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Hi, Rusty!
I have now read Wikipedia.
I see that Mike Tomkies briefly dated Ava Gardner, and also went motorcycling with Steve Mc Queen.
He did indeed hobnob with the stars!
Yes, I have met Pentaquod, but we are only nodding acquaintances as yet..........
I have done all but two of the Times 15x 15 today, plus two others I cannot yet parse.
Now I don't want to say too much at this stage, in case you haven't had chance to do the puzzle yet, but what did you think of 18d?
I especially liked 1a, 3d and 16a!
I am still working on the recalcitrant two, plus the missing parses!
The (proverbial) penny may yet drop!

Good Afternoon Elle/Rusty

Miserable day here but mild and humid. Not that nice.

Just received two more books - one is a Reader's Digest on origin of words and phrases (I like Reader's Digest books, I have never been disappointed by one yet)
The other is a smaller book by Harry Oliver (do you know him?) and is called 'March Hares and Monkeys' Uncles' - a kind of title that reminds me of 'Spilling the Beans on the Cat's Pyjamas! I was browsing through it and then realised I was actually reading it!

So I now have two books that I have started reading, this March Hares and one called 'The Unfolding of Language', a somewhat heavier book and I only read one chapter at a time -

Are you both OK?

Hello, Elle!
Car dropped at garage and I have seen my dentist.
An extraction looming!
Tooth has had a lot of work done on it, including root canal, so it's time for it to go, says she!
When you read Mike Tomkies' books about living in the wilds you would never guess at his past.
Being a good buddy of John Wayne etc!
I pronounce "glacier" differently from "glassier", if that is the word the setter means?
I am not sure my pronunciation is correct, though.
1a, a new word to me, and a bit of a slog getting there!
3d and 16a, are both good clues, for me, too.
I like 26a, a lot!
Have a wee break and the two to get will jump out at you, on return!

Good afternoon, Pigale!
Fine day here, but fairly cold!
I like Reader's Digest books, too.
I do not know your books but they sound very interesting.
Are they from World of Books?
I got one from them today.
"The Murders at White House Farm" by Carol Ann Lee.
I have read one of Miss Lee's books before and it was excellent.
I feel sure this one will be, too!
Wonder how Lassie and family are doing?

Hello Rusty,

Yes, I wonder too Rusty! Shame we cannot have any news.

The 'March Hares and Monkey's Uncles' was from World of Books and cost about 70Cents of a Euro (plus p&p)
The other is new - I got it from Amazon on a friend's recommendation. We share the same interest in languages.
I don't know Carol Ann Lee, but there again I know very few modern British/American authors;
I used to read a lot of murder books (A. Christie in particular, when I started reading a whole book in English) - but these days, I prefer to watch murder stories in DVDs; As for novels, they have to have a social history connotation, particularly on the evolution of life in rural areas.
I do like biographies too but am very selective as to the author - I need to trust that he/she has written a book that is true to life.

Hello, Pigale!
Amazon/World of Books are very good for choice and price.
The books arrive in very good wrappers, too, and quickly.
It's good that you are pleased with them!
This Carol Ann Lee book is non-fiction.
It is about murders that took place in 1985, in England.
The convicted killer has maintained his innocence ever since.
Should be a good read,I think!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
I am very sorry about your tooth!
It does sound as though it has done its best, and has now come to the end of its life!
When do you go to have it out?
I pronounce "glacier" as "glay cier" and "glassier" as"glah ssier" - the setter obviously intends both to be said with a short "a".
Irritating!
Yes, 26a was good - although I think it should have been spelled with a "z" to be truly American!
You are quite correct.... a break is effective......I have come back from my afternoon walk and straightaway filled in one of those two elusive clues!
The last one I give up on.
14a: Part of a letter from one who has already reached the heights?
D?S?E?D?R
Younger daughter has just phoned!
On Friday we are all going to a Hallowe-en "do" for children at a nearby farm....... BB and Baby are dressing up in suitable costumes!
BB is going as a skeleton! I'm not sure about the young one.
It was a good idea to drop your car off at the garage today, in order to save yourself another trip tomorrow!



Hello, Pigale!
I am fine, thank you!
We have been out walking - bright but cold here.
Your new books sound great!
Many moons ago we used to get the Readers' Digest Condensed books.
These were useful as introductions to many new authors, whom we perhaps otherwise would not have tried.

Hello, Elle!
Your clue. "Descender", look it up?
A descender is part of a letter which "descends" below the normal line.
For instance. "g" and "p" have parts below the normal line.
I do not think I am explaining myself very well.
See what Chambers says. "y" is another with a descender.
My tooth is coming out next Monday.
Have to stop taking aspirin a couple of days beforehand.
I am with you on "glacier", rightly or wrongly.
The Hallowe'en do sounds good!
I think there are "ascenders" in lettering too!

I think f, l, and t must be ascenders -
When I looked at Elle's clue, I thought it was 'descender' without associating it with alphabet letters! my mind was still on letter writing!

Hello, Pigale!
I had never heard of descenders or ascenders until 3 or 4 years ago.
Probably came across them in something to do with a crossword.
I imagine Elle can see "descender" but did not know of its meaning regarding printed lettering.
Always learning!