Home again.

All these years – Paradox will be three in August – I have thought that all I had to do was get her to Strathardle when she was in heat, and she (and I) would have our longed-for box of kittens. Her heats are not frequent. My only fear was that she would elope with Young Lochinvar. Not so. She spent the entire time walking up and down the garden calling for love. There were no takers. No wonder kittens are so expensive.

If gentleman cats are so infrequent, maybe she and Perdita are full sisters.

Yesterday – it seems more distant – an old friend came by, and we sat in the garden drinking tea and catching up on Kirkmichael news. There’s nothing like a village for news. Then the right-hand legs of my chair suddenly sank into the turf – had a cat jumped on my lap? – and I slid gracefully down to the ground. No harm done. But on the way down, I collided with another, sturdy chair. I think I have bruised, or even cracked, a rib or two. I have been in quite a lot of discomfort since.

I got a lot of knitting done. Why should I have so much more time there than here? I finished Clue Three of the Stillness Shawl MKAL yesterday (clues are issued on Thursdays). The second sleeve of the EPS sweater is very nearly done.

I think I am getting better, although sneezing, coughing and belching are still quite painful. Archie is here, and will sleep in the spare room again tomorrow night. He is a considerable comfort. Getting in and out of bed is tough. I slept sitting up in the wing chair last night.

I will suspend blog-writing until I am a bit more comfortable. It shouldn’t be long. Love to you all.