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Hello, Elle!
Yes, I did grasp the fact that you have read the article.
My pal is not from Skype.
He is from Skye, an island off the West coast of Scotland.
I think "Skype" is to do with communicating via computer?
I had a Nokia 1100 a lot of years ago, and it was an excellent wee phone!
There are loads of them on eBay if you needed a spare, or replacement.
My favourite Nokia was the 6230i model.
A super phone!
There is an excellent 24 page supplement in my local paper today about the First World War.
I meant to say, Elle, that the Bryson book, "At Home" is a long read, around 700 pages.
Still a bit rainy here!

Hello Rosalind Elle and Rusty

I went to the surgery after last week's postponement. I was surprised when the nurse greeted me with

Laze in fun - possibly after treatment (9)

I thanked her for the nice clue. I asked why I had a four-minute appointment, not a two-minute one, was it to take blood pressure?

No, she said. It was to tell me I needed a blood test and that I am supposed to have one every year to check the liver. That was news to me. I have never had a problem with that. I havent had a blood test for a few years so I am surprised the surgery has not told me before.

So, blood test Friday

So MG made a mistake! You can make a challenge if you have an alternative, But his "arroy" does not parse. I am surprised he did not see that as he had so much time, but you are under tremendous pressure of course.

It reminds me that many years ago in the final, a friend told me did not know the answer to

Claude makes an impression (5) He had M-N-T but guessed wrongly and it proved costly

Hi, Rusty!
Oops, Rusty, sorry about the typo!
Coming from SkPe might be akin to coming from Mars?
My apologies to your friend!
Yes, the Nokia 1100 is great for my needs.
( And I already have a spare one lined up ready in reserve!)
I ordered "At Home" last night...and got it for a good price, too....£2-76 in total.
I have just started Book no 1 in the series of "The Enzo Files"...
It is perhaps a tad unfortunate that I read the last book in the series (No 6) before any of the others.....
There is an ongoing theme throughout all the books, alongside the individual story covered in each book.
So I already know the eventual "personal" outcome for the series' main character.
Ah well....I guess it doesn't matter all that much.
My parcel has not yet arrived....I hope it comes soon....I am hoping to fit it another walk.

Ah, Jigjag, that is what happens when one doesn't know one's "Claude" from one's "Édouard"!

Hello, Elle!
Well done re the spare Nokia!
Did you know that Nokia started in business making rubber boots?
I have no idea when or why they turned to phones!
Or if they still make them?
A good price for "At Home"!
I have just watched last night's edition of "Antiques Road Show".
It was all about WW1 and it was excellent, I thought.
And I have watched War Horse.
It was good!

Hello, Jigjag!
Yes, a blunder by the champ!
There is a word "arroyo" meaning a ravine, but I do not know where he got "arroy" from.
Anyway, well done, Roger!
He has been trying for a few years now and it is good to see a new champ!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I did know about Nokia and their boots...perhaps you previously told me this.
Nokia did well branching out into telecommunications, and must have made a fortune over the years.
I think the Wellies company was eventually sold as a going concern.....so quite possibly the boots are still being sold?
I'm glad you enjoyed "War Horse".
I saw the film quite a while ago now.
A great story!
A good crossword today, I thought?
I still have two clues to do , they interlock, which doesn't help!
And four still to finish parsing.....
But on the whole I enjoyed it very much!
I am resigned now to staying in this afternoon...... there is still no sign of my delivery.

Hello, Elle!
War Horse was a fine film.
A good tale, well told, and superbly filmed.
Yes, a fine puzzle today, Elle.
Now, you know the drill when you are stuck?
Put the puzzle away, have a coffee etc and when you return, all will be revealed!
18a is new to me.
No bangs here, so far, but it is early yet.

Good evening, Rusty!
My parcel finally arrived at 4 o'clock!
It was already going dark by then, so a walk was definitely off the agenda.
Yes, I left my crossword alone, and went back to it later this afternoon, with some success!
I am now down to one unsolved clue and two parses....
The clue that I cannot do is the one that you mentioned....
18a: ?U?T?R / ?U?L?N
I have no ideas at all?
And the parsings...if you can help with those, please?
19d: I have "stench" = "stink" (def)
26a: "hartebeest" = "African native" (def)
But can see no further with either of them?
The local "official" fireworks display is due to start at 7 pm......