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Hi, Rusty!
You are being very lucky with your weather!
We have a hint of blue sky now, though not enough to make a sailor a par of trousers!
But the pavements are not drying up.
That is great new about your daughter-in- law's mum!
I know of several friends who have had stents fitted, and they do seem to " do the job"!
I've just been talking to younger daughter on the phone - she had been to Bexleyheath last - minute Xmas shopping.
I am glad all mine is finished.
Well done on your steak pie!
What about Christmas pud?

Hello, Elle!
I appreciate our fine weather, and....I think the daylight starts to stretch from today.
Summer, here we come!
The stents seem to be the "biz" right enough!
I think the NHS is wonderful!
I am glad I have my steak pie.
I shall possibly get an Asda trifle for a pud.
Been coming to an arrangement with Miss ATW about Christmas morning.
She wants me to go to her Dad's which suits me grand!
Now, I have heard of Bexleyheath, but no idea where it is, I'm afraid!


Hello, Rosalind,
You are quite correct about folk having different tastes in books.
I was maybe a tad hasty in binning the offending item!

Hi, Rusty!
Going to your son's Christmas morning sounds good!
Especially as Miss ATW will presumably be there, too?
Shall you visit your younger son and family as well?
Although all the girls usually come to visit you at home in the afternoon, anyway, don't they?
We shall take our dog out early as usual on Monday, and then drive over to our daughter's house for midday (ish).
I am not sure yet what time lunch is on offer!
Bexleyheath (near to my daughter's) is in the Borough of Bexley, which is next door to the Borough of Bromley!

Hello, Elle!
No visit to my younger son.
I see him frequently, as it is.
Yes, the young ones usually come to see me in early afternoon.
Then I get peace!
Lots of traffic hold-ups here today.
A bit early for last minute shopping!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, that is true , you do see your younger son very often........and he is coming again on Saturday, so that will be nice!
Maybe it is something about the younger/youngest child?
We see more of our youngest!
Now, you are kidding no one - least of all me - with your talk of "peace" on Christmas afternoon!
I know that you are always delighted to have the girls visit you!!
And they, in their turn, love to come and see their granddad!
Have you done your crossword yet?
I am having trouble........
Four I cannot do...and one I cannot parse......

Hello, Elle!
You do not know my granddaughters!
Peace is very welcome once they have gone!
I have finished and parsed my puzzle, I think, Elle!
No, I have no parse for 5d.
I do not know how to pronounce 13a.
It is a word I have seen, but not used.
22a is a new word to me.
Have a break from it, Elle?

Hi, Rusty!
A break has achieved absolutely nothing!
The clues that I cannot do are 12a, 18a, 22a, and 5d.
13a is a homophone, Rusty.
At hearing, persecuted for fraud (5)
"sued" (persecuted) sounds like "pseud" (fraud)
The one that I have done, but cannot fully parse is 15a
Maybe eleven things left by singers, or two left by barbers? (9)
I have "sideburns"
side - eleven
But I cannot account for "burns"?
No...wait...yes, I can!
I have just seen it, as I typed it out...
"singe rs"!
Hurray!

Hello, Elle!
You have fallen into the setters trap at 15a!
A very hot thing could be a "singer", something that "singes" could leave a "burn".
I thought it was a fine clue!
12a, Think of the game of darts.
Forty could well be "double top", the flight assists the dart to fly.
18a, is "Quadragesima"
A "quad" can be a motor bike, frenzy, a "rage", "it" is "sa", "I'm" is in clue.
22a, Helps is "backs", "to" in clue, track is "ry", abbreviation for railway.
"Backstory". New word to me, and I have not investigated it.
5d, "a cappella" is unaccompanied.
The female is "Ella", but the first part is ringing the faintest of bells but not jumping out at me, so sorry!
Oh, you have seen the singe bit!
Well done!

Update, Elle!
I did not know how to pronounce "pseud"!

Hi, Rusty!
I have been talking to my cousin in Blackburn for the past hour !
She will be away at her daughter's over the Christmas weekend, so we thought we would chat tonight instead of Sunday!
All fine up there!
Those were very difficult clues for me.......I know nothing about darts.
I have never heard the word " Quadragesima"!
Nor "backstory"!
Thank you so much for your help!
I have had a thought about "a capp".........could it mean Andy Capp?