Christmas

We had a lovely lunch at the Botanics. Delicious food, and some nice Prosecco. No office parties. Pleasant, youthful service. We sat on, long into the afternoon.

I saw a poster outside, urging you to stage your winter wedding there. I'm sure they do it very nicely indeed. Four thousand pounds for the minimum package. No wonder everybody dispenses with the benefit of clergy these days.

Our niece has given me the phone number of her computer man. I'll phone him about the problem of transferring programs from Old Slowcoach, although I'll postpone any possible visit until after the horrors to come. She had a difficulty recently with her ageing laptop -- her man advised, over the phone, switching it off thoroughly and then switching it on again. It worked. He sounds like the sort of man I need.

Not much else, on the Christmas front. There was only one, boring piece of incoming mail yesterday – not a Christmas card in sight.

It turns out that none of Rachel's children will make it to Loch Fyne this year. I had particularly been looking forward to de-briefing Lizzie about life in Kansas, but she's got a bar job lined up. And that means that I won't be on hand when either the Silly Christmas Project or the Sensible one is unwrapped – my two best, for this year.

Non-knit

Today a man from an auction house is going to bring my husband a sketchbook to look at which purports to be by what's-his-name. The auctioneer doesn't have any great hopes for it, so the visit should be a bit less stressful than the last one when my husband had to tell that nice man, no, it's not. He has also had a letter from Ch******'s, in London, who are soon to sell a rather splendid royal portrait, de-accessioned by T***do, O. My husband doesn't think he has anything to add on that one beyond what T***do has already told them.

We toyed with the idea, when he retired, of charging people for this sort of expert advice, but decided that it was simpler not to.

Knitting

I finished the front of Milano/Relax3 and have joined one shoulder. Today I will compare it to my dear Relax2 and discover what I have achieved, size-wise. Next I must pick up stitches for the sleeves and decide exactly how to stripe them.

I've been thinking more about CustomFit and Herzog's excellent advice – namely, think about your wardrobe. It is no use my knitting myself a sweater to wear around the house, because “around the house” means “in the kitchen” – it would get too dirty, too fast. In Strathardle I wear superannuated sweaters which go straight from kitchen to garden and back, but that sort of dilapidated appearance won't do for Drummond Place. I wear sweatshirts here, with multiple layers beneath in cold weather. The surface garment is at least clean.

I don't know where this gets me. A cardigan, for flinging on when I don't quite need a coat? I'm afraid the drawer is already heaving with unworn cardigans. Something sleeveless? That's a possibility – it could at least serve as a layer, underneath the sweatshirt.

Non-knit

I think this would be a good moment to knock off until next year, and to wish you all a very happy Winter Solstice – we have only to hold out until the weekend, and we've done it again! I used to look anxiously at the Sunrise and Sunset times in the newspaper, this time of year, just until I was absolutely sure that they had remembered to throw the switch up there.

Cat – of course, it's the summer solstice for you and your friends. You will have less light next week. You've got the Ashes to console you!