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Hi, Rusty!
No, I've never heard about these poisonings, but you have to remember that South Croydon is about four (maybe five? )miles away from us - and we live in the Borough of Bromley, not Croydon.
So Croydon isn't really "local" to us.
It is weird though that my parents should have considered buying property in Birdhurst Rise , and my "daughter-in-law-who-isn't" and my granddaughter should have lived in South Park Hill Road!
I looked up 'kempt' - it referred me to "kemb", definition of which is 'to comb, 'as you said!
I wonder how many other words exist without the negative "un " as prefix?
Tomorrow , younger daughter and I are going to see the very last school on our list!
I have a very early start, catching a train before 8.30 am!
I should be home gain by mid- afternoon.
A busy day!

Hello, Elle!
There will be lots of these words, I think.
It is amazing what you find in dictionaries.
Nobody was ever charged with the poisonings.
Or, it would have been more widely known, certainly, as poisoners, if found guilty of murder, rarely escaped the gallows and notoriety.
I am on the go early tomorrow too.
Dental check-up, then a wee dander round the shops.
Good luck with the school.
Don't mention Birdhurst Rise!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
How did you get on at the dentist? Did you get a clean bill of health?
The school visit went well....... again we had children taking the parents/ grandparents around the school, which gave us a chance to assess their self confidence and capabilities.
Of course, this will vary from child to child but it is a good indication of the kind of job the school is doing in "educating " a child.
Education being not just academic ability but producing a well- rounded personality.
We would like to go back to see again the very first school that we visited - I don't know if this will prove possible? My daughter is going to telephone to enquire .
Then it's decision time.....!
I got home about 1.30 - changed into dog -walking gear and took the dog out for a walk!
Not too bad a day, a mite chilly but at least dry today!
Apart from the dentist......what have you been up to?

Hello, Elle!
You don't seem enthusiastic about today's school?
Positive thinking by your daughter!
No harm in trying.
Been dry here, but gales are coming.
No idea who this one is. Clodagh was the last one.
I have to get a scrape and polish, other than that my teeth etc are hunky dory.
Now is this a fair clue in the Times, before I get a buzz in my bonnet?
EastEnders' burglar, and the area he controls? (4)
The answer is "fief".
Is this us back to "fevvers on a frush"?
What is your opinion, Elle?

Rusty, I hated that clue when I did the crossword earlier. There seems to be an increasing number of these London/Cockney-centred clues. I don't know - nor care - how many people in the East End (of London) say or might say 'feef' instead of 'thief'. I don't know why the crossword setters and editors think we will know this 'fact'.

Malone, well that was quite emphatic...and I agree!
I made the point weeks ago that the Times crossword is done all over the world. I have seen prize winners from all parts of the globe.
I think the crossword editor should be cracking down on this.
The heading on the front page of my copy is,
The Times
Scotland
I get the Scottish edition and there will be variations all around the world.
Yet, me and the man in Nairobi, or Sacramento, or Hamburg, are expected to know Londonisms?
I think it is not right!

I get annoyed a little -and sigh a little - when the Times gives us London-based clues that are factual (geographical, say - referring to places I might never have heard of), I get even more annoyed with clues such as today's - we shouldn't be expected to know that some Londoners might, just might, pronounce a word a certain way. I don't even like clues that refer to Cockney rhyming slang, but I accept those because I know there is such a thing.

Hi, Rusty!
I thought today's school warranted being placed fourth or fifth on our list of six that we have to provide.
As it is some time since we saw the very first school, and we weren't sure at that stage just what we were looking for, I thought we should go back again for a second tour if possible.
We also didn't get to talk to any of the children there, as we have in some of the other schools, so it would be good if that could be rectified.
So I have hopefully persuaded my daughter to enquire if we might revisit!
Isn't the next gale going to be "Desmond"?
Now about pronunciation of "th" as "f" in Cockney, for instance....I believe that there is something called "Th-fronting", which is a prominent feature of several dialects of English, especially Cockney.
In "Th - fronting", "th" is pronounced as "f" or "v".
Yes, Rusty, it's exactly like "forty fahsend fevvers on a frush"!

Hello, Elle and Malone!
I could look at the word "fief" from now until the cows come home and never make the link with a London burglar. Nor would a large percentage of Times readers in various parts of the country/world.
Just a bit too parochial, for me.
On the other hand, I saw a smashing wee video clip of a nine year old Liverpool lad, teaching Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool FC's new German manager, some Scouse phrases.
I did not know any! It was funny though!

Hello, Elle,
Desmond rings a bell!
The first school may be fine.
Hope you get a chance to visit it.
Raining now, and I have visitors coming!