Today I achieved two milestones, one was obtaining successful forward finishing rolls, I started using the paddle float training method recommended by Helen W. I then progressed again to trying chest scull and recovery and then progressed to swinging the paddle further and further aft until I was completing the whole roll, then wrapped it off with some full rolls falling in backwards. Ron Olson suggested I turn the reverse sweep roll into a two step process, getting setup at the stern and then when I feel like I have found that familiar position complete the sweep and knee raise. This worked well and certainly contributed to my success. I wouldn’t say it is anything like bombproof yet but I have executed it successfully numerous times now.
I repeated all my lay back rolls to reinforce the muscle memory, including the Norsaq rolls with the rolling stick, these went so well I starting stopping them on the way up in the static brace and then after a pause completing the roll. Feeling more than a little great about all this success I decided to try without any aid and attempted my first hand rolls. I nailed it on the second attempt. I was also able to hand roll into the static brace and then complete the roll after a pause. This felt like a huge accomplishment and I think my grinning face said it all and I got a huge thumbs up from Ron after I completed it.
There was a young chap at the pool who had a very similar set of rolls to mine and he also was working hard at his reverse sweep, it was great to have some company to chat about what was working and what was not. Here is a pitcure of him completeing his crook of the elbow roll. 
