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Good morning, Rusty!
We have a nice, quiet, peaceful morning here!
Blue sky, sunshine, not even a breeze .......
Quite incredible after the windy and disturbing night we had.
How it like with you?
I hope the storm did not reach you?
Looking at the shaded areas shown on the map, that are deemed / going to be / affected, the storm may not get as far as you?
A very large area seems destined to suffer severe consequences though.
I am away to the hairdessers later for a trim.

Good morning, Elle!
We missed the worst, I think.
Wind is 24 mph here but a fine day.
I put ear plugs and went to sleep last night and never heard a thing.
There is a good website for checking the winds etc, called "Ventusky"
Now, an update on La Bamba's birthday tea!
It is in a Boozy Cow restaurant.
Seems to be part of a chain.
They only serve burgers and hot dogs, apparently.
And their profits go to local charities.
So, that seems fine....I think!

Hi, Rusty!
I am just home again.......
My word, what a morning I have had!
I arrived at the hairdressers to find that they had been burgled in the middle of the night!
The door was boarded up.......but business was as usual......
Except that burly policemen appearing mid morning in a Ladies' salon is not a common occurrence!
We had plain clothes police, also, to check on the reports of evidence giving DNA....
Always assuming, of course, that the criminal is duly caught in order to ensure a comparison!
Oh, never a dull moment!
In between whiles I did manage to get my hair cut!
I have not heard of the Boozy Cow!
It sounds good , though!
I hope Miss L-B has a good time!
What are you up to today?
Is the weather fit to go out?

Hello, Elle!
So you were helping with enquiries!
Let us hope they nab the culprit/s!
There are several Boozy Cows, so to speak.
I was speaking to one of La Bamba's pals earlier, and she said it is very good but expensive.
The weather here is a bit windy still, but perfectly fine for going out.
A good puzzle today, with new words for me!

I've just come across a great line in a book I'm reading (A very English scandal, by John Preston, recommended on "A good read" a few weeks ago). It's about the Jeremy Thorpe affair. I've just read about Leo Abse fighting to get the homosexuality ban lifted. He was assisted in the Lords by Lord Arran, previously best known for failed attempts to get badgers protected.

I quote:
Afterwards Lord Arran was asked why his homosexual law reforms had succeeded, while his attempts to protect badgers had not. Arran paused, and then said ruminatively, "There are not many badgers in the House of Lords."

I don't know Lord Arran from Adams, but his répartie was great!

Hi, Rusty!
My day seems to be whizzing past without much to account for time spent!
My hairdresser spent more time excitedly waving her scissors in the air, describing the scene of chaos found in the shop, than she did applying said scissors to my tresses!
I have completed my puzzle.
My favourites were 3d: tarragon, 19d: canaille, and 23a: tetrarch.
I wanted to put "Priestley" for 12a (it wouldn't fit) as he wrote "The Good Companions", before deciding on "Longfellow" as the answer!
I had trouble with 7d "Blue John", as I didn't know that was Derbyshire Spar.
Did you know that?

This was in the 60s, pigale

A contemporary joke. Two MPs meet in the House Tea Room. One asks
"What do you think I ought to do about the Homosexuality Bill?"
"Pay it, old boy!"

Good afternoon, Elle!
"Blue John" was unknown to me, Elle.
So was "canaille" and "Diogenes".
And you got the "leg/on" bit in "tarragon".
I wondered if you would remember your cricket!
I was surprised at "expose=nail" in "canaille.
But Chambers has it, so that's fine!
I have just ordered some books on eBay.
I had a dander earlier but did not see any storm damage.
Think we were lucky compared to Ireland.

Good ChrisE; I'll try and remember it! But I am not very good
at telling jokes, it never comes out right somehow.