This is blog post no. 2499.

The view from our dining room window at 11:30 last night. The light is truly magical, this time of year. I'd love to experience the "simmer dim" on Shetland.

That bright circle isn't the moon, which won't be full until the end of next week, but the church clock-face.

Chilli-growing

Waitrose came up trumps. My Big Nameless chilli plant is a Jalapeno. There are possible further refinements of that definition, but "Jalapeno" is all, and indeed rather more than all, that could be asked of a supermarket Customer Services desk.

The last time we went to Strathardle it flagged somewhat for lack of watering. This time, I’ll put all the chillis in a roasting tin with some water at the bottom, and stand them in a south-facing window. It’s too cold at night on the doorstep.

Knitting

“Westknits Book 4 Made for Movement” turned up from Loop yesterday. Signed, “Happy Knitting! Stephen”. I think the first item in it, a shawl called Barndom, is the one he showed us in the Craftsy class with what seem to be travelling slip stitches. I might just spend the next couple of days in Strathardle playing around with it.

Especially because, on my way to Boots to pick up yet another prescription yesterday, I stopped in at the John Lewis yarn dept, and sure enough, there was Rowan Art Yarn. Reader, I bought some.

And I could use one of those skeins in combination with an off-white madelinetosh.

Meanwhile, Relax2 progresses well. Three more underarm increases to do, I think, out of 12. I faced up to counting stitches the other day and found, to my considerable surprise, that I was four short. Careful inspection located one dropped stitch. I have secured it. I suppose there’s no guarantee that I cast on the right number in the first place. I’ve added them in unobtrusively.

So, off we go. Back by Tuesday, maybe sooner. A possible complication that could keep us here today is a Chinese brush pot, such as a calligrapher might rest his brush in. We saw it in a sale at our local auction house on Tuesday but, after some deliberation, left a bid on a different one. We were outbid, but our first choice was unsold. I’ll ring the auctioneer at 9 and make an offer. And if it should be accepted, the resulting kerfuffle – paying for it and collecting it – would be enough excitement for one day.

I had one of those dread custom charge cards from the post office yesterday – that’ll be the Pakokku. Taxing the car on-line was a doddle, but trying to pay the post office defeated me. I’ll have to return to that problem, obviously.