Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Good morning, Elle!
It is a fine day here, no frost, and a tad less cold!
Good news about the pup!
Better the dogs found him than a fox!
Calum McLeod was a remarkable man.
Completely self taught.
He needed civil engineering skills to make his road and learned them through library books.
Another hero of mine! So is Warren Buffet.
Warren Buffet's face is on every can of Coca Cola sold in China.
He owns quite a bit of Coca Cola.
Known as the "Sage of Omaha".
Have you heard about cyclist Chris Froome.
Failed a urine dope test in the Tour of Spain.
Blaming it on asthma medication.
I suppose we'll get more blathers from Team Sky about how/why it happened!
I was out earlier doing a bit of shopping.
Home for the day now!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
I am home again after a rather exhausting and not very successful shopping expedition!
I am asking myself why I bothered to go in the first place.....
We came home with only two presents.......
It was a mistake to try to shop locally.......we should have gone to Bromley or Croydon.
Now I shall still have to do this another day!
Were I not feeling so cheesed off, I would now wander down to the Post Office ....but I am turning my back on Christmas for now.......or at least, until tomorrow!
I always thought Chris Froome was one of the good guys?
And he is asthmatic, isn't it?
What has he been doing , taking more medication than needed, in order to up his game?
Gosh, I am in need of strong coffee........and a sit-down!

Hello Rusty and Elle (and Ros if you are about)

I don't think I will ever understand how someone suffering from
asthma can even contemplate taking part in a demanding race
such as the Tour de France, the Giro or the Vuelta!

Having said that, I had a bad asthmatical bronchitis about three
years ago, which was not treated as such initially, but more as a
bad cold - Result I ended up in hospital with oxygen mask, corticoïd
drip etc... Now I still take Ventoline (or Salbutamol) particularly
in some type of weather, and I surely do not feel more energetic
for it.

The chap who sold me the Hudl had forgotten the USB cable and
I have just now received it - But he also sent me a pair of earphones
brand new, as a present (he does need them) and a lovely
Christmas card! Nice to know there still are some lovely people
about.
I have also received the original copy of Hudl2 user guide, so
tomorrow, I shall have a go!

It is still miserable, with drizzle, wind and not cold - I shall send
you some Degrees Centigrades!

Hello, Elle!
Yes, I'd imagine there would be plenty of shops in Bromley or Croydon to suit you.
But remember, there is no law that says you have to go out and buy presents!
I imagined Froome to be clean, too, but I was wrong.
The asthma drug he took opens up the breathing tubes so he can breathe in more oxygen than normal.
I have no idea if he has asthma or not, but he claims to, and the test showed he had twice the allowed amount of the drug in his samples, A and B.
The reports say that Team Sky have top lawyers and scientists working on Froome's case.
Wriggle, wriggle!
On a brighter note, there were two photos of Eilidh Doyle and Steph Twell on my Twitter line today.
They were taken 7 years apart and they have not aged one bit in the photos!
I have completed the card writing and have a fine haddock for tea, so a good day, so far!

Hello, Pigale!
It is slightly warmer here, no frost!
You have been very fortunate with your Hudl purchase, it seems!
The seller seems a very decent lad, indeed!
You will have the Hudl up and running in no time.
It is quite straightforward.

Thanks Rusty for the explanations on the drug helping the taker
to inhale more oxygen - for some reason, it never occured to me
as being the reason for enhanced performance! Rather stupid of
me!

Hello, Pigale!
Alejandro Valverde of Team Movistar was banned for a year for taking the same drug as Froome.
Mind you, Valverde was a repeat offender for drug use and blood doping.
It is disheartening though, to read about.

Hi, Rusty!
Oh dear, I did sound somewhat of a grouch, didn't it?
I was tired....... and depressed by my abysmal failure to find what I wanted!
No, I know I don't "have" to buy presents but ...believe it or not....I usually enjoy doing so!
It is nice to choose a gift that you know a loved one or friend will enjoy!
The trouble today was that inspiration failed to strike us .....and we couldn't find anything we deemed suitable!
But I am recovered now.......I have put it all behind me .......!
(Bromley, here I come!)
Re, Froome etc., it is so disappointing when one's Sports heroes turn out to have feet of clay, isn't it?
Where will it all end? Shall we have any illusions left?
Well done on your card writing.....do you have stamps?
I have yet to go to the Post Office.
(I like haddock!)



Hello, Pigale!
How very nice of your Hudl vendor to send you a pair of earphones, and a Christmas card!
It is friendly gestures like that, that brighten one's day, isn't it?
I bet you felt good!

Hello, Elle!
I am sure you will find the right presents in Bromley!
I had stamps.
The majority of my cards will be hand delivered, and the Belfast folk are flying in on Friday, so I can hand them their cards.
I quite liked Froome, but my favourite in Team Sky is Geraint Thomas (G!).
When he rides the big Tours he gets Welsh cakes sent out to him from home.
I think that's great!
My haddock was fine, and I had toast with it.
I like trout, too.

Hi, Rusty!
You will be pleased to see your friends from Norn Iron!
I take it they are flying because of the bad weather?
I imagine the ferry journey might be a tad rough?
Are they staying for Christmas ?
Or just popping over briefly to see your pal's mum?
There was a question about Nellie Melba on "Eggheads"!
Funny, we were only talking about her the other day.
Did you know that she died from septicaemia resulting from a facelift operation?
We haven't had dinner yet....no idea what we are having.......
I am totally disorganised ......
I shall go view the options in the fridge!