They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple Film on You Tube

Last night I watched the entire movie of They Were Sisters here on You Tube.

It stars James Mason as the nasty husband of Charlotte.  The other actors and actresses are not so well known at all.  The film was released in 1945.

If you have read the book and are a fan of Dorothy Whipple I think you will enjoy the film.

They Were Sisters, the book, is sold through Persephone here

The book makes for very compelling reading.  I would love to see it done as a Master Piece Theatre Production by BBC.

Enjoy!
Christy

On The Road 1978 VW Camper Van Westfalia Florida Our Adventure

Well I'm back and how hard it is to come back to the routine of work.  If it was just home that would be great, but work is a matter of big time catch up.

One of the funniest things has been driving my eleven year old car, I keep marvelling at power steering and power brakes, let alone automatic.  Actually a newer stick shift is fine.  Air conditioning is nice too.

I think I built up arm muscles turning that steering wheel, plus leaning over like a lorry driver to get it into third gear which was a very long reach.  When I pulled away from a light a least four cars would get a jump on me, some people are patient, some are not.

You may remember the old wing windows in older vehicles, I've always been a fan of these and they were a saving grace in the VW Camper Van.  Something else that came to me was that you did not have to lock the locks with the key, you can just hold them in and they lock, that was a throw back to older times, and actually had to inform my mechanic head son about this feature, yes mum does know a few things.

Did we have fun yes.  Two thousand miles in two weeks.  We were up to the Bend of the Panhandle and right down to the Keys.  We saw some beautiful sights of nature, which made you think about how Florida must have been, from great wealth in Palm Beach to poverty and strip malls in between.

Some parts of Florida you can drive for miles on the side roads, which was great for us at our speed and not see another vehicle for ages.  In many areas it's hard to find even a coffee shop but you will find a church and it will be the First ... Something.

Here I am at the wheel on our first full day out.

Fort DeSoto County Park our first sunrise in Florida and not too far from where we picked up the van.

After we arrived, in true Florida summer tradition a thunder storm came through and dropped a lot of rain.

So here I am just checking out where we will be heading.  I'm having a cup of tea after finishing our chicken sandwiches.  We stocked up on food at Publix, which seems to be the main food chain in Florida.

So will be posting our adventure.

Christy

Tea For Two

Tea for two, just love this crazy image.

Anyone for a spot of tea?

Christy

Early Morning Light A New Day

I love the early morning light in my garden.

Tink likes a little stroll around the garden.  Had a nice cup of tea out here the other morning on the Pond Patio.

I always feel that a peony is a little posy in itself, if only the blooms were more hardy and the rain didn't beat them down so.

Mr. B. hung one pot on the tree just to get it out of the way and I thought that's not such a bad idea.  My poor ash dies a little more each year.

Has been a busy week, working full time and trying to get ready for our trip to Florida, yes that's tomorrow, we fly out of Philly.

The limits on luggage are rediculous.  If you put anything in the hold they charge you $25.00 each piece.  So we are allowed two carry ons.  One the size of a laptop case, I have a rolly for that, and the other up to 40 pounds, the size of which is the smallest in a set of three suitcases.  I refuse to pay extra.  I'm rather spoilled with the trans Atlantic run, where every little thing like a glass of water is not extra and all drinks and food is included.

Today tropical storm Andrea has hit our area, it has been coming up and across the east coast from yes guess where Florida, but hopefully it will all be over by the time we get down there on Saturday.  Just have to pack, most of my things are gathered together.  I start a week or so before making a list and then getting all those bits together in one area, it makes me feel less stressed.

Did shop for a few extra things, like those Keen walking shoes, although I got a different make half the price and I like them better, bacause the back strap is velcro it makes it easier to put on and take off.  The color is a mid grey and lime green.

Take care of a great weekend.

Florida here we come!

Christty

Little Free Library

A woman peeks inside the Little Free Library in New York City. The funky structure is one of 10 mini-libraries that popped up around the city recently. Visitors can duck under the inverted plastic tank & browse the 40-book collection. Borrowing is on an honor system: You take a book, you return a book. The project was inspired by the Little Free Library movement, which aims to promote literacy & a love of books.

I have seen little boxes outside peoples houses with free books, borrow one and return one.

Interesting.

Christy

Inspired By My Neighbors Yellow Roses

My neighbor has a lovely yellow rose bush.  So I was in Aldi's and looking pretty forlorn were those last packaged rose bushes that no one has bought and will just be thrown out, all discounted.  Mr B. said you have no where to plant them, as he could see that I wanted to buy one of the yellow ones.

Well I went home and thought about it overnight and sure enough I do have a space to put one, and then when I got back I couldn't decide between the New Day and the Origold, so decided to buy both.  At $2.99 each not a huge expenditure.

This was my inspiration for wanting a yellow rose bush.  All my roses are in huhs of pink, lilac and red with a little yellow.

My neighbors rose bush.

So in the back kitchen garden I planted the Origold.

And under the kitchen window I planted the New Day.

A posy of cut yellow roses and my red roses on the pond patio table.

Christy

Stanley Theater, Jersey City, NJ

Jersey City  Stanley Theater

The Stanely Theater in Jersey City is an amazing restoration of a beautiful old movie theater.

Tinkerbell and Temperature

What's a girl to do in the dog days of summer at 91 degrees f, take a little siesta.  One never says cat days of summer.  No AC in our house.

She looks a little done in doen't she?

Christy

The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency

The No 1 Laidies Detective Agency is, as you probably know a series of books written by Alexander McCall Smith.  Set in Botswana a most beautiful country.

I have not read as many of the books as I would like to but always found them a delightful, heart warming read.  So I was delighted to stumble across the pilot to an HBO series on You Tube.

Jill Scot plays Precious, she is a warm character, but strong.  It takes you back to her childhood and close relationship with her father, with some beautiful cinematography of Botswana.  This is not to be missed, and I will search around for more on You tube.

There are also interviews of the making of the film in Botswana, and how happy folk were to have a positive heart warming portrayal of an African country.  Many things are so true to life, the beautiful singing at her father's funeral, the way of greeting each other when you go shopping and I could go on and on.  But go take a look for yourself, you will not be disapointed.

The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Pilot here






I do love the singing, my first exposure that I remember to South African singing was in Paul Simon's Graceland Album, and after that we bought many CDs of different South African groups, such as Ladysmith Black Mombazo and others.

Enjoy!

Christy

P.S.  A lot of drinking of Bush Tea, a girl after my own heart.

Paper Weights

My sister BB phoned over the holiday weekend and said that she had been car booting and was starting a collection of paper weights, so I mentioned that I had a few.

So this is my collection.  The millefiore paper weight was given to me by my grandma Kitty and comes from Venice.  The red robin was given to me from an old family friend, auntie Gladys.  I had the robin, BB my sister has the kingfisher.  The teapot was a gift from my friend Candyce, what could be better for a Brit.

The others I collected, the old bridge and boat scene because many years ago in autumn my friend Nancy and I, in our single days tool a trip up to Nova Scotia, driving through the New England states to get there, and one of our campsites was right by this bridge.  We were driving Nancys' old black VW Beetle.  This paper weight is probably from the turn of the century, oh not this one, the last one.  Wow that's funny to think of.  The little flower too.

So BB this is my little collection.

Christy