mbernardi | Entries tagged with walking

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.

Spent New Year's Day with J, went for walk in Bucham Park before lunch (kangaroo steaks!)
Saw The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn on TV (I have not been watching many films of TV of late
Bought Texet Power Bank (to recharge iPod) £6 at Wilco (reduced from £8), this will extend the time before I will be forced to buy a replacement.
Listened to Good Omens on iPlayer - BBC Radio production
Prior to going to to book group heard a bus knock down a pedestrian! (in the argus later) traffic stopped for hours.
To Earth & Stars pub for SF Book meeting "Good Omens" new people turned up
Sky box crashed and deleted ALL content I'd saved over the years!
Dancing wit J on Tuesdays, started to learn a new series of waltz steps.
Decided to re-read daughter of the empire (and its sequels) by wurst & feist and couldn't find my copies.
Discovered library copies at Worthing so got 1st book from there and the other 2 from Brighton (which didn't have the 1st book!)
Saw "Into the Woods" at the cinema in BH. New series of The Librarians is great fun, hope it continues, (but very Warehouse 13).
Saw dentist and got a temp filling in top left, needs proper filling next month.
Booked two tickets to see "Return to the Forbidden Planet" at the Theatre Royal in Brighton (stalls). J & I went to the matinee performance.
J had not seen it before while I'd seen at least 10 prior version. 'twas excellent as usual!
Ordered 3 throwing knives, which arrived very quickly - but were smaller than expected. I will have to source a board to throw at.
Backup of my LJ account to DW
Got my hair cut. Saw the Royal Institute Christmas Lectures (3 programs). Got first 3 episodes of Agent Carter from JA at work, very period - pity not being shown in the UK. Trying to play digital media on TV fails.
Last day of the month was the Social Dance in Crawley

Woke up 7:20, showered,checked email and LJ then down to breakfast 8:15 where I had waffle fingers, bagel and cream cheese, coffee, OJ, cereal and a croissant.

Updated my LJ and finished book from hostel library. Discovered D wanted XXL t-shirts so had to return two shirts to CVS and get larger size. Also got some postcards.

By this time it's after noon so got an ice cream from DQ.

Walked to Buckingham Fountain at 1:00 stayed for a while waiting fir the tall jet stream. Then walked along the lake shore, past all the various boats and ships to the Navy Pier arriving at 2:00. Went to check the IMAX but the film didn't start for two hours and cost $16, so I decided against it. While there a Jazz/Blues group played, and I stayed to listen.

On leaving the Navy Pier I walked west on Illinous to Michigan when I made my way to the river. Stopped at the Chicago Tribune building, which has bits of rocks from all over, attached to the walls.

After crossing the river I spent some time in the Bridgehouse museum (free) which told the history of the river and waterways and how this effected the development of Chicago.
Then along Wacker and left St Clark to
Ronny's Original Steakhouse at 100 W Randolph St (next to the L station). I had an 8oz T-bone steak, salad with French dressing, baked potato, and a can of coke, total cost $11.36. The meat was rather well done for medium.

Due to being tired I took the Blue Line from Clark/Lake (no connection for other lines) back to the hostel at 5:00, to discover the Chicago Summer Dance started with an hour of teaching at 4:00! Which I missed. Sped off and got to the park / dance area around 5:15. Due to not knowing the US style and painful blisters, I didn't dance, but I did get a free CD and listened to the cool "Alan Gresik Swing Shift Orchestra", playing vintage ballroom.
Finished at 7:00 and was back to the hostel by 7:15.

Used EeePC to purchase a 28 day metro bus pass. Caught up on new email.
Went for a DQ Blizzard cookie dough double fudge medium with $1 off coupon. Back to bed watched first 4 Warehouse 13 webisodes, "Grand Designs" (not available in UK) and then too sleep.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

Woke up 8:25, showered checked email and LJ then down to breakfast 9:15 dinning area packed but managed to find a space. No bagels though. Read a bit and finally left at 11:10 for Millenium Park.

Arrived at the Welcome Center just as the free tour of the park was starting! Spent an hour walking around, finishing at the Bean. Then across the Nichols bridgeway to the Art Institute down to ground level, wandered the shop. I then went to the Corner Bakery Cafe on Monroe, had an All American Scrambler (bacon, eggs, hash browns, onions) and water for $7.19. Then to CVS to get pain killers and hand cream. Noticed for the first time my hands are starting to look old!

Back to the old library/cultural centre to rest and catch up on my blogging. Downloaded the "Chicago" app, a bit late but...

Then back to the hostel in time for the weekly lemonade and cookies

Left at 4:15 for the Brown line north (caught at HW Library). Stayed on until Merchandise Mart, had problems exiting but eventually got out at Orleans. Walked north to Grand where the MacMall was on the corner (329 W Grand Avenue) bought a new iPod touch for $210.18 (£132.35) including tax. Then walked north to get the Brown line at Chicago, Grand being halfway between Chicago and Merchandise Mart.

As recommended by one of the volunteer guides, I stayed on the Brown line until it's terminus at Kimball. It was interesting to see the different building styles as the train left the city. Five stops from Kimball it stopped being elevated and ran at near ground level.

I got on the next train back to the loop at Kimball and returned to my starting station (HW Library) two and a half hours later.

I was back in the hostel by 7:00 and unpacked my iPod hoping to try it out. First it seems to be exactly the same size despite of cameras and microphones. However it seems to require an unsecured wifi connection to start. So far this has been unavailable.

Phoned the MacMall store (free as local call, store open 8:00 to 8:00) and got confirmation that they have a network that would work. So if all else fails I can return there to set it up.

Discovered that cafecito (next to the hostel) has a secure wifi so bought an iced coffee for $2.18 and got access. The coffee was excellent. Then up to my room to collect my now fully charged iPod. Then down again and logged into cafe wifi and it worked. Completed setup with iCloud sync and started trying the camera. Low light levels ment poor quality but so cool.

Decided to get something to eat so used a discount coupon to buy a medium blizzard strawberry cheese cake ice cream for $3.31 from the "DQ Grill & Chill" on the corner. It was lovely but I then had a penny dropping moment when I realised DQ stood for Dairy Queen! (I also discovered that tlc stood for "the L cafe" rather than "tender loving care").

I then decided to try a little beef sandwich at Al's #1 Italian Beef. Mountains of juicy beef stuffed into a 4" roll, for $4.98. I had to wash my hands before leaving, there was so much juice. It was nicely seasoned too.

Back to the hostel to trim my beard and then take a shower, then updated my blog notes before bed.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

Woke up 8:25 and down to breakfast 9:45 dinning area packed so decided to go to TLC around the corner for 3 pancakes and coffee. This cost $8.90 but I had to have pancakes at least once while here. The pancakes were light and fluffy and fell apart when cut, but they tasted fine.

Back to hostel for another less bitter coffee, breakfast still available, though it was after 10:00 (no milk though).

Read all morning until I finished my book. Then down for lunch, reheated last pizza slice from yesterday and had it with coffee. It reheated surprisingly well. Finished downloading remaining audio guide I started on yesterday. Had to recharge iPod before leaving. Started a new book. Discovered the audio player needs a net connection to access ads, so got a Strawberry lemonade at Monroe / Clark Monroe / Clark McCafe and used the free wifi there.

Continued making my way north to the river where the audio tour officially started. Then made my way south again via a wander through the old public library, now the Chicago Cultural Center, where my camera battery finally died (and I didn't bring a charger). Got back to the hostel 6:15 for a lie down as I'm very tired from walking, and my blisters hurt.

Read until 7:50 then went round the corner to DQ and had a burger and fries with iced tea - with a Then to the common room unti 10ish when I went upstairs to discover my towel had gone missing. So to reception to get a replacement, and then (11:05) to bed.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

Woke up 7:25 and down to breakfast at 8:00 bagels and apples were both available. Updated yesterday's narrative and uploaded to LJ.

Checked email and LJ then went to Harold Washington Library (largest public lending library in US). Surfed Internet for 45 minutes and printed directions to The Portage Theater, where "Can't stop the Serenity" will take place next Saturday. The printouts were 15c each so cost 60c in total.

Then went up to the 9th floor to see the winter garden an the exhibits there (all free).

Back to the hotel to read for a while, fot a blister on my right foot. Finished book and downloaded audio guide from Chicago Loop Alliance. Left around five, bought a chocolate ice cream, then followed the map provided with the audio files, and got two blocks when I realised I'd forgotten my camera.

Back to my room collected camera and off again.

Most interesting this www the start of Route 66, and the Cloud Gate aka the Bean in Millenium Park.

Then went for dinner at Guirdano's. Had iced tea and a small stuffed deep dish pizza.
Took 45 minutes to cook!

Best pizza ever! A tart case 3cm deep of bread dough, filled with 1cm of mozzarella cheese, topped with a very herbed tomato sauce. Cut into six slices.

Server Vanessa kindly took photo of me and the pizza.

Only managed to finish five out of six slices, but last one was boxed up to take away. Total including $3 tip was $21 worth every penny!

Finished 7:50 left to return to hostel via Michigan. Got back 8:15 put pizza in fridge, then read for a bit, showered and bed by 10:00.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

I really need to update more regularly ;-) As a completist, when GURPS Vorkosigan was finally published on 11 June, after a nine year wait, even if only in PDF format so far I had to get a copy. But now I'm finding my laptop screen too small to view it properly.

The last few weekends I've been having deep tissue massage, to help with my back and right heel tendons, this last week I've had to use a hot pack on my right thigh, it does seem to have helped. Last Saturday since it was such a nice day I decided to walk from Hove to Brighton, this took over an hour, but then I did stop to check out various shops. Later that evening I saw Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds at the Brighton Centre. Which was most excellent. If it had just been a live performance of the album it would have been great, but there was a wide screen on which live action and animation were used to illustrate the story, that's not to mention the holographic Richard Burton. To cap it of an animatronics Tripod war machine descended from the rafters to the stage. One other impressing item was that for £20 go could get a copy of that night's live performance, so I ordered a 3 CD set and was able to collect it and leave half an hour after the performance had ended!

On Sunday three weeks back I had my last walk around Bedelands Farm and saw rabbits, ducks, geese and butterflies. The Windows operating system on my laptop failed and I finally decided to install Ubuntu 9.04. Everything works (though the laptop screen doesn't quite fit, though when plugged into the TV it's fine. Most things I can do without any problems, but I'm finding it difficult to find all the tools that I've picked up in Windows over the last ten+ years in Linux versions. But it's certainly interesting, looking for the tools, and learning how Linux differs from Windows (and is the same).

My kitchen has finished being built, there are new floor tiles, the walls and ceiling have been repainted and new gas cooker and cupboards have been installed, with a work bench over the disk washer and the washing machine.

On Thursday 18 June I was supposed to have the afternoon off, but instead I got a call at 6:00am asking me to get to the office ASAP as we had a virus outbreak! The whole organisation was affected by the Conficker virus. Getting rid of it and making sure it couldn't return took all our efforts.

I did take Friday off though (as tickets had been bought) and I went to the British Science Museum to see the Wallace and Gromit display, urging attendee to get inventing. I also discovered that becoming a member of the Pulse scheme got me in to all special exhibitions and IMAX showings for free so I signed up. I only need to go to 4 more events over the next year to break even!

That evening I went to the Peacock Theatre in Holborn to see Latin Fever with Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova, a dance spectacular which was excellent

On Tuesday afternoon of last week I went to the dentist for a check up, all was well, and then last Tuesday I when for my annual Asthma Review, and this was also OK so medically I mostly fit!

Juggling has now finished until next term, I I've been working on my club passing. I've managed to keep the patterns going for a while (over ten passes) with only one partner. I've been less successful when we tried with multiple partners, but then we aren't all to the same standard yet. That fact that four of us managed to get 4 cross passes is very pleasing.

Current Mood: hot
Current Location: At Work

Current Mood: hot
Current Location: At Work

I though I'd better catch up before arriving in Bradford.

On Wednesday I did some training, on Thursday morning some of my colleagues did the same course. While this was going on it was decided I had to visit our two new data centres, one in Acton and one in Docklands. So since it was a nice day all of us walked back to the office. It took the same time as using the Tube, and the were a number of stops to get snacks on the way!

So my team mate and I left for Chancery Lane and took the central line to Acton, then walked to to the estate where the high security data centre is located, saw all the new blade servers in their cages then off to Docklands. Due to G20 Bond St was closed so via x to Canary Wharf then back to the office by 17:30 to swap out the backup tapes for the overnight backup.
Since it was a nice sunny day the unexpected extra walking was pleasant, so much so that I wished I'd left my jacket behind.

Note all that week I was on a late shift 10:00am to 6:00pm

On Friday there was a book sale and I of course bought a book (Readers Digest on Digital Photography) and a set of classic audio books on CD for a mere £10 (RRP over £100)

Saturday I got my back adjusted, and while I still get back pain, I have a much freer movement in my legs. One goal is to be able to touch my toes with my legs straight!

After a wander in Brighton I went home to crash out for a bit before going shopping.

On Sunday I went to the local cinema to se "Monsters vs Aliens" (PG) which was great fun. The main heroes were from 50s B movies; the Blob (sorry Bob), the Creature from the Black lagoon (the missing Link) the Fly (Dr cockroach voiced by Hugh Laurie) and the 50 foot woman (Gargantua voiced by Reese Witherspoon) I was the only one to laughed out loud when the credits showed that the President was voiced by Stephen Colbert!

After I got back since it was still sunny I went for a walk mostly around Bedelands Farm. It's surprising how many public footpaths there are and how much farmland so close to town. I saw a dozen butterflies and may have managed to get some photos.

I've been clearing material from my Sky box (so there would be space for recording over Easter) Caught up on Ghost whisperer, Finished Eli stone and Demons.

On Tuesday I sent a birthday card to my sister, and had a walk arould the area. When I got home I'd got birthday cards from my parents and sister and family, and a present from my other sister from the Discworld Emporium (with Discworld stamps) It was a "The Turtle Moves" pin which was very cool, but where I'll wear it I don't know (no suites so no jackets with lapels!)

Yesterday Patricia C Wrede's new book "Thirteenth Child" finally arrived. I say finally as I heard Pat read from it back in August, ordered from Amazon in December and was told it was on it's way on Sunday. I hoped it would arrived before I started on my Easter holiday and fortunately it did. I spent every spare minute reading yesterday and finished it last night. My favourite book read so far this year!

Current Location: On train to Leeds

Current Location: On train to Leeds

D has been doing some electrical upgrades for me in lieu of rent, so far he's replaced most of the light switches for something more modern, and replaced the original wire-fused main fuse box (which had been really badly installed) the new one has circuit breakers and separate "fuses" for power rings for ground floor, first floor and kitchen, and the garage and shower (also new) on a separate circuit. He's also just replaced one of the kitchen lights. It previously had 4 mini bulbs of 40+watts each and the replacement strip light is brighter and uses less total power.

First weekend in March, on Saturday my Dad drove to collect me so I could visit for the weekend. After arriving he decided that he wasn't feeling up to driving back so I had to!!! I had driven in years (decades) so it was good that I was familiar with the route. Though it's interesting how much more you concentrate on how you get from A to B when you are behind the wheel! The car was very nice to drive, an automatic and with very responsive accelerator and brake. We did get home safely (though one of the wheel trims did come off! And was recovered the following day!)

Went to church with my parents on Sunday, my Mum drove this time. and after lunch my sister took me home.

Tuesday nights juggling have been progressing nicely. I've used use my new camera to video some of the juggling, and the improvement over the weeks is noticeable (I must upload some) It the moment I'm trying to keep the patterns going for a bit longer (i.e. 10 clubs being passed/thrown). We have also been doing patterns with 4 people, the best have been in a cross (+) but also -> with the teacher passing to three of us.

I managed to loose my new Palm TX it was when there was a break in the train lines and I had to get a replacement service bus. Despite contacting lost property I got no result ;-(

Last weekend I spent finally getting around to watching hours of TV I'd recorded over the last 3 month! But mid afternoon it was so nice weather wise that I decided to go for a walk, and tramped through Bedelands Farm, not much growth current but hopefully I'll return and see some transformations. I did take one or two pictures.

Current Location: At Work

Current Location: At Work

Michael's Meanderings

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