Helen came this morning and instead of insisting on a tour of the garden, has launched me onto a program of Steady Improvement. It’s probably a good idea. I’ve done 1178 steps so far today, walking about the house, and will aim for 1500 tomorrow.

 

My dear cleaner Daniela was also here today, the first time I’ve seen her for six months or so, although she was here last week while I was away. She and Helen conversed happily in Greek. She told Helen that I had declined since she last saw me. I think so too. She also said that she found a mouse on my bed last week. A dead one. I thought that was rather touching – it could only have been from Paradox. I live in a tenement and mice could never be far away. We have never seen droppings or found damage, but I have occasionally seen them skittering which I hate. There have been no sightings in the last five or six years, Paradox, a mighty huntress, has come up with a couple, and even Perdita had one once when she was young.

 

I have taken a picture of the Coofle for you, but so far have not succeeded in getting it any further than the iPad. I knit a bit more of it today. I found it on my bed when I got up to pee in the night, with the yarn in a position to trip me and send me crashing to my death. I had left it in the adjacent room, with the door open between. That could only have been Paradox. No harm done, either to me or to the Coofle.

 

Day two of our cruise was Port Ellen and the Laphroaig distillery. I must get hold of a map and trace our course.

 

Today might be my 64^th wedding anniversary. We never observed anniversaries, and I have slightly lost touch with which day it actually was.