It was all a bit Once-in-Royal-David’s-City, last night, as everybody who had been listening to/watching the match emailed to say, Wow! A writer on the BBC Scotland site says that Bill McLaren will have been with us: “mere death would not have stopped him from watching this.” Scottish readers will understand.

 

Two of you have suggested that wee Hamish should have the celebration knitting. It’s not a bad idea, especially as he’s so much smaller than the other candidates. He’s nine months old. If I aimed for a – generous; he’s a strapping lad – two-year-old size, he could wear it on Calcutta Cup Day 2022.

 

 First of all, I need to find a picture to base the colours on. Here’s the Hopper I used last time:

 

I’ve never seen it in real life. I don’t even know where it lives. I saw it first in reproduction in the Financial Times. I now gather that it’s one of his most famous. It clutches at my heart. That’s ME. I was born in 1933. My early years weren’t particularly urban. I’ve looked through other Hoppers. I find myself specifying that there must be some red – the coup de rouge. But in that case, isn’t it me, rather than Hopper, who is choosing the colours? I’ve based Fair Isles on pictures before Alexander’s successful one in 2018, but I’ve chosen models too colourful, This needs thought, and restraint. Fortunately the great-grandchildren give me time.

 

I’ve currently done 7 ½ scallops of the edging on the final side of Gudrun’s hap. And 2275 steps – once around the garden this morning with C., in fairly severe weather. There are new episodes of  my favourite podcasts out there – Americast, and Wendy and Bendy on art (that’s not quite right). I may be able to get the edging up to the half-way measure before I go to bed.