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Hello, Elle!
Still incessant rain here.
Some flooding on the roads.
The nearest Ikea to me is South of Edinburgh.
Over an hour away by road.
I was there once a lot of years ago.
But not for lightbulbs.
My puzzle was not too bad.
There was a Midlands town I had never heard of, but getting it was straightforward enough.
A fine change from stations on the Victoria line!

Hi, Rusty!
We are having a few intermittent very heavy showers...... although it virtually dries up in between them.
The BBC seems to be getting desperate, due to play at Eastbourne being impossible because of the rain........
They are ranging from showing footage of Arthur Ashe forty years ago, receiving the Wimbledon Cup, to a very young Andy Murray being interviewed .
I am sitting at the computer, with the TV on (at the other end of the room) without sound.
"Just in case" any tennis play resumes.......
Yes, I thought both yesterday's and today's 15 x 15 were more straightforward than usual.
I finished both the larger puzzle and the QC quite quickly ( for me!)
I didn't know of "Sandwell" either!
( I wonder if Mr R put in 16d with regard for my big toe? )

Hello, Elle!
16d was almost my last.
I could not get "vagabond" away from my head.
Yes, Mr R may have been thinking of your poor toe!
Now, 26a.
The setter is using "wd" as an abbreviation for "word".
Is that allowed?
I have not seen it before and my Chambers 11th Ed does not have it.
Has your big toe mended yet?

Hi, Rusty!
It is now raining steadily - and with serious intent!
That is good - the garden needs it!
I don't know about using "wd" as an abbreviation for "word"...it came to me quite naturally to use it?
Ah , my toe......I'm drinking plenty of tonic water - as advised - for the quinine content!
I think there is some improvement?
( I am "hobbling" more efficiently!)
Thank you for enquiring!
Going to watch "Eggheads" very shortly.

Eggheads was very surprising, wasn't it?

It has been raining oh so gently here- I want some proper rain! Come on, chuck it down!

Hello, Elle!
Maybe an age thing?
I see "wd" as War Department.
I think they renamed themselves the War Office, and then the Ministry of Defence some time ago.
If you go to the loch website and type "unhatched eggs" in the search box, you will find some info and good articles.
I had my heating on earlier!

Rosalind, you are welcome to my rain.
It has never let up all day.
Quite heavy, too!
I have been out twice and got drookit twice.
Hoping for a drier day tomorrow!

Hey, Rusty!
I don' t know....?
If I were asked to abbreviate "crossword", I would put "xwd"?
Now, I couldn't type anything into the Loch of Lowes "Search" box......when I clicked on it, I got rows and rows of noughts?
In fact, a whole page of them!
Goodness knows what I am doing wrong?
It must be very cold up your way if you needed your C/ Heating on?
I think it is supposed to be 15C here this evening.
Mind you, I am wearing a cardigan for the first time in several weeks!
Still raining......
Eastbourne - the Aegon International - will be very behind with their schedule!

Hello, Elle!
I tried the search box again and it is working perfectly, for me, anyway.
Yes, you are probably correct with "wd".
I am an old throwback, remember!
But "xwd" looks like crossword to me.
"wd" looks like War Department or withdrawn.
The setter and you are on the same page!
I am on another hymn book!
I thought it was good to get a town in the Midlands although I had not heard of it.
My heating is off again, but it was chilly earlier.
You will be fine next week if the rain stops the tennis.
Le Tour will be on!

Hi, Rusty!
Let us hope it does not rain during Wimbledon!
I doubt my nerves will stand up to watching Le Tour!
You know that I do not like awaiting the disasters that inevitably occur!
I was amused to find that homophones crop up even during the "15 to 1" quiz show.........
The contestant was asked what homophone means both drill and foretell?
Another question was who was Vera Brittain's daughter?
Vera Brittain wrote "Testament of Youth", which I think you have read?
Did you ever read the sequel "Testament of Experience"?
It is still raining steadily.......