Sunday March 13, 2022 Mark McClain

Theme:  "Hi, C!" - SH is changed into SC in each phrase.

22. Disturbance on the cruise ship pool deck?: LIDO SCUFFLE. Lido Shuffle. 1977 Boz Scaggs song. New to me.

32. Youth organization skills contest?: SCOUTING MATCH. Shouting match.

51. Fraud involving bedding?: PILLOW SCAM. Pillow sham.

70. Prison guard's subjugation, slangily?: THE TAMING OF THE SCREW. "The Taming of the Shrew".

93. Hardly a bountiful burg?: SCANTY TOWN. Shanty town.

110. Transport for old-fashioned folks?: SQUARE SCOOTER. Square shooter.

126. Passenger leaving Edinburgh Airport?: PARTING SCOT. Parting shot.

Can you explain the title to me? To me, H is C here, not HI.

Always to see Mark's byline. He's a mentor and friend to many constructors. Super tight theme, some would have just gone with H to C change, but Mark added the extra S layer.

Across:

1. Wood that means "raft" in Spanish: BALSA. Good to know.

6. Small openings: PORES.

11. B-boy connector: AS IN.

15. TV father of Rod and Todd Flanders: NED. From "The Simpsons".

18. Japanese brew: ASAHI. 朝日. Meaning "morning sun".

19. Virtuous sort: SAINT.

20. Words said with a finger wag: NO NO.

21. Vatican figure: POPE.

24. Bet using inside info: ACT ON A TIP. Fantastic fill.

26. Chicken tikka __: curry dish: MASALA.

27. Fixed look: STARE.

29. Pleasure seeker: HEDONIST. Where's Tinbeni?

30. Not as much: LESS.

34. 5 mL, in recipes: TSP.

37. Avoid: SHUN.

39. Cork coin word: EIRE. Cork, Island.  Here's an Irish euro coin.

40. Cowboys or Broncos: TEAM.

41. Lotion additive: ALOE.

43. Prep for publication: EDIT.

45. Oxford notables: DONS. My favorite Don. My mentor.

47. Valleys: DALES.

54. Rigs on the road: SEMIS.

57. Put in the mail: SENT.

58. Surrey racecourse town: EPSOM.

59. Massive: EPIC.

61. Pack (down): TAMP.

62. Poetic tribute: ODE.

63. The Arno runs through it: PISA. Oh, our other Pisa guy. Sorry for the loss of your father-in-law, Picard!

Picard, Eiffel Tower 2015

66. Overnight spot: INN.

67. Resorts with springs: SPAS.

69. "Stat!": NOW.

76. Run out of juice: DIE.

77. Bro and sis: SIBS.

78. Shoe part: TOE. I bought these ice cleats from Amazon earlier this year. I feel safer going to our mail box or take out the garbage over the icy roads.

79. Texter's "Too funny!": LMAO.

80. "Do __ solid": ME A.

81. Bouncy tune: LILT.

83. Quaint oath: EGAD.

85. Montague teen: ROMEO.

89. Island that's the westernmost point of Alaska: ATTU.

91. More than one would hope to pay: STEEP. Price.

96. Seventh-century pope: JOHN V.

98. Arduous journey: SLOG.

100. Red-wearing duck triplet: HUEY.

 101. Minor quarrel: SPAT.

102. __ High Stadium: MILE. Demolished in 2002.

105. Blockhead: CLOD.

107. Strong lager: BOCK.

109. __-Caps: SNO.

115. Puckery: SOUR. Have any of you tried Trader Joe's Golden Berries? They're a bit tangy. Taste like the baby of a pineapple and a tomato.

117. Audio tape making a comeback: CASSETTE.

118. Living room staples: SOFAS.

120. Low tie: ONE ALL.

124. Observed Passover, in a way: ATE KOSHER. Another solid fill.

128. They may be black or yellow: LABS.

129. Fleck with a banjo: BELA.

130. Heist film series surname: OCEAN. Danny Ocean.

131. Full of passion: FIERY.

132. Martini order: DRY.

133. God of love: EROS.

134. Earth, in some sci-fi: TERRA.

135. Over-__: sports bet: UNDER.

Down:

1. Lip help: BALM. Try Laneige's lip mask. Amazing.

 

2. Sri Lanka locale: ASIA.

3. Blokes: LADS.

4. Submerged ridge: SHOAL.

5. Supermarket sections: AISLES. Boomer is particular about what he eats and I often buy the wrong kind. He only likes Golden Tater Tots, but I've mis-bought Golden Crispy Crowns, Golden Crispers and Tater Tots Minis. I'm getting closer. They all look similar to me.

6. The Big Ten's Nittany Lions: Abbr.: PSU.

7. Clumsy sorts: OAFS.

8. Splits: RIFTS.

9. Wrap around: ENLACE.

10. MLB's __ era: STEROID. I don't like Jose Canseco.

11. Actress Gasteyer: ANA.

12. Russian city that hosted the 2014 Olympics: SOCHI.

13. Purpose: INTENT.

14. Pester: NOODGE.

15. Tag cry: NOT IT.

16. Anglican denom.: EPISC. Episcopal.

17. Poor essay's lack: DEPTH.

21. Tropical toppers: PANAMAS.

23. Nut from the tropics: CASHEW.  Great with chicken.

 

25. Wanderer: NOMAD.

28. Continental coins: EUROS.

31. Brewski: SUDS.

33. Basic principle: TENET. Palindrome.

34. Sticky or ticker: TAPE.

35. Minor error: SLIP.

36. D.C. veterans: POLS.

38. French Riviera city: NICE.

42. Emulate Monroe and DiMaggio: ELOPE.  "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you ..."

44. Easy putt: TAP IN.

46. Many a tennis winner: SMASH.

48. Spaghetti Western director Sergio: LEONE.

49. Fund for the long haul: ENDOW.

50. Meal in a bowl: STEW.

52. Forgets about, maybe: OMITS.

53. Artistic Chinese dynasty: MING. From 1368 to 1644. My hometown Xi'an was part of the dynasty then. Tibet was not.

55. Push forward: IMPEL.

56. Jerk: SPASM.

60. Monetary nickname based on a Roman numeral: C NOTE. C=100.

64. Heads out of port: SAILS.

65. Scope: AMBIT.

68. Spine-tingling, maybe: SCARY. And 73. Confused states: FOGS. Reminds me of the first day when Boomer was out of the hospital. He asked for a pill so Wicked Witch would not kill Dorothy. 

70. Connect with: TIE TO.

71. Hershey's __ bar: HEATH.

72. Dots on some charts: ISLES.

74. Give lessons: TEACH.

75. Ancestry: ROOTS. Sorry about your tooth trouble, D-Otto!

76. Key of Brahms' Symphony No. 2: D MAJ.

82. Phone service outfit: TELCO.

84. Apply crudely: DAUB.

86. Janitorial tools: MOPS.

87. Scottish Gaelic John: EWAN. Here's the most famous one. Ewan McGregor

88. "I'm __ your scheme!": ONTO.

90. Bares, in a way: UNMASKS.

92. Golf shop array: POLOS.

94. Modernists, briefly: NEOS.

95. Leader that rhymes with a storm: TYCOON. Typhoon.

97. Small greenish songbird: VIREO.

99. Deteriorate: GO TO POT.

103. Doesn't disturb: LETS BE.

104. Old Testament queen: ESTHER. Queen of Persia. Book of Esther.

106. Cover with graffiti: DEFACE.

108. Panda's skill, in a 2008 film: KUNG FU. Panda. Po.

110. Burn badly: SCALD. Thanks for the New Skin info, Vidwan. Hope your procedure went smoothly last Friday.

111. Arabian Peninsula land: QATAR.

112. Words before some dates: USE BY.

113. Green with Grammys: CEELO.

114. More red, but not visibly: RARER.

116. Epoxy, e.g.: RESIN.

119. Cast topper, usually: STAR. Movie/TV cast.

121. Prevented a return from: ACED.

122. Tales of the past: LORE.

123. Astronomical dist.: LTYR.

125. Coll. dorm figures: RAS.

127. Words with nutshell and pickle: IN A.

We only went to the VA hospital twice last week: regular Monday PT and Tuesday OT. Both ladies eased up the therapy on Boomer since it's the first week after his chemo. They were very caring and constantly asked him how he was feeling after a few exercises, he would reply "I'm tired", "tired", "I'm just so tired". Broke my heart to see him so fatigued.

We think Dr. Downs might have upped the dosage a bit on Boomer's March 3 chemo. Not sure. Boomer seemed to have more pain this time.  We had to leave the church earlier again last night.

The good news is that Boomer will receive his next chemo at our local VA clinic. It's an easier drive. Only 20 miles away from our home.

Thanks again for your always encouraging comments, cards and letters. Some of them are from readers who never commented on our blog before. Boomer is so happy that he has many fans and supporters.

C.C.