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Hi, Rusty!
Well done on sorting out your energy bill!
I wish I could do something to prevent our water meter being activated shortly... our bills threaten to be quite a bit more expensive then.
The advice given by the Water Board visiting "expert" is "not to wash very often"..... either oneself or one's clothes!

Lordy, Rusty! I couldn't understand much of the Wikipedia reference!
The technical terms went right over my head.
I think the basic facts to come out of it is that a four -lined stanza (called a quatrain) usually rhymes as ABAB, where the first and third lines rhyme at the end, as do the second and four.
And a NON -rhyming four -lined stanza is described as ABCD, showing that none of the end words on each line rhyme.

All the other variations given, can be worked out around these premises.
It is certainly complicated, though.

It is a long way from Orlando to San Francisco , isn't it?
About 3000 miles?
How long will the flight take?

Hello, Elle!
Your water board do not sound very encouraging!
Well, you seem to take in more than I do regarding rhymes!
I will pay no heed, I think.
I may explore more of Robert Frost's work, later.
The flight to San Francisco takes just over five hours from Orlando.
They are over Arizona, now.
Should land around 17.20 our time.

elle, I hope the dog's visit to the dentist is not too traumatic for all of you.

The crocs were lovly- we saw a giant tortoise from the Galapagos move and slide into a pool, and the komodo dragon. Also baby aligators and the children's favourite, cotton-top tamarins.

AABA refers to the rhyming words at the end of the lines. So in Stopping By Woods, these are
verse 1
Line 1 "know" A
Line 2 "though" A (rhymes with "know")
Line 3 "here" B (new word to rhyme)
Line 4 "snow" A (rhymes with "know")
Verse 2
Line 1 "Queer" B (rhymes with "here") etc
Line 2 "near" B
Line 3 "lake" C
Line 4 "Year" B
But it doesn't really matter, does it?

Hello, Rosalind!
May I say your explanation of "AABC" etc is much more understandable than the explanations offered on the websites!
Thank you!
And no, I agree, it does not really matter.
I was just puzzled, as it was new to me!

Hi, Rusty!
I have been sitting out on the patio, reading.
It is a beautiful afternoon, but quite refreshingly cool.
Very pleasant.
Ros has explained the rhyming codings far more explicitly than I did.....
I offered up the general principle......but she has kindly illustrated how it is done for the specific poem - "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening" - that you mentioned.
I hope this helps?
I am certainly clearer in my mind now.
The girls should just about be arriving now in San Francisco if their flight is on time......
This tracking system is a good idea, for it puts your mind at rest that they have landed there safely.
Probably they will also text you, too!



Hello, Ros!
Ah, thank you! That is a much more specific explanation for the rhyming letter codings than I offered up!
I could see it...but not explain it succinctly.
Well done!
Unfortunately the dog had to have two teeth out last year, too.
She is anaesthetised for the extractions, so all is calm.....but she wouldn't open her mouth for the vet - unfortunately a different vet, a locum, so she didn't know him - to do the post- op check up a week later!
I had to hold open her mouth .....and the young vet peered hesitantly from the other side of the examination table!
It sounds as though you all had fun with the crocs etc......
Whereabouts did you go?

Hello, Elle!
The girls landed fifteen minutes ago!
No text yet.
Mum and Dad are the priorities!
Yes, Rosalind's explanation made it quite simple to understand.
I am going to look for more of Frost's poems later.
I found one earlier, "The Death of the Hired Man", but it is not for me.

Hi, Rusty!
Good the girls are there safely.
What are their plans now?
Do they have relatives or friends in the area?
How much longer before they return home?
One of my "new" books has already arrived this afternoon!
From "World of Books " ......it must have been posted immediately they received my order!
How about that for service?

Good evening, Elle!
I do not know the girls plans.
They are on holiday.
I don't know when they shall come home and I doubt if they know anyone over there.
That was very quick service from World of Books.

Good evening, Rusty!
Oh, I had just wondered whether they might perhaps have contacts there.
Although I rarely ever travel abroad......I hate flying......I find I know people in quite a number of interesting places!
If I wanted to go globe -trotting, I could tour and catch up with them!
I thought the crossword quite a nice one today?
My favourites are 14a: strike a light ; and 22a: Armada
There are two that I cannot do.....
1a: Rough outspoken sweeper (10)
?R?A?BRUSH
brush - sweeper
But I do not get the rest?
21a: Slashes substantial incomes, primarily (6)
S?L?D?
So what am I not seeing here , please?

Hi elle
The place is called Crocodiles of the World. It does have other animals as well- a fishing cat, for example. The children enjoyed showing their father round (we've been twice before). It was very hot in the croc house where they feed the crocs several times a day- make them leap half out of the water for exercise. There are 34 crocs in that tank! They feed them for real at times the public aren't there, or the smaller ones would never get any food. The meerkats and otters were out today.
Your dog reminds me of the time my 3 year old son wouldn't open his mouth for the dentist! When I asked for suggestions, she said she wasn't in the business of discipline. We left, and did not go back. I subsequently learned she is known as the butcher of that town! So he was wiser than I.
You can probably guess what I will be watching shortly