Miss Pole steals the show

In film, I am driven with performance and the acting rather than the just the visual mise en scene. It is the dialogue and characterisation that interests me, so of course I knew I would enjoy the "one off" Cranford Christmas which aired this evening.

Who wouldn't enjoy the wonderful ensemble cast of British theatre Royalty...Judi Dench,Jonathan Pryce,Francesca Annis,Julia McKenzie,and Barbara Flynn, they all make this reworking of Elizabeth Gaskell's original novel highly entertaining, but I didn't quite enjoy this second visit to early Victorian Cheshire as much as I wanted to, as writer Heidi Thompson had literally over filled the whole thing with wall to wall characters, many of which we had never seen before...

Thank God for the brilliant Imelda Staunton who plays the vital and hilarious Miss Pole (above), with a face twitching with constant indignation under a succession of bonnets, her clever portrayal of a village gossip had me chuckling into my dressing gown!

Snow at Dawn

Dawn, was all cold and crisp and even this morning. Now we cannot compare our meagre precipitation with the downfalls experienced by North America overnight, but for me, it is quite enough to be coping with, thank you very much. Everyone in blogland are posting photos of snowy backyards...so not to be outdone, here goes

Halleh, slightly uneasy with snow which he has not really seen before. Tonight I will try and put him into the duckhouse with the other runners, with a bit of luck he will realise that trying to shag the hens is not a good idea.

Scotty, my most gentle of cockerels with his five hens (Sheila,Faye,Jennifer,Patty and Maureen), these five hens were the only surviving hens from a fox attack at my friend Helen's farm and seem to be very happy here in their new home.

Bill and one of my two buff hens from this year's brood....I have just realised that I have not named them yet

Yawn!

Not too much to report today.....a long busy shift looking after a seriously ill patient that actually looked like Father Christmas! made the whole day feel ever-so-slightly surreal!
Now I am curled up on my couch with Meg and Maddie.........Strictly Come Dancing final in on the tv, the Christmas lights are on and Chris is frantically dialling for Chris Hollings to win!
Christmas has been made just that little bit better, as work has allowed me to start work at 10pm rather than at 7.30pm.....it means I can now have an unrushed dinner with the family instead of darting off..... happy days !!!!!!!!!!!

Panto

We have started to realise that Christmas has its own traditions here in Wales, and one tradition that has kind of sneaked up on us is the annual trip to see the Theatre Clwyd Pantomime.
Unlike the more common versions in say Rhyl and Llandudno. The production at Mold, is more a "musical" in nature, and seems to have all the best bits of panto added on for good measure!
So in tonight's performance of Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, the small ensemble cast belted out musical numbers from the likes of Meatloaf, Springstein, Clapton and even Michael Jackson in between the usual camp-as-Christmas semi dirty double entendre and panto dame with comedy breasts running amok amid a packed audience.
Theatre Clwyd's productions are always talent filled. The cast not only act, sing and dance, but they play a whole orchestra of instruments and literally fill the auditorium with energy and noise.
I must in any other season of the year, I suspect I would not really enjoy this brash, well tried formula of musical theatre, but in December, it all seems great fun"
Thanks to my sister Ann for organising it all

Poorly hens and a scratching dog

I have so much to do today. I am working all day tomorrow, and today I need to clear out most of the mud soaked coops today as well as doing some last minute Christmas postal shopping for Chris, which needs to be posted today.
The ice is thick on the ground this morning ( at last!!!) so the pigs can actually walk across their enclosure ON TOP of the mud! which must feel wonderful after months of cold deep mud!
One of my oldest hens (The last member of the 4 Andrews sisters) looks droopy and ill today. I have tried feeding her up over the last week, but her appetite has tailed off drastically. So I will try and catch her today to give the old girl some TLC.....however, I think that it may be her time

William has another vets appointment next week. He has some sort of allergy which means that he is constantly itching and biting at his fur and although being on very expensive hypoallergenic dry food, he remains irritated, which is awful to see.
The poor chap has had three courses of steroids which have helped, but I want to find out exactly what the allergy is ( apparently dust can be a trigger! which is a bummer in this house with all the coal dust flying around)

anyhow, I have almost finished my breakfast coffee. My wellies are standing ready by the back door and a hundredweight of poultry poo awaits!!!

Sexy People

Sometimes you come across some gems on the net..... Sexy People is just one of those blogs that is fascinating in a car crash type of way.

Concentrating on "professionally" posed family portraits, this site is as funny as it is an important social and historical document

check it out at http://www.sexypeople-blog.com/

Above is Glen and his, not-to-be-crossed mafia Mom

As for home, not a great deal has happened today. The weather is icy cold tonight, the baby turkeys have been given extra straw for insulation and I have spent a challenging afternoon teasing out a mass of irritations and problems by an ex patient.

Boys of BOSTON flag football

Now why can't you see something like this on Prestatyn high street?

My 2009 Top Ten Films

It has been an interesting year for films...my favourite ones have been:-

1. I've Loved you so long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime)
Kristin Scott Thomas (above) is absolutely wonderful as the woman carrying a dreaded secret who is reunited with her younger sister in this French drama

2. Australia.
Camp as Christmas Epic with everything but the kitchen sink thrown at it in a war torn Darwin. And despite the bad reviews I kind of liked Nicole Kidman's performance

3.Frozen River
A strangely moving and taut thriller about a trailer trash mom and her struggle to survive life's troubles. Melissa Leo is top notch in the lead role

4. Hunger
The cinematography in this study of the hunger striker Bobby Sands' last few weeks in prison is stunning. Cold, harrowing and hypnotic.

5. Red Cliff (Chi Bi)
A Chinese historical epic that takes the breath away

6. Fish Tank
This story of inner city family dysfunction is not an easy watch but the debut by 17 year old Katie Jarvis as the world weary Mia is a revelation.

7. Looking for Eric
The feel good movie of the year with Ken Loach at his warmest and most affectionate. Eric Cantona is wonderfully funny as an arrogant hallucination!

8 Star Trek
Yes, I am not too snobby when it comes to films! this energetic, exciting and clever re working of the tried and tested franchise was the flash, bang wallop film of the year....and boy did Zachary Quinto make a sexy Mr Spock

9 Broken Embraces (Los abrazos rotos)
Not one of Almodóvar's best movies but satisfying and intriguing.....and Penelope Cruz couldn't be better

10. Mid August Lunch (Prenzo di ferragosto )
An gentle Italian comedy of old age and respect

The others that didn't quite reach the top ten are, State of Play, Doubt,Milk, The Young Victoria,Frost/Nixon, Gran Torino,The Class (Entre les murs),Let the right one in(Låt den rätte komma in) and Anything for her (Pour Elle)