What a day! Helen was here this morning. As she was walking down Broughton Street to Drummond Place she phoned her son Fergus in Thessaloniki. He hadn’t been feeling very well yesterday. Today he felt terrible. She correctly diagnosed appendicitis and phoned her husband David at work.

   He went home and took Fergus to hospital. He has had surgery. The appendix had burst and there is some gangrene, but the surgeon doesn’t seem unduly worried. Helen is on her way to Thessaloniki but won’t be there until tomorrow morning. 

   And that’s about it. I got some knitting done — the first round of the lacy pattern for the borders of the Kate Davies MKAL shawl. It’s very easy — but you don’t need me to tell you that easy can be difficult if it lures you into relaxing. The pattern is essentially feather-and-fan but the technique is unfamiliar. I think I’ve got stitch count and twist straightened out. Tomorrow I can get down to actual knitting.

   Wordle: the issue today was, did your starters give  you the first letter? Mine didn’t. I scored five. That’s fine. All I care about is my winning streak as it creeps up through the 40’s 

   Mark was another five. Thomas four, despite having the first letter. Rachel and Alexander three — he had it, she didn’t. My generalisation is not holding up well at all. Ketki had a totally brilliant two (with the help of the first letter).

   Theo got the first letter early, and scored four. Roger didn’t and joined me among the fives.