A day for pottering ...

Sunday ... a day of rest and for going to church traditionally, but
we don't do the latter.

A day for pottering around the house, and catching up on yesterday's
newspaper and watching a few videos. We get the Saturday Times,
mainly for the jumbo crossword ~ we do the Times2 clues (the easier
ones rather than the cryptic, though we sometimes struggle to finish
this version), and for the TV listings. Mrs C's mum brings over half her
Guardian for us to read too. We're "Guardian readers" at heart, but
we're too busy doing other things to be reading a daily newspaper.

Mid morning, Mrs C asked me for a stronger and larger one ~ she has
high expectations and is difficult to please at times ~ so I made us
both a large mug of coffee, and then sat down together to have a go
at the crossword.

We made a pasta salad for lunch, after which we went a brisk walk to
Wilkos in Sherwood, to buy some bird seed. Mrs C had spotted several
blue-tits dotting about in our neighbour's huge rose bush, and thought
it was time we put out some food for them (and for the pesky pigeons
and squirrels too). The weather was cold, cloudy and windy, though it
brightened up a little mid afternoon. We were both boiling hot by the
time we got back (it's amazing how a brisk walk can warm you up).

Instead of going out to the cinema, we watched something I'd videoed
last night: "The Governess" (1998) featuring Minnie Driver and Tom
Wilkinson in the lead roles, plus Harriet Walter and a young Jonathan
Rhys Meyers (who recently played the role of Henry VIII in the TV
drama series). I would give the film 8 out of 10 for it's glorious
sets and for creating the feel of the time, but I agree with Mrs C that
the characterisation was somewhat lacking (and the part played by the
teenage son didn't seem believable). For Minnie Driver fans, it's a
must-see.

Mrs C made us a mushroom omelette and a mountain of veg for tea, which
we had with a glass of Porugese white wine (Quinta de Azevedo from the
the Wine Society) ~ delicious.

Following which we settled down to watching yet more TV ... Antiques
Roadshow, Rich Kid-Poor Kid, Lead Balloon and Ponderland, with glimpses
of Stephen Fry in America, Wife Swap USA and I'm a Celebrity (which we
looked at briefly to see who's there in the jungle, but which we won't
bother with). Set the video going for Looking for Dad and a documentary
on Vera Brittain. She was well known for her pacifist views after her
experiences in WW1 ~ the BBC scheduled a documentary on her for last
Sunday, but it was taken off for some unknown reason (well, unknown to
us, but perhaps the programme would have upset some viewers that day).

Ending this day with a bit of blogging, and reading Scary Duck's and
Keith's blogs.