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Tesco was bustling at 7.05 a.m. but relatively calm at 7.30. The ladies who help with ID for booze etc at the self service bits expect today to be the worst, though they said it was terrible yesterday. People were really rude to them, apparently.
On with the gingerbread house and tree decoration (it is alive and will be planted in hopes, so can only be indoors for a couple of days).

Cheers!!

Rosalind, there were quite a few folk trying to buy alcohol at ASDA when I was in, but it is illegal to sell it (up here, anyway) before 10.00am.
The tills are set to refuse alcohol sales before 10.00.
No excuse for people being rude to staff!

Best wishes to all users of out PCT - hope you all enjoy a very merry christmas !

Best wishes to you too, Pigale!

Hi, Rusty!
Ah, a quote from "Blue Bayou"!
Roy Orbison may have written (and sung) the lyrics, but Linda Ronstadt very definitely made it her own, didn't she?
I am still being bothered by "I have been a Rover", which I think is actually entitled "Love's Been Good to Me"?
I have decided that I prefer Rod McKuen's rendering, to that of Frank Sinatra.
Have a listen to Rod on YouTube?
I had forgotten that you were going out for a bacon roll with Miss O this morning!
Did you have a good time?
Did you go to the Pine Cone?
Our printer has died on us! What a nuisance!
I think we shall have to treat ourselves to a new one.
Maybe in the January Sales?

Hello, Elle!
Linda certainly did!
Yes, young Miss O and me went to Pine Cone and it was pretty wet and windy there.
It is at a higher altitude than where we live.
Maybe that's why.
Printers are not expensive these days.
I did not replace mine when it went kaput.
I rarely used it, except for the odd crossword, and I am down to one a day now, so I'll do without one.
Have you done today's Times?
I have one (a new word to me) and I cant make it work with the clue.
I do not know if it is a Cockneyism or not!
I'll leave it until you complete yours.

Hey, Rusty!
It is wet and extremely windy here!
I am just listening to the weather forecaster on the television telling me that we shall have NO wind here!
Er........right?
How is with you now?
It has been a hectic afternoon........
Some friends dropped by with their card.
It is always nice to see people, but then I end up chasing my tail, with my list of jobs unfinished!
I haven't had the time to do the crossword, but tell me which clue you are wondering might be a Cockneyism and I will take a look?
( although I doubt I shall be much help!)

Hello, Elle,
Weather is a bit wet and windy but nothing exceptional....so far.
I think there are restrictions on the Road Bridge, though.
No buses or high-sided vehicles getting across.
The answer which is puzzling me is 25a.
I was reading a report earlier on the enquiry into British Cycling, and a former head coach, Ken Matheson, said, "there is a culture of fear and favour that is endemic".
I think there is a lot more to come.

Rusty, there's no Cockneyism involved in 25 A...

Excellent price reported for imported ice cream (5)

Kulfi is Indian ice-cream and it sounds (apparently) Cool Fee, excellent price. (Whenever I've had it, the pronunciation has always been more like Coolfy.

Hi, Rusty!
Mmm, I didn't think I would be of much help to you!
I have done 22d, 7d, and 19d which give me.....
22a: K?L?I
Obviously it is a homophone, see "reported"?
but I don't know of any ice cream that fits those letters?
I'm presuming "ice cream" is the definition, Rusty?
I don't think it is a Cockneyism, but haven't anything else to offer?
I haven't heard anything about the British Cycling investigation.
What has been happening?
Have they discovered what was in the mysterious package yet?