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 wondered 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!
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.
In movie news there are two to report. Robert Altman's 1979 A Perfect Couple is a comedy romance. A couple meet visa 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.
Hitchcock's silent 1928film A Farmer's Wife could have been directed by almost anyone ast 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.
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Mapman Mike
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