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Hi, Rusty!
Well done on your phone deal!
A good achievement.
I had a very leisurely morning....it was good to have no pressure to do anything specific..... or within a certain time frame.
I all but finished the crossword early this morning...I liked today's puzzle.
Just two overlapping clues that I couldn't do.....27a and 19d.
All the rest done and dusted!
I had to wait in for a parcel delivery - the last lot of books that I had ordered for the grandchildren.
The parcel didn't come till 2.45 pm, so then I rushed out with the dog once that had arrived.
Just home again and it is very nearly dark...and freezing cold...... brrh!

Hello, Elle!
Yes, I am pleased with my deal.
'Phone arrives on Monday.
Now, 27a is, "War chest" is "funds for campaign".
"Roguish" is "arch", and the card player is "West".
West collects Arch, giving War chest.
19d, is a new word to me.
"Ruleless" meaning anarchic.
Anagram of "sellers" and "U"/for everyone, in Cinema speak.
I thought it was a fine puzzle, Elle.
I even got the Cockney one, at 21a, though I had to look up "insouciant", another new word for me.
We have an Amber warning for snow and ice.
Not so good!

Hi, Rusty!
Thank you for the answers and parsings for those two clues.
I did not know the term "war chest" for campaign funds.
Your weather forecast does not sound very encouraging!
We have temps of 1or 2C tomorrow....then rain from midday onwards.
I guess at least if it is raining, it isn't snowing!
My younger daughter and family are going to Legoland at Windsor tomorrow , with an overnight stay.
it is part of the boys' Christmas present..
They are very excited!

Hello, Elle!
I am surprised you do not know "war chest".
It is a fairly well known term.
I am hoping we miss the worst of the bad weather.
Legoland seems very popular.
I have heard a few folk mention it.
I am sure the boys are very excited.
My neighbour has asked me to look after several presents for her granddaughters that they can NOT see until Christmas Day!
Her granddaughters are there several times a week and she has nowhere to hide them.
So, I have them stowed away in a spare room!
I was wondering if a lot of this goes on?
Neighbours looking after Christmas presents?
I would think so?

Hi, Rusty!
I have had chilli con carne for dinner...delicious!
And very warming in these arctic temperatures!
Yes, we used to have our neighbour ( fortunately also ranked as an old family friend) hide Christmas presents if they were too big to go in a top cupboard!
Such as a bicycle!
It never seems to occur to children to wonder how Father Christmas gets a bicycle or a go-cart, or similar large toy, down the chimney, does it?
Mind you, we don't have a chimney!
We used to tell the kids that Santa had a magic key so he could enter our house!

Hello, Elle!
Chilli con carne is tasty, I think.
I sometimes buy ASDA's ready made one.
I do not mind taking the presents in, as I have a good neighbour and we get on well.
And me and the youngest granddaughter (she's 3 and a bit!) are good pals!
Just watched Trotty and co win gold in the Track World Cup pursuit race in London!
They were awesome!
They caught the Americans and there was almost a high speed crash, as they did so.
Thankfully all the girls came through unscathed.

Hi, Rusty!
I have been catching up with watching "Fifteen to One".
I expect you will know the answer to this question...."Which long distance runner wrote the book "This Mum Runs"?
If you remember , it was my Christmas present to myself last year!
And I have just passed it on to my daughter, as she expressed a wish to read it.
Have you heard of "finger- fumbler"?
That was also one of the questions.

Hello, Elle!
Think it was Jo Pavey?
I think Laura Muir runs soon in a cross country race.
Do you remember the one in Edinburgh last winter?
Well it has been moved to Stirling.
She is in the team event.
No, "finger-fumbler" is unknown to me.
No sign of the bad weather yet.
Miss O has invited me to Pine Cone on Sunday.
I imagine it will be hectic, if the roads are reasonable.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, it was indeed Jo Pavey!
I like Jo! and I enjoyed her autobiography.
The contestant did not know the answer.
Yes, I think I remember Laura running in Edinburgh last year....a cross country relay race?
I didn't know "finger -fumbler" either......
The question was what was similar in words to "finger-fumbler?"
The answer was "tongue twister".
I have looked up the term "finger-fumbler" in Chambers, but couldn't find it...(I may perhaps have missed it)..... but Google tells me
"Noun: finger-fumbler (plural finger-fumblers)
The sign language equivalent of a tongue-twister; a phrase that is very difficult to sign correctly."
I live and learn......

Good morning, Elle!
A dull cold morning here! No sign of the snow, so far.
The gritters are out!
I was driving earlier and the roads are fine.
Think I am home for the day, now.
Not many would know a finger fumbler, I suspect!