Plasterers are said to be coming at 8 tomorrow. I must be up and dressed and brushed in good time.

Then on Thursday it all happens, I hope. Alexander will come and get me in the afternoon, and Helen will take over here.

So, between now and then, I must:

a)     Get the vest to a stage – another 2 ½ rounds – where no balls of yarn are attached, and then thread something slippery through the stitches. And I’ll try it on myself – that was a good suggestion, Beverly.

b)    Cast on some socks for Archie, employing a greater number of stitches than for the previous attempt, and do a few rounds of ribbing so that, if I want to, I can knit in the car.

c)     Go to the supermarket and stock up on cat food.

d)    Iron my one thoroughly respectable skirt, the one I bought to go to Palermo in.

e)     Pack. That won’t take long.

It doesn’t sound too formidable, set out like that. I’m not going to install the kitchen myself – I’ll have some time for Doing Things on Thursday.

The new Fruity Knitting is out. It’s all about the EYF. It’s good. Andrea was set to buy some of Jared’s “Arbor” yarn to knit the Fieldstone pattern in his Fall 17 collection. Alas, Jared wasn’t there this year, and nobody had brought the yarn. She chose another DK, a wonderful colour, and swatched it that evening. She was way out with the row gauge (as we so often are) so she discarded that idea. Andrew will use the yarn to knit her a hat.

The pattern is rather wonderful, but I don’t think it’s the right sort of thing for any of the ladies I knit for, let alone myself. There are a number of good cables in that collection, including the Fieldstone, and, needless so say, some wonderful photography.

Non-knit

I met Neil MacGregor once, sort of. (for whom, see yesterday, with comments) My husband and I were at a small exhibition in London devoted to Sir George Beaumont, a collector and patron who was important to my husband’s artist. Neil MacGregor came along, by himself, in an ordinary sort of raincoat, and said “Hello, Hamish”. He was director of the National Gallery at the time. They talked about the exhibition for a little while. I don’t think I was actually introduced but of course I knew who he was. And haven’t forgotten that day.