Random Jottings

Random on the Royal Wedding

Was going to post last night but even I was weddinged out by the evening after watching the news, the highlights, the news on another channel and then more highlights.  I am a sucker for royal weddings but decided to call it a day around midnight, if that is not a contradiction in terms.

Over the years I have watched the weddings of Princess Margaret (thought Kate's dress resembled hers in many ways, not least its simplicity), Princess Alexandra, Duke and Duchess of Kent, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Prince Charles (both of them) so you can see I am a seasoned observer.  What I love about these weddings is the sheer pageantry and beauty of them all.  Without exception the organisation is breathtakingly spot on - I do wish whoever was in charge of this would be given the Olympics opening ceremony to deal with (I have severe worries about it I will admit) - and split screens on the TV showed that as the Queen arrived at the Abbey, Kate Middleton was getting into her car and leaving her hotel.  Timings were spot on.  

OK the wedding itself.  I was Glad started as she entered the Abbey and that was it - I was off.  This was sung and played at my daughter's wedding, my ex Patrick, a conductor and singer organised his choirs and we had a small orchestra as well so it brought back such happy memories. (I remember at the end of Helen and James' day somebody said to me that it was just like a 'Royal Wedding' as regards the music).  Anyway, I mopped myself up and sat back just to enjoy it all.   Her dress was beautiful and was rather pleased with my design for said dress - see earlier post which seemed to get it about right.   I must say though that I thought Pippa Middleton as her Maid of Honour looked equally stunning in one of the most elegant and simple dresses I have seen in yonks.  

I do hope the understated elegance of the new Duchess of Cambridge rubs off on Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie whose outfits and hats were of such utter ghastliness that they defy description.  Of course, what they needed was somebody to say 'you can't possibly go out in that' which they lack, but somebody get them a stylist.  I was awaiting their arrival with anticipation as they have a penchant for fascinators (surely this is an oxymoron) and usually sport dead budgies on their heads.  Well it wasn't a dead budgie for Beatrice this time, more a....well, not sure what really.  I gather there is now a Facebook page totally devoted to Beatrice's hat (her outfit was rather nice, she has great legs and looked fine, just the hat wrecked it).   It must be rather unpleasant to be at the receiving end of such an onslaught of criticism and nasty comments and in the face of a global audience as well and I feel sorry for adding to it, but I was on Twitter throughout the day and the comments when the two princesses appeared were as one. Shame.

Tara Palmer-Tompkinson turned up at the Abbey with a temporary new nose and an outfit in royal blue which was eye catching to say the least.  She looked as if she had a blue banana stuck on the end of her forehead.  I also spotted a woman sitting in the choir stalls sporting what appeared to be a model of the Titanic but have been unable to find anybody else who spotted this so I may have been imagining it amongst all the other hat horrors on display.   If ever proof were needed that money cannot buy taste here it was in spades and all those snooty people who looked down their noses would have been confounded by the elegance and style shown by the Middleton family. None of them put a foot wrong.

And a special mention for Kate's brother James, who read the lesson from Romans 12. He learned it off by heart and only occasionally glanced down at his script.  He read it beautifully in a strong, clear, measured voice and did really well.

All the music, with the exception of Rutter who I really find banal (sorry all Rutter fans) was interesting and traditional and played simply beautifully.  The trumpets echoing throughout the Abbey made my spine tingle and when Jerusalem started, I was off again.

Then of course the carriage ride and the cheering and shouting and general happiness and good will all round and everyone having a great time.   Later, the now traditional slow walk of the crowd down the Mall to the Palace, so well organised by the police (Phillip Schofield on the ITV coverage saying 'No kettling now chaps!) until everyone was at the gates and waiting for the balcony appearance and the now obligatory Kiss.

Papers are full of it today so no need for me to say any more save I loved every moment of it, but my goodness me there were some vicious and nasty people on the net making unpleasant comments and, in some cases, being abusive and foul mouthed.  I simply cannot understand why this should happen.  One guy on Facebook kept saying he was not interested in the wedding and why anybody should want to watch it he could not understand etc etc and he went on and on about it.  In the end I told him he was perfectly entitled to his view, but if he really wasn't that interested then why did he keep on telling people so and we were not interested in him being not interested. I have noticed that all these miseries (and yes I am sure there are real sincere Republicans out there who have strong views but who did not bother taking to the net to say so and are not a member of this band), seem to know an awful lot about the wedding and the dress and the order of service, even the name of Kate's hairdresser, and yet still rabbit on about Not Being Interested and the Whole Thing being a Waste of Time. Odd.

There are lots of events on television, in which I have very little interest and I will say here and now that the Olympics is usually one of them, but I don't go on about how boring I find it and that it is never off the TV, I just don't watch it and leave it to others who do enjoy it to tune in and have fun. and do not take to the airwaves to say how boring it all is.  Each to his own.   I am prepared for the fact I may eat my words next year however so watch this space...

So a glorious day in which the rain held off, the sun shone, the pageantry and spectacle was stunning, the bride beautiful, the groom dashing in red (clever of him to wear that instead of his air force blue), the best man looked as if he was having a great time, the Queen just right in yellow, music wonderful, architecture of the Abbey taking one's breath away, the cheering crowds and general air of fun and good humour all round - well, really what is not to like?  

OK off to get the papers now and read about it all over again and get the colour supplements and the souvenir editions and enjoy the rest of the weekend. Sun is shining and blue skies and set fair though a chill in the wind.

Finally, I have to add this entry from the Guardian blog:

Hadley Freeman reports from New York that Piers Morgan has been discussing whether Diana would have enjoyed today if she were alive. Exclusive revelation: yes. Apparently on Fox News the discussion has revolved around where Diana would have sat if she were alive.

'Nuff said I think.

Royal Wedding - the Dress

I sat down the other night and had a bit of fun designing the wedding dress for THE wedding today. I had met up with my friend Julie and we had both agreed that she would not be strapless (let us hope Kate's dress will knock that endless array of bridal dresses on the head), and that she would have her shoulders covered. We both agreed on lace and so when I got back I drew this:

and here is the real thing

I feel quite pleased with myself!!

Wedding was wonderful and will be writing a fuller post on it later.  As for the outfits and headgear worn by Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie..................

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Busy week this week, Cambridge and London and now London again today and then tomorrow I will be glued to the TV watching The Wedding.  So I have eschewed serious reading and have been reminding myself of the tortuous plot and solution to the Harry Potter series by re-reading the last one, the Deathly Hallows.  I had watched the DVD over the weekend and if ever there was an example of a bad book being made into a good film this was it.

Now before I get engulfed in messages from Harry Potter fans about it being a 'bad' book, let me explain. First of all, here is a link to my review of the final book when I read it, and lots of interesting comments.  Actually, I think 'bad' is the wrong word to use, but wanted an opposite to 'good' and there you have it (My favourite of the Miss Marple series on the BBC is Nemesis, quite brilliant but the book is not so marvellous from a writing viewpoint - just throwing this in as an example). I rattle through the latest HP when it lands in my hands, so eager am I to find out what is happening to Harry, Ron and Hermione and I find I have to go back and re-read as I have missed so much.   My main gripe a bout the Deathly Hallows is not its length, loved HP and the Goblet of Fire which was just as fat, but the fact that on this occasion I do think some pruning would have been sensible.   The middle section, where the three friends are wandering and dissaparating all over the place trying to find the Horcruxes, is far too long.   Perhaps JK Rowling wanted to draw out the tension, I don't know but it does not work.

What does work, however, and is emphasised by the film, which I think is one of the best, is the friendship and love that exists between the three friends and how they stick together, despite arguments and unhappiness.   The characters of the three are so well expressed:  Ron, seemingly a bit gormless and not very good at magic but a true friend who overcomes his envy of being in the shadow of Harry all the time; Hermione, clever, smart and vulnerable who uses her cleverness to mask her insecurity and who sacrifices her family life to be with Harry and Ron; and of course, Harry brave and true and a great wizard. Together the three of them make one united whole who band together to fight Voldemort though, in the end, it is only Harry who can decide whether they live or die.  

I have just finished reading the book and yes, the writing is clunky at times, the fight and confrontation scenes are confusing, not sure that JK can do this kind of descriptive writing, overly detailed but simply perfect for a film.  The Battle at Hogwarts is going to be simply stunning and I am so looking forward to it. Did not see the last film in the cinema, other things got in the way, but will definitely be making sure that the final one is viewed at our local Odeon.  I may even pop into a big cinema in London, we shall see.

Don't want anybody to think that I don't love the Harry Potter books - I do.  They do have their drawbacks as above, but really how can I nit pick at the creations of an author who has made more children read books than ever before?  And, what's more, these books are huge and require concentration to take it all in - the ending of the Deathly Hallows which I just finished reading this morning ties up all the loose ends and references from the entire series and I had to concentrate hard not to get confused.  Each time the latest HP was published I would watch in delight at the queues of children waiting to get their copy when the stores opened at midnight, and then to see them plump down on the pavement, on the floor anywhere, and start reading,  how marvellous is that?  She created the most wonderful, enchanted world which I was very glad to enter and I do wish there were more Harry books to come, but there won't be and that is probably right.

And, finally one character that I stuck by through thick and thin came good in the end and I remember shouting YES, I knew it! when all was revealed.   So pleased about that.

Off up to London now and then, as I said, will be on Wedding Watch tomorrow.

Have a good day everyone.

The Gallows Bird - Camilla Lackberg

The Gallows Bird is the  latest in the series about Patrik Hedstrom and his colleagues and have been saving this up for the weekend along with my mini-Easter egg and I enjoyed both, the reading and the eating.

A woman is found dead, apparently the victim of a tragic car crash.  The car reeks of alcohol and the assumption is that it is a drink drive accident.  But then the autopsy reveals that there are bruises around the mouth, signs that liquor has been forced upon the driver and that this is to be treated as a murder. While this is being investigated a reality Big Brother type TV reality show is being filmed in Tanumshede and the police attention to the mysterious crash is distracted when one of the show's participants is found murdered.

While all this is going on Patrik has a new colleague to deal with, Hannah, a determined and ambitious detective who is working her way up the management pole and yet seems to have an unhappy private life (ok, same old I know but this has a twist).   While all this is going on Patrik's fiance is organising their wedding and life is a tad fraught to say the least.

Then a piece of evidence reveals that the two seemingly disparate homicides are linked, and a pattern emerges of similar deaths over a period of time and in different parts of the country and slowly Patrick realises that these cases are closer to home than he thinks.

This is just a quick summing up of this latest Camilla Lackberg as I don't want to go into too much detail and give anything away and further reviewing make this almost impossible to do.  I have become very fond of Patrik and his now wife, Erica and was slightly disappointed to find that the ending of The Stonecutter which left us with a cliffhanger, is resolved in a paragraph or two at the start of this book. I had hoped it would be given more depth.  But, this slight crit aside, this story is well up to standard and I spent a happy afternoon reading it.   The characters are all well rounded and portrayed and as the series progresses we, the readers, have a chance to become involved with them all, and we do.   Even Patrik's boss, ever eager to take the credit for his work, shows a human and vulnerable side and I must admit I warmed to him.  

We are left with another open ending which augurs well for the next book and looking forward to it already.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Links to my reviews on Random of The Ice Princess, The Preacher and The Stonecutter

And if you wish to read more about her check out her website at http://www.camillalackberg.com/

Another bit of Royal Wedding Silliness

Royal Wedding Name:

Take grandparent's first name then double barrell the name of your first pet and the street you grew up on.

This gives me Nelly Benny-Judd as opposed to Elaine Simpson-Long.

OK will all visitors today take part in this please and share the results!

Happy Easter  Sunday.

Thanks to one and all for taking part - some of the names were quite wonderful

Easter Saturday Ramblings

It is a gorgeous day here in Colchester, blue sky, sun shining and just the odd baby cloud here and there.  It won't last of course, but it is so lovely while it does.  I am having a quiet weekend as next week is a really busy one for me and these days I need to save my strength for baby sitting and socialising and three days on the trot coming up.   Not complaining though.

Residents in Brookside Close, including me, have got a tad tired of the state of our gardens and we are in the throes of forming a Residents Association and sorting things out and we have been tackling the grounds all around.  Dead bushes pulled up which did my back in last week, and yesterday I was clipping back overhanging shrubbery from the houses next door, but learned my lesson and only did an hour at a time. Something rather satisfying in doing this and then coming indoors, having a shower and then a cup of tea. Also, yesterday was Good Friday and I always prefer to be quiet on this day.  I am a Catholic, though a very lapsed one (five years at a convent school soon knock any religion out of you), and used to sing in the church choir on a regular basis and take part in all the Easter services, and it saddens me that this day is now just another day of supermarket shopping and buying up as many Easter eggs as possible and charging around without a thought for the day itself.  So, as I said, I spent most of the day on my own, being quiet and listening to a Bach Passion on Radio 3.

My friend Rosemary, now thankfully out of hospital, is coming round for supper tonight and then we are going to settle down and watch the latest Harry Potter DVD and generally have a good evening and, if the sun stays, I may nip down to the beach tomorrow.

Heaps of books to read and catch up with and not quite sure where to start.  I have been re-reading shed loads of Evelyn Anthony recently and do wish some enterprising publisher would reprint these.  Her output was prodigious and though, inevitably, some of the titles are weaker than others, the vast majority of her output was spot on, well written and exciting and the stories featuring Davina Graham, the head of MI6, are among her best.  So hope somebody out there is listening.

Two books I have to hand and I so want to read them, but they are both of doorstep size and though I know once I get started I will be OK, I am havering about on the edge of the sea and waiting to dip my toe in.   First one is A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness and everyone I know who has read and/or reviewed this says it is terrific. I have read first chapter and can already see that they are right so must get on with it.

Then I have The Hand of Fatima by Idelfonso Falcones, the author of the Cathedral of the Sea which I read a year or so ago and simply loved.   I know this one is going to be just as wonderful and I think one of the reasons why I am hesitating about starting it, is that just knowing that it is there is almost as good as reading it - and yes, I know that sounds completely mad but there you go...

Listening to Classic FM at the moment. Every Easter weekend they have their Hall of Fame voted for by the listeners. Problem is that when you vote you are provided with a list of composers and pieces you can vote for and as they have been playing these all year, it is rather self repeating.  When I queried this the response was you could vote for anybody, but most will use their list and voting off list will barely make a dent in what is played.   Having said that, Bruch's Second Violin concerto has made it this year as well as the one everyone knows.   My beef about it all is that instead of Rachmaninoff's second or third piano concerto, how about No 4 or 5?  How about Tchaikovsky's second piano concerto?  How about violin concertos by Vivaldi other than the Four Seasons?  And don't get me started on opera.  They have listed Nabucco and Mastersingers on the Hall of Fame already when it is the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves and hte overture to the Wagner which is voted for, not the opera.  The Pearl Fishers will be up soon and yet it is only the duet that everyone knows and votes for.  And so it goes on and if that sodding Lark Ascending is No 1 again this year I may just have to get my bow and arrow out.  Lovely piece but I have now heard it so many times I am sick of it and judging by the Classic FM page on Facebook so is everyone else.

OK end of rant. Oh no here is another....

Whenever the sun comes out I go into full Grumpy Old Woman of Colchester mode and moan about masses of bare, white, flabby flesh being exposed by the masses.  Well, I am now going to be contrary and wonder why every teenager I pass is walking around in hot Sunshine wearing leggings and Ugg boots?

Just a thought.

Classic FM is now playing Beethoven so they have shut me up for a bit.   Have a good and blessed Easter everyone.

NOT the Royal Wedding

This is one of the best and funniest ads I have ever seen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kav0FEhtLug&feature=share

Love it!!!!!

Triple Crime

Have read three very good crime/thrillers over the last week or so and have decided to do a round up of these in one post.

The Fatal Touch - Conor Fitzgerald.  This is the second in a new series set in Rome and featuring Commissioner Alec Blume, an American born Italian citizen who remained in Italy after his parents died and who joined the police and has risen through the ranks.  Not quite the usual maverick we come to expect in detective stories, but with a will of his own and an integrity and way of doing things that is not always popular.  A body is discovered in the Piazza de Renzi early one morning - he is the local drunk and as he has not been robbed, it would appear a tragic but unsurprising accident.   Needless to say it proves to be anything but and when it is discovered that the dead man is a painter and a master forger of old masters, then more investigation is needed.   Blume discovers notebooks in the dead man's studio in which secrets which have been hidden for years are about to be revealed, including the fact that the forger and his business partner once cheated the Mafia by selling them a forged painting. 

Twists and turns and devious characters including one Colonel Farinelli of the art fraud department of the Questore who is more involved than he cares to admit, and is very keen indeed to track down and destroy the notebooks.

A lot of detailed description of how a forger works, the tricks he uses to recreate the aged paper and the pigments of the paint and all fascinating, as are the extracts from the hidden notebooks.  Took me a while to get into The Fatal Touch but once I did I really enjoyed it.   The first Alec Blume novel, The Dogs of Rome was reviewed by me last year and this series looks as if it will run.  I do hope so.

Bad Boy - Peter Robinson.  My sister was reading one of this author's books when she was staying with me a few weeks ago and she said how good they were.  I made a mental note of the name and then, coincidentally, a copy of his latest dropped through my letter box courtesy of Hodder (thank you Hodder) and picked it up and sat down and read stragith through.   D C Banks is the detective in this series and, true to form, is divorced, likes a drink and is estragned from his daughter. Same old, same old really but, once again, good writing can imbue these stock characters with interest and flesh them out and I was soon engrossed.

As this is the latest paperback and I know nothing of what went on before, I understand that Alan Banks is on holiday recovering from the trauma of a previous case and while he is away an old neighbour calls into the police station.   Her daughter has been mied up with a boyfriend she is not happy about and, when tidying up her daughter's room, she found a gun hidden in the wardrobe.  She wants Alan to come and help and to sort this out, but instead finds that she has unleashed a full police procedure which will result in a tragic death.   By the time DCI Banks returns from his holiday it is to learn that his daughter Tracy, has disappeared with the owner of the gun and he does not know if she has gone of her own free will or has been taken hostage.

Rattled along, lots of action, great stuff and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Best of all, I have checked inside the book and delighted to see that there are another eighteen DCI Banks stories all waiting for me.  Calloo Callay o Frabjous Day.  Lots of reading enjoyment ahead of me Hodder, dear kind people...........

And my third, Fragile Minds - Claire Seeber.  Sent to me by Avon Publishing this  is published on 21 April as a paperback original.  A bomb has exploded outside the Royal Academy of Ballet in the heart of London and the police suspect a terrorist group.  But this is misleading and investigation by the DCI Joe Silver (gosh there is a familiar name for a detective) soon turns up links to the Daughters of Light, a group which seems to draw members from he Ballet School and, particularly, to one teacher who turns out to be not who she has pretended to be.

Mixed up in all this is the physiotherapist of the school, Claudie, who is suffering from a terrible tragedy of her own.  She has blackouts and, as she was in the square when the bomb exploded, is frightened that she might have had something to do with it.  If only she could remember...

Well plotted and interesting book and I enjoyed it with one or two caveats.  Claudie seems to plunge into unconcsicousness, or crash to the floor in a faint a bit too often for plausibility and, while I find Joe Silver an interesting character, I feel I would like him more if the author could rid him of the habit of calling everyone 'Kiddo'. 

So three very different but equally gripping thrillers and three titles of all lovers of this genre to watch out for.  

 

Weekend Ramblings

Late Sunday evening and I will be seeking the duvet in a bit but just wanted to post before slumber calleth.  I have just been watching a programme on BBC all about Royal Weddings and it has not been a sugary sentimental exercise which I rather thought it would be, but really rather fascinating.   We started with the wedding of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon to the Duke of York, the future George Vi and, of course, we all know about him now because of the film The King's Speech.  I have always been a bit of a fan of Bertie, even before seeing the recent Oscar winning movie, as I had read a biography about him yonks ago and he really had the most awful childhood, being abused and treated cruelly by his nanny and it took five years before his parents even realised it which says a lot about the parenting skills of GV and Queen Mary. I have always admired his tenacity which he showed in persisting in proposing to Elizabeth even after she turned him down and the way he overcame his appalling stammer and became a hardworking and loved king.

So it was rather fun to see the early newsreels of the wedding and to look at the old pictures and scrapbooks and even one rather well preserved bridesmaid's dress of that long ago event.

We then had the wedding of the Queen and Prince Philip, part of which was filmed in colour and I had never seen that before so that was really quite stunning.  We ended up this particular episode with the wedding of Princess Margaret and Tony Armstrong-Jones and it was the first occasion that a royal wedding was broadcast live.  In charge was Richard Dimbleby who I always found extremely pompous and boring, but he seems to have  been regarded as the doyenne of the royal occasion and he always popped up. I remember watching the wedding and we were given a day off school so we could stay at home and watch it as it was regarded as such a big thing.  I went round to a friend's house because we didn't have a TV and they were still regarded as luxury items even in 1960 and not everyone had a set.  I always loved Princess Margaret's dress - so elegant and unfussy.

Anyway, lots more to come and I am going to have a wallow as I ADORE royal weddings and am not ashamed to admit it.  I will be glued to the set on 29 April spotting the dresses and hats and shrieking MY GOD what does she think she looks like? at regular intervals and am just hoping that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and the ubiquitous Chelsey Davey manage to arrive without the so inaptly named 'fascinators' plonked on their heads which they seem to love wearing.  Why anybody would want to walk around with what looks like a dead budgie pinned onto their hair is a puzzle to me, ah well...

There have been lots of suggestions of a Twitter party on the day and so will have my lap top on and hope that others will be screaming OOOH Get 'er at regular intervals as well and it is going to be great fun.

It has been a beautiful day today and I have been outside gardening.  Most of us in our little block of flats are fed up with the state of the landscaping and the gardens around our building and have decided to take matters into our own hands and a few days ago my neighbour and I dug up a huge dead shrub and pulled up shed loads of weeds, and hacked and sawed and generally moved piles of dead wood and leaves and general detritus.  Luckily we back onto a wood and we were able to get rid of everything easily as it will all rot down and so are spared carting it all to the tip.   The management company is happy for us to do this and have even offered to pay for some new shrubs to go in, first time they have ever offered anything since I have been here, and we have lots of plans to generally get the place looking better.  It has been really nice being outside in the warm and working away and chatting to the neighbours, many of whom I have got to know more about in the last week than hitherto.

So a  busy, domestic week and weekend and off to London tomorrow night to see the family and look after Florence on Tuesday.  Decided best to come up the night before as wending my way on the A12 early in the morning is very tiring and I need all my wits about me now that Florence is walking and not having as many naps as she used to.  This way I get a good night's sleep and a cup of tea in the morning and, best of all, Helen brings her in to see me and a wonderful start to the day to get a good morning beam and outstretched arms from the darling child.

Just a rambling post from Random today and hope you have all had a good weekend.  Still re-reading Evelyn Anthony, a whole heap of them arrived courtesy of Amazon Marketplace and thoroughly enjoying them.  I also sold a book on Amazon the other day - the first Blue Peter annual which was picked up at a jumble sale for 10p some years ago - it fetched £50.  Have had a good month as I also sold a book I had hanging around for a time and knew I would not read again, signed by the author as well and in good nick and scarce.  My purchase price was £15 and it was sold for £75 and all this goes directly into a savings account which is earmarked for Australia.  I have also discovered that an out of print and difficult paperback to get hold of, a copy of which I own, is currently on offer on Amazon by a bookseller at £200..........I think I paid £5 for it.  I have cunningly put mine on at £150 and keeping my fingers crossed.

Following on from the Unbearable Bassington I have been tracking down more by Saki and have managed to download his entire oeuvre onto my Kindle for nothing.  This is where this amazing piece of technology comes into its own - to purchase them would have set me back about £40 or so and here they are gratis.   Am looking forward to reading more of this author after the discovery of Bassington which I do urge you again to read, it is a gem and very moving as well as being funny and witty and wise.

OK boring ramble over, off to bed.

Au reservoir everyone

An Evening at Home

I am spending an evening at home but though I am spending an evening at home it is an evening at home not only at my home but in somebody else's home.  There is a nice succinct sentence  for you all explaining how I am spending my evening at home...

BBC4 which always has an interesting and eclectic mix of programmes, is concentrating on homes and how we live in them and what they say about us.  First up, At Home with the Georgians, a series I missed when it was first shown on BBC2 so very glad it is being repeated.  This is fronted by Professor Amanda Vickery, author of Behind Closed Doors, and is based on her book which I have to hand and am looking at while this series is running.   She has an engaging and interesting style of chat, not  condescending in any way and not too larky or arm waving either.  Of course, this is the Beeb here so we have the usual shots of the Prof wandering around looking at ceilings and floors  in an awestruck manner as if they are something new and wonderful she has never seen before, and the usual re-enactment of Georgians eating their meals and lighting candles, waiting for the Man of the House to return (cue 'Oh here's Papa' from cute little Georgian moppet), all of which are acutely irritating.  However, this is offset by the fascination of the information imparted, the diaries and letters of those portrayed and the emphasis in this episode of how much the ownership of a house was something longed for by a man, as it would emphasise his status and comfort.   Humorous readings from various diaries, particularly one merry squire who knew he was a drunkard and a lecher but oh how he longed for a home with a good wife.  Sadly, it was not to be and he died all alone and unloved and is buried in an unmarked grave.

Fascinating stuff.

Then straight after came Petworth: the Big Spring Clean only in this case it is a Winter clean as the National Trust shuts the house and puts it to bed. Curtains are drawn, covers put over the furniture and all is dark and cold to the outsider passing by but inside there is a hive of activity as the cleaners, restorers and conservationists get to work.  So far we have seen how ceramics are cleaned (whoever invented baby buds is a hero at Petworth); carpets wrapped in tissue and covered for the winter, a Turner painting taken down from the wall, an original Canterbury Tales on vellum being checked to make sure no nasty little termites have been nibbling away and it is all totally riveting.  Yes, honestly and the presenter Andrew Graham-Dixon is obviously loving every minute and his enthusiasm is totally infectious.

Then continuing the theme, another programme If Walls could talk: History of the Home.  Now as the BBC has put this on at the same time as the Crimson Petal and the White over on BBC1 which also clashes with one of my addictions, NCIS, which I watch. I have recorded Crimson Petal and, thank heavens for iPlayer, will have to watch the Home prog tomorrow when it is available.  Most nights there is nothing, and I mean nothing, on the TV that I want to watch and tonight four programmes and nearly all on at the same time.  Most annoying.

A good evening at home then am very much looking forward to following the rest of these three series.

Oh and just to mention that Amanda Vickery  has recently been appointed Professor of Early Modern History at Queen Mary, University of London. She lectures on British social, political and cultural history.  This is the same history faculty where my daughter, Helen lectures in Modern History so am hoping that I can be introduced to this lady if I can blag an invite to a lecture or two.....