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Elle,
I have the Chambers Dictionary "app" downloaded to my 'phone.
One meaning of "kettle" is,
"An enclosed area created by cordons of police officers to control public protesters."

Hi, Rusty!
Firstly, no, I am afraid that I didn't know that "kitchen" is the percussion section!
I have never come across that before!
Thank you for the info about the daily Athletic schedule being on the BBC Sport website.
That will be really useful to me, as I shall need to ration my viewing and pick out what I especially want to watch.
My eyes are not up to as much TV as there is on offer!
I have been fighting a migraine all the day!
Now THE race........it was a great race, but very disappointing for Laura M!
Kipyegan ran brilliantly to take Gold, as did Jenny Simpson to get Silver.
A shame that Laura was just run out of the medals......Caster Semenya coming up fast to grab the Bronze!
Laura Weightman ran a very good race too.
She was delighted with her efforts!

Hello, Elle!
Aha!
You now know about the "kitchen"! And "kettling"!
You will remember that for the future!
I am sure the clue makes sense to you now?
An idea would be to save the BBC Sport Athletics schedule to your Favourites?
I find it quite good.
I thought it was a great final.
I really felt sorry for Laura Muir but she has years ahead of her to win.
Paula Radcliffe was the same, remember.
I was very pleased for Jenny Simpson, and a very good run by Laura Weightman.
A good evening of top class sport!

Good morning, Rusty!
Albeit a very dull one here, with rain forecast by midday.
Let us hope it clears for the Athletics.
A quiet day other than dental checks at noon!
What have you got planned for your day?
(Yes, I have saved the BBC Sports Athletics schedule in my Favourites !)

Good morning, Elle!
Great day here!
Not a cloud in the sky!
Had one plan today which is completed.
Visit the cemetery and tidy up the flowers and plants.
I had the place to myself!
Let us hope the weather is clear for the athletics this evening..

Hi, Rusty!
It is good that you are able to keep your family plot at the cemetery clean and tidied, and look after your flowers.
We have a family stone in the crematorium....well, it a marble slab, flat on the ground, appropriately engraved, and on which we can stand plants or vases of flowers.
I have found today's crossword puzzle relatively easy compared with yesterday's, over which I had to labour!
I shan't say too much now, in case you haven't looked at your own puzzle yet......but 10a caused me to think of "Tales of the South Pacific" and James Michener!
And I couldn't fully parse 21d.
I must away.... got to go the dentist!

Hello, Elle!
The puzzle was not too bad today, in my opinion.
Yes, I can see why you thought 10a was reminding you of the South Pacific.
21, "half the university community" is "acad(emia)".
Reversed, around "H" for Hotel, in the phonetic alphabet.
This gives the Russian country house, "dacha".
OK ?

Good afternoon, Rusty!
We are finally home again!
All the dental appointments were running late.
Fortunately, I got a clean bill of health, but my husband had a (back) tooth extraction there and then, as it was causing him so much pain.
He has to take pain killers and rest for a few hours.
Thank you for the parsing for 21d.
I had got as far as "dacha" = country house (def) , with "h" for "hotel", but had no idea how to account for the additional letters.
"Academia" was far from my mind!
Yes, a good puzzle!
Have you been out for a walk?

Hello, Elle!
So, not too bad at the dentists.
I think your husband will be fine now the sore tooth has gone.
I do not like dental pain, too.
Yes, a good puzzle today!
I had a walk after I cleaned my walking shoes.
Think I brought some of the cemetery home with me!
I finished reading War Horse, too.
Quite good, though the ending was a bit odd, I thought.

Hi, Rusty!
My copy of "War Horse" arrived through the letter box this afternoon.
It is from World of Books, although surprisingly it was not wrapped in their normal "sturdy" fashion (one of the reasons I always choose them)
Instead of a cardboard surround, it simply came in a polythene bag!
The book is a little battered - though I am unsure whether this was its condition prior to posting, or whether it was damaged in transit due to the scanty covering?
Otherwise it is clean and readable.
No, do not tell me anything at all about the ending, until I have read the book for myself.......then we can discuss it!
Athletics are just starting.......I hope we have a good evening!