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Hi, Rusty!
Thank you for sending me the clip.
It was good to see Michael Johnson looking so well, and being so positive about his stroke.
Good for him!
I am still surprised that we did not hear about it at the time.
What type of restaurant is being built near you?
Is it one that you and the girls are likely to visit?
I enjoy going out for the occasional meal.
It is a treat!
Speaking of new buildings.....
Have you been yet to see the V& A down on the waterfront?

Hello, Elle!
Michael was looking very well, I thought.
His recovery seems to be going very well.
I am surprised we did not get to hear about it at the time, too.
He was a major sports star, so....a bit strange!
This restaurant is owned by Marston.
The only thing I know about them is that they are the folk who make Marston's Pedigree beer, a fine pint!
I think the girls rather than me would go to it.
A bacon roll at Pine Cone, with the young ones, and a natter with the staff, is bliss to me!
I have only seen V&A on YouTube, but I have pals from the building trade who have been down to see it and they are astonished by the civil engineering that created it.

Hello Pigale

I have never been to any French museums unfortunately, but went to the Van Gogh one in Amsterdam which was fantastic. Yes I like his portraits like you do, I think the Dr Gachet and the postman are my favourites.


Hello Elle

My friend knows I do crosswords but not that I am on the forum. She knows that I dont do mobile phones, social media and the like, so even if she were to see "jigjag" on here, she might spot the jigsaw connection but wont realise it is me. At least I hope not - or I will have a lot of explaining to do!

Hi, Rusty!
I am having a leisurely, lazy evening!
I have been catching up on a few television programmes that I had recorded ....
I still have "Testament of Youth" to watch, and that programme about the Australian War Horses.
I meant to ask you.......does "Sandy" feature in it?
But enough "viewing" for tonight.
I am going to read my book.......unless I can persuade my husband to help me with my jigsaw puzzle of 1,000 (very small) pieces.
All the pieces are so similar......
I am finding it very difficult!
Yes, looking at the pictures of Dundee's V & A on the computer, it looks a fabulous building.

Hello Jigjag,

I envy your visit to the Amsterdam Van Gogh Museum!

I too like the two paintings you mentions, plus so many other
portraits! I wonder how many self-portraits he did! Something
to research at some stage I think!

I don't even possess a mobile phone!

Hello, Elle!
Can't beat a canny evening!
Sandy does not get a mention in Great War Horses.
"Bill the B?????d" does though, and there is the story of how he carried five Light Horsemen safely back from the battle.
I think there is a book about Bill.
I think the film said 130,000 Walers left Australia and none came home.
It is an excellent programme.
My brickie pals are amazed at the construction of the V&A.
An engineering masterpiece, they think.

Update, Elle!
Here's the story of Bill, and the programme, Great War Horses.

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/the-legend-of-bill-the-bastard-and-australias-great-war-horses/news-story/e1db9f692db5216676ac734dcb6041bc

Hi, Rusty!
I am rather surprised that Sandy was not mentioned in the programme, but am very impressed by the exploits and bravery of "Bill", as told in the clip.
I shall look forward to watching my recording of the programme......and may even look up the book about Bill, with the possibility of buying it.
The 'story' would appeal to me, I think?
I still think it terrible that so many loyal and courageous horses had to be shot by their owners to prevent their falling into enemy hands.......rather than their being transported back to Australia.
Disgraceful!



Hello, Jigjag!
I was but joking about the possibility of your friend reading about your devious plan to dispose of the unwanted jigsaw!
I am sure it is highly unlikely that she would ever discover the "truth"!



Hello, Pigale!
I love going round Art Galleries , especially if there is a special exhibition.
My friend, Sue, and I try to meet up in London once a month - although we haven't been for a while - to go to the National Gallery or The Tate.... or wherever else there might be an exhibition we should like to see.

Hello, Elle!
Poor old Sandy never got a mention!
There is a link between Bill (I can't remember exactly what) and Banjo Paterson, the man who wrote "Waltzing Matilda", too.
Bill was some horse!
Have a look on Amazon, Elle, I am sure I saw the book there.
I may buy it for me, too.
What happened to the Walers is explained at the end of the documentary, but I won't spoil it for you.
I thought it a very good documentary.

Hello Elle,

It used to be one of my favourite outing to visit the Louvre, (You can
go there dozens of times and still don't see it all!) or other
art galleries in Paris, particularly for pre-impressionists and impressionists paintings. I did like the Romantics and pre-Romantics
as well, and the Italian and Renaissance school- But my interest
stopped just after Van Gogh - I am not keen on modern art.

BTW Jigjag, I have just googled and discovered that Van Gogh
painted no less than 30 self-portraits! A record apparently!