Surgery Success

Deb's 2nd kidney stone removal surgery in 4 months finally happened today.  She was first on the table this morning in Leamington, which meant a very early start for us.  We left home at 5:45 am to get Deb there by 6:45 am.  She was out and back in the car well before 10:00 am and is currently at home, resting comfortably, as they say.  Or perhaps not so comfortably.  She has a stent in place for the next two weeks, and can't go far from home.  She has some happy pills to take for the first few days.  Her newest urologist is keen to discover the reason why these things are happening.  Not only did he zap a 1cm beastie this morning, but he also found two more in her kidney which he also removed.  So now we can concentrate on getting her RA back under control again, then worry about her lung blood clots.  Fun times.  Funny thing is she will likely be ready for a trip to London next month, but my foot is still holding me back.  I went off anti-inflammatory pills for several days to see how things were going.  I'm back on the pills today.  I've had no contact from my physician regarding the recent ultra sound results.  I guess I will have to contact him.

We finally watched the final episode of Season Three of Picard.  It's not that it's bad, but it's just the same old stuff over and over again, this time with the full old timer crew from Next Generation taking part.  There is nothing new in Star Trek, and there hasn't been for years.  In this series the big bad Borg are back, the writers seeming to forget that the first season was all Borg related, too.  With a full ending that saw the evil Borg queen combined with a good human, thus ending her days of tyranny.  No mention of any of that in season 3. Sigh and ho hum.  I will spoil the ending for everyone by saying that at the very last second the good guys manage to save the Universe and everyone in it, with barely a scratch suffered.  Good job you guys.

 

We've been watching a British series called Canal Boat Diaries, where "Robbie" takes on English canals by himself for five seasons of narrow boating. Robbie is a good bloke, and his boat, the Naughty Lass--a pun on the Nautilus--has many quiet adventures on the mostly peaceful canal.  Robbie is an explorer at heart, always on the move (albeit slowly) and always looking forward to the next lock or bend in the river.  The English canal system is a true marvel of the world.  While the US also had a vast canal system, it was abandoned long ago and never rebuilt for pleasure boaters.  Ontario also has a great canal system, though I have never seen a long series about it.

 

Two recent films are up next.  To The Devil A Daughter is a suitably gory Hammer film from 1976 and directed by Peter Sykes.  It has a big name cast that includes Richard Widmark as the Van Helsingish hero, Christopher Lee as the Dracula-ish villain and Nastassja Kinski as the 17 year old nun who is at the centre of the evil plot.  She was only 15, and appears in a total nude scene near the film's end.  A number of unnecessary deaths plague the film, not to mention the nude scene.  A filmy flowing gown would have been much better (for the actress, too).  It was Dennis Wheatley's second collaboration with Hammer.

 

Now showing on Criterion as part of their Nunsploitation series. 

 

We last watched Port of Shadows in May 2014, so it was high time to see it again.  From 1938 the film was directed by Marcel Carne and stars the immutable and unflappable Jean Gabin as a soldier who has deserted.  He becomes involved with the incredibly beautiful Michele Morgan, stuck working for her lusty godfather played evilly by Michel Simon.  It's a great little film filled with small but interesting characters and situations.  The film seems to centre around a small dog that befriends Gabin when he saves it from being run over by a truck.  The dog follows him everywhere and might be the most interesting character in the film.  As soon as the dog joins him Gabin's luck turns to the better.  However, the one time that he leaves him behind is the one time that his luck runs out.  The dog returns to its shadowy life in the woods, along again.  I felt sadder for the dog than for the woman who lost Gabin to a low life cheap hoodlum.  A recommended film.

 

Leaving Criterion Sept. 30th. 

 

Mapman Mike

 

 

Approaching Darkness

 I've never been a fan of year round exercise.  Rather, I do it when I have to, usually for 6-9 weeks before a major hiking trip to New Mexico.  For upcoming city walking, 4-6 weeks usually does it.  However, since our sidewalks became rather busy in the Spring due to so many people being home, I have been indoors on the treadmill and the weight bench.  This has been going on since early June now, and I have maintained fitness since then, adding stretches and neck exercises to the light weights, walking (including uphill, as the treadmill has that option), and stomach exercises.  As a result I am probably more generally fit now than ever before in my adult life.  This Friday I hope to undertake the first of my longer walks, following our local rails to trails for 6 miles.  Mild, sunny weather is predicted.  Deb will walk part way with me, return for the car, then meet me at the end about 2 1/2 hours later.  Looking forward to my first long walk in ages.

In blog news, here are some stats for my 3 most popular blogs:

1) Deep Sky NGC (my astronomy blog) has had a total of 14,469 views to date.  This is by far my most popular blog, with 129 posts.

2) Lone Mountain Homestead (my everyday blog) has had a total of 7,595 views, with a total of 228 posts.

3) Avon/Equinox SF Rediscovery Series has had 5,824 views, with 24 entries.  However, each entry has had multiple updates as I continue to read books by these authors.

We received our first issue of National Geographic Magazine today, all all-Corona Virus issue.  I reported earlier that I subscribed so that I could view their entire pull-out map collection on line.  I am slowly studying many of the maps.  Most recently I was studying a world map that was released in 1941, based on 1939 data.  There are many fascinating elements to this beautiful creation, but I was particularly enchanted with a small sidebar map which I include, below.  It is self-explanatory.

An early world map created by National Geographic Magazine back in 1941.  This is a small sidebar map featured near the top.

 

I also am continuing with my study of every topo map of New Mexico, and will try to include part of one in the near future.

 

In film-watching news, Deb had two choices recently, and both were really good.  First up was Vincente Minelli's 1955 Cinemascope creation called The Cobweb.  Starring Richard Widmark as a forward thinking doctor in a sanitarium for people who have had breakdowns and cannot cope with the outside world, it also stars Lauren Bacall, Lillian Gish, Charles Boyer, and Gloria Grahame!  Wonderful acting and a pretty good story that revolves around putting new drapes in the hospital library windows.  You've never seen a movie before than depended so much on curtains!  Good stuff!

 

Now showing on Criterion. 

 

Next up was The Heiress, from 1949 and starring Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, and Ralph Richardson.  Based on Henry James' Washington Square, Ms de Havilland gives a tour de force performance as an awkward, unattractive, and shy young woman who lives with her physician father.  Father dislikes her, always comparing her unfavourably to his deceased wife, who was apparently the world's most perfect woman.  A suitor convinces her that he loves her.  But does he, or does he only want her inheritance?  Take a wild guess.  An excellent film!

 

Now showing on Criterion. 

 

I chose Part 2 of Fassbinder's TV series, called Eight Hours Don't Make a Day. This episode is concerned with grandma's (Oma's) need to escape the home of her daughter and son-in-law, where she lives. She has found a boyfriend, and they scheme to get an apartment together.  It's a very funny episode, as they end up opening a day care centre.  Starring many of Rainer's usual stock of actors and actresses, this series was made in 1972.  Most enjoyable so far.

 

Lastly comes 1933's Footlight Parade, another Busby Berkeley showcase.  The difference this time is that the star is Jimmy Cagney.  He plays his part at a breakneck speed, cracking one-liners alongside Joan Blondell, his secretary who loves him, but it is unrequited.  She makes a perfect partner for him in this film, and they make an amazing team.  Ruby Keeler starts out wearing glasses and playing the part of a likeable nerd, but soon enough she is awkwardly dancing her way to stardom, as she usually does.  Dick Powell is there to croon.  Fun to watch, with many hilarious moments, including a singing duet between two lovers, being demonstrated to the showgirls by two men.  The one playing the female role sings while puffing on a cigar, curled up in Dick Powell's arms.  The two big show stop numbers are "By a Waterfall," a favourite song of Bugs Bunny when in the shower, and "Shanghai Lil", with Ruby Keeler dressed and made up as a Chinese girl.

 

Now showing on Criterion.
 

 I haven't forgotten about the DIA.  Perhaps next time.

 

Mapman Mike