My husband continues to improve. He was out of bed and sitting in his chair yesterday, although I still don't think he has done any walking, even across the ward to the bathroom. He's still coughing up a lot of darkish phlegm. I had forgotten to tell him that Matt & Hellie were coming. Their visit was therefore a surprise as well as a great pleasure.

They said they had sent me some chilli sauce from http://www.chickenshop.com/ When I encountered it at the wedding feast, and was, as they say, blown away, I assumed that I could get it on-line like everything else in the world. But no. You have to go there. So that probably explains the dread Something-For-You card I had from the post office the other day. I have been on-line and arranged to collect it from a local post office tomorrow.

VK

You people are almost as good as my husband at talking me out of things.

I got so wrapped up in my thoughts about Rimu yarn and that VK sweater yesterday that I decided to order a couple of balls just to see what it was like. I got quite a way through the process at LoveKnitting.com, at £27 per ball. Twenty-seven pounds sterling. But at the end they said that it would be shipped from the US – presumably meaning that I would have to pay duty as well. That was too much, even for me.

I then had a look at Webs and Jimmy Bean. They both have it. $18.60 a ball at Webs, comparable or identical at Jimmy Bean. United States dollars. You could pay duty on that and still be quids in, compared to ordering it from LoveKnitting.

I think I will take your advice and think along the lines of a scarf or cowl or something.

As for VK itself, it's interesting to learn that the covers are different. That cabled wrap, number 1, presumably the US cover, is very nice indeed. We've got No 14, John Brinegar's pattern for the Mixed Media section. I'm not very keen on the whole section. I don't think mixed media works. And I'm afraid I think that pattern is the worst of the lot. I hope that remark constitutes fair-criticism and not libel.

And as for the sweater, I reminded myself this morning that I'm keen on Pam Allen's “Sophie”. Perhaps the two patterns could meet halfway somewhere. Would the Roasted Hatch Chillies overwhelm Allen's interesting cable arrangement?

I also like her “Anneke” pattern. Could that be my new Relax? I've added it to the queue.

And here's a question for you: VK likes a book called “Curls” by Hunter Hammersen. Smallish, shawl-like things, I gather, which stay on the shoulders and can be knit with any yarn. I had a look on Amazon and I think I have never seen such discordant reader opinions. Knitters with 40 years experience said they couldn't even get started with it. Others said it's absolutely wonderful and they are knitting their way through the whole book.

It's charts-only, I gather, but I don't mind charts. I'd be very glad to hear if any of you have attempted it, and if so, what you think. Maybe there'd be something in there I could knit with Rimu.