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Ann,
Sorry about my misreading of your clue number but Karen put you right on 7a. "Wee hen" is a tender form of endearment in this part of the country,usually to a small child from an older person and they don't come much older than I do!
No offence intended.
Navigator and Mandala,
While "regularly"is quite acceptable as a marker in this case(6d) and"primarily" perhaps better I think "firstly" would be better still to make the sentence sound more natural.But who's being abit pedantic? Anyway,Navigator, a brilliant alternative clue!
WARM REGARDS TO ALL

Hello Everyone
Enjoyed reading the thread again this week, from sunny Florida. By rights I should have been on my way back via BA to Gatwick right now, but because the airport is closed, instead of joining you all enjoying the cold weather I have to suffer in 80degrees until they can get me back on Saturday night.
Well someone has to do it, and of course I was happy to volunteer, on behalf of you all. So tomorrow morning I will raise a glass of the ice cool lageras I sit by my pool and literally toast you all.
See you all next week
PHILIP

Ah Phillip - my sympathies are with you. No breaking off of the tip of an icicle to suck for you. No warm mince pies or lovely mulled wine. No kind neighbours asking if you need milk or bread and no sitting just watching the snowflakes fall. And I haven't even mentioned being snuggled up with your best book and a warm cat. Come home soon!

Philip, Shall we try a little experiment in telepathy? Can you tell what I'm thinking? Can you detect hate at that distance?
Ooh look! It started snowing again! Still, only eight months to go befire I'm on holiday. :)

Nimrod, thank you for your long explanations re my empty spaces. I will try and remember what you have said when I get home and look at the crossword again. By the way are you still singing in a choir?

The thaw seems to have started here now - long may it continue and not freeze tonight or the roads and pavements will be so dangerous. Charlies Human I do like your description of life in your house with mulled wine and a favourite book etc etc.

Hello too to Bees. I didn`t know Hercule Poirot had a favourite drink. I`ll have to pay more attention when I next watch. Glad to see you back Caravaggio. I think I must have missed you last week.

No sign of the thaw here(lothians)yet with outdoor temperature hovering just below zero still snowing.I'm just back from the papershop clutching my copy of the latest RT and from a perfunctory glance it doesn't look too easy.
See you all at the RT50 window if I get anywhere with rhis crossword.
WARMEST GREETINGS

wee jock,Absolutely no offence taken.I had never heard of "wee hen" used in that way.Over here (Glasgow) "hen" is a rather slang way of addressing a woman.If you are older than I am then you must be pretty ancient! I have almost finished RT50 apart from the usual 4/5 word answers which sometimes stump me.I'll probably join the RT50 thread for more clues.

Mondrian, yes still singing.

Now finished except for 9A. But if even Caravaggio was stumped I don`t feel so bad and am beginning to think it is probably a shrub I have never heard of. Sorry Nimrod even after your long and detailed explanation I still can`t get it. If the worst comes I will resort to Quick Solve but don`t really like doing that. I have now nearly finished No50 and I suspect the big Christmas puzzle will be available next week. I don`t know how I am going to resist that!!

Hi Mondrian - another clue for 9a if you want it.

The overall answer = wrong. Made up of a relative that loses the letter a + a 3 letter shrub which frankly I had never heard of.

Good luck