After five years of regular mask-wearing, today I experienced my first negative reaction: some random coming out of the supermarket said "Still worried about covid? Freak." Now I can't decide whether to feel sorry for the vulnerable fool, or offended that he thinks unmasking would be enough to defreak me. #CovidIsNotOver #masks #WhoWasThatMaskedFreak

They say fountain pens are addictive, but I'm not so sure. I got my first fountain pen in 2007, and after 18 years I'm up to 10, most in regular use. But no one warned me about dip pens! I got my first nibs and holder a month ago today, and already I have 3 holders (one of which fits 0 nibs in my possession) and 144 nibs! One hundred and forty-four!! In a month!!! Which is quite appropriate in a way, as nibs for dip pens in their heyday were sold in 1 gross boxes (1 gross=144), and most of my nibs were made in the days when they were widely used. Still, I think that's enough to be going on with. #FountainPens #DipPens

Nib: Esterbrook 969 Radio Inks (in order): Diamine Autumn Oak, Jinhao Black, Sailor Jentle Chu Shu, Waterman Havana Brown, Diamine Kensington Blue, Diamine Meadow, Diamine Monaco Red, Diamine Pink, Jinhao Pure Blue, Jinhao Red, Pilot Iroshizuku Syo-ro, and Diamine Syrah. #FountainPens #DipPens #ink #SwatchWednesday #handwriting

Pen experiment: I tried the nib from a Jinhao 992 in a dip pen holder. First dip: two lines of text. Not bad. Second and subsequent dips: half to one line. Why??? #FountainPens #DipPens

Today we're making crabapple jelly with the first crop from our Jelly King anniversatree. Starting to, anyway. The actual jellification will be tomorrow, if the Lord is willin' and the creek don't rise. #crabapple #preserving #anniversatree

One barrel. One cap. Multiple nib sections. I'm not sure how the makers of this calligraphy fountain pen set thought this was going to work. Any suggestions on how to keep a nib/section (with cartridge or converter) from drying out without the usual cap on barrel scenario? #FountainPens #calligraphy

It is forbidden to have durian on your person on board an Air New Zealand flight. It is also forbidden to have durian in your carry-on luggage. Furthermore, it is forbidden to have durian in your checked luggage. Durian "does not travel well" - and neither, I suspect, do those in its vicinity. #durian #food #travel

I can't decide what to call this new pen. Poll follows in next toot. #FountainPen

A historic day: I finished the last of the Majestic Purple ink I bought back in 2013 for hand-drafting my first novel. The novel:

Restoration Day – Deborah Makarios

#FountainPens #ink #RestorationDay #writing

Another old technology I love: the fountain pen! Pros, cons, and why this is an Old Technology for everyone:

In Praise of Old Technology: the Fountain Pen – Deborah Makarios

#FountainPens #OldTechnology #EcoFriendly