Sorry folks I have a visitor and we were out walking this evening, so it's too late to write this evening. I'll try and do one tomorrow.

I'm giving a bit of advance notice that my course begins on October 1st (I'm going away for a week the next day, my timing is always impeccable) and it looks as if I have to supply a written assignment about every three weeks, so I may not be able to write Bike as frequently as you've been used to seeing it.

Yet more sad news on the vulnerability of our sisters in other countries.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/23/murder...

The story of Tracey Norman who modelled for Clairol hair dye in 1976.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/21/tracey-norma...

From the Huffington Post. I love this story, nothing like a bit of schadenfreude to cheer us all up.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/evangelist-who-said-natu...

What a tit!

Interesting article in the Guardian which is about a transgender woman who stayed married and thus never got female legal status and so missed out on the right to a pension. It has been referred to the European Court for an opinion.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/10/supreme-cour...

I'm so glad this didn't happen to me.

After six years and two months, I've got my registration for a WML-CL10a user status. (For those not in the know a licence to survey Hazel Dormice in England). In other words I'm now licensed to handle dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) in my own right, not under someone else's licence. I'm so pleased I can't describe it.

https://inews.co.uk/essentials/lifestyle/people/hari-nef-bec...

See the article in the i newspaper. They had a nicer photo in the actual paper.

From the Grauniad quite a well written or reported item.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jul/28/transgender-...

I had a splendid week with my two outstanding hosts, who fed and spoiled me. I saw some of the Alps, the historic city of Berne, two stages of the TdF, countless wild flowers and insects (some of which bit), some mammals - admittedly - in captivity, some new species of birds and a nightmare journey home from Basel airport. P dropped me off about 3.00pm for a flight at 5.30. We eventually took off after 7.15pm nearly two hours late and made good time flying back only to have to wait over an hour in the plane because they were short of ground crews at Gatwick. I finally got home at 12.10am.