Today was meant to be just a plain vanilla Day – but my husband has a podiatry appt tomorrow, so that means a Foot Wash today. Not as bad as a bath, but not trivial. Then, on Wednesday, Strathardle.

How did life get to be so difficult? Gilbert and Sullivan again, this time the Pirates:

Frederick: Your face is lined, your hair is grey.

       Ruth: It's gradually got so.

Rachel phoned last night, looking forward rather gloomily to the Games [the Strathardle Highland Gathering, on the fourth Saturday in August]. Gloomy because of all the driving – she and Ed are older than they used to be, just like us – and wondering how we can possibly manage without Helen. The Greeks are all going back to Athens in early August this year. The Lord will provide (five successive meals for a dozen people or so), I said. She thought Helen would have been a better bet.

Knitting continues to move forward. Three-rounds-a-day, for Rams and Yowes, is proving an excellent idea. I knit them with alacrity, keen to finish my stint. And with yarn this heavy – it's only DK, but that seems heavy to a lace knitter – the pattern moves forward at a satisfactory pace. The third rank of yowes now has faces. A new background colour appears on the scene today.

Kristie sent me this valuable Ravelry link to someone who sort of gave up on the border. It's good to have that idea up my sleeve. I am assuming, as I march onwards, that the border will be easier and pleasanter knitting. I won't have to struggle to push the stitches about, once I've only got one colour on the needles. I don't mind a million stitches and tedium, as long as the knitting is easy. We shall see.

Apart from other considerations, Edinburgh has been warm enough these last few days – believe it or not – that Rams & Yowes is uncomfortable on that account.

And the border of the Unst Bridal Shawl moves forward. The yarn in the sixth ball is still not extinguished. There was a tantalising post to the HeirloomKnitting group in Yahoo this morning, from someone in exactly my position – she's been doing it since January, she's knitting the edging. But I can't remember how to get into the Yahoo Groups files – I get the posts as emails – so I have written to her.

And actually, I must be a wee bit ahead. a) because I've already knit the edging,and then discarded it – that doesn't really count; and b) because I'm ¼ of the way around, knitting the edging on, whereas she has just started. She probably has far fewer mistakes and I keenly look forward to seeing her pictures and corresponding with her. Isn't the internet wonderful?