Thursday, 6 February 2025

Cryptic answers and a busy day.


The answers to the cryptic clues:

The first or last word are generally the definition and the rest of the words are word play.

Foxtrot by Romeo has to produce disapproving looks.(6 letters)

Foxtrot and Romeo are used in the military phonetic alphabet F and R respectively. Foxtrot by Romeo suggest they go together so we have FR. "Has" is a synonym for own so if we put '"own" after FR we get FROWN - a disapproving look.

Russians supplying bags for lettuce? (8 letters).

A type of lettuce is a cos and another word for bags is sacks. COSSACKS were a type of Russian warrior. 

Last night I cooked salmon with broccolini and cherry tomatoes. As I was dishing up one of the tomatoes burst and spurt everywhere!


The meal was delicious as always - one of our favourites - and almost looked like the photo in the book!


This morning I was up early to be at U3A bird watching by 8.45. It was a very pleasant way to spend an hour by water in the bush. Apparently we heard or saw 36 different species. It certainly made me aware of bird sounds that we often hear but don't register. It also made me aware that I need practice with binoculars!

After that I went to a talk at the Slipway given by a local Aboriginal woman. It was really interesting to hear some of her history and her family's history and to see a selection of artifacts from local communities. She is Aboriginal but she said we are ALL Australian and should celebrate that. Such a refreshing change from some more radical folk.

Lunch was another home grown tomato on toast - this time with cream cheese. If they all drop dead tomorrow I have had two tomatoes and that is a success in my book! Next year I will do things differently.

Tomorrow I am meeting our favourite feathered friend, Penguin, for coffee. It will be great to catch up. On Saturday I am going out for lunch with the Lionesses. I hope Sunday will be a day of rest. It's been a very busy and up and down week.


13 comments:

  1. Yes, now I remember why I don't get cryptic crosswords.
    You had rather a busy day by the sound of it, and quite a social week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sometimes the answers leap out at me and others my brain shuts down. I wish my father had taken the time to teach me when my brain was more absorbent!

      Delete
  2. When the process is explained, I understand it, but can never get there on my own.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think I would have got the "Cossacks" clue, but not the other one.
    The salmon dish looks delicious. I'd be hopeless at birdwatching.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Birdwatching is not as easy I thought it would be. Turns out there are a lot of the little buggers but they are hard to see.

      Delete
  4. My parents did cryptic crosswords and although I tried to help it wasn't often it clicked. I'd love to do your course.
    Aren't those homegrown tomatoes a great achievement. Colour, flavour. The taste of our childhood tomatoes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The tomatoes were so tasty. I think I need to source a famers' market.

      Delete
  5. One of my favorite chicken recipes has cherry tomatoes in it. They add a delicious sweetness, don't they?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I use them almost exclusively now. Apart from the ones I grew myself but they are a rarity!

      Delete
  6. Thanks for explaining the cryptic crossword clues. I've never been able to tackle them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am giving myself the year. If I haven't got it by then I shall give up.

      Delete
  7. That's the kind of crossword puzzling I grew up with. More of a puzzle than the more common ones now which are more like trivia quizzes.
    That said, I quickly get enough!

    ReplyDelete
  8. The salmon meal looks delicious. I have never cooked salmon and have hardly ever eaten it. I simply don't know how to buy it (bones?). I need to try harder, I'm sure Youtube will help me.

    ReplyDelete