Any Excuse for a Lansbury Gif...

Queen

A month ago, the country was mourning the death of the Queen, whilst I felt largely indifferent. But now? I totally get it. Angela Lansbury, queen of my heart, died last week. All the phrases that were bandied about during the royal period of mourning suddenly make sense. She was like everyone's nan... She's been there my entire life... I never thought she'd actually die... all felt real for the first time. For me, anyway. 

Queen

Whether it was Murder She Wrote throughout your youth, kids' classics like Bedknobs and Broomsticks, or the darker stuff like Gaslight or The Manchurian Candidate, she was ace. In 2014, I saw her in the West End in Blithe Spirit. She was eighty-nine and bossed that stage with more energy than my then thirty-something self could ever muster. Once again, like the Queen queen, she was the link to a previous generation with her seventy-nine long year career. Whether it was her work in Hollywood, Broadway, or television, she was legendary. What a broad!

Apart from being a non-smoking
caucasian female without a rabbit suit,
this is pretty much me right now.

Writing News

It's so lovely right now. I'm having a couple of weeks of - I believe the technical term is - swanning about, and completely ignoring the 65,000 word manuscript I've just finished. When I come back from - I believe another technical term is - titting around, I'll be able to read it through after forgetting what I've written. That way I can critique it, willy nilly, and make it sound marvellous. 

You're right, Janet.
The Good Place really slaps.

Culture

Last week, I rewatched The Good Place. Four series of mega belly-laughs while covering deep and meaningfuls about the universe. As TV shows go, it's a unique slant. I first watched it when was released in 2016 and it's still brilliant. Recently I was talking with a friend about how rubbish current Netflix releases seem to be. I'm getting lots of cheesy, naff stuff suggested regularly - all of which I'm watching, natch - but none of the excellence there used to be. He reminded me that this may well be the result of the COVID gap. We're now seeing the result of everything shutting down for a bit, two years ago. The other explanation is that my algorithms are so screwed by my insistence on watching shite Christmas films all year long, I'm not being offered the good stuff. Both theories may be correct.

Just a light
Monday night tea.

Food and Drink

After my mini break in Wales, I've had a week on the healthy eating wagon. I say 'heathy eating wagon', but since I ditched the Weight Watchers mentality and got into the revolutionary and mind-blowing 'eat when you're hungry' routine, the healthy eating wagon isn't so much a wagon. It's more a gentle voice reminding you there's no need for daytime drinking in a normal week, or that you don't need three courses on a run-of-the-mill Monday. So that's where I'm at. Getting back to normal. This week,' normal' has been porridge with apple and cinnamon for breakfast, and loads of salmon and veg. 

Out and About

It was the niece's 3rd birthday so that meant a night in Warwick for pizza and booze. If only we could all be as thrilled with our Big Girl Beds as she is. 

Queen

Enjoy your weeks. May they be the perfect balance of Autumnal sunshine and stiff breeze, along with the hint of an aroma of burning leaves. Can you taste the bonfire toffee yet? Well, CAN YOU?

Have a lovely week, folks