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Good morning, Elle!
A bit dreich here this morning.
I have not watched the tennis.
The golf and Alpine skiing hold my interest just now, and the progress of the Team GB women's curling team as they prepare for the Olympics.
(I have a wee bet on them to win gold, but Canada are strong favourites!)
And as you rightly say, what appeals to one, may not appeal to his neighbour.
I had a look at BBC Red Button schedule for next week and they do not appear to be showing the Aussie tennis.

Good morning, Rusty!
Yes, wet here too, now.......although we got round the park for our walk earlier, without getting wet.
It is good that you have the golf and the skiing to watch.
Thank you for checking out the Bed Button schedules for me....I had doubted that there would be tennis coverage, so was well prepared to be disappointed!
Maybe...just maybe...EP will forget to cut me off.....!
I am afraid that my husband was a tad too generous with his cold germs.........
Mind you, this is the first cold I have had for a long time!

Hello, Elle!
Hope your wee cold departs soon!
Mine has gone!
Hopefully you will still get the Europlayer, at least until the Aussie Open is over.
Now...are you aware of what the Aussie Open folk have done?
The needed a representative from womens' tennis for their press launch event.
Reigning champion Serena Williams won't be there, so who do they choose instead?
Exactly....! Sharapova! Miss Drug Cheat No 1 has been chosen.
Sickening, I think!
What kind of message is Australia sending out to the sporting world.
"Yes, just you cheat away, we are OK with that!"
I've been growling at myself since I read that!

Hi, Rusty!
My goodness, I had to search through about three /four pages of Spam.........!
No, I hadn't heard about Maria's being chosen as the "Cover Girl" in the Aussie Open Championships!
I do so agree with you that this decision is giving out quite the wrong vibes.....
"Cheating by drug-taking" is seemingly - in the public eye - being rewarded!
But when one thinks about it........whom else would the Aussie authorities choose?
Serena will not be there.......
Maybe they might choose Garbine Muguruza........she stands a reasonable chance of winning the Tournament?
But although an excellent player, she is not the "draw" that Selena is.......or that Maria would be......
Maria has the skill...... and the looks .....and attracts publicity......
(Probably the "controversy" factor also plays a part?)
I can certainly see why this choice has been made - although, like you, I am dead against it!
Yes, I shall keep my fingers crossed for access to EuroSport Player- although the transmission timings will be anti- social?

Hello, Elle!
I would imagine Australia has plenty of their own women tennis players they could have used.
Or, the reigning US Open champion, Sloane Stevens?
And Billie Jean King is in Australia just now.
Anybody but Sharapova!
I read another report that baffles me.
Eilish McColgan has ran a PB for 10,000 metres in Doha and apparently beat the field by 8 minutes!
That is astonishing, or completely wrong, one of the two!
And Laura Muir is in the Edinburgh cross country race this weekend.
I have been reading about Norwegian kings for a while today.
Two exotically named lads, called "Magnus Barelegs" and "Harald Bluetooth"!
I knew that's where the Bluetooth technology got it's name from.
Not sure if Harald had an iPhone or not!

Hi, Rusty!
I have tried Googling Eilish's race, but this is all I can find out ......
By BBC Sport: (quote)
"Scottish athlete Eilish McColgan won the 10k at the Ooredoo event in Doha in a personal best time of 31.53 minutes.
The 27-year-old finished more than eight minutes ahead of the field, with fellow Brits Rosie Brookes, Michelle Grainger and Nicola Milan also in the top 10."
I haven't managed to find any other report?
I wonder if Laura's cross country race will be on television?
I have heard of a "Marcus Barefoot" who was a great power in Scotland and Ireland?
Would this be the same guy , do you think? also King of Norway?
It sounds likely?
I don't know anything about Harald Bluetooth!
How about the length of this word that was emailed to me today.........
"pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis" meaning "a lung disease cause d by silica dust".
Or "floccinaucinihilipilification" meaning "estimating as worthless"
I wonder if I could introduce both into the same conversation tomorrow?

Hello, Elle!
Laura's race is on BBC Scotland so I'd imagine you will get it, too.
Commentators are Steve Cram and Paula.
It is the mixed relay she is in.
Not sure if she is running for Scotland or GB.
I hope GB, because that would leave a slot for an up and comer in the Scots team.
I think we are talking about the same King Magnus.
Over in Killyleagh, County Down, there was a Magnus Barelegs Festival held every year, not sure about now, though.
That would indicate a link with Ireland?
I was unaware that at one time the Norwegians ruled the Hebrides.
That may be why there are Norwegian kings buried on Iona?
Also several Irish kings buried there, too, (and MacBeth!)
I do not know how someone linked Harald and his blue tooth with the modern technology, though?

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, you are quite right.... the Great Edinburgh Cross Country from Holyrood Park, is being shown on BBC1, from 1.15 pm until 3.15 pm tomorrow.
I shall set the recorder, both for that...and then later for "Casualty", because "Casualty" clashes with "The Voice" in the evening.
So I shall watch one and record the other.
My television / Freeview set up only enables me to record one programme at a time....
Are you able to record several channels simultaneously?
(I don't even know if this is possible........just querying?)

Hello, Elle!
Yes, I can record more than one at a time, I think.
Maybe two at a time while watching a third....I think!
It rarely happens though.
I am not a great TV fan.
Tomorrow's cross country may clash with the women's downhill from Austria, so I may have my recorder in action!
Miss La Bamba is getting her hair done tomorrow and taking me for a bacon roll on Sunday, and Sunday will clash with the skiing, too!

Hi, Rusty!
Ah, that give you a bit more leeway than I have, with my only being able to watch one and record one....
But then if I did record more, I should probably just end up deleting programmes, as I should never catch up!
No, I manage fine as I am!
( And the simpler, the easier to cope with!)
Going out with Miss L-B on Sunday will be something to look forward to!
And then you can watch the (recorded) skiing on your return!
I need a coffee.....and maybe a shortie biscuit......