Playing Catch Up

Far be it for me to complain about the luxury of being able to take a three week holiday but one thing that has been difficult has been catching up with everything that's on the Sky hard drive. Before we left we set series links on all sorts, The Good Wife,  The Shadow Line, Modern Family, Spiral and a lot more and now we have to decide wether to watch or to delete.

I'm certainly glad that we didn't delete The Shadow Line. We've almost caught up now and I have to say that this is a TV cop show that's a cut above the rest with beautiful cinematic direction an excellent soundtrack and an abundance of outstanding performances from a first class cast. The "baddies" played by Stephen Rea, Rafe Spall and Anthony Sher are as sinister bunch as you would ever imagine and terrify me even in the safety of my armchair. It's rare to find TV drama that is the equal of a cinema visit but this one must be in line for a bagful of awards.

 
We've also been catching up on The Hotel, the fly on the wall documentary about The Damson Dene Hotel in Cumbria. I had to watch this as my dad and I stayed there forty years ago and had a few days fishing in the Lakes. For the eighteen year old me it was the height of luxury although luxury would not be the word of choice for most reviewers today. The documentary has certainly been entertaining and we have grown to love the cast of eccentric characters from the hard working Welsh general manager and the moustachioed chef to the united nations of Eastern European staff. The show comes up with some classics. For me the highlight was the customer who complained to the receptionist that the toilet seat was "literally the most worrying thing I've ever seen". Now I don't know about you but if I had got to my mid fifties and the most worrying thing I'd ever seen was a wooden toilet seat with a couple of rough splinters then I'd think I'd had a pretty cushy life. Another wonderful sequence showed a shrewish woman who had brought her daughter on a last minute break (£50 for one night dinner bed and breakfast  - for 2!) complaining about anything and everything. For fifty quid you'd be lucky to get a three course meal for two never mind a room and use of the spa as well.

I don't know wether to love or hate the iPhone weather app. Without it we would have gone to Gresgarth Hall today and seen the wonderful gardens which open to the public just once a month. But we would have got soaked as the app seems to be uncannily accurate most of the time and it seems that it's p*****g down today at Gresgarth as predicted. Great pity as we can't go in July and may not be able get there in August either. The app is certainly a great aide to planning but does it spoil life's unpredictability?

Two weeks on from the cycling holiday we're missing the bikes. There aren't too many interesting cycle routes around here but there is a BMX park. Perhaps we should try this.

3D or Not 3D That Is The Question

It's Orange Wednesday and a chance for us to get back into the swing of our regular film going after four weeks absence from the silver screen. There's not a great deal that appeals at the local Vue but we decided to go and see "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" as we had read that, although the film was not up to much, the 3D was good. So I duly booked for the 6.20 p.m showing and we turned up on time. As I handed in the tickets I waited for the 3D glasses only to be told that I had booked a 2D performance (I was unaware that it was showing in anything other than 3D). Fortunately, possibly down to our being regulars, the manager agreed to a swap for the 8.30 3D showing so there's time for a quick blog and then back to Vue. 

We would have gone to the cinema in Ile De Re but sadly it had closed recently so we were unable to experience the no doubt fascinating delights that this picture house had to offer.

It's been a busy day with us both spending an hour at the gym this morning and then taking Marion's mum Flo to the local National Trust property Rufford Old Hall along with friends Enid and Joyce before heading to the cinema (and back). The property is an interesting old place with a fabulous timber framed great hall and a very rare carved screen as shown below. Flo didn't seem particularly impressed but we all enjoyed a high tea at the cafe. This was a quite significant spread and we fortunately ordered four between five of us and still had to ask for a couple of doggie bags for Flo, Enid and Joyce who should tonight be enjoying a scone, a cheese sandwich and cupcake with their cup of tea. 

Part of the ancient carved screen at Rufford Old Hall

As we're not expecting a great deal from the Johnny Depp extravaganza tonight we've also booked to see "Win Win" at FACT in Liverpool tomorrow. I don't know a great deal about this film other than it was a success at Sundance in 2011 and we have enjoyed most of the hits from that festival that we have seen. It was also directed by Thomas McCarthy who made the brilliant "The Station Agent" which is in itself sufficient incentive to see it. Apart from that I am also pretty sure that it won't turn up at Vue in Southport so a trip to Liverpool One and a bit of shopping before the 6.15 screening should make for a pleasant day.

We've not a lot on then until Sunday when we are off to the fabulous Gresgarth Hall Gardens near Caton on the edge of the Trough of Bowland which open to the public on a few Sundays throughout the year. This is a gardener's paradise - a quite stunning setting. Let's hope that the weather doesn't ruin it as the forecast is not looking too good.


I'll let you know how we found "Pirates" and "Win Win" on the next blog.