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Good afternoon, Rusty!
How is your day going?
Was there a big attendance at the gathering this morning to pay respects to Michele Scarponi?
It would be good to meet up with your friends and fellow cycling enthusiasts, even though it was for a sad occasion.
Our daughter has just set off for home....she has a three hour drive ahead of her, if faced with reasonable traffic conditions.
It was lovely to see her even if only for three hours!
Now........the London Marathon.......I forgot to record it!
I hear that Jo Pavey dropped out after 16 miles.........but I can find no further information as to why?
Do you know?...is she okay?
I have been reading that Jo will now be awarded her "late" Bronze medal for the 2007 World Championships - because the winner of Silver was disqualified - on the podium at this year's World Championships.
A bit of delayed glory for Jo!
I wonder if she feels, as Jenny Meadows does, that she has been cheated out of perhaps more medals, due to drug cheats?
Have you watched BGT yet?....altho I doubt you will have found the time!

Good evening, Elle!
There were quite a few at our meet-up point.
One lady distributed small pink ribbons in memory of Michele, and that was about it really.
Good to see old pals there and I was fascinated by some of the ultra modern bikes!
No clipless pedals etc when I rode!
That is a fair old drive home for your daughter.
Good of her to call in and see you, too.
Jo Pavey dropped out because she was having a problem with a hamstring.
She has since Tweeted thanks to all the officials, helpers etc for putting on a great event!
A very nice lady, is Jo!
I think she and Jenny hold the same views regarding lost medals, yes.
Now, I have watched BGT, and I found it to be much better than last weeks show!
There were only a couple of acts I could not be bothered with.
Just what was the "burning ladder act" about?
I loved wee Issy, Dad and Son, Charlie from Barnsley on the bike, the Chinese husband and wife act, Johnny Awesome, and the one-man band.
I had many a chuckle watching it and look forward to next week's show.
What did you make of it?

Hi, Rusty!
I have been watching the Marathon Highlights.
It was good the see the Elite races.
No surprises really with the Women's Race - first and second were probably what was expected.
I thought Tirunesh Dibaba might be in trouble when she seemed to have stomach pains but she still managed to come in second to Mary Keitany's first.
Wanjiru did well to come first - a good race - Bekele made a good recovery to come in second. I had previously thought that he would win?
And I was pleased for David Weir in the Wheelchair Race!
But I am disappointed for Jo! It is good that you know what happened as the commentator said that he didn't know why she dropped out but would find out....but we were never told why during the Highlights!
Now, I thought that Jo needed to be the first British winner in the Women's Race in order to compete in the World Championships?
So what will happen to her now?
(Aly Dixon was in fact the first female Brit)
Ah BGT.......!
I knew we wouldn't agree!
I certainly didn't like the one man band....he surely couldn't have thought he would get anywhere with that performance!
And the "burning ladder" was ridiculous - apart from potentially very dangerous! (I'm surprised that BGT's Insurance covered that ...the fire looked very nearly out of control!)
In fact, I didn't like any of the first few acts.......
But yes, I agree with you that the other acts you mentioned were all very good!
Young Issy was excellent - although I am again suspicious, and think that Simon and David (at least) must have been in on the act.....else how otherwise could they not have been able to lift that virtually empty box????
It must be another "conspiracy"?
But very good though and very entertaining!
Needless to say, I also liked the young singer and songwriter - 16 year-old Reuben - who composed and sang a song for his girlfriend.
Did you not think he was good?
Johnny Awesome and Ant and Dec were good value , too.
But I think Issy had the edge?
Now I must go and ring my cousin........my turn!

Hello, Elle!
I only know about Jo because I am one of her 54 thousand followers on Twitter.
She Tweeted about it after the race.
Now, I never said the one man band was good, but I liked him.
Seemed a very nice lad!
Issy was great. Goodness knows how she does it but she impressed me!
I dislike Reuben's act a lot.
As soon as I see someone distort their face to squawk out notes unnaturally, I turn the sound off.
Did Bing do that? No. Dean Martin? No.
It was a dirge, I thought.
I think, for me, the best were the Chinese couple and Issy.
And Ant and Dec are great sports, I think!
And I cannot stand that ill-mannered brat, Nastase, who had Jo Konta in tears, and upset Anna Keothavong, at the tennis!
Rant over!

Hi, Rusty!
Right, I have spoken to my cousin........all are well.
And we have set the world to rights........
I had forgotten about the Chinese couple........I thought their act was beautiful and quite extraordinary!
And weren't they lovely with each other? So very tender.
( I knew you wouldn't like Reuben - but I thought he was quite accomplished and did his song justice).
Ilie Nastase was always ill-mannered when on the tennis court.
I remember countless brushes with players and especially with umpires!
But his behaviour with Jo, and then afterwards the suggestive remarks made to Anne Keothavong were well out of order.
I guess he wasn't nicknamed "Mr Nasty" for nothing!
But he has subsequently been suspended by the International Tennis Federation, hasn't he?
And I should think so, too!
You rant away! He deserves it!

Hello, Elle!
I am not sure what has happened to Nasty, but in my view he should be binned completely.
He made remarks about Serena's unborn child, too.
What a horrible apology of a man!
All well in the North with your cousin?
No, I like good singers, not forced notes.
The young man presented his song well enough, but it is not for me.
I much prefer the non-singing acts, though I have to admit to not liking the "burning ladders" act.
And where are the doggie acts?
I am sure there will be many more first class acts to come.
I liked the young lady with scoliosis, too.
I hope her operation goes well for her.
I am going to explore YouTube for a wee while before I retire!

Hi, Rusty!
I was reading about the young girl suffering from curvature of the spine, and, seemingly, if she has the operation in this country, the rods that would be put in her back would consequently stop her from ever being able to dance again.
However, if she were to win the BGT competition, then the money won could go towards her being able to have an operation in America that would cost $100, 000 .
It is a sad situation - and I think she and the other young girls are very brave to go through their performance....
But I have always had reservations when in such circumstances, the "story" gets publicity.......
Should it?........
Would it influence the outcome of the competition?
What do you think?
Have you found anything of interest on YouTube?

Hello, Elle,
i don't think it would influence the outcome, but may attract money from well-wishers?
Their act is OK, but there will be better dance acts to come, I think.
It is the panel who whittle the acts down for the semis, then the public vote in the final.
Mind you, Alesha and Amanda are easily moved to tears, so who knows what may happen.
They would be very sympathetic to the girl, I think.
I found a very cute short video, (not sure if it was set up or not)
about a boy drawing a girl he really liked, at an art class.
Her reaction was very good, but was it set up?
Try it, "Boy drawing a picture of his crush" will find it!

A Very good morning to you, Rusty!
It is glorious here - and fairly warm!
I hope you are having a similar nice day?
Now I have looked at the YouTube clip you mentioned....
But it is very strange...... ..if you try more than one of the mini videos, you will find that one "portrait" is a caricature.......while another is an actual true likeness of the girl!
Apart from the "result", the features of the clip are all the same.
I don't know what to think......take a look!
I found the caricature first........I couldn't understand what was happening.......which is how I came to try another clip!
No plans for today.....
How about you?

Thanks for that, elle - I was baffled by the caricature too!