will i am's delayed diary

   Covid-19 created a surgical mask obsession among the general public. Supply was scarce and the price was obscene. MYR80 was considered cheap. During the haze period, I remember buying a box for just RM7. All that drama inspired mum to start sewing face masks. But first, had to fix the leather treadle belt for her old Singer foot-operated sewing machine. So easy to source for spare parts online. Much easier and cheaper than the brick and mortar shops. Once she got it working again, she started digging out her hoard of cloth remnants from her long career as a seamstress. Mum's cloth masks were double-sided, and featured a lining at both ends. Its designed to be used with a surgical mask, where its inserted into a slit at the side. Talk about making a fashion statement in this pandemic. Most people like her batik and floral variations.    Keep safe, and keep sewing! 

I was doing some online shopping and I came across a vintage airplane model. From the photos, I thought it would be easy to assemble so I added it to my shopping cart. Just MYR9.90, so what the heck. When the package arrived, it was just two small metal sheets. All the many parts were cramped together. One needed nimble and gentle fingers to get the parts out without ruining them. The metal was thin and very bendable. Had to be careful too as some of the edges were sharp. When it came to assembly, I had to make really small creases. The parts latch together via a system of small holes and metal bits. One had to be careful, else it would not fit nicely. Needed much patience, good eyesight, and a forceps. If you make too many bends, the metal might just snap off. Took me close to three hours to finish the model. So tiring! I don't think I will attempt any more models like this unless they increase the scale.