2009 — 7 May: Thursday
It's now approaching midnight and I've sorted out another of my blurred picture specials of Christa, probably taken in 1976 in the Old Windsor kitchen:
Last night's film, by the way, was P.S. I love you1 (starring the very easy-on-the-eyes Hilary Swank). It's based on Cecilia Ahern's novel, written (remarkably) when she was only 21. Pretty good, but suffered from a few moments that I would in earlier times have dismissed as mawkish and now suspect are better described as poignant. It's certainly true that circumstances alter cases, I guess.
It's one of five recently-acquired bargain titles (including an Almodovar new to me) from my toddle into town a couple of days ago:
The planned walk later today depends entirely on the weather forecast — last time I looked it was pretty dubious, but we could both use the fresh air. G'night.
Resuming...
... some seven hours or so later. The BBC Radio 3 weather chappie has just said that "rain in the South East will clear by lunchtime". What rain?
And, buying decisions for this little haul of video goodies?
- Love in the time of cholera
A delectable long-distance (and time) romance I bought and read in 1993 - P.S. I love you
See above - Dark habits
Almodovar's third film, but we hadn't seen it. I enjoy both his take on religion and his adoring attitude towards women - Tell no one
From the Harlan Coben yarn highly recommended to me by John's wife Judy back in February 2002. Here's hoping the film is better! - Close Encounters of the 3rd kind
A 3-disc set for a fiver of a film that I haven't watched in nearly 30 years and which (among other things) inspired that electronic toy "Simon" a couple of years later. I still have the booklet from the original cinema showing (when did they stop producing those?)
Now the BBC Radio 3 weather chappie has just (07:30) said it will be sunny, except in Scotland. Walkies?
All the way from Timbuktu (media), upun my word. Time for some breakfast.
Stop the planet...
... they want (us) to get off:
I've never seen a problem that wouldn't be easier to solve with fewer people, or harder, and ultimately impossible, with more.
Malthus would have agreed, as would George Martin's protagonist "Tuf", whom I mentioned here.
Happy (upcoming) birthday, Mr B!
Nice piece on Alan Bennett by Blake Morrison. Snippet and source:
... there is also his gift for overhearing absurdities, whether uttered by English tourists in Luxor ("Palm trees are nothing to us — we're from Torquay") or by the lady shouting over a hairdryer, "I didn't want to be a Trappist nun. My father had Friar's balsam in the medicine chest but that's as far as it went."
And, on the absurdities front, which bit of "The European Court has ruled that keeping DNA samples of innocent people is illegal" does our guvmint fail to understand? Control freakery doesn't begin to describe it. If only people were as rational and deterministic as our esteemed masters seem to think we should be, heh?
Interesting to hear Rosie Boycott some 21 years after reading her autobiography. Quite a character. Right! Preparations for an expotition in lieu of a walk...
Back
After a round trip taking in Sam Miller's motorcycle museum (more precisely, the all-day-breakfast tea room) and the birdies at Keyhaven... (Lector, si monumentum requiris, Circumspice)
... and surrounds. Skimmed the swine flu leaflet (let's hope Mr Postie's hands were clean) and am dithering about delaying a shopping trip for the day (it's 15:15) since I already feel so virtuous at having done my laundry, as it were, while I was out. Now then, remind me: what does "synecdoche" mean?
Later
As I scan towards the end of DVD titles beginning with the letter "R", while listening to the last few minutes of "Radcliffe and Maconie", I can't believe they want listeners to suggest a name for the drink gin and cream soda.