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Hi, Rusty!
I am glad that you enjoyed your walk!
Yes, you are right...going to the local park will be fine in the early mornings, but to avoid the extra people and the temptation of food for the dog, we shall need to travel further afield in the afternoons during the school holidays.
It is something we often do anyway, so is not a major problem.
We are very fortunate in having a number of parks and commons, around.
I didn't realise that Lexi could legally challenge the ruling.....that sounds fair to me under the circumstances?
Well, I am glad that I am not the only one having trouble with the crossword today!
You are so much better at solving the puzzles than am I...so what hope is there for me if you find it difficult!
I only made a start in the top left hand corner...and I'm afraid I gave up!
I 've taken a look at the clues you particularly mentioned though.
I'd already done 1d: "pepper and salt" - it is what hair is called when a brown -haired person is going grey?
I cannot fully understand it tho'.
I can help with "Poor Tom"
Edgar, a character in King Lear , disguised himself as "Poor Tom" when on the run from the law.
But I have no idea as to who is Alice?
If you find out...do tell me!
I am feeling hungry....I must away to organise our dinner......
Have you had yours?

Hello, Elle!
No reason why Lexi or her sponsors could not take it to court.
For one thing it cost them a lot of prize money.
I am sure Lexi will have "win bonuses" written into her various sponsors contracts.
I can not fathom "pepper and salt" either.
Is that what goes on "chips and fish"?
Well done on Edgar, Elle, he is new to me!
Now Alice!
I have "diner" for cafe, and "hearing of Alice's cat cafe" could maybe be "diner/dinah"?
Could it have anything to do with "Alice and the Looking Glass", was it called?
And there was Princess Alice of Athlone?
Did she have a cat?
I had two tuna sandwiches for tea, and they were very nice, too!

Hi, Rusty!
Now......I have Googled Alice and Dinah........ it seems that Dinah is Alice's pet kitten in "Alice in Wonderland".
I am somewhat shocked that I have no recollection of that!
I have read "Alice in Wonderland", although a very long time ago.
And I simply cannot recall Dinah!
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone , was a member of the Royal family.
I think she was the last surviving grandchild of Queen Victoria?
And Princess Alice of Battenberg, great- granddaughter of Queen Victoria, was Prince Philip's mother?
I think I have that right?
But as regards the crossword ...I am sure it was Alice in Wonderland to whom the clue referred!
I have "Broadchurch" to watch tonight.....the plot is getting very complicated!

Hello, Elle!
You seem to be on the ball regarding Alice.
I had a suspicion it would not be Princess Alice.
I think the Royals prefer dogs to cats.
I have no knowledge of Prince Philip's parents, though.
But, now you have mentioned it, are Alice in Wonderland, and Alice and the Looking Glass, connected?
Is it the same Alice?
Christopher Robin had an Alice, too?
Update on Sagan.
I saw more film today which confirmed that it was a spectator's jacket that brought him down.
It caught in his bars.
Mind you, Elle, he chose to ride close to the barrier.
The road was plenty wide enough.
Good luck with Broadchurch!

As I remember, Alice is very infectious - Christopher Robin wnet down with it :)

Hey, Rusty!
Yes, the same Alice in ""Wonderland" as "Through the Looking Glass.
In the first book, Alice popped down a rabbit hole; in the second, she went through a mirror.
I'm not sure who was Christopher Robin's "Alice"?
Did you know that Christopher Robin was A.A. Milne's son?
He was the character in his father's "Winnie-the -Pooh" stories and the books of poems.
The more I hear about cycling accidents/ incidents, the more I dread watching a bike race!
I know Pete Sagan wasn't injured as such, but he so easily could have been seriously hurt.
Do you wonder I do not want to watch---I cannot stand waiting for an accident to happen!
The plot thickens yet again on Broadchurch!



Hello, Chris!
Good one!
Yes, I like that!
For the uninitiated......
"They're changing guards at Buckingham Palace,
Christopher Robin went down with Alice!"

There's actually a wonderful rhythm to the poem


"...says Alice"!

Hello, Elle!
Sagan is as tough as old boots!
He'll be fine! (I hope so. I have just backed him to win on Sunday!)
Definitely do not watch on Sunday.
There will be many crashes, especially if the rain makes the cobbles slippy.
There are always crashes in bike races.
It is part of the job.
And nobody in racing handles a bike better than Peter Sagan!
Sunday is Paris-Roubaix! I cannot wait!
The winner is awarded a cobble, you know?
Well, The Times setter has provided plenty of stuff to investigate with his "Alice"!
There are superb pictures coming from the loch tonight.
Close-ups of Lassie. She was standing in the nest, sleeping.
I think her first egg must be due soon!

Alice was CR's nanny (or nurse) and was going to marry one of the guards.

Hi, Rusty!
Now....I have some info on Christopher Robin's "Alice"......
She was - as Kenyatta has kindly reminded us - Christopher R's nanny in the poem.
However, in "real life" she was Olive Rand, called "Nou" by the young Christopher Robin.
But she was to become known as "Alice" to the world, simply because it rhymed with "palace"!
"They're changing guards at Buckingham Palace ,
Christopher Robin went down with Alice........"
Olive remained with the family , until Christopher went to boarding school in 1930.
Right, on that note...I am going to my bed!
I shall look in on Lassie tomorrow.........it is too late now!



Thank you, Kenyatta.
You prompted me to further research the issue!