I just looked it up – Google (who never errs) says that the winter solstice is tomorrow, at 10.02 a.m. I thought we had to wait until Tuesday. So that’s good news.

 

Tamar, you are right that the history of the celebration of these things is an interesting one. I believe the former Scottish obsession with the New Year was a product of the Presbyterian suppression of Christmas. I think something similar happened in Soviet Russia. We northerners need to celebrate the return of light, one way or another. At some point the British year, or at least some aspects of it, ended on March 25 – which is the Feast of the Annunciation and also, as near as dammit, the vernal equinox. When we switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar (I hope I’ve got that the right way around) it meant we had to skip ahead 12 days. People got really agitated, believing that their lives had been shortened by that many days. And that is why, to this day, the British Income Tax year ends on April 5. And there are still places in Scotland where the Old New Year is observed.

 

We are all in a tizzy, here in Europe, about the new, fast-spreading version of the corona virus. Helen’s husband David was wise to cancel his Christmas visit – there would have been a real possibility that he couldn’t get back to Greece. Everybody is cutting us off. Channel tunnel trains are suspended. Their son Mungo escaped from London last night, along with many others – there were six hours between the announcement and the lockdown, giving many the chance to escape and spread the virus as far as possible. He is now here (I think) and Helen rightly says that all of them must stay away from me (except for walks outdoors) for a fortnight or so.

 

Sherman Hill Knits (comment yesterday) – I can’t tell you more about the quiz, yet. Each party – that is, each Zoom link, containing however many people --  thinks of five questions (harder than it sounds), and we take turns asking them, and then mark ourselves. Much laughter, but we take it deadly seriously. I think I’ve got my questions ready but of course must not reveal them.

 

And as for knitting, I am getting on fine with the centre square of the new hap:

 

I’m pleased with the fabric and the colour.

 

I’ve finished “The Honourable Schoolboy. It’s not very cheerful. Le Carre is never very cheerful, in fact, is he? Although “Little Drummer Girl” has what might be considered a happy ending, at least.