I had a period of inactivity in instrument building at the end of 2013 and all of 2014. The hard use on my thumbs over my life resulted in basal joint arthritis, to the point where I could barely hold a chisel or open a door on bad days. I decided for reconstructive surgeries on both thumbs (which were great successes), but that meant that first one hand and then the other was out of commission for months at a time. Just as healing was complete, my wife and I went to India for five months for her to continue her research into Tamil poetry. Thus the big gap in building!

Old friends

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai