I wanted to write a light hearted post before I got onto some more serious pieces again.

Jinhao X450 fountain pen

We’ve now been in our new house for nearly 2 years. For many many months after moving, the only thing I couldn’t find was my chinese Mont Blanc pen. Following my cancer journey I had started writing a paper diary again – good for self-therapy – as well as just keeping track of everything. It’s quite therapeutic going analog and writing things down on paper, especially as I spend so much time on a computer (including now). Anyway, to the point… I quite liked this pen, and it one of the only things that we couldn’t find having moved house. I had looked everywhere for it, and we were convinced that nothing had been left behind.  I had done a couple of sweeps and checked every room before we set off to ensure nothing was left. Being a pen, and the fact the diary was probably one of the last things to get chucked in a box, the same had probably occured.

We had still got quite a few boxes at my parents, and I had made a good point of clearing all cardboard boxes and moving things into clear storage containers. I had checked coat pockets and in cupboards the length and breadth of the house and checked the workshop too… just in case it had escaped there. It had quite literally frustrated me for months! My wife had even bought me a replacement… which is nice but wasn’t quite the same… because I missed that pen!

A little while ago, I was preparing to go out somewhere nice and had opened a shoebox with a smarter pair of shoes – up until now it’s mostly been mucky trainers and/or boots – and there it was, in the box, my old pen! I was elated. I screamed out in joy 😀  There it was. my old friend. And then somehow I was content.

A little bit of context. My manager in a previous job liked fountain pens, and when I wanted to start writing a diary again I remembered him and how he had recommended this Jinhao fountain pen years ago, it being considerably cheaper (£10 vs 000s), and to give it a go.