Back to the Games.

Alexander's sweater, above, is (I think) Kaffe's "Circle Square Crewneck Sweater" from the Family Album book, made from a kit back in the good old days when Rowan kitted their designs. Under the influence of some Roman mosaic or other, I turned the motifs with the result you see, so that the circles are no longer circles. James is wearing a rather nice store-boughten sweater.

At some point that weekend, Alexander noticed Rachel's new Fair Isle jacket and we agreed that the neckline is rubbish, and he said to her, "Mummy isn't very good on necklines" which I think is a fair comment. Kaffe and Starmore have to take some of the blame, perhaps. Maybe it's an over-reaction in my case from the days when I knit them all too tight and had to struggle to pull things on over the heads of my suffering children.

Theo's sweater (which reappears in the background here) has a very successful neckline -- EZ's shirt yoke. And I have high hopes of the placket-and-collar which will eventually appear on Rachel's striped Koigu, the one being laboriously knit in Strathardle. Perhaps the secret is simply to avoid crew-necks.

Of the picture above: the fun of the Games for our four children, is being all together. They see something of each other in one's and two's, from time to time, but only then does the whole party re-convene, RachelAlexanderJamesandHelen.

Knitting

I'm working on repeat #72 of the Princess Shawl edging. The prospect of actually finishing draws excitingly close. I cast on for the first Wallaby sleeve yesterday, and ribbed about an inch.

After yesterday's Baby Surprise comparison, I did a sort of double-take and went back to EZ's instructions. Sure enough, she says to knit a swatch and determine gauge. Why on earth? Gauge isn't mentioned anywhere else in the instructions, and could hardly be.

Non-Knit

I am surprised that the mayor of New Orleans -- or anyone on earth, come to that -- has the authority to order the people of the city to be forceably removed if they don't want to go.

I found myself wondering how hurricane victims get selected to be hugged by the President for the benefit of banks of photographers. I-feel-your-pain. It would have to be carefully established that you weren't likely to blurt out an uncomfortable opinion; and of course security would have to be gone into. Do you suppose you would then be offered a shower? Or does he hug them as they come? The one thing we can be absolutely sure of, is that there is nothing spontaneous about the process.