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Just watched today's TdF highlights. Not a lot happened (apart from the crashes!), but I was very impressed with Alaphillipe trying to wait for Yates after the latter's crash when leading on the last descent - class! I'm not sure I liked him before, but I've changed my mind!

Good evening, Elle!
I have been to several Humanist funerals and I prefer them to the religious services.
Today's was a religious one!
Your family will be fine in a couple of days!
Just a bug doing the rounds, I think.
It's funny you having "dinner" in the evening and I have "tea"!
I have my dinner at noon-ish.
Lately it has been fruit mainly, I have eaten, and coconut yogurts.

Hi, Rusty!
I am not worried about the family's being ill, as such - it is probably only a minor bug- but the time element is giving concern!
Everyone would be so disappointed if they missed the wedding!
There seems to have been some hoo-ha on Le Tour today?
Farmers staged a protest by piling bales of hay across the roads......
The police were involved..... and pepper- sprayed the protestants ...
But some of the cyclists....Geraint Thomas and Peter Sagan included ..... were caught by the fumes.....and suffered streaming eyes.
Quite a to-do by all accounts?

The gendarme almost rivals the one that brought down the sprinters by trying to take a picture many years ago - was it Abdou or Jalabert?

Hello, Elle!
I did not see Le Tour today, so can not comment on what happened.
But protests happen fairly often in the grand tours.
I remember Hinault getting off his bike and wading into protesting strikers with his fists one time.
The protesters had blocked the road and Bernard was having none of it!
Tomorrow's stage intrigues me.
It is a very short stage but they finish on the Col de Portet, a new climb for Le Tour, but the experts think it may turn out to be an iconic climb .
There are only two mountain stages left and surely someone will attack Thomas and Froome?
Sagan can not lose the green jersey now.
If he gets to Paris, it is his.

Hi, Rusty!
Well, let us hope that Pete Sagan does well tomorrow, and keeps his green jersey.
I do hope that today's fracas - resulting in the unhappy experience of pepper spray in his eyes - does not affect his chances of success.
Are Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome the main contenders now for the yellow jersey then?
Geraint T was also affected by the pepper spraying, according to the news article that I read.
Right, I am away to my bed.......
I shall be up and out very early....... whilst the day is still hopefully at its coolest !

Good morning, Elle!
Fine day here!
There are not enough points left to win for anyone to overtake Sagan in the green jersey competition.
But he has to finish the race to be the winner of the green jersey competition.
Yes, you are correct, Elle, Thomas and Froome are the main contenders for yellow.
I hope G wins, or Tom Dumoulin, but....it is still a long way to Paris!
I confess to not understanding the start of today's stage.
I think they are going off in groups or something like that.
Why? I have no idea. Seems a bit gimmicky.
And there is the scenery to look forward to...and the bears!

Good morning, Rusty!
Not even an early start to the day could "beat the heat" this morning!
My dog was full of energy as usual.......she never walks when she can run!.......but I wasn't!
I have no intention of setting foot outside the door again, today .......unless by some miracle it rains!
I have a few accumulated crosswords and some books lined up to read!
And at least you have the cycling to watch!
Good luck to Pete Sagan and Geraint Thomas!
Have you heard from your elder son and family?
How are they coping with the heat in London?

Hello, Elle!
You and me both, staying in out of the heat!
I was speaking to a Bulgarian lady in ASDA, and they have rain in Bulgaria...lucky them!
She "Skypes" to her family across there most evenings.
it is a very short stage in Le Tour today, so it is not on TV until mid-afternoon.
Sagan will be fine, but G usually has one bad day in the Tour.
Hope it is not today!
No word from London, but that is the norm with them.
So, I leave them alone.
The young ones are very much more communicative!

Hi, Rusty!
Speaking of rain........
I have just been idly looking at our local forecast...... and see that we are 'promised' several hours of "thundery showers and a gentle breeze" on Friday!
However.....I am not getting excited and raising my hopes.....
I have no doubt that this wonderful prospect will have faded away by then!
Right, I am now about to go and have another purge on my wardrobe....
Yet another poly bag has come through the door for a cancer charity...
I shall see what I can find........
The collection is tomorrow......