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Good morning, Rusty!
Just made it round the park without getting wet!
The rain started as we reached the car.
Decidedly chilly this morning.
I am now drinking a (strong) coffee and eating my apple and cheese!
Any new on Miss O and boyfriend ...will they have arrived yet?
You are going out with Miss La Bamba this morning, aren't you?
Is her car back in action? or are you driving?

Good morning, Elle.
Fine day up here!
Miss O and swain are leaving Manchester this morning destined for Los Angeles.
She texted to me earlier.
Miss La Bamba is collecting me in her own car (I think!) soon.
I am just about ready!
I hope the fine weather continues!

Hi, Rusty!
I hope you enjoyed your bacon roll!
I feel very much tempted by the thought of such!
But I am trying to be strong minded!
I have done today's Cryptic!
As usual on a Saturday, I thought it was a good puzzle and not too difficult!
I especially liked 14d, 10a and 19d.
I have three still to parse...but am mulling these over!
I have the Jumbo GK yet to do.
Rain has stopped, but a dull day.......

Hello, Elle,
Enjoyed my bacon roll!
Was with Miss La Bamba and her Dad.
Had a nice time.
I have not looked at my puzzle yet.
Still a fine day here.

Hi, Rusty!
It is not often that your son accompanies you on your outings to the Pine cone - so that was nice!
Is he a bacon roll addict, too?
I did the Jumbo GK without any problems.......no forrader on my reluctant parsings for the Cryptic though.
I am sure I have the correct answers as definitions....just cannot fully see why.....
My Bill Bryson (hardback) book has arrived from Amazon.
It is in very good nick! I am very pleased!

Hello, Elle!
Yes, it was nice of my son coming along, too.
I was treated!
We had a very good time!
I have finished my puzzle.
13a, 21a, 26a, were new to me.
The physician in 14d is new to me, too.
Do we really need old Greek lads in modern crosswords?
A reasonable puzzle though.
Well done on the book.
I am quite confident Bill and you will get on well!

Bill Bryson and family used to live in Kirkby Malham, not a long way from me. They went back to America but hated it (and apparently felt that their children's education was being affected), so moved back, to East Anglia somewhere, I think. He is (or was) Chairman of the Council for Preservation of Rural England.

I've really enjoyed nearly everything of his I've read, but not "The road to Little Dribbling", which I thought was pointless and contained too much gratuitous foul language! I think his "non-travel" books are his best.

Chris, I agree about "Little Dribbling".
Bad language is uncalled for, and certainly does not impress me.
That book went in the recycle bin.
I like his travel books.

Hi, Rusty!
It is always nice to be treated!
Good for your son!
Well, I have come back to cast another (fresh) eye over my puzzle.......
And this time I have done all but one of the outstanding parsings!
So I am pleased with myself.
The one on which I am still stuck is:
9a: Slip article inside French one in market (9,4)
The answer is Petticoat Lane , which is a large street market of over a thousand stalls in Tower Hamlets.
It is very busy and very noisy, selling mainly clothing and some house hold items, if my memory serves me correctly.
It is quite some time since I was last there!
But back to the clue.......
I thought "petticoat" for "slip"?
but could not parse the rest?
I am suspecting it will be obvious and I shall kick myself?
I must leave it for now , anyway....and go out with the dog!
I shall be back shortly........

I suppose slip is Petticoat as you say, "article" is "an" and "le" is the French one, ie a French article. Quite clever really, misdirecting you to "un" or "Une"