The Visit

Last week we were paid a visit by my mother, her sister (my aunt) Pauline and my cousin Cathy (Pauline's daughter) here in A'burg.  They arrived Tuesday the 11th and stayed until Thursday morning, when they headed back to Toronto.  My mother is heading home (Sudbury) today, after her week long voyage.  Not too shabby for 96.  Pauline is 2 years younger than Mom, and Cathy is 2 years younger than me.  They stayed at a funky hotel in A'burg called Stry (spelled correctly--for the missing 'O' visit the adjoining bar), and visited here at the Homestead on all three days.  We enjoyed a day out in the county on Wednesday, visiting a market/store, a winery and our favourite off the map cafe (14th Coffee).  We ate out in downtown A'burg, enjoying food at Salty Dog one night and then at Artisan Grill next night.  Lunch in Harrow on Wednesday was at a place called George's Eatery.  All restaurants had delicious vegan options for Deb and I.  One dark and chilly night we wandered into Navy Yard Park to see the holiday light display, still being put up at that time.  It was a really fun visit.  Mom hadn't been down here for 12 years!

 

The day before they arrived we had our first taste of snow.  It was gone by the time they arrived on Tuesday. 

 

Deb, Mom, Cathy and Pauline.

 

Same as above, with me replacing Cathy.      

 

We don't get much family company where we live, so it was great to have a chance to spend time with our closest relatives.  Pauline and Mom are the lone survivors of 7 kids that my grandparents had. 

 

In shipping news there are 5 ships that I follow regularly on-line, watching for their passing from our windows.  This weekend 3 of them passed by (2 are currently with tourists in the Antarctic).  The CSL Laurentien passed southbound on Friday, likely its last voyage of the season.  Likewise the mighty Mesabi Miner.  Both ships were heavily laden and moving slowly.  The globe-trotting Federal Bering passed northbound during the night.  I took photos of the first two, and will watch for the Bering on its southbound journey later in the month.  We currently have an extra gap allowing us to see more of the river, as an old house was torn down across the street and a new one is quickly rising.

 

The 700' Laurentien passes our house southbound.  View from our veranda.  A new house is being built across the street.

 

Riding low, the 1000' ore carrier Mesabi Miner heads towards Toledo after a busy non-stop shipping season. 

 

In movie news there are two to report.  Robert Altman's 1979 A Perfect Couple is a comedy romance.  A couple meet via a video dating service and undergo a very rocky relationship.  She is a singer in a large rock band and he is the manager of an antique shop.  The movie consists of many songs by the band, though fortunately they are mostly okay.  The band is run by a patriarchal and bossy singer, while the man's family is led by a dictatorial father.  The humour is often strained, and the young actress who plays the lead obviously suffers from anorexia off screen.  It is painful to watch her when she removes some of her clothing.  She died of cancer in 2013.  It's a strange movie, with the lead actor (Paul Dooley) being quite pushy and obnoxious in getting her to date him after they have broken off.  Definitely a movie of its time.

 

Leaving Criterion Nov. 30th. 

 

Hitchcock's silent 1928film A Farmer's Wife could have been directed by almost anyone at the time, and was likely one of his pictures he was contracted to make.  From a 1916 stage play by Eden Phillpotts, it is a romantic comedy that sees a widowed farmer seek a new wife.  With the help of his young and beautiful housekeeper (try and guess who he ends up marrying) he creates a list of eligible women and tries to propose to them.  One by one he is rejected.  At first he is furious when they refuse him, but he gradually learns to expect no for an answer.  A few outdoor scenes enliven the many indoor shots.  The comedy is a bit broad for modern tastes, but there are some nuances that show that some care was taken in the filming.  A shot of several hundred hunting dogs crossing a small bridge is unexpected, especially as we see the view from an angle where only their tails show.  Overlong (107 minutes), we did make it to the end, but not in one go.

 

From a DVD that we own. 

 

Mapman Mike

 

 

 
 

 

Winter Shows Its Face

It's coming. It seems to arrive each and every year.  We have had a rather pleasant autumn, if you discount the fact that we have had no rain.  This year our first glimpse of what is to come will begin arriving Sunday, and by Monday and Tuesday it will be cold.  The weather change coincides with the next astronomy session, so it will be too cold to stand in an open field with my telescope.  I had a rather splendid observing month in October, however, and made it out on five separate nights.  Even so I'd like to get out three more times before winter, so I hope the temps get seasonal again later next week.

 

I've been rereading my journals from all my previous visits to London.  The first thing that strikes me is how much energy we had back in the day.  During our March Break from teaching we would have a full day of museums, walking, pubs and navigating transport, followed by an evening concert, then at least one other pub before beginning the long trek back to our abode.  And right back at it next day, six or seven days in a row.  This is while many of our colleagues were lying around on warm and sunny beaches, blinking in the sunlight.  The weather in London was frequently cold and damp.  But what fun we had, getting to know another great city in such detail (Detroit being the other one).  We hope to return soon.  Here are some pics from our 2007 visit.

 

Outside Kensington Tube Station.

 

A London tourist shop.

 

Deb climbs stairs at Bayswater Tube station.

 

British Museum.

 

One of many pub stops during our week in London.  Rather cozy, no?

 

Downtown Shere, on a day trip away from London

.

Portobello Road, London.  Market day. 

 

In local travel news, my mother is coming to visit next week!  She will arrive Tuesday and stay until Thursday morning.  She will arrive with her sister, my Aunt Pauline, courtesy of Cathy, Pauline's daughter and my cousin.  They will stay at a small hotel in downtown Amherstburg, about 7 minutes from our house.  There won't be too much on the agenda, except lots of sitting and talking, with perhaps a visit to a local winery or three.  Needless to say that our house will get a good cleaning beforehand.

 

In movie news there are a few to report.  Hitchcock's 1934 The Man Who Knew Too Much is well worth seeing again, and of course Criterion has a pristine and restored print.  After watching the film again about a kidnapped young girl and the parents trying to do the right thing, we were treated to a 17' discourse by Guillermo del Toro, who has done this sort of thing for a number of his favourite films showing on Criterion.  Peter Lorre is terrific as the evil mastermind, who fights to the bitter end to carry out his assassination plot.  The final scene, a shoot out between police and bad guys, goes on and on and on, but is a great ending to the film.  Often these events last very briefly, or revert to negotiations.  Not this one!  Band bang bang till the end.

 

Showing on Criterion. 

 

Another film we hadn't seen in decades was All The President's Men, a 1976 film starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as two newspaper men who end up bringing down Nixon as a result of the Watergate break-in, an assault by Republicans to infiltrate and wire tap Democrat headquarters in Washington.  Directed by Alan J. Pakula, the film is mostly talking.  However, the pacing is fast and the tension builds as the two men get closer and closer to the truth.  The real star here is how the workings of the press are revealed, a pretty much all-boys club of reporters and editors.  This is a don't miss film, though the ending is abrupt, possibly due to cost overruns.

 

Leaving Criterion Nov. 30th. 

 

Lastly comes Hitchcock's 1926 The Lodger.  While the story is weak (everyone seems so amazingly stupid in this silent movie) the photography is quite good, evoking German Expressionism with its shadows, odd angles and claustrophobic atmosphere.  The legendary London fog is in abundance, as are the killings.  One would think that after the 8th Tuesday night killing in a row of a blonde woman that blonde women would not go out alone at night.  Alas, but they do.  Truly blonde in all things, perhaps?  Joe the detective is as thick as a brick, and super jealous besides.  The lodger of the title is nearly as dumb as everyone else, keeping his secret until it is too late.  Why was it a secret, anyway?  At least the cliche of having the blonde heroine menaced by the serial killer is avoided, and a happy ending does ensue (except for all those blonde women).  Not one of the great silent films, but watched a lot because of who made it.  Beautifully restored and showing on Criterion.

 

Showing on Criterion. 

 

Mapman Mike

 

 

 

 
 

Piano Pieces Six Months In

We had a really great Sawhain party last night here at the Homestead, with two attending.  Good food, some music, a wood fire.  Can't be beat.  Then came the new Celtic year Tarot readings.  We have our new year cards, as well as selections for each cross quarter.  Readings are usually based on awareness, what might be possible to strive for, as well as guidance toward any goals selected.  I'll publish my year card shortly, but it is a Grail card and I am quite pleased with it, and it will remind me to keep to the true path again this year. 

 

We took our annual pilgrimage to a cemetery this afternoon.  We started out at a new cafe for us in beautiful downtown Harrow, a small farming town several miles southeast of the Homestead.  From there we moved on to Colchester, pretty much the most southerly mainland community in Canada.  There is a small cemetery there atop a bluff overlooking Lake Erie, and they have some pretty old tombstones, as well as plenty of trees and a very lovely small chapel.  Here are some recent pics, including some from today's walk.

 

 Mural on a cafe wall, downtown Amherstburg, from the previous Sunday.  Deb orders some caffeine. The sun glass images refer to an amusement park that once dominated the summer scene in Amherstburg, but is now long gone and replaced by.... an exclusive housing project.

  King's Navy Yard Park, downtown Amherstburg, facing the Detroit River as it opens into Lake Erie.

Navy Yard Park.  All three above images were taken last weekend. 

 Colchester Beach and Harbour, overlooking Lake Erie today. 

 A lonely looking Colchester Beach.

 

 A pair of birch trees in full autumn splendour. 

 

 

 Umbrella in hand, Deb walks towards a bench overlooking the lake. 

 

 Lake Erie with small light to guide boats into the harbour. 

 

 The Colchester Cemetery and small on-site chapel. 

 

 

 Colchester cemetery, with Lake Erie in the background. 

 

In piano news, as reported in today's title I have been chopping away at my newest repertoire now for six months.  There have been interruptions in the practice routine, of course, with two trips to Sudbury, one to Toronto, and various medical days.  But things are chugging along, and I hope to be ready in six weeks.  I played through the whole program this morning and it went rather well.  Soon I will take it on the road and place the pieces on the beloved Fazioli piano of Dr. Seski, if he is kind enough to once again allow me to do so.  After tweaking that a bit I will move on to play in for Jim P. in Chatham, on his 9' Steinway.  After that it should be time to invite some friends over to hear the program.  I have cut way back on the memorization this time, and will use music for the entire first half (all harpsichord) and for the final two pieces on the second half (Philip Glass pieces).

 

In movie news there are two to report.  Invention is a film that defines the term "quirky", and thus attracts our attention and interest.  From 2024 and directed by Courtney Stephens we watch a young woman come to terms with her father's death.  He was a doctor who was heavily into quack medicine, and the only thing he left her was the patent to his invention.  The invention is an enigma, and is supposed to induce a type of trance healing that calms the mind and soothes the body.  She hardly knew her father, but comes to learn things about him as she navigates life after his death.  It's a very personal film, but manages to express a lot through its often narrow focus.  The daughter meets with people who knew her father, and very few of them have flattering views to report, other than he was very smart.  His progress with his machine was hampered by his conspiracy beliefs, as he trusted no one to help him get it to market.  As a result the entire project crashed and burned.  Is the patent a valuable thing?  Should she pursue it further, for her father's sake and her own?  Though she is quite stoic throughout much of the movie, her emotions finally get the better of her, helping her in her decision of what to do with this thing.  The film is as odd as they come, a good enough reason to recommend it.  But it's quite transfixing to watch, too, as we explore the background of this near genius man who attempted, and failed, to get rich while helping others.

 

 A quirky but fascinating film now showing on Mubi. 

 

We also watched Ken Russell's 1980 filming of Altered States, from a novel by Paddy Chayefsky (Deb is currently reading the novel; I will, too).  Though we have seen the film many times, it's one we like to return to every few years.  Both the novel and the film are loosely based on actual experiments done on people in isolation tanks, though things carry a bit further than those experiments ever did.  With effects trying to compete with 2001: A Space Odyssey (they don't), and a story that more or less goes wildly off the rails, it's still a film that we are drawn to, mostly because William Hurt's character is willing to sacrifice everything for his search for what's out there.  Despite being a complete fool, one has to admire the guy for pushing things to the absolute limit.  An intellectual science fiction film is still a very rare thing, and though this film goes well beyond what is even remotely possible in the physical sense, we still know so little about what is inside our minds that all of the evolutionary retrograding that happens physically and emotionally to Hurt could possibly happen, at least within our own minds.  Always an experience to watch, this is a film I recommend highly to SF fans.

 

 

 The film has recently left the Criterion Channel.

 

 

Mapman Mike

 

 

 

 

 

October Reading Summary

 Bulmer continues to rely on witches and their curses to move the action forward in Witches of Kregen, the 34th book in the Dray Prescott fantasy series (1985), though there is a grand traditional battle as well.  The opening chapter's rain of frogs is unique in fantasy literature, as I'm sure is the attack of stinging wasps.  Other plagues are thrown at Dray until he finally agrees to meet the female witch face to face.  It appears she has a crush on him, so we'll have to see how that turns out.  All of Dray's main warrior buddies are collected in this story for the first time, so I assume that nothing mortal could stand up to them when fighting together.  Thus the need for witches and their abominable black curses.  Fair enough, I suppose.  The Star Lords summon Dray yet again, unexpectedly as usual, but there is a neat twist this time around once he has completed his task.  This event sweetens the story somewhat, distasteful as the witchcraft is becoming.  Better than the previous book by far, but still a bit sub par for the series.

Cover by James Gurney. 

 

 #15 in the Dumarest series (The Spectrum of a Forgotten Sun) sees Earl besotted by a beautiful woman.  Does she really love him, or is she working for the evil Cyclan?  We visit several new planets (this series never seems to return to previous worlds) and Earl makes more tiny bits of progress in his search for Earth and the Sun.  Tubb must have sensed his fans' frustration with the series, but he never allowed Dumarest to reach Earth.  In this reviewer's opinion this was a tragic mistake.  Finally reaching Earth did not have to be the end; a good writer could have made it into an entirely new adventure series.  But Tubb seemed blind to the possibilities as he kept cashing his paycheck for writing these books with no end.  Once again Earl has to fight in a death match while a bloodthirsty crowd watches.  This has become a cliche of the series so far, happening far too often.  While the books are still fun to read, and I am continually amazed at Tubb's ability to write good stuff, I weary of much of it.  Whereas Bulmer manages to keep my interest fairly high in his nearly endless Dray Prescott series (more fantasy than SF), Tubb can't seem to get past a certain wall, making his readers suffer.  A good entry in the series, but not the best.

 

Moving now to the Delphi Classics Series, I began the month with a short play by Samuel T. Coleridge called The Fall of Robespierre, written in 1794.  Co-written with Robert Southey, it was meant more for recitation than stage performance.  There seems to be little sympathy for the man who began the purge of traitors to France and ended up accusing nearly everyone of that crime.  eventually fate caught up to him, though not soon enough for many victims.  French history is filled with rogues like this who thought they were saints.  Easily read at one sitting.

 

Wilkie Collins is a favourite writer of this reader, and his 1857 epic novel The Dead Secret is a somewhat readable story with Gothic overtones.  The big secret can be guessed by most modern readers very early on.  Since the story was written as a magazine serial, it tends to go on and on.  This would fit the category of women's fiction in its day.  I was hoping for a more supernatural spin to the story, but it never came.  The ending (it is in six "books") is very drawn out and very long.  Cut by about a third this could have been a much more effective book.  Not a favourite novel of mine by this author.

 

Two illustrations from the edition that I read. 

 

Next came Typhoon, a novella by Joseph Conrad from  1902.  Like the Collins story, it was first serialized in a magazine.  Unlike the Collins tale this one is to the point, with no extra words, sentences, or chapters present. The adventure novella takes place on board a British built steamer plying the China Sea.  Good descriptions of the captain, the ship and some of her crew preface the stormy weather, and preparing us for what is to come.  On board the ship are 200 Chinese workers returning home after a 7 year stint abroad.  They are all returning with money earned and saved.  In an introduction by the author, her stresses that it wasn't the storm or the captain that he wanted to highlight, but what went on below deck during the storm involving the 200 Chinese men.  Conrad says very little about them in the story, leaving a lot to the imagination (even it was something so terrible that I would rather not imagine it).  The storm is a major one, and as usual Conrad gives vivid pictures of what the ship and crew (and passengers) are up against.  The storm is so bad that it is difficult to imagine what it would be like, but we are given a rather good idea.  Parts of the storm are so bad that it seems almost comical, or so beyond normal comprehension that one can only laugh or cry.  If there is a lesson to be learned here, it is to trust the barometer.  This captain, greatly changed by his experience, could have taken measures to avoid the storm.  However, his reasons for not dodging it are given in his own words, and, being the captain, his word is law on board the ship.  Highly recommended, especially if you have ever been in a bad storm.

 

F. Marion Crawford's novel A Roman Singer from 1884 takes readers to sunny Rome.  The story is told by Cornelio Grande, step father to young Nino Cardegna.  As a child Nino loved to sing, eventually studying with a good teacher and becoming something of a sensation as a tenor on the opera stage.  He falls in love with a German girl and courts her.  Her Prussian ex-soldier of a father totally disapproves and removes her to a secluded location far from Rome.  It's up to Cornelio to track down her whereabouts while Nino is singing in Paris and London.  The novel reads much like a Gothic opera plot, complete with dark castle in the hostile mountains of northern Italy.  While not a great novel, it certainly isn't a bad one.  There is much humour in the telling, as Cornelio is against Nino's singing as well as his courting.  A older wandering violin virtuoso, who is also a rich Russian banker, also has hopes of landing the daughter for himself, after falsely pledging to help Nino win her.  It was a fun book to read, though hardly one that I would casually recommend.  There are better ones by the author.

 

     

Lastly this month comes Lord Dunsany's 1935 novel Up In The Hills.  The entire novel is told tongue in cheek by the narrator, but is true to its source.  The novel has a totally bizarre opening, with several archaeologists from Liberia descending upon a lonely bog outside a tiny village in Ireland.  The events take place in 1922, just after the country has won its independence from England.  The Black explorers end up digging up human bones along with the pottery and spear tips that they find.  This brings out the local wise women, who put daily curses on the diggers.  This makes everyone in the village terribly afraid of the near future.  The young local lads (around 20 years of age) decided to take to the hills for a spell until the dig has ended or the curses have come true.  It doesn't take them long to become in a "war" with a neighbouring army.  Micky, the young leader of his army of 9 souls, is up against a true fighter who was renowned for fighting the British and his 100 or so lads.  But both armies are interrupted by the arrival of the more official Irish army, after reports of shots fired in the hills have come down to them.

Dunsany has an ear for how the Irish would talk, and it is both humourous and musical to read parts out loud to oneself.  Conversations, even serious ones, tend to be pretty funny in this story, especially the ones young Mickey has with his grandfather, a wise old one who advises Mickey throughout the story.  Highly readable, chalk this one up as just another truly odd story I have come across and dutifully reported to you, my readers.  Recommended, though even Dunsany fans may be surprised by this one.  Pleasantly surprised, I would hope.  I will also add that this is probably one of the most off-beat novels I have ever read.

 

Mapman Mike 

PC Woes

A few weeks ago we found a top flight gaming PC on sale, so we ordered it.  Deb spent the usual several hours setting it up, killing off the bloatware, and transferring our files from the older PC.  The new one has a much faster processor and a kick-ass video card.  Except that over two weeks the system crashed on us 6 or 7 times.  So Thursday it was back to the store with it.  It has been sent back to the manufacturer for repair.  We could have exchanged it for a new one, but decided to wait a week and get this one fixed, which would be far less work for Deb than starting all over with a new PC.  So the old one is back in service for a while.  It runs fine, but it is a bit on the slow side for some games, and the graphics card is quite outdated now.

 

Original plans had us leaving for Europe on Sunday and staying for two weeks.  However, it was not to be.  Deb took pretty long to recover from recent invasive medical tests, but that wouldn't have stopped us.  Her breathing difficulties seem to be exacerbated by her new RA drug.  And my foot is not yet ready for airports and London transport.  There is good news, however.  I am now walking daily again for up to half an hour, but still at slow speed (2.2 mph versus my normal 3.5 mph).  Foot pain has subsided but is still present.  The big toe feels like it is always sprained, most noticeable when walking on cement or asphalt.  Despite the improvements I will still attend my bone scan on Saturday in Windsor.  Anyway, we took a couple of walks near our local ponds this week, before the weather turned grouchy.  I also managed (so far) 4 astronomy outings in October.  I am very happy about that.

 

Hard to see, but a pair of swans were enjoying the warm autumn weather.

 

Since our walks early in the week the weather turned cold and windy, and we've been indoors a lot.  The wood stove is in action, but we spent time preparing the gas boiler for its seasonal labours. 

 

In movie news there are a few to report, including one that we saw a few weeks ago and I forgot to mention.  Though Hollywood often misses the mark with big budget pictures and actors, we quite enjoyed The Sandpiper (1965) starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.  She is a single mom living off grid on the California coast at Big Sur, in probably the best location for a house in the entire world.  She is an artist raising a 9 year old boy.  When he gets into minor trouble one time too many, the local judge orders him sent a boarding school.  It is run by Richard Burton, playing a married religious man.  Of course they fall in love and all the rest of the Hollywood crap, but there are some memorable scenes.  In one of them Taylor could be talking about herself in real life as she describes how men have hounded her since she was 12, and that she doesn't want to be tied down to any kind of normal life.  We're with you, Lizzie!  Burton's character, despite being happily married, can't keep his lust at bay when near Taylor, and the ending is a strained one for all concerned.  This is a beautiful colour film to watch, and it does carry an emotional impact.  Altogether very well done.  And of course that famous song, "The Shadow of Your Smile" by Johnny Mandel...

 

A Hollywood film worth catching on a big screen. 

A Chinese Ghost Story 2 is from 1990, with the same characters (and a few new ones) keeping things lively and pretty funny.  If you liked the first one (we did) then the 2nd one will contain much of the same things.  Good effects and the sad and tragic love story keep the pace lively and interesting, up to a point.  Having seen two of these things, and knowing that a 3rd one awaits, I can't say I'm terribly excited.  Still, there are worse ways to pass the time, and obviously a lot of stunt work and fun effects went into this feature.

 

Now showing on Criterion. 

 

Lastly comes Robert Altman's Gosford Park, from 2001.  With an all star cast, it's kind of a mash up of Renoir's Rules of the Game, and the Upstairs Downstairs series for TV.  It inspired Downton Abbey to be created, and is well worth watching.  There are so many characters involved, each with their own mini-plot, that the pace is very quick and the time flies past (135' running time).  The events take place over a weekend of "shooting", as a ton of birds are massacred by the gentry for the sake of a pleasure outing.  There is so much story, given out in pieces separated by pieces of other stories, that one has to really pay attention to keep track of all the happy people (sarcasm, dear readers) and their doings.  There is also a murder, with Stephen Fry recreating Monsieur Hulot as an ineffective detective.  Great fun by a master director.

 

Leaving Criterion Oct. 31st.  

 

Mapman Mike  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Myst 2024

I have now completed all of the Myst versions for PC that I know of.  I played the original way back when.  It came on a single CD.  I was mesmerized.  It was rendered in 256 colours.  Then came Myst Masterpiece, rendered in thousands of colours.  Eventually, a long time later came RealMyst.  The slide show format was gone forever, and though the game ate a lot of computing power back then, I managed to get through it several times without a crash.  I still love that version and will replay it many more times, I hope.  It introduced the day/night cycle to Myst, and I still love sitting upon Myst Island and watching the sunrise, moonset, sunset and moonrise.  It also introduced a new age!

Now we come to Myst 2024, which was originally conceived for VR (someday, perhaps!).  I guess they figured that it wouldn't sell many copies, so they also produced a new PC version.  Gone is the day/night cycle, and we are stuck with what we get.  Now for the good and the bad.  First the bad.  Out of the six areas one can explore (the island, the original four worlds, and the new world Rime), two are quite disappointing, one is at least equal to the other versions, and three of them hit the jackpot for atmosphere and effect.

 

 

Now for the two disappointments.  Myst Island is quite a disaster.  Usually it's one of my favourite places to hang out, but this game makes me want to get away from it as soon as possible.  It is overlit, and even the shadowy areas offer no respite.  In an attempt to create atmosphere, everything is overdone.  Each scenario has mist upon the water, and sometimes upon the landscape.  Even that doesn't help the bright afternoon sunlight we are relentlessly faced with.  The less said about this the better.  My guess is that with VR a lot of light is needed, at least at first while players get used to the environment.  There is very little that is mysterious here on arrival.  I will make a general positive comment at this point, however.  ALL interiors are very well done throughout the game, including the library, tower, various bedrooms, tunnels etc.  A lot of work went into texture and lighting.

 

 Disappointment number two is, unfortunately, often the favourite world for players.  Yes, Channelwood is a mess.  Again the lighting is too strong, the sound effects are bad and we have a few tiny frogs hopping along the walkways and jumping into the water.  The bottom of the trees are rendered okay, I suppose, but the branches with leaves are atrociously done.  The windmill looks good, and the interior rooms are beautifully done.  Of course these were the two areas I played first, so I nearly gave up at this point.  However, I decided to at least have a quick peek at the other worlds before panning the game totally.  I'm glad I did.  Whereas the most recent version of Riven was perfect from the get-go, Myst already had some serious flaws.  I spent very little time in Channelwood, and have no urge to return in this version of the game.

 

I next went to the Mechanical Age.  Finally I felt as if I was playing Myst again!  Though there was nothing too surprising here, at least everything looked right and felt right.  The mist on the water was peaceful and I felt that I could watch the clouds pass overhead for some time.  Throughout the game there were small changes, most of which improved on the original game, and most often with the puzzles.  All of the puzzles are essentially the same, however, so that old walkthru you might still have can still be used. 

 

  

Feeling buoyed by my visits ( went back for each page here) I moved on to the Stoneship Age.  Jackpot!   While I love the thunderstorm in RealMyst, I never felt like standing around outside very much.  The sky here is glowering and stormy looking, but it doesn't rain.  The sea looks menacing, and the lighthouse is a welcome retreat.  The upper area has been changed, and one can now walk all around once up top.  Nearly every viewpoint gives wonderful atmospheric views.  There are some fun additions once the underwater lights are turned on, too.  I really loved my time spent here, and again went back for both pages.

 

 

The Selenitic Age is another marvel of design, colour and atmosphere.  While the old sounds have been kept, the age has been given a perfect makeover.  It is foggy and quite dark here, and the lights on bridges and pathways enhance the chilly, damp atmosphere.  I always liked to hang out up in the forest by the little waterfall, and this area has been done to perfection!  The designers have done a perfect job here.  Bravo again!

 

 

Now we come to Rime, the add-on age from RealMyst days.  I always loved it here. but found it rather cramped.  Playing with the aurora machine always gave me a rush.  The age has been expanded slightly, and still feels as cold as ever.  There are several new areas to enjoy a chilly nighttime walk.  Best of all, once the aurora have been set in motion, they continue on indefinitely, so that one can walk around again under different coloured lights.  Sharp-eyed folk will also spot a whale surfacing!  The interior cabin areas have been expanded and enriched, and Rime is now an age on equal footing with the other worlds.

 

 

So there you have it.  Two dud worlds, one "B" and three "A+s".  I will revisit my favourites again before unloading this version and uploading RealMyst for another go.  Playing the latest versions of Myst and Riven has been a gaming highlight for me this year!!

 

In other gaming news I have upgraded to the brand new Train Sim World 6, with three routes.  With each edition of the game the routes are longer and more complex.  I can still drive classic engines, though I choose not to drive steam (way too complicated).  But I love the early diesels, especially the British ones that chug their way through stations hauling classic passenger cars filled with tourists, and belching smoke and fumes as we go, especially uphill.  I now have nearly 40 routes to drive, with well over a hundred engines, each with their own timetable.

 

We just upgraded the main computer as well, to an up to date gaming machine.  With a super fast processor and a top notch video card, we are good to go for many years.

 

In movie news there are three to report.  Most recently we finished a brand new (2025) documentary on the brief life of John Candy, the Canadian comedian who won fans wherever he went.  We first met him in the SCTV series, still probably our favourite comedy show of all time.  Many of his films, especially Planes Trains and Automobiles remains one of the best holiday films ever made.  Interviews with John's wife and two children, as well as with virtually every comedian he ever starred with (think Stripes, for one).  A must see film for fans.  Even if you don't think you are a fan, you will be after seeing I Like Me.  It is showing on Prime.

 

A terrific and moving tribute to the great man.  Showing on Prime. 

 

Still Life is a 2006 film from China.  It takes place during the building of the three Gorges Dam, when cities were being evacuated and pulled down.  Two love stories intertwine in the area, as one man leaves his village after 16 years to finally search for the wife that left him.  She took his baby daughter with her, and he wants to see her.  The second story is about a woman who comes looking for her husband, who has been out of contact and away from her for two years.  The backdrop of the city and some of the remaining people (most of them are employed to demolish the buildings, using sledge hammers) is the main story, however, as we watch a way of life disappear forever.  Well worth sitting through, it has some odd moments as well (a ufo sighting, and a large monument taking off into space, to name two).  It is leaving Criterion Oct. 31st.

 

Leaving Criterion Oct. 31st. 

 

A Chinese Ghost Story is from 1987, and is a kind of wuxia/horror/comedy film.  It was made in the same year as The Princess Bride, and seems to share a similar type of humour and overall outlook.  While some of the jokes are crude and fall flat, many hit the target.  An innocent and child-like man attempts to save a dead princess (yup).  Other ghosts have different ideas, but with the help of a martial arts/wizard master, the man helps battle the forces of evil when he not trying to run away.  The ending is somewhat unexpected, as guy does not get girl.  But wait--there are two more film sequels.  Stayed tuned.  This was a fun film to watch and I am looking forward to the 2nd one, which was made three years later.

 

Now showing on Criterion.
 

 In final news Deb had a couple of invasive medical tests today.  One was negative and one turned up something that might help explain many of her symptoms.  More later.  

 

In final final news, here is a picture of our front garden.  It's sunny today and quite warm, but that should be changing very soon.

 

Happy October! 

 

Mapman Mike 

 

 

Back From Sudbury

We left for the north last Wednesday, poking along for a day in southern Ontario and staying overnight in Collingwood.  We made stops in Alvinston (Munroe Meadery) and Thedford (Twin Pines Orchard).  The latter was a first time visit, as they make hard cider from their own apples.  I came home with a jug of their original cider, as they were out of apple/pear cider.  We arrived in Collingwood just before 5 pm, checked into our hotel, and then undertook the short walk to Endswell Beer.  We had fine ales here and pizza, then took a sunset stroll on the adjacent trails.  Collingwood is a major ski resort in winter, but it sits right on Georgian Bay, so it is also a boater's paradise in summer.  There is hiking in the nearby mountains (we could see the ski runs from our hotel window), but my foot is still not up to the challenge.  However, on this 6 day journey I did manage 4 walks, two of them for forty minutes.  I had intended to take a lot of photos on this journey, but alas I forgot my camera at home.  So these few photos were taken with the android phone.

Three photos from our walk in Collingwood.  that's me in the 2nd photo, and that is part of Georgian Bay in the last one. 

 

Next day we drove to Coldwater, a small and pretty village that is a favourite stop of ours when northbound.  They have a nut roastery there that always gets our business, and a small street of very interesting shops.  Deb was able to buy an old suitcase that she needs for an upcoming film shoot.  We stayed for about half an hour before pushing on north.

 

A decorated shop in Coldwater.

 

The old mill has been kept up and is now a bar and restaurant that also sells deli items.

 

The Coldwater River flows beside the 1833 mill in the downtown area of Coldwater. 

 

Shortly after leaving Coldwater and heading north drivers cross a large bridge over an inland bay (Matchedash Bay).   Almost immediately afterwards comes another bridge with very fine views of Georgian Bay.  Immediately after this bridge one suddenly finds oneself in Northern Ontario, amidst the Canadian Shield.  It is a sudden and shocking change of scenery, and from here on north as far as one wishes to go are the thousands of lakes, rocks, and mountains of the Shield.

    We stopped again in Parry Sound for ales from Trestle Brewing, and this time finally made our first stop at Norse Brewery, several miles north of the the Sound.  Then it was a straight run into Sudbury, which is about 440 miles from our house in Amherstburg when the quickest route is chosen.  Usually heading home we take the fast route, which takes about 8 hours if traffic isn't too bad.  For European readers, this 8 hour and some 440 mile drive only covers a small portion of Ontario.  To drive to Kenora, near the border with Manitoba, from Sudbury would be another 900 miles.  Ontario is absolutely enormous, and would fit many countries into its borders.  It is also filled with parks, so that many of the best natural areas are accessible to the public.

    We got to visit with my mother (96!), my younger brother Steve, his wife Lynne, and my two nieces.  Alicia is the oldest, a soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces.  Emma Lee is the youngest, currently in Grade 11 at a high school for girls.

    We also visited Lake Penage, Deb's first visit in many decades.  We were actually given a tour of the inside by Tony, the current owner.  He has done a beautiful job with the camp, which is now accessible for most of the year.  My cousin still owns the adjacent lot with two camps, but he wasn't there today.

    It was unseasonably warm on our visit north.  Though the leaves were changing to fall colours and the smell of autumn was in the air, it was in the 80s so it didn't feel quite right.

 

Found near Norse Brewery, Nobel ON.

 

A walking trail in Sudbury that we take to reach Beard's Cafe and Bakery, and all-vegan establishment.

 

View from the deck at camp, Lake Penage.  Now owned by Tony and his wife, this is where I grew up during summers since the age of ten.  The lake is still clear and clean and very very inviting. 

 

We got to watch some TV while visiting family.  We don't subscribe to either Netflix or Disney, but they do.  We managed to finish up season 15 of Dr. Who, and are now all caught up with the series.  We also watched an 8 part series on Netflix called House of Guinness, detailing the history of the great Irish brewery from the death of Benjamin (1868) onward.  The series has good actors, some very fine writing (though it includes more F bombs than any other show I've ever watched), and some of the best night photography I've ever seen.  While I can highly recommend the series, beware that the final episode ends in a really stupid cliff-hanger.  While there will probably be a season two, it's still a terrible way to end a series that people have watched for nearly 8 hours.

 

Now showing on Netflix.  It's an 8 part series. 

 

Turning to Doctor Who, we managed to finish up the 2nd series with Ncuti Gatwa, watching episodes 3-8.  They were all pretty good, with Disney's budget allowing the show to at least equal the effects of Star Trek and its ilk.  These stories were usually much better than Star Trek, too.  The final two episodes were linked, and made a fine conclusion to Gatwa's era.  He is among my favourite doctors now, with an energy and outlook that really boosts the show.  And Varada Sethu as Belinda, his companion for several episodes, is now one of my favourite companions.  The 5th episode, "The Story and the Engine" is set in a barbershop in Lagos and features an all-coloured cast.  It uses mythology heavily in its storyline and to great advantage.  "The Interstellar Song Contest" could have used more alien songs, though it was a fun episode.

It was exciting to see Susan helping the Doctor to control his temper.  We have heard nothing of his granddaughter since she left the show back in the days of the first doctor.  She is way overdue for a reappearance.  I can't say I got too excited when I saw Billy Piper at the end of the series. A third season with Disney is likely, though I would guess that the show is far too "woke" for the present state of American entertainment.  I suppose the return of a blonde white female might be just what Disney needs to convince it to undertake another season.

 

Mapman Mike