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Hello, Elle and Pigale!
Ah, it was Charlotte's blog where I discovered "Y".
It is a "Y" rather than a "V", Elle.
I think you are right about the "mantling".
It is a new word to me, I had only heard of "dismantling".
I presumed that the stick moving was Lassie putting her own stamp on the nest, to discourage any other females who may have been thinking of taking over the nest.
"Go away! This is ours!", sort of thing?
We have quite a bit to learn....and all summer to do so!

Hi Rusty !
Yes, sorry........ I did see that it is a "Y" shape above Lassie's beak......I put "V" in error!
So daughter and the boys are coming tomorrow now instead........ah well, it some ways it does suit me better.......
I had already arranged to go up to London tomorrow to meet a friend.
This was organised a while ago, well before my daughter decided on which day she wanted to arrive.
She has a habit of moving the goalposts!
I was still going ahead with my arrangement, but I can do so now with an easy mind!
I should be home by teatime and my husband will be here to welcome them when they arrive shortly after lunch.
So an abandonment of relatively short duration!
I am going to an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
Not sure which one as yet.
My friend fancies one about "Vogue", whereas I am interested in the one entitled "Russia and the Arts".
We shall decide when we get there!
Still raining here......

Good morning, Elle!
Fine morning here.
Hope you enjoy your jaunt to London!
The Times has a new website this morning.
Not an improvement!
There is a lot of chirping etc at the loch this morning.
Your cat will love it!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
We have had a lovely day here weather-wise, too!
Fine, sunny and surprisingly mild!
I had a very nice time with my friend.
We went to the "Vogue" exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, as she was very keen to see that , on the understanding that we go to the "Russia and Arts " exhibition (which would have been my choice )when we meet next month!
Fair dos!
I have never read/ looked at / set eyes on a copy of "Vogue" in my life!
Definitely not my cup of tea!
However, I discovered some things that I didn't know about the magazine......... I had thought it simply a fashion magazine, but apparently it does include other articles, sometimes even about literature and art exhibitions!
There have been features on Virginia Woolf and Aldous Huxley.
I live and learn!
Family arrived here safe and sound - daughter has recovered from her migraine and the boys are in fine fettle!
I am now going to cook their tea........
What sort of a day have you had?

Good evening, Elle!
You seem to have had a good day out.
I know nothing about Vogue!
Hope the family have settled in well.
Now, the Mandarin duck!
There was a piece in my local paper about the duck.
Apparently the owner had two Mandarin ducks
(Hamish and Morag) and it is Hamish who is lost.
I do not think the rangers will let them search at the loch because it is a reserve, and here's the thing....
The paper says that Hamish's mate, Morag, has been pining for him and has died of a broken heart!
All happening up here!
Apart from that I have had a quiet day and that's all my news!

Hello again, Elle and Pigale!
If you want to read the story of Hamish the duck, type "Dundee Courier" into Google search box.
Then when you get into Courier site,
type "mandarin duck" into the Courier search box.
There are several stories about Hamish and Morag.

Hi, Rusty!
Oh , that is so sad about Morag, the duck!
I have been reading more it on the link that you suggested.
I wonder will her untimely death affect Hamish, when he finally is returned to his home?
I do hope not.
A sad business all round.
I have been looking in on the osprey webcam, but cannot see any signs of either Lassie or Laddie?
The nest has been empty whenever I have looked?
I am just going to have quick look at today's crosswords....... first chance that I have had!

Hello, Elle!
Yes, poor Morag!
I just wonder if it is Hamish who has been spotted at the loch?
I doubt if a domesticated duck could survive in the wild, what with foxes, maybe a wildcat etc.
The nest has been empty since dark fell.
I presume the birds are roosting in a nearby tree.
Lassie won't leave once she has laid eggs.
My crossword was not too bad today.

Hi, Rusty!
I'm glad that your crossword was fine!
The Times QC was a good one today; I liked it.
But I have a problem with one of the answers in the Times2........
The clue is "Cruel or mean person (6)" and the answer is R?T?E?
Obviously it is "rotter"?
but I have a problem with that......surely that is not the correct definition of "rotter"?
Chambers gives it as "a depraved or worthless person"?
That doesn't mean "cruel or mean"!
Don't you agree?

Good morning, Elle!
Fine day here.
"Rotter"!
It is not a word I would use.
To me it means someone a bit underhand and untrustworthy, but I stand to be corrected.
The Times definition seems more accurate than Chambers.
Anne Bradford has it under "cad", along with "bounder" and "skunk" which would be correct with me?
Now where did "underhand" come from!