Wednesday

I am sorry that I confused a couple of people this morning by writing something, saving it and then putting it on private.

I am in a very strange mood these days. I think it is partly that I am tired of winter and yet it is going to with us here in Vermont for a while. Usually by this time I have my annual trip to the Sunny South to be anticipating and mostly because of Fred’s illness, I have done nothing about it yet. I think that if I asked him, he would tell me to go but I am not comfortable going as yet. He can drive and he is doing his exercises and getting out to where he needs to get and yet I feel he is not well enough to leave. And, for some reason, I am reluctant to bring it up with him.

And I am also feeling reluctant to be doing the little I AM doing. I like reading to Nicky for an hour at the school on Thursdays and tutoring Robin twice a week for an hour each time is not difficult but I find I am approaching each of these with dread.

One thing I do when I am feeling a little down is to buy myself something from my Amazon wish list and yesterday my DVDs of “I, Claudius” arrived. Long before it became so popular as a television series in England, I loved the books. They are I, Claudius and Claudius the God by Robert Graves. Very often when something I love is made into a TV show or movie , it is one I eschew because my mental image of the people in the book is not the same as the director’s image. {A prime example of this is Vivian Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone with the Wind.” She is so absolutely NOT Scarlett O’Hara that the whole thing grates on me every time she appears…} But Derek Jacobi is exactly right as Claudius. Of course, he was also exactly right as Brother Cadfael in the adaptation of Ellis Peter’s books which says a lot for Jacobi as an actor. So, this evening I am going to be holed up in the bedroom watching “I, Claudius.”

Until later…

Little Runner

February 9, 2005

It is wonderful when they get it right in movies. I love to read the book before the movie. The Harry Potter books are good. I know they are kids books but I enjoy them right along with my son and daughter. It gives us something to talk about. I hope it also encourages them to read. I love to read. Blessings.

Cassandra

That’s why they can’t make Outlander into a movie — they’ll never find anybody to be Jamie that won’t make half the women in the western world livid with anger because he’s “so NOT Jamie”!

ILuvCats

I love I, Claudius.

Kemma

I adore Derek Jacobi. I loved him in Cadfael, and I’ve eyed I, Claudius with the thought of snagging it some day. Now that you’ve reminded me, I’m going to see if the local library has a copy on DVD…

What I saw today was that you had an entry on Favorites and I had no access. I thought you took me off your Favorites list. ::very sad:: Anyway, I’m glad to read an update. I understand your feeling reluctant to bring your travels up with Fred.

Shi

wickedgood

When I couldn’t get into your entry this morning, I assumed that OD had screwed up! I’m sorry you’re a little out of sorts – I recognize the feeling. It’s great to have a favorite book to read.

tae's heartbeats

Derek Jacobi is a great actor, I have always enjoyed watching things he has been in. 🙂

SterlingPeony

Thank God for Amazon.com, televisions, DVDs, and bedrooms to hide away in.

Kathleen

Maybe you feel out of sorts because you want your trip south, but you feel obligated to stay with Fred, and it’s coloring how you see everything right now. I loved I, Claudius when it aired on PBS years ago. Quite shocking, as I recall, but it spurred me to read the books and more about the Caesars, in general. Gone With The Wind seems to be in the air on OD today…I want to do a quiz of obscure

questions from the book, just for fun. It was tremendously superior to the movie, although that was fun too.

oooh, this is interesting. I’m a long time GWTW fan, but only the movie…never read the book. I’m curious to know what about Vivien Leigh is not Scarlett and is there an actress (or more than one) who you feel would have been better cast in the role? Sorry about your winter time blues. I heard on TV that you New Englanders are getting snowed on AGAIN today 🙁

Red PJ's

February 10, 2005

The long winters can have this sort of effect on people. It sometimes seems to me that the winter will never end. I find it sometimes helpful to look through pictures of the beach, or somewhere sunny, or maybe some sunflowers. Take care, and I understand your not wanting to leave Fred alone just yet. It’s going to take time for you to feel comfortable with that. Take care.