Sunday, January 31, 2021

WINTER WALK


I decided to go completely rogue yesterday with no news or internet and it was nice. The weather was cold but mild, but the sun was shinning off and on which was nice. Since I'm back to doing my shopping once every two weeks because of infection rates being out of control, yesterday was the first time I went out for provisions, since being back at the Casa. I took a nice walk around town before going to the market and grocer. It was nice not too many out either. Now... I'm hoping the Snow Queen won't disappoint, and she delivers a huge pile of snow. Oh, and I think she's coming, when the river starts to freeze over, we usually get it. Some sites from my walk out.
I have thought of doing a series of pictures of front doors. Especially on homes. A front door I think tells you a lot about the people living there. I was happy to see Farley's Books is still in town, but only doing pick up on items or online orders. Very smart I think. The shops letting people in, from what I saw,  are only letting in so many, which many  chain stores are not doing anymore. How does that help?

I picked up a sea bass for Sunday night's din-din. I even got it cleaned, girlfriend don't clean fish.

Took a spin through Fanny Chapman park in Doylestown ...and the Snow Queen had already started freezing the fountain. It' looked cool.

Mercer's Fonthill Castle  in the hood.

One of my favorite shops. They too are pick up only. I have the feeling Dawn the Bohemian would go gaga over this shop, Zinc.

A big huge sign replaced an old one for our front line workers at the  hospital.
Bravo!

It was a good day out to take a huge walk, get some air, and take in the scenes. Even with our forthcoming snow, Ill still take my daily walks. I can't be in doors for too long. I also made a delish onion pie from one of my Shaker cookbooks for last nights din-din. But way to lazy to make my own crust this time.

Floatin' down the river!

Friday, January 29, 2021

IN THREE WORDS

In this weekly feature, Ill share a weekly guest with you all, and you tell me in only three words, what come to mind. 

In three words...

Cicely Tyson

December 19, 1924-January 28, 2021


 Ms. Cicely Tyson was a bright light for many. We shouldn't be sad, but celebrate what she gave to many and the light she shone.

PROFESSOR T


Anyone who knows me or has read this blog for some time will tell you,  I watch barely any American television. I mostly stick to BBC and some of my Brit shows on PBS.  One shows that popped out, that I got hooked on,  and I recently binged, was a PBS show called Professor T. It's an extraordinary burst of mind. If  one could take Inspector Morse, with some Doc Martin, a pinch of DC Vera Stanhope, and mix them with the part from that show Monk...you'd get Professor T. It's an extremely quirky, Dutch show from Belgium with English subtitles, and ran from 2014 -2018. The eponymous central person is Professor Jasper Terrlinck,  a famous professor of criminology at the university in Antwerp. He is played by daddy in my head, the handsome Koen de Bouw. He sports a metrosexual buzzcut, sleek suits, and those black framed arty glasses that make him even hotter. And he plays the part with an almost expressionless face, and often struggles to even half smile, and he even moves like a robot. But his acting is such a magnetic performance... he conveys personal mystery and profound depth.

In the series,  a star student of his, has gone on to be a defective herself. DC Annelises Donkers ends up begging him to work with her and the police to solve weekly cases, usually very bizarre and creepy cases. He goes on to solve the cases, and the police, though most of them find him arrogant and crazed, grudgingly admire his unconventional sleuthing ability and talent at sussing out who's lying. If you hang in for three episode ...you'll be hooked.

 The detective stories we follow are smart, tightly knit whodunits in themselves...but as the series goes on, they often became the background noise to the riveting drama about the Professor. He always wear gloves, hates germs, and if anyone touches anything, or leaves his office, everything get a spray. As as the seasons go on, we learn just how, and why he ends up this way. And he suffers from not only germophobia, but anal retentiveness, and OCD, not to mention is in a terror of people getting to close to him. To soothe his soul, he listens to classical music. He often hires female escorts to his home, but it's never clear if he has sex with them or not, or just there for dinner partners, who mercifully punctuate his solitary existence.
Some in the professor's police and university circles loath him, but others, though flummoxed and frustrated by his eccentric behavior, feel a protective, tender way with him, like the Dean of the Faculty, and the faculty administrative secretary, Ingrid Sneyers, who he often has some hilarious banter with, and she often puts him in his place. The actress plays her brilliantly. There's also Christina Flamant, the police commissioner, and as we discover, the professor's ex-girlfriend, who after time, we see still has feelings for him. And then there's his omnipresent mother, Adeline VanMarcke, a oppressive, domineering battleax of a woman, played by the lovely, Viviane DeMuynck, in a wonderful grand performance.

What is cool are the quirky scenes, You sometimes don't know if something is happening or it's in the professors head, and we often see inside his head. His mind, without warning, suddenly slips from perceiving an ordinary person standing in front of him, to seeing a huge yellow feathered bird or a vulgar hooker. In this show, reality and dream merge, and  what's imagined is no more absurd,  then the quotidian world the Professor with his fragile sanity must somehow navigate.

And this hunk! Inspector Dann De Winter use to get me hot.
 He was DC Annelises Donkers partner till he left in the second season, but luckily she,  and we got another hottie who melted my boots...Inspector John Van Humbeeck

Professor T includes a list of memorable characters to long to list here, played by superb actors. But more so,  it brings to the fore, the biggest problems troubling the human race- how to balance emotions and intellect, either one of which, if out of proportion, will destroy a person, what it means to be fully human and what exactly, is truth, and why we uncover it at our peril. If you like different, quirky and chic visuals, I recommend it.

Now I'm all involved binging on the series Endeavour. Don't get me started on Shawn Evans!!!!!!  Just caught the holiday special of Call the Midwife. Excellent!!! I'm also watching All Creatures Great And Small. One of Diana Riggs last acting stints, and the britcom Upstart Crow. 

 What's can I say? I love Brit tv better.

Thursday, January 28, 2021

HAPPY MOMENTS #19

 Here we are then at the 19th installment of this series. Who knew we'd still be in this pandemic this long?  Looks like we too,  still have those little things or big things that make us happy in these trying times. With the funeral march totals going up, we need some happy. A couple days ago, I witnessed a neighbor coming out on a gurney, sadly, completely sheet covered. It's real when you witness that. I didn't know them, but felt sorry for their family who would probably learn of their fate later that day.  And just today one of New Hopes notable characters,  Jim M, I learned has also succumbed. He was in his late 80's and one couldn't be in New Hope without seeing him always walking his dog, or at a pub or eatery , regaling stories of past yore in the town. I have taken to only going out once every two weeks again, now for food provisions and the goods at the market. People, who aren't even going out, or seeing anyone, seem to be getting the virus, and are getting them from contaminated objects entering the home.  That was the case of my two friends who both passed from covid. So make sure your washing and wiping off what you can.

Bob

Max Goldberg

 

A favorite inn

A favorite house

Josvad

Mahogany Empress


Your Mistress
This one cracked me up. His rabbit feet are tucked under his front feet.
And this was in an email from Christina of her son's new puppy, 
Magnus, with her dog Lottie.

Boy Morgan
Even though I'm not currently working, my morning coffee makes me happy.

Bucks Boys

Our new home in Filter Square

Cello Josh

My views always make me happy

Dame Micaux
Charlie!!!!!!

Hazard O Leary
Hugging Bandit

Midnight Magpie
Walks along the canal

The Marian Headlands

RJK
The election results!

Capital Street Duo
Spring flowers arrive in the shop!!!

Pam Demic
Just because were in a pandemic
 doesn't mean one has to forego taking care of the display case.

Agnes Goldberg De-Woofs
Even without William here I still set my table and thanks to everybody for the well wishes. 

Send submission to mistressborghese@yahoo.com

TODAYS CHUCKLE

Any volunteers?????

I also got this in my email.
Ms Moorecock must be on the mend.