I didn’t really expect to take a short blogging break, but it just sort of happened, so what have I been doing? Well as you can see we had a few games of Cluedo on Christmas evening, before those we played Trivial Pursuit – no blood was spilled!
There always seems to be someone in our family photos looking either completely gormless or miserable, we take it in turns I think. This time it’s Laura by the looks of it although she would say that it is a plus that her eyes are actually open.
The offspring left on the 26th, unusually early for them but they had more exciting places to be, Skye and Iceland to be precise for Hogmanay, lucky them.
Otherwise I haven’t been doing much, what about you?
It seems to me that the TV companies have more or less given up on Christmas, there was a time when there was quite a battle over viewers but that doesn’t seem to happen now. I was reduced to watching the film of War and Peace which I quite enjoyed, apart from the American accents, it was filmed in 1956 when obviously it wasn’t the fashion to be in the least bit authentic accent wise.
I even watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – again, but why not when I always enjoy it.
I also had a look at the updated Open All Hours which I thought was likely to be a bit of a car crash as these things usually are, it’s often a mistake to try to resurrect past TV successes but I think it really worked, I hope they are going to do some more.
Then there was the three part dramatisation of Death Comes to Pemberley. I read the book a couple of months ago (P.D. James) as I knew it was going to be on the telly at Christmas. I don’t think the book was up to much but it worked fine on TV as I thought it would, although I still think that in reality Lydia and Wickham would have come to grief long before they had reached a six or seventh anniversary of their marriage.
But – why oh why?!? did they choose Anna Maxwell Martin to play the part of Lizzie. Lizzie remember has ‘fine eyes’. This Lizzie has anything but fine eyes and in fact has the presence of a maid rather than a fine lady as she would certainly have been after being married to Darcy for six years, she was handsome and stylish enough as a youngster on a shoe string and was obviously interested in clothes. The clothes which Lizzie was given to wear in this production were fairly dire, I can’t imagine that the wife of an exceedingly rich man would have been wearing what looked like rough homespun linen which Lizzie had on for daytime. Very strange.
Have I missed anything good on TV do you think, what did you watch and enjoy?
I really hope Death Comes to Pemberley comes to the US – I’d love to see it, despite AMM as Lizzie and her horrible costumes đŸ™‚
There is no tradition of Christmas specials on TV here. It was the same crappy shows that would be shown on any old Wednesday so I watched several episodes of Poirot and quite enjoyed them.
Anbolyn,
I’m sure you’ll get Death Comes to Pemberley eventually, maybe for Easter. How weird that you don’t get special Christmas TV, I can hardly believe how many Christmas US movies have been made and they all seem to have been shown here this week! We even had a special Christmas Doctor Who. Loads of Wallace and Gromit animations too.
I haven’t played Clue in years! It’s just Clue over here. The only ‘traditional’ Christmas thing I like to watch is the movie ‘A Christmas Story’. Have you seen it? You know, the red ryder bee bee gun and fishnet stocking lamp?! We watched the movie Despicable Me 2 on Christmas night. Very funny! I watched the first episode of Pemberley tonight. Pretty good. I’m not really familiar with all the characters as I’ve not read the books. I bet your tribe loves you posting the annual game photo!
Peggy Ann,
Aha – I knew it was just called Clue over on your side of the pond, you see I’m learning too! No I don’t think I know that Christmas Story thing but I’m intrigued by red ryder bee bee gun and fishnet stocking lamp?!!
Peggy Ann have you really not read Pride and Prejudice?! I’m amazed, this year you must make space for it, even if I have to invent Scottish blood for Jane Austen! My tribe is truly blase about the whole internet malarkey – as you can see!!
Katrina, I’m only just catching up on blogging after a break for Christmas and the ghastly sore throat and cold I’ve had – just about getting back to normal now, just a cough left!
As we had son and family staying (3 children and three greyhounds) Christmas was rather hectic. Although the TV was on I didn’t manage to actually watch anything except for Gangsta Granny, which to my surprise I liked – Julia McKenzie morphed from Miss Marple into the Gangsta Granny very well – I shall never see her Miss Marple now without seeing her as the GG.
Margaret,
That sore throat has been getting around, so far we’ve avoided it, I’m glad you’re on the mend. I almost watched Gangsta Granny but then watched something else, I can’t even remember what it was! No doubt GG will be on again.
I imagine that having 3 children and greyhounds in the house would be chaotic, I bet you’re glad to be back to normal now. I hope 2014 will be a great year for you all.
Hello Katrina
Its so nice to find myself here again! After a frantic jewellery making period I had a quiet Christmas, my brother emigrated to Australia in November, he is the noisy one! I really enjoyed Death Comes to Pemberly, wonderfully shot and a good story line, as much as I like Anna Maxwell Martin, I did wonder about her casting, then to be picky did wonder why she wore the same dress for ever!! Ah I’m being too girlie! There was a really good Miss Marple on, but apart from those two… Anyway Have a Happy New Year!
Michelle,
I’ve been admiring your lovely jewellery designs and hoping to get through to Newcastle sometime to see for myself. I haven’t even managed to get to Glasgow for over a year! We’re sort of in limbo trying to sell our house at the moment, people seem to think it’s Bargain Hunt though. I did see the Julia McKenzie Marple but I suppose that must have been quite an old one, I hadn’t seen it though, enjoyed it, it was quite different from the usual Marples.