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Good morning, Elle!
Lovely morning here!
Shirt sleeve mode for my walk to ASDA earlier.
Did you "clock" anyone at the park this morning?
Now, Rosamunde Pilcher is a name I know, but do not know what is it she writes about.
May I suggest "Pollyanna" by Eleanor Porter?
A very good book.
40p seems good value for your omnibus.
Amazon is great for books!

Good morning, Rusty!
It is a lovely morning here, too, but there is a decided autumnal chill to the air.
It is jacket or fleece weather!
Certainly not warm enough here for shirt sleeves!
You must be very hardy!
Darn it...I forgot about "clocked"!
Ah, I have read "Pollyanna" by Eleanor H. Porter.
In fact, I have both that, and "Pollyanna Grows Up" on my bookshelves!
I like to read them again from time to time!
It would do us all good to play the "Glad" game!
( Maybe the book(s) should be compulsive reading in schools?!)
I am halfway through the Cryptic crossword ........okay so far.....
Then I have some paper work to sort out......

Hello, Elle!
I have my own Pollyanna here.
Miss O is very like her.
Always optimistic, always grinning!
Well, me and my shirtsleeves are heading out again.
ASDA has key tags that I am needing.
10 for £1.25.
They are 76p at Toolstation, but that means driving, so ASDA it is!
Not looked at the crossword yet.

Good afternoon, Rusty!
I think we could all do with a Pollyanna in our lives!
Or, even better, we should all try ourselves to find something about which to be glad in our day........
I have just the one query about the crossword.
12a: Toiletry's improved quality (4, 5)
rose water = toiletry (def)
rose - improved
but how does "water" equate to "quality"?
I cannot see this?
There is a terrible homophone in the Times QC!
5a: Othello encore you can hear? (4)
The setter appears to think that "Moor" sounds like "more"!
Did you get your key tags?

Elle, look in Brewers dictionary of phrase and fable under "Diamond" (page 370 in mine)

...And Elle, see too 'water' in Chambers. The 'quality' is mentioned there.

Hello, Elle!
I consider myself lucky to have Miss O/Pollyanna in my life!
She is always very good humoured and optimistic and it has rubbed of on her wee sister, La Bamba.
12A. I had not the slightest notion that "water" had anything to do with "quality", I confess.
I could not see it, too.
It is certainly new to me, but not to Anne Bradford!
But, thanks to Jazzgirl and Malone for keeping you right!
I agree regarding Moor and more.
But, we all come from different speaking places, and I am sure many will regard it as a homophone.
I struck out on the key tags at ASDA.
One of the section leaders and me went looking for them but she said they had none.
She offered to "Click and Collect" them for me for tomorrow.
But... I have ordered some on eBay.
Maybe be here tomorrow.

Hello, Jazzgirl and Malone.
So..."of the first water" means of the highest quality?
This is a completely new expression to me!
I find it a strange comparison......
Thank you both for your help.

hi Elle, yes, having the clarity of water at its purest.
When choosing diamonds, go for the 4 Cs : clarity,cut, colour, and carat !

PS Brewers goes on to explain that it can also mean an extreme of some kind, good or bad "rogue of the first water", genius of the first water.