2009 — 14 December: Monday
Well, I have no idea what prompted the Radio Times 'previewer' to suggest that AS Byatt was estranged from her sister, Margaret Drabble, but she said nothing that gave me that impression. Fascinating lady, with a fascinating mind.
I didn't bother to record Constantine either. It was one of those films that could be channel-hopped into and out of without danger of losing the plot, so I kept a bit of an eye on it while mostly watching the story of Ballets Russes. I'm such a late-night TV slut. Besides, the toothy twinges have further faded. This is more of a Good Thing. G'night.
Well, how about...
... the uncharming combo of mist and frost confronting me this morning? Lovely! And how different from the BBC synopsis yesterday, too. Variety is the spice etc etc
But hot tea is back on the menu. It's 08:59 and I have a lunch date. Not to mention shopping. Down in Weymouth and Portland, by the way, it's sunny with a light haze.
Red's such a cheerful colour...
Apparently, nearly eleven trillion dollars has now been flung at various wayward financial institutions globally. See if you can spot the difference here:
"Follow the money" indeed. What money? But who said bankers have no finer feelings?
Meanwhile, this story is every bit as disgusting, in my humble opinion.
After lunch...
... I learn that dear Mama is to be assessed by her local Social Services care team tomorrow. There's also the issue of her payment for her meals on wheels (which is not, apparently, via the direct debit that we thought). And now I've just had a lady caller keen to get me to insulate the house in pursuit of the guvmint's Carbon Emission Reduction Target. I installed loft and cavity wall insulation over quarter of a century ago, of course. All in aid, and I quote carefully, of the UK climate change iniative [sic] programme. As for our crippling levels of debt (above) Len points out that we needn't worry about placing this burden on our grandchildren as they will all have drowned in the rising sea levels. (Perhaps it was his own toothache talking?)
Just back from the "Asda" recycling point. Another pile of old magazines gone. It's jolly cold out there and, considering it was only 3 pm it's got no right to look so much like twilight already. What a rotten time of year. I shall risk another cuppa.
A for Andromeda
I was unaware that the BBC had unearthed one complete episode of the original seven-part series and had thus had the gall to release this travesty of an anthology:
How proud, do you suppose, the BBC person is who erased Julie Christie's first major appearance? There's an amusing "user comment" about this currently on IMDB.
Funnily enough, one of the topics Len and I discussed over lunch was the dumbing-down of culture and, as it happens, of BBC Radio 4. I actually went to the (minor) hassle of catching up on last week's "Infinite monkey cage" (self-described as a witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists eyes — no apostrophe) in time to hear this week's episode. But with the emphasis there's been so far on astrology, it certainly seems to illustrate our point.
Me Tarzan... dept.
I got a nice email from Christa's main nurse, Jane. She'd intended to write on the anniversary of Christa's death, but was involved in a horrific "RTA" (I had to deduce the meaning) in late October and has only just got out of hospital. Poor woman. Her email set me thinking. Here's part of my reply:
Later
Not sure how to say this, but I've just watched, and enjoyed, the James May programme about toys. Must be Xmas, or something! The segment showing today's youngsters grappling — largely unsuccessfully — with Meccano was quite revealing. And the college students' efforts with that horrid Etch-a-Sketch were very impressive.
Cold, dark, and pouring with rain? Lovely!