Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

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!

Hello, Elle!
Miss O was returning my keys.
Surprisingly, to me, she has never heard of shorthand.
Is the technique not used any more, I wonder?
I did not know about the German lad?
A tricky one, indeed!
There is a lot of suspicion attached to Flo Jo's death.
They said her bladder was empty and so they could not test for steroids. I don't believe that.
I know she was condemned by Gwen Torrence who came later, for setting records that Torrence knew would never be broken by a clean athlete.
I remember Ikem Billy well, but do not know the truth.
It is on record that Andy Norman was Mr Fixit, though.
I do not rate Coe very highly at all.
Much preferred Cram and Foster.
More drama ahead, indeed!

Sad to hear about David Duffield - reputed to have the largest bladder of all commentators (he would do 8 hour stints on the T de F).

Yes, Chris.
i do not know what happened Dave Duffield.
Report said he died of injuries after a heavy fall.
He was 84.

Hi, Rusty!
I have just been watching "Call the Midwife".
I was telling you about this the other day when we were talking about Poplar ( in the East End of London) - I think it was in relation to a crossword clue?
If you remember, the series is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, a midwife herself at one time.
It was an excellent story.
I have read the trilogy written by Jennifer Worth , but I think these stories being shown now are in addition to those in the books - presumably being written by someone else but based on the original characters.
We only had a little rain and it is fine again now. Very much milder, too.
Back to normal in the morning.......up with the lark (well, nearly!) and out with the dog by 7.45am!
Be it rain or shine.......I love the early morning walk!

Hello, Elle!
I read books like that many years ago, written by a country vet.
He used the pen name James Herriot. I liked them, but not at all sure if there was any truth in them.
Entertaining though!
What about shorthand?
Has it been overtaken by dinky wee machines that do the work?
It seems mild here.
Been a good winter up here, so far.

Hi, Rusty!
I too have read all the James Herriot books!
His real name was James Alfred Wight - known as "Alf".
And he certainly was a qualified veterinary surgeon.
I believe that the stories are only partially auto-biographical, some parts being vaguely based on real events or people whom he had known, or occurrences that he had experienced.
Did you ever watch the TV series based on his books? It was called "All Creatures Great and Small " and figured vets Siegfried and Tristan Farnon.
I enjoyed watching that.
I don' t know the first thing about shorthand? or indeed any sort of secretarial work? Maybe dictaphones are used nowadays? and the secretary transcribes from that?
Time for a hot drink...and maybe a piece of shortbread.......

I think shorthand has been overtaken by tape recorders or whatever followed from them.

I loved "All creatures Great and Small". My husband used to call it "Hand up a cow's backside", which frequently was the case.

Good morning, Elle.
Fine morning up here.
Yes, I remember Wight, now.
The series would be one of the few I ever watched.
I thought it was very well done.
I did have a slight criticism of the TV series, though.
I remember thinking that the actress who played Mrs Herriot looked too old for the part.
And, Victoria came last in the point to point yesterday.
Her old adversary, Anna Meares, is on her way to London with the Aussie team for the World Championships.
She has her nails done with the Australian flag on.
Very well done, too.

Good morning, Rosalind,
I think you are correct.
Looks like shorthand has gone the way of logarithms etc.
Overtaken by technology.
The young ones do not not seem to have heard of it!