Monday, August 05, 2019


Knitting: I picked up the row I found myself too hot and sweaty to finish yesterday, and found that the cats had been at it. I try to be very careful, but I slipped up. Let’s assign blame where blame is due: Paradox.

I have straightened things out up to a point, and finished the row. There are too many stitches, which seems very odd. I don’t think I’ll venture on any more tonight. Maybe some scarf. I plan to watch a BBC programme about conjoined twins – a fearful case, which would have been called, in my brutal youth, a two-headed baby. The sort of thing which would have been strictly forbidden (watching-wise) in my husband’s day.

Andrew and Andrea tomorrow?

I have a couple of possible Festival projects in mind; no bookings as yet. The Festival has become too big for Edinburgh, as has happened in so many places beloved of tourists. One is surprised, sometimes, that there is anybody left at home anywhere to serve as natives. I treasure my memories of Edinburgh in the summer of 1953, my first Festival, my first Edinburgh. It was very different. I saw two Shakespeares, one Festival, one Fringe – Hamlet and Henry V, respectively; a brand new T.S. Eliot – The Confidential Clerk, I think. Eliot himself was in Edinburgh. And no stand-up comedy at all.

8 comments:

  1. Paradox is a rascal. I am enjoying A and A so very much. They are good and kind, smart and gracious.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Paradox! I am ashamed of you. Knitting is not a toy!
    I have to agree with respect to festivals. We have one here. It has changed - and not for the better.

    ReplyDelete
  3. re courgettes. With four plants in full production, we are facing a glut. They make lovely soup; I've already frozen down several batches. We eat them tender and raw, diced in salads, sliced and cooked in oil and chopped up in ratatouille. Yet still we have more to use. I'll try butter and lemon juice next.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I do believe that it is a thing that very many men do not want to confront what used to be called "freaks of nature" whereas the womenfolk, in general, are more able to look beyond and see the humanity in such people as those twins.

    ReplyDelete
  5. So many festivals are overwhelmed with more people that they can adequately handle, and to me, are no fun. Is it that there are just more humans around? Or that people can afford to travel, and also have access to lots more information about festivals and events that perhaps were not well known.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Re courgettes,I also grow them. Courgette quiche and grilled slices over salad with feta or goat cheese, lime juice and a bit of chilli flakes or powder. I also deliberately allow a couple to grow to courges:) to use in a recipe on the internet: marrow and tomato au gratin.

    ReplyDelete
  7. =Tamar11:14 AM

    Festivals tend to get too big. I have long since given up going to one I used to love. Yet I would be incensed if I heard that it was being limited in size by some kind of restriction on who can attend, as that eliminates anyone who might suddenly find themselves able to attend at the last minute. I doubt that there is any fair way to limit festivals to the most comfortable size.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh I feel your pain! My dear daughter's dog decided to decimate a circular needle upon which was a very complex (for me) cable pattern. I was able to rescue all but two rows and continue on with another needle, but that dog steered clear of me for the rest of the day - a smart move on his part! He has never touched my knitting since, LOL:)! And he knows I love him.... a little....

    ReplyDelete