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Hello, Elle!
Yes, I do not buy presents.
Money is a lot easier, and preferred, too.
Trevor's parse is excellent, as I would expect. That is what I saw, now that I remember. Today's crossword is not bad, though there is an English village that I have never heard of.
I am sure you have!
I read that these storm names came from an initiative from the Met Office and Met Eireann, so it looks like the British and Irish public were involved. Nobody asked me!
I heard too, that our town is getting some Syrian families in December. They are in Lebanon at present.
A lot of work going on to get ready for their arrival.
Getting clothes, food, GP's etc organised.
Wonder how the Bute folk are settling?

Hi, Rusty!
Nobody asked me about storm names , either!
I'm always amazed when we get a directive about an event/ issue in our area, saying that "the local people were consulted........"!
So you are getting some Syrian refugees in Dundee? I wonder how and why locations are picked? Do you have the room - such as housing, spare school places , GP placings etc?
I can see why Bute was chosen, for instance, in the light of its declining population and the availability of such as I've just listed.
But it's good that effort is being made to make the Syrians welcome. It will be a difficult transition period for them, even so.
I've browsed through the crossword to find the village you mentioned.
Yes, I have heard of 'Goring' - but not this one! Goring -on -Thames is new to me!
I have been to "Goring -by - Sea " though, which is an entirely different place in West Sussex!
I have a friend who lives in Goring -by - Sea. I have walked upon its beach!

Hello, Elle,
I think we are getting five families next month, and I think Perth are getting some too. I do not know where they will be living, but seemingly there is a lot of work getting done right now. We will make room for them. Five families in a city of 165,000 people is not much at all. Though I am sure there will be some folk grumping about it.
I read in our local paper that one of our Indian restaurant owners is donating 200 turkey dinners at Christmas to homeless folk. And next year he is going to get more restaurants involved. A good man, more power to his elbow.
Our town has been good to him and now he his putting something back. I have never been in an Indian restaurant (do they make bacon rolls?) but they are popular here and do a good trade.
Goring, both if them, are new to me!
Last week Brentford was an answer. It mentioned something about London, but I had no idea it was near London!
Could have been near Plymouth for all I knew!
I knew they had a football team, that's all.
And, talking of football teams. I discovered this night, that the supporters of Bristol Rovers sing one of my very favourite songs, "Goodnight Irene"! Amazing!

Good morning, Rusty!
A dullish but dry and fairly mild day here....no strong winds, thank goodness!
Dog's bottom looking good!
And her energy seems inexhaustible! I wish I had a half of it!
I have just been listening to Eric Clapton and "Goodnight, Irene"! All your fault! I shall have an "earworm" all day now!
According to the Lancet, the antibiotic resistance situation is getting far more serious.........bacteria are becoming so resistant to treatment that medicine could be thrown back into the Dark Ages.
This would mean that common infections could kill again, and surgical procedures and Cancer therapies would be under threat as they are reliant on antibiotics.
What a worrying prospect! if we are not being beset without by terrorists, then we are being undermined from within by antibiotic resistance!
Brentford is , I think, in West London? Not far from Kew Gardens? (I am sure someone will correct me if I have this wrong!)
I have never been there...although I have been to BrentWOOD, which is in Essex!
"Ladies who Lunch" today!

Hello, Elle.
It is a beautiful day here, not a cloud to be seen and the sun is shining, though it is a bit parky! Touch of frost here and there.
Good news about doggie!
Let us hope that the medical folk find a solution to the antibiotics problem.
The crossword clue said something about West London and my heart sank. The answer turned out to be Brentford and I had not a Scooby that it was part of London. This is my beef about parochial setters. And, there will be thousands of Londoners doing the crossword who may have thought that, that clue was just too easy?
Too often I am expected to know tube stations and bits of London.
The Times readership is worldwide. Let the crossword relate to that!
Time for a new crossword editor I think, and a bit of original thinking by the setters! Rant over!
Essex? Is that the county that "disappeared" or was it Middlesex?
Where is lunch taking place today. I will make a note of it in case it turns up in today's crossword!
I told you about my hair cut? Well, I had a visit from Miss Orlando last night and she said she liked it, but could we sit in a darkened corner of the Pine Cone tomorrow!
Off out to the Nature Trail now!

Hi, Rusty!
The dry start to my day didn't last long......it has been pouring down since just after I told you that!
Lunch was excellent ! Two courses - a Starter and a Main course.
We went to a restaurant in Bromley - did that come up in your crossword?!
I can understand a Non- Londoner being annoyed by constant references to London places of interest - as you so rightly say, not everyone would know of them.
It was Middlesex that supposedly "disappeared", except that it didn't as it still exists as a postal address!
Now I am sure that Miss Orlando did NOT say that you should both sit in a dark corner! I think you are having me on there?
Although I am surprised that she hasn't offered to cut your hair for you? or have you refused her 'help'?
I haven't been home for long, so haven't had the chance to look at today's crosswords yet... I shall do that shortly.
Ooops......the doorbell's ringing...that will be our son and granddaughter arriving - talk more later.......

Hello, Elle!
Been a glorious day with us. No Bromley, or anywhere near in my crossword, today!
And your lunch out was fine? How many ladies today?

Yes, Middlesex, I remember now
.
Miss Orlando DID say that! I told her to remember we were getting near Christmas and I have a good memory!
She has cut my hair in the past. She gets the job done although there is a lot of giggling going on!
I am getting visited too, this evening.
My son is calling.

Hi, Rusty!
It was a lovely surprise to have our son and granddaughter come over! We did not know that they were coming until earlier today!
Our son is the Night Manager at a big London Hotel ( mustn't advertise!) and so seeing him tends to be erratic as he keeps unsociable hours.
He has his daughter to stay with him whenever he can - often when he has a weekend off and sometimes during the week when his off duty time falls that way.
It was lovely to see the two of them together for a change, as we usually see her with her mother.
Our granddaughter had come straight from school - she is 5 and looks so grown up in her school uniform!
Where are all the years going?
Lunch? Only two of us today.........the numbers fluctuate according to who is available.
I have had to miss a few Thursdays of late because of school Open Days falling on that day.
Enjoy your time with your son!

Hi Rusty
Sorry I didn't reply, not turned on my computer for 2 days, busy doing other things. What was 2dn yesterday? artiste?

Rosalind/Rusty, excuse me butting in. 2 Down was another word that'd been mentioned - Ounce, as in cat.