tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84663852024-03-18T23:27:39.140+00:00Jean's KnittingJeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.comBlogger5617125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-26747052243958459262024-03-18T17:06:00.012+00:002024-03-18T18:43:44.559+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">A quiet day — no one came to see us. And, again, a spring day. They’re having nice weather in Kirkmichael, too. Helen has sent a picture of our teeny tiny wellingtonia. It’s looking well. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I pressed on with knitting. I have finished the Calcutta Cup, and — because I positioned the Cup farther down than I meant to — I have almost finished the first half of the plain vanilla st st band at the waist. Within a couple of rounds, I must turn around and knit the same amount up again and join for a hem.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> But mostly, apart from dozing, I have pressed forward with Chinese cookery and my project of working my way through Fuchsia Dunlop’s “Every Grain of Rice”. I won’t be able to attempt the next recipe until I have a grocery delivery on Wednesday plus some more delicacies from Sous Chef. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Dunlop has a page early on called “magic ingredients”. If you have them in your larder, you can whip up a delicious Chinese meal in no time from the desiccated vegetables in the back of your refrigerator, or so it is claimed. I am ordering ingredients as they crop up in recipes. No point in getting too far ahead of myself — I might lose interest. I sent for six items today; two or three last week. I haven’t got <i>any </i>of Fuchsia’s magic ingredients yet. My next recipe will be “Cold Chicken with a Spicy Sichuanese Sauce”.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: Mark’s brilliant two was the scene-stealer today. Thomas and Ketki and Theo were the threes. Alexander and Rachel and I came chugging up behind with fours. Nothing from Roger yet. It’s early. I may yet be able to record his score before I fold and go to bed. And I am able: it was a very creditable three, and I can still hold up for another ten minutes or so. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-25028464111204143352024-03-17T17:22:00.001+00:002024-03-17T17:22:59.827+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Many American holidays have insinuated themselves here, notably Christmas and Mother’s Day and evenThanksgiving. (All of those were known here, but in recent years the American form of observance has taken over.) One outstanding exception is today. If you live in Ireland, you’re welcome to celebrate. If not, forget it. St Patrick was getting out of hand in the US when I was young, in the early 50’s. I rejoice annually in having escaped it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> On the other hand, this has been a real first-day-of-spring sort of day. The light in the bedroom this morning seemed an hour brighter, although it couldn’t have been. The sun is shining. It’s warm.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Scotland lost at rugby yesterday, but we didn’t disgrace ourselves. I didn’t watch either of the other matches — watching rugby is hard work. Both were thrilling. Italy beat Wales. They’ve had their best season ever.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I made a Chinese lunch — “tofu bamboo with spring-onion flavoured oil”. It was really rather nice. I now have to pause for a few days and order some more ingredients.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> No knitting, though.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: my two starters gave me all five browns today — I don’t think that has ever happened before. The struggle with the anagram wasn’t too bad — three for me. Alexander, Mark, Thomas, and Theo had threes as well. Four for Rachel. Five for Ketki and Roger. A lot pf people struggled with the second letter.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-72502647326750287882024-03-15T17:40:00.003+00:002024-03-15T17:48:37.973+00:00<p><span style="font-size: large;">A bit better, today. The weather is a bit brighter. I got some knitting done — one more round will finish off the Calcutta Cup. I mean to do that this evening. The final Six Nations matches are tomorrow. Ireland v. Scotland is fairly late in the afternoon and we are very likely to lose. If you don’t hear from me, that’s why.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> David is coming from Thessaloniki tomorrow. He and Helen will stop here on their way to Strathardle. I will re-emphasise the importance of a picture of our Wellingtonia. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Thank you for your food comment, Lisa. I found smoked tofu with celery boring. Not enough chilli sauce? No peanuts? Should I have fried the Tofu? I will press on — the next recipe is Tofu Bamboo with Spring Onion Flavoured Oil, and for that I have to wait until some tofu bamboo and Sichuanese pickled chilli is delivered from London.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> AA Gill, of whom I was a great fan, said once that if you want to be a good cook, the trick is not to cook ten things, but to cook one thing ten times (and get it right). Perhaps when I get to a recipe that nearly pleases, I’ll pause and try it that way. My mother (who loved them) was violently allergic to nuts. I’ve never had such a reaction, but I don’t much like them and tend to avoid.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">356 Wordle: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Mysteriously, Thomas says he scored four today — but Wordle says he failed, and set his 356 day streak back to 0. Maybe you’re not allowed more than a year? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> I, too, scored four, as did Rachel, Theo and Roger. Mark scored three, and the husband-and-wife team of Alexander and Ketki were the stars with two each (but different grids). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-42714758247968395752024-03-14T17:31:00.006+00:002024-03-14T17:34:38.213+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Gloom reappeared, weather-wise. And there is little else to report. I haven’t done any knitting at all — not illness or even decline, I don’t think, just disinclination to having to push the stitches around that slightly-too-small needle (see yesterday). I am about to attempt smoked tofu with celery and peanuts from”Every Grain of Rice” for my supper, because it’s next in the book. I may leave the peanuts out.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> What I neglected to mention yesterday is that there has been an article in a horticultural/scientific journal about Wellingtonias. Apparently there are far more in GB than in California. They were brought here in the mid-nineteenth century. The one in the youthful Agatha Christie’s garden (as mentioned here recently) will have been an early specimen. It grows quickly, and, in maturity, is the largest living thing on earth.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The article apparently doesn’t mention that Mrs Miles of Strathardle put one in recently. I’ll have Helen photograph ours when she is next there.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: My starters gave me three browns and a green. I hate anagrams. But all my entries were real guesses — no Jean-words. I scored a very undistinguished five. So did Roger in DC; some comfort. My nephew Theo, his son, also in DC, scored a brilliant two.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Everybody else scored either three or four. Alexander and his son Thomas, to be specific, were the threes, with identical grids.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-24873023417252261562024-03-13T17:54:00.003+00:002024-03-13T17:56:56.603+00:00<p><span style="font-size: large;">The sun came out, late this afternoon. It’s extraordinary the extent to which it raises the spirits.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Not much knitting. I thought that perhaps now I have identified the problem — that knitting the welt on a smaller-gauge needle is </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">tight and slightly unpleasant — it would be easier to plow on, but it isn’t. Fairly soon I’ll have done my three inches (fairly soon, at least, if I can persuade myself to do any knitting). Then I turn it inside out and knit another three. Do I dare go up a needle size? No, surely not.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> C. came this morning, all well. No news. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Anonymous, I hope you enjoy Every Grain of Rice. Some years ago, when I could walk, I started working my way through it systematically. I got up as far as “silken tofu with avocado” on page 42 (not very </span><span style="font-size: xx-large;">far) on 4/1/19 — my note is “dull, even with wasabi”.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: xx-large;"> Today, I decided to resume the practice. I have a grocery order coming tomorrow anyway. I added the few extra things I would need for the next two recipes, and off we go.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: xx-large;"> Wordle: I had a tough time today, and was pleased not to fail. The starters afforded two vowels, a green and a brown. I used a Jean-word in line three, which gave me a second green vowel. I finally thought of a word that fit — wrong but useful. I got it in line five. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: xx-large;"> Alexander joined me there. Rachel had a four. The other three Brits scored three. In DC, both Roger and Theo scored four.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p> </p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-47433181535186775002024-03-12T18:41:00.001+00:002024-03-12T18:41:58.337+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">A grey and relatively uneventful day. Helen came late (=just now) after a busy day preparing for a teaching session next week. We had a nice time (Helen, me, carer) talking about. The Royal Family. I thought it was just me who had an unhealthy </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">interest.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Knitting has progressed somewhat. I am knitting a broad st st band at the bottom of the sweater (which I am knitting top down). I have gone down a needle size, as instructed, and the result is that knitting is not so pleasant or easy as I expected. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> I’ve been thinking about Chinese food (of all things). I find it I have the audio version of Fuchsia Dunlop’s “Invitation to a Banquet”. I’m sure I’ve got the book — I read it last summer when I was in Cramond. But A) I can’t find it now and B) I’m equally sure I never bought the audio book.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Still, here it is, and I’ve been enjoying it. Fuchsia herself is the reader. Nice voice. I think I’ll have another look at her “Every Grain of Rice”. I can’t cook, since I can’t walk, but I can boss carers about fairly successfully.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Wordle: I scored a not-entirely-disgraceful three. Alexander joined me there. Ketki, Mark and Rachel had four, Thomas five. However, the really interesting score came from further away. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Theo had four, nothing interesting about that. Roger’s first row was ???, ???, grn, ???, grn. So was his second row, and third, and fourth, and fifth, and sixth. I’ve never seen anything like it. No browns in the mixture at all.Tomorrow when I am somewhat more alert (perhaps) I will try to think what some of his guesses might have been</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-29369052548113927272024-03-11T17:11:00.000+00:002024-03-11T17:11:02.449+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Another day of non-achievement. There’s still time for a bit of knitting. Grey and cold.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Mysteriouser and mysteriouser, when it comes to the Royal Family. Or is it just that they’ve got accessibility wrong? I wasn’t happy with that now-infamous Mother ‘s Day picture from the beginning, not for any of the real reasons but because it looked to me as if mother and children were smiling on different occasions. That could have been because she is a grown-up (and not very well). It’s encouraging, I guess, that she feels well enough to take on some photo-shopping.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: I struggled this morning, resorted to a Jean-word (= couldn’t possibly be right) for line four, got it in five. All the other players on this side of the pond scored four. In DC, Theo was another four and Roger, as often, hasn’t been heard from yet. Whatever he regularly does first thing in the morning, it isn’t Wordle.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-46419513971735688262024-03-10T17:41:00.002+00:002024-03-10T17:41:53.728+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday was rugby again, as you may well have guessed. Scotland were beaten by Italy in Rome. An exciting match, and a victory it was difficult to begrudge them. England beat Ireland in London, another thriller. They are surely the only two of the Six Nations who have fired real bullets at each other in relatively recent years.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The other Nations are Scotland, Wales, France and Italy.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Today’s match was France against Wales, in Wales. France won. That was a good one, too, until France pulled away in the last ten minutes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Next weekend we play Ireland and are very likely to get beaten. Then it’s over for another year. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Helen came to lunch. Fortunately I had a Mindful Chef vegetarian number on hand.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Knitting progressed somewhat, but much of the time was spent winding the next ball. Still, that’s progress.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: We were spread about a bit today. Thomas and Rachel were the stars, with two. Roger, Alexander and Mark scored three. Theo and I had fours. Poor Ketki crept home with a five.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> One mildly interesting thing is that Thomas and Ketki and I had no browns, throughout the game. I don’t remember that ever happening before.</span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-74242987567484536012024-03-08T17:50:00.001+00:002024-03-08T17:50:13.162+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Another grey, chill day. The knitting has advanced. I’m pretty sure the Calcutta Cup bit is somehow reversed. Helen thinks so, at first glance. (When she is designing a mosaic, she uses a transparent paper. When the design is ready, she can just turn it over.)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> But she also thought I could just go ahead. She thinks the result will be rather entertaining. I still don’t know what I expect. The Cup will be OK — it’s symmetrical, as rendered in knitting. And everything will be the right way up. Mirror-image? for the numbers. I’ll keep you posted.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Hilde (comment yesterday) : That’s what I’m doing, knitting the usual Calcutta Cup pattern upside down. I don’t at all understand where the difficulty comes from. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I spent some time on a grocery order. Waitrose is out of globe artichokes! Springtime couldn’t be over in the Mediterranean quite yet!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Commenters asked yesterday about the change of carers. That’s the way this firm does it, two weeks on and two weeks off for everybody. It makes sense, and I like both of my two. I miss Wafa — she and I were working on a system where she could stay here most of the time. But everybody else thought she was encroaching too much and moved in without my prior knowledge to send her away. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Wordle: Most of us had four today. I scored a doltish five, Rachel a smart three.Theo, in DC, was another three and, as not infrequently, we haven’t heard from his father Roger yet. </span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-21687036877829116152024-03-07T17:44:00.001+00:002024-03-07T17:45:31.436+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">I did at least some knitting. I became completely convinced that the Calcutta Cup was backwards — although not upside down. Could it just remain backwards? Not if the digits in “24” were reversed. I was on the point of ripping back when I began to doubt myself. I’ll tackle it in the morning tomorrow, when I’m brighter, and I’ll also ask Helen who must encounter analogous problems in mosaic-making.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Otherwise there is little to report. We had the fortnightly carer turnover. It went peacefully. But still made the day a bit stressful.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Helen was here this morning, tidying up after recent mosaic-making. The vital delete key on her laptop computer seems to have put itself right (see Tuesday). She is trying to organise my well-meaning but somewhat feckless carers into taking better care of the house. They ought to, for what we pay. They take good care of me — no difficulty there. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: another day without much spread. Here in Britain, Thomas scored a dazzling two. Alexander, Mark, Rachel and I had three. Four for Ketki. In DC, Theo had another three, and Roger another dazzling two. </span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-23892610771358476452024-03-06T18:00:00.001+00:002024-03-06T18:00:27.294+00:00<p> </p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Grey, chilly. I got a bit of knitting done, and continue to be satisfied that I’ve got the Calcutta Cup the right way around. Another day’s work should make it certain, if I can ever persuade myself to do another day’s work. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for interesting remarks about. wellingtonias. I assume they’re called that here in honour of the greatest 19th century Englishman. I was particularly interested in your news, Mary Lou, that they won’t “do” where you are. Strathardle is pretty cold, but the show garden attached to a big house further up the glen (=colder) has a successful one. So does the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. Ours has only been in a year, and is very happy, I think. I’ll get Helen to take a picture the next time she is there.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> You suggest an interesting addition to my food list of yesterday, Tamar: namely rhubarb. I love it. How did I ever taste it? We never had it at home, nor at Oberlin, and I sailed off to Glasgow assuming it was a rare and expensive growth like artichokes. (It grows almost like a weed.) </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I don’t eat it nowadays because I try to avoid sugar. And for 2024 I fear I have already missed its best moment — the forced rhubarb of Jan and Feb. It will be available here in some form all year round, always pretty cheap. I </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">was interested in your remark that it is not always available in US supermarkets.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Wordle: The British contingent was evenly split between threes and fours — I was a three. In DC, Theo was another four, and his father Roger flattened us all with a two. </span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-56179652931056475452024-03-05T17:54:00.000+00:002024-03-05T17:54:14.656+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Bright and sunny but still cold. Helen has finished her mosaic but now finds that the Delete key on her portable computer doesn’t work so she has rushed up the hill to Apple in the hopes of being able to deal with some of the administration that has been piling up while she made the mosaic.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I haven’t done any more knitting. This is bad.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I have been thinking about the delicious things that go in and out of season, especially this time of year, and are so easily overlooked when you shop on-line.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> 1) marmalade oranges. I think I’ve missed them for this year. I don’t want to make marmalade but I would like to use the juice instead of lemon juice for a happy week or two.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> 2) globe artichokes.They are currently in season around the Mediterranean and I love them above all else.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> 3) local asparagus. It will be with us in a moment. It grew abundantly in the grandparents’ gardens of my childhood and was cooked to death and I never suspected that there was anything special about it until middle age was fairly advanced.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> 4) sweet corn. I mention this simply honoris causa. I will never taste it again, as it should be, within hours of picking. The last time I was in the US, for nephew Theo’s wonderful wedding, Hellie Ogden and I got there fairly late after a long hard day. I don’t remember why I should have been helping in the kitchen, but I do remember that the outside rubbish bin was nearly full of corn husks — from the day before. I got that close. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: I got a creditable four. Roger and Theo both failed, stuck as I was two days ago with four greens and the first letter to be filled in and too many possibilities. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Mark and Rachel had six, Ketki five, same problem. Alexander and Thomas had four, like me, and like me came at the problem from a different direction. My starters gave me a green in the first position so I was spared that hopeless guessing. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-4747402301144989212024-03-04T18:32:00.001+00:002024-03-04T18:32:47.235+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">I think I feel a bit better today — and I have started the long climb back towards my Wordle winning streak. The next excitement will be in May, if I get that far. See below.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I’ve started knitting the Calcutta Cup, and so far I think I’m knitting it the right way up and the right way around.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Helen has been working here all day again. She says she is getting on well. Through her agency, a device for getting a wheelchair up and down our outdoor stairs (of which we have six) will be demonstrated to us on Wednesday. That’s an exciting prospect, as the days lengthen.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I am reading Lucy Worsley’s biography of Agatha Christie, and would recommend it. One of the ladies who came to tea last Friday (was it?) brought it to me. I was interested to learn that there was a Wellingtonia in the garden where she grew up. I am devoted to that tree and have recently had one planted in Kirkmichael. The first seeds were brought to GB in the mid-nineteenth century, so little Agatha’s tree </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">may have been one of the very first crop. Lucy W. went to the spot where the house had been — it is safe to deduce that there is no Wellingtonia there now. (Wellingtonia = California redwood)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Wordle: I scored four. My starters gave me two green vowels. My first guess — line three — made it four greens and I thought, here we go again. But perhaps there were fewer options today. At any event, line four was right.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The rest of us were spread all over the place. Roger was the only other four. Theo, Mark, Alexander and Ketki scored threes — the majority score. Poor Rachel took five, and today’s genius (as often) was Thomas with two.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-19695551484460107692024-03-03T17:30:00.000+00:002024-03-03T17:30:59.205+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">I failed at Wordle today. Details below.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I continue to feel somewhat subdued (although I think the failure at Wordle was just bad luck). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I got a bit of knitting done, but have paused. I’m knitting top-down, as you know, and trying to insert the Calcutta Cup and the date into a broad st st panel at navel height in the Spalding pattern. Once I get the pattern correctly established, the rest will be straightforward. But I’m not at all sure I have done that. It not only has to be the right way up, but also the right way around. See the baby blanket above for the parameters of the problem. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> C. came to see me this morning. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: Lying in bed last night, I had a premonition of how my winning streak would end — and sure enough, I was right. My starters gave me two greens and two browns. My line three turned the browns green. Line four, line five and even line six went on guessing that fourth letter in vain.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Theo, Ketki and Thomas all had similar difficulty, but weren’t nearly as inventive as I was — or much luckier — and escaped with fives. Alexander was there too but managed a four. Mark was another five, but his problem was the second letter, not the fourth. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Roger did it in three, and Rachel — how on earth? — in only two.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-17044469888452094202024-03-02T17:50:00.000+00:002024-03-02T17:50:29.262+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">I’m feeling a bit subdued, as for the last couple of days. No symptoms, no excuse. No knitting, either. I have always rejoiced in having a hobby that could follow me so far along the downward slope. I hope this doesn’t mean I’ve hit bottom. I’m ready to start knitting the Calcutta Cup into the Spalding sweater. Chart updated, stitches counted.</span></p><p> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Helen has been here again, and got some indoor gardening done. The sweet peas in my salad machine were already getting too tall and floppy. They each now have their own pot. Helen hopes to grow them to maturity indoors. She says our sunny doorstep is too windy. I’m dubious.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Wordle: a three for me at last. I’ve now got a winning streak of 60 in pursuit of a maximum streak of 67. Getting scary.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Four was the majority score today — Mark and Theo joined me with 3; Rachel </span><span style="font-size: xx-large;">needed 5</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-13690695490447723862024-03-01T18:24:00.000+00:002024-03-01T18:24:24.591+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Not time for much. We’ve had visitors. I’m exhausted.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Thomas Kingston committed suicide. There were hints in some of yesterday’s reports.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I was going to suggest to you that Israel seems to be working for Trump’s re-election. Then today I read that Trump and Netanyahu are pals. Maybe it’s true. Maybe Netanyahu is pushing Biden for every bullet and drone he can get, in the happy knowledge that he is making his re-election ever less certain. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Mostly threes and fours for Wordle today. Ketki and I both scored five. I found it very difficult and was delighted with my five. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-45727471997897832582024-02-29T17:13:00.004+00:002024-02-29T17:16:14.305+00:00<p><span style="font-size: large;">I’m back in the sitting room, poking away with one finger again. I’ve been sleepy.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Happy Leap Day to us all!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The newspapers are full of reports of Tom Kingston’s sudden and unexpected death (husband of minor Royal Lady Gabriella, daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent). Presumably we will know more eventually. One source — I’ve now forgotten which — specifically said that Prince William’s sudden and unexpected withdrawal from his godfather’s memorial service yesterday was not linked.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Otherwise I have little to report. Archie came to see me. Helen has been here. My watch gave up the ghost and my current carer went down to Tesco to buy a new battery for it. It was so expensive that I fear we are approaching the moment when we throw away a watch that needs a new battery. I can remember the days when an electronic watch with 100% accuracy (with an honest Arabic face) — which is what I wear — cost rather a lot. There was something called an Accutron.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> No knitting. But a new needle has arrived in the post. I had the right gauge in one that was uncomfortably long and one that was uncomfortably short. I hope I’ve got it right this time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: a three, at last, for me. And for Alexander and for Mark and for Theo. Four for Rachel and Roger. Five for Ketki. Uncharacteristic silence for Thomas.</span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-47560999040149866842024-02-28T17:04:00.001+00:002024-02-28T17:04:54.916+00:00<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is a
departure. I’m back in the Catalogue Room, trying to write to you on my aged
mobile computer. After all these weeks, it seems slower and stiffer even than I
am, and (so far) I can’t load Freecell. I always liked to start with a couple
of hands of that. It’s bliss to be back to an actual keyboard.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not much to report, either. I’ve
successfully plotted “TheCalcuttaCup ‘24” and done a bit more knitting. I think
I’m nearly ready to plunge in, and have decided to knit the motif only once,
and to keep the knitting circular by cutting the contrast yarn after every row.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m feeling a certain amount of mental
sludge. Hard to express, but a sudden awareness of diminishing acuity. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Comments: You may well be right,
Catdownunder, that Prince William was absent from his godfather’ memorial
service because of the sudden death of Thomas Kingston. How is he (Prince
William) related to Lady Gabriella? (This will sound like gibberish. See
yesterday’s comment for a starter.) My mother was brilliant at relationships
and could spot a second cousin twice removed at fifty paces. I enjoy it, but
can’t, in this case, be bothered to figure out exactly where Prince and
Princess Michael of Kent fit into the scheme of things.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole point of being back here in the
catalogue room is to show you pictures. I’ll skip great-grandchildren for the
moment to show you snowdrops from Helen’s recent visit to Burnside.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlh_CulzjtC5dGSsPoPCG0aRVlasWX05zWjqEWIjpU4PrI7GHs8pMbGxpgwXf9p2E8Xf0Pt8B3G3qEwBuXWGyC9nE7N0d4bkNS5b3up2t_USscfx6rtW6tgc13Jtei5FLrSoM7NBfd7hnaXNTnGSHwE3bJqnanapMbBvbVBPAy_wtE2gR9lI5/s4032/Snow%20drops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlh_CulzjtC5dGSsPoPCG0aRVlasWX05zWjqEWIjpU4PrI7GHs8pMbGxpgwXf9p2E8Xf0Pt8B3G3qEwBuXWGyC9nE7N0d4bkNS5b3up2t_USscfx6rtW6tgc13Jtei5FLrSoM7NBfd7hnaXNTnGSHwE3bJqnanapMbBvbVBPAy_wtE2gR9lI5/s320/Snow%20drops.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a picture of Paradox having a nap in her
new home in the south of England. There is no doubt that both she and Perdita
are much happier cats now that there are hundreds of miles between them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvl9KN6li0MgL8jNF3qDy8i01jlTR9xueRq-myrrijs6LzreV6BciJETK1K2HwdNc-74uyGwtwgT682pEqS6y9Jab3ClkaPmAhR6jpXQDdFIouWMqScVqWz7ycFhFZ3nheFdNLh2URsFe4u-rJQ6MXYSVjQHlO2KlDLBc4elV_WTd7z1RU_in/s2048/IMG-20230916-WA0013%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvl9KN6li0MgL8jNF3qDy8i01jlTR9xueRq-myrrijs6LzreV6BciJETK1K2HwdNc-74uyGwtwgT682pEqS6y9Jab3ClkaPmAhR6jpXQDdFIouWMqScVqWz7ycFhFZ3nheFdNLh2URsFe4u-rJQ6MXYSVjQHlO2KlDLBc4elV_WTd7z1RU_in/s320/IMG-20230916-WA0013%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wordle: another day of predominantly fours.
Alexander had a five (I didn’t think it was all that easy, either) and Mark a
three. Theo was another four, in DC, and, as has happened before, we haven’t
heard from Roger yet. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-42061066552149083162024-02-27T17:19:00.000+00:002024-02-27T17:19:15.304+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Helen is working here again today. We had lunch together and discussed, as one does, Prince William’s last-minute withdrawal from his godfather’s memorial service. Royals don’t do that sort of thing. Helen didn’t know, not being interested in rugby, that Princess Anne had missed the Calcutta Cup.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> We were alarmed. On the other hand both Princess Anne and the Queen were present at the memorial service, so there is probably no alarming conclusion to be drawn.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Helen took me on a wheelchair tour of the house this morning. I didn’t find “the book I think I need” (see yesterday) but I did find a book of knitting-shaped graph paper, and my chart for 2004, which gave me a needed 2. Nowadays I do the date in the form ‘24 and so forth, so recent 2’s were in short supply. I could wing it, for 4.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> (That doesn't entirely make sense. But I couldn’t find my charts from any of the last three years.)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> So this year’s chart is ready. I’ll do a bit more round-and-round st st and then launch into it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: Roger scored five today. Everybody else had four. We are getting more uniform, lłl</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-54246252358489957922024-02-26T17:46:00.005+00:002024-02-26T17:46:56.503+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">I was puzzled about Princess Anne too, Chloe (comment yesterday). She was presumably kept away from the Calcutta Cup match by family or general royal duties. Or maybe she just had a cold. We’ll never know. I know she will have been sorry not to be there.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> If you’re at all interested, follow up Maureen in Fargo’s comment yesterday, pointing to the blog entry where there is a picture of me holding up my knitting to the Cup Itself and also other Cup-related and knitting-related pictures. Thanks, Maureen.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> For ‘24, I plan to put the Cup and date in that navel-level stretch of plain vanilla st st which I have just reached in the Spalding sweater (Brooklyn Tweed) (which is knit top-down). I have been much frustrated today in not being able to WALK around the house to find the book I think I need to make a chart for “ ‘24”. I know what it looks like. I know where it should be. I can’t remember what it’s called. Appreciate walking while you can, those of you who can still do it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Wordle: I cancelled my NYT subscription yesterday — WordleBot wasn’t worth it. I was anxious lest they would strip me of my winning streak. But they didn’t. I am currently 55, hoping to get past my </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">all-time-high of 67. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Threes and fours today. I was a three, I am pleased to report. In DC, it was three for Theo and four for his</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> father Roger. Over here, Ketki and I were the threes. Thomas hasn’t been heard from yet.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-61998107707149078302024-02-25T17:26:00.000+00:002024-02-25T17:26:39.664+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Princess Anne wasn’t there yesterday, to see Scotland win a 4th successive Calcutta Cup. She is patron of Scottish rugby, and a most devoted and enthusiastic one over many years. She wouldn’t have stayed away in favour of toasted cheese by the fire.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Since I am being so feeble about illustration, please look the Cup up in Wikipedia or somewhere. It’s rather beautiful. It is close to being the oldest sporting trophy in circulation. It was made in Calcutta of silver melted down from rupees remaining to a British regimental rugby club, and has been awarded to England or Scotland, as appropriate, after the annual match ever since.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I went to see it once, taking a tour of Murrayfield while it was here. Somewhere there is a picture of me holding up some of my Calcutta Cup knitting next to the Real Thing. I sought in vain for that picture this morning. Nowadays there is a duplicate cup which lives at the loser’s stadium. When we were being shewn around at Murrayfield we were told that the only perceptible difference is the slightly darker colour of the Real Thing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I first incorporated it into knitting into a Christening shawl for Kirsty Miles, James’ and Cathy’s daughter. That was for a great triumph, in the year 2000. Scotland had lost every game, even against Italy. England had won all of hers. A former Scotland coach, Ian McGheechan, remarked at the time, “They won the Six Nations. We won the Calcutta Cup. Everybody’s happy.”</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And I’ve knit it ever since. You can see last year’s effort in the picture above. I’ll hope to tell you about this year’s tomorrow. But I never expected victories to come so thick and fast. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Wordle: ALL six British-based </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">scored four today. Theo had three, and we haven’t heard from Roger. My winning streak is up to 54. My max was 67. So it’s getting scary. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-27939800061001046912024-02-24T19:08:00.001+00:002024-02-24T19:08:49.793+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">We won. I think I heard the television say that the last time Scotland won four Calcutta Cups in a row was in the late 19th century. I’ll try to tell you more about it tomorrow, including plans for the knitting.</span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-86105785753960540582024-02-23T16:55:00.001+00:002024-02-23T16:55:48.284+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Cold out there. We have had a peaceful day, Helen toiling away in the study. She brought me two delicious purple artichokes from Valvona and Crolla this morning. Both have been consumed.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Attention is being given to access and to aching hip. Thank you for your comments. I think I’ll tell Archie to bring me some gummies.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> No knitting so far, and no reading even. What have I been doing all day? Dozing. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: threes and fours today. The British contingent divided on gender lines — that was neat. Threes for Thomas, Alexander and Mark. Fours for the rest of us. In DC, Theo was the three and Roger the four.</span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-4190985765369697182024-02-22T17:27:00.003+00:002024-02-22T17:27:47.391+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">It’s still a bit too cold to venture back into the Catalogue Room. Maybe someone younger, indeed, could teach me to move pics from here on the iPad to here on the blog. Helen sent a beautiful one this morning, of snowdrops abundantly blooming and daffodils pushing forward in the lawn in front of our house in Kirkmichael. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> (Step inside the fence in the picture to the right, angle the camera a bit more to the left, cutting out the house. Trees and sunshine and snowdrops.)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The carer and I have had a good day recovering equilibrium. The trouble with yesterday, apart from disappointment, is that we were instructed to be ready <i>three hours</i> before the appointment hour. Since the appt was for 3 p.m., that spoiled lunchtime. At one point during the afternoon Helen got them on the phone and they said they were 10 minutes away. I put my coat on and got into my wheelchair.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Today Archie came and I fed him lunch. He was a bit low. I have passed on your comments about “gummies” (blog and comments yesterday). We’ve sort of concluded that I must ask my GP. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Knitting progresses. I have wound the new ball, for the waistband, and found a circular needle of the right size. There are still a few more stitches to do before launching into it. What if I don’t have enough of the toning shade?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: my starters gave me two greens and a brown. Looking at my grid now, in the shades of evening, it’s hard to see why I didn’t score three. But I managed to think of an odd word which qualified butcwas wrong, Four for me.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Ketki and Thomas joined me there. Threes for Rachel and Alexander and Mark. Roger and Theo both posted four. That’s some comfort.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466385.post-53260325520781542922024-02-21T15:51:00.000+00:002024-02-21T15:51:24.739+00:00<p> <span style="font-size: large;">The ambulance didn’t turn up. (See yesterday.) Three people’s day close to ruined — mine and Helen’s and my carer’s. Not to mention the hospital slot wasted. If we ever get another one, we’ll have to go by taxi and that means we’ll have to figure out how to get down those six steps.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> It looks like quite a nice day out there, too. I'm sorry to have missed it. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Helen’s youngest son, Fergus, was here for a while this morning. He is about to go off to do a four-day induction test for Sandhurst — that is, to be accepted to be trained to be an army officer, the four days of testing being physical and mental and psychological. I’d take Fergus if I were the British army.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> My hip grows more and more uncomfortable. Archie is coming tomorrow to advise on medical marijuana, widely available in Scotland but is it wise? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> There was no Six-Nations rugby last weekend, as you must have guessed if you have the slightest interest. Calcutta Cup coming up on Saturday, here in Edinburgh (which improves our chances). That means the annual match against England. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> And I knit a bit further forward, amidst all the tension and increasing gloom. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Wordle: I scored four today, along with Thomas and Alexander. Five for Rachel and Mark. A brilliant three for Ketki. In DC, it was three for Theo and four for Roger.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> My maximum winning streak, long ago, was 67. I’m now back up to 50, I think probably the second-best streak. It adds to the daily excitement.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12038517988391228260noreply@blogger.com7