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Good afternoon, Rusty!
I am finally home again.....minus half an inch or so of hair!
Yes, it seems to be quite a while since last you cut your hair........
Now, I haven't seen Mr J since I knitted him a warm scarf, packed his suitcase, and sent him off to stay with you.....
I should maybe have tied a label around his neck like Paddington Bear!
He may pop in if it gets very cold.
I haven't spoken to my daughter today... ..
So I don't know the state of chaos with the trains... but she can always work from home if need be.
Have you done your crossword?
I am just about to print mine out.......



Hello, Pigale!
All the very best for your stent operation tomorrow.
I am sure all will go smoothly, and at least you now know what to expect, which will make it easier for you.
The cats will miss you.....but you will soon be home again!

Best wishes from me too, pigale - I'm sure it will all be fine, especially as it isn't an emergency operation (which a friend of ours had very successfully!)

Thanks Elle! I don't think, hopefully, that I'll be away long enough
for the cats to miss me too much! I know they will be fed and
watered, so that's the main thing.

Yes, knowing what is going to happen makes things easier, though
last time, I was so dazed with medication etc.... and I supposed under
shock at having been transferred by helicopter, that I did not really
care what was going on!
They place a little screen to your left so you can follow the procedure,
which passes the time - and is fascinating to watch when you
consider it is all happening inside your own body 'live'!

I hope it does not rain for a while so your hair remains nice and
straight....!

Thanks Chris - no, it is not an emergency operation, considering
the fact they left 3 weeks between the two arteries' repair job!

It is almost as simple as having one's appendix out really - it's done
before you realize it!

Marvelous medical progress!

Good afternoon, Elle!
I think I'll leave my hair for a day or so.
I hope Mr Jingles is OK.
He is a special mouse!
Yes, I finished my puzzle earlier.
I have not got the parse to 25a yet, though.
I'll try later.
And 27a is a word I've seen written, but never heard anyone saying it.

Hi, Rusty!
I am finding today's puzzle very hard.....
I have been coming back to it in between doing other things, but
am only two thirds through, with a considerable number of gaps.
I have however done and parsed, 25a: "ahead"......if you need any help with parsing that?
Think of a five letter word for a group or set of six....
And 27a.....I agree with you...I have heard "discomfited" used verbally, but not "discomfit."
It is going dark already here.

Hello, Elle!
I did not think the puzzle hard, though I'd never heard of 21a.
It's an anagram, which helped a lot.
And I have the parse to 25a. (I consulted Anne Bradford!)
Not heard of "hexad" before.
I recorded "15 to 1" and it played back perfectly, Elle.
I just watched a couple of minutes of it and it was fine.
Hope your daughter gets her train OK!

Good evening, Rusty!
I have nearly finished the crossword now......but yes, I did find it difficult today,
My favourites were 9a: avail; 10a: blackball ; 25a: ahead, and 3d: silicon
I couldn't do 14a and 12d ( which unfortunately cross, which doesn't help)
14a: ?L???O
12d: T?/??E/?U?E/?F
And cannot parse 7d, for which I have "boa" = "stole" (def)
but cannot see anything else!
I'm definitely wearing my dunce's hat today!
Thank you for checking out "15 to 1" that was kind of you.
I shall take a look at my own recording after dinner.
No word from my daughter yet!

Hello, Elle!
Well done on the crossword!
14a is "B Lotto" for "high".
Apparently "B" means billions!
12d is "To the tune of", a good clue, I thought?
7, is "Bo(got)a" is the South American city.
Remove "got" and you have the stole/boa.
This daughter of yours is a worry!

Hi, Rusty!
Mm, I would never have got "blotto"!
Not even if I'd tried until the cows come home!
I should have seen the other two.
Thank you for your help.
I just thought to check the house phone......daughter had rung whilst we were out briefly with the dog!
I am still no wiser, though, as to whether her trains have been running today...
I have just texted her, so may hear back later...
I expect she is putting the boys to bed at the moment.
I shall go and investigate "15 to 1".....