DH and my Date Night last night was to see the final Downton Abbey film at the cinema!  We have not been to the cinema in ages, particularly as it now seems to cost as much as going out for a meal (!) and the other reason being there has been nothing on we wanted to see.  However this film opened on Friday.

If you have watched all the series and the two prior films then you will know that this just follows on from them.  You can see this film without have watched the previous ones but you would probably miss one or two references.  Sadly The Dowager Countess of Grantham died in the previous film and Dame Maggie Smith herself passed away last year and the film is dedicated to her.  That was the only thing missing from the film her wit, perfect timing of her little pearls of wisdom, and barbs that her character was known for.

©Downton Abbey the series.

The film begins with Lady Mary Talbot going through a divorce which in 1930 was a scandal and divorced women were treated as if they were fallen.  This then leads into the fact that Lord Grantham needs to take over the running of Downton again because of Lady Mary’s status.  We also find that Lady Grantham’s mother has passed away and the Estate is being handled by her brother in America badly which again has an affect on Downton’s fortunes.  The film also shows the older staff retiring and leaving the younger staff to take over, so very much changes happening throughout all their lives.  

It was excellent and a good tribute to everyone who has worked on the series and the three films and a nice way to end an icon of recent TV.  Especially as we get so many controversial shows now, or inane ones (the “talent” shows!) and not forgetting the dreadful “Reality” TV which is as far from reality as anything else.  So it was great to have this series and three films which are elegant and although it is probaly not the best word to describe it, but gentle programme.  I for one will miss it but the benefit of our TV viewing now is we are able to watch them all the time thanks to the streaming networks!  Netflix in the UK and the series is also now on Disney+ too.  I have started to watch the series again and Dame Maggie Smith is just the best.

If you are a fan of the show I am sure this film will soon be available to watch on TV and does not disappoint.

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I haven’t forgotten about Book Club Friday but DH and my’s Friday turned into chaos not of our doing!  We were waiting for a delivery of two pieces of furniture for Youngest and they ended up coming by two separate deliveries both ends of the day and in between we had to dash off and get my car, which was in Birmingham which is a dreadful place to drive through. DH knows it well because of business so I was following him which can be a bit of a nightmare but we got home in time for the second delivery but then found that we only had two of the three boxes we needed!  Anyway I will do Book Club Friday tomorrow.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.  Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

My ironing pile is all done and I am up to date, well for today.  I will start again tomorrow with all the bedding and towels.  Ironing is such a discussion these days.  Our Boys say that their things don’t need ironing at all and are quite happy to wear things out of the dryer or off the line.  I always say that if they have been in the washing machine then they need ironing. 

I actually don’t mind ironing, so long as I have things to watch on TV.  Sometimes though it can almost take as long to find something to watch as it does to iron!  I have watched a few films, Horror mainly (getting ready for Halloween!).  I have also been re-watching the original “Frasier” series.  It always used to be on our TV screens on a Friday evening at 9.00pm and DH and I always watched it BC (before children).  I love the characters and their interactions which made it very funny, although I always thought that David Hyde Pierce was the better actor of him and Kelsey Grammer. 

There is going to be a new series of Frasier with just Kelsey Grammer in and I just don’t think it will work.  I am sure that people watching this new one, who have never seen the old series, will like it but I will not be watching because I think we will miss the other characters. 

I watched this the other evening!  Hmm; six episodes about two young, newly married British people transplanted to New York for his work.   However he strays and his wife finds out and she decides, because of a past history of her own father cheating on her mother, on revenge rather than divorce!  Well Jenna Coleman who plays the lead was supposed to be Welsh, however her accent came and went!  I got to the end of Episode six  and was not impressed!

I watched this the other evening and loved it.  I have seen all the Insidious films and thought them very clever.  If you don’t like horror then this is not for you but if you do it is good!

By tomorrow I will have another pile of ironing and will be looking for more things to watch!!! 

Happy Wednesday everyone.  Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Copyright: ©CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection

It was announced yesterday that Dame Angela Lansbury passed away aged 96.

As you know if you read my blog, she was in one of my favourite films, Bedknobs and Broomsticks but is well known to younger viewers as Jessica Fletcher in the TV show “Murder, She Wrote”.  However she acted in many, many films, TV shows and plays during her long career only retiring four years ago.  Despite this long career she was really underrated and should have received far more recognition of her work but I suppose that as she worked for so long that showed that people respected her work.

Having seen the Harry Potter movies, I see a lot of Angela’s portrayal in Bedknobs and Broomsticks in Professor McGonagall, which is not suprising as J.K. Rowling is the same age as I and no doubt watched the film when she was little. 

RIP Dame Angela Lansbury

1925 – 2022

Susie xx

There comes an age, usually after your teens, which you reach and in your mind you never really move on from it despite the birthdays which come and go.  For DH it was 17 when he could learn to drive, that was the age he wanted to get to and for me it was 25.  Don’t ask me why but 25 to me seemed to be I was an adult, not a Kidult ie 18 but not really an “adult”.  This was in 1989 and I had been married for a year, working, my own home and was killing it at life!!!!   In 1986 I was 22 and started living with DH which is when my life really started, so the films we went to see then remain very much a big part. 

Of course now those films are middle aged and I always say when something like this comes to your attention it is only then that you realise that you are getting older too, not those birthdays which come and go every year!!!!!!! 

These are my favourite middle aged films that came out in 1986.

“Highlander” was one of DH and My’s first dates.  What is not to love in that it began in Scotland and had a film score by “Queen” and what a score it was, our favourite song which became DH and my’s song “It’s A Kind of Magic” is from the film score!  Haven’t watched this for a while but originally had it on VHS tape and then bought it on DVD (how many films and albums have you done that with?).  Still love to watch it now.

“When Harry Met Sally” I loved and again bought it on VHS, DVD and have it on my iPod as well!!!  If I EVER want to watch a feel good film and immerse myself in the ’80’s then this is what I put on.  It really is based upon Pride & Prejudice but we can forgive Norah Ephron for using Jane Austen’s book as her inspiration and Harry is definitely not Mr Darcy but he is the 1986 version.  I loved the idea of moving to New York and living in the City that never sleeps and I loved the clothes and the bookstores and that Sally was a journalist.  We lived in Nottingham at the time and for the UK it is a vibrant city, not quite open 24 hours but DH and I had the same sort of life as Harry & Sally, all before “BC” – Before Children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My final middle aged film is “Labyrinth” with another kick ass score by David Bowie!!!  It was the romatic film of 1986 and who would not want to dance with Mr Bowie in that fabulous dress worn by Sarah, but the true heroes of the film were the Jim Henson characters especially Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus!

Hoggle

Ludo

Sir Didymus!

If you have never seen these three films then check them out over the weekend they really are feel good ones and in fact I will probably watch them.  They have also managed to stand the test of time, despite being 35 years old they have not really dated, even When Harry Met Sally which is firmly set in the 1980’s.  The only other film, which is not quite middle aged at only 23 is “You’ve Got Mail” another Norah Ephron film and yes this is on my iPod too!!!  I think by the time this does reach 35 it will still be standing the test of time!!!!! 

Have a wonderful weekend whatever you are up to, us?  – chaos; cars into storage, hire cars being delivered, vans to transport things places including Penny and somewhere in between the normal weekend stuff!!!  I will be back here on Monday, probably asleep at my desk!!!!!! 

Hugs & Love, Susie xx

1930 – 2020

The original James Bond, Sir Sean Connery, passed away today in his sleep aged 90.  The first James Bond film I saw was “Diamonds are Forever” which I loved but there were lots of his films that I loved including “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, “The Rock” and “The Hunt for Red October”.  However my most favourite film which DH and I went to see on our second date was “Highlander” which was set in the Scottish Highlands but Sir Sean played Don Juan Sanchez-Villalobos Ramirez but as always with a Scottish accent!  Loved this film especially as the film score was by Queen, my favourite band.  I still watch it now!

No matter how many actors play Bond they will always be compared to Mr Connery and although they all do bring something to the role, you always have your favourite and I do think he was the best.

Rest in peace Sir Sean.

Hugs & Love, Susie xx