The week has begun.

Helen and her family are here, David on his way to Thessaloniki and the rest of them to the Chinese State Circus this afternoon and then back to Kirkmichael. In fact, they swapped a boy with James's family. What you see above is Alistair Miles of Beijing having breakfast just now with his cousins Fergus and Archie Drake of Thessaloniki. The other picture is of Alistair, left, and Archie, playing dice last night.

Helen says that chores have been allotted for the rest of the week. My job is the picnic lunch to be eaten out of the backs of cars on Games Day. One has to get to the field very early to get a place for one's car by the ring. With all those people, we'll need two cars. Ample quantities of drink are of course essential.

Knitting

The pouch is attached to Fergus' Wallaby, and looks good. A row of purl bumps really helps. I measured the boy himself carefully last night. I did a course with Kristin Nicholas at Stitches East once, on designing for children, and remember her saying that they do not, on the whole, expand much as they grow, they just get longer.

And I'm more than halfway through Repeat No #62 on the Princess Shawl edging. One can think of them as years in a long life, if one likes (there being 85 in all). I'll soon reach my own age. There's an irritating mistake in #61 -- not worth doubling back for, but I could easily have avoided it.

A neighbour is expecting a baby with a bad cleft palate, revealed on a scan. The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh suggested an abortion, but the family rejected that option and now the doctors are saying "It's nothing we can't deal with" and everyone is much happier. I feel a Baby Surprise coming on. Koigu is terrific for that, as for so much else. Thank you for your comment, MP!