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I thought it was a rather humdrum clue, no great shakes - but I suppose they can't all be ingenious!

Good afternoon, Elle!
Yes, a good puzzle, today.
"Remoulade" is a new word for me.
11a is a very good one.
I have "terrane", too.
13, I am a bit flummoxed by this one, although I can see Malone's parse.
I won't say a word about the setter, but he/she operates on a different level from me!
That will suffice!
29, and 30, were good, I thought!
The empty nest is fairly normal, Elle, at this time of year.
Been a crow in it fairly often, recently.
Of course "workoutable" is a word.
You have just created it!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
Uhm...I thought 13a unworthy of the rest of the puzzle?
Unless we are both missing something subtle?
I have rarely, though, enjoyed a 15 x15 as much as I did today!
I have had quite a successful day, in that I have caught up with quite a backlog of correspondence.
I now have the rest of the afternoon to do just as I like......until "cat visiting time" at 5pm!
Still no further news as to diagnosis....hopefully, more will be discovered from the Ultrasound this afternoon.
There was a dog brought in yesterday whilst we were there....the poor thing had eaten rat poison.
Hopefully, he would sick it all up with the treatment given him.
Pets can certainly be a worry!
How is the tennis going?

Hello, Elle!
Yes, regarding 13, we may not be seeing something.
Hopefully you will get good news at visiting time.
The tennis has not begun yet.
There is a big time difference between UK and New York.
It is still morning there, Elle.
I did not know that rat poison was still being made.
it is raining here now.

Hi, Rusty!
I forgot about the time difference!
Of course the tennis will be later!
We have had rain here, too...in fact it has gone so dark outside that I think we are in for another downpour.
Rat poison can be either anticoagulant or non- anticoagulant, I think?
I don't know anything about the latter, but warfarin is/ was? given as a rat poison - it works by stopping the rat's blood from clotting.
The young man to whom I was talking about his dog being poisoned, said that a similar compound to warfarin is often used now.
I gathered that he worked for Pest Control, but didn't like to ask if this was how his dog had got hold of the poison.
Right, I must get organised for our (daily) visit to the vets.... Hopefully, we shall find about more information about the cat's condition whilst there.
Is your son visiting today as usual?

Hello, Elle!
The young man must have been very careless if his dog got rat poison?
Surely it is a controlled product?
Yes, my son was here and brought me a chicken dinner from the butcher.
Lucky me!
How are things at the vet now?

Hi, Rusty!
A chicken dinner sounds good!
Now.....the news from the vet was much better then we had been expecting!
They did the Ultrasound scan this afternoon.
We saw all the "pictures", and the vet who had carried out the procedure talked us through it all.
Fortunately, there is no sign of a tumour anywhere!
The problem lies with the cat's gall bladder, and in particular a gall stone which has lodged itself in his bile duct.
He will need an operation to remove his gall bladder.
I think the plan is to do this tomorrow, but the two vets concerned were going to discuss the situation after surgery closed tonight.
I am to speak with them at 9.30 tomorrow morning., and they will tell me the plan of campaign.
Obviously, there is always a risk with surgery, especially concerning the anaesthetic with older animals, but he is in with a good chance and if he comes through the operation, should hopefully make a good recovery.
So fingers crossed all will be well!

Hello, Elle!
That is encouraging news.
They know the problem and how to fix it.
Yes, there is always a risk with surgery, but fingers crossed everything turns out well.
Now "fingers crossed"?
Wherever did that phrase come from?

Hi, Rusty!
I have checked in Brewers and it says " Fingers crossed" is an allusion to the superstition that making the sign of the cross will avert bad luck.
We shall hope for the best tomorrow.
The poor cat has already had his tummy shaved - it was necessary for the ultrasound scan - so he is well prepared for his op.
He was in better form when we visited tonight!
As soon as I opened his cage door he came rushing out to greet us!
It is an excellent idea that one can visit one's pets...they take heart from seeing their owners.
How is the tennis going?

Hello, Elle!
The sign of the cross makes sense, I think.
I did not know that was where it came from.
Yes, visiting the pets sounds like an excellent idea.
I did not know that went on.
I have not watched any of the tennis, but I understand that Roger Federer is now in his 4th set with his opponent.
Seems to be a pretty even match!