Friday 9th May 08

A noisy start to the day as out children don't like school, they are both facing tests, SATS etc. However, with some cajoling, they went with Gill and I had my breakfast and removed over 100 emails from my inbox.... it can be a very difficult job for me to know whether to delete or put in a folder. Loads get deleted but I'm not good at throwing things away and like to save stuff, and this goes for emails too. I wonder if I have a touch of kleptomania re emails???

Gill came home and told me that our friend Melody's daughter, who's in her late teens, heard last night that one of her friends had been killed whilst out cycling. We didn't know the person but we both cried. Although we don't yet know the facts of what happened, this just makes us even more angry about the car culture, speeding motorists, inconsiderate behaviour on the roads, etc etc. We'll have to wait and see what's in the news in the Press or on the BBC to hear some detail. But whatever happened, it's a tragic loss to all her friends and family. What a waste.

The lunchtime news gave a little more information... she wasn't actually on a road, but on the cycle track where it is crossed by a service road to the Racecourse... and she collided with a lorry which was delivering portaloos to the racecourse for next week's meeting. Tragic.

A sad day, close to tears for much of it. Tried to get some help for my friend from last night.

I collected the boys, we had a quiet evening.