Post 489. NEVER APOLOGIZE,

IT'S A SIGN OF WEAKNESS

WAS SAID BY JOHN WAYNE.
Actually he said: "Never apologize, mister, it's a sign of weakness" in John Ford's film She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. It was a quote later adopted (less the 'mister') by Mark Harmon's character Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the long running television series NCIS. Both actors said it with conviction. It is, of course, a load of bollocks. Never apologising (my preferred spelling) does not indicate strength, it indicates pig-ignorance comparable only to the hypocrisy of an insincere apology. 

Mention of NCIS has reminded me that the actor David McCallum died last month at the age of 90. He played Dr. 'Ducky' Mallard in the series. In the 1960s he had become very popular  in the TV programme The Man From UNCLE, and one of my favourite lines from the many series of NCIS was Jethro Gibbs' answer when Kate (Sasha Alexander) asked him: "What do you think Ducky looked like when he was young?" Mark Harmon timed it perfectly: "Illya Khuryakin?"
David McCallum was the trained oboist son of musical parents. He became a respected actor and was, I think, a rather nice person.
Another respected actor, Michael Gambon, also died last month. Pneumonia. Aged 82. He was the ideal replacement for the late Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore and, arguably, the best television Maigret ever to follow Rupert Davies. I think he was a wicked joker, too. Thus to...
TELEVISION.
How do you lose two viewers for a complete television series in just one episode? Watch the first episode of The Good Ship Murder (Channel 5) that's how. At its conclusion I looked at Mo and said: "God that was bad." And she said: "Wasn't it awful" without a question mark. Ah well.

Thanks be for a light hearted film. We saw Toni Collette and Damian Lewis in Dream Horse (Prime Video). Took us right back to the joy of Hear My Song (1991) and The Full Monty (1997). This one was based on the true story of how a Welsh barmaid and cashier, Jan Vokes (Toni Collette), persuaded her neighbours to help her breed a racehorse, Dream Alliance, that might one day win the Welsh Grand National. Don't ask me if it happened. It's a feel good film.

And that's that for now.

Lord ain't the weather dreadful?

Ruddy clocks gone back, too. Ho hum.

 

Post 488. SO FAR IN

THE 21ST CENYURY

IS THE WORD FOR IT. 
In a desert, some three miles from the wall separating Gaza from southern Israel, Hamas killers murdered hundreds of  attendees (mostly Israeli) at a music festival, and took over a hundred hostage. It was another example of human insanity bringing grief to a vast number of innocents and joy only to the killers. Any belief that condones murder and kidnap is a shit belief. 
But two wrongs do not make a right, and retaliation in kind will not end this awful conflict. Those who think wars solve problems will wipe out this world long before climate change puts paid to it.
And Britain need have nothing to do with it. The 'sending a gunboat' days should be long over. 
Enough of enmity: let us turn to...
HOME AND FRIENDSHIP.
We were delighted to see Anne Wilkening at the weekend. Anne, on her way back to Cornwall from a course at West Dene College in Sussex, took the IW detour briefly to visit old friends. 

We are very old friends. The house in which we live was - many years ago - Doctor Anne's surgery: a single-handed practice. Mo was a receptionist. When Anne retired to Cornwall a Newport practice rented the property until, around ten years ago, new premises were built in the centre of the village, With Anne's blessing we then bought the house. We're comfortable here. The building has been around a while and there is a decent sized garden. Now the 'new' surgery in the village is falling apart and will have to be  pulled down. So much for forward thinking, eh?
Anyway, it was lovely to have Anne back here for a while again. She is a cherished friend.
At the weekend I also telephoned old mate in Pitlochry, Bill Harrison who, when last I phoned him, was having considerable difficulty with his hearing. Sadly, the old lad is now totally deaf.
He talked to me for as long as it took to bring me up to date with his latest situation, and rang off with the words "I don't know who I've been talking to..."

But, as I said last time, he is managing. I shall just have to write to him. 
And on a lighter note...
WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT

THE MODERN EXPRESSION OF (USUALLY PLEASURABLE) SURPRISE?

It is heard with monotonous regularity nowadays, and is a mild alternative to 'bloody hell!' and suchlike substitutes. I avoid it. Don't like cliche and nothing surprises me any more.

Which is all I have to say, except that today is our little buddy Hannah's birthday.
Oh Wow! Many Happy Returns, lovely Hans. Hope you have a great day!