Not a bad day, although I feel low. My Personal Trainer came, and we had a good time in Drummond Place gardens – we’ve had an easy winter so far (there’s something to be said for Global Warming).  The snowdrops are in full cry and there are even buds showing on the daffodils.

I wrote to the lawyer about my Will, a task which has been weighing on me of late. But of course as soon as it’s done, I become aware of the myriad other tasks awaiting. Tomorrow, maybe, after Italian.

As for knitting, I have now done seven bumps on the second side – half way across. (I’m talking about edging Gudrun’s “Hansel” shawl.) The ball of yarn is certainly less plump than it used to be. My guess is that it won’t reach the next corner. But I’ve got to press ahead and find out for sure.

I’m having some difficulty with my ssk’s, a manoeuvre I usually particularly enjoy. I think the problem arises when the second of the stitches to be slipped was a yo in the previous row. Slipping the first stitch pulls it tight and then the needle won’t go through.

Sharon Miller says in Heirloom Knitting that directional decreases don’t matter in garter stitch. I was astonished. Perhaps I’d better look up the passage. Maybe it only applies to fine yarn. I have been faithfully doing them here but k2tog would be easier in many instances. I’ve got to stick with ssk for the vital decrease that joins one more stitch of the shawl to the edging – but that one is always easy anyway.

Non-knit

Cats’ grasp of keyboard shortcuts is clearly a matter that deserves scholarly research. Perdita is particularly good at muting the sound effects.

For reading, I’ve settled down with Penelope Lively’s “Family Album”. I like books about families. Lively is particularly skilful, in this one, at distinguishing and characterising six separate children. Before that (and after “The Three Clerks”) I read another Ruth Rendell, “A Demon in my View”. It’s rather depressing. Perhaps that’s why I feel low. I should have stuck with Wexford.