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Good afternoon, Elle!
I did not know Sunday was Mother's Day until the girls at Pine Cone told me!
Warned me it should be busy.
They have a lot coming for afternoon tea.
The Misses O and O'Hara, are going with me in the morning.
Not heard of any chicken pox around here....so far!
The apple pie is delicious.
They make it on the premises and was quite warm when I bought it.

Hi, Rusty!
I thought I had previously mentioned its being Mother's day this coming Sunday?
Perhaps not........
Do you take flowers to the cemetery?
I must buy some plants to take there on Sunday morning.
It will be nice to have Miss O'H accompany you and Miss O on your outing to the Pine Cone!
I have been talking to both daughters this morning......
I have finished today's crossword.
I have even parsed everything!
You will now probably pop my balloon by telling me it was easy.....!
Never mind, at least I have a sense of accomplishment after a somewhat hard (crosswording) week!

Hello, Elle!
I think you may have mentioned Mother's Day, yes.
No, my next cemetery visit is for my wee sister's anniversary in early April.
Yes, be good to go out with the girls on Sunday.
I'm looking forward to it!
It was not an easy puzzle at all!
I did not know Rigoletto was a hunchback.
The only one I knew was Quasimodo!
I will be interested to see how you get on with the Latin puzzle tomorrow!

Hi, Rusty!
I knew Rigoletto was a hunchback jester.....but had trouble getting Burkina Faso...... I had never heard of that!
And "orison" in 2d was a new word for me.
I got "Orion" for "hunter" and had to work it out backwards!
I wasn't sure about the validity of 22a?
"A fish" became "a ide" to make "one helping".....but it is ungrammatical to say "a ide" ..it would be "aN ide" so should that be allowed?
Well, I'd better sort out what we are having for dinner.........

Hello, Elle!
I am surprised you did not know Burkina Faso?
They march at the Olympic Games etc.
That's how I knew it.
I think it is in West Africa
I first came across "orisons" in Anthem for Doomed Youth, by Wilfred Owen.
I can't be doing with poetry but that one appealed to me.
Yes, "aide" is perfectly sound, I think.
I think you leave grammar and punctuation behind in crossword puzzles.
"A" is in the clue and a fish can be an "ide", so perfectly fair.
I had salmon (tinned) and mashed neeps for my tea!
Was fine!

Hi, Rusty!
No, I don't remember competitors from Burkina Faso taking part in the Olympics.....
Did they win any medals?
Yes, I expect you are right about "a ide" ..it just sounded clumsy.....
I was viewing it in its entirety, rather than as an isolated "a", and then Ide" for fish.
Coincidentally, we had fish for dinner, too...as you did ....cod fish cakes with cheese sauce, and fried potatoes.
Delicious!
Have you seen Lassie and / or Laddie today?
The nest was empty when I looked in.
I am tired...... not sure why, as I did not have a very busy day.......

Hello, Elle!
I remember Burkina Faso!
They had five athletes at Rio.
I do not think they have ever won a medal.
I think the country used to be called Upper Something?
I saw Lassie this morning but I have not looked in since.
Do you get the Loch blog emailed to you?
There was a bit in it that I was going to respond to, but I did not.
Before Lassie arrived, Laddie was trying his best to improve the nest, and I think he did a very good job.
In the blog it said he was "nest-cupping" by using his "back legs"!
Just how many legs does Laddie have, I wonder?
I don't know if they have corrected the blog yet, or if they would anyway.
It's a minor gaffe, I'd say.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I had the blog ....I noticed the reference to Laddie's "back legs" when nest -cupping!
I thought maybe the writer had had too hectic a 'night out' the previous evening?
I bought my plants for the Crematorium for Mother's Day....... a nice little rose bush and a begonia.
I may take them down there tomorrow, as Sunday will be over busy, and parking then will be nigh impossible.

Good morning, Elle!
A bit overcast and cooler this morning!
A "hectic night out" in Dunkeld!
Now there's a thought!
Mind you, I have had several evenings out in Dunkeld when I was young, and staying at Birnam Youth Hostel.
I agree tomorrow will be busy for "Mother's Day".
I followed your example with the apostrophe.
I was not sure if it needed one, at all!
Just finished the puzzle.
Not too difficult, though a couple of parses where I am not quite on the setter's wavelength.
And.....I have managed 1d and 18d in "O Tempora!"
I shall rest on my laurels now, with a coffee and a slice of apple pie!

rusty
How did yu do on the Saturday Quiz today? I got 11, which is 100% more than my usual 4/5!