EV 931 - Pondlife by Jaques

[kayakamina]

A pleasant Sunday morning puzzle; one I don't think will trouble our regulars too much.

The setter's advice on the use of a pencil for the first grid filling is superfluous to me
as I always do the EV in pencil!

[Jogler]

Thank you DocHH; may your premium bonds become bounteous!

[devadolly]

Good Afternoon All. Z-G, The Ginger M is much improved, still a bit quiet but has resumed fly-chasing and as the vet was here today to look at some heifers I got him to 'run his hand over' the cat. All fit and in working order, just keep a look out for a bite. Afraid I have not persevered with the EV as have managed to trip over in the garden and cracked a bone and severly bruised the tendon in my big toe - not happy, foot now swollen and can only be accommodated in freebie hotel slipper and it hurts like.....very painful! Am supposed to be going to the wonderful Westmoreland Show tomorrow, so reckon I will just have to sit at ring-side with various tinctures!

[DocHH]

That's a very big OUCH Devadollly, but if you had stuck with EV you wouldn't have been putting yourself at risk of injury in the garden! Seriously though, I have no doubt you are in pain and wish you a speedy recovery, which I suspect will not be as speedy as you would like.
Herself did something similar last year, descending a flight of step on a lunch-time walk, missed a step and went sprawling, fortunately a low step in the flight, or it could have been very serious. At that stage only her dignity was severely damaged, and her main concern was for the damage to clothing, despite the pain in her foot! But the following day after a hospital visit, as the pain had not abated did she find that she had broken the fifth metatarsal and pulled a tendon. She was hobbling for ages, and still does from time to time even now. However she can now predict a change in the weather. I wonder if you will be able to do that after things have healed.
I have visions of you at the Westmoreland Show tomorrow in a bath chair with a very large bandage round that toe, and a tincture of Hendricks or Bombay Sapphire close at hand!

[devadolly]

Thank you DocHH, unfortunately the tomatoes take priority over the EV. I won't be sitting in a bath-chair, just the Members tent and sadly it won't be Hendrick's, probably Gordon's, not a fan of Bombay! The youthfully damaged knees do the weather forecasting.
Just hope it is sorted before my hols.

[DocHH]

I have knees like pieces of seaweed, viz weather predictors, the cartilages were damaged at the Establishment playing squash three or four times a week, plus badminton at a similar frequency when down. Herself and I make a fine pair hobbling through town! Frequently however our limbs do not agree with the weather prediction!
Finished work today, a long day, left home at 08.00 and didn't get home until 15.24, but that did include travel, about 2 hours each way, and an hour for lunch. That's it now until late november! So lots of time for N&Cing, excluding Charity Work time, which isn't work really!
Where are you off on holiday, and when? Somewhere exotic no doubt?!?

[Speravi]

A little classic, I thought - couldn't start it until this pm and took some time to identify the last of the misprints. More testing than some of late and very satisfying. Just opened some Minervois... Cheers, Jaques, Cheers all.

[Christiana]

A very belated hello to every one with congratulations to the Joglers and commiserations to Devadolly - two lots of visitors this week, one couple still with me until tomorrow,, so very little time to look at EV. Am now at the 'filled grid' point and about to attempt the offerings, though the 'stories' part of 21a is proving a puzzle to me. The apples are still coming thick and fast, and I am off to the Algarve on Saturday, away ten days, so may not get the chance to complete it. Haven't even thought about the packing as yet.
Doc HH, I, too, did for my knees playing badminton.

[RobP86]

Hi everyone
Does anyone know where i can get the Enigmatic Variations crosswords online (preferably free)
Kind regards
Rob

[Jogler]

Thank you Christiana; I hope your trip to Portugal goes well. RobP, as far as I know the EV is published in the Sunday Tel and on the Telegraph website which is a paysite - but someone else may have more information?

[Christiana]

RobP, you have to pay a subscription to belong to the Telegraph Crossword Society to be able to access the EV online. It might be possible for someone to provide some sort of link, I don't know, but I doubt you'd be able to have it accepted as an entry if you want also to submit it.

[novalis]

Very late in tackling this. Like others the enlightenment came very late. I too was looking for a five letter replacement. Hope to be able to crack on with tomorrow's on the day of publication. Now to The Spectator 1981.