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Hi, Rusty!
We too have been out for a walk - still very breezy but a mite warmer than earlier!
It proved a very sociable occasion, as we met up with a fair number of friends and their dogs!
How was your social chit chat with the horse?
Our mechanic friend - he owns the garage - is going to ring our daughter and sort out her car!
I do apologise for my typing errors - I have a tendency to transpose letters when I type - hence the typo of LBJ!
Usually, I pick up on most of the errors when I read through what I've written, but I missed that one!
Well done on finishing the crossword - but then you always do!
Did you manage the elusive parse?
The "intruder", by the way, was a wandering workman from lower down the street..... the dog was quite right to bark!

Hi Rossim,

Thanks for the link -
When I had a look at some stage yesterday, there was only one in the nest - you must have looked in shortly afterwards and saw the wanderer fly back home!

I had not realized they took so long before beeing fully adult; apart from the ospreys, I am more familiar with watching smaller birds (blue tits) in the nest above garage door and they seem to grow quickly and fly out in no time !
I suppose the smaller the bird the quicker they develop?

Hello, Elle!
Good news regarding the mechanic!
Getting the car to the garage may be the problem?
I went out and passed the horse's field and there was a young mum there with a baby in a buggy and a four year-old.
We spoke to the horse and he softly nickered in our direction!
I think he liked the wee ones!
Progress!
That made my day!
It is a lovely day but blustery.
My crossword is in the bin, but the answer was "ringlet" for a butterfly and something about Barnet which I did not understand.
I'll just move on!
I watched the first part of Andre Rieu concert in Dublin.
It's good.
There was a girl singing (Puccini, I think) and she was superb.
She acted throughout her song and I was mightily impressed.
I think her name may have been Carmen Something?
I will watch the rest tomorrow.

Elle, Update!
The singing lady is Carmen Monarcha from Brazil!

Hi, Rusty!
Progress indeed with the horse!
And he will "know" you better next time!
Now......re my daughter's car, it seems the confusion lies with me..........
Apparently, I should have told you that the engine will start, but the car won't drive!
Does that make any more sense?
(It doesn't to me!)
Anyway, I think Chris will go over there and take a look.......
The "Butterfly circling part of Barnet" was the straw that broke the camel's back for me!
I gave up at that point......I doubt I shall go back to it.......
I found the puzzle extremely difficult today.
I am glad you are enjoying the Andre Rieu concert.
Was it not about waltzes then?

Barnet Fair is cockney rhyming slang for hair;
the answer is to be found there;
The answer is also the name of a Butterfly ( I saw a couple in my garden last year)

Hello, Elle!
Yes, that makes sense.
The car starts, but wont drive because of a clutch problem.
I understand that.
Yes, Chris will have to go there if the car will not drive.
Replacing a clutch is not a major job.
The butterfly was a "ringlet", Elle, and Barnet was part of the clue, but I have no idea why.
Other than that, it was a good crossword.
Yes, there are waltzes, and a bull chasing a woman up the aisle.
It is very enjoyable, but enough for today, I'll finish it tomorrow.
Lovely evening here.

I posted just before you Rusty, re Barnet

Sorry, Jazzgirl!
I just noticed your post!
I did not know that about hair/Barnet Fair!
Makes sense though, a ringlet could be a part of hair.
I had not heard of a ringlet butterfly before.

Update, Elle,
I went on YouTube to find Carmen Monarcha.
Lots of stuff by her, including the one I saw.
Have a look?
Fifth from the top in menu.
She sings "O Mio Babbino Caro" with Andre Rieu in Australia.
Think it translates as "Oh My Dear Daddy".
I think she is super!

Hi, Rusty!
I am glad that you now understand about the car - sorry to have confused you earlier.
I was confused myself!
I think the expense lies in the time taken to replace the clutch?
Labour is expensive down here.
Anyway, hopefully Chris will know what is best for my daughter to do.
Sorry, had I thought properly about that clue, I might have been of some help......I did know that "barnet" could mean "hair"; I just didn't see it in that context.
My thoughts were of the place Barnet in Hertfordshire - or in Greater London, as I think it is now.
I shall look up Carmen Monarcha on YouTube after dinner - I am looking forward to hearing her.
( Shepherd's Pie for dinner!)