Last Train to San Fernando

Alexander, yesterday, took his sons for a ride on the 159, remembering the day long ago when a friend took him and Rachel for a ride on the Last Glasgow Tram. That is a picture of James Miles-the-Younger actually stepping up onto the open platform of an old-style bus for the last time in the world. Behind him is a pushchair containing his brother, Thomas-the-Younger, controlled by their nanny, Carleen.

And from Rachel: "Joe and i had a wonderful time on the bus yesterday. we felt like celebrities with people lining the whole route taking pictures. We saw saw some beautiful old buses and listened to all the sweet men on the bus reminiscing about the different models."

I can't remember the route number of the last Glasgow tram, but no one who was there could ever forget that its destination was Auchenshuggle.

Knitting

The winter IK turned up yesterday, definately an occasion for pulses to quicken. I am even rather tempted by the Pearl Buck Swing Jacket -- I think the shape might suit the shapeless matronly figure. And the yarn is British -- Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK -- so I could get it without paying duty. Indeed, they have it in my local John Lewis, in a range of uninspiring colours. There must be better ones out there.

And, oh! the ad for the Mediterranean cruise on page 65! Candace Strick is a friend, and Elizabeth Lavold a designer I admire extravagantly, and every port of call except perhaps Marseille, somewhere I have been and would love to re-visit, or somewhere I haven't been and would love to see. It's only a dream. I couldn't leave my vegetable garden in July. But what a dream!

JoVE, that's not dental floss I'm knitting the Communion Veil with -- just you wait until I get back to the Princess Shawl. This is Sharon Miller's Merino Lace. I started out knitting the Princess with it, and was having a great time, until Sharon herself rang me up and told me to stop, the yarn was too big for the job. The Princess is now being done in her Gossamer Merino. I haven't ordered more Merino Lace yet. I am determined, if possible, not to add to stash with this job, and so will knit until the current ball is nearly done and I can gauge how much more I need.

Speaking of stash, there is an idiotic little article in the current magazine of the Knitting and Crochet Guild, wondering why we do it. That's easy, lady: for fear the yarn won't be there next year. What will happen to Koigu when Maie Landra retires? She's not young. What has happened to Socka Colors? I could go on. We all could. The safest place for yarn is in my cupboard.