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Three driving granddaughters, Pigale!
And a driving grandson!
And two have graduated!
Age is only a number and I still think I am 21!

Good for you Rusty - You are as young as you feel -

Hi, Rusty!
We are finally back home again, having collected our friends from East Croydon station.
I shall make some coffee and see if I can rustle up a slice of ginger cake apiece......
I am reading a new Patricia Cornwell book about forensic technology. Very enjoyable......

Hello, Elle.
Splendid! I am sure your friends appreciated that.
Did Patricia Cornwell say something controversial recently?
I am sure I read something about her in my newspaper.
I have binned "The Tiger". Very depressing.
Reading about George W Bush and the death penalty in Texas now. Not helluva cheery either!

Morning, Rusty!
A fine, though dull, day here! How is it in your neck of the woods?
I know nothing about Patricia Cornwell as an individual - I haven't read/ heard anything about her saying something that might cause a stir? Have you remembered what it was that you read?
I'm sorry to hear that you were disappointed by your "Tiger" book.... why was it depressing? Was it largely about hunting and killing the tigers?
I have only 'given up' on one book and not read it through to the end, and that was "The Thin Yellow Line." As you know, I found that so distressing that I just couldn't carry on.
I have a busy week coming up... today looks like being my only "free" day!

Hello , Elle,
Dull and dry up here!
I think I saw a colour photo of Cornwell over the weekend, possibly in The Times book section on Saturday?
The Tiger story is about hunting a tiger that is killing and eating humans in Siberia.
It is a bleak story. Everywhere is frozen and desolate and gloomy.
So, I gave up on it.
Just watching the doping in athletics press conference from Geneva.
That is depressing, too!

Hi, Rusty!
I've just come in - very dull and dank outside . It looks as though we could have rain - yet again!
Yes, I was reading earlier on the computer about the IAAF going to consider sanctions against Russia after the doping report.
The Wada commission wants Russia to be banned from Athletics.
There will be a lot of pressure on Seb Coe now to crack down on doping; after his earlier assertions that he would do just that , he now needs to act soon and firmly in order to maintain his credibility.
It is so sad that sport is marred by the doping problem.
And Athletics is one of my favourite sports , too.
I wonder what will be the outcome?

Hello, Elle!
Getting dark here, too.
I have no confidence in Seb Coe.
Looks like no Olympics for Russia.
Several years ago after another Tour de France doping scandal, Germany told Eurosport they could not broadcast le Tour in Germany.
Basically, take your corrupt sport somewhere else, we do not want to see it.
Athletics is huge, and it won't only be Russia who are at it.
May have to look closer to home, too.

This had a great effect on me when I read it (I must have been about 10 or so):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-Eaters_of_Kumaon
Although Corbett was a "big game hunter", I remember (possibly mistakenly) the sadness with which he killed each man-eating tiger.

I've watched it rain all day, apart from some reading and cooking. Golf looks a long shot for this week.

Hi, Rusty!
I do wonder where all this will lead to? If Russia is not allowed to participate in The Olympics, then some of the main competition will be removed - it makes you wonder whether it is worth continuing with the event if some of the major competitors are forced to withdraw?
Where is the glory in "winning," if there is no-one - or at least , fewer - of note to beat?
As you say, a nationwide problem, though......and one that needs to be dealt with across the board - with the same penalty for each miscreant.
(I always thought, for instance, that Dwain Chambers had a very raw deal)

And now for some GOOD news!
The vet has just phoned me about the dogs' result,s and the biopsy came back clear! The lump and the left anal gland are NOT cancerous!
The problem is (possibly chronic) inflammation of the gland tissue, but provided this remains free of infection, there will be nothing to worry about.
Meanwhile the dog is to continue with the anti- inflammatories for another week, then see the vet again next Tuesday, the 17th.
I am wondering if it might be advisable to remove the affected anal gland anyway? but I was so relieved by the fact that it isn't cancer, that I never thought to query that option.
But I can discuss all that with Maggie when we go back next week.
What a relief!!