Two Deep Breaths….

Better thank you! Things seem to be looking up. Or maybe my endorphins are working overtime. Yesterday and today have shaped up well; out both days, great meals, visits with good friends; cool evenings with a stack of library books to keep me company. Hell, everybody in the world seems to be depressed! Makes me feel better. Now that I am talking to people about it, I find that even family members go through this and it’s only a surprise because we haven’t talked about it before. Hope springs retro!

I got two lovely tobacco pipes from China in the mail yesterday. They are rosewood and short and chunky, the transaction (via eBay) was quick and shipping from Wuhan (Sister City to Yo-han) was fast. They cost me about $12 each including shipping. Once I got them in the house and inspected them I found that the tobacco chamber and air passages were drilled with sledge hammers in a tank factory that was having a slow day. I suspect it was an Indian tank factory and that the seller in China bought a giant lot from Ali Baba, probably the biggest Asian wholesale exporter.





I have redrilled them, tobacco chambers and air passages, and also sanded the inside of the tobacco chamber which was coated with lacquer. This is more of a health hazard than having large amounts of lead in your baby crib. Since I have the skills it didn’t take too long and was therapeutic because I like that kind of work. Also for $12 a person won’t find any very good pipe from any maker. So it was a bargain in the end and I may well buy another one someday just for the hell of it.

From the library I have gotten four CD’s of Techno-ethnic music which I have no idea what I am in for, but if any of them turn out great, I may put one here for you to listen to. Ta!