I just counted. There are 245 files of my husband’s Magnum Opus still requiring to have the positions of endnote-numbers entered in the text. It’s something, I suppose, to be near enough the end to be able to face the count. And even 245 will get done, eventually, if I can go on knocking off a dozen or more a day. I had expected something between 100 and 150, however, so the real state of affairs is a bit of a shock.

As for the shawl, Helen (yesterday’s comment), I see from my archives that Hellie's shawl took me three months. If this one goes as fast, I’ll finish it towards the end of June, which would leave time to knock off that shrug for the Games at the end of August. We’ll see how it goes. Don’t count on it.

And Maureen, since I’ve started on comments, I would love to have the address for sending Heirloom Knitting treasure to. I’m jean at milesandmiles dot demon dot co dot uk. That would solve the whole problem. Laritza, while withholding the address, suggests selling the yarn on eBay, and even asking Sharon to take back the duplicate pattern I have succeeded in buying, the Unst Bridal Shawl. But that’s not the point. I don’t want money – I want the glow of happiness and virtue which will attend sending the package to people who will appreciate it – and reducing stash.

Speaking of which, I enjoyed Rabbitch's pictures of her stash this morning. Would I dare? One day, perhaps.

I got the two lace patterns in the body of my sister’s shawl successfully established last night, after the unsuccessful effort of the night before. All promises well – they are complex enough to be fun but not so difficult as to slow things down. I'll post a picture when things are far enough along to be legible.

For the sake of some colour: here is a picture of a real-life nudibranch:















And here is the one I knit from Lorna's pattern as worn in London by Carleen, who helps to look after James- and Thomas-the-Youngers. Remarkable, no? It’s a great pattern, and I look forward to making more. Real life, I gather, ensures no shortage of colour schemes.