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Hi, Rusty!
I have just been talking to my cousin as usual on Sunday evening. Fortunately, neither she nor her family has had any further trouble with the floods.
Altho' she had snow last night!
Hopefully, things in her daughter's area might settle down soon and get back to normal.
Parents and staff have been working together to clean out the local primary school (where her granddaughter goes) so that the children could restart on time last Tuesday.
The Junior school down the road though will not reopen for six months. Or did I already tell you that?
It's good to see people working together like that, isn't it?
I haven't heard of James Michener. I've seen "South Pacific" (in the dim and distant past) but didn't know of its origin.

Hello, Elle!
Heavy rain here!
But, we only had some flooding, so not too bad.
I have not seen South Pacific.
Tales of the South Pacific won a Pulitzer Prize.
There was another fairly well known film from one of Michener's stories that I read.
It was called Until They Sail. I remember Paul Newman and Sandra Dee being in it.
Was about four New Zealand sisters during WW2 and their family and a US Navy ship anchored there. Was a good tale.
James Michener never knew his parents or where or when he was born.
He was a great philanthropist, too.
I have had a very healthy Onken yogurt for supper that I am sure would meet with your approval!

Rusty, Elle, Pigale, anyone who's interested...

Today's Times Cryptic...

11 D. Where might one find Paddington Bear, look, wandering on strand? (8,4)

18 D. Out to lunch in part of east London (7)

Hi Malone

Just goes to show how much notice Mr. R. has taken notice of our complaints !

Personally, I shall need serious thinking to solve these clues....

Good morning, Rusty!
We had heavy rain here, too last night - absolutely lashing down! and wet, too, this morning. Very filthy dog!
I have the Hotpoint engineer here, as I write this.......do you remember my telling you that my new tumbler drier needed to be modified as that particular model has a fault and is declared a "fire risk"?
I have been waiting for five months, but at last the engineer is here to do the job.
I was given a three hour time slot from between 8.33 am till 11.33 am!
He showed up ten minutes ago!
Seemingly, it's only a small adaptation.
I see that Malone has found two more "Londonisms" in today's 15x15.
Can you recall what I told you recently about Paddington Bear? (that is a hint!)

Hi, Malone!
Yes, I've done them - thank you for putting up the clues - you may have realised that I don't receive the 15 x15 crossword!
I won't spoil it for anyone by referring to answers....but I didn't know the meaning of the relevant phrase in the second clue - once I'd looked that up, all became clear!
How did YOU get on with both clues?

Hello, Malone.
I have done those two and put xword away for my teatime treat.
Was the first one not an answer recently?
Fairly sure Elle and me discussed it.
The second one I thought was in Essex, but apparently it is East London. According to the Independent, one of the ten worst boroughs in Britain to live in.
I think Londonisms are a lost cause until the present editor is replaced!

Hello, Elle!
That is good your machine is being made safer.
Hope you gave the lad a coffee from your new Tassimo!
Was the Paddington answer not an answer recently?
It is in my head. Mind you, there is plenty room there.
Nice morning here after the tempest!

Good day, Pigale!
Good luck with the Londonisms in todays paper.
One word from us and the editor does what he likes!
Hope your weather is pleasant?

Hi, Rusty!
Hi, Rusty!
Job done!
The engineer was correct - the modification didn't take long - maybe half an hour by the time he'd trekked out to his car a couple of times.
Apparently the machine is quite safe now!
I'm glad that it was fixable as I've been very pleased with this model.
You are correct about Barking......it did used to be in Essex - then when there was a boundary shift ("they" are fond of this gambit) it became part of Greater London.
Like Croydon used to be in Surrey, and is also now part of Greater London.
Up north, my old home town, Bolton, used to be in Lancashire and is now designated as being in Greater Manchester.
Most locals, quite rightly, completely ignore this!

Hello Rusty, Elle and everyone,

Thanks for good wishes Rusty - I have just completed the Concise and have not yet tried to work out Malone's two clues - or rather the clues referred to by Malone.

Weather very very windy - not so much rain (we, here, are decidedly too dry this year and even our river is lower than average) but winds up to 85/90 km which is a lot considering how much inland we are.