My Monday felt like the above…not that I actually got into a fight or anything. But it was a hectic one, complete with a funeral at 11:00 a.m. (the worst time possible) and a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the Shakespeare Festival St. Louis back at work in the afternoon. Throw in the usual A/V issues and that was my day.
Phew. But spring is here.
Life is good, as they say.
“One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.”
Did you have a nice weekend? The weather here in flyover country was blustery and cool, but the sun shone and it was good to be out and about.
On Saturday the OM and I drove to Washington, MO on the Missouri River to have a yummy lunch at the Blue Duck which is just down the street from this landmark:
We went to a few antique stores/mall on the way home. I found something for daughter #2’s birthday which is around the corner. All in all, a nice day-trip to another part of our scenic state.
On Sunday I had to go to church early for another confirmation mentor class with my 8th grade mentee.
Here are some of them down at the Cathedral for an overnight “Lock-in”–remember those?
Besides other stuff, it was the Sunday when they declared their intentions to be confirmed. Thankfully, mine filled out her little card. I would have felt like such a failure if she had decided not to conform and/or be confirmed! (The year-long course is called “confirm, not conform”–catchy, right?) Well, way to go, Brigid!
The boy and daughter #3 came over to dinner and he told us all about his new job, which he started last week. Daughter #1 is also starting a new job in a week, so we are all in a tizzy of anticipation over new beginnings.
In the middle of all this, the OM and I watched The Martian (2015) with Matt Damon, which was okay, but I have to admit I lost interest halfway through. It all seemed mighty far-fetched, not to mention overly long.
We also started watching a British TV show called The Detectorists, which I just love.
It stars Mackenzie Crook (who also wrote and directed it) and Toby Jones and a cast of wonderful English actors. IMDB describes it as a show about “the lives of two eccentric metal detectorists, who spend their days plodding along ploughed tracks and open fields, hoping to disturb the tedium by unearthing the fortune of a lifetime.” But this is erroneous. They are not looking for treasure. They are interested in making an important historical find. The difference is important. And they do not hate their lives. They have a hobby about which they are passionate. And as for plodding along ploughed tracks, the scenery is beautiful!
Anyway, I highly recommend you watch it (on Netflix). It is very funny and also sweet. And I think the message is that the real treasure in our lives are our family and friends.
And I like the theme song:
Sadly, there are only six episodes and season two is not on Netflix! Ugh.
Ronnie Corbett, the last surviving member of the brilliant British comic duo, the Two Ronnies (on TV 1971-1987), just passed away on March 31. If you are not acquainted with this pair, you should be.
Ronnie Corbett (left), Ronnie Barker (right)
Theirs is classic verbal humor — full of puns and misdirection. It is never vulgar or mean spirited. It’s quite old fashioned. I believe they invented the comic news skit which included stories like this:
The perfect crime was committed last night, when thieves broke into Scotland Yard and stole all the toilets. Police say they have absolutely nothing to go on.
And we’ve just heard that in the English Channel, a ship carrying red paint has collided with a ship carrying purple paint. It is believed that both crews have been marooned. And now, back to our regular programme.
In honor of Ronnie Corbett and the kind of humor he represented, I give you what is probably the Two Ronnies most famous skit. Watch it all and enjoy.
Here’s to old-fashioned humor!
Let’s get some chuckles this weekend — we deserve it.
*from the traditional end-of-show of the Two Ronnies: “And now, it’s goodnight from me” “And it’s goodnight from him.”
Move over Gerber baby, Avery Rose is here! And she’s adorable!
She arrived early in the morning on Monday. (Her mother and grandmother were not in church on Easter, so I knew something was up. Nothing gets by me.) Carla is not my first friend to become a grandma, but she is the first one who lives in town.
In honor of this occasion, my Friday movie pick is to watch a movie with a baby prominently featured. The pickings are amazingly slim.
There is this trio from the 1980s:
Three Men and a Baby (1987)
Look Who’s Talking (1989)
Baby Boom (1987)
All three are amusing and so 80’s that they are fun to watch.
Another movie with a very cute baby (although you have to wait ’til the very end of the movie to see it) is the classic musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954).
Of course the best movie with a baby as a main character/plot device is Three Godfathers (1948), so if you didn’t make it part of your Epiphany viewing, why not watch it tonight? I mean I ask you, what could be better than John Wayne and a baby?
Can you think of any other good baby movies?
Bonus: here is a clip with W.C. Fields, who was famously contemptuous of child performers, doing something that no one could get away with today:
dual personalities 