[DeletedAccount53]

Originally Posted by Mallika

Very interesting to read about the pens! It appears you know a lot about them! I have heard of pens with blades, but pens with glass cutters are news to me! Wow!

I actually haven't used a fidget spinner haha - I think I'm too old for them! But since you've described them to be really loud and irritating, I think it's best to leave them to kids

Actually I have a fidget spinner, bought last evening at an outdoor shop in town. We assumed all the shops in the capital would be shut because of covid, but the shop owner beckoned us in as we'd been wearing masks and invited us to browse. He and his wife even gave us glasses of mint tea! But we are on the continent where offering customers tea and making them comfortable is good selling strategy.

As soon as a darkened titanium MecArmy bolt action pen was shown me in its box I had to buy it. The first thing I did was flip its spinner on the top - silent, but showing little flashes of colour from the Trigalight inserts the pen had been fitted with. As the spinner continued, no sound to annoy, no whirring could be heard. Being a pen collector and seeing a bargain as these pens cost mega prices back home, I bought it. And one for Tommy, a sweet little platinum pocket pen + several refills she's thrilled with.

The pens our late mother owned, I don't like because of their association with a cruel woman who did unspeakable things to Julie and I. Even Tommy doesn't like them, understandably unforgiving for being "got rid of" by our mother. We'll give the pens away, the ones our mother owned. I don't want them in the house. Don't want to be near them because of the unwelcome memories.

But I'll admit to having a pen fetish. Some people are nuts for collecting stamps, coins, allsorts. For me it's pens and anything in black leather. Badass leather jeans. Wow! Not everyone's taste, but then I'm not everyone. Julie's into jeans and nice comfy clothes so she's been doing well shopping and resting throughout our time in the capital.

We left the shop having spent a lot, but it was closing down because of covid decimating stores, and ruining small businesses. We returned to the yacht, Julie having found a delicious strung joint of pork loin! Hence my name, Pork Chops!

We climbed onboard to be met by one of maman's sisters who was leaving. Hmm, thought she and her sister had already gone, but no. She told us our maman left us a "wardrobe of clothes which will fit". After she left, we went and looked. Found skinny, boyfriend, ripped jeans in lovely denim. To our surprise, most fitted. Even Tommy wooed a leather jacket. Go SK8er Girl! But maman? She went and left a scrawled note "Please help yourself to any clothes left. I've too many anyway. Go enjoy - L" And TWO pairs of Dolce & Gabana, Alaïa Editions leather 'Agneau' biker jacket, countless pairs of Prada and Levis! The biker's jackets alone were what maman modelled and kept, as happens. But when Julie found out their cost - OMG! The jackets cost thousands. Anyway, we are grateful for them, say the least.

So that was our day. And the pork joint was cooked to perfection.

It's been a strange vacation. Ups and downs, angst, anger at maman's endless smoking, upsetting Julie. And then we get left enough clothes that would be seen on a fashionista's runway. But the weather has been good apart from some violent thunderstorms. All I want is for a quiet peaceful time away, and enjoying pens, good company, a super crew and captain and having our little sister brighten up even the cloudiest of days.