Michael's Meanderings

First Line Dance class was cancelled at the last minute, Margaret phone on Monday to inform. New ballroom teacher (Sam) joined E & B in class (with extra students) - V&G + S&T left class in protest.
Had an asthma attack at work and had to sit quiet for an hour before leaving early! So booked asthma review (which was due anyway).
Arranged for a complementary congratulatory card from the Queen, for my parents 60th Anniversary - also ordered a nice bespoke frame for this to be presented in.
The weather was very warm & sunny 25°C+ most of the month, so the discussion of A Canticle for Leibowitz, which was held at one of the member's beach hut was very pleasant. However I had forgot we were meeting there until no one arrived at the normal (Lord Nelson Pub) location. I got there about a half hour late!
Line dance class has continued, but only had 2 weeks class this month. Visited my sister & parents - then attended another Ceroc workshop, getting better but really need to practice.
Ordered an Android phone for only £45 - wanted a spare smartphone, and wanted to try a modern droid device.
Went to the cinema to see The Incredibles 2, after watching The Incredibles the previous week on TV.
J confirmed that she had early diagnosis of breast cancer, and her operation was scheduled on the day I flew out to Holland.
Flew to Holland for a week, to visit D. Went to the Science Museum in Amsterdam, took photos from the car in Rotterdam, and took a morning ride along the the canals near D's new flat.
Got texts and email from Barclaycard notifying me my card had some fraudulent activity on it. Had to cancel it on my retunr and confirm which ones were valid.
Had arranged to return on Tuesday so I could go to ballroom class, BUT due to J not being there after her op, I decided not to go. I did go line dancing the following day though after going to the cinima to see Mama Mia: Here we go Again
The last Thursday in the month, was my last day of leave and celebrated my parents 60th Wedding Anniversay, the weather was sunny and a good time was had by all - a small select gathering including both my sister and my paternal aunt and uncle, wit a few additional friends.
The highlight was the presentation of the queens card!
Finally rained after weeks of sun! Most of the grass had turned brown.

Back to work after Easter on Wednesday, took Tuesday off. Went Line dancing as is the new normal - and each following Wednesday. Ballroom classes on Tuesday, with practice on the 2nd and 3rd Fridays. Social Dance on the last Saturday.
On Saturday 7th I took public transport to my sister's (replacement but and train on my season ticket, and waived on the final bus for free) to celebrate out combined birthdays (hers is the day after mine).
My Parents, sister and brother-in-law, were joined by my niece and her husband for a most excellent Chinese take out (delivered)
The following day my sister and I went to a Ceroc workshop (where she was a taxi dancer / assistant) and I tried to remember steps. this was my third Ceroc workshop and it was finally sinking in!
The Brighton SF Reading Group discussed "Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town" which I again did not finish ;-(
J went on holiday to Japan for 3 weeks, so I had to get a lift to the station from one of my fellow dancers. It was quite weird dancing on my own most of the time.
Got a new banking app on iPhone, old one expired & needed to setup a secure access using my thumb print, unfortunately this didn't work and I spent over an hour with tech support trying to get it to work before they were notified the service was down!
I did finally manage to get it working and it's must easier that the previous system.
Follycon sent my Souvenir book and other documentation in the post, including a pin as I was at the previous Follycon in Liverpool in 1988 (so named as it included 1st of April in the weekend)
Got my PC replaced with a new Dell with Windows 10 (64-bit with 8GB memory & 256GB solid state drive) which means my old PC would be thrown away, I requested if I could retain it myself (as it's much better speced than my own desktop)
Put together VR Cardboard goggles (quite old and sticky tape not very strong, but even so surprisingly effective. Took my old PC with it's 2 screens (3 journeys on the train) home and setup by installing Ubuntu over the original hard drive.
Then asked to bring it back in so the hard drive could be removed and physically destroyed!

My little sister H, was visiting my parents in the first week, so I visited them and got to see her. (She lives in Somerset near Glastonbury), we got to chat, and hang out.
The second Monday was Brighton SF Book Club and this month was Random Asimov, we each needed to discuss any SF work by the author. I found a novelette called “It’s a Beautiful Day” and discussed this.
First weekend in February is the UK Filkcon, and this year was the 30th anniversary - and I've been to 27 of them. Guests were Betsy Tinney, The Crookletts & Omega (not a musician).
Ate my meals at the bungalow diner, except for breakfast, which was included in the room rate.
The following week I was a Picocon 35 at Imperial College – The guests were Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell (illustrator), Emma Newman (of Tea & Jeopardy podcast), with a late appearance by Ben Aaronovich.
Due to school schedules the social dance was on the same day so had to take my dance shoes to London and get back to Crawley for 7:00. J still unable to dance, so I only danced a few ballroom dances. I did get to dance all the sequence dances with different partners though.
Had to go to the dentist to get a filling repaired. It was fairly painless and quick. (i did have to leave work early though).
I finally found a new Line Dance Class (nearer work than home) and went for my first class, even though it was touted as Beginner / Improver it was hard work, if I hadn't done this before I would have given up. I will however continue.
Toward the end of the month we hit a cold spell, with a little snow, despite the forecast for blizzard condition and piles of snow. I only got about 2cm locally, other parts of the country were less lucky.
The worst of the weather was due on Wed 28th, the day I'd booked to go to London to see ABBA: Super Trooper - The Exhibition! Despite blizzard predictions I got to London without too much trouble, and first went to Forbidden Planet to get a few books. (The latest Seanan McGuie inCrypted novel).
Then caught the tube to Festival Hall at the South Bank Centre, (got covered in snow while walking from the tube) arrived very early so ate lunch, had a hot chocolate, before making my way to the exhibit.
This was not an exhibit of items behind glass with nicely printed labels providing background (though there were a few of these). But it was more of an interactive immersive experience.
It was made up of eight "rooms" which attempted to evoke a particulate location, which was important to the evolution of ABBA. Unfortunately photography was not allowed & and no souvenir booklet was available (and I forgot to make notes - phones all off - until afterwards) so I'm not 100% of the order of the rooms.
So the first room we entered was dark and when the door slid closed it was pitched black. Then the lights came on to show a Super Trouper spot light, we then played name that tune with ABBA tracks (the same lady got all of them correct!)
We then went into a 70's style living room, it felt like my Great Aunts' lounge. We saw TV clips on an old style TV (including questioning if we should enter the EU!)
From there we entered a Brighton hotel bedroom, used by Benny & Agnetha after their Eurovision win, there was a replica of Benny's guitar and Agnetha's original skull cap.
The exit, through the wardrobe was to a Swedish forest where they sang together for the first time (at a folk festival).
From this point on I'm not certain of the order in which we passed from room to room. So in no particular order we visited the Polar recording studio with the original mixing desk and multitrack recorders. I was able to mix together the various parts into a recognisable tune. All of the group then did a singalong in the recording booth.
We entered the toilet of a club from the early 80s, with graffiti and posters peppering the walls.
Then to Australia in the pouring rain and the caravans used for changing rooms
the penultimate room was Lasse Hallström's apartment, which was used as a stand in for Agnetha's apartment in "One of Us", I was asked to open the door to the final room, a first class section of an 80s airplane, with video windows showing take off and some videos, we also did a sing along!
And then we exited the experience and left in the snow, with only our tickets and external photos as aid to our memories.
Next stop was the Science Museum as there were two illuminating India exhibits, exploring 5000 years of Indian science & technology, and a photographic record of Indian history.
I was intending to stay on for the Lates opening in the evening, but the weather and my exhaustion from being on me feet all day meant I left earlier than originally planned.

So I started my month in Holland and returned on a very delayed flight, (see previous post). This is also very late, but better late than never.
My Sky remote keeps glitching, so I found an app for my iPhone which does the same thing via WiFi. Had an hour's power cut, and played games on my phone by candle light ;-)
Bought a supporting membership to Worldcon76, and decided NOT to go to Eastercon in 2018, as I couldn't get the Thursday off work AND it's the last Saturday in the month so I'd miss dancing.
Researched annual season tickets, and confirmed I can get an interest free loan from work. Buying in December (before fares go up in January) saves over £400 per year (as against 12 monthly tickets)
Had to get a replacement office door entry card (the original had the address on it in error). Yoga class now moved to Tuesday, so there is little time between its end and getting to Crawley for my Ballroom dance class! I therefore have to eat sandwiches on the train. if I want any dinner/supper.
I continue to take advantage of the Delay Repay compensation for delayed / cancelled trains, used £45 worth to pay for my train tickets to Filkcon and Picocon.
The Strictly Come Dancing Final was exciting, and very difficult to call. Any of the finalists could have easily won.
Went Dancing in Stenying, Jane collected me and had a nice time on Sunday evening.
For the Christmas week the Brighton SF Book Club discussed Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith, I actually had nearly finished the book by the time of the meeting & did finish it before the week was done.
D came back for a visit over Christmas, hiring a car to collect Maya (his cat) and we booked car and train tickets to return her after Christmas (see locked post)
On my first day back to work (between xmas & new year) the road outside the station was flooded (even the pavement was partially under water!
On New Years eve went to the annual Crawley Academy social dance, doors opened at 6:00 and after helping clear up at the end J & I left at 00:30
A young couple Matthew & Holly provided a Latin demonstration and a buffet supper was included.

So this month I took over the duty of putting the rubbish bins out for collection, which means getting up 5 minutes earlier on Tuesdays!
On the first Saturday I went in to London to the Science Museum, as this was my last chance to see the exhibition “Robots - The 500-year quest to make machines human”, well worth the time and money, the exhit book was also good value reduced from £25 to £15 (same price as ticket).
Dance classes on Tuesday continue with a completely new cha cha routine, which is cool - but makes my brain and body hurt! Dance practice on 1st & 3rd Friday of the month and Social dance on the last Saturday.
I’ve been watching Who do you think you are? and Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes? Both provide a self learning experience for the participants - in different ways. Also watching Midnight Texas - and listened to the audio edition of the original book and it’s fairly unlike the TV show - the big bad is totally different. Strictly Come Dancing has started - meaning that autumn is definitely here.
The SF Book Club book this month was “The Peripheral” which again I didn’t finish, there was a lively discussion though.
Managed to post my Worldcon report (in addition to my monthly blog!)
Took a day off to help D with packing, also was able to see “Dunkirk” at the Orion Cinema - Golden Years only £2.50 inc tea and biscuit!
Renewed season ticket using 13 delay repay voucher (£33.50 refunded).
Managed to chip one of my teeth, and got an “emergency” appointment right after being fitted with a 24 hour blood pressure monitor (my dentist and doctor are about 100m apart).
My physio appointment at the Princess Royal Hospital finally came through, must exercise ham strings, which are then affecting my back, no yoga this month - 2+ months without classes.
Went to visit parents & sister and had a very busy weekend. Arrived on Friday to discover Dad may be suffering from Alzheimer's. Mum wanted to close her Force 9 account, so had to copy her website to an archive location on my site, and redirect all email and web pages to new locations. In the evening my sister took Mum and I to an Americana evening with line dancing (though floor area was not large!) First time mum went out in the evening for months if not years. the following afternoon went into Horsham where the town celebrated an American day - weather was lovely and tw one hour line dance demos were given by Flying High Line Dancers (inc my sister) I did stand up and dance in the “audience participation” part of the performance.
My iPhone stop syncing my diary with dropbox (after an iOS update) on the last Thursday of the month. When I tried to force a sync the app crashed so I lost all the written records for a week. I have been able to recreate some details but others have been lost.

Ballroom Danced every Tue with J and also on last Saturday in the month for social,
Continued with Yoga (teacher very pregnant!) also line dancing but last two weeks canceled. Practice line dancing on patio
Visited parents (the w/e before their 59th wedding anniversary) and sister - line danced together.
Installed 1Mobile Market on Fire Tablet, allowing me to install many Android apps from Google Play Store on Amazon fire
Went to the cinema to see saw Spider-Man: Homecoming. Also had my annual asthma review - but have to revisit as I was ill at the time. Also got to get a chest x-ray at PRH.
Book club discussed Childhood's End which I had only partially read. Then confirmed group visit to London on the last saturday of the month.
Got a ticket for Into the Unknown: A Journey through Science Fiction - an exhibition at the Barbican, and spent most of the day there with 6 other members of the book group.
Discovered that I'd lost the emails with flight and hotel details, (to Finland) fortunately was able to find the correct website to login and download details again.
D gave me his iPhone 6 (with fingerprint scanner). He has a new twin SIMM droid phone
Started watching Midnight Texas

This month my dance partner J went to South America on holiday, so I've been dancing with myself (mostly, sometimes with B one of the dance teachers). I therefore didn't go to the social dance at the end of the month (that I had a pain between my back and right shoulder didn't help either)
I've also ordered a new pair of dance shoes (at D's instigation!), they have arrived but I haven't got around to trying them on yet!
Started re-watching Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries from the beginning. Went to Daves Comix in Brighton for Free Comic Book Day (and collected a few free comics)
Had an occupational therapy evaluation at work, discovered that the best posture us to lean back onto your chair rather than sitting upright.
Continued line dancing (six weeks so far) and have learned (or at least danced 15 dances), also restarted yoga class. Since both these occur on Wednesday by the time I get home I'm knackered!
I have just discovered that Audible now has an annual subscription of £69.99 for 12 credits, rather than £7.99 per month for a single credit (a saving of £2.16 a month!) it also means I can pre-order tiles without worrying if I will have a credit available when the tile is published.
This month the SF book club met in a new location (The Lord Nelson) as the earth and stars was being renovated. We discussed Heart of a Comet which I again didn't finish. We also enjoyed the new location and decided to return next month.
Went to see Guardians of the Galaxy - Vol 2 at the dome, in Worthing and appeared to have been sold a senior seat, first time this has happened (apart from the over 55 showing at the Orion in BH) fun movie.
My little sister came over (from somerset) to visit the aged parent - and brought her dog Fraizer - so I caught the train and bus to join them for the week end. My Aunt and Uncle also came to visit on Sunday which made it even more special.
Had to visit the dentist to get a filling in a tooth on the lower right, not too expensive a repair. The Hugo Finalist voter pack has been released and I have started reading / listening to theses.
I had an appointment to see a podiatrist and booked the morning off so that I wouldn't have any problems with arrival times. Got in to work early and queried by my manager why I was in work as I had the morning off! So I caught the train back and managed to get to my appointment with 5 minutes to spare!
It was a lovely sunny day so after walking back to the station, I had a delightful ice cream sundae before returning to work!
The last Saturday in the month was my Mum's birthday, so I caught the early train and bus to their location and arrived 9:30 (as mum was finishing breakfast!). My sister got back from walking 3 dogs and then we practised line dancing together. went out for lunch at my niece's new house, then got a lift home. Front door was dead bolted so I couldn't get in!
Had to wait for D to get back from Brighton, which was only 15 minutes. On the last bank holiday of the month I made my annual visit to the circus at Preston Park. This year was Gerry Cottle's WOW circus, there was a fine selection including some excellent jugging and a number of impressive magical trick cutting people in half in three different ways.

Yoga class has been reduced to 4 students and last 3 weeks there was no class;-(
On the first Saturday I was busy as in the morning I went to HH Library for a history walk around town by railway.
Then in the evening went to The Drill Hall in Horsham with my sister & J for a dance with the Milestone Big Band, with a basic cha cha class taught by Christopher & Diana Crowhurst
and then demo from same. Danced a number of cha chas with J & C. Went home with C to visit the family.
Two weeks later we all returned to the same location for an afternoon tea dance, which had a better selection of dance styles, and tea and sandwiches, for less than the previous offering. The 3 of us had a better time.
Saw Logan (15) at the cinema after work (met J from work there - unplanned).
Other sister H came to visit, from Somerset, and we went to visit my niece at her new house. Gave my sister my spare copy of "A Natural History of Dragons".
On second Monday went to book club to discuss The Peace War / Marooned in Realtime (had finished the first book but not all the second)
Had a bad cold, such that I lost most of my voice, and fortunately was assigned admin at work (rather than having to answer phone calls). Had more interrupted sleep due to coughing!
Ballroom Dancing classes continued every Tuesday, revised technique on the ballroom style dances.
Restarted regularly listening to audio books, via Audible (after a dip in February). Started listening to the Lady Trent's Memoirs which are perfect audio material.
Got diagnosed with Osteoarthritis, pain in my feet and fingers.
used up my last leave by taking last 2 days of the month off! On Thursday went down to Brighton and bought tickets to see "Thoroughly Modern Millie" at the Theatre Royal preceded by a tour of the back stage area. Something to look forward too.

Saw Rogue One (A Star Wars story) on Bank Holiday. Rather dark, but much better that the earlier trilogy.
Renewed my season ticked and got a 26% discount, and used a lot of delay repay vouchers.
Yoga class has had reduced numbers, down to 2 of us at the lowest numbers, but regularly 4 students.
D paying for Amazon Prime as he wants to watch The Grand Tour - so we are sharing the account.
Had first Personal Development Review, since becoming full time. Need to complete additional training, (before upgrading to Band 4)
Have also been trying to complete some online training - for work, but have had significant issues, not least test scres not being saved.
Due to the rail strike, I had to take the bus to work, this took over an hour longer than by train! and fortunately i only had to resort to this once.
I've been able to take all the other days when trains were not running as Leave, but this time too many others had booked the day off!
On one of these days off saw Passengers (12A) at the Orion Cinema Golden years showing (for over 55 years) for only £2.50 inc tea and biscuits!
Had to move desks at work second time in 2 months!) now well practised in moving!
Booked ticket to Marks Tey (for this year's filkcon - Quoi de Neuf) using Delay Repay eVouchers.
Continued with Ballroom Dance class with J each week. New Samba steps! End of month social dance didn't manage to use the new steps though

Used over £50 worth of Delay Repay Vouchers, to pay for 25% of my season ticket! Strikes and other delays and cancellations are still ongoing.
Most important thing to happen is that I have transferred to a new NHS Organisational Unit NEL Commissioning Support Unit as a Junior Service Desk Analyst (This is apparently a permanent role!)
The second most important thing was that I caught a could which converted into Laryngitis, which mean I was off work for 2 weeks! Saw 2 different GPs and got signed off work. I also saw a consultant re the aches and pains in my joints/back.
I have still been going to Yoga (strikes and illness permitting) and to ball room dancing too. Had an extra "Strictly Snowflake" Saturday Dance, which I went to even without voice! (I could still dance).
Other major news, in collaboration with my next door neighbour, our semi-detached garage has been re-roofed. This was instigated by the neighbour but given the state of the roof it was about time.
I was able to pay for this and the final instalment for the work on the main house room last month due to having to option to remove some money from my AVC pension top up plan.
D went to Holland for a weekend visit, relating to his status after brexit!, and I had to look after his kitten Maya, she was a sweetie.
After returning to work went to see "Fabulous Beasts & Where to Find Them" at the cinema, a slight story but with wonderful sets and special effects.
By the end of the month Winter came with a vengeance with temperatures of -3°C.