Here we are back. We had a grand time, and the driving went well. If I can do the East Neuk last week, I ought to be able to manage Loch Fyne this. It’s further, but there are fewer critical junctions at which decisions must be made, and fewer opportunities for my husband to suggest we stop and get out and look at something – as long as I can get him through Stirling.

Our friend really doesn’t remember Miss Middleton – I’m sure he wasn’t just being discrete. She was one of the many Home County Gels who pitch up in the St Andrews art history department, indistinguishable from the pack. He remembers the terrible security surrounding the Prince – CCTV cameras everywhere, which the city had never had before; ominous vans with blacked-out windows lurking in the streets. There was a rumour that the poor young man had a microchip implanted, as your pet poodle might, so that Security would always know where he was.

You’ve probably seen this already, half the world has; it’s charming, very St Andrews. At the end she walks towards the camera down a narrow street with a bookshop visible on the left – we were there on Friday. It’s the only decent one left in St Andrews. I bought an Alice Thomas Ellis, very bad, and a Le Carre, “The Russia House”, which starts sensationally well. I didn’t know there were any good ones left I hadn’t read.

One thing, though. The few ill-lit mirrors in this house know their trade and reflect me back as, perhaps, a faded 60. In other people’s houses I look old. It’s scary.

Knitting

I hit my target, namely finishing Joe’s first sock and getting halfway through the 50 rounds of ribbing on the second. OK: so this weekend the goal will be to reach the heel. Ten days or so after Easter a routine diabetic hospital appt looms – that always affords plenty of scope for knitting. After that, I fear what’s left of the second sock will have to displace the mourning shawl for as long as is necessary.

The shawl itself is fine. There are 106 rows in the border. I’m working on No. 6. I am allowing myself one percentage point in the sidebar for every two of them. I’ve started Fleegle’ing. It’s too soon to say much. I’m sure it’s going to work. The second ball of yarn is a nuisance. It can be tricky, at the end of a round, turning and deciding which ball to use and then wondering a bit and finally I wind up wondering which side is which – since they are perfectly symmetrical, both ends start off the same. I’ve got it right this time, for row 6 (i.e., it’s not turning into st st) and will mark the wrong side with a safety pin in a moment.

No news from Loop about the April Madeleine Tosh shipment. The new EZ book has receded a little bit further over at Schoolhouse – “spring” (or was it originally even “early spring”?) became “May” and now it’s expected back from the printer by “June 1 or sooner”. They are clearly trying.

Thanks for the help on websites. I hope to explore your suggestions this afternoon.