Monday, January 05, 2009

cold, pencil news, cards

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Black bird in winter.

The Pental pencil problem is solved. I follow the advice of Barrett Bonden, techno-blogger and friend to nincompoops, I emailed for help. Within 24 hours, back came an email from Christine Pateman of Pental. I was doing the right thing, she said with the fuse wire. But it soon became apparent, thanks to a useful diagram attachment, that the problem should never have occurred in the first place. In the top half of the barrel of the pencil, under the extending eraser, is a holder for leads. You simply leave spare leads in it and it feeds from below. Why did I not know that? Is it that I do not bother to read instructions? I rather think that it may be.

Looking though the pile of Christmas cards received this year, I take pleasure in the notes attached and the ingenuity and the charm of many of the cards. So much attention often goes into these that they deserve to be treated with care and respect. There are some that require responses. Others will be kept for book marks or just inspiration.

1 comment:

Roderick Robinson said...

The Pental lead-feeder system, or something similar, must be at the heart of another product (Are they still known as propelling pencils?) called Yard-O-Lead. I always thought this was a ridiculously ambitious title but not, I suppose, if the impression is of a continuous supply. Propelling pencils and their siblings, fountain pens, proved to be the most fruitful subject I ever posted.