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Update, Elle.
This is not so much a hard luck story as a heartache story, I think.
But, boy this girl can sing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKSWXzAnVe0

Good morning, Rusty!
Another lovely day here......11C when I went out walking,,,....but promises to be 23C by 2 o'clock.
That will be quite hot enough for me!
Today is another public holiday for us.... so the roads were very quiet, and the park almost deserted apart from a few stalwart dog walkers.
Maybe some of the 'regulars' are away.... or still abed!
I was amazed by the quality of the singer's voice in that clip that you sent....
However does she hold the notes so purely, when she cannot hear?
Btw, I was confused when I referred to recording BGT today......
I had my days muddled!
I had in fact already recorded it yesterday!
I have yet to watch it though.
We have no "organised" activity for today....so will do some work in the garden, continuing to spray and paint the woodwork.
How about you? Any plans?

Good morning, Elle.
Great say here.
Off out in a sec!
Miss O and me for the Pine Cone!
I think it is a normal day here.
Most of the neighbours cars are gone.
So likely they will be at work.
Mandy was a lovely singer.
I am going to see if there is any more of her on YouTube.
She certainly impressed Simon and Howie anyway!
And I thought the interpreter was super the way she followed Mandy about letting her know what was being said.
Well done, Sarah, too!

Good morning Elle and Rusty

Well, almost afternoon here! A slight haze veiling the sun right
now, hope it clears soon!

A quiet day for me too, but there again the whole week-end was
quiet...

Thank you both for your kind comments yesterday, it is a nice feeling to have been missed...........!
I keep up with both of you by reading some of your posts, and also
keep an eye on Lassie/Laddie, but nothing much happening now
until the eggs hatch.

The little blue tit in the box-nest above my garage door has produced
no less than 11 eggs, same as last year I think. She is busy incubating now, but when the eggs hatch, both parents will be
kept very busy feeding all those beaks! Last year, 8 young birds
hatched and successfully fledged early one morning!

I believe the small birds produce more eggs than their larger cousins, but I stand to be corrected on that!

Anything interesting your end?

Good afternoon, Pigale!
Another great day here.
Yes, you were missed!
Very good news about your blue tit nest and the eggs!
Will keep you interested for ages!
All much the same at my end.
Not long home, I was out with one of my granddaughters for a late breakfast.
It was enjoyable!

Hi, Rusty!
I hope you and Miss O had a good time at the Pine Cone?
Is all back to normal in the cafe now, after the recent fire in an outshed?
No school for Miss O today?
I have finished - bar 11a - today 's Cryptic, and have also done the Jumbo GK.
John sent me five crosswords today!
I doubt I shall get around to more....
I also have the Latin one, from Saturday, to attempt!
I enjoy that...but find it very difficult ...
I never come anywhere near to completing it.



Hello, Pigale!
It is good to see you on here again!
Did you read the blog about how to tell the difference between Lassie and Laddie ?
Besides , that is, the Y on Lassie's forehead?
It is very interesting, and I wonder now why I never noticed those details.
I wonder how well will Lassie do with the hatching of her eggs?

Hello, Elle!
We had a very good time!
Yes, all normal at the Pine Cone.
The sheds have all been repainted after the fire and everything looks "spick and span".
I'll have to find out where that phrase comes from!
Miss O is off today, she is away to see a new baby now!
I do not think the definition in 11a is a good one, unless there is something I am missing, and that could well be the case!
A good puzzle, though!

Hello again,

I seem to remember reading about the details about Lassie's chest
and Laddie's wings last year, and I have a feeling that you, Rusty,
did mention Laddie's wings' length - but I may be wrong.

But Yes Elle, I did read the blog and I think it useful for other
watchers who perhaps were confused as to who is who!
I am looking forward to the young ones being 'born" so to speak,
any idea when they will hatch? I can't remember.

The sun has finally got its hat on, but the sky is not as pure blue as
it has been recently - Still, good to have the sun at all!
Temp on my terrace (facing South) 38C in full sun of course!

Good to hear your regular outings with your grand-daughters are
still taking place Rusty - they certainly seem to be enjoying your company!

I must admit that I have not watched any cycling yet this year! I
usually watch some of the Paris-Roubaix, but was busy with my
English friend and we did a lot of work in the garden.
Re-discovered some muscles I had forgotten I had....!

Are you a keen gardener Elle? or do you leave most of it to your
husband? It is my favourite past-time - much better than housework! Don't you think?

You don't have a garden Rusty, do you?

Good afternoon, Rusty!
I am glad that you had a good time!
It is good that the Pine Cone is back on track.
I am impressed that the sheds etc have already been repainted.
That is good business sense!
I have looked up "spick and span" in Brewers.
It tells me that the phrase is a shortened form of "spick and span new"....used to describe something new and fresh.
It seems that a "spick" is a spike or nail; and a "span" is a chip.
A "spick and span new" ship is one in which every nail or chip is new.
Certainly makes sense?
Now ...11a: Putting an arachnid in pipe? (8)
S?I?K?N?
I have no ideas here?
I give in...please can you tell me the answer , with an explanation as to how and why?
My favourite clues were 6d: eradicate; and 10 a: mandatory.
It is extremely warm out.
The wood stain will dry quickly!




Hello, Pigale!
You are correct in thinking that I am not especially fond of gardening!
I do like the garden to look nice...but with as little manual effort (from me) as possible!
I have a problem with my right hand - with my thumb and the tendon up my arm....and so it is difficult for me to do anything with that hand /arm for a prolonged length of time.
I have had my arm in plaster on occasions , so am not wishing to go there again!
It is the reason why I no longer play tennis.
[Although table tennis (because if the way I hold my bat) is not a problem]
When we had our bid roller electric lawn mower, my job was to cut the grass!

Sounds a nice easy job Elle, but I doubt that type of mower would
be practical here view a) the size of the garden, and b) the fact
that it is very much on a slope; this makes mowing very difficult,
definitely a man's job!

I am a great 'weeder', or so my husband told many times!
and I enjoy doing anything that puts earth on my hands.... such
as planting, and again weeding. I was also told that I have 'green
hands' - a useful thing to have when one likes gardening!

Going out to enjoy a drink outside, and I am not saying what
kind of drink..................!