Week 29: 21 – 27 June

Just a brief update this week, as I’ve been knocked sideways by the same blasted cold I mentioned last time and so haven’t really got out much, so not much to report.

I almost invented a new art form when I realised that my mucus-filled tissues, when wet, could be formed into interesting patterns, and would keep their shape when dry – but somehow the idea of snot sculptures seemed a bit too gross, even for me, so I offer it here for any contemporary artist who wishes to make a statement about decay, transcience, mortality or the abject failure of the English football team at the World Cup. (But suddenly we are world-beaters at cricket – how did that happen? Is this a consequence of Doctor Who rebooting the universe last week?)

While I’ve been stuck at home planning my new consultancy venture, I’ve been looking into the new austerity budget and discovered that our new insect overlords in Government have decided to cut costs by – wait for it – ceasing to employ consultants. Timing, as they say, is everything, and on the face of it this doesn’t bode well, does it? But I must admit I like a challenge, and I am currently developing services I can offer to businesses, as well as museums and archives, so hopefully I’ll find some clients come the autumn when it all gets serious.

And, frustrating as being ill can be, it’s given me a good excuse to catch up on my knitting – hence the significant progress down the sleeve. Another week should do it (then I have to work out what to do with it). There’s another bonus to getting this far down the sleeve, too, which is that the rest of the pullover doesn’t have to sit in your lap while you’re knitting; very important when the weather gets hot and sticky, as it is just now. So we open the windows, and chase the faint breeze round the house like sailors on an old-fashioned sailing ship caught in the doldrums.

Still, we’ve passed the longest day – the nights are starting to draw in, and remember: there are just 179 sleeps till Christmas…