The Italian lesson went well. We are about to move on to a book called Grammatica Avanzata della Lingua Italiana which I think is what I need. The sequence of moods and tenses is worse than in Latin, especially because Federica insists on calling them by their Italian names. Gone is the good old pluperfect subjunctive. It has become the congiuntivo trapassato which is much worse. But it’s no use my floundering forever in tourist Italian.

Here’s the finished hap. When I got to this stage, I reverted to my earlier opinion, that it doesn’t need pinning. The KnitPro combs will have to wait until I finish the baby sweater.

As for creativity, I might as well say again that I don’t think it was involved at all. The work was all done by the 15 wonderful colours of Millarochy tweed. All the knitter has to do is keep to KD’s rules: 1) use all 15 colours; 2) knit in stripes of 2, 4 or 6 rows. I would perhaps add, for the sake of clarity: use each of the 15 colours in one stripe each, and then start in on them again.

Mary Lou, I am – if strength allows – going to Shetland for a Wool Adventure next month, travelling there and back by train and ferry. In May, 2020, C. and I are booked on a Majestic Line cruise to the upper left-hand corner of the Scottish mainland. For that one, I must remain sufficiently in gamba (as we say in Italian) to get on board and to go up and down the stairs to our room. But I don’t have to go on the shore excursions – C. can tell me all about them. James recommends a good and not too expensive pair of binoculars, for looking at wildlife.

Non-knit

Helen and her family have gone off to Strathardle for a long weekend. The cats and I could have joined them, but the weather is dismal and Helen would have had to make two trips to get us all there. I harvested some more wild garlic in Drummond Place Garden this morning and mean to make a garlic pesto again, and/or some wild garlic mayonnaise.

“Daniel Deronda” remains tough going. Too much authorial exposition, not enough conversation – and the Kindle app says that I have more than eight hours of it to look forward to.