The Plumbing Saga of the Bathroom Sink

Art's bathroom sink had been leaking slowly for a while. He'd thought of working on it before when he was fixing the leak at the kitchen sink, but that exhausted him so much he decided to wait on his bathroom sink for another time.

The time had come.

He stared at the fixture for a while and then went down to Home Depot to pick up another faucet set. Unfortunately, they no longer made that style so it would be different from my sink but he figured he could just change my faucet fixture also later.

Taking off the cold and hot water handles took all day. They were rusted solid and just wouldn't budge.

I won't go into the terrible lengths we had to go through to get them off.

OK... That was done, but now the spout would NOT come off. Everything was rusted.

That locking nut for the spout was totally rusted to that top plate so the spout couldn't be removed from the sink counter. Art had gone down a second time to Home Depot and bought a basin wrench to try to unscrew that nut. Nope. Didn't work either. 

It was now into the afternoon. Dinner time. Mom likes to eat at 5:00 on the dot so we had to stop and decided to just grab carry-out from Panda Express.

Would you believe that on the way there some giant bird (it had to be gigantic) let loose his bowels on our windshield Unbelievable! 

We figured that was the end to a crappy day.

That evening we texted our problem to our plumber friend who said he could come over to help.

"No..." we said. We can handle this tomorrow.

"Too late," texted his wife. "He's on his way with some tools for you.

Our plumber buddy arrived in 10 minutes with an array of tools and a can of liquid wrench. He also brought papayas from their tree and some homemade kim chee to cheer us up.

More importantly, he gave Art some hints on what to do next. The last resort he said was to use the saw and cut the nut off.

And so our day ended on a high note with our spirits lifted and hopeful. Art used the liquid wrench he gave us to soak the nut and shaft overnight.

The following morning we found that the liquid wrench did not work.

We were now down to that last resort.

Art used a hack saw to painstakingly cut off the stubborn nut.

It took over an hour.

He had turned off the water to work on the sink but when he went to turn the water back on at lunch time he discovered to his horror...

...a horrendous leak at the water heater. We were devastated! Totally bummed! We'd now have to go down to Home Depot and buy a new water heater. Arrrghhh!

I went online and saw that it could be the pressure relief valve. Since he'd had to turn the hot water on and off several times, it must have built up some pressure. Whatever the case, the leak stopped. I have no idea what that all means, but that's what happened.

OK....

So now he's got the entire fixture off and it was time to look at the directions for the new faucet fixture. Could it be the home stretch?

Would you believe....no? The drain stopper would NOT go down flush to the sink bottom. When we compared the old and new stoppers (flange) we discovered that the old flange had a little smaller diameter and therefore could fit in the ceramic sink hole. I felt around that hole and thought I saw and felt a hard metal ring that was the cause of that problem. 

We were feeling pretty depressed and Art had plans to go back to the hardware store for a smaller flange the following day. We gave up and started dinner.

That's when the doorbell rang. It was our plumber buddy. He was checking up on our progress since they were in the area. He told Art that it wasn't metal but a plastic ring to create the mold for the ceramic sink. It can be cut out.

That was hopeful.

Early on the third day of this saga, we discovered that our plumber buddy was totally correct. Good grief! That hard ring could be cut out with an X-ACTO knife.

Oh my gosh! It worked! The flange slid right in and was secured.

As you can see, now our faucets don't match.

Art had considered replacing my faucet so they would match.

He thought about it for 5 seconds and then said, "Let's let sleeping dogs lie."

(Or "If it ain't broke, don't fix it.")

Oh what the heck! Diversity is good.

Saving the Shoe Cabinet

When our neighbor moved several years ago, they left us a cabinet that she was using to teach how to conduct tea ceremonies. I think the cabinet held tea bowls and other supplies.

We didn't need a cabinet but I had this idea to use it as a container for our shoes and slippers on our patio. It has lasted quite a long time and was a convenient place to store our shoes and slippers.

However, with the recent torrent of rains the outside front veneer started to flake off. Eventually, it looked so bad that I just took off the rest of the panels. When we decided to use the cabinet on our patio I'd given the cabinet several coats of polyurethane. I can't remember if I'd painted the front slats too. Probably not.

The thin slat of wood underneath was cracked so I glued it flat. Then I got some old brown caulking we had in the tool shed and smoothed it over the crack.

Art removed the handles. I covered the plastic border with painting tape. I then gave the wood three coats of our exterior house paint.

In between coats, I sealed the paint brush in a plastic bag and stuck it in the refrigerator. When I was done painting for the day I carefully washed the brush and folded it carefully in newspaper so it would retain its shape. My brother learned that trick from a painter and taught me to do it. He also told me to feather paint with just the top 1/2" or so of the brush to get a smooth finish and it makes clean up easier too. You shouldn't stick the paintbrush all the way to the top of the bristles. I do try to remember this.

Yay! And here it is. All done! Funny how the paint color looks lighter than what's on the house. Ah well... I don't care. I just want it to last a few more years. I'm satisfied.

On to the next project.

Handy Dandy Egg Slicer

I wonder if everybody already knows about this egg slicing tool. It's really convenient for making an egg salad sandwich.

We also use this fun tool that we stick in with the eggs when they're cooking. It turns brown as your eggs cook. You pull your eggs out when the brown ring shows Soft (thin brown ring), Medium (thicker brown ring) or Hard (all the red turns brown). 

And now... how to make the darn eggs easier to peel.

I've read that you need to stick the eggs to be cooked in boiling water. I've always just stuck them in tap water temperature, brought it to a boil, simmer and haven't had a problem, but maybe this is helpful.

Once they're done, I take them out and stick the eggs immediately in ice water. That has always worked for me.

Just in case anybody is wondering, we like chopped sweet pickles with our egg salad.

Do you have a favorite way to make your egg salad sandwiches?

A Happy Irish Memory

I don't remember celebrating St. Patrick's Day when we were kids growing up in Hawaii. However, when we moved into a Chicago area with many friends and neighbors of Irish descent, it became a family tradition to always celebrate the day with corned beef and cabbage.

All this brought to mind a happy memory.

I was surprisingly blessed with three wedding showers in 1972. I don't know how that happened but I was truly touched. My aunts threw a negligee shower for me. Oh my! That was tons of fun. My aunts certainly had a wild imagination. 

My friends from work also held a shower for me at The Top of Illikai and it turned out to be on the same day as the shower that my childhood and college friends also arranged at the The Summit in Ala Moana. I therefore went from one shower to the next. It was quite a memorable day.

It was at The Summit that I get to the Irish part.

We were all gathered and having  a truly lovely time when a couple (I hope they don't mind my posting their photo) next to our large table stopped by and asked if they could give me an Irish blessing.

With the raising of our water glasses he toasted:

 "May you live as long as you want. May you never want as long as you live; And may you get to heaven three days before the devil knows you're dead."

It was such a fun, impromptu gesture but here we are 48 years later and I'm fondly remembering that Irish kindness.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody!

Air Travel?

Now that Art and I are both vaccinated with Pfizer along with mom, my first thought was to see our children on the mainland. We've not seen them in a year. We can't leave mom at home on her own so my brother would have to come and stay with her. However, he's scheduled for his vaccination in another week, so a trip in July sounded like a possibility. (Vaccinations in Hawaii is now given to the 1c group. 65+) 

Our grandchildren are growing up so fast in Chicago and Baltimore and we've missed so much! My granddaughter is now about as tall as I am! My kindergartener grandson is reading! My 3 year old grandson is running, laughing and talking! We're missing all that.

When I told my daughter, she was nervous. 

"Are you sure you want to travel so soon?" she asked worriedly. "Have you asked Keola?"

Our son is an epidemiologist and could have a differing opinion than ours on what is safe and what is borderline.

Then I saw this in the Star Advertiser.

Sigh...

This morning I got a text message from my Illinois teacher buddies group saying we should get together in July. Sigh...

According to Dr. Fauci, “Getting vaccinated does not say you have a free pass to travel,” said Dr. Fauci. “Nor does it say you have a free pass to put aside all the public health measures that we talk about all the time.”

So for now...

Traveling shall have to wait.

Sigh again...

Great Aloha Run (GAR) 2021 #13

Art and I have been doing the Great Aloha Run since 2009. This would be his 13th, but my 12th since I wrenched my ankle the day before our 11th GAR and didn't walk the 8.12 miles from the Aloha Tower in Honolulu to the Aloha Stadium in Halawa in 2019. Since I wasn't with him, Art was able to run. (He says he was sad I wasn't with him, but I KNOW he was quite happy to be able to run and see what kind of time he could get on his own.)

The GAR is always held on Presidents Day. The proceeds from the annual Run/Walk goes to various charities in Hawaii.

Due to the pandemic, the need for funds to help those who have been impacted was even more dire. Because the GAR could not be held in person, it was all done virtually online. You were on your honor to complete your 8.12 mile run/walk in one week. Unfortunately, not as many people had signed up so the funds to support the charities was lacking. I'm happy to say several friends and relatives we sent links to did take part in this virtual race.

Gosh... We wouldn't have to get up at 3:30 AM, drive to the stadium, catch the bus into town and walk back to the stadium? We wouldn't have to worry about needing to use the bathroom? Hmmm... sounded good to me.

Still, since we didn't suffer, the euphoria of finishing wasn't as great.

However, there is that satisfaction of helping others and we did just get a t-shirt and a medal in the mail. 

It's fun to look at the 2020 and 2021 medals. Yay!

Getting That Second Pfizer Vaccination... Relief!

 Yes. It is a relief.

Art got his 2nd Pfizer shot last month at a Tripler drive through. It was very convenient and painless literally and figuratively.

My 2nd shot came earlier this week and was a tad bit more uncomfortable.

For one thing, it was cold (for Hawaii) and raining. I was glad we brought umbrellas.

I had a 7:00 AM appointment, but I guess they must have been doing a block at a time. Therefore, that 7:00 appointment was probably 50 people. Felt like it anyway, but we were all happy to be there.

After standing in the rain for a while, they figured out a way to bring us into a sheltered hallway.

We went through several stations to get checked off, screened and then sit down for our shots.

Amazingly, once again (just like my first shot) they ran out of injections so I had to wait for a fresh batch. It just took about 10 minutes. It was nice to think I got another fresh vaccine.

Unlike my first shot where the nurse injected me slowly, this fellow was so quick that Art barely got a photo taken before it was already over.

We then went to Tripler's lab to get our fasting blood tests done. (Art laughed and said, “In one arm, out the other.”)🙄 

Our doctor will be happy that we're finally coming in.

Once that was done we went to the commissary to do some grocery shopping, but had to grab some breakfast. But where?

We laughed to realize that the first indoor dining we would do since a year ago would be a McDonald's breakfast at the food court.

Tables were spaced far apart and there were very few people there.

Perfect.

What a lovely feeling!

Do you have a place picked out to do your indoor dining after you get your 2nd shot? (And before you scold me, I know I'm not safe for 2 weeks.) 

A Pack Rat Cure for Broken Glasses

The other night, I noticed that my reading glasses were tilted. It took me a while to realize that the nose pad on one side had fallen off. Darn! I really liked this pair too. Granted it made me look like a librarian because I could lower it on my nose and bring it up when I needed it.

And then, amazingly, I found the missing nose pad on the floor. It's a good thing I'm far sighted. Unfortunately, there was no screw with which to fasten it. Double darn!

"Don't worry," said Art. "I'm sure I can find a screw."

Would you believe he had a stash of his old glasses that he can no longer use because he now needs prisms?

I'd suggested before that he turn those in for donation a long time ago, but looks like they've been accumulating in his drawer.

However.... he looked through them all and found a screw that would fit my glasses perfectly. So I guess it was good that he's a pack rat.

Ah well...

I can use my glasses again. Yay!

Going Postal

Mage of POSTCARDS is fighting cancer right now and needed some masks with filter pockets. She'd ordered masks online, but unfortunately received masks that did not have those filter pockets. Mage and I have been blogger friends for a long, long time. I knew I had to sew some masks for her.

Although I've started making only 3D masks which don't have filter pockets, I was happy to go back to the Olson mask pattern for Mage. My children on the mainland as well as friends and relatives in Hawaii prefer the 3D for its breathability. The Olson however seems to fit better when you double mask.

I was excited about mailing the masks to Mage on Tuesday, February 16th. I mailed masks for Art's sister, Kay who also lives in California on Thursday, February 18th. (Yes, her name is Kay too which can be confusing at family gatherings.) Anyway, Kay received her masks on Saturday, February 20th. That was pretty darn fast!

Mage did not receive hers. I was perplexed.

I kept tracking Mage's masks and got the same message saying the package was on its way. At the end of February I was noticing no tracking messages after the 20th. 

What the heck!

So I sent USPS an inquiry and got this.

Wrote another inquiry and got the same message.

Finally decided to write to Mr. Locke personally.

Then I decided to try that Missing Mail Search link. https://www.usps.com/help/missing-mail.htm   (By the way, Flat-Rate boxes are insured for $50. If you send your item in a smaller package, you would have to pay extra to insure it.)

I had to describe what I sent and what the package looked like. That wasn't easy but I did the best I could.

Would you believe the next day I got this?

The left is a text tracking info. The right is the email I got. Is it a coincidence that it was delivered to Mage right after the Missing Mail Search?

It's good to know there are options if your package has not been delivered.

A couple years ago we sent a Flat Rate box to our son in Maryland. It didn't reach him in a month. I didn't know about that Missing Mail Search link. Whatever the case, when he got it we saw notations on it that the box had been sent to Micronesia or some other place beginning with M. The Flat Rate box looked like it had been around the world, but most of the items were undamaged.

Whatever the case, it sure is nice to know that if your recipient doesn't get your package, there are options you can try. You just have to be the "squeaky wheel" to get some attention.

I did write a thank you note to Mr. Locke.

POSTSCRIPT: 

I asked Mage if she wouldn't mind sending me a photo of herself wearing one of the masks for my blog. Despite the fact that Mage is suffering the effects of chemo right now, she asked her husband to take photos of herself in ALL the masks. I am overwhelmed with their kindness in sending all these photos to me at this challenging time. 

In spring of last year, I had to cut out aloha shirts that a dear friend gave me, my dress, Art and my son's aloha shirts, sheets, etc. to make masks. Elastic, 100% cotton thread, 100% cotton fabric, cord locks, etc. were hard to find. It's so much more fun now that I can go to the fabric store and get a variety of fabrics that are truly fun to sew.

A Look Back at Valentines Day

Valentines Day 2021 was not a banner day for romance. It started with leaks that Art finally took seriously. There were leaks in the kitchen AND bathroom. Art had been ignoring them for several weeks, but on Valentines Day it finally became imperative that we do something. 

"Let me get a plumber's name," I said.

"Wait. I'll look at it first," he said.

You'll note that he is wearing red just to let people know he knows what day it is.

He turned off the water and replaced the washer for the kitchen hot water faucet which he determined was the culprit. The dripping continued. He then went to the hardware stores to buy water turn off valves, washers and something called a stem cartridge. He tried to unscrew this and that and in all that mayhem gouged out the base of his thumb...

and managed to bruise his other arm as well.

After a great deal of effort which was taking the entire day, he discovered that the flexible water line to the turn off valve was not properly tightened.  He saw that the new washer was deformed.

He replaced the washer and voila!

The leak stopped. Yay!

The bathroom sink faucet? Well... he couldn't fix that one so he just turned off the sink’s hot water valve and the leaking stopped. We don't really need hot water there in Hawaii anyway.

OK... It wasn't a lovey dovey day for sure, but at the end of the day, it sure felt good.

And yes, he did cut a leaf off the aloe plant and apply it to his wound and yes, it healed nicely.

Is It Really Bamboo?

I recently bought a nightgown that was supposed to be good for warm weather. I always get hot when I sleep. I liked the idea that it was also supposed to be made of bamboo. Doesn't that sound sustainable and environmental?

The descriptions touted:

"Bamboo viscose is highly absorbent it drinks in moisture faster than other materials. It keeps your skin dry on hot days or while sleep

It is also highly breathable, so it lets air pass through it freely, regulate your body temperature, make sure you will be comfy regardless if the climate is hot or cold."

I bought it from Amazon and was very pleased when I got it. It really is quite comfortable and felt good for sleeping. I wash it in cold water and hang to dry. I did learn later that it has to be handled carefully because it's not durable. Still, I liked it so much that I bought another one.

I was looking at the tag the other day and wondered what viscose was. Bamboo viscose? I looked online and learned it's actually rayon.

What a shock when I read the following on the good on you website:

"The wood pulp that viscose is made from is manufactured by treating it with chemicals, which is then filtered and spun into a fine thread. This is a highly polluting process and releases many toxic chemicals into the air and waterways surrounding production plants. Carbon disulphide, one of the chemicals used, is another toxic ingredient which has been linked to higher levels of coronary heart disease, birth defects, skin conditions, and cancer, not just in textile workers, but also in those who live near viscose factories. What’s more, dissolving-pulp wastes approximately 70% of the tree and is a chemically intensive manufacturing process."

Doggone it! I guess I'll stick to cotton.

Wearing Worn Out Clothes

A few weeks ago, mom asked me for thread since I'd borrowed (consigned for emergency use) all her old threads when I was sewing masks with a limited supply last spring. 

She showed me what she wanted to repair and I was appalled. My daughter and I have bought her lots of blouses through the years. They seem to disappear in her closet and only worn when going to the doctor, shopping or visiting friends and relatives.

This is only one side of her closet. Believe me. She has lots of clothing.

When I looked at the blouse she wanted to repair I told her that it was much too worn out and should be thrown away. I'm not even talking about her worn out underwear which we have also bought lots of. Her drawer is stuffed. 

I finally told her that if she ends up suddenly having to go to the hospital, everybody will think we're not caring for her properly. That got her thinking, so that she's now wearing many of the nicer blouses we've purchased for her. Tiffany will be happy to hear that too.

However, mom still wanted me to fix her trusty ol' blouse so I did... all the while shaking my head.

I had to secure the collar and sew the sleeve together.

Sigh...

And then, the other day Art asked me to fix his shorts.

The bottom hem had come apart and he wanted me to reattach it. Then I noticed that the sides were also fraying apart because it had just worn too thin.

"Why?!?" I asked him. "You have lots of other shorts."

He insisted he liked the feel of this pair and that it was the perfect size. He doesn't have to wear a belt and it's just comfortable.

Sigh...

So I did. And I told him I was going to write a blog post about it. "Fair is fair," he said. 

"However, you'll need to include the fact that you're also wearing patched blouses everyday that have holes in them."

Oops!

Banning Dr. Seuss?

I just saw that FOX News is saying President Biden has taken Dr. Seuss out of 'Read Across America.'

I found this on Snopes on what this hullabaloo is about.

"March 2 is the birthday of children’s author Theodor Seuss Geisel, widely known as Dr. Seuss. In celebration of the “Green Eggs and Ham” author and his contributions to children’s literacy, the date has long been tied to “Read Across America Day,” a National Education Association (NEA) day dedicated to encouraging children to read.

That started to change in recent years when the NEA began pushing for the day to focus more on diverse children's book authors, and also with discussion of racist depictions of characters in some of Dr. Seuss' works.

In 2021, on what would be the author's 117th birthday, those circumstances-- along with false claims that a school district in Virginia banned Dr. Seuss books and a brewing  conservative backlash over "cancel culture" -- came together in a digital Big Bang of internet outrage, with some claiming Dr. Seuss had been "canceled by the woke left."

My son has been against Dr. Seuss for quite a while since he learned about the propaganda that Theodor Seuss Geisel drew during WWII where so many Japanese Americans were imprisoned cruelly in Internment Camps just because they were of Japanese descent.

I have seen his problematic drawings in some of his books.

And no, I didn't like this depiction of Asians or writing that "all wear their eyes at a slant." I say Asians because their costumes are more Chinese while their footwear is Japanese.

And this drawing of Africans was also not something you wanted influencing children. 

I had these books in my classroom and on my bookshelf. I guess I just ignored those stereotypes though I didn't like them at all.

President Biden unlike his predecessors has chosen merely not to mention Dr. Seuss' name with Read Across America. Frankly, it's OK with me. He didn't ban Dr. Seuss.

I think it's a good idea to address the problem of why these drawings are hurtful and wrong. I wouldn't be for banning all his books. There are so many that are truly wonderful for children. So I guess I'm saying, "Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater."

Happy Girls Day!

Mom's sister in Sendai, Japan sent us a very elaborate New Years card this year. 

The two white mounds on the card represents mochi (rice) patties. This is the sort of decorations that are placed on home altars during the new year.

There was even a sticker at the bottom that you were supposed to uncover to find your fortune for the new year. Needless to say, it foretold a very excellent year ahead for us. I certainly hope 2021 is a great year!

I've always had a special fondness for my Auntie Atsuko who is mom's youngest sister. 

I'd met her, my mother's parents and rest of the family for the first time when I traveled to Japan and stayed at my grandfather's temple for three weeks in 1970. It was part of a very reasonably priced college trip where 3 weeks were covered as part of an Art and Architecture course. You were on your own for the other 3 weeks. I'd planned to spend them with friends who were also on the trip until mom said I was to stay all three weeks in Sendai with relatives I'd never met before speaking a language that I was not totally comfortable with.

It turned out to be one of the most important times of my life and connected me to a family history I was only dimly attuned to. It was during this time that I became especially close to my grandmother and aunt. I was going through a rocky relationship with someone at the time and my aunt was the one who advised and consoled me.

When Art and I brought our children to Japan to meet my mother's family many years later, my aunt took me aside and said, "You have truly chosen wisely." That made me smile because Art couldn't speak or understand more than a few Japanese words, but she knew. In fact, I know she likes him a lot because she's given him some special things like my grandfather's old traditional house coat and some Japanese prints she knew he likes.

Today is Girls Day or Hinamatsuri in Japan. The 3rd day of the 3rd month is Girls Day. The 5th day of the 5th month is Boys Day or Tango no Sekku. May 5th is now celebrated as Children's Day encompassing both boys and girls.

However, I guess many Japanese people must still celebrate them separately as well since my aunt sent this card a couple of weeks ago.

We were absolutely amazed at how elaborate this card was.

It even came with directions on how to display it.

My aunt also enclosed a hanging display of colorful cutout pieces. Mom was so astonished and delighted that she asked us to send this to her granddaughter and great granddaughter in Illinois. She wanted KC to experience and understand a little of the Japanese cultural side of her heritage.

I am remembering a photo I saw of myself at my first Girls Day in Hawaii.

Yup. That's me. I was rather astonished at all the Girls Day dolls that are displayed here. I just asked mom how I managed to get all those dolls since I know they are NOT cheap. She says my paternal grandmother we lived with had purchased them all for me. I know she loved both me and my brother until her sad passing and was a rather adventurous, amazing woman. But that would be a topic for another story.

One thing makes me smile in this photo. Do you notice the American flags? I think my grandmother was celebrating the Japanese tradition she'd grown up with but was stating her allegiance to the country to which she now belonged.

I am blessed with my rather fabulous families from both countries.

Helping

I'm very proud of my daughter and son. I really am. They've always tried to help people whenever they can. Keola was in Mali as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2001. 

He also volunteered for several weeks to rebuild houses and schools with an agency called All Hands and Hearts in Tacloban, Philippines when Typhoon Haiyan hit the islands in 2013. Keola says it's an excellent organization and it was a good feeling to help along with other volunteers. 

He’s been a firefighter, a transcriber for the deaf and is now an epidemiologist.

Our daughter, Tiffany recently sent me a photo while having her blood drawn.

This was her 3rd time during the pandemic. 

I was concerned the first time she volunteered to donate blood to the bank last year.

"Is it safe?" I asked. "Should you be exposing yourself like this to the virus?" Illinois' COVID numbers were not/are not great at all.

Tif insisted that the donation site was a large area. Everyone was masked and people were spaced far apart. Apparently, many universities where blood drives are often held didn't have in-class sessions. Many people were also afraid to go out to donate blood. Tiffany started doing this when her doctor friend told her how she'd just donated her blood at the hospital.

Tif says one benefit she gets a couple months after the donation is a COVID Antibody Test result. 

I'm happy to know she has tested negative the other two times she donated her blood.

Tif has also been helping elderly neighbors by driving them to and from doctors' appointments, bringing food and treats, shoveling snow and of course, sewing masks for everyone.

When they were little, we wondered what kind of adults Tif and Keola would grow up to be.

I must admit. We're quite pleased.

13th Blogaversary

Would you believe my blog is 13 years old? I began posting on Friday, February 29, 2008 which was a Leap Year. Darn! This year (if it was a Leap Year), the 29th of February would have been today. Last year was a Leap Year, but it fell on a Saturday so I didn't post on my actual blogaversary. February 29, 2024 will fall on a Thursday so I can celebrate on my actual blogaversary date. 😁

I confess I'm having difficulty coming up with things to write about since we're not going out to have any adventures.

I've written 3550 posts and loved all the people I've met through my blog. I have been grateful for all the advice and friendship I've received from all of you and sad to have lost some dear blogger friends through the years. The memory of their kindness stays with me though and has enriched my life.

Thank you, everyone for keeping me company throughout this pandemic and making me feel connected by your friendship.