The trouble with yesterday’s Found Poem is that it is impossible, now, to frame a sentence in my head without considering it out-of-context.  I would like to submit the poem to the Found Poetry Review, but they don’t seem to be taking submissions at the moment. It made Zite.

So, where to start?

My sister and Kristie confected a wonderful Powerpoint presentation of birthday wishes from many of you.. I’ve downloaded it onto my computer, but don’t yet know how to share it with you. I’ll work on that. Thank you to all who contributed – I haven’t yet written to you individually. And apologies to those who weren’t included. I would have liked to see Hat, and Ron, and… but it would be invidious to go on. You are all loved, even the most silent.

So here are some pictures from The Day.

First, we milled around outside the hotel drinking champagne. It was a fine day. That’s James on the left, Alexander in the light shirt in the middle, Helen in the grey shirt and white hair (a Miles characteristic) on the right.

Then, we had to figure out where to sit for lunch. Alexander’s sons had prepared riddles for each of us to indicate our places, and there was a certain amount of milling about. That’s Helen’s son Mungo in the foreground, my sister’s son Theo to the right, his father Roger further back.

After lunch, we took pictures of all the grandchildren – and they were all there – in birth order, from Thomas to Thomas. Hellie, second from left, is wearing Relax1 which she says is much admired.

I think it was it you, Helen CKS, who told me that younger sons are usually taller than their elder brothers. You can see two – if not three – examples of that principle in this line-up. Alistair Miles, 5^th from left, doesn’t have a brother. It's not easy being taller than Archie, but it looks as if Mungo is going to bring it off.

That’s enough of that for today. More to follow.

Knitting

I finished the Pakokku socks last night – a bit belatedly. But not too late. My sister and her husband are currently touring the highlands, with an emphasis on good eating. They will wind up on the shores of Loch Fyne with Ketki and Alexander (where they will probably eat even better) – there’s still time to send the socks there.

My sister tried on the first sock while she was with us, and it fits rather well. She also left me a pair for darning. I don’t remember the yarn at all, but should be able to find it in the odd-sock-ball bag. So those socks can go off to Loch Fyne too. She likes to pad about the house in socks, she says. Ketki often goes barefoot -- she has beautiful feet. Me, I can't think without shoes on.

I need to cast on another pair, in case of emergency. I may have news for you on that front tomorrow. Then it’s back to Relax2. It’s a pity I didn’t have it ready for the Big Day, but I suspect Hellie would have outshone me.