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Hi Elle!

You will be pleased to have an 'all trimmed and proper' looking dog,
but as you say, I am sure she will not agree! Perhaps the nice
weather you are having will help keep her clean for a few days at
least?

No such a blue sky here, though 'tolerable' temperatures I suppose...
BUT, heat is coming back from tomorrow onwards I am, perhaps
selfishly, pleased to say. One good thing though: the temperatures
at night will remain at just the 15C or slightly below.

Have the builders completed their job? you must be pleased to
have this done before the end of the 'good season'; Do you have
a lot of moving around to do, putting things back where they
belong, and perhaps changing a few things?

Hi, Rusty!
Home for the second and last time today!
We have one very clean and smart-looking dog.
Hopefully, she will stay like this for at least 24 hours!
Now...do I need to "throw my hat into the room"?
I was, of course, only teasing you when I "threatened" violence!
I did not really take exception to "Boltonese" or "Bromleyspeak" ..... although actually I have neither a Lancashire accent nor a South London one!
I thnk Pigale is correct though in that certain things once learned "stick"......
I have always pronounced "one" as heard in the link that I sent you!
(Did you listen to it? do you see /hear? / what I mean?)
The builders are still up the scaffolding...their "little job", as they termed it, is turning out to be one of the biggest they have tackled!
I am well stocked up with tea, and went out to buy more sugar and milk!
(All commodities that I myself do not take!)
I am looking after them well!

Hello, Elle!
Turned into a fine afternoon here!
I took myself for a walk earlier.
I don't take tea or sugar, too.
How are your builders getting on?
Finished?

Elle, thanks for the 'one/won' pronunciation information . I'm glad the Cambridge online dictionary agrees with you...but I'm still very happy to have a Times setter, a Times clue, that chimes well with me!

Even though you had an early start to the day, it was still quite a feat to despatch the crossword so quickly.

Hi, Rusty!
A good day here........ the weather held out, and the builders were finally able to complete all their tasks.
Mending the leaking roof above the bay window turned out to be a much bigger job than anticipated, but it is all done now.
They have done a wonderful job for us.. ..with everything ...as always!
It is good to know such friendly and reliable people!
Was it this Monday just gone that your son and daughter-in -law were coming home? Or is next week?
I am a bit muddled!
If yesterday, did they have a nice time?

Good morning, Elle!
A bit overcast here this morning.
Well done to your builders!
Good to have reliable tradesmen you can count on.
My son and daughter-in-law came home on Monday evening.
I have not spoken to them yet, but the texts they sent to me were very positive about Amsterdam.
They said there were cyclists everywhere!

Update, Elle!
I forgot to say, earlier.
The rangers at the loch are pretty sure that the eldest chick has started his migration.
Not been seen for a day or two.
Just Laddie and PT0 left at the nest.

Good morning, Rusty!
An overcast day here, too.
We did have a little sunshine earlier but it has disappeared.
Warm though.
That is good that your son and his wife enjoyed Amsterdam.
My daughter has been twice now to Wassenaar, and plans to go again next year!
I have never been to Holland.
I hope the elder chick makes it to Africa.......
I wonder why the chicks do not travel together?
Does this never happen?

Hello, Elle!
I have not been to Holland, too.
No builders today?
You will miss making them tea etc!
Now, I have no idea why the chicks travel on their own.
I am no expert, Elle!
I hope they get there OK.
There is a high attrition rate with osprey chicks.
I am on the point of ordering a book in which I should learn much more about them, though.
It is called "Lady of the Loch" by Helen Armitage.
Lady was Lassie's predecessor at the loch and she raised 48 chicks over the years, I think.
I suppose Lassie could be Lady's daughter or granddaughter.
But I do not know how likely that is.

Hi, Rusty!
I have just been talking to my daughter.
She works from home on a Wednesday, so phones me during her "lunch hour" to chat.
She starts her new job in just under a fortnight..... and tomorrow has been invited to a "Summer party" at her new firm!
I think that is a nice friendly gesture, don't you?
She is looking forward to it.
I think your book about Lady should prove very interesting and informative.
She must have reached a good age?
Some of the chicks raised will have been with Laddie then?
I have been indulging in manual labour this morning!
The builders were good at "putting things back", but not quite how and where I wanted them!
So this morning I have been rearranging the plants on my patio and the decking to my own satisfaction!
I think I took on rather too much...I am aching now with dragging / carrying tubs of plants about...... and moving storage boxes to a more "suitable" place etc!
Definitely time for a coffee restorative....