Today is Rachel’s 50th birthday.

We’ve had another contribution (and another match) for our thermometer – you know who you are, and it was much appreciated.

Stash Haus, thank you for your sympathy about my knitting slump. It happened again yesterday – I finished the border pattern and embarked on the first set of dinosaurs. The tyrannosaurus is taller than the other one (stegosaurus?) so it starts three rows in advance. I did those rows, and discovered as I started attaching yarn for the other dinosaur that I had reversed the main colour – started the tyrannosaurus in the colour meant for the other one.

I toyed with the idea of incorporating this switch as a Design Feature, thought better of it, and ripped the three rows out. But I can’t take much more of this.

I think a lot of my current trouble stems from knowing what I’m going to do next, and next after that. One of the pleasures, for me, of one-thing-at-a-time knitting, is turning over in my mind what’s coming next, and in the final days getting yarn out, or ordered, or whatever is necessary. I am always surprised when I read – it often happens – of knitters who finish something and don’t know what to do next.

But at the moment, I’m boxed in.

Whatever. These troubles are minor compared to the horror of moving house. Stash Haus, you have all my sympathy. I like the sound of the place you’re going to. Now that we’ve got the internet, who needs traffic lights?

Unst

I actually floated the idea, when I was a more active member of the Heirloom Knitting group than I am now, that Sharon might lead a group to Shetland. She said she wanted to stay home and work on her next book. Would there be some way to apply gentle pressure? The trouble would be, that dozens of people would want to go and she would soon find herself a full-time tour guide. But it’s a dream worth dreaming.