Indeed

Nothing much on TV tonight of course. However I have a tradition of watching Casablanca on this night.

Today is also known in Scotland as Hogmanay.

I probably won't be staying up until midnight to ring in the new year...

  ...but I will be waking up at midnight because of the inevitable fireworks and scared-by-the-noise dog.

Thank goodness we have tomorrow off because I will be a tired and cranky person.

I haven't made my list of Tops or Bottoms books of 2018 yet nor have I decided on my reading challenge for 2019. I do however, pay very close attention to the first book finished in the new year for some reason like it's an indicator of the year to come. And yes, I plan this out so it's not willy nilly. 

I think I'll be starting tonight and finishing YEAR OF THE MAD KING by Antony Sher.

In 1982, rising actor and recent Royal Shakespeare Company arrival Antony Sher played the Fool to Michael Gambon's King in the RSC's production of King Lear. Shortly after, he came back to Stratford to play Richard III -- a breakthrough performance that would transform his career, winning him the Laurence Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Theatre Awards for Best Actor. Sher's record of the making of this historic theatrical event, Year of the King, has become a classic of theatre writing, a unique insight into the creation of a landmark Shakespearean performance. More than thirty years later, Antony Sher returned to Lear, this time in the title role, for the 2016 RSC production directed by Gregory Doran. Sher's performance was acclaimed by the Telegraph as "a crowning achievement in a major career," and the show transferred from Stratford to London's Barbican. Once again, he kept a diary, capturing every step of his personal and creative journey to opening night.

Published 2018; 208 pages. I've really enjoyed his other two books similar to this when he played Richard III and Falstaff. I'm still reading the Gabaldon book but I'm only at about halfway done.

Have a good day

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Done with all of you

Oy. What a day.

I'm ready for a weekend.

On Sunday, Outlander "The Birds and the Bees":

As Brianna struggles to compartmentalize the trauma she’s suffered in the wake of the tragedy that befell her in Wilmington, she refocuses on finding her parents and hits a stroke of good luck, discovering that Jamie and Claire  are in town as well. The newly reunited family returns to Fraser’s Ridge, where Jamie bonds with Brianna, until dark secrets threaten to tear the Frasers apart.

Nothing else on. So to end on a happier note, here's some funnies.

See? Better now.

Have a good weekend

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Don't you hate that?

We've officially hit the black hole of holiday-time TV. Nothing on. Nothing on for the next several days.

But it's ok.

No, I'm joking. I'll read or meditate/journal. I did that last night; I had forgotten how great that was. Must do more.

And that's about it. Not a big deal. 

Have a good day

Much love
PK the Bookeemonster

What do you mean "we have to go back to work today"?

But it's already Wednesday, right? Only three days.

Christmas went well. Steve really love his present. A gun. That's twice now in the 21 years we've been married. He's keeping track.

The food plan went ok. Not my best but we got fed.

Tonight, Steve as the gun range -- with the added bonus of being able to show off his new toy.

Nothing on TV for me so I will probably read. I've gotten into the Gabaldon book so it's ok.

Have a good day

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Merry Christmas Eve

My boys would be on that milk immediately, the milkaholics.

 Are you watching Santa deliver presents on NORAD? Hmmmm??

Currently reading THE FIERY CROSS by Diana Gabaldon. 5th of 8 in Outlander series.

The year is 1771, and war is coming. Jamie Fraser’s wife tells him so. Little as he wishes to, he must believe it, for hers is a gift of dreadful prophecy—a time-traveler’s certain knowledge. Born in the year of Our Lord 1918, Claire Randall served England as a nurse on the battlefields of World War II, and in the aftermath of peace found fresh conflicts when she walked through a cleftstone on the Scottish Highlands and found herself an outlander, an English lady in a place where no lady should be, in a time—1743—when the only English in Scotland were the officers and men of King George’s army.  Now wife, mother, and surgeon, Claire is still an outlander, out of place, and out of time, but now, by choice, linked by love to her only anchor—Jamie Fraser. Her unique view of the future has brought him both danger and deliverance in the past; her knowledge of the oncoming revolution is a flickering torch that may light his way through the perilous years ahead—or ignite a conflagration that will leave their lives in ashes....

Published 2001; 979 pages. STARZ still is still airing season 4 and I re-read book 4 before it started, but feeling the need to find out what happens next. I think I had stopped reading the series after the 4th book back when it was originally written.

And my Dana Girls books showed up. The Powers That Be re-released the series in the 70s and renumbered them - distinguishable by the white covers which I like. This is the re-numbered book one. THE MYSTERY OF THE STONE TIGER.

A black-robed figure and a marble tiger are the clues in the exciting mystery surrounding a private museum

Published 1963; 175 pages.


We're closing at noon at work. I'm making the beef Wellington for dinner tonight. I'll give Steve his gift tonight as well.

 Have a Merry Christmas!

(Remington Steele!!) (Dang, he was pretty back then)

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Two thumbs up!

Timeless last night was satisfying. It was happy (saved Rufus), it was sad (a character sacrificed himself to do it), it was happy (defeated Rittenhouse), it was happy again (Wyatt and Lucy are together and happy), and it was sad (it's over).

But we should be happy. It was cancelled after season one ... it came back. It got cancelled after season two ... we got a two hour concluding movie. We've got episodes available online or on DVD.

And who knows what may happen next? Other shows have gotten new life in other venues in other forms. But this entity is over and they gave us a great concluding "this is the future" for these characters. And one final thing here -- at the end of the show they did a really nice recap of moments from the series for us. So nice:



In other news,  I'm done Christmas shopping, presents and food. Today I'm just waiting for packages to arrive at the house and go pick up Steve's Plan A gift when I get the call.

I don't think I have much planned this weekend.

And not a whole lot of TV now that we're at Christmas weekend, so to speak. On Sunday, Outlander, "Wilmington":

Jamie and Claire attend the theater with Governor Tryon, at his request, and discover a plot against the Regulators that tests Jamie’s loyalty to Tryon. Roger’s diligent search for Brianna pays off when he finds her in Wilmington, but their romantic reunion comes to an abrupt halt when she discovers pertinent information that he intentionally kept from her....

So now Steve and I may find time to watch Amazon's Jack Ryan or start The Night Manager, a John LeCarre miniseries that AMC did last year (recall Little Drummer Girl? Same kind of deal).

Have a great day

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

This is important doncha know

TONIGHT!

TIMELESS!

So, here's the history. This series had only two seasons.  We got to have Lucy and Wyatt get together and then due a change in the timeline, Wyatt's dead wife came back but then she turned out to be associated with the bad guys. And then the season ended on a huge cliffhanger. A main character was killed and in the last moments the future selves of Wyatt and Lucy land in the bunker in another time traveling pod and asks if they want to go save Rufus or what.



And then it got cancelled.

There was an outcry from the fanbase, as you might imagine.

They tried so hard. They did writing campaigns. Petitioned the network. They even rented a plane, made a banner, and flew over Comic Con. To no avail.

But what we did get was a 2-hour series finale movie. Tonight.

"The Christmas Miracle Part 1 & 2":

Series Finale As Christmas arrives in the Bunker, the Time Team is inspired by a visit from their future selves to find a way to try to save Rufus. But when the Mothership jumps to 1848 California, they're forced to put those plans on hold and chase Rittenhouse back to the Gold Rush, where they encounter one of the era's most dangerous villains. Then chasing the Mothership to Korea in the winter of 1950, our team helps a stranded, pregnant refugee attempt to escape a tragic fate. Stuck with no way out, our team faces its toughest challenge yet, and in the process, come to terms with their feelings for each other.

So that's what I'm doing tonight.

 

 

Have a good day

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster