The computer went berserk last night.

I had just finished reading a favourite blog, and was closing the window, when windows started opening everywhere, like a mad new form of computer game. I struggled to regain control, as if with a skidding car or runaway horse, and when I succeeded, rebooted. Everything was then calm – except that I couldn’t connect to the internet at all, and had never before seen the error messages which an attempt produced.

I am still shaking, in retrospect. If I ever think of myself as calm and in control, I need to remember that everything depends on access to the universe. I’m having lunch tomorrow with the Fishwife, before our Combination Knitting class with Annie Modesitt. I don’t even know her – the Fishwife’s – telephone number. It’s been so long since I had serious trouble that I don’t have A Man who could be summoned to help. And what would you think if I wasn't here this morning?

But all was well last night before I went to bed. So it must (I guess) have been the ISP’s fault. I don’t have their telephone number either, but I’ll put that right.

Knitting

I am greatly encouraged by the number of you who have knit and subsequently worn the February Lady Sweater. If I still read something like the KnitList, I’d have heard of it long ago. And forewarned is forearmed – the great thing about top-down knitting is that I’ll be able to try that neckline right away. Shandy, I looked up “Knitting on Impulse”. What wonderful pictures! What a cheerful mother (wearing the FLS)! What a good colour! Her adjustments sound too complicated for me, but you never know. I don't think I have very good shoulders -- see the sidebar. But you never know about that, either.

As for my own knitting, I finished the ASJ swatch, although I haven’t done anything with it yet, and got this far with the Griswold Stole. It’s a very clever pattern, dead easy. It’s all done with offsets. It’s perfect post-Princess therapy, as you suspected, Cynthia. I think the bulges in the side edges will block out -- my first version had them, too.




I think it’s time for a jabot day, if I can bear to tear myself away.

Non-knit

Every year after the Games we take a group picture of Our Party, although I’ve never done anything with them. Tree pictures are carefully kept in my Tree Book. Here is this year’s. Alexander, second from the right, was the photographer. Everybody was there except Helen’s husband David. I, my husband, and Helen are the three white-haired figures in the back row – premature greyness runs in the family, and Helen has recently stopped dying her hair and given in to it. On her, grey looks like platinum blond. Ketki, towards the right, is wearing her Calcutta Cup sweater. Thomas-the-Younger is the one plahing football in front.

The two very welcome non-family-members are Thomas-the-Elder’s girlfriend Anna, towards the left, next to him and in front of James; and Hellie’s boyfriend Matt, towards the right, the tallest figure in the back row. He and Joe (next to him) entered the hay-bale-rolling competition. They were afraid they would disgrace themselves by not being able to get it moving, but in fact came a very creditable second in their heat.