We called on C. yesterday, taking her some snowdrops from K*rkmichael. She’s very frail, not very cheerful, very much herself. Her garden – just outside the window of the room where she spends her days – is looking wonderful: winter aconites, hellebores, abundant snowdrops – and the gnomes. Her namesake granddaughter “little C.”, now on the verge of final exams at Bristol university, turned up unexpectedly while we were there, bringing much joy.

Garter stitch is just the thing for knitting when exhausted – I am, as you see, round the bend of the lower corner of the right side of the (well-named) jacket, and should be able to start up the back this evening.

I have been thinking along the lines you suggest, catdownunder. The next time we go to Strathardle, I may well bring that dusty pink sweater back here to take its place in the queue after Round-the-Bend. It wouldn’t take long to finish it, as you say. That would free up Strathardle for the Japanese shirt and make a general fresh start all round.

The Spring issue of IK turned up here yesterday – not half bad. I like the Swirl Crop Jacket on p. 24. It is embarrassing to think how silly it would look on me, but one of the consolations of old age is the proliferation of descendents to knit for. What would Greek Helen or Chinese Cathy think of it? Not to mention the grown-up granddaughters.

I like Tatiana’s Sweater, p. 56, too, being currently fond of cables and of scoop necks.

I wish I had known about Shirley Paden’s online design class in Ravelry last year – I am an extravagant admirer of hers. (And, yet again, isn’t Ravelry wonderful?) I probably wouldn’t have done anything about it. Life is too short, getting shorter by the day, and I’ve got her book. The article is illustrated with what I take to be six designs which pupils produced as a result of the course. No fewer than four of them appear to be Japanese.