by selling writing instruments and art through his website and eBay (he's raised over $58,000 USD since he started in 2012). My new ballpoint was one of several charity auctions Shawn was running on eBay that week, so I was happy to add to my "True Writer" collection, and help a worthy cause at the same time.

Last, but not least, was a parcel from Hyatt's, an art supply store in Buffalo, N.Y. Inside it was a limited edition Retro 51 'Tornado' rollerball in the "Gone Fishing" design, one of only 777 pieces made by this Richardson, Texas-based writing instrument company. I narrowly missed the opportunity to buy one---they sold out very quickly---but thanks to one of the good folks at Retro 51 (who spent a fair amount of time helping me track one down), I was able to find a dealer who still had some left for sale. It's a great-looking rollerball with a clever design made by a company that pays attention to small details... and its customers.

(L-R: Sheaffer 'Imperial 330' mechanical pencil, Levenger 'True Writer' ballpoint, Levenger 'Facets' fountain pen, Retro 51 'Tornado' rollerball & Pentel 'Tri Eraser')

Many thanks to all three of you for your thoughtfulness and generosity towards me and to others - they brightened my days during a rough patch :)

It saddens me that our common border is now no longer open...well, not as open as it once was. The Peace Arch monument which straddles the U.S-Canada border at Blaine, Washington and Surrey, B.C, has the words "May these gates never be closed" inscribed on its east gate. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the gates between our two countries are closed...not completely, but to the vast majority of us. I believe, though, that this global crisis is one that we can overcome if we think not only of ourselves, but of others as well.

Stay safe, everyone, and (at the risk of sounding preachy) please try your best to slow the spread of the virus by practicing social distancing, staying home when sick (or if you suspect you're sick), and washing hands frequently.

Take care,
~Maja