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Good morning, Elle!
Had heavy rain and now sleet!
Staying home, awaiting a phone call which may or may not come.
So, no paper today!
Plans? I'll watch a bit of the cycling later.
Bill and Cynthia met in a mental hospital in Virginia Water.
They worked there.
I have heard of Staines!
I have finished my puzzle on laptop.
I much prefer the newspaper version!
Laura Muir says she does not speak to Genzebe Dibaba.
Dibaba's coach is linked with EPO!

The lake at Virginia Water is beautiful. (about 11 miles from here ) I have not visited for many years since our first dog died, but we used to walk him on the woodland path around the lake and I am sure he went for a little swim (not certain if it was allowed back then) You cannot keep a Labrador out of the water - they love it

Hello, Jazzgirl!
Bill Bryson certainly liked the area, anyway.
I can't recall him mentioning a lake, though.
Think he only had eyes for Cynthia!

Hi, Rusty!
I am home again now.
Judging by the blackness of our sky, we may well be following you with the rain scenario!
Still, hopefully, it will clear away all your existing snow and ice.
I did not know that Dibaba's coach was linked with erythropoietin enhancement?
Why does Laura refuse to speak to Genzebe Dibaba?
Is it because there is some suspicion then that Dibaba may be mixed up in this performance enhancing situation?
I would think it difficult to detect, as erythropoietin is produced naturally by the kidneys.
Does the artificially produced hormone (given to the athlete by injection ) manifest itself in exactly the same way?
I must read up about it!
But not till I've had a coffee and maybe some toast!

Hi rusty
I found this video earlier which brought back happy memories for me.
Virginia Water is part of Windsor Great Park. I have only managed to see part of it.

https://www.visitsurrey.com/things-to-do/virginia-water-p728781

Hello, Elle!
Our snow has stopped!
Back to rain, now!
Laura is rightly suspicious of an athlete who has a coach with a dope sullied past, I would think.
I would think (as the layest of laymen), that modern testing could differentiate between manufactured EPO and natural EPO.
I did not know the body made EPO.
If you look at the expression on Sifan Hassan's face, and her posture on the podium, it speaks volumes to me, of what she thinks of sharing a podium with Dibaba.

Hello, Jazzgirl!
Thank you for the clip!
It is a lovely part of the world, right enough!
Lucky you, living not too far off!

hello again rusty
I have just looked at my book :

Notes from a Small Island
Bill writes of the lake and the park.
A good read.
I have only two of his books, the other being "a short history of nearly everything".
I am off the computer for the rest of the day. Plenty of jobs to be done.

Hello Elle and Rusty,

Hope you are both well!

Would you believe that we are on Yellow Alert for...... thunderstorms!?

This is a mad world and I am not sure whom to trust!

PS mine is 1998 paperback edition (Black Swan) starts at page 69