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Hi, Rusty!
Well, the fence will certainly be finished today.....
The repairs to the back existing six foot fence have been completed..... and concrete supports put in.....a good job.
And the new taller fence, on the patio, is presently being built - it is looking superb!
The new windowsill to the kitchen window has been built.
But there is a lot more still to do ........
They will take at least one or two more days, I should think......
I am keeping the tea and biscuits coming...!
Yes, "Notting Hill Gate" was unfair!
But I have never heard of a magpie referred to as a "pie"!
And I carelessly 'missed' seeing it in Chambers!
You have missed a treat if you have never had Pontefract cakes!
Once the builders have gone home, we shall have to go visit the cat.......
It is going to be a long (and very, very hot) day!



Thank you, Malone!
Yes, you are quite correct.
Number three definition of "pie" in my Chambers"...…..
I missed it!

Thanks for the update, Elle - I am often keen to blame any faults on your duff Chambers, rather than on you.

I think Pontefract cakes are … totally unappealing!

Update, Rusty!
We have just spent a pleasant half hour sitting out chatting with our builder friends, and now they have gone home ......back at 8am tomorrow.
And we are away to visit the cat!
I suspect we may have to contend with rush hour traffic........
So will be back whenever....!

Good morning, Rusty!
A beautiful day yet again here ...but very hot very early!
We are all looking forward to tomorrow's supposed 23C!
Well, what a disaster last night's visit to our daughter's house turned out to be!
The sliding door to the front porch fell out!!
My husband was unable to get it back on its runners, so we had to ask the next door neighbour to help!
He was great, produced tools and the very necessary WD40.... and between them, after about an hour 's manoeuvres, the door was finally back in place!
But it would no longer lock!
It looked as though bits of the lock had fallen within the door frame.......
Fortunately the inner, house door has a double lock, mortice and yale, so hopefully this will be enough security until the wanderers return on Saturday!
What a to-do!
We were exhausted by the time we finally returned home, very late, last night!
I am hoping for a less eventful time, today!
I hope all is peaceful at your end?

Good morning, Elle!
A bit airy here today!
An eventful evening you and your husband had!
Yes, hopefully the door/porch will be OK until they get it fixed or replaced.
Maybe insurance will cover it?
I was out earlier but home for the day now.
I have Trotty and Katie to cheer on, in the Madison later!

Hi, Rusty!
The builders are hard at work here...if they carry on at this rate , they may well finish today.....but I'd guess certainly tomorrow.
I am providing regular refreshments.......it is very hot......
I have more-or-less finished my crossword puzzle.....not too difficult a one today, I thought?
I cannot do 26a: Answer in affirmative ? Certainly right for me! (8)
?E?S?Y?R
And I'm puzzled by 18d: Workshop more recently losing roof?
The answer is obviously "atelier" = "workshop" (def)
But I don't think there IS such a word as "latelier" for "more recently"?
And it looks as though the parsing must be (l) atelier ?
Unless I am completely on the wrong track?

Hello, Elle!
It is fairly cool here!
I am still working on my puzzle in fits and starts.
26, is "yeasayer", someone who is very quick to agree.
I have "atelier", too.
I do not know if there is a "latelier" but the "?" suggests the setter is not sure of the word, too.
I can not think what else it could be, or see a different parse, so I am happy with "(l)atelier.

PS.
Elle, I have not seen Lassie today.
I wonder has she gone?
There may be a favourable wind for her.

Hi, Rusty!
Well, my daughter's next door neighbour has not phoned me yet to say that the door has fallen down again....so maybe it will last till Saturday!
I guess the crunch time, though, will be when we try to open it again tomorrow, when we visit the cat!
I haven't seen any of the ospreys for several days......every day I peep in, the nest is empty!
Surely though, the Rangers will tell us on the blog if the birds flee the nest?
Thank you.....I get "yeasayer" now....
a - answer
yes- affirmative
aye - certainly
r - right
I had never heard of the word before!
(I've heard of a "yes- man"!)

Hello, Elle!
I noticed two days ago that Lassie landed with a fish and ate most of it herself.
I thought then that she was fattening up for her journey whenever the wind was favourable.
I think the Rangers will leave it at least a day before announcing her departure, just to be sure.
"Yeasayer" is new to me, too, Elle.
I sort of guessed it, then checked Chambers.
That's Trotty and Katie under way in the Madison!