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Hi, Rusty!
The next two packages that have arrived are indeed for me!
I have a number of items on order at the moment.
My son is somewhat inconvenienced in his new flat by the absence of a concierge.......hence mum and dad as custodians!
I don't know, though, what will happen to any of his parcels that arrive when we are out......?
I have nearly finished the crossword now.
I've managed to get more of a grip on it...but to me some of the clues are decidedly "odd".
You mentioned 25a......that is one of those that I cannot do!
I have N?T?T?D
Also 21a: P?P?S and 7d: U?E?E?
I especially liked 12a: New Yorker; and 20a: spliff
It is raining quite heavily now.

Hello, Elle!
I no longer have my puzzle but from memory this is what I remember.
25a, is "not a ted". Teds or teddy boys were on the go in the fifties.
I had "popes" for 21a.
A pope is a fish, but I can't remember the clue!
7, is an odd one!
I have "uneven" but the only parse I could see was the clue number, 7.
Still wet here, too.

Hi, Rusty!
Thank you...I will look at these when I return.....and also tell you the requisite clue!
I have only just realised how late it is.... and I have to attend a PPG meeting at the GP surgery at 2 o'clock.
I shall get very wet, walking there!
Talk later.....

Good evening, Rusty!
Phew....I am only just home!
The PPG meeting went on for well over two hours.
And I need to attend a public meeting tomorrow about the potential closure of our GP surgery.....
I can foresee a lot of work ahead!
And I now need to print off some petition sheets ......
Now, I am sorry to have taken so long to get back to you......thank you so much for helping me with those clues.
I vaguely remember teddy boys, when I was but a nipper!
21a: Fish giving old men inner energy (5)
You say "popes" are fish...so maybe "pops"- "old men"
+ "e" for energy?
I should never have arrived at that unaided!
I don't understand 7d?
I think I need a (very strong) coffee!

Hello, Elle!
A busy afternoon you had!
GP surgery perhaps closing?
Not so good.
21a, yes, that is the parse I had.
I don't have the puzzle anymore.
I can't remember the clue to 7d, but it did not impress me.
I remember that. "Uneven", I had.
The only thing I deduced when trying to parse was the the clue number (7) is an uneven/odd number.
Hope you can see something that escaped me, in the clue!

Hi, Rusty!
No, the future of the GP practice doe not look good at all.
The present management team would like to purchase the premises, and update and carry on the practice.....
But it looks as though the decision may be taken out of their hands, and the practice may simply be closed down.
We all have a lot to do in the next few days, with time very much against us.
A worrying issue is that the other medical practices in the area do not have all that good a reputation......
Now , 7d: As inconsistent as this clue? (6)
I follow what you are thinking ...that "7" is an "uneven " number....
But can see nothing else?

Hello, Elle!
A pity if your practice closes.
You can but do your best to try and keep it open.
7d. I am not content with "uneven" meaning "7".
A bit too vague for my liking.
But, I can not think of anything else.
Apart from that clue, it was a good puzzle!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, we all have our various roles allotted to us, in preventing the practice closure.
I fear though that time is very much against us......
We are going to one of these public meetings tomorrow afternoon.
We shall see what develops from that and other "pipelines".
Back to the crossword, it didn't sit easy with me today....
I find it far more difficult than you do, to arrive at the answers.....and the parses!
For instance, I should never have got 22a: "hermitage" , if I hadn't already known that Herm is a small Channel Island.
But hey! "Tomorrow is another day"!

Hello, Elle!
Well, at least you are trying to save the practice.
I wish you well!
I knew Herm, too.
I think 7 has to be "uneven" (ureter fits but that makes no sense), but I think there may be something else in the clue that we are not quite seeing.
Yep, another puzzle tomorrow!

Good morning, Rusty!
Wet, warm (ish) and miserable here!
I hope you are faring better?
I have a few chores to do this morning, also some paperwork to sort out......
Then, this afternoon, we have another meeting to attend.
But first...a coffee and a peep at the crossword!