manna from Oregon

My husband's sister reads this blog and noted my treasured purchase of some Indonesian tjaps (pronounced "chops") some months back. Out of nowhere last week, a package arrived from her, wrapped in the uber Klebaum way (my mother-in-law was the Packaging Queen of the West): layers of tape, paper, labels, all designed to ensure a safe arrival and necessitating the enlisting of multiple knives and scissors to retrieve the contents.

A small handwritten note: "Bangkok, 1967" - where my career Army nurse sister-in-law was stationed during the Vietnam War -- and a vivid description of how she saw these tools used to make batik cloth skirts.

The handwriting echoed the hand of my husband's mother - schoolboard perfect loops and slant, an imaginary straight line guiding the script.

Indeed, a layered gift -- thoughtful, delightful, evocative. I thank you, Julie.