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Hello, Elle!
Statins can have bad side effects.
I have a new wall clock in my room.
A tickless one.
No alarm clock.
They are very last century, Elle!
You Bromley folks are a bit behind the "times"!
Us modern folks have alarms in our mobile phones.
I am going to purchase a new lamp next week.
Keep at the Times, Elle..
Takes a while to tune into it.
There is Alpine skiing tomorrow, but that's about it.
May be International Rugby?
Then Cheltenham on Tuesday!
I am going to record The Voice tomorrow and see what I make of it!
I was reading Eve Muirhead's (the curler) column in the local paper today.
She is extremely meticulous regarding medications and testing.
Eve says taking Lemsip is OK, but Lemsip Max is not, because it contains something on the banned list.

Hi, Rusty!
It would have been better had you tried recording "The Voice" earlier in the series.
The beginning section is the most interesting!
It begins with the four judges - this time Will.i.am., Ricky Wilson (lead singer of the Kaiser Chiefs), Paloma Faith and Boy George - sitting in chairs facing away from the contestants.
Thus they "hear" the "voice" but do not "see" the person singing.
So they judge solely on the quality of the vocal performance and not on any physical appearance or attributes of the singer.
Each judge picks a certain number of singers to join his / her team.
Once all the team places are full, the individual team members "battle" against each other in pairs; the team judge choosing whom of his / her contestants to retain and whom to send home.
This are known as the "battle stages". This is what you will see if you record the show tomorrow.
I like the initial part of the show better when the judges initially choose their teams by sitting with their backs to the singers and then choosing from the vocals.
So in a way you will have missed the best part!
But it will be interesting to hear what you think..........
( I shall study the ingredients for Lemsip! I do believe we have some in the medicine cabinet!)

Good morning, Elle!
I know Boy George, anyway!
And the name Will.I.am is known to me.
Stay away from the Lemsip Max and you will be fine for hurling the javelin at Rio!
Eve Muirhead is an excellent golfer too.
One of my favourite golfers is Rickie Fowler.
He was in a charity event to raise money for autistic children the other day, which was organised by Ernie Els.
Rickie had a hole in one, which won the charity one million dollars. Big Ernie was delighted! As were all the spectators.
Rickie always dresses in orange in the final round of an event.
Orange being the colours of Oklahoma State University which he attended. I have had a quick squiz at The Times puzzle online. Seems to be a good one, Elle.
Get stuck in!

Rusty, Elle, I hope I'm correct in thinking you don't do the Times Jumbo Cryptic? Today's puzzle has a clue for you, one each...

Rusty's clue
55 A. Part of Ealing's influence (5)

Elle's clue
33 D. Expanding requirements of someone obnoxious at religious outpost? (7,5)

Good morning, Rusty!
Another very foggy one! although again we are promised bright sunshine later!
What is like up your way?
Have you been out yet for your paper?
No Times Cryptic for me today, as John is back from his holiday, and has sent me three Times crosswords - - the two Jumbos and the Times 2 - but not the Times 15 x15!
Ah well........
We haven't been out for a walk yet this morning, as the fog is so thick.........waiting for it to lift.
Must remember to buy a TV guide.....
Are you watching the Alpine skiing? Whom shall you support now that Lindsey is out of action?

Hello, Malone!
No I don't usually do the Jumbo Cryptic - too difficult for me!
altho I have the puzzle before me this morning!
I shall meditate on your clue.........!

Hello, Malone,
No, I don't tackle the Jumbo anymore.
I give that part of the paper to my neighbour.
She is a nurse and takes it to work each day for staff and patients. Plenty puzzles to keep them occupied!

Nope! I do not have an answer for 55a!

Rusty, you will need your London Underground map.

Elle, if you still have the crosswords from earlier in the week, that clue will be simple.

To offset my usual moans, here's a clue I really liked. It's from today's Independent cryptic...

4 D. Clumsiness of verbal encouragement to Blair? (9)

Malone, there is an area in or near Ealing called Acton, apparently. Would that be it? To act on/influence?
I came across the name Acton in "10 Rillington Place", a book by Ludovic Kennedy.
I had no idea that it was in Ealing though.
I had to Google Ealing before I discovered that.
Good clue if you know London, I suppose!

Yes, Rusty, it's Acton. I got it only because of crossing letters. I wasn't thrilled with the answer as it feels even more Londony than some we've had before. (Londony is totally made-up - if the setters can invent homophones, I can invent words).