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Good morning, Rusty!
It was sunny and bright but much colder (8C) on my walk this morning.
The five goslings are still surviving.
Maybe Mother Goose will do better rearing her babes this time around!
Thinking about sport......I guess I can always watch tennis on the BBC Sports website.....presuming they cover it there......
But my only option then is to sit at my desk......not the most comfortable of choices for a long match!
I am expecting a parcel today....so confined to base until it arrives!
What are you up to?

Good morning, Elle!
It is colder here, but a lovely day!
I am going out with my granddaughters, shortly.
BT Sport are showing tennis from Luxembourg, and Moscow.
I would doubt if BBC can show the tournaments if BT have paid for it.
I am hoping to see Trotty and co in the women's pursuit final tonight.
And BBC will ignore it, unless GB win.
They have finally put up a piece about Emily Nelson winning gold medal.
It's a good puzzle today!

Hi, Rusty!
I spoke too soon...we now have rain!
I hope you and your granddaughters had a nice outing?
Is Miss O back to school next week?
I have just discovered that, although our local schools have only a week off for half term, BB ( living in a different Borough) has a fortnight's break!
I think this may mean his staying with us for at least part of the second week, unless Football Club is functioning, and he is able to go there.
That would be nice...although we might need another holiday afterwards to recover!
(I am only joking...he is really no trouble!)
Yes, a good crossword so far...I have only recently started it .....

Hello, Elle!
Just home!
We had a fine time!
It's Miss L-B's birthday today and they are going out for tea tonight, so my son won't visit.
La Bamba is top priority!
Miss O is back next week, and L-B is back at Uni.
Be nice for you if BB comes to stay for a day or two!
Good luck with the puzzle!

Hi, Rusty!
I'm glad you all enjoyed yourselves.
And Happy birthday to Miss La Bamba!
Speaking of birthdays, I have just realised that I missed yours whilst we were on holiday!
I hope somewhat belatedly that you had a good day?
I am liking this crossword puzzle....
I am pleased with my solving of 27a: "Gutsy" batting twice bagging international a half century (10)
intestinal - "gutsy" (def)
In in - batting twice
test - international
a
L - half century
How about that then?
I've managed to solve an essentially "cricket" - termed clue, all by myself?!

Good afternoon, Elle!
I had a good birthday.
Plenty of visitors, which I appreciated.
You did well with the cricket one!
I liked the half century part of "intestinal"! Quite crickety, too!
My final solution was 10a.
I had a vague notion of the fairies, checked with Collins, and that helped to solve it.
Still a fine day here.

Good afternoon, Rusty!
I'm glad you enjoyed your birthday!
I wondered about Morgan le Fay?
She was a sorceress/ enchantress in Arthurian legend.
Possibly the Lady of the Lake....
Anne B gave her name under "fairy"...so do you think this is where "fay" for "fairy" came from?
Or was she simply "Morgan the 'fairy/fay'"? and the word "fay" already existed?
Which came first, as it were, the chicken or the egg?
I also liked 11d: under one's hat
I thought it a clever double meaning clue!
Still raining here......

Hi elle
Have you come across Genevieve Cogman's "Invisible Library" series? Fun fantasy - many worlds and realities, in which the Dragons represent order and stability, whereas the Fey (fairies) stand for the opposite. Humans (and the library) are somewhere in between.

Great romps!

Hello, Elle!
You have the advantage on me, Elle!
I have but a vague notion of Arthurian legend, I'm afraid!
I had a look in Chambers and they say "fay" means "fairy" and the word comes from Old French, and LL, which means either Late Latin or Low Latin?
Also, Chambers reckons that "fata Morgana", a mirage, is supposed to be caused by the fairy Morgana of Arthurian legend.
My tuppenyworth is Morgan le Fay, is simply Morgan the fairy, and should it not be "la" Fay, perhaps?
I'll have a look in Brewer's.... if I can find it!
I thought "baby bonnet"/"under one's hat" was a super clue, but it took me a while to appreciate the cleverness of the clue.
A bit of head scratching involved!

Hi, Rusty!
I am sorry for the delay in replying.....
I have been out walking the dog!
The sun suddenly came out, and so I decided to don my Nubucks, and jacket, grab the dog.....and go!
We made it back without getting wet, although the sky is very overcast again now.
LL is late Latin......and I think Morgan le Fay is the Morgana of whom you speak.
She is the fairy sister of King Arthur.
I have missed my daughter's phone call today, as I was out...but I've sent her a text explaining...and received one in reply!
I hope the family outing to celebrate Miss L-B's birthday goes well.
Do you know where they are going for their tea?




Hello, Chris!
No, I haven't come across the "Invisible Library" series....but I shall look it up in a while.
(I am only just back home)
I had never come across "fey" as a noun?
But simply as an adjective, meaning foreseeing the future, or being a bit eccentric.
Nor had it occurred to me that "fay" was an alternative spelling!