Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Today, as the news finally sinks in courtesy of every news channel, online outlet, and newspaper on the entire planet, we are all fully aware of just Who has won the US Presidential election: He whose name shall never be uttered out loud! And those of us who are sane enough, rational enough, thoughtful enough, are left asking ourselves how, how did this happen? Or, more to the point, “what were you thinking America?
Monday, November 4, 2024
Of the two movies we watched this weekend, Kung Fu Panda 4 on Saturday night and, DUNE 2 last night. I have to say, I think I preferred and enjoyed Kung Fu Panda more than DUNE. Why? It was light, silly, funny, full of clever in jokes, and I love that it featured Jack Black back as Po, and Awkwafina as the fox, Zhen. And let’s not forget Angela Bassett as the Chameleon, who nearly stole the whole movie.
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Back in my day, and I’m taking way back when before halloween was a big thing in the UK like it is in the US. Way before people really dressed up or went trick or treating like they do now. I remember our family living in Scotland (who had a different set of traditions) carving out not pumpkins (they were somewhere in our far distant future) but turnips. Yes, those pale and purple vegetables your mother forced you to eat as a kid.
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
So last night we came to the end of watching Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 on DVD and … Talk about ending the season on yet another cliffhanger, right in the middle of a battle with the Gorn and … and making us wait well over a year to get to see the conclusion. Although it’s pretty evident that, unless someone is in contract negotions and playing hard to get, everyone will be back next year.
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Agatha All Along : Death’s Hand in Mine Season 1, episode 7 Watched Oct 23, 2024
This review contains full spoilers.
Well … where to begin. Last night’s episode was so dramatic, heartfelt, heartbreaking and full of more surprises than any other episode so far. And that’s saying something. I don’t think I’ve cried so hard at any other TV show like I did last night. Why?
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Having just finished reading a Murder Most Royal by SJ Bennett, I was delighted when I read on her website that the next in the series, A Death In Diamonds, was coming out in Canada next year, in February.
I’ve been out all day shopping for among other things, new winter shoes, as winter is just around the corner here. We also stopped in at the comic book shop which, since I was last there, has grown in size by a few 100 square feet or more. I checked out the Saga series but decided to add it to my Christmas list, you know, just in case. While thinking about whether I should update my phone to the 16 or, maybe, upgrade my original iWatch to the series 10?
Decisions, decisions.
I have a phone that works and is adequate for what I need, it’s just penis envy that makes me want to new phone. Whereas, I really need to update the watch as it’s starting to do weird things.
Anyway, I’m shocked I came out of both the Apple store and the comic store without buying anything. I must be sick or something. In fact I was very self restrained today, but then, the snow shoes (winter boots) were $250, which is a ridiculous amount of money.
The OH did buy me a lovely lunch at Ashton, the poutine specialist. I had the midi with sausage and cheese on the side for the OH.
Oh, and by the way, the comic shop wouldn’t let me bring Hagrid home with me. But then, I’m not sure he would have fit on the bus coming home …
Thursday, October 17, 2024
It’s a beautiful sunny day out there, today. I was going to go out for a walk this afternoon, camera in tow, to take photos of trees but. I stepped out onto the balcony to check how cold it was because Siri said 4 degrees and … I couldn’t get back inside quick enough. With the stiff breeze blowing, it is, in fact, colder than hell, never mind the sun on my face felt good.
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Agatha All Along : Familiar by Thy Side Season 1, episode 6 Watched Oct 16, 2024
I am so behind in my reviews of Agatha it’s not funny. This week’s episode was centred around Teen (Pet/familiar) and is packed to the gills with surprises and reveals …
So, where to begin? At the beginning I suppose.
Be warned, there are spoilers ahead!
Monday, October 14, 2024
It’s Monday. It’s raining. And it’s Thanksgiving Day here, in Canada. So yes, of course it’s raining. I could almost believe I was still back in the UK, the amount of times it rains here every bank holiday. The rain, however, is outside so thankfully, I don’t have to deal with it today. But that’s not the end of the story. It’s the last two weeks of October, and every year around this time, Thanksgiving, we get our first fitful snowfall.
Saturday, October 12, 2024
One of my all-time favourite sweeties as a child were Bassetts Jelly Babies. And I mean the original flour dusted version, not the more recent chewier Maynards imitations. As anyone who is a regular reader to this blog might know by now is, most of my favourite things have came to me by way of my family. Jelly Babies are no exception. This particular love was gifted me by my gran, Mary Anne.
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
The first in a trilogy, Planetside melds the best in the military science fiction tradition with a murder-mystery, and a droll and somewhat jaded perspective of the lead protagonist, in the guise of Col. Carl Butler. Who, with a healthy dose of scepticism, in an action-packed plot infused with plenty of snark, gets to the bottom of the odd disappearance of a young lieutenant. But what should be a simple premise—find out what happened to Lt.
Sunday, October 6, 2024
This last couple of evenings we’ve crammed in the latest episode of Agatha All Along, which was excellent—you can check out my review HERE. Thursday and Friday night we started watching Vigil, a six-part BBC drama set aboard the Royal Navy nuclear-powered Vanguard-class submarine, Vigil. We finished the last episode last night and, I have to say, this was one of the best scripted shows I’ve seen in ages. The plot, characters, and setting had us hanging on the edge of our seats.
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Agatha All Along : If I Can’t Reach You / Let My Song Teach You Season 1, episode 4 Watched Oct 03, 2024 If you are not watching this one then you are definitely missing out on one of the campiest, funniest, silliest, fun-filled, snarky, Marvel Disney collaborations I’ve seen in, well, forever. Hands down the best thing to cheer up a dull Wednesday evening, Agatha All Along is shaping up to be defying Disney convention not only taking us, literally, down the garden path, but introducing a character who is not only the ex-lover of Agatha (played by Aubrey Plaza) but, if you read between the lines and follow the logic of this week’s episode, also Death Herself!
Friday, October 4, 2024
Like Veronique mentioned in her newsletter recently, I’ve had an internal monolog running in my head since I was probably 3-4 years old. I know I spent a lot of those first aware years—between 3 and 5—firing questions at my father almost non-stop. Asking him why this, or why that. Questions he always patiently answered. And, despite my best efforts, he always, but always, had an answer for me. Whether any of those answers were scientifically correct was neither here nor there.
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Way back when, and I’m talking the mid-60s in Singapore, when my sister, who was ten years older than me, worked part time for an Army liaison officer. She was part of a team who organised rock bands tours, and, as a result, I got to meet with some of the biggest bands of the era. This included, at the time, over a 3 year period I remember, bands such as The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds (inc.
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Show Horses : Grave Danger Season 4, episode 5 Watched Oct 02, 2024 Not only was last night’s episode of Slow Horses glacially slow, it was also brutally boring right on up till it got violent and nasty at the end. Like it was lulling us into a false sense of dull tedium only to shock us awake as Patrice … well, I’ve promised before to try not give too much away.
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
I’ve done it again. Started one too many projects. All the while telling myself I won’t start another just as I’m getting caught up in the latest, which means, older ones slide or worse, get waylaid. Forgotten. All these partial projects sitting like so much drift wood blown up on a ragged beach after a hurricane, isn’t helpful. I get anxious and start feeling guilty when, of course, I shouldn’t as these are just supposed to be fun projects.
Sunday, September 29, 2024
It’s that time of year again. Like the slow change of winter into spring when I feel restless to get out, and start exploring the world with long walks in my local park. Autumn does the opposite to me. I feel a different kind of restlessness. One in which I feel almost a sense of panic knowing winter is coming and … and snow is on its way. Lots of it.
Friday, September 27, 2024
Agatha All Along : Through Many Miles of Tricks and Trials Season 1, episode 3 Watched Sept 26, 2024 Finally, we’re on the road, in this week’s episode we’re also finally getting down to brass tacks. Having thrown these disparate women together, aided and abetted by Teen, the ladies face their first trial together and boy, do they fuck up big time. Which, I am assuming, is going to be the norm.