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Good morning, Rusty!
Dreich today! I believe we are to have a short dry spell later this morning, but drizzle will follow this afternoon.
We shall see.....I guess I cannot complain, as the weather has been brilliant this past week whilst the boys have been here.
I do fully understand what you are saying about Lindsey. It is indeed very unsporting of her to put the blame for her losing on someone else.
Hopefully, after a night's sleep , she will repent of her ways and will at least apologise to the technician.
Although I think as far as your support goes, she has "blotted her copybook" for good? (another idiom whose origin we can query?)
I expect you have already been out for your paper and are now back ready for whenever the downhill starts?
The boys have been up for ever (or so it seems!)......and I must do a few chores before the day starts in earnest.......
Enjoy your skiing!


Hi, Ros!
Are you having grandchildren with you today, too?
I'm putting in for a volume control .......at least one that operates on a pre-breakfast basis!
We are being joined by more family shortly! so then there will be great excitement when the three boys get together!

Elle
The noise level will be stupendous. I bet you're tired tonight!

No meeting friend today. Tomorrow taking family out for curry, which we do most years in memory of their father, who loved it. We also plant primrose on a roadside bank where he died. They are a sheet of pale yellow now

Hello, Rosalind.
I read a similar book to yours.
Mine was about taking trout to New Zealand and stocking some rivers there.
The fish cames from rivers in Scotland and England.
Now there are excellent New Zealand trout.

Hello, Elle!
It is a grand morning here.
I noticed the Times managed to get Euston in to their crossword yesterday. The definition was "terminus", if I remember correctly.
Is that accurate?
As regards Lindsey Vonn I am now firmly in the "anyone but Vonn" camp. I was the very same with her ex, Tiger Wood.
Another bad sportsman. Just nipping out for my paper now.
Downhill starts at 9.45 according to Paddy P.

There was a clue in the Guardian earlier in the week that divided opinion - I loved it!

Refrain from taking action over training centre (6)

Glad to hear of an introduced species that was a success, rusty.

I loved the story of the deer, introduced for game (the only indigenous mammals in NZ are bats). They had become a nuisance so all in an area were lifted by helicopter to an island in a large lake. They promptly swam back!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, Euston is a London terminus.
There was a clue in the Times QC yesterday that threw me completely on the wrong track......
Tower Hill by rail, shortened ? (7)
I was convinced for a while that the answer was "traitor ", even though it didn't parse or make sense properly!
But there is a "Traitor's Gate" at the Tower of London ...and I am so used to looking for "Londonisms"........
I will leave you to work out the correct answer....easy enough though when you are not looking for a part of London!
Need to go now....am wanted for a game in a few minutes.....catch up this evening?
Have a good day!

Chris, yes, I get your clue....probably because I had it in mind from Rusty's clue!
I cannot see any reason for a division of opinion though?
Why was that?

Here's one comment on fifteensquared, elle

Well, I’m glad so many enjoyed this; I thought it was mostly dreadful. Yes, TRUMAN was great but EUSTON-a wild guess-was awful.
Can’t bring myself to thank the setter!

Some others disliked the clue too, but more picked as one of their favourites!

Hello, Elle!
Your quick clue took me a while to solve!
A good one, though
Just finished The Times crossword.
It was a so-so one.
Nadia Fanchini won the downhill.
I saw Vonn's fall yesterday.
Her ski came off in a turn and she took a right pounding in the snow before she came to a stop.
Fair play to her, she came second today.
She must be aching all over after yesterday.
And she gave Lara a big hug!
Super-G tomorrow.
Hope you are coping with all the activities!

Hi, Rusty!
Everyone has gone home now! Younger daughter and grandson fortunately live fairly locally, but elder daughter and the two boys have gone back to the Midlands.
The house is astonishingly quiet!!
But Easter is early this year...and then they will be back staying with us, over the school holidays.
I shall hopefully have recovered by then ready for the next round.......no, seriously , it's been great fun!
We've really enjoyed having them all here.
It was good that Lindsey showed good sportsmanship to Lara over her win yesterday - if a trifle belatedly.
Hopefully you have had a good day watching the skiing? Did you have time to go out for a walk, too?
I haven't even had chance yet to do today's crosswords....maybe I'll have a chance to look at them after dinner - or perhaps after I've watched "The Voice"!
I might get withdrawal symptoms from lack of playing board /card games....!