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Afternoon, Rusty!
We had an enjoyable walk - fine but somewhat cold and windy!
Despite the fate of Isadora , I wore my scarf!
The dog is hopefully back on form - she was running at breakneck speed anyway!
Cups of hot soup all round since we got home!
Unfortunately, we've had some bad news since I spoke to you earlier.
Do you remember my telling you about our friend in Manchester; she was diagnosed with cancer of the spine earlier this year?
She had finished her chemotherapy and was doing nicely in remission. She felt unwell suddenly , was rushed by ambulance to hospital and sadly died that same evening.
It is a shock to us all, as it was thought that she was on the road to recovery.
I, in my turn, have had to pass on the sad news to others.
I was only thinking of starting to WRITE my Christmas cards - not to SEND them as yet!
It is quite a mammoth task as we have many cards to send - and in some instances I need to enclose a note or letter with the card, so it all takes time.
Every year I am behind times and chasing my tail.......
How did Faugheen do in his race? Did he win? Have you had a bet on him?

Sorry to hear about your friend, elle.


As for Isadora Duncan, I think it was wire wheels rather than scarves that was the hazard.

Oh Elle ! I am so sorry for you, your friend and her family -

Does anyone know what caused this sudden death? I mean, even with terminal cancer, the end is less sudden, less brutal. Any late reaction to chemo or secondary effects, or any problem with heart or something that might have no link whatsoever with the cancer?

How old was your friend?

Thank you, Chris and Pigale - that is nice of you.
No, I don't have any specific details as yet. The mutual friend who rang from Manchester just said that a neighbour had called the ambulance (our friend lived on her own) and that death followed fairly quickly.
I think she would have been in her mid to late sixties.

Good evening, Elle!
Sad news about your friend, indeed.
You had a good walk though and doggie is on the mend.
That is good news.
No, you wear your scarf, you will be fine.
Isadora was a bit careless allowing her scarf to get caught in the wheel. The wheel did not jump up and grab the scarf.
She lost both her children in a car accident, too.
They drowned in the River Seine with their nanny.
Terrible.
Once you write the cards you should just post them off.
Get them out of the way. That's the best way and helps the postie!
Yes, I watched Faugheen.
It was a good race. He was second to his stable companion, Nichol's Canyon. The first three home were trained by Willie (walks on water) Mullins. I had no bet on. Just enjoyed the racing. First ever defeat for Faugheen but it it is a long way to Cheltenham yet!
I have started on The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman.
It is a Pulitzer Prize winner and gets rave reviews.

Pigale, hope you are fine?
Very wet and miserable here!

Elle
So sorry to hear about your friend. Probably good for him/her to go quickly but not for everyone else. I have known two people who had been treated for cancer and thought to be getting better who died very quickly, in both cases from overwhelming infections. But why, exactly, hardly matters, does it? Very sad.

I'm feeling sad and tired myself, having a flea infestation I can't seem to be able to control (how I dislike domestic pets!! I don't have any, naturally, the fleas come from elsewhere. Please don't jump down my throat, we're all different!) Every day more bites appear. I've sprayed, washed and vacuumed until tired out but they still bite. However, the sadness is from within-
"no matter, child, the name
Sorrows springs are the same...
It is the blight man was born for
It is Margaret you mourn for"
(the poem is addressed to Margaret)

Am reading "The Master of Bruges"

Rusty, I am doing OK, thank you.

We might have another few days of decent weather where I live but by next Friday, what a drop in temperatures ! Just watched the forecast, we'll be losing some 7/8 degrees and this time we'll be colder than normal for around here at this time of the year. Snow due even in the plains, including not too far from us and around Paris area - don't think it'll last though!

You are due snow too no?

Does Willie wear Wellies to walk on water ?

Rosalind, I thought the poem was yours ?

I like pets but am with you all the way with your fleas infestation, having had one myself when we moved in a house where the family had pets little looked after.

It was only a rented temporary place and it did look pretty clean at first sight, but within a few days the problem became obvious - and it could not be from our own labrador who was still in the kennel while we were moving furniture etc... To cut a long story short, the owner had to call on a team of specialist to give the whole a good go over with their very special pesticides; we could not live in the place for a few days and had to book in a hotel (at the owner's cost!)

I like that, Pigale, about Willie!
I am sure Mr Mullins has wellies but I only recognise him by his snappy brown trilby hat!
Willie is a hero of mine, but I have more heroes than you could poke a stick at! And heroines!
Our weather is just cold and wet, just now.
I do not think there is snow forecast.
Be nice to see a blue sky again!

The poem is Gerard Manley Hopkins, he of

"Glory be to God for dappled things"

I used to learn 10 lines of poetry every Sunday evening, though now if I did that, I'd have forgotten them by morning! But what I learned as a teenager has stayed. Yes, I was a pretty weird teenager. I tried to learn the speech n Shakespeare that begins

"The man that hath not music in his soul"...
and I still can't remember line 2 (and the rest), though it ends "let no such man be trusted".