I’ve given up on Dominic Cummings. Helen was here this morning, exasperated with the whole fuss. Lots of people are quietly driving about and visiting family and friends, she says. (I don’t think her visits here count as violations, since I am so old and requiring help.) I think the point might be that Dominic Cummings’ position is so lofty that he has to obey the letter of his own law. Is that what noblesse oblige means? I am sure none of the royal family are cheating in the slightest.

All well here, otherwise. I’ve recovered from yesterday. It’s interesting what you say (comments yesterday), about Zoom being tiring. I am trying to persuade my sister and her husband, in DC, to join me in cooking one of the Duchess’ other menus. She remembered that when Archie and I were there in the flesh, I sat on the sidelines, perched on a kitchen stool, having fallen in the street the evening before and being somewhat shaken. Next time, she says, I must cook. We’ll see.

The not-surprising answer to yesterday’s question is that I want my EPS sweater to be 24-25” long; therefore I need 14-15” to the armhole. I have achieved 9 5/8” at the latest measure. It’s still looking good, but progress is slow.

Today’s knitting incentive was the new Fruity Knitting. It was entirely devoted to subjects I am not interested in – first Andrea with her beautiful (but crochet’d) blanket; then an interview with the woman who does Mochimochi. But the Mochimochi woman was delightful, and interesting – and Andrea is a brilliant interviewer. And the crochet’d blanket is nothing if not glorious.

I’ve been looking in on Arne & Carlos, as often. Carlos has had covid-19 rather badly, although he’s back on his feet now. In one recuperative video he teased Arne for being a bad cook, compared to himself, and then went on, to my surprise, to tease him for being old. Arne seems so boyish, so much the younger of the two. But I suppose, looking at them critically, that might not be true.