Pens

Long before minimalism became the IN-Thing, I was a minimalist. I wanted nothing in my life that wasn't one or more of these three things: useful, beautiful, contained a memory. I never want two of things if one will do. I prefer to have things that can do double duty. Scissors replace a lot of household tools and do a better job, for example.

On the other hand I have a weakness for pens. I won't use the normal pens you buy by the dozen. They add clutter.

I want a pen that when I pick it up even for something as simple as writing out the grocery list it will enrich my life.

One example, the one in the photo, is the hand-made stone pen above. Rick gave it to me for Christmas 2018. I had spotted it at a Christmas marché in Ferney-Voltaire France when I was with my French "daughter" and her family.

I have other pens including a silver feather pen bought at auction with the World Council of Credit Unions where the proceeds went to help finance small business development in Africa.

My wedding pen was a silver fountain pen, presented to Rick and me by the mairie where we married. I have a set of wooden calligraphy pens.

Mostly I write by computer, but my special pens, add a whole dimension to my life, rather than an annoyance for an ordinary chore. When I have the occasion to write a thank-you or condolence note, rather than send a Jacquie Lawson computer card to type out a message, it adds a dimension. Although most of my writing is on the computer, when I free write in a café, a pen slows my thought process.

A Bic will never add a happiness dimension to my life while doing the simple task of jotting down words on a sheet of paper.