South Africa won decisively. It was a very happy occasion. I trust Nelson Mandela was allowed to watch from heaven. He had a lot to do with it. South Africa had a very remarkable player, about half the size of a normal rugby player. He came on as a substitute in the second half and at the end, when he got the ball in his arms, the English defence might as well have been trying to catch a mouse. He scored the try (=touchdown) which put the result beyond doubt.

Greek Helen came to see me after lunch. Her husband David is having some atrial fibrillation. He is in hospital in Thessaloniki (where he works). This has happened once before. Helen will fly out tomorrow.

Long rows of garter stitch are ideal rugby knitting. I made some progress on the Dathan hap. Joni, thank you very much indeed for your advice about how to determine the width of the next stripe. I shall follow it, and it solves pretty well that whole problem. I will reserve the possibility, however, of introducing a passage of two or three two-row stripes together.

The replacement copy of Weston’s “Traditional Sweater Book” has turned up, fresher and cleaner than my old one. That, too, turned up this morning (predictably) while I was getting my Italian textbooks in order. I must have had it out much more recently than I remembered. There are two community libraries near here where one takes books one fancies and leaves behind ones one doesn’t. I’ll contribute the superfluous copy to one of those. I’ll keep old faithful, I think.

My tutor emphasised this morning (as she often does) the importance of listening to spoken Italian. I must make a real effort to get in there and sit down in front of the television and switch on Inspector Montalbano. And knit.

Reading

I’ve finished “Olive, Again”. I don’t think it’s quite as good as “Oliver Kitteridge”, but it’s pretty good. I don’t think Strout quite grasps what being in one’s 80’s feels like. There is a passage in which Olive (younger than I am) has fowled herself in bed (that hasn’t happened to me, yet). She leaps up and changes the sheets (would I be strong enough?) and has a shower (I’m seriously afraid of falling, and avoid showers).

Shandy, I do agree about Lily Dale. I’m glad to hear that she is going to reappear, however. I wish we’d see something more of Dr Thorne and Miss Dunstable, even a sentence.