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Good morning, Elle.
Splendid day here and the frost has melted.
I had traffic problems yesterday.
No idea what caused the holdups, though.
I looked up my Scottish Encyclopedia (an excellent book) and discovered it was Alexander III who was found on the beach at Kinghorn after parting company with his horse.
I think his neck was broken.
No mention of a mole!
He had been riding from Edinburgh to meet his Queen, Yolande.
I have no plans today, but will head out after the postie has called.

Hi elle

Yes, we loved Nairn. We had a week there while our daughter was doing an OU summer school at Dundee. Nice hotel, in which we had the prime room with two large windows giving a view out to the firth. Along the coast from Nairn are Cullen, where the "skink" comes from, and Pennan, which was the village in "Local hero".

I think I've said this before somewhere, but Jacobites still drink a toast to the "little gentleman in black velvet" as a tribute to the mole who did for William III (William of Orange).

Hi, Rusty!
Glad you, too, have a nice day weather wise!
So there were two kings died in horse- riding accidents......
William III over a molehill, and Alexander III found on the beach at Kinghorn.
No wonder it got confusing!
My plans were scuppered on discovering that I have no crosswords to do!
A neighbour smashed into the side of John's car this morning - fortunately, no one was hurt apart from the car!
But sending crosswords was not high on John's agenda!
I am off out soon.......need to be back by 4 o'clock because the landscape gardener is hopefully coming round to give us quotes for various jobs.
Is the postie delivering anything nice?
Enjoy your walk!




Hello, Chris!
I don't remember hearing before about the toast to the "little gentleman in black velvet" who "did for" William of Orange.
A nice little anedcote.......I like it!

Hello, Elle!
It takes little to confuse me!
I know little enough of Alexander, but his granddaughter was Margaret, Maid of Norway.
Alexander had made her his "heir apparent", but she died at Orkney journeying from Norway to Scotland.
She was seven years old.
A pity about John's motor, but that's why we have insurance.
Every silver lining has a cloud.
I am hoping the postie has a watch with him.
I ordered one from eBay.
I always buy the same model of watch, Casio brand.
They have served me well, but after 18 months or so, the strap breaks, and I buy another.

Good afternoon, Rusty!
We are home again, fortunately just in time for the gardener....despite ongoing travel chaos!
I hope the postie arrived with your watch in good time.
I have trouble with watches in that I apparently magnetise them (according to the jeweller) unless the watch is in an all resin case!
This limits the attractiveness of the watch a great deal!
Although I no longer care....so long as I can relay on the watch to keep time (do what it says on the tin) then that is all I need!
How was your walk?
Still no crosswords.......I should have bought a paper whilst I was out.......

Hello, Elle!
Is your gardener going to do your tasks?
Yes, my watch came.
I have set it, and all is well.
Casio have been making this model since the 1990's.
A decent watch!
Have you no crossword? Not so good!
I have done mine.
My walk was fine.
A nice dry day here, too.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, David (the gardener) will very likely do all that I have in mind.
I want the fence between us and our neighbour replaced.
It is actually the neighbour's fence, but I am happy to pay for it if necessary in order to keep the dog safe.
And the wall on the other side is ours........but in an increasingly poor state, so I am thinking to replace it with a matching run of fence.
Then I want to redesign the entire back garden!
David will come up with some ideas and we can work from there.
He is going to give us separate quotes for each section.
It will be an exciting project, don't you think!
No, I haven't had any crosswords...I shall be getting withdrawal symptoms!

Good evening, Elle!
I am sure you and David will have the place like a new pin!
What about the haw? Best be careful there!
What is your take on this Times clue today?
2d, Hanging at murder scene staged (5) A?R?S
i went for Arras for I know it is a tapestry/hanging.
Murder scene staged? Any idea?
No bell ringing here.
I have just learned that Victoria P has fallen from her horse and broken her ankle.
No mole involved either!

Hamlet killed Polonius hiding behind an arras.

Horse riding is a very dangerous sport.

That is quite a huge project, elle. I had some new fence panels arrive today- a man rang at 6.55 a.m. to say he would deliver in fifteen mins! I thought it had to be bad news at that hour. My neighbour says he will put them up, which is very good of him.

I have to get my hall, stairs and landing repapered. I've done it myself before but am now too scared to climb that high. At least the two gentlemen who came today said the same thing about what should be done so I'll go with it. I shall be painting the textured paper myself, with a roller or brush on a stick.

Agree with Polonius, chris e. "Neither a borrower nor a lender be" and "To thine own self be true". Tedious but good advice.