Relief

The oculist has been phoned, the operation postponed -- my tatties are safe! We'll probably celebrate by going to the country next week. Thank you, everybody, for messages on the subject.

You'll have heard of the goings-on in Parliament. I'm on the side of habeas corpus and our ancient liberties, myself. One gratifying tidbit: a radio journalist remarked yesterday that the situation might resolve itself during the night because the members of the House of Lords were mostly old, and would want to go home to their Ovaltine. I thought he was wrong, and sure enough -- this morning the radio tells me that the House of Lords was almost as crowded and obstreperous at 5 a.m. as it had been previously.

I learned yesterday that Parliament can deem Thursday to go on as long as necessary, and that is what is happening. Gilbert and Sullivan live!

Knitting

Above is a picture of Thomas-the-Elder's socks. The photography is, for some reason, the opposite of washed-out. Those stripes are far less conspicuous in real life.

There is a real oddity about the yarn, too. I am using Lang Jawoll, which is put up in 45 gram balls which claim 190 metres. Socka, my old friend, comes in 50 gram balls of 210 metres. Thomas' socks are done on exactly the pattern of other gents to whom he is related -- 64 stitches on 1's, 50 rounds of 2x2 ribbing, 90 rounds of st st, heel, foot. In Socka, the first ball runs out somewhere maybe 2/3rds of the way along the foot (and I've knit lots of gents' socks with Socka). This yarn, as you see, lasted until the toe-decreases were under way. I only had two balls of it, so I knew I would have to put in something else for the end of the foot, and I am particularly pleased with the effect, which really does look like a design feature. The young are so conservative -- I had been a bit worried about changing colour in mid-foot.

But the geometry of it (if that's the right word) mystifies me. Could I have done fewer than 90 rounds in the leg? I'd better count.

Do you think I'll get my books from Meg today?