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Hi, Rusty!
You are right, there IS a glossary at the beginning of " The Hills..." and yes, "strupak" (spelt with a "k") is there.
I had not thought to look.
The rain has ceased for now....I am thinking that this will be a good time to do some gardening whilst the ground is a bit softer...and anyway it is time we got the plants in the ground / patio pots/ hanging baskets - although we are assiduously watering them daily!
I am fascinated by the Wee Wee Frees! I shall look them up later on!
Meanwhile, I am heading for the Great Outdoors ( namely, in this instance, the back garden!)........

Hello, Elle!
The Wee Wee Frees are a hoot!
Basically, they do not like anything.
They are against Easter, Christmas, music in church, church choirs, Roman Catholics, they even wrote a letter to the Queen giving out to her about her attending a Catholic service somewhere.
There are no "tidings of comfort and joy" with the Wee Wee Frees!
And if Jesus is wanting any of them to "be a sunbeam", he is in for a long wait!
It has not been very warm here today but no rain.
Have you planted your new plants?

Hi, Rusty!
The Wee Wee Frees do not sound very congenial!
I remember singing "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam" at Sunday School!
And when the collection was being taken, we young children used to walk round in a circle, putting our money in the collecting box, whilst singing "Hear the pennies dropping....."!.
Ah, those were the days!
We have planted some of the plants...but then my husband remembered he needed to go down to the GP surgery to get his blood test results.
When he got there.......
It would appear that a major incident has been declared, after NHS Services in England and Scotland have hit by a large scale Cyber attack.
Patient data cannot be assessed, because it has been scrambled by Ransomware.
Up to 25 NHS organisation and many GP practices (including ours ) have been affected.
Ambulances are being diverted so this obviously could have serious repercussions.
I am sure by now that it must be all over the News, although I haven't checked further than reading about it online, as yet.
I believe there are cyber attacks affecting organisations world wide.....
Whatever next....?

Hello, Elle!
Yes, this is a disastrous attack on the NHS.
Operations cancelled etc.
Goodness knows who is behind it or when it will be resolved.
21d is a dreadful clue!
I would put the setter under the creel with the cockerel.

Hi, Rusty!
Cyber attacks holding organisations to ransom are a vicious way to go....but to target the NHS and put peoples' lives at risk is diabolical.
Let us hope it gets sorted soon - and hopefully someone held to account.
I didn't finish today's 15 x 15.
21d is one of those I couldn't do......
I have ?A?R?S , but haven't any idea what the answer can be?
It must be bad for you want to put the compiler under the creel!!
I am about to watch today's "15 to 1" - I recorded it earlier.

Hello, Elle,
BBC say 74 countries are affected by the cyber attack.
They include USA, UK, China, Spain, Russia.
Serious stuff.
21d. The definition is "house".
The answer is "Taurus".
A house in astrology.
A soundalike "rent" with "our people".
For 10a, I had "logarithm" for ages before I twigged it was "algorithm".
I got there eventually, though.

Masterchef update:
Well, all three finalists seemed very very good, and I couldn't argue with their decision, but I did think that Alison would have done better.

I could argue with John Torode's "raviolis" though!

Hi, Rusty!
All the Big Powers seem to be inflicted by the Cyber attacks ...
I wonder who will eventually be found to be responsible.....
I'm guessing a supposed homophone for "Taurus" and meaning "rent our people" must be "tore us"?
But they do not sound the same to me.
I would never have gotten it.
I managed "algorithm".
I have just looked in on Lassie and Laddie - no hatchings as yet.
One of the Canada geese in our local park has had her eggs hatch.
I counted four goslings this morning, but there may have been more.
I didn't want to go any closer for fear of disturbing her.
The heron was prowling though...which did not augur well.

Hello, Chris!
I did answer you about this yesterday...I don't know whether you read my response?
Again, I cannot add any comment as I have never watched the programme at all.
I don't even know who Alison is?
And who did win?
"Ravioli" is surely the plural of "raviolo"?

Yes indeed, elle - raviolis is a solecism.

In previous years there has been an interest in "Masterchef" here - apparently not this year!