It was good of so many to take time on so busy and happy a day, to send good wishes to our niece F. at the beginning of her cancer story. Lou, I hadn't even thought about a chemo cap, and will certainly keep the possibility in mind. My track record isn't very good – when I knit a chemo cap, they live just about long enough to write the thank-you letter. But, hey! we're not superstitious around here.

A shawl is another good idea. I knit one for her elder sister after their mother's death, lacy, bright red. Maybe this is the moment for that lap rug in Jared's new collection.

Chemotherapy may not come into the story this time. F. said in her first email that some tissue will be taken on Monday as well as the lump (?lymph nodes?), and if the news comes back good she will go straight on to radiotherapy. Does that affect hair?

Shandy, walking is a good idea, too, although it's hard to get up half an hour earlier in these dark days. Was it just a year ago? or two? that we met in Islington for Franklin's class at Loop? It seems forever.

(It is worth following that link to see Shandy's very beautiful cabled throw.)

It sounds as if Lizzie had a grand Thanksgiving with extended family. It was feared that storms would make her journey east prolonged and tedious, but even that didn't happen.

My brother-in-law is on the right above; the others are Extended Family I can't name.

I got some space cleared for Christmas card writing yesterday. It's a start. My husband has taken over the dining room table – he says it's warmer in there than in his study. That is my usual card-writing-spot. The lack of it will be even trickier in January when I do the income tax.

Suddenly Christmas has reached the screaming stage.

Knitting

Not much, but forward on both fronts. I am starting the panel of upside-down yowes, on the Rams & Yowes blankie, and knitting the upper front of Milano/Relax3. A man is coming today to show my husband some pictures he owns by his [=my husband's] artist. That will be interesting for him, indeed for both of them, but I must tidy the sitting room somewhat this morning before his arrival, The knitting of simultaneous projects each using multiple shades/colours of wool makes for a lot of balls of yarn.