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Elle
Didn't think you were!

My granddaughter is 5 today! I have a big bag of craft items, books and an envelope (I refuse to actually buy Barbie stuff!) to give her later. Then she is going out for a curry (her request!)

Good afternoon, Rusty!
I have had a busy morning.....I have caught up on a load of jobs.
All now successfully accomplished.
I am feeling pleased with myself!
And not least because in between times, I finished the 15 x 15 puzzle.
All, that is, bar 18d:
Military group swims, coming up for a rest ((6)
?P?D?R
I am stuck on this one?
One or two clues I got by having the crossing letters in place...like 23a: Friedrich Engels.
An easy (amusing) parse though!
And I thought that 25a "number ten", and 21d "risen" were clever.
Yes, a good puzzle!
Right, I must away out now......and make the most of this lovely weather!



Hello, Ros!
I hope your granddaughter has a lovely fifth birthday!
I think the gifts you have bought for her sound fun.
Are you joining the curry party?

Hello, Elle!
I have completed several tasks, too!
18 D, "Swims" is "dips", the military group is "RE" (Royal Engineers)
reversed. Giving "spider" for "rest".
A spider is a rest used in snooker.
Maybe new to you?
It was a very good puzzle.
9a, is new to me.
It has turned into a fine day here!
Lassie doing a grand job sitting on the eggs!

Hi elle

Lovely weather? Gosh, it is cold and windy here. I have done 3 plus hours gardening and that's my lot, unless it gets out better later.

Have not been asked to the curry party and don't much care for it anyway! Am asked for tea, so going soon. They will be having tea and then curry! And they had cake for breakfast.

I have 12 Barbie (yuk) cakes and 12 Star Wars cupcakes to make on Saturday for a trampolining joint party. Luckily you can buy the figures ready made!

Hi, Rusty!
A glorious afternoon and the temperature reached 21C!
Quite a change from the early morning, when we were all huddled in our coats!
Thank you for the help with that evasive clue.....
Yes, I have heard of a spider used in snooker, but couldn't get the requisite parts of the clue anyway.
I got 9a......epistolary novel ...from the crossers, but I'd already thought of "epistles".
I enjoyed today's crossword!
My daughter phoned on her way home from work, and we have been chatting for about forty minutes while she travelled homewards.
She was on her way to collect YB from nursery.
He loves to go to see the trains before they head home!
What have you been up to this afternoon?



Hello, Ros!
I'm sorry about your weather!
Dare I say it reached 21C here this afternoon?
I hope you enjoyed the birthday tea, and that your granddaughter was delighted with her presents.

Good evening, Elle!
Turned into a fine day here though not nearly as warm as you folks down in Bromley are getting!
What in the name of the wee man is an "epistolatory novel" when it's at home?
Never heard of it in all my puff!
You should have tried "rest" in Bradford's and you'd have found "spider".
Yes, it was a good puzzle today.
Think tomorrow's will be tougher!
Seems to be quite a journey your daughter has from work?
I had a bit of a dander in the afternoon.

Hi, Rusty!
You may not have heard the term "epistolary novel", Rusty.......nor had I, but I guessed at its meaning......however, you have certainly read one!
It is one written as a series of letters, newspaper cuttings, abstracts from diaries... and such like.
You have read - and enjoyed - many a book written by Lyn MacD, for instance, in such a form.
Very effective a way of writing, too, in Lyn's case, wasn't it?
I liked it.
I have a book written by Sebastian Faulks in that manner, and that works well, too.
My daughter works up in London, near St Katharine's Docks.
A most attractive area.
Her journey is prolonged, though, by her taking and fetching the young one to and from nursery en route.
Her husband picks up BB from After School Club, so they share the load.
I never thought of checking out "rest" in Anne B's!

I think the only epistolary novel I've read is Dorothy L.Sayers and "The Documents in the Case". Very good.

Nice tea thanks, elle. In 30 secs a cup of tea was spilled, the cake knocked over and a finger jammed in a door!

Hello, Elle!
Oh, so that's what it means!
I shall have to practice what I preach.
Just looked up Bradford's and under "novel", Anne has "epistolary"!
She also has "idiot", which puzzled me, but on exploring I found "The Idiot" was a book by Fyodor Dostyevsky.
Yes, Lyn MacDonald would be a perfect example of an epistolary writer.
I almost wrote "novelist" but she was not a novelist!
You have told me a bit about St Katharine's Docks before.
I see Mo Farah is running in the London Marathon on Sunday.
I may have a wee flutter on him if the odds are decent.

Gosh Rosalind! How many children were there at that tea party?