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

Scottish dancing tonight, hurrah!

It's been a tough week at work - I'm in the middle of conducting a staff review/ restructuring, which isn't a way to make many friends. But the world makes sense when I'm dancing.

I'm looking forward to wearing the sash my best man wore, in Titanic tartan. I believe the guy who designed it might even be there

Had a panic this morning looking in the wardrobe and finding nothing suitable to wear, but had a good session in the shopping mall and came home with a black frock (£5 TK Maxx), a cobalt blue floaty one, and a jade green dress that has elbow length sleeves, so might be too warm for dancing (£30 for the 2 in Dotty P's sale)

There's 18 dances on the card, though I might not stay till the very end. Unusually, 3 of them are not being called, so I'll make sure I remind myself of those ones this afternoon.

I'm getting a lift with my friend D, who I hadn't seen for years until we bumped into each other 6 weeks ago in Tesco. She's new to Scottish dancing so I hope she enjoys the experience.

Right, off to try on my potential outfits, pin my sash onto a big celtic brooch, and review the crib sheets for Mrs Stewarts Jig, The Reel of the Royal Scots, and The Highland Rambler.

I guess you won't be dancing around your then?

Went for the blue floaty number in the end, which swirled beautifully when dancing, and matched well with the blue and white main colouring of the sash.

D enjoyed herself, even managed to join in quite a few dances, and we didn't collapse any of the sets we were in. I had a dance - as I usually do - with 80 year old Evelyn, who is very enthusiastic and wont take no for an answer, even though you have to keep reminding her what the steps are. But I hope I'm still dancing when I'm her age.

The evening started with pretend mulled wine, followed by a meal, and then we had to form into couples and line up on the stairway for a "Grand March". I'd never done this style of entrance before, so I was a bit nervous about what it entailed.

2 by 2, we entered the ballroom to a rousing piece of music from our live band. We did one full circuit of the room, and then marched up the centre, where the compere divided us, by pairs, alternately heading clockwise and anti-clockwise. When the dancers met again at the bottom of the room, they came up in groups of 4, and these were then separated into clockwise and anti. And the process repeated in groups of 8. This meant we were all spaced out in beautiful sets and went straight into the first dance.

The Grand March is great fun. We were taught it at primary school and it's customary for the dancin' at a highland wedding to begin with a Grand March.

I love the geometry of Scottish Country Dancing.

I think that's why I take to it so well - the mathematics and patterns, working out if a half turn will put on the other side, or whether rights and lefts leaves you back in the same place, and where do you end up after a half diamond poussette....