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Hello, Elle!
Still rainy here.
The dog is having to learn to negotiate stairs!
They still have a lot of stuff to move in.
9, Is a phrase I have not heard of.
"Front end loaded"
Present is front, finish is end, and rich is loaded.
No idea what it means, though!
13, I think a "diet" is a parliament.
The House of Keys is the parliament on the Isle of Man.
Does it hold all the answers?
Not sure at all on this one.
I said it was a toughie!

Update, Elle!
I wonder if the editor did not like 13d.
Online the clue is different to the one in my paper.
13d, "Book includes something made for opening parliament"

Hi, Rusty!
Uhm...very odd about 13d?
I cannot see the parsing to the clue that John sent to me?
Yes, I think you are right...."diet" is a meeting of the people, with Germanic origin?
So could be a parliament?
I cannot see the rest of the parsing, though, for that clue?
But the alternative clue, "Book includes something made for opening parliament" parses more easily........
"Use of key" - "something made for opening"
Hos - maybe Hosea? a book in the Bible.
I wonder why the change of clue?
I don't understand "front - end loaded", although I can see how you have arrived at the answer.
Pause here, while I look it up.......
"A front-end load is a sales charge or commission that an investor pays "up front"—that is, upon purchase of the asset."
There...so now we know!
There was a question about Sloane Stephens on "Eggheads"!

Hello, Elle!
Chambers gives diet as "parliament".
Could a "key" open the way to solving a problem?
It is obvious something about the clue was not right or why change it?
I have not heard of "front end loaded".
Goodness knows where the setter got that one!
Ah, you have Eggheads back!
I like Sloane!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, "Eggheads" is back, although not at its more usual time.
I record it and watch it later.
Going back a little - I was sidetracked by the change of clue! - I am surprised that your son's dog has never before encountered stairs ?
Did they live in a bungalow before this move, then?
But has the dog never had to go up and down stairs elsewhere?
My dog encounters flights of (stone) steps in the park, going up to, or coming down from, the upper terraces.... on the railway station bridge.......going down subways.... on the Tube.....etcetera.
She learned to negotiate them at a very early age.
(She is now ten years old)
BB had his school Carol Concert this morning!
I expect the schools will be breaking up for the Christmas holidays quite soon?

Schoolboy history students always took great delight in hearing about the "Diet of Worms" - actually a very significant meeting!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_of_Worms

Hello, Elle!
He is struggling with these particular stairs.
I am not sure why, as I have not seen him tackle them.
And he is not a young dog.
He is normally fine with steps, so I am sure he will manage with a bit of practice.
The wind has dropped here, but is meant to get stronger during the night.
It was wild most of the day.
I don't know when the schools come off, but I think it may be Monday the 23rd.

Hi, Rusty!
Perhaps the new stairs are just a tad steeper than the dog is used to managing......that may make it difficult for him, especially is he is a bit arthritic?
How old is he?
I've looked up our local schools' holidays...they break up on Thursday, December 19th., and recommence on Monday January 6th (the Twelfth day of Christmas!)
Still pouring down here...but the wind seems to have dropped somewhat.

Good morning, Elle.
It was very windy during the night, but it has eased a bit.
Still raining, though.
I will go out to the shop and that's about it, I think.
Now will I walk or take the car? Decisions!
The dog is blind in one eye, so that does not help.
He may have arthritis, I do not know.
He does not like change, though.

Good morning, Rusty!
It is my turn to have the sunshine!
It is a lovely morning here, cold though.
I have just come back from visiting the Crematorium.
Today is my father's birthday, so I was taking a plant.
Very quiet down there, apart from a funeral procession.
I had the Memorial Gardens to myself.
The poor dog, no wonder he was disorientated, as limited vision cannot have helped.
Hopefully, he will soon feel at home in his new surroundings.
We had a cat who lost sight in both eyes , with about two months between eyes, but he coped very well.
He obviously could no longer go outside, but he found his way around the house.... found his litter tray and his food and water bowls, and still jumped up on the chairs and the bed!
Apart from a slight slowness, you would not have known that he was blind!
I think, with a cat, their whiskers help ?
Right, I'd better get on with some household chores!