Our television, telephone, and internet are all “bundled”.
When one goes out, they all go out.
We’ve been lucky this summer with all of its storms; through gale force winds, lightening, flooding and the rest of the vengeance of Mother Nature that has been prevalent in our area, we have had power. We were home from the hospital but a few hours on a clear and sunny afternoon when the television went blank. A quick check of the phones and the internet, and, poof. All gone. Tom wandered out to the road and there was our cable connection, draping the driveway, our technical umbilical cord severed from the mother source. Woe is me, alas and alack and, as Winnie-the-Pooh would utter, “oh, bother”.
Out of every crisis, I hear tell, comes an opportunity. Opportunity came. Out came some favorite videos not seen in a while. I sat and I sprawled, reclined and scrunched, a shield over my eye. Doesn’t a patch sound more exciting? There I was, falling asleep and nodding off, rewinding scenes over and over again in my sedate state.
I started with one of my favorite television series, The West Wing.
Whatever one’s political bent; right or left-wing or center – or upon one’s head, which is where, I fear, most of our elected officials are poised as I write this, The West Wing was, to me at least, one of the best written dramas of all time. You can tell good writing when you close your eyes and still enjoy the dialogue without the visuals. I know. My eyes, at least one, was closed through the first season of this boxed set.
Then came the wonderful seaside classic, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
The beautiful Mrs. Muir and the dashing but curmudgeonly sea captain, a ghost, play out some of the most romantic scenes on the screen, with nary a kiss or a touch. They grow to like each other and become companionable, in their own special way, as he ghostwrites a seaworthy yarn, which allows Mrs. Muir to buy the charming Gull Cottage.
Then, to round out my convalescence, I had only to pop in one of my all-time favorite movies, Mrs. Miniver. Have you seen it? You really should. Mrs. Miniver’s pluck, especially when encountering an enemy parachutist in kitchen one morning, and her gentle spirit in times of loss and sorrow, always give me a boost and leave me admiring the British resolve and stiff upper lip all over again.
Do you have a favorite movie or two that you like to bundle up with when you are recovering from whatever it is that ails you?
Oh what a feast you gave yourself, Penny. I do enjoy the way you have of turning bad fortune to good. When I am lying low and in recovery I always pull out my Jane Austen favourites and re-read them. I wish you a good recovery, the joy of clear sight and all the channels open and working again.
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How nice of you to say, Juliet. Thank you. My vision improves every day and all channels are open and working. A hot day here, once again, but, we got out to enjoy some flowers and life is looking grand.
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Good to hear from you post-op and learn you are recovering with oldie-goldie movies. My favorites are all the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies along with the Wizard of Oz and the Thin Man series with Asta, the terrier. Stay safe and get well soon. Thinking of you.
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Thank you, Marilyn. Oh, those two could certainly move, couldn’t they? Loved the Wizard of Oz, as well as The Thin Man. Who can forget Asta? It comes in handy for crossword puzzles. We were out and about today. It felt good and now I can’t wait to get the car keys back.
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Oh Penny I remember when I was a young nun seeing The Ghost and Mr Muir with the school boarders. I remember wishing Jesus would sit on my bed and hold my hand!! How funny was that! Get well soon my friend! I should be visiting the USA.. our kiwi dollar has never been so high! Arohanui.
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Oh, Joan, what a memory! I will think of you and your wish now. Isn’t it funny what memories come to us? You made me smile. Thank you. Getting better each day. Come here and spent your kiwi dollars! You can stay with us.
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You surrounded yourself with friends with these Penny. I do hope all is going well post-op for you.
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I just answered Joan’s comment and you popped up, Marilyn. They are good viewing friends, indeed, and I enjoyed their company. Thank you, Marilyn. I’m doing well, my vision improving with each day and a good nurse in my Tom.
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So nice to have you back! Isn’t it amazing what we are sometimes forced to do?
I hope the umbilical cord was reattached!!!
Many thanks for your kind comments . . . they always mean so much.
Mary Anne ox
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Thank you, Mary Anne. It’s nice to be back. It is amazing, isn’t it?
Umbilical is reattached and now all I need is the okay to drive in a few days.
Oh, Mary Anne, you are so welcome. All are heartfelt.
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I definitely approve of your choices! The first three seasons of The West Wing are favourites of mine for when I’m sick and stuck at home (or just craving some brilliant television) and Mrs Miniver and The Ghost and Mrs Muir are wonderful anytime. But the show I really can’t do without when I’m stuck at home is the Wives and Daughters miniseries (with Michael Gambon). It’s helped me through appendicitis and pneumonia, not to mention flu and other minor ailments. Very dependable.
All the best for a good, quick recovery!
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West Wing was best in those first years, wasn’t it? I’d forgotten about Wives and Daughters. Must look that up for the future. Thank you for the recommendation.
Thank you. I’m healing well and getting out and about, just can’t wait to get my car keys back and to be able to read. Slow, but sure.
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You have great taste! And thank goodness for the old favorite videos. Without being able to read or compute or watch TV it would have been a pretty bleak recovery without them!
I am glad you are on the mend and apparently all went well.
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Thank you, Sallie. The videos really helped passed the time. I was about to resort to Christmas videos when we were rescued from cable meltdown.
I am on the mend and all went well. I see improvement every day now and have been out and about. Good thing is I can’t do any lifting, which leaves housework at bay. It is an amazing process and you will do well with it.
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Welcome Back! You were missed, but sounds like you enjoyed the rest with great videos. I’m glad you are doing well and hope to see you soon…
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Thank you, Sharon. It is good to be back and the videos helped pass the time. Healing well and seeing clearer by the day.
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Glad you are back. I just got online here at the motel. I never watched the West Wing. I always try not to get involved with a series because it bugs me when I miss and I always forget to record. However, I love the Ghost and Mrs. Muir, the old one of course. I love Mrs. Miniver as well. I love most old movies, even ones that aren’t as well done as the ones you mentioned. Sometimes they are fun just because they are old and funny. Do you remember “Arizona Bushwackers”? We saw it in college.We laughed because it was so bad.
So glad your power is back on and your eye is improving.
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Me too. Thank you for taking the time to comment, Janet. You are way ahead of me with technology. These days it is easier to get the series on tape anyways. I hadn’t seen Mrs. Muir in quite a while. It was fun to see it anew, and Mrs. Miniver, oh, I just love that movie and forget it is more than two hours long.
Haha! Yes, I remember Arizona Bushwackers. Did we see it in Capen (sp?). I remember seeing The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming there and A Patch of Blue. Was it 25 cents?
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I love both movies you mentioned, especially “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir”! I remember watching that for the first time when I was very young and tried to never miss it from then on whenever it was on tv. I don’t own either movie but you have me thinking that it is time to buy them! As for the West Wing – I don’t have cable so I was never able to get the channel it was on clear enough to watch it – I suppose one day I’ll have to start with Season One and work my way through.
Penny, I’m glad to see that you’re now feeling well enough to be able to blog again!
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The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is the kind of movie that once you see it, especially when younger, it stays with you, Janet. Me, too. I think it started out on Sunday night, then moved to Monday night, which was the worst night for me with meetings. Tom would tape it for me. You had young kids at home, doing homework, when it was on. I have Season One if you want to borrow it when you get back. Just let me know.
Thank you. I was actually enlarging everything to write and read the other day and just realized now that I don’t have to anymore. A good thing.
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