Saturday, June 08, 2019


Another quiet day. I sat down here just now and typed those words and they appeared in the Greek alphabet. My cats know a lot of good keystrokes. Fortunately a restart has put things right without my having to figure out what to do.

I’m four rows forrad’er with the Spring Shawl, and have finished the chart on Page 4. But I must now go on and on, Groundhog Day fashion, devising the chart for myself. As I have mentioned, the simple mesh pattern on the sides marches to a different drum from the small motifs in the centre. The mesh is perfectly simple, over eight rows, four of which are no-action returns. But so far I haven’t begun to learn the sequence of the slight differences in the other four, nor has EZ’s useful maxim “Look at your knitting” proved of any use.

So I will have to keep separate track of where I am, mesh-wise and centre-wise.

No Calcutta Cup knitting. There’s no Pointless, weekends.

Books

Thanks for comments. Beverly, you tempt me (to give up on No Name) – but so far I haven’t done it. Obsessive fine lace knitting is cutting into reading time. My mother wrote a few thrillers in the ‘40’s and ‘50’s – she often read the last chapter first, when she was reading other people’s thrillers, so that she could watch the way clues were introduced as she read the book from the beginning. But it feels to me like cheating, and my husband wouldn’t have approved. We’ll see.

Shandy, I think Miss Mackenzie made the right choice – and she’s got her work cut out for her, with all those children. I thought the lack of passion was rather touching. I don’t think my husband and I knew much of anything about each other when we got married – although I don’t mean by that to suggest that that was a very good idea.

11 comments:

  1. Greek! The first time I saw Julius Caesar acted, the words 'it's all Greek to me', casually spoken, with almost emphasis, came as a total surprise.
    I've just heard about 'Longbourne' by Jo Baker; Pride and Prejudice told from the servant's point of view. Looks interesting and amusing.
    I am in awe of The Shawl... A work of art.

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  2. Anonymous8:46 PM

    I am pretty bad about reading the ending mid-book. That way, I know if I want to continue reading to see how they got there. My husband doesn't approve. It is much harder to do with audiobooks, alas.

    Beverly in NJ

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  3. I am beginning to feel a little guilty for pointing you at "No Name" in the first place. In mitigation, it was a long time ago when I read it, - I was younger and had more stamina for long books. Now, I cannot remember how it ended, so no chance of a spoiler, but you have my full permission to abandon it if you wish!

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  4. I see via Mason Dixon that Susan Crawford’s book is now available as an ebook, but it contains none of the stories or written pieces, only the patterns and photos. I just saved myself 25 pounds,

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  5. I too read the last chapter before I start the book. Always have.

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  6. =Tamar10:45 PM

    Sometimes my mother would read a dull-looking book entirely backwards, starting at the end. She said it made it like a detective story, finding out what happened and then finding out how they got into all that.

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  7. Anonymous12:06 AM

    ...Er, there is usually a Pointless on a Saturday evening, though often at a different time. Sometimes there is even one on a Sunday. These are the Celebrity specials where eight well known people (often with a theme, eg sports presenters) play in an effort to win the prize for their chosen charity. The questions are similar, though often there is one about recognising songs, not easy to do!

    Helen (anon)

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  8. I did enjoy Trollope's writing in "Miss Mackenzie" but he is really more concerned with social satire than with the emotional reality for his heroine - witness the charity bazaar. The dull fifty-year-old cousin comes not only with seven completely undifferentiated daughters but also a hideous mother who has already been cruel to Margaret on several occasions. Now he may be kind, and better than the monstrous Maguire, but it is still a dull choice. After all, she has had little chance of "Billing and cooing", as Trollope puts it, before.

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  9. I married my husband after ten years of "dating." He was the boy next door. I thought I knew everything about him. I knew nothing. Marriage changes everything -which is why living together doesn't solve everything, IMHO. Not that I am in a position to tell anyone what to do:)! Thankfully, we are still married more than 42 years later - inertia or virtue? That remains to be seen;)!

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  10. Anonymous11:25 AM

    Inertia has its virtues. People un-couple too easily these days. Especially where children are concerned.

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