We all remember the pictures of Mikki in her pink wig and PVC dress winning the UK Scrabble championships and wondering if it was just a joke or was she transgender. It seems she was the latter and she suffered abuse from the public in Carlisle where she lived.

It appears she was very unhappy and took her own life last November. I hope she is at peace now.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/transgender-woman-kille...

I was appalled to see this on the MSN website, especially from someone who should know better. Even if there was a local problem with feral cats, this behaviour is unacceptable. It seems the ladette culture isn't confined to Europe and the offensiveness is primarily about the bragging by this nasty female of an act of cruelty.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/vet-posts-pic-of-cat-she...

In the UK shooting any living creature with a bow is illegal.

A variety of distractions seem to have conspired to prevent me scribbling tonight, phone calls, puter problems - hopefully sorted but very time consuming. It seems the closer I get to retiring the more life throws at me and usually the more stressed I get. Oh well, tomorrow I hope will be more normal but at least I did get a bike ride this morning (on the bike shown below) and a toasted teacake.

This week I have sent in my application forms to claim my occupational and state pensions. At times it feels a bit scary, at others I can't wait to retire - the NHS is no place for old biddies or dinosaurs like me. It's all cut and thrust driven by youth and government targets, neither of which realise that they're reinventing wheels which didn't work last time or the one before. I suppose in my time I wanted to save the world too, now I just want to get off and do my own thing, tired of people who are too stupid to know that when they are in a hole, the best course is to stop digging.

I watched this programme which I thought was done in a positive way for the most part. I had a mixture of emotions about some of the contributors, fearing for some and knowing others had the best chance possible because their parents were 100% behind them.

If I have a criticism, it's that the whole transgender thing seems like a conveyor belt industry and I wonder how many rushing to get surgery or hormones will live to regret it. I hear all sorts of statistics and don't believe any of them.

Sorry folks just haven't got time tonight, things to do which can't be left. Hopefully tomorrow.

There was no Bike last night or a blog explaining why because the site refused to accept either for which I expect there is a reason beyond a sudden attack of good taste. I gave up at nearly 1.00am GMT having tried for 45 minutes to post my latest offering of scintillating charm and wit - only my modesty holds me back, I know, but we geniuses have great insight!

Seem to be perpetually tired these days, possibly caught my daughter's fatigue - only joking. Tomorrow is another hard day - in fact the week is, so I'll write as and when I can. My sincere apologies to those who anticipated more Bike tonight but I just can't finish tonight's episode.