#if waldron had never opened his mouth

[dweemeister]

On Borrowed Time (1939)

As time marches on, certain names that were once synonymous with American drama lose their weight, even among film buffs. In the early twentieth century, the Barrymore siblings – Ethel, John, and Lionel – were celebrated on both Broadway and in Hollywood, each one making a successful transition from the silent era to synchronized sound. The eldest, Lionel, was born in 1878 and was a Hollywood elder statesman when he made 1939’s On Borrowed Time. Directed by Harold S. Bucquet and based on a 1938 play of the same name by Paul Osborn (itself based on a 1937 Lawrence Edward Watkin novel of the same name), On Borrowed Time is a star vehicle for the eldest Barrymore. By the late 1930s, Barrymore had broken his hip twice – never healing properly. As such, he remained wheelchair-bound for the remainder of his life. Physical disablement, even in modern Hollywood, often curtails acting careers. But Barrymore’s home studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), often had their screenwriters find ways to incorporate Barrymore’s disability.

Lionel Barrymore was also in physical pain and depended on cocaine injections to work and sleep. However, this never affected his acting, as he delivers a wonderful lead performance in On Borrowed Time. Those less knowledgeable about this period in Hollywood history will probably only recognize his surname and the acting family he came from. Nowadays, most cinephiles probably only know of Lionel Barrymore through It’s a Wonderful Life (1946; Barrymore played the villainous Mr. Potter). Lionel Barrymore's role as the somewhat foul-mouthed but caring grandfather here offers something completely different.

Mr. Brink (Cedric Hardwicke) is hitchhiking somewhere near a small town in contemporary America. But he is not interested in riding with just anyone:

MAN IN CONVERTIBLE: May I give you a lift, sir? MR. BRINK: Thank you, no. I have an appointment – a lady and gentleman. MAN IN CONVERTIBLE: Oh, I’m sorry. [coughs] I thought you signaled me. MR. BRINK: No. Not yet...

As you may have guessed, Mr. Brink is a personification of death. A few minutes later, he flags down that lady and gentleman and takes their lives in a car accident. That couple are the parents of John “Pud” Northrup (Bobs Watson; best known as Pee Wee in 1938’s Boys Town), who will now live solely under the care of Gramps and Granny (Barrymore and Beulah Bondi) and their housemaid Marcia (Una Merkel). At the memorial service for Pud’s parents, Gramps donates a substantial sum to the church. After learning of Gramps’ generosity, Pud exclaims that his grandfather doing such a good deed should allow him a wish. Gramps’ wish: as a deterrence local children stealing his apples, he wishes that anyone who climbs up his apple tree will be stuck there until he permits them down. Some time later, Mr. Brink arrives at Northrup grandparent homestead for an appointment with Gramps. Gramps tricks Mr. Brink up the apple tree, trapping him there – setting off a series of developments that put Gramps in a moral bind.

In a cast already headlined by character actors, how about some more? On Borrowed Time also features Henry Travers (the guardian angel Clarence in It’s a Wonderful Life) and Nat Pendleton as neighbors, Grant Mitchell as Gramps’ lawyer, James Burke as the sheriff, Charles Waldron as the reverend, and an uncredited Hans Conried (Captain Hook and Mr. Darling in 1953’s Peter Pan) as the man in the convertible.

Elsewhere, away from the camera, one can’t find much of composer Franz Waxman’s (1935’s Bride of Frankenstein, 1951’s A Place in the Sun) string-dominated score anywhere, but this is one of Waxman’s finest scores of his early career.

The opening half-hour of On Borrowed Time are its weakest. Hardwicke’s Mr. Brink has an eerily charismatic first impression that the scenes immediately following it cannot hope to match. Instead of learning more about the nature of Mr. Brink, the film instead shows us some of Pud’s misadventures and his relationship with his grandparents. Strangely, the loss of his parents seems to have had little effect on Pud at all, although his sadness seems to emerge in his contentious relationships with the other local boys and Aunt Demetria (Eily Malyon). Aunt Demetria, shortly after the Northrup parents’ deaths, hatches a scheme to assume guardianship of Pud and attain access to his considerable inheritance. Her designs are so obvious to all that when Gramps and Pud start calling her a “pismire” (literally, a pissing ant), Granny looks the other way when she might otherwise correct their boorish behavior. All of this takes longer to develop than it should (it does not help that Bobs Watson’s performance as Pud feels disjointed, but more on that shortly), even if the opening act primarily serves to show us how close Pud is to his grandparents. Even though we sense where the dramatic stakes are headed, On Borrowed Time almost seems to splinter into another film before we see Mr. Brink again.

In addition, contemporary reviews of On Borrowed Time lambasted screenwriters Alice D.G. Miller (1929’s The Bridge of San Luis Rey) and Frank O’Neill (no other film credits) for sanitizing the language from the original stage play due to the demands of the Hays Code (the self-censorship code that applied to major Hollywood studios from 1934-1968, repealed in favor of the current MPA ratings system). For the record, the text of the stage play was not freely available as I was writing this piece, so I have no means of comparison. Paul Osborn’s On Borrowed Time has only appeared on Broadway thrice: the 1938 original production and short-lived revivals in 1953 and 1991. The play had also been adapted for radio and television.

Compared to those film reviewers during the film’s 1939 release and many modern writers, I tend to be more forgiving if the Hays Code-enforced changes to a film do not significantly alter the spirit of the text. Sure, it would be funnier to hear disparaging language stronger than “pismire” in a 1939 film, but Pud’s and Gramps’ feelings towards Aunt Demetria, the apple-stealing boys, and Mr. Brink are comprehensible in this movie.

The closing two acts of On Borrowed Time draw its strengths from the performances and the narrative’s adoption of fairy tale logic (any film beginning with death flagging down folks he has an “appointment” with is almost always operating under the terms of the fantasy genre). In tandem, Lionel Barrymore and Bobs Watson’s good-humored and loving rapport lift the film above its structural flaws. Barrymore’s Gramps – an American Civil War and Spanish-American War veteran* – is a classic small town curmudgeon, only allowing his bitter exterior to crumble when Granny and Pud are around. Looking to protect Pud from Aunt Demetria, Gramps remains defiant towards the wills of Mr. Brink and the insistent neighbors. Perhaps it is not the greatest Lionel Barrymore performance, but he is always effective.

Bobs Watson, as Pud, is inconsistent anytime he does not share the scene with Barrymore. The explanation for his performance comes from Watson himself: “My dad was the one that really directed me, and I think some of the directors resented it a little bit… I trusted my dad implicitly, so I read the dialogue the way he told me.” His father’s influence results in occasionally overcooked line readings against director Harold S. Bucquet’s vision (MGM’s Dr. Kildare series, 1943’s The Adventures of Tartu), more theatrical than what the scene calls for. But when the scene calls for crying, by golly can Watson (who had a reputation for crying on cue) deliver. And his scenes with Barrymore are beautifully acted, convincingly showing the audience the love between grandson and grandfather.

Sir Cedric Hardwicke, a noted Shakespearean actor, cuts no corners as Mr. Brink. Mr. Brink is aware that, in time, he will keep all his appointments. Hardwicke plays Brink as slightly menacing, always dignified (no one expects that perfect an English accent in rural America), and somewhat aloof to what he probably thinks are childish trivialities and life’s mundane moments. He is the antagonist, but in no way is he the villain of this movie. That belongs to Eily Malyon as Aunt Demetria, a character some compare to Margaret Hamilton’s Mrs. Gulch/Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz (1939; released a little more than a month after On Borrowed Time) due to her temperament and unbending nature. One wishes the film made more use of the always-underappreciated Beulah Bondi as Granny (Bondi very often played elderly mothers and grandmothers, almost always appearing much older than she actually was), too.

Death and loss are two themes currently popular in modern cinema (see: a vast bulk of Pixar’s filmography, 2016’s Manchester by the Sea, 2019’s The Farewell, and a large selection of pieces from any film festival worldwide), but in the early decades of talkies in Hollywood, you would be hard-pressed to find films in which those themes were truly central, not secondary, to the narrative. And when those themes do appear, they appear in the context of fantasy films, like Death Takes a Holiday (1934) and On Borrowed Time. Anecdotally, I suspect the scarcity of major Hollywood movies revolving around death and loss is partly due to the realities of the 1930s and 1940s. Audiences, concerned with a worldwide Great Depression and soon a Second World War, did not seek films ruminating about death and loss and sought escapist fare instead. There was enough despair to go around.

The film that emerges on the back of these performances is thanks to its ability not to concentrate on the fantastical situation the Gramps and Pud find themselves in, but to raise the moral questions that Mr. Brink’s presence – and eventual entrapment – poses. Mr. Brink’s time in the tree results in consequences that Gramps and Pud could not imagine. Gramps’ decision to delay his death for the love of his grandson is concurrently noble and selfish. It is noble in respect to wanting the best for Pud, so that he may live life away from his aunt’s icy attitude and pernicious designs regarding her nephew’s inheritance. But it is selfish in that, as Gramps learns, that Brink’s inability to make any appointments unless he comes down from the apple tree means that almost no living being can die (for spoiler reasons, I am not listing the exceptions here) – even the ones in physical pain. How is Gramps supposed to navigate this situation, in addition to the communal and legal pressures from his neighbors and the police?

A resolution comes abruptly, in a way that devastates Gramps (but would probably make the Brothers Grimm nod in appreciation). On Borrowed Time’s bittersweet ending is deserved, and – as long as the viewer accepts the film’s fantastical premise and rules – will play quite differently for audiences of different ages.

Lionel Barrymore had two daughters with Doris Rankin, his first wife. Barrymore and Rankin lost both daughters in their infancies; neither ever truly recovered from their losses. One wonders what Barrymore thought while making On Borrowed Time, a film that argues for one coming to terms with death, however unfair or untimely its arrival. For a 1939 release (a legendarily glorious year for American cinema), positioning such ideas as the film’s narrative keystone ensures On Borrowed Time a unique spot in the early years of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

My rating: 8/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog. Half-points are always rounded down.

* Gramps describes himself as having fought for the Union. This might make Gramps close to ninety years old, give or take, if we are to believe the film’s self-professed setting!

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

NOTE: This is the 800th full-length Movie Odyssey review I have published on tumblr.

#On Borrowed Time #Harold S. Bucquet #Lionel Barrymore #Beulah Bondi #Cedric Hardwicke #Bobs Watson #Una Merkel #Nat Pendleton #Henry Travers #Grant Mitchell #Eily Malyon #James Burke #Charles Waldron #Alice D.G. Miller #Frank O'Neill #Lawrence Edward Watkin #Paul Osborn #Franz Waxman #TCM #My Movie Odyssey

[work-your-loki]

I'm curious about this. There are so many things and hints in this show about a possible lokius outcome, but do you believe this is actually possible? Knowing the mess that k*te h*rron is at acknowledging queer identities, I can't imagine straight people writing a queer narrative. (Not mentioning that casual viewers actually enjoyed s*lki as a couple)

Anon, that's the million dollar question I ask myself every day!

The stone cold answer: No. It's Disney, it's never going to happen.

The tiny voice of the hopeless romantic optimist in me that never shuts up: mayyyybe? Out of all the popular non-canon MCU ships, I think this is the only one that has an actual chance, as miniscule as it is.

The actual, more complicated answer: It depends on a million factors. First and foremost, who will be involved next season and what story they want to tell. If it's Waldron and he's unchecked by a director willing to change things up, we're screwed. So, finding out who the show runners will be is going to give us at least some idea of where we stand.

Second, the reception they got for season 1. I don't know if S*lki is actually popular with the casual viewers, is it? All journalists have asked them about the weirdness, so they must be picking up some non-fandom vibes. And networks have their own complicated ways of measuring audience response, so I can't say what feedback they are picking up on and how they are weighing it. So, that's another variable.

Another factor I've been thinking a lot about is Feige commenting specifically on their relationship and how into it he is, which makes me feel both optimistic and dreadful. On the plus side, it indicates that we will probably see a lot more of them together as a unit, which is always good. On the other side, I fear that he might be seeing them more as a comedic buddy duo and plans to capitalize on that. So, that would destroy all chances.

(though, all that alien bi sex/orgy/mischief utter nonsense they were originally throwing around for episode one is at least a good sign that they were willing to give them more leeway to at least explore Loki's sexuality on screen, even though they chose not to do it - someone else might)

I have a lot more thoughts, but since this has already gotten more complicated than you probably hoped for, let's just say, long story short: Probably not, but it's far too early to say for sure.

(If anyone reading this has any other opinions, I'd absolutely love to hear them! I always crave other perspectives, the more voices you hear the more it helps to get a more rounded view of things)

#honestly I change my mind about this at least three times a day #if waldron had never opened his mouth #and if holt had never made those comments about the script #I'd be convinced there's at least a 50% chance #cause the story feels ready to tilt sideways at any moment #but there are too many cooks in this kitchen #I wish I could stop thinking about this #loki x mobius #lokius

[iamnmbr3]

Can I sign up for a Disney- Service where I pay them not to put out any type of new content or interviews? Bc wow I am tired of this show and I’m tired of Mike Waldron shooting his mouth off and spewing grossness. But here we go again. He’s given another interview and I am once again left wondering why Disney had to hire him and not...literally anyone else. Like if they just grabbed a rando off the street it couldn’t have been any worse and statistically it probably would’ve been a lot better. 

"I knew that I wanted to position somebody opposite Tom, opposite Tom's Loki, who had the same energy in a way, but also a totally different energy, that female energy”

Female energy??? Can someone please tell Mike that "girl" isn't a personality trait. Remember when I talked about how Sylvie isn’t a good female character because she’s physically strong but not strongly written? Remember when I talked about how she’s an empty “strong female character TM” who is a woman first and a human second because she’s not a good character who happens to be female but rather a character whose defining and only personality trait is her gender? Yeah.

"But it's one thing, I guess, to be narcissistic and to think you're great and everything, it's another thing to really believe that, to project that outwardly. It's another thing to really believe that and to actually practice self-love and everything. So if the show is about Loki falling for Sylvie a little bit, the hope was always that maybe that it's also about him learning to forgive himself." 

What. No really. WHAT. Mike’s pathetic attempts to justify his ridiculously bad romance and also pretend like he didn’t straight up lie to us about Loki learning self love are hilarious. this makes NO sense. huh???? This is just a really bad attempt at damage control. Loki doesn’t learn self love. He never says anything positive about himself. The show frames him internalizing other’s harmful messages about him like that he is a villain and a pathetic loser as something positive. What has he learned to love about himself? Mike has yet to be able to name one positive trait he has. His hatred for Loki is so obvious. And how is loving Sylvie him forgiving himself???? she didn't do any of the things he did???? This makes ZERO sense.

"He is just a character who doesn't like to self reflect, and would rather pontificate, and would rather scheme, because he's good at it, because he's very clever. "

Really? He would rather pontificate? Another comment that seems to indicate that Mike really didn’t watch Thor 2011. Remember how the opening scenes established how SILENT Loki is and how he is constantly spoken over? That’s a big part of his other and victim coding. The way Mike constantly shames Loki for speaking is very disturbing given the way Loki is Other coded. And also given the fact that he is now canonically queer. Why must the Other be silenced??? 

“And when faced with an actual mirror of himself, he sees things that are attractive and that he empathizes with. He also sees things that are broken and wounded, and it helps him understand those very things in his own psyche" 

Wrong. But also? Where? Where is that in the show??? This never happened. He’s just lying here.

"I mean, he has done terrible things. That was part of the work that the first episode had to do, was hold him accountable for that, sort of lay him bare and everything. And the journey that he's been on has been one of reckoning with that. Is it possible to atone for that? I think Loki's still trying to figure that out."

Terrible things? Huh. Kinda like Thor. Remember when he slaughtered all those Jotnar while laughing (which was considered totally acceptable in his culture)? Remember when Odin slaughtered and enslaved thousands? Remember when Loki was motivated by trying to PREVENT a war? And. Remember when Loki was captured and TORTURED by Thanos? Also. The first episode didn't do that. The first episode was about things he hadn't done bc it was him seeing his future. AND FURTHERMORE the TVA can't hold him accountable bc if what Loki did was bad then the TVA has no moral high ground bc what they did was orders of magnitude worse. And if what the TVA did was ok then Loki didn't do anything wrong. Why does the TVA get a pass for their horrific acts of evil???

"I think, for me, that's one of the most important scenes in the show because this is a guy who has been driven by glorious purpose, by the feeling that everything he does is in the service of his grand destiny."    

So Mike really just watched that glorious purpose clip and decided it was Loki’s whole motivation huh? What an idiot. So much for the Loki Lectures. Obviously this guy was asleep during them and didn’t bother to watch Thor 2011 either. You know, the movie all about Loki’s backstory and motivations. Guess he also missed the fact that Loki is LITERALLY KNEELING when he comes through the portal and looks awful bc he’s just been tortured is very obviously repeating the stuff Thanos told him while breaking him. Loki is not motivated by believing in a glorious purpose. He cries when Thor tells him to look at the destruction in Avengers. 

And in Thor 2011 he is motivated by wanting to avert a war and also more deeply by his desire for love and validation. He never wanted the throne. He wanted to be Thor’s equal. He has a mental breakdown and tries to kill himself when he comes to believe that he is inherently monstrous and that he can never earn his family’s love. LOKI IS DEFINED BY HIS LACK OF SELF ESTEEM AND HIS SELF HATRED! That is. The opposite of what Mike has said. Also Mike contradicts himself. Is Loki someone who is arrogant and needs to learn his purpose isn’t glorious or is he someone who needs to learn self love? It can’t be both. What a disgusting, victim blaming, abuse apologist lying hack.  

“In that moment, he sees that no, it was his destiny to get his neck snapped by the bad guy he was working for"

Excuse me? Working for??? Loki never went back to Thanos. He died sacrificing himself to save Thor. WTF!!!?!?

#loki tv series #loki series #loki tv show #loki show #loki 2021 #loki tv series interviews #my post

[glenrocklibraryteens]

BOOK REVIEW: NORMAL PEOPLE

Normal People by Sally Rooney Fiction - Romance Number of pages: 266 Rating: 4 - Great - better than most books I’ve read Spotify Playlist, curated by reviewer, inspired by this book Reviewed by: AP

Normal People by Sally Rooney is a 266 page romance and drama novel. The story takes place mainly in Ireland, and follows main characters Marianne and Connell throughout their on-again-off-again romance. Marianne Sheridan is a reserved, standoffish girl from a well-off but abusive family, and Connell Waldron is the popular and sociable son of the Sheridan’s housekeeper. Their relationship starts and ends in their final year of high school, and picks back up again when they meet again at University, where Marianne’s social skills have blossomed and Connell’s have regressed. Throughout the novel, Marianne and Connell grapple with socio-economic stress, intimacy issues, depression and abuse.

I came across Marianne and Connell’s story on Hulu first, in the form of a screen adapted miniseries. Before watching I decided to read the novel. If I had never seen the show promotions, I would have been equally drawn to the story because of the novel’s beautiful green and blue cover with simple silhouettes of Marianne and Connell.

I feel that this novel perfectly captures the struggle most young adults have with mental health, specifically anxiety and depression that feels invalid because of all else occurring in the world. Rooney’s description of the thought processes inside the young adult psyche has the potential to help teens learn the right way to navigate romance while dealing with such pain, through showing the mistakes that Connell and Marianne make.

The story is heart wrenching, but not unsatisfying. I found myself not rooting for their romance to proceed, but for them to heal and find peace. Upon finishing the book, I realized it was less about a romantic relationship, which is portrayed as fragile and bipolar in this novel and more about the power of deep connection and friendship, which is a constant factor between the two main characters. Normal People also teaches the value of empathy and patience within relationships as well as the importance of just being there for loved ones as much as possible.

One thing readers should be aware of to spare confusion is that there are no quotation marks in dialogue. Dialogue is indicated with a phrase along the lines of “he said” or “she confessed” at the end of a sentence. I would recommend this book to people ages 16+ due to the heavy topics and sexual content.

More about the playlist:

Cardigan by Taylor Swift Cardigan explores feelings of invalidation due to young age and presumed naivetes. “And when I felt like I was an old cardigan under someone's bed, you put me on and said I was your favorite” is a lyric that perfectly describes how Connell tries his best to help Marianne navigate her abusive home and relationships. Another way this song relates back to Normal People is through the recurring lyric “I knew you’d come back to me”, as whenever Connell and Marianne part ways they are confident it is not a goodbye, but a see you later.

The Adults Are Talking by The Strokes By singing “They've been sayin' you're sophisticated. They're complainin', overeducated”, the writer of this song Julian Casablancas is talking about his fight against nepotism and the hate he gets for it, as he comes from a connected family. Like Casablancas, Marianne struggles with not feeling as though she has truly made it in an academic sense, because of her family, which has a long relationship with the university she attends. Pleaser by Wallows Pleaser is about anxiety and struggles opening up to a girlfriend. “Back in your room remain the words I wanna say to you, but couldn't leave my mouth” is a lyric that sums up Connell's thoughts almost every time he is with Marianne. He tries his best to let her know how he feels, but always works himself up way too much to actually say anything. “Quite the people pleaser, if only I could please her” is another lyric Connell would relate to. He is a popular and charming young man, but that wall crumbles when he is with Marianne and he becomes a whole new person. Run by Joji Run is about confusion over breakups. When Marianne and Connell break up, Marianne moves on quickly while Connell dwells on the split. “Guess I’m not the one, like you used to think” describes his thought process when Marianne gets a new boyfriend. He always thinks that their breakups are his fault and never considers that space could have been something Marianne just needed at that moment. Liability by Lorde Liability tells a story of feeling worthless and without value. Marianne’s agreeance with the lyric “The truth is I am a toy that people enjoy, till all of the tricks don't work anymore and then they are bored of me” is seen through her involvement in abusive friendships and sexual relationships because she doesn’t think she's worth the time of someone loving. I Wanna Be Yours by Arctic Monkeys This song is another that represents Connell’s struggles to open up. The song repeatedly mentions repressed feelings fighting their way out, and the hunger for one specific relationship. Save Your Tears by The Weeknd “I saw you dancing in a crowded room, you look so happy when I'm not with you” is an observation made by both The Weeknd and Connell after breakups. Marianne is extremely good at giving the appearance of being flippant and uncaring, moving on quickly. This confuses Connell, because he feels so horrible after their fights. I Can’t Handle Change by Roar Though he appears to fit in wherever he goes, Connell feels alone everywhere he goes. He also struggles with self confidence, waving off compliments on his intellect even though he was officially ranked top English student in his university. This song mirrors Connell’s lack of confidence, even down to his confusion about it.

Cigarette Daydreams by Cage the Elephant I visualize this whole song as a description of Marianne through Connell’s lens. Connell observes Marianne’s constant attempts to find herself, as does the writer of this song with his loved one. “You were only seventeen, so sweet with a mean streak” describes the two’s first encounters well, as Marianne has a tough and standoffish exterior but is loving and thoughtful when comfortable. Can’t Get Over You by Joji This song has the basic theme of “I love whatever you love” and this is symbolic of the two’s relationship, as they want to try new things because of the other person. “I don't have no social cues, I'm all for you “ also describes Connell’s attachment to Marianne in university, when he is reliant on her guidance during social situations.

#normal people #sally rooney #romance #mental health #depression #anxiety #teen book review #book review #fiction #glen rock teens #glen rock nj #glen rock library

[sussex-nature-lover]

Tuesday 28th July 2020

Ouch!

I forgot yesterday, I was going to say, has anyone else been bitten a lot lately? I have a scar on my leg from the Horse Fly bite and on my right ankle now have three bites close together and one just underneath plus one on the inside of my other foot. Boy have they itched. I think they’re Mozzie bites. I know I shouldn’t scratch as it only makes them worse, but they’re torment and it’s so hard to keep your mitts off. Infact I didn’t keep my mitts off during the night or today and consequently my ankle is V Attractive being an angry red colour and quite swollen. Woe is Me.

I’ll spare you photos.

This is not right now, it’s just a photo I have looking across the lane - and I like it

Well, I’ve had a lazy day - again. In mitigation I can tell you I/We thoroughly enjoyed listening to the final day of the International Test Cricket brought to us courtesy of TMS, which, frankly, in my humble opinion, reigns supreme in the world of sports commentary and of course, when we win, all the better. The weather permitted (minor miracle after yesterday) and Stuart Broad took his 500th test wicket. HOORAH that man. We now have the Wisden trophy in the Lord’s Museum: from here the trophy is retired and the new one will be the Richards Botham Trophy. If we’d lost, or it’d been a draw, the West Indies would’ve retained the trophy.

We did a tour of Lord’s a good few years back and it was absolutely fantastic.  I recommend it. We saw the Museum with the actual original (miniscule) Ashes trophy, the stands, the Media Centre, Nursery Ground, dressing rooms - it wasn’t a match day and The Long Room <swoon> Amazing. We also ate at the Lord’s Tavern and that was memorable too. We both had a curry and it was Tip Top. Happy Days: this is the kind of day that’s right up my street.

The Media Centre at Lord’s

Tangent Fact - it’s quite amazing when you see for yourself, the slope of the pitch at Lord’s

Later that day we went to a world Gin tasting, courtesy of the Fever Tree Malaria No More campaign, It was held at the Chelsea Physic Garden and that was wonderful too, although my feet Were. On. Fire. No joke. It should’ve been a two day thing. We walked from Sloan Square tube station, down Hospital Road past the Chelsea Hospital home of the Chelsea Pensioners and sat on a bench beside the Thames. Shoes were OFF and if I could’ve dangled my feet in the river water, I’d have happily taken my chances. The gardens are very lovely and the range of Gins on offer was incredible. It really opened my mind - and my tastebuds too. You taste the Gin neat in a little thimbleful and eat dry crackers in between to cleanse your palate.Once you’ve tasted the craft Gins you don’t go back to generic.

Skipping forward to this evening, the BBC One Show had some fantastic footage of a Kestrel nest just before 19.30hrs so if you’re in the UK and can get i-player look that up. I learned that Kestrels, like Swans (mind your arms) mate for life, which I always find endearing. Anyway, it was a really good bit of film. 

The nest has reared five healthy chicks. 

Below are the two chicks from our local nest.

I was actually placing on line food orders while I was watching and have some stuff coming tomorrow from Tesco - the only slot I could get until next week, so I did a smaller shop and snagged Morrisons for the weekend. They seem to have an awful lot more availability. 

Later on the TV was a very old Rick Stein programme that had Chalky in it - RIP Chalky, I still miss you. I’ve just looked him up and am shocked to the core that he’s been gone for 13½ years now. That’s taken be aback and then some. Lovely Chalky and some River Cottage stuff that was interesting. Beetroot’s on right now, one of my favourites and Brown Shrimps. We were spoiled when we lived in Parkgate as Brown Shrimps were a local catch and very tasty too. You can see mention HERE,

I loved Parkgate <waves to friends> and loved shrimps in garlic and parsley butter on toast. Oh yeah. I’m a big fan of fish and some sea food.

Sidenote: going back to River Cottage, the best Beetroot I’ve ever eaten was a side dish at the old incarnation of the Launceston Place restaurant. I’ve never quite recreated it. I really should give it another go as Beetroot is such a terrific vegetable. We used to love that restaurant and then the head chef changed and the menu became one of those silly things that says eg Sea Bream: Lovage: “Rose”: Kolhrabi and you think ??? am I going to like that - or not? Far too pretentious for me. I eat with my imagination and my eyes as well as my tastebuds and, call me old fashioned, but I have no time for obfuscation

I do have some photos from the garden to download, but frankly am too weary, so a quick snapshot

GARDENWATCH:

Lots and lots of young birds still being fed by a parent.

4 buds on the Magnolia Grandiflora.

Daisy Waldron magnificent in residence - have seen evidence of ‘courting’ including an interesting ‘three way’ branch hopping <cover my eyes/cover my mouth>

Outside links in bold type are not affiliated to this Blog

#nature food lovewhereyoulive

[chefbastian]

Dinner Date || Sambastian

WHO: Sam Evans & Sebastian Smythe WHERE:  The Student Restaurant Annex and Sebastian’s room WHEN: 11/18/17 WHAT: Sam and Sebastian go on date and do some headcanon-ed smooching afterward. WARNING: Language, frank discussion of sexuality

Sebastian had told Sam to meet him at the most expensive of the culinary, on-campus restaurants. Maybe he wanted to show off, or maybe he wanted to do his best to talk the gorgeous blonde into bed... or maybe it'd just been a long damn time since he'd been on a real date. He waited outside of the restaurant so they could go in together, fiddling with his hem of his poncho. Sebastian was above being nervous. He didn't do nervous, leastwise for dates. With hot strangers. Right? He cleared his throat, waiting patiently.

Sam was running late. He could've gotten their faster on four legs, but then he wouldn't have any clothes and he was pretty sure the restaurant wouldn't let him in whether they were used to supers or not. So instead he just hurried as quickly as he could. He spotted Sebastian waiting outside the restaurant and quickly noticed the large wings that were sticking out the bottom of the poncho he was wearing. Even if Sam couldn't see all of them, they definitely looked awesome. "Hey!" he greeted, slightly out of breath. "I hope I'm not late. I was at the pool and I tend to lose track of time."

Sebastian grinned as Sam approached, shaking his head as he started to apologize. "No, don't worry about it." He was impeccable on time, as always, but it seemed easy enough to forgive a bit of a delay. It wasn't as if Sam had left him waiting for hours. "I hope you're time at the pool helped you work up an appetite. I've heard this place serves marvelous food, and with quite the view, too." He opened the door, putting a hand on the small of Sam's back to guide him inside. With a polite greeting for the maître d', Sebastian collected on their reservations and they were led over to a secluded booth with a breathtaking view of the water. "So, how was your day?" he asked casually as they sat down.

Sam had to admit he was just a little bit in awe. He could probably never afford to eat here on his own. His eyes were drawn out to the view from where they were sitting. He could never get tired of looking out at the water. Remembering not to be rude though, he turned back to Sebastian with a smile. "Oh, good. I did some yoga this morning with my roommate, spent the afternoon at the pool getting some laps in. And it definitely worked up an appetite," he confirmed. "How 'bout you?"

Sebastian reached for his glass of water, sipping it as Sam stared out at the view. He'd always thought yoga looked enjoyable, but he simply didn't have the core strength to fight his wings for balance for extended periods of time. "That sounds cool," he said with a smile, shrugging a bit. "I did a few laps around the island this morning, took a nap, baked a batch of scones... nothing particularly exhilarating." Trailing his fingertip around the edge of his water glass, Sebastian said, "So... tell me about you. What more is there to know aside from that gorgeous mouth and the wonderful sense of humor?"

"Running laps or...?" Sam paused and twirled his finger around up in the air with a curious expression on his face. "Cause I'd love to fly with you sometime. And scones sound very exciting to me," he laughed. He felt his face flush at Sebastian's compliments and he looked down at his hands for a moment. "Well, I'm from Tennessee. I've got two little sibs. They're twelve and twins and slightly crazy, but I miss them a lot already. I'm a zoology major. I'm on the swim team.  And I don't know as much about food as you do, but I love to eat it."

Smirking, Sebastian said, "I don't do much running." He'd never really flown with anyone and was honestly unsure if he had the capability to do so. "I don't know that I'd be able to carry you and safely not drop you, honestly," he said with a chuckle. "What are their names?" he asked, tilting his head to listen as Sam spoke. "You don't have to know a lot about it to enjoy it," he grinned. "Like most things, it's okay to have an untrained eye. Perhaps. if tonight goes well, I'll cook you dinner sometime." For Sebastian, cooking someone dinner was far more intimate, which was why he suggested the restaurant this evening.(edited)

Sam's brows drew together for a moment until he realized his mistake. "Oh, no. I meant like both of us flying.  Beside each other. I would be a bird though, so we couldn't really talk much," he admitted with a shrug. "Stevie and Stacy. My parents like the letter S. Don't ask me why.  I guess we're all super Ss." He chuckled softly. "True. And I'm guessing you don't know much about langurs, so I guess we've all got our things. But I think I'd definitely like that."

Sebastian sat up a bit straighter, leaning forward on the table. "Super of Fromian?" he asked curiously, and added, "and your power is that you turn into a bird? Does it hurt becoming so small? Or are you a big bird?" Unable to help himself, he snorted softly. All S's? It seemed rather quaint. "What the fuck is a langurs?" he asked, taking another sip. "I tend to ask a fair amount of questions, so I'm going to apologize ahead of time. I enjoy learning about people. And about topics I'm not familiar with."

Sam couldn't help but let out a giggle. "Sorry, I was picturing myself as Big Bird," he said with a shake of his head. "Super though. And not just birds, any animal. And no, it doesn't hurt becoming small. Everything just... becomes what it needs to become. I have lost my clothes a few times though." He shrugged, being used to the whole thing by now. He chuckled again at Sebastian's question. "A langur is a species of monkey. And it's no problem. Can I ask you a question?"

Shaking his head, Sebastian chuckled. "That was poor phrasing on my part," he admitted. He raised his eyebrows, a playful smile toying at the corners of his lips. "Well, losing your clothes certainly doesn't sound like the worst thing that could happen. But that sounds interesting... shocking that it doesn't cause discomfort, but interesting all the same. "Monkeys?" he repeated. "Hm." Sebastian felt a pang-- a gentle, almost unnoticeable pang-- of nervousness at  Sam's proposal of a question. "Absolutely. I'm an open book."

Sam felt his cheeks heat up once again, something Sebastian seemed pretty good at causing. "Yeah, I could guess you wouldn't actually mind that much. When you're running on a low budget, it can get annoying having to buy new clothes so much though," he explained. "Yeah, monkeys. They have super cute orange babies. I'm still practicing shifting into a monkey, but I think it'll be really fun." He bit on his lip for a moment while he considered how to word his question. "Do you ever-- ever feel like people care more about your wings and your powers than like... about getting to know you?"

Sebastian grinned, shaking his head. "No, I certainly wouldn't." The smile fell slightly as Sam explained why such circumstances would be inconvenient, but Sebastian chose not to dwell on it for now. "Well, anytime you end up naked, feel free to call. I'll come get you... and if you're luck, I'll bring clothes." He winked playfully. He tried to picture Sam in the middle-phases  of shifting, but was torn from his thoughts at the very... deep question.  "I..." he started, but faltered. How was he supposed to respond to that. "To be frank, I rarely let people get to know me. Life is far easier when you don't have personal entanglements. But here, now, I'm working on turning over a new leaf, if you will. Waldron is a fresh start for me in every way... including that one." Sebastian shook his head, chuckling a bit in spite of himself. "But I digress. The answer to your questions is yes. Absolutely. I'm essentially a fanfare to people, more often than not. Why do you ask?"

Sam chuckled and shook his head with affection. "I'll remember that," he teased as he glanced over the menu. He met Sebastian's eyes as he spoke though, nodding slowly. He couldn't say he completely understand. His relationships with people were pretty much the important thing in his life, but he knew not everyone had a family like his. "Well, it's cool that you're trying. I like to think I make a pretty decent friend," he offered. He sighed as he thought about his words again. "Well... from what I can see you've got really beautiful wings and I imagine they get a lot of attention. But I figure you've got a lot of other beautiful parts to you too. And I don't just mean your ass, although I'm sure that's great," he said with a smirk. "But back home everyone just knew who I was. And sometimes I was a dog and they petted me and sometimes I was Sam and they talked to me. But ever since I got here, people just wanna know all about my powers. Which is fine, I guess. But I'm pretty cool too. Just Sam."

Taking a long drink of the ice water in front of him, Sebastian smirked. He wasn't quite sure how 'cool' it was, but at least Sam seemed to think so. "I'll bet you do," he said nodding. He cleared his throat as Sam spoke, shifting in his chair and ducking his head. The heat on his cheeks was... unusual. And weird. And since when the hell did he let pretty blondes make him blush and fucking flatter him? He was, quite apparently, off his game. But who the hell just tossed around the word beautiful like that? He couldn't help but chuckle at the comment about his ass, glancing out the window to avoid meeting Sam's gaze. "Have you ever been in an environment before where you're surrounded completely by..." he paused. Well, there were Baselines now, but the point still stood. "What I'm saying is that this environment is different than most. I think, in good time, people won't even remember you shift. They'll just be interested in who you are as Sam. Not as... anything else."

Sam nodded slowly as he considered this explanation. "True. I mean, pretty much everyone in our town knew our family and kinda just accepted us for who we were," he said with a shrug. "This is a lot of new people. I hope so though. Powers are cool, but I like learning about people." Maybe he was being naive or sappy or something, but it wasn't going to change who he was. He rested his chin on his hand where he was leaning on the table and stared at the menu. "You probably know what's better to order than I do. There's not much I won't eat though."

“I get that,” Sebastian said, nodding. “Just keep in mind that here, everyone is at this university because of the fact that they have some kind of talent or ability. So people are going to want to know what it is about you that got you here.” Reaching over, he gave Sam’s hand a brief squeeze. “I’m not excusing that bullshit, I’m just saying... patience.” He sat up straighter, unsure why he’d felt the need to be any brand of affectionate. “You want me to order for you?” he offered with a flirty waggle of his eyebrows.

"Makes sense, I guess," Sam agreed after some consideration. "I am really glad I was able to come here. Didn't have the grades or money, so at least I can turn into a dog whenever I want." He laughed softly and set his menu down, watching as Sebastian's hand touched his. "Sure. Why not? I trust you. Not sure if I should," he admitted with a grin. "But I do."

Sebastian nodded thoughtfully. “I’m not terribly good at the lines between ‘personal’ and ‘too personal,’ so you don’t have to answer this if it makes you uncomfortable, but how are you here, then? Scholarships?” He laughed softly as he saw the waiter heading over, adding a quick, “You probably shouldn’t trust me,” before greeting the man pleasantly and ordering an appetizer of gourgeres. He assumed Sam would enjoy a nice French cheese puff. “So what is it about me that you find trustable?” He asked with a smile.

Sam just nodded in response at first. "My grades aren't top notch, but they're not trash either. Good enough to qualify for stuff. Plus I've got dyslexia, and they've actually got a lotta scholarships for that specifically, so between that and my family's low income, I got a lotta help," he explained. He leaned forward on the table again and looked in Sebastian's eyes. "Well, food wise, being a culinary student probably puts you ahead of me automatically. In general... I don't know. Just a feeling."

Interestingly enough, Sebastian wholly assumed Sam was incredibly intelligent. He at least came off as such. “I’m excellent at studying if you ever need a buddy... truthfully, I don’t know a lot about dyslexia, but I’m sure there are study tips to make it... well, not easier. But you know.” Sebastian rarely thought about how lucky he was, financially speaking, and he was grateful for the reminder. “Ahead of you when it comes to food knowledge? Possibly. I’m not sure why you’re willing to give me automatic trust, but I’ll do my best not to fuck it up, should this go anywhere.” He gave Sam a genuine smile.

Sam's smile appeared easily. He'd been a little nervous to come to a school with so many talented people. He knew he had his own talents, but he also knew how mean people could be if they wanted to. So it was refreshing to him that he hadn't experienced a lot of that since coming here. "That'd be awesome, yeah. I do a lot better if I study with someone cause talking about stuff and hearing it makes it stick a lot better than just reading it. My roommate's in my stats class and this guy Roderick agreed to be my bio lab partner, so that's cool. I'm not sure how composition's gonna go," he admitted with a shrug. He'd work to do his best like he did with everything else. "Like I said, I'm not sure either. I just feel like I should. Maybe it's the pup instincts. Good at reading people." He winked at Sebastian playfully from across the table.

As the waiter brought over their hors d'oeuvre dish, Sebastian thanked him softly and said, "these are essentially just French cheese puffs," before popping one into his mouth. "I've talked to Roderick a bit. He seems pretty cool. And all the freshmen are in the same Comp class, so if you need any help, it shouldn't be hard to find. And, according to the syllabus my prof handed out, there's a writing center for people who need a little extra hand. But," he said with a playful grin, "I also happen to know a handsome student who happens to breeze through his writing courses." He couldn't imagine why Sam felt the need to try and trust him, but he certainly wouldn't complain.(edited)

"I love cheese. And I like puffs," Sam declared before nabbing one for himself. "Don't know much about French food, but A+ on these." He gave Sebastian a thumbs up as he sipped at his water. "You know anything about Tennessee barbecue?" He considered that, figuring it should be easy to find someone to help him out if he needed it. His lips curled up at Sebastian's offering though. "And would this handsome student actually help me study or try to get me naked?"

Sebastian smiled triumphantly. He was glad he made the right choice and happy that Sam was enjoying the gourgeres. "Tennessee barbecue? Not particularly. Most of my culinary knowledge rests in French cuisine because that's what I've been trained in, but I'm sure I'll learn eventually. And I could make a point of learning sooner, if it's something you'd enjoy." He reached out, taking Sam's hand and bringing it to his lips to kiss his knuckles. "He'd certainly want to assist your pursuit of knowledge. Though, if you were interested, he'd also want to assist you with your pursuit of nudity."

Sam might have actually moaned a little at the memory of his father's barbecue. "It's the taste of home. Nothing quite like it," he answered proudly. "But, like I said, I really like trying new stuff too and these delicious." He popped another one in his mouth before his hand was taken across the table. He felt his cheeks flush yet again, but he was smiling all the same. "I think I might just be interested."

"Well, I'll add it to my to-do list then." He watched Sam carefully, a grin slowly spreading across his face when Sam mentioned being interested. He released his hand, taking a sip of water and then leaning forward on his elbows. "May I be incredibly honest with you about something?" he asked with a flirtatious smile. "Though, I want it to be clear that I'm interested in far more than just having sex with you."

Sam was actually having a really great time. He didn't really get to go on many dates like this and definitely never with a guy so flirty. Plus he was genuinely enjoying the conversation. "Of course. I'm all for honesty," he told him, still moving his fingertips over Sebastian's hand. "Thanks though. That's nice to hear."

Smiling, Sebastian said, "Good. Because I prefer to be honest." He paused as the waiter came over again, checking on the appetizer and asking if they'd chosen entrées. Sebastian ordered them each a dish of pot-au-feu and baguette and, once the waiter walked away, focused back on Sam. "It's a very hearty beef stew. I think you'll enjoy it." Taking another drink of water, Sebastian met Sam's eyes. "After dinner, I'd really like to watch a movie, like I mentioned when we made the date. But I'd like to spend at least half of that movie making out with you, if that's something you'd be interested in, as well."

"Sounds like my kinda food," Sam chuckled. He had a feeling it wouldn't be quite like his mother made, but he was enjoying his new food experiences so far. His eyes lit up slightly as he listened to Sebastian speak and he looked back out at the water momentarily, mostly so he wouldn't sputter like an idiot. He licked his lips and met Sebastian's gaze again, giving him a little nod. "I think that sounds like a pretty awesome way to spend the evening."

"I thought it might," Sebastian said honestly with a grin. "I've learned that it's best to ease people into French cuisine instead of dropping it on them like a ton of bricks." He watched with interest as Sam looked out to the sunset and found himself fiddling with the edge of his napkin. He was eager, but perhaps a bit nervous, as he waited for the answer. But as Sam spoke, he realized he was nervous about nothing. "Well, i'm glad we're in agreement, then," he smiled.

"Yeah, I'm not sure I'm ready for snails yet. To eat, I mean. I'm pretty sure French people do that. I've definitely been a snail before though," he added with a soft laugh. He narrowed his eyes curiously though the smile still remained. "Did you think I was gonna say no?" he asked, honestly wondering just what was going on in Sebastian's mind right now. He was much different than anyone back home, but he liked that about him.

Sebastian laughed softly. “Escargot tastes unfortunately quite delicious, but I find myself unable to get around the concept of eating a snail long enough to enjoy it.” He took a moment to think about his answer before he spoke. If he was truly working on himself as he’d been saying, he should give an honest answer, shouldn’t he? “Well,” Sebastian started slowly. “I don’t usually date, so I’m generally unsure of what to expect.”

Sam's face scrunched up because he just couldn't imagine that tasting anywhere close to good. "Don't think I could do it," he decided. He nodded slowly at Sebastian's answer. At least it seemed to be an honest one and not just some smart remark. "I guess it probably depends on who you're on the date with. But I like movies and I like making out and... I like you. So it sounds good to me."

"I'll bet you could," he said with a smile.  "It's shockingly delicious. Just... nasty when you think about where the deliciousness is coming from." Before he could reply, their waiter returned and set their soup and bread in front of them and Sebastian thanked him pleasantly. "This would really pair well with a nice red," he said, "but the goddamn drinking laws here keep fucking me over." Chuckling, Sebastian said, "Well good. I happen to be enjoying our time immensely. I think the movie will be just as fun." He winked before starting in on his pot-au-feu.

"I mean, if I was dared to eat a snail... I'd eat a snail," Sam clarified, looking Sebastian in the eye for emphasis. "I've probably eaten some animals most people don't eat regularly anyway since most of our meat was what Dad and I caught." He smiled with anticipation as the food as set in front of him, suddenly aware of how hungry he was. "Your life must be very hard without wine," he teased with a grin. "Besides, water's good for you. And I'm enjoying our time a lot too."

Sebastian wrinkled his nose, but said nothing. The concept of personally hurting animals was beyond him entirely, but he didn't mind eating them if they were already dead. Smirking, he rolled his eyes. "There are certain meals that should always be consumed with wine, Sam. I have so much to teach you." He did take another drink of his water, though, before adding, "And wine is good for your body. Ask any health professional."

Sam didn't miss the look on Sebastian's face, but it wasn't exactly the first time he'd seen it before. "You can judge if you want, but when you're living on food stamps you're a little more willing to do what it takes to feed growing kids," he insisted, not angry,  but still making his point. His smile returned though and he shook his head curiously. "It is, but it's not always good for a still developing brain. I say as a guy who's drunk plenty of beer," he added with a laugh.

Instantly, he felt guilty. He hadn't meant to... well, to do anything. And yet he'd managed to put his entire foot right in his mouth. Sebastian huffed, sighing. "I..." god, there were few things he hated as much as apologizing and implying that he was wrong. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I wasn't judging the... monetary part of it. I just personally don't understand being able to kill animals. I've always thought it was pretty barbaric. But that's not a reflection on you." He tried to smile, giving a small nod. "My brain's obviously been fine thus far, I'd say."

Sam quirked his mouth to the side and nodded in understanding. "It's okay. I get that. I mean... imagine having to kill animals after you've learned how to... become them," he pointed out. "It feels pretty weird. But you gotta push past that stuff sometimes to take care of your family." He reached across the table and laid his hand over Sebastian's. "It's really okay though. Don't twist yourself up."

"I can't even begin to," he said honestly, sighing. Sebastian had been lucky enough to never be forced to take care of his family. They were delightfully self sufficient and he spent his time as far away from them as possible. When Sam touched his hand, he found himself smiling a bit, biting his lip. God, even he sucked ass at this whole 'dating' thing? Sam was really fucking good at it. "What's your family like?" he asked.

#dinner date #f2f: sam