Micro steps

This weekend was a bit glum, with bad health news about a friend, which led me to nap a bunch, listen to lots of podcasts, and cook like mad (my new outlet to procrastinate in a way that also teaches me positive nutritional habits). But this morning, I woke to a delightful email and series of photos from an Israeli I met in Japan, whom I really enjoyed spending time with. This photo in particular is so fun. Beside me is Kobayashi-san, while his son takes pictures on his phone, his friend whose late father was a basketry master stands to watch, and Izhar looks on from his chair. In these pictures, I start to see the creep of my own medical condition marked on my face, but I was so utterly present and happy during these few days in snow country. Funny how the innocent and good old days feel so long ago already!

And I just found out that Paul Denhoed has a blog that he updates intermittently but with excellent information. If you love paper, read all the posts. He knows everything that a person could possibly know without bursting about Japanese paper.