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Hi, Rusty!
Ah..... well, you had an unfair advantage if you have a blackthorn shillelagh hanging on your wall!
You did not tell me that earlier!
What..... no comment on my newly acquired football prowess?
And there was I thinking of applying to Man U!
Or did our previous posts cross..... and you had not yet read of my "skills" when you posted?!
I am glad the golf went well, and Europe won the Ryder Cup!
I have yet to watch the Glasgow half Marathon.......

Hello, Elle!
Yes, crossing posts!
So, you are an up and coming Paul Scholes?
I am impressed!
Yes, a shillelagh is up on my wall, between photos of Nijinsky and Mount Errigal.
Europe done very well.
It was very good entertainment!
My TV is turned off now until tomorrow!

Hi, Rusty!
I have always liked Paul Scholes......I would do well to model my up and coming football career on him!
Yes, we all had a great day.......
We have just had dinner...Cumberland pie.... and very shortly now my cousin will be ringing.
It will be good to chat and catch up on the week's happenings.
We always have a lot of stories to exchange!

Hello, Elle!
I like Paul Scholes, too.
I had a mackerel and chips for my tea.
Was fine!
I am sure your cousin and you will have lots to talk about!
It is not very warm here!

Hi, Rusty!
I was just out in the garden with the dog, and it is a tad chilly here, too.
We have our central heating on low.
I spoke with my cousin.......all is well with the northern branch of the family.
Her grandkids are doing well in their first year at secondary school.
My elder daughter and her husband are at present investigating schools for our eldest grandson.
He will start secondary school in September 2019.
They have to make a decision this month, and choose three schools in order of preference.
But I do not know how the selection process then develops.
I am reading a Henning Mankell novel at the moment; I am enjoying it.

Good morning, Elle!
Seems a nice enough day here.
(Not been out yet.)
My heating is on just now.
Good to hear your family are fine!
I have not heard of Henning Mankell.
Henning could be Swedish name?
I remember Henning Berg, the footballer, but I think he was Norwegian.

good morning, Rusty!
A lovely day here, too!
It is very cold out, but I like it - it makes for a brisk and invigorating walk.
We too have our heating on indoors... it is thermostatically controlled, so will go off when it reaches the required temperature.
I am glad of it, though, at the moment!
Yes, Henning Mankell was Swedish.
He was a crime writer, dramatist and also the author of children's books.
There was a series on television based on one of his characters, Inspector Kurt Wallender.
It was an extremely poor series though....
I watched a couple of episodes, but no more after that.
I find the books are excellent, but they are based a lot on the main character's thoughts and ideas.....and reasoning.....
None of this came come over in the televised scripts......and certainly didn't do justice to Henning Mankell as the author of the books.
The books, by the way, were written in Swedish and then translated.

Hello, Elle!
It is damp and dismal in my neck of the woods!
I think your Wallender rings a wee bell with me.
But there was a legendary circus family of the same, or very similar, name, who performed on the high wire.
I have found that most films do not match the books.
"Jaws" did, I thought.
And so did the "Centennial" mini-series on TV.
Good puzzle today, Elle!
And I hope you can parse 25a, because I can't!
I am not good at old Greek writers!

Good evening, Rusty!
I have had a very successful day!
I have sorted out another five cartons of books!
All to go to charity.
And there are still several bookshelves more to go.......
In between doing that this morning, I completed the crossword.
Yes, a very nice puzzle today!
25a: "nod". The clue refers to the proverb "Even Homer Nods"......
It means that even someone clever and vigilant, like Homer, can make a small mistake due to being momentarily inattentive.
Paraphrased...No one is immune to human error!
I hope that helps!
Then this afternoon, we went out walking.....
It has remained a beautiful day here, albeit very cold throughout.
I still needed to wear a fleece even this afternoon.

Hello, Elle!
You are doing well with your books!
I have not heard of that proverb.
I wondered for a minute if it may be to do with pigeons.
But, thank you for letting me know.
I had my fleece shirt on today! (I have two!)
It is super cosy!