It was good to hear from you yesterday, Catdownunder. You’re all right, then? The pictures on television are horrendous. The first actual-human-being I ever met after her becoming a cyber-friend, a Californian, lost everything in such a fire. It must have been somewhere in the early 90’s. She and her husband had been out walking the dog on a Sunday morning, knowing there was fire on the other side of the hill. They realized the more serious truth in time to get back and get in the car, with the dog but nothing else.

Erin, thank you for the Tweedy-Stripey. I’ve downloaded and printed. That’s one I think could be re-cast for a finer yarn with highly satisfactory results. I was interested to see that she begins with the st-st-curl which I had already decided to use, whatever the pattern said.

The cleaner is here, tackling the kitchen with vigour. I am hopeful. She won’t mean more time for me, but she will mean more cleanth and order. And I think it will indeed be possible to arrange things so that I can reserve sensitive dusting for myself. Occasionally.

And meanwhile my own get-a-grip resolutions are proceeding relatively well. My first task, Jan 1-10, was to sort through and deal with the piles of financial-type paper here around my computer. I’m not finished, but much has been achieved.

And as for knitting, I decided I had finished the sleeve increases at 96 stitches -- this is Ed's Gardening Sweater -- and would be nearly to the armpit by now had it not become necessary to wind another skein.