A mixed week

So the post Christmas/New Year period is over and we all return to normal - um, not quite. My cough remains and my energy levels are still well down on my usual, possibly not helped by working silly hours.

My ex and I are still worried sick about our daughter who is still awaiting confirmation of the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis - she's possibly getting worse and her GP wanted to admit her to hospital. In the end she went but didn't stay and they hoped to arrange the MRI next week sometime. She's got to the stage where if she falls over she can't pull herself up again; this the girl who a few months ago was running, swimming, cycling and doing three exercise classes a week. It breaks my heart.

On the positive side, once NatWest Bank decided I wasn't fraudulently using my own debit card, they allowed me to buy a new bike, a Boardman Fi compact hybrid, which is very nice, very quick and hard work. The chainset is a compact 50/34, so will be hard work on hills as I usually ride a triple, oh well, maybe 2013 is the year I get fit - ha ha. I attach a piccie, it's a very pretty bike even when ridden by an old crone.

Today, I was astonished by two things: first, the sun is shining and I managed a ride on the above bike and fitted a bottle cage; second, after completing the Observer crossword, I read through the paper and there was a rant by Julie Burchill - her with the squeaky, whiney voice and transphobic attitude. It was in support of her friend Suzanne Moore being tweeted by loads of outraged trannies after an article she wrote, and was very insulting to transsexuals of all shape and size. I left a comment on the website but won't include a link - BC would catch fire it's so awful - the rant I mean. If you want to be outraged look on the 'Comment is free' section of the Guardian/Observer website - though quite honestly, I wouldn't bother.