Saturday, October 16, 2010

Miscellany

The weather this week has been wonderful;  warm enough to dry laundry outside and to give the lawns a much needed cut, with just the odd day like yesterday when the air was damp and the sky was grey.

Things Autumnal
I've also been looking after my neighbours' cat whilst they have been in Wales closing their caravan down for the winter.  They gave me a lovely bouquet of flowers to say thank you.

Pretty Flowers
We are off to the New Vic this weekend to see Northern Broadsides again,  this time the play is called 'The Game'.  It has had good reviews both locally and nationally so I'm really looking forward to it.  It is set in a Northern town in 1913, written by Harold Brighouse the author of the play Hobson's Choice and is about a family caught up in the  financial crisis at a local football club.  Sounds quite topical!

Usually there's not a lot to watch on TV on Saturday evenings other than the repeat of QI  but tonight there is a new historical drama on Chanel 4 which I 'm thinking about recording. The reason I'm only thinking about it is that I'm actually reading the book it is based on at the moment and I'm torn because if I start to watch the programme before I've finished the book I'll start to 'see' the characters in the book with the faces of the actors who are playing the parts on TV and I've already got pictures in my head of what the characters look like.  Does this bother you?  If you've read a book before seeing a film are you disappointed with the way it has been dramatised or with the actors playing your favourite characters?  Or if you read a book after seeing a film or TV drama do you  then see the actors as the characters in the book or can you separate the two?    I was so disappointed with a recent adaptation of one of Peter Robinson's books 'Aftermath'  - characters not as I'd imagined them,  their 'back histories' altered and so much cut out or changed. I probably shouldn't have watched it!

Programmes I am enjoying at the moment are Michael Wood's 'A History of England' on BBC 4  on Wednesdays and 'Downton Abbey' on ITV on Sundays. Also Autumn Watch is back but I'm missing Simon King!  What are your favourites at the moment?

Whilst walking around Trentham this morning we came across this fellow in the woods - there were some others but this one I thought was topical after the wonderful news of the rescue of the 33 Chilean miners.  What brave men they were;  as were their rescuers - how awful must it  have been to be the last one to come up in the capsule? 
Next week  I'm off on the train to Shrewsbury  to meet a friend for lunch and perhaps some shopping - I'll take my camera with me!

10 comments:

  1. what a lovely bouquet of flowers - how kind of your friends. I think you either watch the film/tv drama or read the book because they never match up to each other. I like detective programmes but enjoy reading PD James. Yes the rescue of the miners was just awesome - it touched my heart because my grandfather was a coalminer in Durham in the early 1920/30's and I know he survived a few accidents. Enjoy your show this evening - I went with friend to see Swan Lake at our local theatre last week and it was brilliant. Judith (Precious Moments)

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  2. Can you remember when you had been to see Cantebury Tales and I said that I had tickets to see it too? Did you ever wonder why I didnt blog about it? Well, in what can only be described as a "senior moment" I forgot about the tickets - until a week after the play!!!I know what you mean about the book vs Film/TV series thing. The only one I ever tsaw that was true to the book was the BBC series adaptation of My Family and Other Animals (back in the 1980's. I'm currently immersed in the lavish Downton Abbey every Sunday evening, and I have always had a bit of a thing for the very tasty Mr Michael Wood. xxxx

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  3. I'm loving Downton too. We were on holiday when it started but luckily I'd seen the trailers and put it onto record.

    I enjoyed the first series of True Blood but then over the summer read all the books. Now I'm watching the series but its not the same. Still its something to watch.

    I'll go check whats on later, might be something to record.

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  4. Lovely Flowers. If I see a film and then read the book then I can only see them as the actor who portrayed them.
    I prefer to read the book first and see them in my head.

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  5. Lovely Flowers. If I see a film and then read the book then I can only see them as the actor who portrayed them.
    I prefer to read the book first and see them in my head.

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  6. So much to comment on Rosie! I love the autumnal display on your table and the flowers that you were given. I hope that you enjoy your play. I haven't been to see a play in years. I agree with Judith - either watch the film or read the book but don't do both. Saying that I watched Tess of the D'Urberviles on TV and I read the book and I enjoyed both! I've not watched much of Autumnwatch yet this year. I do miss Simon King but then again I also miss Bill Oddie! x

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  7. Lovely autumn display on your table, I have really enjoyed drying laundry outside this week in the lovely weather we have had!

    I don't watch a lot of TV but I do love QI! I am the same with books and films, I have a list of films waiting to be watched that I will not watch until I have read the book. I like to imagine it myself first.

    I hope you enjoyed your trip to the theatre and enjoy Shrewsbury next week, its such a lovely place to visit!

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  8. I'm a "book first, movie second" kind of girl, too!

    The statue was a fitting post...I can't imagine how difficult it would be have to make your living by going underground all day long. The idea that I could be trappped would keep me frozen and unable to work! Glad there was a happy ending to that part of the story...hope it finally pans out to be as "civil"...

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  9. Judith - thanks I love PD James, too. My great grzndfather died in a colliery accident (see my family history blog) thanks for popping by:)

    Diane - oh dear, lol, what a shame you missed the play - I've done things like that before - completely missed a meeting or something because I thought it was later in the week etc:)

    Amanda - I decided to record it and wait until I've read the book top watch:)

    Rosie - me too - the flowers still look lovely after a week:)

    Simone - I'm going to read the book first! Yes, shame about Bill he was wonderful but got a bit strange towards the end of his run on that show - I know he has health problems:)

    Louise - Thanks - yes it is woderful to dry outside - Shrewsbury is one of my favourite places:)

    Deb - I too worry about what will happen now to those miners - I hope the media circus let them adjust and get on with their lives:)

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  10. Hi - nice to meet you. I grew up in Nottinghamshire so that area is very close to my heart and I will enjoy your photos. As for TV, well Downton Abbey is a delight, I'm finding.

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