Downton Abbey vs Super Bowl

On Sunday, February first, there could be interesting conversations in households in the United States.

For on Sunday there will be the clash of the titans: Downton Abbey vs the Goliath known as the Super Bowl.

                                    

Yes, TIVO, DVRs, On-Demand, and technology I am not aware of do insure that fans of both won't miss a plot twist or a touchdown. But what if neither wants to delay gratification? Yes, I know all about split screens and PIP. But I never found that to be a satisfactory solution. I can't imagine a tender scene between Anna and Bates accompanied by raucous booing of an interception.

For the last two years we have not had to resort to marital counseling because we pre-ordered the UK DVDs of Downton Abbey from Amazon and have already finished watching Season 5. So we will watch the Super Bowl together. Or rather we will be in the same room sitting in front of a cozy fire with the TV tuned to NBC.

Actually My Sweetie will watch the game with the TV muted. One of his toys is a Bluetooth adapter that transmits the sound from the TV to his hearing aids. I highly recommend it for anyone with acute hearing whose partner has suffered a hearing loss. I will tune in to watch the replays when he has either expressed "the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat."

But the sound is not muted when the commercials air. My favorite year after year? The clydesdales. Since I have never acquired a taste for beer, it will not make me rush out to buy a case of Bud. But they certainly know how to tug at the heartstrings. It is also a respite from the clash of helmets and bones.

Spoiler alert: Here is this years: http://usat.ly/1zychAi 

What is happening in your household?

January 28, 2015


What a wonderful birthday I had. It actually began on the 26th when I received a card by snail mail from Kimberly. This quote by Don Marquis was on the front, “We look forward to a disreputable, vigorous, and disorderly old age.” After stating that in no way was she implying that I am approaching anything like old age. She wrote, “I am encouraging you to be disorderly, as in continuing to be your vocal, joyful, loud-fun-public-places kind of self. Be vigorous in pursuing your dreams and pleasures, like writing and the arts and your family loves. By all means be disreputable in acting like no other 69 year old we know!” Kimberly, I promise to continue being me.

When I woke on the 27th (on the right side of the grass), I found a wonderful, sentimental card from My Sweetie. As I walked downstairs, I wondered if there would be another, as there has been in years past. Of course, there it was leaning against my bowl, which he puts out every morning, along with a spoon and a glass for orange juice. This card’s sentiment was so beautiful that tears welled up. I am one lucky woman.

The rest of the day before dinner was filled with laughter on FaceTime with Lise, during a long, lovely phone call with my sister Diane, and on FaceTime with my granddaughter Rayna. I missed a call from my dear, longtime (since 1980) friend Elizabeth but she did sing to me on voice mail.

My Facebook friends chimed in with good wishes. I thought it unusual that My Sweetie had not posted on my wall. Due to the vagaries of Facebook, his post did not appear on my wall until today. But all my friends saw it. It was worth the wait. He wrote, “Happy Birthday to my best friend, travel buddy, and the love of my life. What a time we have had these almost 18 years with many more birthdays to come. Happy Birthday Love.”

After a yummy dinner prepared by My Sweetie, he surprised me with bakery delights. (We have completely changed the way we eat. But that is a topic for another post.) We voted for the lovely chocolate mousse in a hard chocolate shell with a raspberry on top as our favorite. The key lime tart came in second. The other two tied for third.

Then it was time for me to build a fire and settle in for binging on Downton Abbey since the DVDs had arrived just in time for my birthday. My Sweetie willingly stayed up until after midnight to watch episodes 5-8 but even I could not stay up to watch the Christmas special. But now we have. The Bonus material contains a hysterical piece with Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes) and Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore).

All I can say is wow. Julian Fellowes certainly knows how to get one’s attention. And that is all I will say until all episodes have aired in the United States. Just hang onto your hats.

January 27, 2015: My 70th Year Begins

January 27th marks the last birthday of my 60s and the beginning of my 70^th year. Yes, on January 27, 2016, I will celebrate my 70^th birthday. And I do intend to celebrate it. Getting older certainly beats the alternative.

While I was the Manager of the Bertram Woods Library, a branch of the Shaker Heights Public Library, one of our senior regulars would stop at the reference desk to say hello. I would ask how he was. His reply, “I’m great! I woke up on the right side of the grass this morning.” Even though we had this conversations hundreds of times, I would always laugh. 

I plan to keep laughing.