Things are moving along. I’ve done everything on yesterday’s list except pack, and that will be quick. And I’ve done a couple of other urgent things as well – they spring up like weeds. Changing the cats’ litter tray was one of them.

The head kitchen fitter phoned last night to tell me to switch the Aga off, so that the plasterers could plaster behind it this morning. And leave it off, for the convenience of the work-surface-fitters tomorrow and the tilers on Friday.

That meant no cooking-heat at all; I don’t own an electric kettle. I went to bed in the Slough of Despond whence I was roused at 7:10 this morning by the plasterers, due at 8. They had finished by 9:30 and I switched the Aga back on. It is up to heat now, so I can have something hot for my supper. Then I'll turn it off again.

The big unanswered question at the moment is, what about water? Does work-surface-fitting include plumbing the kitchen sink? All attempts to find out have so far failed. Still, today, no water is less of a disaster than no Aga.

In the course of executing yesterday’s list I threaded Alexander’s vest onto a slippery string. I could tell by the time I had reached halfway that it is indeed much too big. At the moment, anyway, I am inclined to start again.

The measurements and the numbers don’t entirely add up. Alexander measures 39” around the chest, so I’m aiming for 43” or so. The vest measures 23” across = 46” circumference. Too big. But each full repeat of the pattern measures 5 5/8”. There are nine, so the circumference ought to be 49 5/8”. Much too big.

The swatch scarf doesn’t help. This morning, a full repeat there measured 4 ½”, a big discrepancy. How did that happen? Could I somehow have switched needles? It’s now up to 5”, presumably because of its brief appearance under the steam iron this afternoon. I’ll take everything, including the tape measure, along with me to Loch Fyne tomorrow, and try to puzzle it out. If I start again, will eight repeats be enough?

Then I’ll give the scarf to Ketki.

I’ve started Archie’s larger-sized sock. The shop gave a name involving chillies to this colourway. I expected a bright, clear red. The predominant shade is distressingly pink. But there are lots of interesting stripes and it may be all right. The ball band makes no claim to chillies – there are just numbers.

I’m going away tomorrow, I hope. I’ll be back on Monday if all goes to plan. No more here, until then.