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Hello, Elle!
Hope the Voice was to your taste?
The reason Miss Orlando was here was to get spare keys because La Bamba was at the cinema with two sets of keys!
This is them "looking after" me!
Granddaughters!!!
Adding to my grey curls more like!
And this is just day one!
Wonder if Laura Muir was running in Glasgow?
Latest on Victoria.
She has split the racing world in two!
Some are saying she is an accident waiting to happen.
(I tend to be in that camp)
Others are praising her "get up and go" to the heavens.
Anyway, Paul Nicholls has found a race for her and Pacha at Wincanton on 2nd March.
This surely must be make or break for her.
If she can't get round Wincanton she has not a hope getting round Cheltenham. The meeting at Cheltenham, Elle, is our Olympics. Very best horses, top riders, tough fences, on a course that is demanding but fair.
Plans for tomorrow.
No, just hope to have a quiet day and peace from granddaughters!

Good morning, Rusty!
A dreich beginning to the day here!
Not that it has mattered to me because I slept in and have only just had breakfast!
I guess I was more exhausted than I thought!
I had to chuckle at Miss Orlando's turning up on your doorstep because she had locked herself out!
(Who is looking after whom here?!)
Now I did watch some of the Athletics last night after all - despite saying I was saving it for today.
It began with a long discussion between the commentators Jonathan Edwards, Denise Lewis , and Steve Cram about the usual ongoing drug problem, and with particular emphasis on the Russian ban from all Athletics events.
My opinion is that the Russians should definitely stay excluded from the Olympic Games - although sadly the event will not reach the same standard of competition with their expertise withheld.
And yes, Laura Muir did compete yesterday in the 800m!
She did very well, coming second to the Canadian, Melissa what's er- name.
Laura ran brilliantly.
(Apparently your bete-noire, Lynsey Sharp, was competing in New York and so wasn't there)
I only watched half the Grand Prix, so will watch the remainder later today.
I think I agree with you about Victoria!
Drama certainly follows her around!
As you say, this coming race at the beginning of next month must surely seal her (immediate) future?
Cheltenham is in the lap of the gods?

Good morning, Elle!
Beautiful morning here!
I am watching Super-G.
Big guns still to come.
Laura Muir is still improving, that's good.
I hope Miss Sharp stays in New York, I cannot be doing with her.
We have had Olympics without the USSR before.
And the USA, come to that.
It will be a wishy-washy decision, probably.
If we wanted a competition with countries turning a blind eye to drugs etc ,banned, it would be a very small event, I think.
Victoria is point-to-pointing today.
She just looks exactly what she is. A novice.
Cheltenham is a year too soon for her.
The Foxhunters is a highly competitive race with the best amateurs in GB and Ireland taking part.
Super-G not finished, but so far it is,
1 Tina Weirather
2 Lara Gut
3 Lindsey Vonn.

Hi, Rusty!
Melissa Bishop was the 800m runner for whose name I was groping! It came to me too late! ( shall I admit here to another "senior moment"?)
I am thinking that it would make better sense - and do less damage to her somewhat crumbling reputation - were Victoria to wait another year before even entering for Cheltenham?
As you say, it is probably a year too soon for her. Were she to wait until becoming more proficient ( it does help if one stays on the horse!) she would surely acquire more credibility and be considered more seriously in the future?
I wonder how she will do in the point-to-point today?
I have finished the Everyman crossword - it didn't take long today - not having a good weekend with the crosswords - I like a bit of a struggle to finish them! I have even fully parsed everything!
I have a few things to do.........and then we shall go out for a walk.
Who are you gunning for to win the Super-G?

Hello, Elle!
Vic needs time that is not there!
She has all the best folk looking after her just now, and she will not get that in the Foxhunters!
She simply will not feature on the likes of Nina Carberry's radar.
Another thing that has not been mentioned is the fact that there are hundreds of stable girls and lads who would love the opportunities Vic has been given.
A wee bit unfair from Betfair!
The Everyman is not too hard, is it?
Tina Weirather won the Super-G.
I was not bothered much who won, but I like Tina, so that's fine with me!

Hi, Rusty!
How did the Betfair offer to Victoria first come into being? Did they approach her? or did she ask them for support in her bid to become a jockey?
I'm assuming "Switching Saddles " is basically a publicity stunt for Betfair?
I understand what you are saying regarding stable lads and girls who would love such an opportunity.........but there would not be the same publicity using one of them, would there, as there is with Victoria in the limelight?
She is already well-known from her famed cycling career.
And "Switching Saddles" certainly has a ring to it!
I should be interested to hear how all this came about?
I have watched a little more of the Glasgow Grand Prix
Adam Gemili seems to be back on form after his injury.
There is a lot of controversy over this proposal to wipe out Athletics World Track and Field Records.
This seems such a shame as innocent athletes will also suffer then.
I wonder if it would prove possible just to apply this to those found / proven "guilty"?
What is your opinion on this?
But I must away...we are going out very shortly....back about teatime......

Hello, Elle!
I do not know the background to Betfair's offer.
But Victoria has always been open to commercial deals.
Hovis, and the dancing show she was on, and her wedding photos were in Hello magazine, but I do not know if she was paid for them..
And every day I see a a big photo outside ASDA Opticians advertising glasses, and if it is not Vic on it, it is her double.
You are right about the stable lads and lasses.
Nothing there for Betfair. And Vic has always provided drama!
She has a twin brother, too!
Athletics records?
Yes, I think we should start again, but not yet.
As long as sleeping in oxygen tents, and taking medication that is not for an ailment (asthma medication is rife in athletics) is allowed, then I do not think it is time to start again.
Stop the artificial aids first!
I think the Corinthian spirit is long gone, and there is cheating in many sports.
If you look up the Tour de France winners records, you will find that Lance Armstrong's seven wins have been deleted, but a lot of drug test failures are still there. Contador, Riis, Ulrich, Pantani, etc.
Is that fair?

Hi, Rusty!
We had a very energetic walk! It had stopped raining, but the clouds overhead were very dark, so we walked far but quickly in an attempt to cover the distance without getting wet!
Mission accomplished! (altho I rather think we have only just made it back in time!)
Now, as for World Records........I agree with you, Rusty, that so much is unfair in Sport...and that those competitors on drugs certainly should not be allowed to "get away with it," but expunging all World Records will punish the "clean" athletes who have worked hard for their achievements.
I do not know if it will prove possible to draw any distinction between the two? - but feel that there is a long way to go and a lot of things to be done before any decision about this should be reached?
As you so rightly say, what of artificial aids, for instance like asthma treatments, that are misused?
How far does one go? Where does one draw the line?
Yesterday all the competing athletes were wearing name vests that said "I run clean" or "I jump clean" etcetera, according to their discipline!
It 's all such a mess!

Hello, Elle!
Still a fine day here!
I am getting a visit from Miss Orlando shortly.
Wonder what's happened now?
I would not pay the slightest heed to the "I am clean" vests.
Hypocrisy abounds in sport.
And can you punish Germany for the sins of East Germany, for instance. Did USA know about the misdeeds of Flo Jo?
Very tricky.
And it would be very sensible not to put the GB athletes on a pedestal.
Do you remember the runner Ikem Billy?
He tells a very interesting tale about one of our very top runners, in his final race. Proving it may be difficult though.
Just heard that a cycling icon has passed away.
David Duffield. He raced on trikes!
Was a commentator on Eurosport for many years.
Best get ready for Miss Orlando!

Hey , Rusty!
Has Miss Orlando already been to see you? I hope all is well and that there isn't another problem/ crisis?
Speaking of problems........ the latest issue that came up on the Athletics programme was that of an athlete with a prosthetic limb possibly competing in the Rio Olympics?
A German athlete with a prosthetic leg won the Long Jump in the Glasgow event yesterday, and the contention is that the prosthetic limb might have propelled him unfairly forward?
He - cannot remember his name - wants to compete in both the Paralympics and the ordinary (able- bodied) Olympics.
No decision has been made as yet.
Flo Jo....yes, highly suspicious, I know, that she chose to retire just as drug-testing was about to be introduced.......
And her strange death..........did her heart give out due to talking steroids for a long period?
I had never heard of Ikem Billy - but when you referred to him, I googled the name.
I read that he alleged that he was bribed to pull a race so that Seb Coe could win?
But there was no indication whatsoever that Seb knew anything about this.
I wouldn't put athletes on pedestals - I am far too realistic for that, Rusty....but at the same time I do not believe that Seb Coe would stoop to that ........ I do think that he was truly in ignorance of knowing anything about this.
Also, I think that he was too proud of his prowess to do anything other than win fairly.
Well, the Athletics season is now truly on its way.......and I am sure we shall have many more dramas ahead of us!