Little to report. I knit some more cuff, at that stage where one goes round and round seeming to achieve nothing. In fact I think it’s nearly finished. I haven’t been counting. I’ll count rounds when I deem it finished, and try to match the other one when the time comes. The next instruction is to increase two at the underarm seam every five rounds – I can start off, at least, with five-round stripes of those gradient colours. That will see me well on my way.

Life

Helen’s husband David came around and helped me with some business. He was under instructions from his fierce wife to get me out for a walk, but in that he failed. We had a good time, and got some work done.

Helen says that my second sourdough loaf was tasty, but much tougher than the first one. I have done some reading, and found some changes which might help (more water, to make a wetter dough; and a lower proportion of chapatti flour) and am eager to try again. I’ll bear in mind the possibility of adding rosemary: it grows on the doorstep. How to pulverise it? One doesn’t want to stab people with those sharp needles.

And I’ve proceeded happily with Dr Thorne, having polished off my re-read of Put Out More Flags. I still haven’t followed your link, Shandy, for fear of disturbing the images in my head. I’m particularly afraid of the “wrong” Miss Dunstable. I love her, but she’s not pretty and not desperately young, and not easy to cast. (Nor have I a clear mental image.) Everybody wants to marry her, because she’s exceedingly rich, and the passage in which she finally accepts a husband (no spoilers here) is delicious. I doubt if it’s in this book, but we shall see. Trollope is awfully good on money.