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Hello, Elle,
Yes, I have scrolled back and am up to date now.
It was a good puzzle today!
Sticky buns are not good for you, Elle...
You stick to your cheese and Granny Smith!

Hi, Rusty!
Uhm....
Well, I think we can safely draw a line under today's puzzle now!
Again, well done in that last parsing!
And on that triumphant note...I am going to take the dog for a walk........
I'll be back in a bit!

Good evening, Rusty!
We had a pleasant walk.
It was surprisingly warm, after the early morning chill.
Now...... to go back a bit to your mention of "Waler Sandy" earlier on.....
I had meant to refer to this before, but somehow got side tracked.
I know all about this Australian horse......now why?
Where did I read it?
Was this an event mentioned by Lyn MacD in one of her books?

Hello, Elle!
It is lovely here, but on the cool side!
I don't think Lyn mentioned it.
This is a song about the men's last day with the Walers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm9qCI5qGR8
It might be because when I came across this on YouTube about the Australian Light Horse, I discovered that Sandy was the only Waler to get back home to Australia, and mentioned it.
Very sad!

Hi, Rusty!
You may well be right.......it could be that you had told me about it.
I remember both that song and the clip........so distressing.
I remember Sandy on his return to Australia, being turned out to pasture in his retirement.
And after his death, his head being mounted and put on display, as a memorial.
I remember thinking it a rather "sick" thing to do.
I think the other Australian horses were sent elsewhere?
I don't think they were slaughtered , were they?
But I do recall an instance where a soldier would agreed to shoot his mate's horse rather than let the animal fall into enemy hands?
Oh dear, I wish my memory were better......and I could think where I have read this.

You're reminding me of "The goose girl", elle!

Hello, Elle!
My thoughts exactly about Sandy.
A sick thing to do, but that was then, this is now.
All horses over the age of 12, and the sick and injured horses, were shot.
Some of the men shot their horses, but most were sold.
There is a statue, I forget the town's name, to the most famous Waler (apart from Sandy) called "Bill the B?s?a?d".
Bill was a hero! He carried five men to safety one time.
There is a book about Bill on Amazon.
Only one horse got back to New Zealand, a mare called Bess.
I am going to see what I can find out about her.

Hi, Rusty!
This is turning into "Nostagia" Night!
I keep saying "I remember...."!
But seriously ( now I'm sounding like John McEnroe! that is the title of the second volume of his autobiography) all this talk of using horses in the war, has made me think of Michal Morpurgo and his book "War Horse".
Now that was a lovely story, wasn't it?
And the play, and the later film, were excellent.
Speaking of books...how are you getting on with "New York"?
Initially, I thought you seemed rather disappointed by it ?

Hello, Elle!
Four horses returned to New Zealand, Bess is the best known.
Yes, "War Horse" was a great story and film.
I have put New York to one side for now.
I have been quite busy.
The author is not a patch on James Michener.

Hi, Rusty!
I've just been reading the synopsis of "New York" on Goodreads.
I thought I would look up the book - and the author - out of interest.
The book gets a good review?
But it does sound a very similar scenario - in that it's a mixture of fact and fiction - to Michener's books.
I wonder if this is perhaps where - and why - it is failing in your expectations?
Mr M's books - regardless of our poor opinion of him as a private individual - are excellently written, and make riveting reading (especially my favourite "Centennial"!)
Perhaps your direct comparison of James M and Edward Rutherfurd puts the latter at a disadvantage?
Maybe you might enjoy "New York" better, if you can avoid comparing the two authors?
Just a thought.....
And of course you may not find that possible......