The programme about the Spanish flu was very good, according to this morning’s Times. We in Scotland had something about Thomas Lipton, the tea man, instead. That sort of thing used to happen more often in the past, but is annoying whenever it crops up. I trust I’ll be able to watch the flu programme on Catch Up, but tonight I’ve got homework to do for tomorrow’s Italian-lesson-by-Skype.

Tamar – see comment yesterday – thank you for that. My Italian dictionary got as far as telling me that “gattopardo” meant “ocelot”, but you have fleshed out the answer most excellently.

I am progressing well with the socks, but still haven’t re-started the vest. The socks have six fairly broad stripes in the leg – why on earth did I choose so unexciting a pattern? The colours are good, though. I have embarked on the fourth stripe, here on the second sock.

Archie found some interesting things today -- but there's still no sign of Lucy Hague. Could it have been wrongly re-shelved, even, perhaps, among the knitting books?

I’d better go do my homework.