Ev 1142 Opening Shot By Chalicea

[Cagey]

An enjoyable solve.
Squeezed this one in, between the quiet moments this morning. Everyone has the dreaded cold, so other half stayed in bed. Both children up at 6.00, both having wet their beds. Lots of washing and breakfasting and calpol-ing. Then dirty-nappying (the de-creation thereof rather than the creation). Then washing hanging etc etc...
It is rubbish being a modern man and feeling obliged to help.

Thank you for a wonderful distraction Chalicea.

[jim360]

Well, shame about your travails. Oh well.

Another well-constructed puzzle from Chalicea -- and a continuation of an overall theme of a few of her previous EVs?

[DocHH]

Hello everyone,
The adapted form of the quote really threw me off the track when searching ODQ. Fortunately looking at the favoured positions for things that need to be highlighted and are hidden in the grid helped. Next time I order a meal involving 13a I will understand its appearance on the plate!
It seems to me Cagey, that having signed up to your paternal role you should be only too happy to take your fair share of the more messy responsibilities! After all, you may well find in much later years, heaven forfend that roles could be reversed!
Time for a preprandial Glenmorangie, or perhaps two!

[novalis]

Yes, a well constructed puzzle. Fortunately the person against whom the pamphlet was originally directed is one of my favourite historical characters and once I realised what needed removing from one of the thematic answers everything fell neatly into place.

[Cagey]

DocHH. I agree, a fair share would be nice!
The other half has a slight tendency to decompensate during (infrequent) "poo" incidents. I see, and deal with, worse at work.
... Ah, and as I write the youngest seems to have got his hand (right) caught through the window of his mega blocks bus... I am baby, hear me roar!

[DocHH]

Cagey, how old are your charges? I assume that as you see and deal with worse at work you are in the medical/care/first responder profession. I would be absolutely useless in situations that you describe! Excuse me, but what on earth is a "mega blocks bus"?
Novalis, us simple Scientists have to rely on intuition, but I did quite quickly spot a link in several solutions which lead me to the appropriate word to be dropped before entry! To be honest, the fact that the numbers in brackets referred to answer lengths was incredibly helpful.

[Cagey]

They are 38, 5.5 and 2.
Am pathologist.
I also spotted the gist of what was being dropped fairly quickly, also as jim360 alluded there is a vague theme of themes which had me thinking rather vaguely in correct ball park to start off with.

[devadolly]

Have got on well with this and am pretty sure who the 'perp'is, but normal service has been suspended by the fantastic news that No 1 Niece & Nephew-in-Law have produced their first, much wanted off-spring, very aging as we are now a Gunc & a Gant! Shampoo is the order tonight and blow the pre-holiday sorting out that should be done tomorrow, if I ever get round to the ODQ to search for clues.......well, that can wait!
Don't spoil their moment by telling them what they have let themselves in for cagey...

[Cagey]

... Wouldn't change it for a moment!

[DocHH]

Congratulations devadolly to you, Gunc and the new parents! Just to be peda(u)ntic should that not be Gunc and Gaunt!
Have a lovely holiday, where are you going?

[devadolly]

Thank you DocHH, no it should be Gant because to Nieces & Nephews I always sign as 'Yer Ant', they know it's definitely me then!
Tahiti! Last chance saloon for us oldies, the lond-haul is getting too much!
I know you wouldn'y Cagey, you chaps are all the same......grumble, grumble, grumble!

[Cagey]

I moan, gripe, complain, whine, whinge, mumble, mutter, tut and rant. Grumble - never.

[DocHH]

OK, I have solved an EV but what on earth is a "mega blocks bus"?

[Ruthrobin]

Congratulations to the new Grunc and Graunt. Yes, don't tell them what they are in for, Devadolly! We are at the other side of the Atlantic being Granp and Gran. We'll probably pass you on your way to Tahiti - hope it is a fabulous trip.

[Cagey]

Mega blocks bus: http://www.amazon.com/Mega-Bloks-Lil-School-Bus/dp/B00005V3TT

After lego went off copyright, lots of firms started making similar. Megablocks is the best of a bad lot. (Nothing beats lego - still have all of mine!). We got given loads by some people emigrating whose hildren had outgrown it. We will be handing it all on soon. Youngest wants to play with the "baby" lego like his brother (and daddy).

[devadolly]

Hi Ruthrobin, no g in the title, think I will adapt it for Xwords into G-ant & G-unc, rather suitable for Himself as he came in much in need of said Gunk the other day..........................playing with the JCB again!
Still have all my Lego too, bought when it first came out instead of the (was it Bako?) the building set that allowed you to build houses from bases with rods & slip in brick sections/windows/doors etc, was most disappointed!