To thine own self be true

live on faith, hope, and expectation every day. Even our dogs and squirrels.

and the ones that don’t work out no matter how hard we try. John Schlesinger’s 1971 classic Sunday Bloody Sunday stars Peter Finch (as kindly doctor Daniel Hirsh) and Glenda Jackson (as Alex Greville, a restless employment agency worker) at their very best. Murray Head plays Bob, an indecisive avant-garde sculptor, is their mutual love interest. Smart script by Penelope Gilliatt. Many subtle scenes and different kinds of relationships explored. Peter Finch in the surprise POV ending ultimately reveals the main theme. This one is a realistic classic which also captures London’s changes in 1971. Nice score and music choices. Highly recommended. Very good on marriages, affairs, children’s views, games people play, and internal personal restlessness.

The thoughtful film that accurately answers the recurring question of relationships”What’s half a loaf?” in two ways:

“We were something.”  and “Not enough at all.”

The white-bearded Sikh pulled his grandson in a long plastic car along the sidewalk. He considered the neighborhood as the red car thunked along. Some day maybe the boy would remember him and this walk after supper. The wind was on the man’s face and the sun behind him cast an oversized blue shadow ahead of him. They passed a fountain splashing for no one in particular and he wondered at the tossed cigarettes in the sidewalk cracks as they went. The sound of wind chimes tinkling somewhere recalled his youth in a crowded village where he had been most happy so long ago. He had lived to see another spring and proudly pulled the boy who sprawled across his seat sideways. And he was pleased once more to smell the May tree in bloom as they passed under it slowly and came to a stop, his grandson wondering why. This, he thought, he would do again tomorrow, returning by himself to savour, alone, the brief sweet flower smell on his daily stroll.

a delivered-to-the-door special occasion gift from Edible Arrangements. Their chocolate strawberries are a slice.

remains one of the nicest places in E-Town to go for lunch. Nice, friendly, attentive servers. Tables with windows and flower-boxes. Half-orders available on many of their main courses. A good choice of wines. And the Bailey’s Callebaut cheesecake is to die for at dessert time.

Incestuously mirroring their own pompous egos, hypocrisy, greed, and total corruption.
Trump pardoning Conrad Black who, similarly, committed fraud and obstruction.
Black, who fawns all over Trump and wrote a phony positive book about him.
No way in hell this fake-news pardoning deserved to be the lead story on CTV’s national news last evening. Shame, shame on CTV for celebrating this non-event and for not putting this stupidity at the end of its coverage.

(Orson tracked down and cornered by another filmmaker)

Mark Cousins’ The Eyes of Orson Welles (shown this week on Turner) is very impressive and imaginative. His creative and critical response to Welles’ work and life made a no. of surprisingly new connections and revelations. Often visually arresting and startling, Cousins’ cinematography is mixed memorably with Welles’s. He revisits old places the filmmaker lived in addition to many film sites. (Lots of intriguing then and now moments.)

The film is, overall, a personal, intimate ‘letter’ to Welles with Cousins addressing him (with his distinctive Irish accent) directly and asking questions throughout. It is quite refreshingly different from any other documentary made about any artist and never boring. Many themes of Welles are uncovered via his previously unseen drawings and paintings. Numerous never-seen-before clips of Welles talking are also shown. The 2 hr. documentary will have aficionados going back to Welles’ work to reconsider what they learn from Cousins’ research and ‘detective work’. Two thumbs way up.

Our old female miniature pet who blessed us with 11 entertaining years.

go directly to The Keg at South Common.

A nicer parking lot, a new entrance, a shuttle for seniors inside the park, a new outdoor café with excellent fare, still got some nice butterflies, Japanese garden still peaceful, the Aga Khan (Trudeau’s friend) garden is worth a look–use the washrooms there, not by the café, nothing blooming to speak of, a gift shop with some nice pricey items and items for kids.

(Aga Khan garden with outdoor theatre is visually interesting minus fleurs)

(best Rueben sandwich I’ve ever had in my life)

(all in all, a nice, peaceful day at the botanical garden)