Today it’s not me but the computer which is slow and unresponsive. We’re about to go to Strathardle so I can’t sit around here all morning.

Big Thomas will be present at a wedding somewhere in the north of England today. He has cleared his diary for the beginning of next week – a very grown-up-sounding phrase – and will come to see us. He is expected at a breakfast tomorrow – we had one of those the morning after Theo and Jenni’s wonderful wedding two years ago, and it made a lovely coda to a brilliant occasion. Then he’ll catch a train to Pitlochry whence I will fetch him. 

We will scatter on Wednesday, and I should be back here Thursday. Friday of next week is the day when our friend from the NGofS is coming to lunch, to be confronted with the Earliest Known painting by ???????, so things will be tight.

The Brownstone still lacks ¾” of collar, so still one more session before I cast it off. Thomas's parents will be here for my husband's birthday later in November (I told you it was going to be a busy month) and I can send it south with them.

It will be good to be out in the natural light this weekend, when the clocks go back and darkness and gloom enfold us. November is a month particularly rich for me in gloomy memories and sad anniversaries, and now C’s suffering must be added to the total. It will soon be exactly a year since we suddenly learned we were about to lose her. November was full of horror and fear for us all and for her also of pain. She died in March. Her death was infinitely sad but November was worse.

Many thanks for yesterday’s comments.

I have a “health” section in my Zite magazine (I am embarrassed to confess) in which I had already seen an article suggesting that this year’s flu jab was more painful than usual. Ours is scheduled for an inconvenient day, November 13, when my sister and her husband will be here and Alexander is driving over from Loch Fyne for lunch. Cf. previous reference to the eventfulness of November. It was the first appt I could get and I didn’t want to leave things any later.

My husband was anxious about whether he would feel well enough to go out to lunch. I brushed anxieties aside, it’s never given us any trouble before. We shall see.

Your experience with having flu, Angel, reminds us what this is about. You’re young and strong. An experience like that really does kill old folks.

I am grateful for the help with searching Ravelry –- I shouldn’t be so feeble. It sounds as if everybody who needs to, knows about Zite, but a lively discussion about why-we-can’t/how-we-can get Interweave workshops on our iPads might be in order.

Stella, thanks for the short-rowing videos. Interesting, indeed. And rosesmama, you tempt me with what you say about Cat Bordhi’s sock book. I normally don’t buy sock books because I am pretty sure I will be happy for life knitting mindlessly with wonderful sock yarn, but maybe I should make an exception.