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Hello, Jazzgirl!
Ah, my memory is up to tricks.
I could not recall him mentioning the lake.
"Notes" was a very good book, my intro to Bill.
"A Walk in the Woods" is my favourite Bryson book.
"Down Under" is very good, too.
Good to have a break away from "computer land"!

Hello, Pigale!
Hope your thunderstorm does not come to much!
I have had rain, sleet, and snow again, today.
Just had a Tweet from the Loch.
They have closed early for the day, due to snow and flooding!
And Laddie will soon be here!

Hello Rusty,

I don't suppose for one moment the thunderstorms will amount to
much, but the Met Office has so often been criticised that
they put alerts for every little bit of unusual event - and thunder in
March is slightly unusual!

A bit worrying for Laddie's arrival - not only because we might
miss it should the camera not be repaired, but also for his own
comfort! Some different weather from that of Africa!

Hi, Rusty!
I'm very sorry for the delay in getting back to you.......
It's all been happening at this end!
Visitors...phone calls...... bedlam!
Now....... put very basically, erythropoietin is a hormone produced by the kidneys, that stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.
The resulting rise in red cells increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
When erythropoietin (EPO) is used as a performance - enhancing drug ( the artificial EPO being injected into the athlete) the extra oxygen increases the athlete's aerobic capacity.....thereby improving his/ her performance .
But for the drug to be effective, the athlete would need to take it within five to seven days of running.
If the athlete were tested for drugs during this period, the EPO administered would show up.
However, there is a real health risk involved in administering artificial erythropoietin - too much , too often could results in blood clots.
A heart attack or stroke might happen.
I hope this is helpful, rather than boring?!
We have rain here, too, now!



Hello, Pigale!
Goodness, I didn't even know that thunderstorms were ranked!
I don't recall our ever being given a Yellow warning?
I hope when / if the thunderstorm does arrive, it doesn't prove too severe.
It is relatively mild here!

Hello, Pigale!
I have it in my diary for 16th March, 2017, that Laddie landed at the loch. Two days later, the 18th, Lassie landed.
Today is the 6th, so they will be well into their migration to here.
I have not seen a blue sky here for at least 10 days!
So far, the cameras are not working. Tut, tut!


Hello, Elle!
That was a welcome insight into EPO!
I know several cyclists have died in their sleep through EPO.
Apparently their blood became far too thick for their hearts to pump and they never woke up.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/43296871
Look at Sifan Hassan's expression and posture!

Hi, Rusty!
I'm glad you found the EPO "lecture" interesting!
I can get a bit carried away when touching on my profession.
I had not seen that News article; thank you for sending it.
I did not know there was any atmosphere around Dibaba.
I had just taken her at face value , knowing nothing of all this.
I'd missed Sifan Hassan's stance on the podium......
But if I had noticed it, I would probably have simply put it down to disappointment, being in ignorance of all the undercurrents.
I hadn't realised that it is now "time" for Laddie's - and shortly afterwards, Lassie's - return to the loch!
I hope the weather warms up for them!

Hello, Elle!
Laura Muir thinks there is something going on.
So, too, does Sifan Hassan.
Sport has been ruined by cheats for many, many, years.
Too many blind eyes being turned.
The ospreys are on their way.
It will take several weeks to get here, but should be here in ten days or so.
I agree about the weather.
The camera is still not working, but last I saw of it the ice had mostly disappeared.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I know there are a lot of cheats about in the Sporting world.......
It is perhaps carrying ambition to extremes, though, when athletes and other sportspersons put their health - even their lives - at risk by their drug -taking?
As you said before , some sportsmen have died in their sleep, because the administering of EPO caused their blood to thicken so much that their hearts could no longer function.
I expect more drug cheats will emerge as the Summer season of sport progresses.
It is a sad situation in more ways than one.....
And probably no foreseeable end?
I have been reading an Ian Rankin book........and interestingly, there was a reference to children's authors, in the text......
Michael Morpurgo was one of those listed!
I mention it as, strangely, his is not a name I often come across.....
I might look him up on Amazon and see what other books he has written.
Have you read any more books apart from "War Horse"?

Hello, Elle!
Over 100 years ago there was cheating going on in cycling.
Brandy and pills from doctors, and getting lifts on motors etc.
It is sad, but remember there are the good guys competing, too!
Laura Muir is one of them.
Michael Morpurgo has written lots of books.
I think there was a follow up to War Horse.
Look out for "book sets".
You know, "6 book set for £10", or something like that.
You may get a bargain.
I only read War Horse.

Hi, Rusty!
I have just been watching last Sunday's episode of "Call the Midwife.
It was very sad as one of the midwives died from meningitis.
The scenes were very delicately done and it was very moving.
Oh dear! I have tears in my eyes!
Yes, that sounds a good idea to look up "book sets" for Michael Morpurgo.
I did not know that he had written a lot of books?
I bought a book set of all Jane Austen's novels in a Black Friday Sale - an excellent bargain!
I shall research Amazon!