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Good morning, Elle!
Not so nice here, wet and blowy!
Yes, I am looking forward to reading more about Silent Cal.
We were at Pine Cone at 10.
Had a smashing time!
Another old friend came down from Skye for the weekend.
It was good to catch up with everyone.
Think I am hoarse talking now!


Hello, Rosalind!
I'll let you know about President Coolidge and his son when the biography comes.
In the meantime, I've discovered that he had two sons,
John and Calvin Jnr.
Young Calvin died when he was 16 years old.
He had been playing tennis and developed a blood blister on his foot, which became infected.
His whole body was infected and eventually he died.
The President was very much affected at losing his youngest son and never really recovered.
A tragedy!

rusty- I think we forget how easily a simple infection could become fatal before antibiotics. I once wore the skin on one of my feet away with a bathing flipper. I put a plaster on it and forgot about it. 24 hours later I had angry red streaks on my thigh and my mother rushed me to A & E where I had IV antibiotics.

Jigjag- that was my first and last try at cigarettes because a frog jumped into the circle we'd made sitting round (my younger brother and sister included). I was so scared we'd been found out I never smoked again. My parents (who smoked a lot) used to offer us cigarettes on holiday, but I'd never have another.

I spent a freezing morning watching a martial art. My grandson got his green belt and my son his black (he passed the tests some time ago but they have a ceremony). One chap broke 5 stacked roof tiles with his bare hand!

Hi, Rusty!
I am glad that you all had a good time at the Pine Cone!
Yes, it is great catching up with old friends......
I know you are all in constant touch, but meeting up in person is definitely a bonus!
How much longer are they staying?
I have been out and about this morning, but am home now for the rest of the day.
I had considered taking out the dog for another walk, but she is busy supervising my husband's gardening work.......!
I shall leave her in situ...I am sure she is doing a grand job!
I have finished the crossword, too., barring a couple of parses, still to be mulled over......
A nice one today, I thought?
My favourites are 14a and 16a



Ros, congratulations to both your son and grandson, for doing so well in their martial arts.
Our son used to do judo, but after a broken thumb, and later a broken toe...somehow his enthusiasm waned.....
He then did weight-lifting!

Thank you elle. Getting broken bones in Tang Soo Do is quite rare -lots of bruises though. You have to do press-ups if you hurt someone; punches and kicks are not supposed to connect!

jigjag, Yes, they are legal terms and I'm not a lawyer. But I've read a lot of wills in 25 years of genealogy and I always look up what the words mean. This (of my gt gt gt grandfather) did not need looking up-

"Any future husband of my wife Mary shall not intermeddle in her affairs". I think Mary felt she had had enough intermeddling, as she already had 9 children. Actually
in 1818 any future husband could have pleased himself; all Mary's property would have become his. But she ran the pub and pleasure/market gardens her late husband had built up from scratch with her sons.

Hello, Elle!
Great seeing my pals again!
I did not ask how long they are here for.
They were planning trips to antique shops and meeting up with other friends later, so I thought best not put thoughts of leaving into their heads.
They are having a great time and the weather is just holding fair!
A good puzzle yes.
I thought 14a was a fine clue, and 18d!
I thought 22d a bit odd!

Hello, Rosalind,
Yes, no antibiotics in those days.
Apparently when young Calvin was dying he was begging his father to help him (I think because he was the President, young Calvin thought his father could do things that others could not).
Must have been dreadful for the parents watching their son die.

Yes, rusty, truly dreadful.

Good evening, Rusty!
I, too, shall be playing catch up with one of my friends when she returns to the UK this coming week.
She has been spending a lot of time this summer out in New York with her daughter and family, as her daughter is ill.
It will be good to see her when she comes to see us on Friday.
I am wondering if I have parsed 22d correctly?
I have "eight" = "loopy figure"(def)
(w) eight - importance
Is this what you have?
Husband and dog are still gardening!
It is getting very dark outside......
I shall go call them in for dinner......

Hello, Elle!
Yes, you will be looking forward to seeing your friend!
Your 22d outcome is the same as mine.
I thought "eight" for a "loopy figure" was a bit odd, but I can almost see what the setter means!
Yes, best call husband and dog home.
Can't be gardening in the dark!
I wonder how Mark Goodliffe got on today,
It was The Times Crossword Championships in London today.
Mark has been champ eleven times!
A superb record!

Hi, Rusty!
We had stuffed peppers for dinner....
Very nice!
It was as well the dog had plenty of time in the garden earlier.
We are beset with fireworks continually going off now...
We'll be lucky to get the dog to go outside again tonight!
She is terrified!
The cat is totally unconcerned .....
But it certainly is noisy!
I hope our daughter and family have had a good day at Legoland -- we haven't received a report as yet.

Hello, Elle!
I don't think you will be surprised to hear that I have no idea what stuffed peppers are, although I have heard of them!
I had mackerel and cheesey oatcakes.
There is the odd firework banging here.
I think they are horrible things.
Roger Crabtree won The Times Crossword Championship today.
That's all I know.
Richard Rogan tweeted the news earlier.