Weekend shenanigans
I've just spent a very happy weekend in London with athena_arena. Her new flat is fantastic, and very homely already! I'm a bit envious of the fact that she has more than one cupboard in the kitchen and doesn't have to share with 5 others like me, but, as the old adage goes, beggars can't be choosers* ;-)
We met up with friends on Saturday for a librarians outing to the theatre (I can assure readers that not a patch of tweed was in evidence, though rather disturbingly we all chose to wear blue jeans and long black overcoats - a new uniform perhaps?!) to see Under the Lintel. Two major reasons for choosing this one-man show:
1. Star of the show is Richard Schiff, aka top sullen bloke from the West Wing, and bearded personality extraordinaire, and;
2. IT'S ABOUT A LIBRARIAN DAMN IT!!!
Now if the first doesn't get your attention then surely... SHURELY, the second must make you just a little intrigued!
At this point I could launch into a massive plot synopsis whilst providing (not very) insightful comments on its thought-provoking, cyclical nature... but I'd only make a balls-up of it so I'll leave that to someone else. I will, however, say that Shiff put in an excellent, energetic performance (marred only slightly by a shonky Dutch accent affected out of necessity - the librarian in question is Dutch, after all). The script gets the librarian stereotypes (i.e. that we're all a bunch of book-stamping, shushing, humourless pedants with no life and even fewer friends) out of the way in the first 10 minutes, without playing on it for too many cheap laughs, and there-on in the picture painted is a rather touching one of a man's growing obsession, and his gradual removal from the safety and predictability of his daily routine in the pursuit of the truth.
In contrast with Saturday, today has been a very chilled day indeed - just like a Sunday should be. Pastries and coffee for breakfast, accompanied by a leisurely read of one of the Sunday rags. The smell of roast chicken tantalising the taste buds as lunch approaches, and the joys of freshly roasted potatoes, carrot and swede and real gravy(TM) served in accompaniment - all washed down with a nice glug of the old vin blanc ;-) I can't claim any responsibility for any part of this lunchtime culinary delight however. athena_arena confirmed what I always knew - she's a real wizzard in the kitchen!! Housemate J provided the wine, and I... well, I tried not to get in the way and added brute force and ignorance in the mashing phase for the veg ;-)
All in all an excellent weekend, hampered only slightly on the way home by a slow train journey form London to Oxford, and a bus doing an impersonation of a generously filled sardine tin at this end! Mais, c'est la vie... it was all very much worth it :-)
*Note to self - buy pictures to cover up the magnolia walls!
We met up with friends on Saturday for a librarians outing to the theatre (I can assure readers that not a patch of tweed was in evidence, though rather disturbingly we all chose to wear blue jeans and long black overcoats - a new uniform perhaps?!) to see Under the Lintel. Two major reasons for choosing this one-man show:
1. Star of the show is Richard Schiff, aka top sullen bloke from the West Wing, and bearded personality extraordinaire, and;
2. IT'S ABOUT A LIBRARIAN DAMN IT!!!
Now if the first doesn't get your attention then surely... SHURELY, the second must make you just a little intrigued!
At this point I could launch into a massive plot synopsis whilst providing (not very) insightful comments on its thought-provoking, cyclical nature... but I'd only make a balls-up of it so I'll leave that to someone else. I will, however, say that Shiff put in an excellent, energetic performance (marred only slightly by a shonky Dutch accent affected out of necessity - the librarian in question is Dutch, after all). The script gets the librarian stereotypes (i.e. that we're all a bunch of book-stamping, shushing, humourless pedants with no life and even fewer friends) out of the way in the first 10 minutes, without playing on it for too many cheap laughs, and there-on in the picture painted is a rather touching one of a man's growing obsession, and his gradual removal from the safety and predictability of his daily routine in the pursuit of the truth.
In contrast with Saturday, today has been a very chilled day indeed - just like a Sunday should be. Pastries and coffee for breakfast, accompanied by a leisurely read of one of the Sunday rags. The smell of roast chicken tantalising the taste buds as lunch approaches, and the joys of freshly roasted potatoes, carrot and swede and real gravy(TM) served in accompaniment - all washed down with a nice glug of the old vin blanc ;-) I can't claim any responsibility for any part of this lunchtime culinary delight however. athena_arena confirmed what I always knew - she's a real wizzard in the kitchen!! Housemate J provided the wine, and I... well, I tried not to get in the way and added brute force and ignorance in the mashing phase for the veg ;-)
All in all an excellent weekend, hampered only slightly on the way home by a slow train journey form London to Oxford, and a bus doing an impersonation of a generously filled sardine tin at this end! Mais, c'est la vie... it was all very much worth it :-)
*Note to self - buy pictures to cover up the magnolia walls!