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Hi, Rusty!
The rain has temporarily ceased!
Probably not for long!
It is definitely a tad milder though.
Yes, I liked Rosalind - although I think, for me, Elly still has the edge.....
The Quaker womenfolk were much to be admired , but they lacked any sense of humour.
Onk-or didn't reappear though?
Julia Donaldson does seem very nice - I loved the endearing little giggle she gave in the YouTube clip.
I envy you being able to watch the Treasures programme.... it sounds right up my street (I wonder how that saying originated?)
Did you hear about the horrific tram derailment at Sandilands near Croydon?
That is the tramline that we use.
There are apparently several dead, although no details have been released.
Over fifty injured, four seriously.
There are conflicting reports coming in on BBC newsflashes.........one says that the driver has been arrested, but no reason is given.
Another that there was interference with the points system - someone pushing something in to jam the mechanism..
How much is truth, how much rumour.....?
A very sad affair.

Good afternoon, Elle!
Onk-or's descendants appeared though.
Remember the tale had to cover five hundred years.
The Quaker women hated slavery.
That would do for me.
Julia was great doing the Gruffalo recording.
She appeared to do it from memory, no notes.
She was excellent, and very funny!
Could not possibly be a Quaker!
She had a great time out on the Downs looking for wild flowers.
It is a poet next week.
Jeremiah Wheelbarrow, I think.
Yes, I have seen the crash at Croydon and wondered if you used that tramway system.
Yes, the driver has been arrested.
An awful crash. Wonder what went wrong?
I never realised that trams looked like that nowadays.
Looks like a train, to me.

Hi, Rusty!
Is there really a poet named Jeremiah Wheelbarrow?!
The rain has held off for a while but we didn't go very far afield.
How about you? Did you go out for a walk this afternoon?
My daughter goes back to work in about a fortnight, as her maternity leave ends, so Baby will go to the same nursery that BB attended previously.
In preparation for this, Baby had a "settling in" day this week..... apparently he loved it!
As soon as he was put down on the floor, off he crawled to play!
That is good, his mum can go back to work with an easy mind!
And she will only be working four days anyway (and one of those from home) so will get to spend one weekday at home with him each week - so it should work out nicely.
I am starting to read "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" now.
I wonder will I be able to sort out the book from the film?
I think the book made a far greater impression on me.

What is in your tea, rusty ?
Benjamin Zephaniah

To Elle and Jazzgirl,
Well, I managed to get the "iah" bit right!
I am sure Benjamin will be very good!

Hello, Elle,
I was but teasing about Jeremiah, but could not remember the poet's name.
Jazzgirl has now furnished us with the proper name.
There is a lady trumpeter to come as well.
Alison ?
I think Baby will have a great time at nursery.
One of my granddaughters texted me.
She is on placement at a high school to become a teacher.
The Uni sent someone to watch her teaching a class and she passed that part of her course.
So, I am very pleased.
I hear the death toll has risen at the Croydon tragedy.
Seven, now.
Poor people!

Hi, Rusty!
No problem, Rusty! I suspected that you were but teasing me!
(although I guess Benjamin could have been another Jasper Carrot!)
Alison Balsom is your lady trumpeter.
Now, I think we need to rename 'Baby'?
He cannot continue as such, now that he has reached the advanced age of eight months!
I had thought of LB - 'little' as opposed to 'big' brother - but this will be too confusing with Miss L-B........ so how about YB - younger brother?
That should work?
Yes, I think YB will enjoy nursery - he is a very sociable youngster and he has not yet got to the 'clingy' stage so should settle in well.
That is great news about Miss O!
I am delighted for her!
I hadn't heard about the additional tram deaths..... how terribly sad.
It says in one of the accounts that I read online that the police think someone deliberately jammed the points?
Altho' this doesn't fit with the driver being arrested?

Hello, Elle,
Up here the younger brother is known as the "wee brother" no matter what size he is!
Miss O is very chirpy about this.
She invited me out on Saturday morning with La Bamba to try a new cafe, but I had to say no.
Miss Around the World is collecting me then to show me her new flat.
A pity!
I have not heard anything about jammed points.
I think I read that the driver claimed to have "blacked out"?
Similar to the Glasgow bin lorry tragedy, if true.
There are seven dead and more with "life threatening" injuries.
We will hear more in the next few hours I imagine.

Hello, Elle,
On a lighter note, the "Buchan Observer" newspaper has this headline today.
"Aberdeen Business Owner Wins Presidential Election."

Hi, Rusty!
I think the talk about jammed points must have died a natural death..... the info came through on a previous newsflash but these are automatically updated , so no evidence remains of what was said earlier.
The driver, so far as we know, is being held on suspicion of manslaughter by driving too fast.
Other reports have said that he fell asleep.
One of the injured passengers claims that the driver told him he had blacked out.
Who knows? We shall have to wait for the investigation report.
The tram is now being said to have been travelling from New Addington to Wimbledon.
This is not our usual route, but I do use it when going to my friend's house in South Croydon or to visit my granddaughter and her mum.
I change trams at Sandilands , where the crash occurred.
If I were responsible for the Buchan Observer, I would want to absolve myself and my newspaper from all association with Mr. Trump!
I am glad that I am not an American!