What is the difference between a typhoon and a hurricane? I could look it up.

I’ve had a pretty good day, with Cardinal Newman and Mrs Sakoolas and Scottish rugby bubbling away in the background. In the foreground is that mutton stew, now bubbling away itself, perhaps to be ready for a late supper.

There was a bad moment at midday when I feared I wasn’t going to be able to find the slow cooker. Did I use it last winter? I must have. Its three large cast-iron pieces are stored separately. The electrical base had to be fetched down from a high shelf, at considerable risk to life and limb. I already had the lid. But where was the pot itself?

Eventually I found it. All is well.

I watched the Andrew Marr show and knit, in the morning. It’s my Sunday treat, after Mass. Nicola Sturgeon was the main guest. I feel about her as Republicans in the ‘30’s were said to feel about “that man in the White House”, but she stood up well today, relaxed and cheerful and providing fairly straight answers to the questions.

 I’ve done about 5 ½ of the 12 inches we decided last weekend that the Calcutta Cup scarf still needs. It’s surprisingly slow work.

Cardinal Newman was much discussed on the “Sunday” show on the radio this morning. From it I learned that the Oratorians have never even put electricity into his rooms at the Birmingham Oratory – see yesterday. That’s good. They obviously knew all along that he was something special.

I watched a little bit of the rugby match, Scotland-Japan. It didn’t seem to be going well, so I gave up. And it didn’t go well. But that defeatist attitude can never be as stoutly maintained again , ever since Twickenham ’19 – in whose honour I am knitting that scarf. We were slaughtered in the first half, that day. Lots of people gave up and went home.

Reading

I need not despair. The new LeCarre is coming out this week. And the new Olive Kitteredge (“Olive, Again”) at the end of the month – and meanwhile I could be re-reading the first one. I had probably better finish “Doctor Thorne” first. It’s not a patch on “Barchester Towers” so far.