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Good morning, Rusty!
Well, nearly afternoon in fact!

Yes, the weather is really fantastic - more like what we should have
end May beginning June, but I am certainly not complaining!

Now, out of these races, the one that will interest me the most
is the Tour of the Alps. I will look into it to see when it takes place
and if it is on Eurosport.

Good morning Elle! Sounds like we have similar weather, give or
take a few degrees. After last week's rainy days, yet mildish, the
grass is growing fast, and so are the weeds!

Hello Rusty,

Just managed to watch some of the Tour of the Alps - already 3rd day!
What a young winner, Ben O'connor (australian) for Dimension
Data, and a good second place for Thibaut Pinot, who is now
1st in General classification.

Did you watch any of it?

Seems to be a short race, just a few days? and short stages
but of course mountain stages!
First time I see a

Sorry, First time I see any of this race!

I watch bits of it here and there, the weather is so nice I spend most
of my time in the garden, but was lucky to see the arrival

Good afternoon, Elle!
I would doubt very much if Callum (or any top runner) would plan to race marathons so close together.
I think Daniel Wanjiru is racing on Sunday, but that is all I know, apart from Mo.
I have not heard of any women racers, too.
Yes, I have cycling on.
La Flech Wallonne (think it translates as The Walloon Arrow).
I did the qualifier puzzle, not terribly difficult, I did not think.
Have you had a go?

Hello, Pigale!
The Tour of the Alps is a short Tour.
Mainly a warm up race for the Giro.
I have not watched it.
Well done Thibaut Pinot!
He is a good prospect!
At this time of year I prefer the one-day classic races.
Next week you may see the Tour of Romandie, which I imagine will be on EuroSport.
Then the Giro starts early in May.
Should be good racing!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
We are just home again....I shall now collapse on the sofa and not move again for several hours!
I never thought I would complain about glorious weather, but 28C is a shock to the system after months of freezing cold!
We went out intending to go for a long walk......it is as well we went armed with bottles of water and the dog's bowl.......otherwise we wouldn't have made it past first base!
No, I haven't had a 15 x15 crossword today?
John said that the main crossword was not included in his "package" this morning.......he did not know why?
How is your cycling going?

Good evening, Elle!
It has turned into a fine day here, but nowhere near 28C!
I do not know what John's package is, but I subscribe to The Times online, and there were two cryptic puzzles today.
One (the one I did) was the first qualifier for the championships, and the other one was an old puzzle from 1965.
The 1965 puzzle was not a patch on the modern puzzles.
Not quite awful, but not far from it, and that is from someone (me) who is reluctant to criticise setters, who in the main, provide us with some cracking and enjoyable puzzles!
The cycling was excellent.
Julian Alaphilippe won.
He is a fine young French rider.

Hello Rusty and Elle,

Yes, he did show promising beginnings in the Tour last year, didn't he?
Shame he is riding for Quick Step.....!

I have both crosswords available too, Rusty, so I don't know what's
amiss in John's package?

It still is 27C outside right now, having got up to 31C (in the shade)
early afternoon. - well, in the shade yet facing South.
My weather station was planted in the ground this morning and
it is North East, so will get the sun effect in the morning, but
will show real feel-like temperature out of the sun in the afternoon -
and that only reached 27C at peak hour.
A very big difference with last week indeed!

Good evening, Pigale!
The Quick-Steps have had a great start to the season!
Won quite a few races!
Julian rode very well today!
Yes, I do not understand John's package, too, Pigale.
Obviously different from the one we have.
Have fun with your weather station!

Hi, Rusty!
We have a beautiful evening here, too!
We have been doing some gardening.
It looks like we shall need to do some DIY fencing and a few other jobs that we were relying upon our landscape gardener to do.
David's wife rang me this morning to say that he has a hernia and is waiting on having an operation......
So all his gardening jobs are either cancelled..... or indefinitely postponed.
We shall be visiting the Garden Centre soon, then, to choose some trellis!
I honestly do not understand John's Times "package" - this sort of thing has happened before....
He emailed this morning to say that the main puzzle was missing , he had no idea why, and was just sending the other two puzzles- the Times 2 and the QC.
At the time, I assumed that this had applied to everyone.
It wasn't until you mentioned having done the puzzle that I realised that this wasn't so.
Hopefully , he will be back to full strength tomorrow!
I am glad that you enjoyed the cycling...and hopefully , no crashes!



Hello, Pigale!
I had thought earlier that John's crossword problem went across the board.........
The whole concept is beyond my comprehension!
I am just grateful for the puzzles when he sends them.
Your weather station sounds intriguing?
We simply have a barometer in our hall - very basic!
Glad that you, too, have been enjoying the cycling.