Sunday, November 24, 2019


I had a message from Rebecca this morning – she has been trying to leave comments, and can’t do it. I have had similar messages  before – my sister, who has often commented, wrote recently that  she can’t do it now. Does anyone have any idea what might have gone wrong? Could this have anything to do with Google’s take-over of Blogger? I treasure each one of your comments and hate to think of missing any.

My niece C. has returned from Iceland (two weeks ago) and recovered from an ugly cold (one week ago) and today we went to Mass. It was grand to see her. She is the grandmother of the baby expected in April, and I began to worry about whether it is wise to leave the knitting of the South African hap much longer. I’ll go on with the Dathan for the rest of November (mercifully brief) and then knit the pocket square and then it might be a good idea to switch.

Sunday is not only Mass but also the Andrew Marr show, and the Dathan hap has benefited accordingly There are now 463 stitches – that means 467 when the current long, long right-side row is finished. Maybe tonight’s episode of Attenborough’s nature programme, into which I have been gradually sucked, will prove to be early enough to find me with enough vigour at least to do that row.

Andrew Marr is all about politics. I am finding it difficult to take an interest, and very difficult to believe that the result will be other than another hung parliament.

(It’s time for me to abandon the subject of Prince Andrew. This time it is only to say that the Queen went riding with him and Fergie in Windsor Great Park on Friday. The newspaper photograph, taken I would think by a paparazzo from some distance, shows her on a rather smaller steed than the other two – presumably a well-behaved and patient pony of impeccable royal credentials. It seems to me rather remarkable that she is able to ride out at all, at the age of 93. Not many could.)

Reading

I continue to enjoy Middlemarch. I had hoped for more of Radio 4’s version during my nap today, but found myself instead with a rather sexed-up version of “Phineas Redux”, one of Trollope’s Palliser novels.

10 comments:

  1. =Tamar7:20 PM

    It has occasionally happened that I couldn't find the comment form unless I clicked on someone else's, but that went away. I assume the techies are fiddling with things when stuff like that happens.

    Congratulations on plugging away at the hap! Persistence is the primary talent. Without it, nothing gets done.

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  2. I'm pausing from 'proper knitting' as I have become obsessed with knitting little Christmas trees to make Advent calendars. I completed the first 24, (including learning how to get beads into my knitting!) and have handed them over to a friend. I reckon to keep just ahead of the days leading up to Christmas, in order to be able hang one up every day. I'm a sucker for Advent caldendars and candles.
    Dr Thorne seems to start very slowly - I'm up to chapter 4, and as Trollope says, 'only just getting through the pastry crust to reach the pie'.

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  3. I’m with Tamar, once it a while it takes me a few tries to comment. Re. The Queen’s horse, I take an interest in these things, and recall that as she got to be older she left the throughbreds behind and her current horse is a nice quiet Fell Pony. I always wear a helmet when I ride, but I never see her wear one!

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  4. I am testing my ability to comment to check if I will encounter a glitch. But I have nothing particular to add other than to say how much I enjoy reading your blog and also all the wonderful comments.
    I have finally succumbed to The Crown and am enjoying it very much as is my husband. We are old enough to remember the Coronation on TV. I am checking facts but would appreciate any of your thoughts on its accuracy.

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  5. I understand that the Queen has been told that she must wear a helmet, or at least a hard hat. I gather that the answer has always been "You can't make me; I'm The Queen!

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    1. Trouble is, even with a proper helmet she could still fall and break her neck. It happened to 'Superman' (can't remember his name) and he ended up quadriplegic.

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  6. Anonymous12:58 PM

    I often have trouble commenting both here and a couple of other blogs. Don't want to theorize why in case that jinxes things even more. Both the Andrew thing and watching The Crown these days makes me think of that quote "Uneasy lies the head...". I don't blame her for being so involved with horses. It's her "knitting." Chloe

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  7. Is your Datham hap large enough yet? If so, why are you still knitting row after row? If not, then knit until it is a useful size. It doesn’t have to have the same number of stitches as Kate’s. She may have bound off when she couldn’t stand working on it anymore so she could move on to something else.

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  8. Heartily endorse what weavinfool said:)! As for Andrew, I am glad to hear that Fergie continues to be supportive of him. Just hope and pray he wasn't involved in the awful things that horrible man did to children.

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  9. Christopher Reeve. If ever there were an accident to demonstrate that God has a very black sense of humour. It was that one.

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