Michael's Meanderings

Continued watching iZombie (only a few days after US broadcast), also new Thunderbirds are go, saw Last episode of The Mentalist and 200th episode of Bones (gave up on both series a while back)
For Free Comic Book Day I visited Dave's Comics in Brighton and got goodie bag of comics
Decided to continue the series started by one - so visiting Uncanny Comics near work. Also ordered some from Forbidden planet (cheaper than amazon even with postage)
Bought a new Acer Aspire ES1512 from Tesco for only £179, comes with Windows 8.1 ;-( (and free one year license for Windows 10!)
After collecting from local store (ordered online) had to configure and removed unwanted buyware, downloaded Windows 8 updates and then installed then (total time over 6 hours!)
A number of trains delayed, so was able to claim a tiny delay refund!
Saw Avengers: Age of Ultron at local cinema (Sunday matinee in 2D)
Dance classes on Tuesday with J revised foxtrot, waltz, tango
General and local elections didn't effect me as I voted postally before canvassing started in earnest!
Finally got around to adding £10 to my iPhone account, got £20 free credit in addition - was unable to use it all up, within 1 month!
Listened to The Master Magician (via audible) last in trilogy and finished in one day!
Got my eyes tested at Specsavers (with work voucher test and glasses were free) but could only get single VDU lenses for free. Eyes hadn't changed enough to justify replacing varifocals
Started watching new dramatisation of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell on BBC1, I may finally get the the end of the story having failed to finish both the original book and the audio edition.
Binged on Castle series 6, repeated prior to series 7, missed due to sky box crash last year.
Re-watching Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries series 2
Reserved Uprooted by Naomi Novik from library and read in one day
Started new Coursera class - An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (Part 1)
Last Saturday in the month si social dance nigh BUT this month was the annual Loraine Barry lecture and tea dance.
Loraine is a World, European, British Open, International, US & Irish Champion, and friend of my Dance Teacher! Gave a workshop on posture and footwork in foxtrot, waltz and tango
Last Sunday in the month saw Tomorrowland, which was better than it might have been if a bit parasitic at the end.
So a pretty busy month, not least - first full month back at work.

As usual I went ballroom dancing every Tuesday, in Crawley. First week however C was ill, and I danced with a different C (whose partner was working late). Continued learning Tango with J and at the end of the moth started a simple tango in the early class with C.
First Monday of the month was the Brighton SF Book read (this month was "Cat's Cradle")
Given that MS was stopping security updates from 8th April I switched on my XP machine to get a final update.
We got infested with ants, and D had to spray sections of the kitchen. No sign since the last spraying.
Took the day off for my birthday, booked doctors appointments (re foot/leg pain and asthma review) then to TB where I was collected by my dance partner J.
We first went to Tulleys Farm, which until recently was a working farm, but has now had to become a theme farm!
Then to West Hoathly to The Cat Inn, arrived 12:00. Had green salad, steak and ale pie with chips and veg, apple and rhubarb nut crumble with custard and half of cider. Jane paid £50.10 for us both. Left 2:10.
Wandered around village, then to Stone Farm and back to Crawley by 3:10
Went to Rewards and finally got my Level 3 Word Processing Software (ECDL Advanced Word 2007)
Certificate at a general presentation starting at 3:30, (my certificate had a typo so it had to be replaced!) After just had a cup of tea, as I was full from lunch.
Caught the train to H and then a bus to S to surprise my sister, who had just got back from holiday herself.
We celebrated our birthdays by having a fish and chip supper and by seeing the ISS twice, once in daylight and once later in the night!
Started "Coursera - Programming for Everyone" another python programming class, and also started mowing the lawns again.
My contract at NHS Sussex IT has been extended again to the end of May, (so that's 2 months more than expected).
Ordered a new 1TB external drive, and a DVD R/RW both using a single USB connection. unfortunately the DVD was out of stock and the replacement used 2 USB wires ;-(
I've been taking more location photos for LibraryThing, including Goring Library, now I have to get around to uploading them.
Easter was this month too, and due to wanting to go to Worldcon in London in August (and Eastercon being in Glasgow) I couldn't afford to go. I did watch the announcement of the Hugo Nominees live though.
I finally got a refund from EDF on my electric bill, 3 years after moving to British Gas!
Over the Easter weekend I also made a bread an butter pudding, one of the few things I can actually cook.
I also finally managed to transfer all the data from some floppy disks my Mum had asked me to recover. Some of the files were over 20 years old (and still readable)
On 23rd World Book Night I went to Brighton Jubilee Library, Author Q&A + reading by Lisa Cutts, got free World Book Night book
Ordered and received a new Barcode laser scanner, for use with LibraryThing
I finished off sanding the bone sharing knife, that I had just started working on and then wrapped a leather handle and roughed out a sheath.
Got a new Photo ID for train travel and my previous one had faded to unreadable, than got a new monthly ticket.
Saw Rio 2 (U) at the local cinema. Sky have upgraded the Operating System in their HD+ box