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Good morning, Rusty!
It is dull but dry, here.
No wind though.
A pity if you cannot get to the Pine Cone.... but could you not meet up with your friends elsewhere?
You will be wanting to see each other, whilst they are over from NI.
Hopefully, you can sort something out!
Yes, a good move to record the skiing......
I haven't done a crossword - other than the Everyman! - for about two weeks now.
But I shall take a look at today's puzzle most probably, later on......
Have fun, if you do go out!

Tay Road Bridge opened for all traffic at 0942 this morning (their own website)

Good morning, Rusty!
I hope all is okay at your end?
We had a bit of a bad time here, yesterday, but I did look in to the forum once or twice to check if you were around......
Did you make it meeting your friends?
It was a very wet and windy night here ...but it is drying up now, and the sun is attempting to come out.
It might even turn out to be a nice day!

Good afternoon, Elle!
All well here.
Great day, but cold!
Yes, we met the Norn Iron folks
Great to see them.
They are heading for Cairnryan and the boat home, now.
Been watching the skiing.
It's the Combined today.
That's the Super G and the slalom.
Tough Super G course.
Many did not complete.
Both Shiffrin and Vlhova crashed out.
So, I'd like to see Wendy Holdener win but Federica Brignone will be hard to beat.

Hi, Rusty!
A pleasant day here now..... blue sky and sunshine.
I am glad that you and your friends managed to meet.
I hope they have a safe journey home.
You will be kept busy watching the skiing!
A pity about Mikaela......but maybe your second choice to win, Wendy, will do so?
I have been chatting to my son.....
He is coming over again on Wednesday to see us, and to check on his dad.
It will be great to see him!
I did the Everyman and the ST Cryptic crosswords this morning.
I thought I detected a similarity in styles......and have been wondering if they might be compiled by the same person?

Hello, Elle!
They should be sailing any minute now.
The crossing takes roughly two and a quarter hours.
Not heard from them since they left.
The skiing was great.
Poor Wendy, second again.
She is always knocking on the door but not quite winning.
Federica Brignone won.
Mikaela looked fine after her crash.
It's her first non-finish in two years.
She'll be back!
You will be looking forward to seeing your son.
Could well be the same setter, you know.
I think most of them set for several different newspapers.

Hi, Rusty!
I hope it is a good (calm) crossing for your friends.
They should be home in time for a take-away curry for their dinner!
Speaking of which, I quite fancy that, myself!
You say Wendy always comes second.....
There is a saying, isn't there "Always the bridesmaid..... never the bride"?
I think it means never being the first, or most important.........
She will get there one day!
Btw, my second book from " World of Books" arrived......
That, also, isn't exactly in "very good" condition, as described - more "reasonable" - but at least this one is "clean"!
There was a medical prescription left between the pages though, with ( presumably) the previous owner's details , name , address, etc on it, so the checker didn't do a very good examination of the interior of the book!
I shall chalk it all up to "experience!
I am very pleased, though, with my other books which came from different sellers.
Has your book about the "Croydon Poisoners" arrived ?

Hello, Elle!
They are landed and driving home, now.
Wendy is on the podium a lot but not often in first place.
That's why I hoped she would win today.
I would tell World of Books that your latest book is not of the standard you expect and pay for.
I have started reading the Croydon book.
It is very good indeed.
It came from "London Borough of Sutton Library Service" and is in very good nick.
I also see a "Murder, Mystery and My Family" book.
It covers five females who were hanged for murder, including Edith Thompson, who I have read quite a bit about, and who I think was innocent.
I think I will buy it.

Good evening, Rusty!
I have metaphorically - and physically in the case of the extremely dirty book ! - washed my hands of W.o.B.
I shall keep and read the book that has just arrived....it is tattyish but clean.
However, I shall have no further dealings with that particular book selling company.
I have found Bahamut Media Group; Awesome books; Infinite books; and Cotswold Library books to be very good and reliable.
Have you dealt with any of these?
I think you will enjoy the "Murder..." book...
I think you should buy it?
I am just going to phone my cousin...it is my turn!

Hello, Elle!
I have certainly got books from Awesome, and Bahamut Media rings a bell.
Not the other two, though.
I do tend to favour "known" book stores, when I am buying.
I have added "Murder...." to my "possibles" list.
I'll check later if it is on eBay.