Catching Up With News

I finally saw my own family doctor on Thursday.  More x-rays, some blood work and an upcoming ultrasound for my nearly broken foot.  There is still some pain, and Dr. P thinks it might be related to a tendon injury rather than a broken bone.  Whatever it is it's messing up my walking program after five years of daily exercise, and remains a major obstacle to our late September travel plans.  At the moment I could not deal with airports, train stations, etc, and of course I am unable to restart my training program.  I might try to ride my bike this week, though the weather has been so hot and humid I much prefer indoor exercise.

 

Earlier in the week Deb saw her kidney doctor for a followup, only to discover that she has another stone, this time in the opposite kidney.  He wants a CT scan, which will take a long time.  Deb wasn't too pleased to hear that news.  Her new drug for morning stiffness, hip, shoulder and neck pain seems to be working wonders.  She is just beginning her second week of a four week course of the drug.  So far the results have been great!

 

On Friday we spent much of the day in Windsor.  It was sunny and 89 F and very humid.  Deb had her annual mammogram and I had my foot x-rayed again.  Those appointments were at 10:30 am.  We had appointments downtown for our new passports, so we had a lot of time to kill.  We had tea and coffee at Chance, actually sitting outside in the shade.  We went for lunch, then to City Market for a walk (very slow walk for me), then down to the river for a while.  Our passports are now being processed and we should receive them in about 10 business days.  By then we should know if we are able to book flights, or postpone them until my foot heals.

 

A viking cruise ship is parked in Detroit for the day.  View is from Windsor. 

 

We also stopped in at Chapter Two and shared an ale flight.  So nice to see Ginger on the menu, and at very low alcohol. 

 

In film news there are three and a half to report.  World of Glory is the half, a short from 1991 by Swedish director Roy Andersson.  This film probably has the most shocking opening to any film we have seen.  From the Mubi website: 

 

A prelude to the director’s acclaimed studies of human alienation, this magnificent short from Swedish master Roy Andersson is shattering yet darkly ironic. Unfurling in drab domestic and public spaces, World of Glory lays bare the grotesque numbness of a man’s life, and modern society at large.

 

I'm not certain I would totally agree with that blurb, but the film is unique and startling, to say the least.  Heads will shake after watching this.  Mine did.

 

 Leaving Mubi soon. 

 

Deb paired that with a short feature film called Incredible But True.  It is a French film from 2022 directed by Quentin Dupieux, also showing on Mubi (and leaving soon).  Mubi's blurb again:

 

Descending into a bizarro world of electric genitals and elastic time, French jokester Quentin Dupieux devises newfangled, side-splitting methods for well-off egotists to keep up appearances. Suspend disbelief: this wild-eyed pursuit of eternal youth and virility is absurdly funny—and incisive too. 

 

A couple buy an older home and discover that it has some magical and fantastical qualities.  As it involves becoming younger, it is the middle-aged wife who soon becomes addicted to its power.  Meanwhile, the man's boss happens to live a few doors down and they get together for a dinner.  The boss tells them about his new electronic penis (from Japan) and all the marvellous things it can do.  This has to be one of the funniest quartet dinner party scenes I have ever seen.  An absurdist film with elements of Dada (black ants), it is highly amusing.  Recommended.  I will look out for the director in the future.

 

Leaving Mubi soon. 

 

We also watched the first two movies of the most recent Planet of the Apes series.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes is from 2011, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is from 2014.  A third and fourth film are available to us; we'll see.  For now we have had enough of apes versus humans.  The first film is the best of the two, showing how medical research into a cure for Alzheimer's Disease goes awry, not only giving incredible intelligence to the chimps used for research, but causing a devastating virus that soon wipes out most of the humans on Earth.  The second film begins ten years later.  The action is set in San Francisco, a nice change, and it allows the apes to escape the city and dwell in a large forest.  The effects are nothing short of spectacular and totally amazing, and the character of Caesar, the lead chimp, is realistic and totally believable.  He is given not only intelligence, but sensitivity and a moral sense (apes must not kill apes).  Of course everything is ruined in the first film by bad humans, and in the second by bad humans and a bad ape.  Bad things tend to ruin everything for everyone, as if we need to be reminded.  The films are definitely good, but there is lot of violence, much of it using machine guns.  And the old trope of having two males fight it out as the climax of the second film (even though they are apes) keeps the tradition alive.  The first film is certainly well worth seeing; the second one not so much.  And I have a feeling that the third one will be nothing but more gunfire and sadistic humans killing lots of apes.

 

 

Both films (and the 3rd one) are showing on Starz. 

 

Yet another sale on Steam saw me acquire more railroad lines.  I now run trains in England, Germany, Switzerland and the USA.  Since each locomotive is quite different, especially between countries, I am always in a panicked learning mode.  I was hauling a mile-long freight train yesterday, realizing near the end that the brakes were not working!  So I had my first runaway train.  It did not end well.  Since then I learned what I did wrong.  Sometimes the trains are set up and ready to drive; others times not so.  This was one of those not so times.  I had three locomotives at the front of the train and two in the rear.  They were not speaking to each other, and needed to be properly linked.  Problem two was with the brake setting, which hadn't been done properly.  I needed to go into the on-board computer (I didn't even know you could do that) on the lead locomotive and change to settings.  I reran the service and aced it.  Live and learn (though I would have died in that first one).

 

Leaving Brighton running a service to Lewes.

 

Evening on the Goblin Line, London.

 

Pulling away from Victoria Station on the way to Brighton. 

 

Mapman Mike

 

 

 

 

 

The Not Broken Foot, Part 1

Though it still hurts a lot after nearly three weeks of the injury, I found out today that there are no broken bones in my foot.  Not sure what it is.  Bruised bone?  Damaged tendon?  I see my own physician in two weeks.

In local news, our old backyard deck has been removed.  A new frame will be constructed Monday, and hopefully the new deck laid down soon after that.

Two photos of where our back deck used to be.  Most of the posts had rotted and need to be replaced, adding to the cost. 

 

In piano news, Jim P. is coming by Saturday afternoon to play some pieces.  I will perform a few of the harpsichord works I have been practicing.  I am approaching ten weeks since I began a new program.  I can more or less play a few of them, including two Scarlatti sonatas and one of the Scriabin,and a couple of Couperin pieces, too.  The Etude by Philip Glass is playable also.  I recently began the final work on the program, a Debussy prelude.  I have played it before, though it will still be a few weeks before it sounds like it.

 

In Train Sim World news I now own 30 different services, with several of them linked together to make longer runs.  Steam had a sale where many of them were 75-90% off, so I basically stole them.  I have only played ten so far, some of them just once.  I have a lifetime of train driving ahead of me.

 

The ruins of Berhamstead Castle lie just beside the station.

 

Driving the Bakerloo Line through Wembley.

 

An evening run from Euston to Milton Keynes. 

 

In film news there are two to report.  Never Open That Door is from 1952, another Argentinian noir based on two stories by Cornell Woolrich.  The first one is about a young woman who commits suicide because of her gambling debts and her brother's attempt to avenge her.  The second one sees a man return to his mother's house years later, a criminal on the run.  Both story endings rely heavily on irony.  Effectively photographed and directed, the film is nowhere near as good as If I Should Die... (see previous blog).

 

Leaving Criterion July 31st.
 

 Sicario is a fast paced thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve from 2015.  It deals with the problems encountered by law enforcement at the US/Mexican border, specifically in Arizona.  We also get grim glimpses of life in Ciudad Juarez, the large Mexican city across from El Paso TX.  It stars Emily Blunt as an FBI agent brought along on a bizarre and violent CIA mission to capture a major drug lord.  She is there merely as a legal proceeding, as the CIA cannot act within the USA without such an agent on board.  While she agrees to join the mission she doesn't really have an understanding as to what it will entail.  She ends up being pretty naive and a bit too much on the side of morality to do much of anything during the mission.  Lots of twists in the plot and when we finally do realize just how the CIA works, and with whom, it is more than a bit eye opening.  An excellent film, though violent and almost a horror film in places.

 

Showing on Prime. 

 

Mapman Mike

 

 

 

More About Trains

Train Sim World 5 is a blast!  I am now regularly running different locomotives on four different railways.  Southeastern is still my main go-to, with its three mainlines which include Thameslink and the high speed connection from St. Pancras to Ashford International.  I am improving on the high speed train, moving along at 225 kph and getting better at stopping on time.  My second favourite route is now the Dresden-Leipzig one, which includes some lovely single track at times, as well as a visit to the pretty river and forest village of Meissen Triebischtal.  Some of these trains are also only two cars in length, which I enjoy driving.  Next comes the main line to the north of London, between London Euston and Milton Keynes.  I have only driven this route twice so far, but it seems to be a fun line to operate as well, reaching speeds of 90 to 100 mph.  When I purchased this set recently, it came with a portion of the Bakerloo Tube Line and the 1972 blue and red and white trains.  So I am getting better at driving from Harrow and Wealdstone to Queens Park, the part of the tube line that is mostly above ground.  The Youtube video I watched for instructions was given by a retired driver who had driven this exact train for many years.  He was a great teacher and very thorough, and he was also quite impressed with the realism of Train Sim World 5.  The fourth route I use regularly is a heavy freight one that climbs from a lower point in California and ascends Cajon Pass.  This is probably the most challenging one to drive, pulling freight cars more than a mile long up and then down a mountain, sometimes using 6 or 7 massive diesel engines.  No disasters yet, but the potential is certainly there.  It's scary when you apply the brakes and nothing happens for about 15 seconds, especially if you are rolling downhill with a mile of cement cars behind you.  Then the brakes begin to work, and some relief sets in.

 

We had a visit from Jenn G. yesterday.  She brought beer (!) and the three of us tasted samples of different kinds throughout the day while getting caught up on our travels.  There is a chance that we might see Jenn in London this October, too.  It is okay for Deb to drink now, since here RA seems to be in remission.  Without having to take Methodtrexate, her liver can now find other ways to damage itself.

 

We are replaying a PC adventure game called Everyone's Gone To The Rapture.  This might be the best computer game we have ever played, and we have played so many totally amazing ones.  We finished it the first time through quite recently, and are back again.  A small English village is invaded by a strange alien light, and things don't go well.  A wonderfully beautiful game in which to walk, accompanied often by stunning music.  No real puzzles to solve, as it's mostly piecing together a tragic story.  Unforgettable and riveting from start to finish.

 

In movie news, there are two to report. Little Murders is from 1971, a comedy directed by Alan Arkin and written by Jules Feiffer.  It is a loud and frenetically paced look at a typical disfunctional New York family, living amidst crime and watching their daughter marry a shipwreck of a husband.  The husband is played by Elliot Gould, a photographer who has learned to never fight back.  This infuriates his girlfriend who at one point says, as she tries to change him, "I love the you I want to mould you into."  This is an Oscar Wilde moment, one of several very funny lines and scenes that pass by very quickly.  The family dinner, the wedding, the subway ride with Gould wearing a bloody shirt, and the tragic ending are all wonderfully acted and are highlights of the film.  I'm glad we caught this one.  Not your standard Hollywood comedy.

 

Leaving Criterion June 30th. 

 

The Importance of Being Earnest is a 2002 film starring Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench and Rupert Everett.  This is a very decent filming of the Oscar Wilde Play, with many laugh out loud lines.  The one referring to the English education system of the time is only one of several priceless jokes.  This one has been on my Prime Video watchlist for some time.  I am glad I finally got around to watching it.

 

Now showing on Prime.  

 

Mapman Mike 

 

 

 

 

Dartford to Rainham by Thameslink

In local news, Deb had part 2 of her two-part medical procedure done today.  It was quick and she even went in ahead of schedule.  No more stent.  It was an aggravating ten days with it inside of her, and I doubt she will miss it now that it is gone.  As usual I got some reading done in the waiting room.

Last week I played my program for some non-piano friends.  It went well, and I seem to be getting comfortable playing most of the pieces.  One more recital and then I can put these pieces away and begin some new works.

I had a wonderfully clear and cold night of astronomy last night (Wed.), the first of the new session.  But it will be cloudy now for at least several days.

 

In gaming news I am playing the first Amnesia game (Dark Descent), a haunted house mystery puzzler set in a dark and abandoned haunted mansion.  So far it's been pretty good, but I am only halfway through part 1 of 4.  Many times these games begin fairly but end up being unplayable after a time, usually due to bad construction, or a sudden jump of difficulty that only the creator can figure out.  So we shall see....

 

In much more exciting news, I bought Train Sim World 5!  There was a great sale on, and for $22 Can. I got 3 huge packages, with enough engines, trains, and routes to last me indefinitely.  Of course I have spent most of my time at the training center, learning how to drive different locomotives.  I have about 15 or so to choose from, and yesterday I took my first lesson in driving a steam engine.  Not as easy as those electric diesels!  So far my favourite route is driving the Thameslink train from Dartford to Rainham.  This is an exact real time run, with all the correct scenery, tunnels, bridges, buildings, rivers, etc.  So far I have not been able to keep to schedule, as I have not driven at the maximum speed limit very much yet.  The route is about 20 miles and there are 11 stops.  There are uphill and downhill grades and miles of tunnels.  Each time I have driven the route the weather and times have been different.  The earliest run is the 5:58 from Dartford, and the morning fog is gradually dispersed as the sun rises.  I have also driven the final night run, also with some fog, and the moon shining above and some stars.  So far I have not crashed or sped through a red light, but it is hard to stop the train on steep downhill grades.  Anyway, it's been great fun.  The Southeastern segment has at least a dozen runs I have yet to do. and I haven't even had time to get to the German or North American ones.  

 

3 screenshots of my BR Class 700/0 EMU that I drive between Dartford and Rainham.  I still have to learn how to take my own photos within game.  Stay tuned!

 

 In film news we are all caught up for now.  We did finish a six part series called Monsieur Spade. 

Sam's final adventure takes place in France, and though the plot is a bit overdone, it's an enjoyable series to watch, filled with quips and plenty of murders.  The plot centers around a young Algerian boy who is gifted as a code breaker and a code maker.  Everyone wants him.  Set in a unique small French town, it has great locations and camerawork.

 

Mapman Mike