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Hi, Rusty!
Wow! What a match!
Wawrinka won in the end........it was only a pity that the two men met so early in the tournament, as both could have got very much further....
I am thinking that this early meeting might be a result of Stan's having been away from tennis for a while due to injury and possibly being ranked lower as a result?
But I haven't got so far as checking out their rankings.........this is only hypothesis !
Right, television is now off for the night...
Yes, I read the osprey blog, too, and see that it is thought that the chicks are both males.
I wonder how soon they will start to fly?
A rum business about Chris Froome - and I hadn't realised that so long a time lag had been involved.
I don't think "justice" is a word that the authorities know......
Well......I must organise dinner!



Thanks, Chris , for the link about the cycling drug issue.
I missed your post earlier!

Hello, Elle!
You seem to be enjoying the tennis!
Madison Keys won.
I don't see Laura Robson playing?
The chicks have started to stretch their wings!
I believe the chicks at Manton Bay have fledged.
The Froome business stinks.
Originally Team Sky said he may have a defective kidney that was hoarding excretions rather than get rid of them, then they handed in a 1500 page report to the UCI, who passed it to WADA.
And UCI/WADA twiddled their thumbs for months.
I always remember what Bradley Wiggins said to a young up and coming English rider.
"Don't join Team Sky, whatever you do. They'll ruin you!"
Anyway, it appears Froome can ride on Saturday and I suppose it is a weight off his mind.
I would have preferred to see Geraint Thomas leading the team but that won't happen now.

Elle, I agree - the Wawrinka/ Dimitrov match was wonderful, exciting stuff! Yes, Stan W was out of the game, through injury, for so long that he has dropped way, way down the rankings. The same goes for Andy Murray. At Wimbledon, the seeds are kept away from each other initially and the initial rounds are just luck of the draw. That's what happened with Wawrinka and Dimitrov. We could also have had Andy M against Federer, Nadal, Raonic, any of the seeds.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I love Wimbledon fortnight!
But I am rationing myself as to how much tennis I watch!
The proportion might well increase next week though, as tension mounts.......
Now I do remember reading that Laura Robson had not been granted a Wild Card for Wimbledon.......
But I think since then it has been mentioned that she is to have hip surgery?
Next week sometime?
But I may have this wrong......
The saga about Froome seems to become even more ridiculous.......
Surely if he really did have a defective kidney , he would not be participating in such a taxing sport?
Who is trying to con whom, here?!



Yes, Malone! that is what I had thought must be the case!
It was a match worthy of at least quarter-final prowess..... if not further on than that!
A great pity to see Dimitrov go out so early...but Wawrinka deserved his win!
Incidentally , this is the first time I have seen Grigor Dimitrov without his facial foliage...I wouldn't have recognised him!

Elle, I just hope today's match doesn't take too much out of Wawrinka. I'd love his return to health - and to top form - to continue much longer. I preferred Dimitrov when he was a bit scruffier!

Hello, Elle!
I pick and choose the matches I watch, but shall take a closer interest in the next week.
I did not know about Laura's hip?
She did not progress the way we hoped!
If you were a cycling fan, Elle, you would probably be an old cynic like me.
We have seen it all.
From the Festina/Richard Virenque case, the Astana affair, Germany refusing to take transmissions from EuroSport of "your tainted sport", Armstrong, Contador, Floyd Landis, jiffy bags, and countless more.
And us fans deserve much more than a press release on the outcome of the Froome debacle.
A proper explanation would be a good start
Yes, a wonky kidney was Sky's first attempt at explaining it away.
(Wonky kidney did not stop them allowing Froome to race on, though)
And surely if he had twice the permitted amount of the drug in his urine he should have been in a hospital ward rather than trying to win a grand tour.
I am sure Team Sky and their money provided a wonderful defence for him.
I was speaking to two of my old cycling clubmates this afternoon, (lads who raced with me 50+ years ago) and none of us believe a word that comes from Team Sky.

Good morning, Rusty!
Another absolutely glorious day here - with a pleasantly fresh breeze whilst I was out walking....
Perfect!
Yes, I can quite understand both your frustration, and your cynicism, with regard to the cycling world.......
I am turning a blind eye to any possible drug infringements though, whilst watching Wimbledon..... lest it spoils my enjoyment of the occasion!
I have a free day before me.......that is after a few minor chores have been accomplished.......like hoovering ......ugh!
So I shall attempt the crosswords ( didn't have time yesterday!) and watch the occasional tennis match ( it depends who is playing) this afternoon!
What about you?

Good morning, Elle!
I have the same hot weather but no breeze so far.
I am not in the slightest bit frustrated, but certainly very cynical regarding UCI/WADA policing drug cheats in my sport.
There are cheats in every sport, Elle, who try to stay ahead of the testers.
And money talks!
Amen !
It is quite noisy here today.
My neighbour is getting gas boiler and radiators installed and quite a bit of banging going on, understandably.
My day is free too.
I am having a clothes clear out, and I'll leave my puzzle until later.
Usually my puzzle is my tea time treat!

Hi, Rusty!
I decided to have a padded winter coats / jackets wash!
It is such a lovely hot and breezy day that it seemed ideal for such a purpose.
I am feeling very pleased with myself now, as all are out drying on the line.....
Then they can be put away clean until the Winter!
Meanwhile, home on the range, in between washes, I have been struggling with the 15 x 15 crossword.....
I am in difficulties...... about three -quarters way completed.... not all clues parsed .....
I am not enjoying the puzzle today.
I shall set it aside for now......
Perhaps you will find it easier?

Hello, Elle!
Great idea getting the winterwear washed and dried in the fresh air!
You will often find puzzles that are trickier than you are used to.
Accept the challenge, Elle, and get stuck in!
I have just finished it, and it is fairly tricky.
I can almost see the parse at 16, I think!
New words for me were 4d, 6d, 8d, 14d, 18d and 13a.
Now, that is more than usual for me, though you may well know them, or some of them.
And I discovered a new word for "honey" at 24a.
Or, I should say, Anne Bradford discovered it for me!
Fine breeze here now!