h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So what's ben happening in MMF's life?

Not much really. In May I was moved off of Job Seeker's Allowance )a benefit for the unemployed, paid fortnightly, but meant visiting the job centre fortnightly, with proof that there had been active attempts to apply for work) to Employment Support Allowance, a more relaxed form of benefit, aimed at those who were largely unlikely to secure gainful employment. All of this is currently undergoing change and will be assessed at a face-to-face meeting to judge whether benefits should continue.

Unfortunately, the outcome of this is that my benefits have decreased. . This is now being contested by me. It appears my Carer's allowance was not added, or my housing benefit, which is being back-claimed to October 1st, 2012.

My Windoze Office course was also cancelled, as the Government decided to give it to another company. This meant that I couldn't continue and now have to reapply, go through a new induction and assessment process, and then attend a full two week course, from 09:30 to 16:30, with an exam at the end.

To make life more pleasurable, I did, as many know, attend a wonderful Meet in Rheims in July, as well as meeting up with Stunning Frenchie in London when she visited, and hopefully will do the same next month.

Healthwise, there's not much change. I went to see my Specialist in July, seeing a different person, which was interesting. I was then kept waiting for 15 minutes when my Specialist came in. He wanted to see me, to say he was moving to Worcester but wanted to say goodbye personally to his special patients that he considered friends. So pleasant and refreshing. Anyway, I now need to book an appointment with my for rehab. I also, through a different appointment, need to return re: high blood pressure.

I have been out and about, winning free tickets to 'West-End Live' in Trafalgar Square. This is an annual weekend event laid on by the West End Theatres giving tasters of shows current and forthcoming. My tickets were for VIP hospitality with free food and . Good fun. And, following that, I won tickets to see 'We Will Rock You', a Queen musical at the Dominion. It was really good.

Continuing my winning run, I won a brace of tickets to an Italian wine-tasting in Chelsea. It was poorly organised, but was an enjoyable evening. Except it was in a basement with an unpleasant spiral staircase.

And the winning run continued with two tickets to Beanotown, at the Southbank. This was something set up by Wayne Hemingway of Red or Dead fame, to celebrate The Beano's 75th Anniversary. The evening involved learning to become an artist, then sticking and gluing, creating the faces of Beano characters, and a viewing of pages from 75 years' worth of comics.All with free food and .

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/festivals-series/festival-of-neighbourhood/beanotown

I'd also visited a couple of Art Galleries to see art by Damien Hirst and David Hockney, neither of which were to my taste but I can now say I've seen them. In the contemporary vein, I went to the Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate, and an exhibition by Tracy Emin. Again not to my taste. At all. She is one dirty-minded ***, or person. I can't bring myself to use the word artist.

http://www.turnercontemporary.org

I've also been to a number of events at the Natural History and Science Museum.

August has been ups and downs. As some may know, my Mum lives with me following a couple of heart attacks. She now has early onset Alzheimer's which is proving problematic, mainly due to her mood swings, and refusal to take Meds. Recently she had to go to the Big House for a gynaecological biopsy, that proved negative. Further tests are due.

Following that I went to Broadstairs, where my family live, for the 48th Broadstairs Folk Week, previously Broadstairs Folk Festival.
It is the 47th I've attended, only missing the inaugural event as we didn't know it was on.
Capercaillie and Dervish were great, as was Morris On. Two other bands I saw, Galley Beggar and Beggars Belief were good. Some of the others were iffy, with Maia being indescribable, and not in a good way.

I've also enjoyed visits to Kew Gardens to see the IncrEDIBLES series.

http://www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/whats-on/incredibles/index.htm

Again, as many of you know, I do visit there regularly, and this Summer has not been an exception. A highlight was being seconded onto a Treasure Hunt team at a team-building event. It came about when I saw a group looking lost so offered to help, in my usual London Ambassador manner. They asked if I knew any of the answers which, of course, I did, and ended up joining them The quiz-setter now wants me to help him with future activities.

Another given in my life is enjoying street art, so a trip to Brick Lane was fun, and enabled some good photographic opportunities. However my year would not be complete without fibreglass elephants. And so there was. This year there is a year-long tour of fibreglass elephants touring Britain, starting at Watford with 25, with an additional 6-8 being added at each new location each month, culminating in around 100 fibreglass pachyderms appearing at a venue next June in London.

And there is a postscript to this Journal, but that announcement is having to be held back until October, when I'm at liberty to divulge it.

So there you have it. MMF's life in a Journal. It's been a rollercoaster at times, but it has largely been more ups than downs.

Many thanks for popping by.



MMF

Interesting summer

It'd be good to catch up. Let me know when you're next available for a mini meet.

Icy

Attaboy, MMF. Will your Mum be looked after when/if you go to rehab?

"they" might keep knocking us down MMF, but we're strong stuff my friend and we'll keep on just getting back up again

I now ask a favour please :- will you give Stunning Frencie a and for me = ta!

argh! I can't spell French

Icy, any time, and SF is here from the 17th September for a week.

And Prof, how true. I'll be more than happy to do that and, if she reciprocates and a Meet in your neck of the woods occurs, I'll return hers. But not the



MMF

we get a manwhen we meet anyway, so quite happy and ta! mate

Prof, here's some virtual ones while you wait : .

TC, I'm not actually sure what 'Rehab' entails.

Hopefully it is just Physio, but they have are worried about my drinking.

So am I. I can't afford it!

Because it is above the recommended units of 28, which equates to , or a pint and half a day, they get twitchy.

Also my bouts of Black may not help.

I'll find out when I go, but I don't think it'll be incarceration, but I have a neighbour who is a good friend of Mum, who keeps an eye.

But as Prof says,

"they" might keep knocking us down MMF, but we're strong stuff my friend and we'll keep on just getting back up again



MMF

Good to see you around again MMF. In spite of all your problems you seem to have a much livelier social life than most of us.

Have you any idea if the Pachyderms would be visiting my neck of the woods (Birmingham)? Is there a website with details, I would love to see them first hand.

Drink depresses me so I leave it alone these days.

with your Mum, it is a tough thing to cope with.

Take care,

Websailor

"And, following that, I won tickets to see 'We Will Rock You', a Queen musical at the Dominion. It was really good. "

Cool!

made my day SF

Hi Webbie. I do my best. Lazy over the winter due to awful weather, so been trying to make up for it now.

Here's a pdf link. The organisation is Elephant Parade, and they've teamed up with Intu, a shopping centre company, hence the stance listing. Hope there's one in reasonable travelling distance.

And more activities planned. Autumn journal due October.

Hope you are staying the right side, health-wise too.

Sasha, I had been before and came away very

Half empty and no atmosphere. Much better this time.

MMF

And the link:

http://www.intugroup.co.uk/media/211474/pdf_3_elephant_parade_facts.pdf



MMF

"Sasha, I had been before and came away very

Half empty and no atmosphere. Much better this time."

Ah - glad it was better for you this time. I must admit, it is several years since I went to see We Will Rock You, but there was definitely an excited atmosphere there, so I had a good time Rather cheesy, but fun! And of course, great music

Agree there. I'd go again.

The first time was a Wednesday and winter so probably not the best.
Only two doing audience participation.

Second time there were loads of students so much more lively.

MMF

Hi, MMF, re. the elephants, sadly there is nothing close enough to me so I will just have to enjoy the photos.

Websailor