Bob heard my studio door open yesterday and went to see who was there – he found a gypsy rifling through my yarns. ‘She was not your friend gypsy! he told me* – ‘May I help you?’ he asked in that unfailingly polite way he has. She proceeded to try to tell him his fortune – not a good plan to when you are speaking to a Benedictine! * I have a gypsy friend who has been knocking at my door since I was 18.

I moved from Gretton about 25 years ago and one day she knocked on my door in Stoke Albany- we were so pleased to see each other had a big hug it was really lovely. We have grown old together and have children of the same age, sadly she lost her ‘man’ as she called him some years ago but has sons who support her. The gypsy who came into my studio had to step over this poor old wheel that I am going to restore to get to my yarns.