Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Downton and Aroundton

I think the Downton Abbey writers are remarkable!
They can make me hate or love someone in the blink of an eye.
I would NEVER have imagined I would say this...
But one of the most lovely things I have ever heard in my life about marriage and love was said by Bates to Anna this week.

Anna fears she can not have children. More than fears she is certain of it and VERY depressed about it.  She thinks she has destroyed Bates' whole life by not being able to carry a child to term.

Finally Bates looks gently at her and says,

"To me we are one person,  and that person can't have children."

So beautiful I could cry.  And I did a little to be sure.

Other highlights in this quiet and intimate episode....

~Mary offers to help Anna and lists her own many mistakes!
~Carson being mean to Thomas makes me sad and I feel sorry for Thomas.
~Mrs Hughes being snarky about Mary makes me think less of Mrs. Hughes.
~Edith ruins lives by being selfish.  I'm mad at Edith.
~The farmers wife needs to snap out of it.  I'm frustrated with her too.
~The fact that Mr. Drew needs to move is beyond awful.
~Can they not see this is the same thing as Daisy's father-in-law being displaced.
~Will they give farm to Daisy's father in law?
~Still not happy about it.
~ I don't know what is going on with the hospital.
~I like that the women are making headway in the running of things.
~I don't like the dresses but I like the hats.

What were your impressions of Sunday night's episode?

*******


Around town....




My sister Janet and I made Italian Beef on the same day.  We didn't know it.  We were chatting/texting and I told her how good my house smelled and she instantly sent me a picture of her crock pot with the same things in it.  How weird is that?






Playing catch with a snowball.






She is an excellent catcher!


Untitled

It was time for a new tote.  Katie had this made for me.  I love it.
Sometimes at the grocery store I sign my name Donna Boo. 
Those electronic pens are so awful to write with I like to shorten it up.....and it gives me a little thrill.

Easily amused.



Oh!  I watched a movie some of you might light. (I've watched a ton that you would not like...)
It is the famous story "Far from the Madding Crowd."

I liked the actors and the story and the look of the film.  It's available on Netflix for free...and possibly elsewhere.

What does Madding Crowd mean?



That's all for now.
Encourage one another,
Donna Boo






22 comments:

  1. Loved Far from Madding Crowed - watched it around Tgiving.
    Am loving the way the Downton writes elevate marriage, both Bates and Carson have had good lines about that sacred union

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  2. Anonymous12:18 PM

    Happy New Year! How 'bout blogging that Italian Beef recipe? You've mentioned it a couple times recently... our mouths are watering. :)

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  3. I watched that movie and wondered the same thing. Maddening? Madding?
    And it startles me how quickly I can forget what a movie/book is about. I had to think a while.

    Downton:
    I liked that quote, too.
    I agree about Edith.
    Mrs. Hughes? I think she knows Mary usually gets what she wants and Mr. Carson will bend over backwards to please her, so she's standing firm. I actually sympathize with her. Cora does, too.
    I think the farm thing is going to work out how you say, but I'm anxious to see what happens to Mr. Drew.

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  4. Re: Downton Abbey

    I noticed that in the drama with Mrs. Drew her other children were no where to be seen, as though implying that Marigold had been her only child or something. In the original story line she had at least four other children that she was blissfully mothering. Soap opera tactics...

    My thoughts on the hospital story line- television has always been a powerful vehicle for social commentary and influence for change and when a series becomes popular inevitably it goes there (we have seen it already in this show on other topics). I feel like the hospital story line is exactly that- preaching about socialized medicine and the loss of local control in favor of bureaucracy.

    I do enjoy this show and will miss it though!

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    Replies
    1. Mrs. Drew told Lord Grantham at the livestock show that Mr. Drew had told her to give herself a day off so she could have a proper day of it, and the kids were with a neighbor. Downton is head and shoulders above a soap opera.

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    2. I missed that. Glad there is an explanation cuz it bugged me.

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    3. I own the DVDs so I've watched more than once :-) Upon reflection, I must add: Downton is a *bit* like a soap opera, but a very CLASSY one. Ha!

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  5. Anonymous1:13 PM

    I LOVED Far From the Madding Crowd- just saw it about a month ago. The cinematography was absolutely breathtaking. My husband and I kept commenting on the fabulous camera shots. And I like Carrie Mulligan anyway. I think "madding" is a colloquial shortening of "maddening"...maybe.

    Debbie Z.

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  6. I prefer the plot of the hospital to others in the past. Surely this shows what mattered to folks then, the evolution of such things, and how it affected society. Their little world.

    This season's writing is very enjoyable to me.

    I think Mrs Hughes has always been upfront and honest about her feelings toward Lady Mary. It's her wedding and she's right to speak up.

    I'm loving the changes we see in Mrs Patmore since the beginning of the series.

    And I agree, it frustrates me to see Mr Drew giving up his farm. But his admission that he planned it all with Edith without considering emotions, shows that he is talking responsibility, at least that is how I understood.

    I love the hats. And dresses! Especially Edith's.

    Why can't Mary be as nice to others as she is to Anna?

    P.S. I love your tote.

    Oh, and my heart goes out to Barrow, even if he has been his own worst enemy.

    Bye!

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  7. I almost watched Far from the Maddening Crowd on an airplane, now I am sorry I skipped it!

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    Replies
    1. Oops Madding. Dang autocorrect.

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  8. The quote from Mr. Bates had me in tears, too. I actually may forgive him for annoying me so often lately. :)

    Saw the Madding Crowd movie at the theater a while back and loved it. In college many, many moons ago, I took a literature course on Thomas Hardy's novels and this was one of my favorites. Beautifully done.

    Both Ginny and your new tote are adorable.

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    Replies
    1. I loved what Bates said too. He's earning back his sweetheart badge :-)

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    2. Ginny = cutie

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    3. "sweetheart badge" - love it!

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  9. Anonymous2:12 PM

    I managed to see Madding Crowd on a flight - loved it!
    Agree with Anonymous above - can those of us in the dark get a recipe for Italian Beef, please? :)

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  10. Can you tell me what is Italian Beef? I once worked with a young girl from Illinois who was living away from her people for the first time in her life and was always talking about wanting Italian Beef, which of course isn't around down here in Texas. I had never heard of it! Would love to know what it is. :)

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  11. I've posted the Italian beef recipe so many times... It's on my recipe blog too.
    Www.mizbooshay.blogspot.com

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  12. Well, I am up unable to sleep and it's past midnight, so of course I decided to Google "Madding" for everyone, lol. It means "frenzied." I am such a state with tense muscles in my back and neck - the low back tension causes referred hip pain and the neck muscles cause a headache. What do you do when you hurt from stem to stern? You tense up. It's a maddENing cycle for sure. Right as I was settling into bed the muscles in my back started to spasm so I took some Advil and checked blogs. Now I think I'd better get away from screens and read until it kicks in. Good night everyone!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:29 AM

      Hope you feel better today BeeBelle, praying for you to find relief.
      love and prayers, jep

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    2. Thanks, jep! I slept for nine hours and felt so much better.

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