There is virtually nothing to report, and no excuse for it. With tennis finished, and politics moving beyond my ken, there’s nothing left to say. Well, that's not quite true – I’m glad our new Prime Minister is coming to Scotland tomorrow. Mr Cameron always seemed to be avoiding us.

As for knitting, my progress is very slow. I don’t entirely see why it should be so. I’m weak, but I could insert knitting more effectively into the times during the day when I sit down to draw breath. I could play fewer hands of Freecell in the evening when my husband is in bed and I am winding down for sleep.

Nine of fourteen points have been done on the third side of the Hansel hap. That’s where we are.

Horticulture is going well on the front step – that’s a cheerful topic, and news to report. We’ve had a second sorrel soup, with every reason to hope for at least one more. The nasturtiums are in bloom – and there’s a puzzle. Nasturtium flowers are normally, in my experience, joined to the stem in the middle of the flower, like a ballerina being held aloft by her partner. So it is with the first two to have flowered, but the next ones are like ordinary flowers, with the stem attached to their base. There’s nothing in the pot to suggest that anything but nasturtiums are there, nor did I plant anything but nasturtium seeds, all from the same packet.

I’ll post a picture soon, but that won’t help.

The broccoli is being attacked by caterpillars of what could only be the cabbage white butterfly, and I’ve lost half the lettuces I planted out, to what could only be slugs. Nature is red in tooth and claw, as has been noticed before me. One day soon I will open the front door to find rabbits grazing, or even deer.