Old age does not come without responsibilities. How true that saying is. At a time of life when you think you deserve a break from the relentless grinds of daily life, (wherever you have worked) the time of life now commonly referred to as the third age, hits you with a whole range of calling cards. All the cards are calls upon your time and abilities, physical and psychological. They make no allowances, they give you no quarter.

Depending on the straw pulled in the earlier years, you may find the third age totally invigorating and rewarding for some time.

Ahead of the young third - agers, are those seniors who will need the younger ones' supporting arms, also their minds, to assist them to remain in the community. If not, then the same people may need to arrange other forms of suitable care from the industry that has developed around old-age needs; then it is likely, they will ensure that all is as it should be. The care management of the vulnerable, frail elderly, more often than not, will fall to the younger, retired group.

Most people take on the responsibilities with love and honour. But, where have the ideas and the plans gone, where is the time and the physical ability to enjoy the changed lifestyle that age and retirement are supposed to allow?

What a muddle of thoughts I have experienced this week. Par for the current course of events I suppose. I never thought I would make sense of my 'to do' list, let alone get the order right. I even thought I wouldn't get through it.

"You know," someone said, "at times like these," (bereavement he meant) "you feel its all a great mess that can't get sorted. It does you know." Nice man. I plodded on.

Today, I saw that Edinburgh University Medical School was left £2 million, (just part of a range of academic bequests from one estate) sixty years after the donor had died. The thought of dealing with the affairs of an estate for that length of time - a lifetime - made my mind boggle.

Scoop - First pictures of the triplets

"Firty pahnds playse" said customer to transport ticket office salesperson.

The young cat who adopted sprog's landlady had three kittens yesterday afternoon. She found a box in a corner and got on with the business of production. Mum and triplets are doing well.

The little balls of life are described as adorable; one is black and white striped, two are black splodged and white. Mum, is a very attractive, petite white cat with bits of black strategically placed to maximum pretty effect.

I am bereaved. Many of us have been there and more than once in our lives.
Everything has to be arranged and tidied up as soon as possible, before I disappear from the the city to go to the comfort of my own home, which is far away. It is a difficult task, it is emotionally and physically draining. I admit, I am very tired now.