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Hi, Rusty!
I haven't had my television on at all today.
I have two week's episodes of "Casualty" yet to watch.....
And still haven't seen the film of Vera Britain's "Testament of Youth", which I recorded way back.
Nor Thomas Hardy's "Far from the Madding Crowd", which I had also wanted to watch.
I do this......I record programmes I intend to see......and then do not get around to watching them!
Very often, the programmes pile up.....and I end up deleting them unviewed!
I don't know about the "Do not disturb" sign on your phone?
My "tried and trusted" very ancient implement has a heading "Profiles"...and "Silent" is listed under that along with "General/ Discreet/ Loud/ and My Style" headings.
I have no idea what "My Style" is!

Good morning, Elle!
It is dreich here!
I think I may have read "Far From the Madding Crowd".
"Madding" is an unusual word. I just looked it up in Collins.
I record programmes too, and delete them.
You are not alone!
Mu phone is usually on, but I always switch it off when I go to dentist etc.
Mind you the waiting room usually has many folk typing away on their phones!
But often I don't have my phone with me, anyway.
Wonder how many accidents have happened to folk walking down the street engrossed in their phone?
A fair few, I'd say!

Good morning, Rusty!
It is a lovely day here - bright blue sky and sunshine and relatively mild.
Quite a change from yesterday's rain!
I am just back from both the park......and a visit to the vets, for my dog to have her anal glands checked.
All is okay now.
You are right about folk appearing fixated with their mobile phones.....
I see young mums out pushing their babies and toddlers......no longer does a mother talk to her child, but instead chats away on the phone!
This hardly augurs well for a child's communication skills!
No special plans for today...take it as it comes...
How about you?

Hello, Elle!
Turned into a nice day here!
I did not do much today, at all.
Watched the cycling on EuroSport in the afternoon.
Got things to do, tomorrow, though.
Now, I got a letter today from the TV licence folk, telling me my free TV licence starts next month....but ends in May 2020!
That's a bit of a bummer!

Hi rusty
I've just seen the winning ride in the Junior T/T - quite remarkable, winning by 7 seconds or so despite a bike change an a car in the way! Did you see it live?

Good evening, Rusty!
We obviously swapped weather halfway through the day!
My brilliant morning turned into a rainy afternoon!
It is still wet out now.
But we managed (just) to fit in a walk this afternoon before the heavens opened.
What was the weather like in Yorkshire, where I think you said the cycling was taking place?
I thought that technically your free TV licence should have started last October (2018) when you turned 75?
But that it would only be of short duration, because of the BBC's stopping the "freebies" in 2020?
So how come they are now telling you that you qualify for a free licence this coming October?
That makes no sense?
My husband received a letter a short time ago, saying that he need do nothing as yet.....but he would later be notified when his free licence is rescinded, and he needs to start paying.
I think it's disgraceful...I am sure that the withdrawal of free TV licences for the over-75s will result in a lot of elderly people becoming very lonely and isolated.

Hello, Elle!
The race was at Harrogate and the weather was fine.
A young Italian lad won the race.
It was a remarkable ride.
He had to change his bike after he had only rode a few yards.
The elite women race tomorrow.
I would imagine it will be one of the Dutch girls who will win.
No, I qualify for free TV next month.
Sorry if I have confused you.
They told me quite a while ago, that I would be getting a free licence.
Folk on Pensions Credit will still get a free licence, my letter said.
I agree television is a great companion for many old folk.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I think I must have become confused, because I had thought you had said last year that you hadn't realised that you would qualify for a free licence, but that you would be refunded for what you had already paid?
I perhaps wasn't "listening" properly to what you were telling me......!
Anyway. your freebie is obviously only going to be of short duration!
Not that it really makes much difference, but are you going to be 75 or 76 this coming October then?
I am finding this granting of free licences and age limits confusing!
I spoke to my daughter this evening......
She really enjoyed her Charity Night Walk, but found it very tiring after a busy week at work, and two young children with whom to deal daily!
She got home at 5. 20 am Sunday and slept all day!
A nice plus was that the friendly taxi driver who took her home afterwards (the cabs were listed as being "safe", by the race organisers) gave her a contribution to the Cancer Research charity.
Wasn't that a lovely gesture?
It was very sweet of him.

Hello, Elle!
75 in a couple of weeks!
Just a lad, yet!
The only folk (as far as I know) who will get free licence at 75 are those on Pension Credit.
I don't know how Pension Credit works, though. Do you?
I don't get it, I know that, so I will pay for my TV licence.
Your daughter found a good cabbie!
Well done, him!
Li and his pals apologised for the lack of updates on Just Giving, they say "poor sidi on route".
Sidi is a brand of cycling shoes.
I think they mean "poor wifi on route".
They have had mechanical problems with gears and wheels.
But they are getting there!

Hi, Rusty!
You are as young as you feel, Rusty!
Age is but a state of mind in one's head!
I don't know how Pension Credit works?
I only know that we never qualify for anything!
We are never poor enough to benefit from State handouts, and never rich enough not to have to worry at times about money!
Middle of the road!
I assume though that one's total Income must be taken into account before one can be given monetary assistance from the Government?
State pension, Work pension , Savings accounts?
That will be probably be how it works?
Yes, I expect Lionel and his friends mean the "Wifi" connection.....although I cannot really understand how that works....
I shall take a look at the link you sent, and see if I can find their updates......