Ella and Harvey

Not my photo - Ella and I spoke for 2 hours on FaceTime today. She was telling me about her birthday and showing me her presents and just chatting. She would love a pet but as the parents (in normal times) are out at work all day, there’s no chance. So she “adopts” pets. Jagger the cat along the road visits her and today it was the turn of Harvey, her Auntie Kath’s dog - they met on the town moor to walk. What a great place that is - countryside in the middle of the city. Ella sent me the photo to show me.

Although it was a really lovely springlike day I felt a bit down - a walk would have helped but I was tired and uncharacteristically fed up so I got on with ripping out yesterday’s crochet - I had not done the basket stitch rows properly. It took most of the day to get back with where I was yesterday. But I’m on Row 124 so only 36 more to do and I can start the cotton coat.

We have booked the boat to St Kilda in May. Who knows if we’ll can get the van to the Outer Hebrides by then but most of the sailings were already booked. We get a two day slot. Even then, it is more likely than not that we won’t get to sail. It is very weather dependent. We get our money back if the boat doesn’t go. We last went to the Outer Hebrides 10 years ago when we cycled around Barra where friends had a B&B and visited Mr C’s old RAF station at Aird Uig. There was a wonderful restaurant called Gallen Head where he got langoustines that were so big they hung off his plate. But that no longer seems to be there. I’m sure if we are allowed to travel in May the place will be heaving with camper vans so it will be a very different experience from last time.

If they fulfil their promise of a second vaccination within 12 weeks I should be done by then. I don’t want to miss #2.