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Hi, Rusty!
When I write down birthdays on my Wall Calendar , I put the ages in brackets after the name!
Well, I guess the crossword had to be on the "easy" side, for me to have been able to do it?
Strangely, though, I do usually find the Saturday puzzles are much easier to solve than the weekday ones.......odd really when they are the Prize ones!
I wonder do they have a particular regular setter for Saturdays?
Perhaps I just follow his/ her clueing better, if so.
I did not know "eparchy", either!
But it was straightforward enough to arrive at the answer from the parsing.
And then I verified the word by looking it up!

Good morning, Elle!
Bright frosty morning here!
Hope the good weather here continues.
The Times has many setters but I don't think they have a particular one for the prize puzzles.
But that's only what I think, I do not know for sure.
I followed the same tack as you, regarding "eparchy".
A good puzzle!

Good morning, Rusty!
It is a bright sunny morning here, too!
Regrettably no frost, but just very muddy ground.
A plodge, rather than a walk.....!
I am about to have a coffee now, and a look at the Everyman .
The family will be here about midday.
Hopefully, I am in time to catch you before you go visiting.......
Have a good time!

Hello, Elle!
Not long home!
Had a good time at my son's.
They are heading to Skye tomorrow for a three day break.
The weather forecast for Skye is good, too.
Their walking boots and anoraks are packed already!
Good luck with the Everyman!

Hi, Rusty!
I am glad you enjoyed your morning visit!
A few days in Skye sounds good......and they sound all prepared with their hiking gear already packed!
But is Miss O'H not at school?
I thought there were no more holidays coming up now, until the Christmas break?
My family has just left for home...... they arrived at noon , just in time for an early lunch!
We have all had a great time together.
YB is old enough now (he's 3) to settle to play a board game (or two) without losing interest before the end!
Yes, the Everyman was a good puzzle, although some parts were a tad easy this week.
I have done the ST Cryptic crossword as well.
I usually do better with that than the weekday Times' offerings.
Tennis coming up soon!
Are you going to watch?

Hello, Elle!
Skye sounds great.
Wish they asked me to go, too!
Miss O'H is at school, but her grandmother is coming to stay with her, and her grandfather will run her back and forward to school.
It's all been worked out!
You seem to have had a good day with the family!
The Sunday Times Cryptic name their setters, and they have a different editor, I am fairly sure.
I do not think it is Richard Rogan.
Could that be the reason you do better?
No tennis for me, today.
I see Tim Henman is part of the commentary team.
I always liked him!

Hi, Rusty!
If you were to go to Skye , you could use your new leather holdall!
Ah, yes, I see all eventualities are covered - grandmother to the rescue!
I wondered what might happen with Miss O'H, as I know it is now against the law to keep your child out of school for a holiday taken during term time.
I do not know if the fines imposed are standard, or whether they vary according to the local Council?
But I think they are quite steep.
But seemingly some parents consider the cost of a fine to be "peanuts", when compared to the advantages of a holiday taken at a cheaper tariff.
I did not know that the Sunday Times crosswords have a different editor.... certainly I enjoy the puzzle more.
Yes, yesterday Tim and Boris were commentating.
Stephanos Tsitispas is playing Dominic Thiem tonight........
I am just about to switch on the TV.

Update, Rusty!
The young Greek, Stephanos Tsitsipas, won the ATP Championship!
It was an excellent match.... about two and a half hours of play.
One set all, and the third and final set decided by a tie break.
Neither player deserved to lose.
I did not speak to my cousin until it was all over at about 8.45 pm!

Hello, Elle!
Yes, Gran is coming to look after Miss O'H etc, and Grandad will call each morning to drive her to school.
I do not know what our laws up here say about taking children out of school to go on holidays.
They could be different from your laws.
Miss O is a teacher, she may know.
I think Peter Biddlecombe is the Sunday Times crossword editor.
He took over from Barbara Hall a few years ago.
Glad you enjoyed the tennis!

Hi, Rusty!
I had thought that the school rules about term -time holidays applied throughout the UK, but could well have that wrong.
Yes, I am sure Miss O will know .
Is Clova going to Skye, too?
Yes, the tennis was great.....
There are a lot of younger players of incredible ability coming to the fore now
The future of the sport looks good!