The news just in: James' and Cathy's son Alistair got a first. In computering, from Glasgow. He has a well-paying job all lined up, provided he got a decent degree. He’s done more than that.

I’ve had a funny day. I woke up (at the usual time) with a violent diarrhoea, spent the morning in bed, the afternoon curled up in a chair watching Inspector Montalbano and knitting sluggishly. I seem to be all right now, except that there’s not much by way of appetite. Archie is coming to lunch tomorrow, so food will have to be addressed.

I’ve finished the third peerie on Alexander’s Calcutta Cup vest – current measurement 12”. Another Fair Isle band and another peerie will take me to 15 ¼, or thereabouts. A bit short.

Mary, I was grateful for your comment: 18” to underarm for a tall husband. My original plan calls for 16 ½. I find a messy note of my own in Weinstein’s “Knits Men Want” saying that I knit 16 ½ to the armhole on a fairly recent sleeveless vest for my husband (a success, I think – what’s become of it?). It wasn’t Fair Isle, but does that matter? Vicki Square’s invaluable “Knit Great Basics” suggests 15”. That sounds too small.

Well, I may have to break for the armholes in the middle of a Fair Isle band. There are worse fates. Meg suggests casting on provisionally and adjusting the length at the end – makes sense, now.

Fermentation

The Giardiniera is indeed fairly lively – not exactly explosive, but it did overflow onto the kitchen counter, which has never happened to me before. I started off with a ziplock bag full of water holding it down, as suggested in many sources, but decided that it was much more fun to weight it down with actual weights, as before,  and cover the jar with the Lakeland lid “with auto-release gas valve for easy and simple use”.

Beverly, thanks for the pointer to tsukemono. I watched some interesting YouTube videos on the subject while lying weakly in bed this morning.