Tuesday, February 18, 2020


No luck with the Spring Shawl. Julie (comment yesterday) – I think if I found the Spring Shawl now, I’d go on with the Cameron, although I would feel bound to return to the earlier one afterwards. Tamar, we’ve looked behind as well as under the chest it should be on. We haven’t pulled the chest forward from the wall, though, because there’s a valuable and rather heavy ceramic object on top. Maybe we’d better face up to that – but not until there are several strong right arms available to help.

(And, Tamar, when you think of the name of that book – in which the English language itself is used as a code – I’d love to know it.)

Archie and I got some other things done, however. We wrapped a 60th birthday present for Alexander (who should be here tomorrow), and got up to the top of the hill to buy ourselves some tuna for lunch, and then came down again and bought Alexander some Six Nations sausages. Our butcher makes them every year around this time: pork from Scotland, herbs from England, leeks from Wales, Guinness from Ireland, onions from France, tomatoes from Italy. That’s the recipe.

I’m sure I tell you every year that Alexander has never been entirely forgiven for not holding out until the 29th. He wasn’t due until March 3 or 4. He’d only be 15 this year if he’d listened to me.

Not much knitting has been done in the midst of all this, although I did at least insert the next marker – the edging is now ¼ of the way along the second side of the Cameron shawl. Perdita came and sat on my lap in mid-Pointless. I would have pushed Paradox off, but the disagreeable Perdita is not a lap-sitter and I love her the best, so she stayed and knitting was laid aside.

Kirsten, you have solved a major problem for me. I usually give up cider-drinking for Lent. This year, I had a dry January (without a single lapse) and am working on a new modus vivendi involving somewhat less than half the cider I used to enjoy. I’m doing well, but not without effort, and would like to forge on with the project. And so I shall! I’ll give up FreeCell for Lent! (Once, two or three computers ago, I deleted the whole game on Ash Wednesday. I wouldn’t know how to do that now, thank goodness.)

4 comments:

  1. Jean, may I advertise some knitting books here? I have inherited a number of books from my godmother who was a professional knitter for Jamie and Jessie Seaton in her time. I would like to offer the books to 'real knitters' before I pass them onwards. I have posted the titles up on my website www.a-letter-from-home.blogspot.com. If anyone would like them, please email me at kirstenmccorkell at gmail dotcom and I'll send them on! I'm not asking for any money, by the way. Just finding good homes for them. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. My cousin was born on the 29th of February. He is celebrating his 17th birthday this year and his wife is throwing him a big party. He seems to have more birthday parties than I do, because they are more infrequent. If I think of having a party, I usually say that's okay, I'll do it next year. That doesn't work for him!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11:03 PM

    Jean, sure you have already thought of this, but could the Spring Shawl have been folded up in something else and popped in a drawer or airing cupboard? I once lost half a scarf for 3 weeks that way.

    Sarah.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Much less temptation if you delete it, but no guarantee you can get it back. I lost my favorite MahJong game that way.

    ReplyDelete