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Good morning, Rusty!
It is a bright sunny day here!
How about with you?
I am planning my morning around the Everyman crossword and the Great North Run.....and the tennis on YouTube....thank you for that!
I think we are meeting up with our daughter and family early this afternoon.
I am not sure yet whether their plan is to come here or meet up halfway in a park.
I am sure the dog would vote for the latter!
Now....did you have a cloud free night and were able to see the "Lights"?

Good morning, Elle!
A bit dreich here!
No "Lights" here, too cloudy.
I would have to drive out a mile or two into the country to see them.
Has to be really dark.
I am going to Pine Cone soon!
I hope you have a nice time with your family!
Enjoy the tennis.
For me, Sloane Stephens has the "nicest smile" in tennis!
She was out for nearly a year with a foot injury and fell away down the rankings.
In my view, it is for people like her that the "wild cards" should be used for, not the Sharapovas of this world!
Rant over!
Did you know that a "singing hinny" was a currant cake?
I just found out!

Hi, Rusty!
I have the TV on, and am listening to the preliminary blurb to the Great Run, whilst doing the crossword.
I always thought that a " hinny" was a cross between a female donkey and a male horse?
Although I have seen it in books used as a term of endearment, presumably a derivative from "honey"?
However, I have never heard of a "singing hinny", but next time I have a currant bun, I must remember to throw that term into the conversation!
Would a teacake count?
Have a great time with Miss O - I hope she arrives on time!!
Catch up later........

Hello, Elle!
I am just awaiting a text from Miss O.
"Granddad, I am running late!
Be there in 15".
You are correct about the "hinnies".
Apparently the "singing hinny" is so called from the noise it makes while cooking on the griddle!

Hi, Rusty!
Home again!
We narrowly missed the (very heavy) rain!
How was your outing with Miss O this morning?
I managed to watch the elite races in the Great North Run, before we went out.......
Mary Keitany easily won the Elite women's race, with her main contender, Vivian Cheruiyot, coming a much slow second.
Aly Dixon came eighth.
Mo Farah won the men's race with one of the Robertson twins, Jake , coming second.
Well done , Mo!
I have done the Everyman xword - no problems outstanding today.
I have yet to look at the Sunday Times puzzle, as we only bought our paper this afternoon, on the way home.

Hello, Elle!
We had Miss La Bamba with us too.
No show without Punch!
We had a nice time.
The weather has brightened here, now.
I saw the last ten minutes of Mo's run.
No puzzle for me today!

Hi, Rusty!
Well, I have learned something new today from the ST xword...a " snakebite" is a drink!
Who would have thought it?
And "pumpernickel" is a dense dark German bread!
I do not fancy either of them for my dinner!
I think Martina Hengis is playing in the Women's Doubles Final tonight?
Are you watching it? I know you like Martina.
And after that it is the Men's Singles Final...Rafa against Kevin Anderson.
I wish I could see it!

Hello, Elle!
I would have though that "snakebite" was a well known drink?
I have known of it for many years.
Yes, I knew pumpernickel is a bread.
Never tried it though.
It is probably quite good.
Martina and partner have won the first set and are up in the second.
I always thought she was Swiss, but she is Slovakian?
Yes, I like Martina. Comes across as a nice lassie!
I am tracking Hurricane Irma.
Orlando Airport is closed and the hospitals are scheduled to close too.

Hi, Rusty!
I am not well up in alcoholic drinks!
I don't drink alcohol, so I rarely go to a pub......
I must lead a very sheltered life?
However, I shall remember "snakebite" from now on...!
That is good that Martina and partner are winning.......
Yes, she is always smiling...she seems a happy lady.
She came back well, and graciously, from her two -year drugs suspension and then her "retirement".
Would that Maria Sharapova had done the same.....she might have been more respected had she taken her "comeback" gradually as Martina did.
Of course, your family must know Orlando well.....it will be distressing to follow what is happening out there.
But a good job they are here and safe.

Hello, Elle!
I remember that snakebites were popular with the Uni students.
Martina and partner have won.
In all fairness I do not blame Sharapova but the US Open for giving her a "wild card".
I would not have expected her to say "no, thank you."
And she is a big draw.
Several weeks ago Sloane Stephens was ranked in the high eight hundreds because she had been out for 11 months due to injury and operations, and lost almost all of her ranking points.
That's what wild cards should be used for.
Players like Sloane who have been out through injury and the like.
I really liked the presentation ceremony.
And I had never seen that before when the match was won, when
Sloane went and sat beside Madison at the side of the court.
Great friends, great sportsmanship!
There are another two hurricanes forming now, as well as Irma.
Things will be bad!