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Good afternoon, Rusty!
Your grandson will be delighted with the gift of a washing machine!
I remember your doing something similar for Miss ATW, when she bought her flat
A very thoughtful gesture.
What type of property is your grandson buying?
Is it a "new" modern flat? or a "conversion" in a big old house?
Speaking of conversions.......
The house next to us still stands empty and neglected.....having completely gutted it, I think the young man who bought it has run out of money for his planned conversion to flats.
Is this good or bad?
I don't know what will happen to it now......
Have you done your puzzle today?
I have finished mine, bar one clue I cannot do, and two suspect parses!
But inspiration may yet strike...... on my return from a walk!
I shall be back in a bit!

At least you won't have any more visits from the young man's mother, elle! Someone will buy it and maybe turn it back into a family home.

I am off out to cut the grass

Good afternoon, Elle!
It is a modern flat.
Think he is putting in a new kitchen to it, though.
There is a house not far from me that was sold last summer, and there has work been going on there intermittently, and nobody living there.
There has been a partially filled skip in the garden for months.
I think it is a money flow problem there, too.
Yes, my puzzle is completed and parsed.
If it is 26a you are struggling with, it is an unusual word meaning a "saw", or "pithy saying", says Chambers!
New word to me!

Hi, Rusty!
Home again.
What a beautiful afternoon for a walk.
It isn't all that warm, but the sun is enticing!
Hopefully,your son will be able to help with your grandson's renovations , won't he?
I know he did a lot of work for Miss ATW before she moved into her flat.
What an exciting project......
Yes, you guessed correctly...it was 26a that was giving me the problem!
Once you told me the definition is "saw", I checked with Anne B....and found "apothegm"....... although the setter is not spelling it like that.
Chambers offers up an alternative spelling with an extra "ph"...."apophthegm"
So I am thinking that it is apophthegm = saw (def)
a
pop - old man
h - hotel
the
GM- general manager
This would seem to fit?
And I cannot fully parse 15d: Offenbach = composer (def)
off - on holiday
Bach - another (composer)
But can you please explain "en"?




Hello, Ros!
I'm not so sure about that!
It was the mother, on one of her "visits" to me, who told me that her son had run out of money.
She didn't seem to know if it was a temporary or a permanent problem.......
It doesn't seem to be stopping her from coming!

Hello, Elle!
It is fairly warm here.
I think both my sons will be on the tools at my grandson's flat!
It is something to look forward to!
Your parsing is the same as mine for that unusual word.
I had the same problem with "en" but have it sorted now.
If you have "nut" in your Chambers, you will see it is another word for an "en" in printing.
Anne B has "en" under "nut", too.

Oh dear, elle, what a bother!

Hi, Rusty!
It is indeed handy to have skilled (family) hands to effect your grandson's renovations!
We have become reasonably good at DIY over the years, due to lack of money.
We could never afford to call in the "professionals"!
Now that we are older, we limit ourselves to wallpapering.
Although even that is now looking like a daunting task.....
Thank you for the parsing explanation!
I am going to have a lamb curry for my dinner........

Hello, Elle!
Yes, my sons are good at their trades.
And both my daughters-in-law are very good at wall-papering and painting, so if my grandson is very nice to them.....!
Have you had a look at Amazon for your Latin verb book?
I had macaroni and cheese for my tea and it was fine!

Hi, Rusty!
It is taking a while to grow dark in the evenings now...and after the clocks go forward next weekend, we shall have even lighter nights.
According to the news on the computer, we are set to have the hottest Spring on record....temperatures at one point reaching 26C!
This is forecast seemingly for the next three months.....up till June.
I have just checked on my local weather forecast, but can no immediate signs of any warmth on its way?
We shall see.....
Yes, I have looked on Amazon for another Latin verb book....
My own is there...plus similar by the same author, who also co-writes another.
I may stick with what I have.
I think the fault for understanding may lie with me!
I perhaps need to familiarise myself more with my text book.
I shall give it a shot......
I have been talking to my daughter...she is teaching tonight.

Hello, Elle!
My weather is meant to be fine and dry for the rest of the week.
That suits me. I am not fond of heat.
If you have Latin verb book I'm sure that's all you need.
Amazon is very tempting once you are on it!
How is your daughter getting on at the teaching?