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Good morning, Chris.
A pity I did not know that before I went for my paper or I would have bought the Guardian!
I have had a look at it on line.
Boatman is one of my favourite setters.
And I think 6d is a superb clue!
Good luck with it!

Good day to you, Elle!
Bit cloudy here but not cold.
I imagine traffic may have held the family up?
They are at Poole now, that's the main thing.
Hope it is a dry spell for them.
Laddie will be perched on a nearby branch.
He won't be far away.
As well as providing food for his family, he is there to chase off intruders.
I saw the sisters having a tug o' war with a fish yestreen.
Happy haircut!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
It is raining heavily here; I think I shall dispense with the afternoon walk, I'd soon need to paddle a canoe!
"Yestreen" - let me guess.......yesterday evening?
You are right, I shall soon be fluent! I should keep a notebook of all these words that I am learning!
No word yet from the holidaymakers, but you are probably right......they most likely set off later then planned.....and then ran into heavy traffic.
A photo has arrived by email though - my phone doesn't do pics - and shows the view of the ocean from their caravan.
Lovely!
Right, I shall take a look at my crossword........
Do you have cycling to watch this afternoon?

Good afternoon, Elle.
Surely "yestreen" is not a new word to you?
Which word do you use for yesterday evening?
You have rain? I thought Wimbledon was past!
No rain here.
I always liked a caravan holiday!
I had a look at Poole online.
Seems a fine place, and quite a bit bigger than I imagined.
Yes, le Tour is back.
Weather looks a bit dreich in France, too.
I do not like this clue in The Times today.
An opinion please?
8d, Fat landlord must lose a bit in the middle (4)
L?r?
Looks like "lard", from la(ndlo)rd.
I really do not think much of it as a cryptic clue.

Hi, Rusty!
I use two words for "yesterday evening"!
And we don't just have 'rain' , we have a monsoon!
I'd have gone with "La(i)rd" but the same concept?
Not a very devilish clue!
I've had to buy a paper today - the ink has run out on the printer and so I cannot print out the screen shots that John sends me.
(We are awaiting a delivery of ink).
Daughter has just rung... they didn't set off until late yestreen (!) due to unforeseen circumstances!
BB is going to phone later to tell me about school on Monday!
Only done one clue in my paper so far.........late starting today.

Hello, Elle,
You see!
"Yestreen" just trips of the tongue!
For The Times it is a poor clue, I think.
I expect better from them.
I do not have a printer anymore.
I think it died of lack of use.
I see the spectators in France are well wrapped up.
Must be chilly there, too.

Rusty, I too thought the Lard clue was poor. I too use 'yestreen', but not as much as 'the morn's morn', (tomorrow morning) which I think has a lovely sound to it.

Hi Rusty!
Now, I have two clues for you from the Times QC.
6D: Short Old Testament book in Northern town (6)
(Reminiscent of Lyn MacD?)
and
13D: Got a CD including church singers broadcast (8)
(I couldn't find fault with this)
Still raining.......

Hello, Malone,
Me too, with "the morn's morn".
It is used widely in these parts.
I suspect that will be another phrase for Elle's "wee black book".

Hello, Elle,
Now, your reference to Lyn MacD got it for me!
I would have struggled otherwise.
Sister Mary Stollard's favourite!
I am not good at Bible books.
Got, a C quire/choir D.
Yes, that pleases me (took me a wee while, though!)
Some lovely chateaux and churches on le Toure route today.