There it is. If there's one thing I don't like doing, it's sewing on buttons.

I then happily picked up the Princess Shawl, and knit row 7 of the border. I had a bit of trouble with it, until I got back into my stride. Row 8 looks like a doddle. I think I'll keep on with it for the remaining four days before we go to London. When we get back, I'll know whether a second First Holy Communion veil is on the cards or not. That is, whether the one I knit for granddaughter Lizzie has turned up, and can be used by her cousins.

Rachel phoned last night -- lots seems to be going on down there. Ketki is in Japan. My sister and her husband, last heard of in Malawi, are in London. Thomas-the-Elder is about to start a four-month internship at the MorganFleming bank where Ketki works. Hellie, in Newcastle, has discovered that university life involves reading a lot of books, as well as clubbing. No mention of any veils.

I had a look at the pattern (http://www.jeanmile.demon.co.uk/lizveil.htm). I'm not sure I entirely understand it any more, but I hope it will come right in the doing. I'm thinking of using Bridget Rorem's lace alphabet -- I've got that famous copy of Piecework -- to knit an "R" and a "K" into the new veil at some point. Or "RM" and "KM"? Or would that look too much as if they were getting married to each other? R is for Rachel, who will be making her First Holy Communion next April, K for her younger sister Kirsty, the last female grandchild.