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Hi, Rusty!
It is good that you had a nice time chatting with your son.
(Did he bring you any goodies from the butchers?)
I enjoyed catching up with my friend today.
To my surprise, she was delving through the pile of books on our coffee table and asked if she could take "Hawaii" home with her to read!
I tried in vain to persuade her to accept either "Centennial" or "Chesapeake", as I felt either of those would be a better "ambassador" as an introduction to Mr M, but she was adamant on her choice being "Hawaii".
As I said to you before....I think had I read that that first, it might have deterred me from reading any other.
Anyway, I shall see what her verdict is once she has read it.
Did you do the crossword today?
I did the top left hand corner, but gave up and settle down with my book.

Hello, Elle!
My son brought me a bridie from the butcher.
So, I will have it tomorrow.
Do you know a bridie?
I agree about Hawaii.
The other two are better.
"Alaska" is excellent too.
Yes, I finished the crossword while waiting on my promised phone call from my phone supplier, which did not come.
Not a problem!

Good morning, Rusty!
A damp but milder morning!
Resulting in a muddy dog!
How is it in your neck of the woods?
Yes, I do know what a bridie is....it is a potatoless meat pasty!!
But I prefer Cornish pasties with potato in them!
On the other hand.... a Scots friend of mine called his cairn terrier "Bridie", which he told me meant "strong"?
We have had our first invasion of Christmas cards delivered!
I haven't even started to write mine yet!

Good morning, Elle.
Fine day here, and mild!
I've not had a Cornish pasty.
I am sure they are very tasty.
"Bridie" is a diminutive of "Bridget", too.
And it can mean "strong".
How has the wellie repair turned out?
It is getting like Christmas here, too!
ASDA staff are wearing Christmas jumpers.
Why "jumper"?

Hi, Rusty!
I have just been arranging a huge bunch of flowers that my husband gave to me for our Wedding Anniversary!
They are beautiful!
And we are going out for dinner to celebrate, this evening!
I think my wellie repair will be okay!
The glue makes a raised "bond " over the split - but the "proof of the pudding will be in the eating", so to speak........?
I cannot think of a more topical metaphor?
I don't know why "jumper"?
I looked in Brewers...it tells me that a "jump suit" is a one- piece garment originally worn by paratroopers, but makes no mention of "jumper".
I wonder if it comes from the French "jupe", which is a waist petticoat or slip?

I remember reading they were jumpers because they are no good over the flat! I am not sure if this is a slightly off-coour joke or not!

Hello, Elle,
Congratulations to you and your husband on your Wedding Anniversary!
May you have many more!
The welly repair is not to do with you going out to eat dinner....I trust?
Maybe best wearing proper shoes, Elle?
It is a special occasion, after all.
Have a word with your daughters about it?
When I was a boy, my family called jumpers, "ganseys".
Seems to have died out now.
Your "jupe" may well be the origin of jumper.

Hi Elle, Rosalind and Rusty,

Hope all is OK.

This is what I have extracted from one of my word origins books:

' Jumper was probably derived from an earlier dialectal 'jump' or 'jup' which denoted a short coat for men or a women's under-bodice.
This in turn was borrowed from the French 'juppe', a variant of 'jupe' (skirt), whose ultimate source Arabic 'jubbah', the name of a sort of loose outer garment'

(It's true that Jupe means skirt, jupon meaning the undergarment)

Freezing fog early morning here and grey, but now just a little less cold than yesterday.

Hi, Rusty!
Thank you for the good wishes, Rusty!
They are much appreciated!
Now, are you saying that it would be inappropriate/ inadvisable for me to dine out in my (newly repaired) wellies?
I am desolated!
I thought they would surely compliment my posh outfit?
Seriously, though................ I promise I shall wear "proper" shoes!
Would "gansey" be the Scottish equivalent of "guernsey"?
We call heavy woollen sweaters "guernseys"?
I have a Cockney clue for you from the QC......
17a: A saint 'assled and stupified (9)
Don't sigh....give it a go!


Hello Pigale!
Yes, all okay at our end, thank you!
And although dampish, it is milder today.
I am glad to see that I am correct with "jupe"!
That is good!

Elle, My very best wishes to you both on your special day - Have a supper evening out.