Tuesday 8 October 2019

Doctors and Movies

It's likely the most perfect autumn weather week one could ever hope for.  After Deb's annual dental check-up and cleaning today, we walked across the university campus to a cafe with good vegan options.  We shared a bowl of pumpkin/beet soup, which was blood red, and a seitan sandwich.  Everything was excellent and inexpensive.  We also visited a new branch of the Windsor Public Library, occupying an old fire station in downtown Sandwich.  We lived in this area for four years when we attended university, from autumn of 1976 through summer of 1980.  We are often in our old stomping grounds, and today we enjoyed a great walk and a really good tour of the new library branch.

Besides her dentist, Deb has seen her shoulder doctor recently, two of her heart doctors, and a gynaecologist.  Her model year wasn't the greatest, as many parts are wearing out, and it's tough to get replacements.  Her shoulder doctor was very impressed with her progress since her surgery at the end of May.  Flexibility is good; now she must work on strength.  As far as her heart goes, we are in a holding pattern, awaiting word from London regarding a second catheter ablation.  And some laser surgery seems to be forthcoming for another matter.  So we have spent a lot of time lately driving back and forth to Windsor for appointments, and waiting in doctors' offices.  All done now for awhile, except for some physio appts.

Deb's movie choice last weekend was a 1926 silent animated film, called The Adventures of Prince Achmed.  It is pure visual poetry from start to finish, and the version we saw on the Criterion Channel was first rate.  It is a spellbinding adventure, using a process invented by the creator, Lotte Reiniger.  We had seen it many years ago, but I think in a very bad print.

 Deb's recent  film choice, from 1926.  Spellbinding!



 Three stills from Prince Achmed.  

Tonight we watched my choice of film.  I wasn't in the mood for anything, really, as I am behind on a few other projects.  So I picked Blow Up of Blow Up, from 2016, a documentary about the making of that great film, still a favourite of mine after all these years.  It runs less than an hour, which was perfect for me tonight, and is a great little film if you have seen the 1966 Antonioni film as many times as I have.  We get to visit all the locations, and talk to many of the people who were in the film and those who worked on it.  I really enjoyed it! 

I'm going with seasonal landscape art for now, from the DIA.  Here is the second in a short series of autumn works from the collection.  This one has always been a favourite, especially the hazy light of a late afternoon.

 Autumn, ca. 1865.  Homer Dodge Martin, American.  Oil on canvas.  17" x 31".

 Detail of right side.

 Detail of center.

 Detail of left side.  

Mapman Mike

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