I presume that Victorian ladies had more time on their hands

I have had this book for many years and often read it as bedtime reading. Other people read novels I read crochet books. I have yet to have enough patience to make anything from it but adore reading it. It is reprinted in the form of pamphlets bound together as they were originally printed. Each issue cost 2d and the year's subscription (with postage free to any part of the world) was 2s 6d and they were originally published circa 1895. I just love the patterns and wish I could share with you every one of them. Antimacassars, smoking caps, baby's bootikins and opera hoods or fascinators. What wonderful mental images a fascinator conjours up. The edgings for curtains and mats are magnificently intricate. I think the Victorian ladies must have had a lot of time on their hands - perhaps whilst the maid did all the work? They could surely never have done this fine crochet in lamp light. I would love to make the chemise edgings and to keep my chemise in the nightgown case illustrated. I would keep my tea pot warm with the tea cosy in the bottom photo. The ladies must have gone into the haberdashery store to "purloin 2 ozs single Berlin wool" as instructed by the pattern. The edgings are worked in Strutt's or DMC cotton which was still around when I was a girl. There are some fantastic edgings for window blinds crocheted around cardboard shapes. I presume to keep the crochet stiff. Obviously the Victorians didn't launder their blinds or the cardboard would go rather soggy.

My own crochet hasn't progressed much today as I have been visiting my cousin David who I haven't seen for over 30 yrs. He emigrated to the US and is over with his whole family. His brother Eric who lives in Canada is arriving tomorrow but I doubt I will get to meet him as they are travelling up to Scotland in the morning. His sister Hilda is taking time out from her around the world sail to meet up in Scotland also. Her husband was a commander in the Royal Navy and when they retired they sold up and bought a yacht and are spending their retirement sailing from place to place. Last year they were in the west Indies. What a great way to spend a retirement! The whole family are all home for a memorial service for my Aunt Lena (their mother) who passed away last year. She had moved with her husband to Scotland when I was young but I used to see her twice a year when she visited my mum and dad. She had a serious stroke and spent the last few years in a nursing home in Plymouth so this memorial service is so that family and all her friends in Scotland can attend to honour her.

I am on the border of the multi coloured pink shawl and will have finished it by tomorrow. I have found a pattern on line for a reduction market bag. It is made in fine cotton so I will make one more or less to the pattern to get an idea how it is made and then make more with some thicker cotton that I have in stash. I just have a couple of balls in 4ply cotton that should be OK. Most of my other cotton is DK or Dishcloth weight. The bag folds down into a small purse so it should be interesting to see how it all fits together. I must get back to my purple Doris Chan. I have put it down and am finding it hard to pick it back up again. I have also got the second house sock to finish off.

I rang the hospital today and of course only got the ansaphone of the surgeon's secretary. I left a message but of course I have had no reply. This is exactly what happened last time I left a message. I have not had a reply to the e mail I sent to her last week either. I hate to complain but I have just re-read the letter and it is dated 18th Feb and it says "We will try and do the operation in the latter part of the 18 weeks period that we need to do her operation in" Today is 16 weeks by my count since the letter was typed. I thought I would have least been given a time frame by now. I feel that I am just going to have to mither until I get some kind of an answer. If I am not on the June operation list then why not and how long until I am?