Catdownunder, you must already be well into 2017. I hope you're enjoying it. I have high hopes. I think I prefer the odd-numbered years (perhaps because I was born in one). Except that there's no hope of winning the Calcutta Cup, because the match is played at Twickenham in odd-numbered years, and Scotland never win down there.

Rachel got a ticket for next year's match as a Christmas present. She is related to enough England supporters that she should be able to suppress her disappointment and have a grand day out for their sake.

But even that is just as well -- a Calcutta Cup win would mean a Calcutta Cup sweater right at the top of the to-do list, and the queue is long enough as it is.

Hellie and Matt came to see us this morning, on their way south after the Loch Fyne house party. She looks very well, and thinks the baby has quickened. She's about half-way through, so that's probably true. Medically, not a significant moment any more, if it ever was, but exciting for the family. 

And we’ve heard this evening that Rachel and Ed are safely restored to south London, despite alarming predictions of freezing fog; and that Hellie and Matt have reached their b&b in Northumberland somewhere, in time to watch Liverpool beat Man City.. So all is well, for the moment. And the moment is all we’ve got.

Susan Crawford (of all people) put me on to Laine magazine, Nordic knit and lifestyle. It looks rather wonderful. It is clever of her to have got hold of a copy -- Loop and Meadow Yarn are sold out. I’ll have to wait until later in January. She is recovering from a double mastectomy only a few days ago, and sounds well enough to look forward to an evening of Thornton's chocolates and the magazine. One could scarcely begrudge her that. 

Knitting

I finished the edging of Mrs Hunter’s shawl, a splendid end to the year. Tomorrow, perhaps, I will pick up the stitches (there is a good picture of how to do it in Amedro’s “Shetland Lace”). 32 scallops per side x 4 sides x 6 stitches per scallop. I’ll leave you to do the arithmetic.

Income Tax

I have been very grateful for all your comments. And I’m afraid I didn’t get anything done today.

It really isn’t all that difficult. And I do like the clean-slate feeling of starting the year with things in order. In the olden days, I used to file by the end of September (is it?) at which point you are allowed to do it on paper. But then one year something went wrong, and once one misses September, Christmas rises up out of the swamp and overwhelms all else, so there is nothing left but January. And the first time I did that, it felt so right that I have gone on with January ever since.

I think what I need to do is gather up our ragbag of share holdings and get them into a broker’s account. I’ll think about that, once this year’s return is done.

And -- hey -- happy New Year to all!