Hottest to date. The whole nation has abandoned lockdown and headed for the beach.

I finished the ribbing on the second EPS sleeve, and did the first gradient stripe. However the big knitting news is that we have the first clue for the Stillness Mystery Shawl. I’m afraid it looks like a full-time job. All my own fault.

So the rest of the time, and more, was occupied in ball-winding. (And, of course, I could have done that last week.) All three skeins are involved in the first clue. The first one went fine. I got into trouble with the second (the yarn is sort of slippy) and sat resolutely on through Pointless and the start of the news, winding and untangling. I’m nearly finished. I’ll continue through tonight’s Alan Bennett and then, if there’s more to do, throw it away. I’ll use the swift for the third skein (as opposed to doing it on my knees),  but not today.

Tonight’s AB is a fave, well-remembered from last time: a rich widow who is gradually relieved of most of her money by her wicked son Giles. “Just sign here, Mummy.”

I agree, Shandy, that the writing is magnificent and the sum-total truly tragic and that Sarah Lancaster is brilliant. But I didn’t like her episode – it was a view into more shallow darkness than I cared to contemplate. The scene with the vicar was terrific.

Reading

I’ve finished “Mr Scarborough’s Family”. It’s definitely not Trollope’s best, nor even one of the good ones. I don’t think you have to read it after all, Shandy. I’ve re-embarked on Leonardo Sciascia’s “Il Cavaliere e la Morte”. I’ve started it two or three times before, and have made good progress. I’ve gone back to the beginning again. I’m very fond of Sciascia – another Sicilian. I’m determined to finish, this time.