Everything's fine. Fan broke on my laptop a month ago and took a while to fix as the replacement ordered didn't turn up so had to be reordered, hence my temporary silence. It's taking me a while to get back up to speed, who's left, who's been banned and who's come back &c.
Yes, but it's called survival of the fittest. Funnily enough, talking about Parker pens, I found one in a drawer two years ago and thought I would use it to write my Xmas cards. I had to seek out an old-fashioned stationer's to buy some ink. The last time I bought a bottle it cost 2s 6d. This time it cost me £4!!! It took me weeks to get over the shock. By volume it is much more than the cost of drink.