No more news. We may never learn how much of the damned thing the surgeon thinks he got, nor does a layman’s answer to that question necessarily affect the outcome all that much anyway. We are going to visit today. I am apprehensive. On the plus side, our niece’s voice sounded stronger on the phone last night. C. has a morphine drip for the pain, with a button so that she can self-administer it. My doctor-sister points out that she wouldn’t have that if her carers didn’t think she was competent to manage it.

Our previous visit was four days ago. It is not only in politics that a week is a long time.

Thank you for all the comments. Do, everybody, read Barbara’s of yesterday. It’s an extraordinary story – and she’s got the answer, as far as yarn-buying is concerned: buy it – and knit it.

A lot of my stash – and I’m sure this is true of all of us – was acquired because something was too good to leave behind, and might not be there next time. That really isn’t necessary any more, now that the Internet has brought the world home. Even if Rhichard and Taiu and Maie shut up shop this afternoon – to take the Worst Case Scenario – Koigu would still be available on eBay for years.

So there is really not much reason, any more, not to follow Barbara’s sensible advice. That is how I mean to go on – concentrating on stash, but occasionally buying when I want to knit with what I buy, right away.

And yesterday was one of those occasions.

I reflected as I strode up Broughton Street that that scarf (see yesterday) didn’t have to be knit with Big Wool. Sure enough, when I got to John Lewis, it turned out that to buy the amount for the long version of the scarf as specified in the Rowan magazine was so expensive that I might as well just give him a yacht. And I’m not sure I’d enjoy knitting with 10mm needles anyway. I bought five balls of Cocoon, instead.

(The yarn-buying counter is right next to Toys. While actually in the queue, I spotted and siezed a Christmas present for Fergus Drake of Athens.)

Cocoon is turing out fine. The scarf, knit precisely as the pattern says but on needles appropriate to the yarn, measures about 8” across. That’s plenty. I’ve executed the McGuffin once, and I think I’ve got it right. Strips on the scarf, left and right, are not just cabled but actually looped around each other. I met Lindsay the Rowan Lady when I was in the shop (she’s one of us) and she said she wasn’t sure she could do it. (I’m sure she could.) She also said that Cocoon sheds a bit, and to warn the recipient.

I used it for a scarf for Thomas-the Elder last Christmas. I love knitting with it. It doesn’t seem to shed for me.

I finished the Japanese hat, except for application of the steam iron. I’m pleased with it, but the braids look spindly. I should have doubled the yarn.


And I haven’t forgotten the Wurm. It begins with a hem. I know I will fail if I try that simple-sounding manoeuvre of knitting a stitch from the needle together with the equivalent stitch from the cast-on edge. Sounds easy. Comes out squint, for me. Either a provisional cast-on, or of course, hem it afterwards. I’ll try in a couple of days, and then alternate scarf and hat.