More TV

After the last post I remembered other  TV progs I had enjoyed  ~ isn't it always the way?  And no doubt after posting this I shall remember more . . . 

Firstly, Wild Bill:  Rob Lowe is cast as an American sent to take up a position as a Police chief in Boston, Lincolnshire.  We used to live in South Lincs and not too far from Boston so I started to look at it just for the nostalgia factor really.  Our seven years there were quite tough at times and we weren't always that happy but that was hardly Lincolnshire's fault (ha!) and the area itself was wonderful ~ huge skies and fields devoted to agriculture ~ and we were quite near to the Wash.  I doubt I would have bothered had it been set else where but, in fact, it was well worth the watch. Little violence (good!) and always an intriguing storyline with a twist at the end.  The main character (Lowe) is called William Hixon (he's not wild at all! ~ the title made me smile although I suppose it was quite contrived!) and the back-story was interesting enough to be entertaining without distracting from the main investigation each week.  I hope it returns for a second series.   

Secondly, A Very British Scandal:  this was the story of Jeremy Thorpe, Liberal MP for North Devon in the sixties and seventies ~ and the scandal and poor old Norman Scott.  I have to say that Hugh Grant as Thorpe was superb ~ I've almost always liked his films and I liked this ~ but this was really impressive acting.   I can well remember the news coverage at the time but had forgotten much of the detail.  It was a hugely popular series ~ and well deserved.

Kim mentioned Dickensian in a comment.  I loved it!!  I'm always trying to push classics in my book club: and actually had my way in 2012 when, because it was Dickens' bicentenary,  we read a Dickens novel  (we had a choice of three and could read any ~ or all!).  Most of the club were not happy but . . . did enjoy Dickensian!   We all thought it was very clever.  


I've just posted five books in the 'recently read' section:
Labyrinth ~ ok but not as good as I had anticipated 
The Skylarks' War ~ a children's book that I enjoyed but I'm not sure what age of child it was aimed atThe first 15 lives of Harry August ~ a book for book club which I had read before and enjoyed but not so much this time ~ not sure why
Educated ~ a good read but oh dear! what a life!
Unleaving ~ written by someone I know so it was a bit 'niche'.   I liked it  ~ make a great film

Cl and Rpie were here for a few hours yesterday and we had lunch together.  We picked flowers from the garden and did some flower pressing.  Lord!  I haven't done that in years.  I can't remember what else we did but the time passed very quickly.  

After they had left and I'd tidied up I looked at the 6 0'clock news ~ none of it good ~ the country is going to the dogs.  Why do we say that, by the way?  such a strange expression when almost 60% of households in the UK with a pet have a dog, we obviously like dogs.  In the end the news was so awful (one particularly dreadful item) that I turned off so I didn't have to think about it.  Do we become more appalled by cruelty as we grow older?   Are we more sensitive?   For me it may just be cowardice ~ shameful but probably true.  A friend was recently a jury member ~ I have never been called for service and thank goodness.  Juries must need nerves of steel to listen in on some cases.  

Today:  painted another coat on the garden bench, caught up on emails and sorting photos.  I have some fabulous old albums ~many from the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s of people who are completely unknown to me ~ but amazing photos!  I have all our own, all my parents (although O was a 'declutterer', G managed to squirrel away heaps) and many from our aunt and uncle from Mansfield.  I kept taking photos of photos on my phone and sending on to family members.  

Tomorrow: trip to supermarket, podiatrist. 

Back soon

Po xx   

P.S.  I don't know why but, although I type every word in 'Large' size, once posted, some paragraphs are 'normal, some are 'small' and some are 'smallest' which is so tiny I can't read it.  I have tried for almost an hour to correct it to no avail.  So I'm posting for the last time and hoping for the best . . .