While we were in Louisville we visited the Frazier Historical Museum. It was particularly interesting for its history of Prohibition and bootlegging. They also had an exhibition of contemporary art by Louisville artist Julius Friedman. Not sure how that is historical, but it certainly was pretty.
I loved the glass cubes on a bed of glass shards.
This piece struck me as particularly liminal:
This weekend I discovered that PBS was going through the entire Downton Abbey series, and since I had never had time to watch it before and needed a break from work, I thought I would try to keep up with the help of my DVR. All was well until yesterday morning when my water heater caught on fire. So glad we were home!!! All is ok once it gets replaced–except perhaps for the odor which has permeated our clothes since the water heater is in our closet. This week it has to be replaced.
When I smelled the fire in the cabinet, I yelled for my husband and went in search of my 5 cats. I wanted them rounded up in case we had to vacate. The fire was caught in time, but the cats had adventures camping in the laundry room and half bath.
Still, I am well into season 3 and enjoying the show. Such great acting! Old news to most, I guess, but not to me ;). I know that Maggie Smith’s character is “everyone’s” favorite, but who else do you like best? I love Hugh Bonneville (who looks so like my uncle), Joanne Froggatt (Anna), well, I can’t keep listing because they are all so great.
The history of the show is fascinating because it is also quite liminal–that period between the “old day” and “modern day” captures the imagination. What a time to have lived.
I really do intend to get back to writing, but it has not happened yet. Still hanging out in that liminal space, I guess.
What lovely photos, Luanne, and a great “snapshot “of your week. Glad the water heater episode is over and kitties ok. My PBS has NOT re-run Downton Abbey, which I watched religiously for the years it first ran. I miss it! Mr. Carlson was one of my favorites, but you’re right: all the characters are fabulous. I’m still helping my local publisher get SANTA FE ON FOOT ready to send to the printer. Alas, not working on my novel in progress. Still on pause as far as writing goes ;(
Thank you so much, Elaine. The episode isn’t quite over yet as the horrible smelling burned unit has not yet been removed (or replaced), so the upstairs smells really bad. I’m afraid for some of my dry clean only clothes. We might need to contact a professional. Other problems associated, as well. But at least the cats and house are ok.
Mr. Carson is marvelous and so is Mrs. Hughes–and them together. All so so marvelous. I’m sorry to hear though that your novel is stalled. Maybe it is this time of year? Although last year September I was participating in the Tupelo Press 30/30 and writing a poem a day. It doesn’t seem like that same time of year right now …. Happy for Santa Fe on Foot though!!! So let’s celebrate that accomplishment!
I love the images of the cubes on the glass shards. So cool. I loved DA and am glad you are watching it.
Thanks, Rudri. It’s been kind of a burden trying to keep up just enough so that my DVR will hold all the episodes, but the show is so worth it. It struck me today that although we tend to think of the acting as what makes the show so good, in reality I think that the writing is more so. I have seen so many shows that started out with a great premise or with decent writing, but then it all deterioriates. I’m through season 3 (I think), and so far the writing has no disappointed me.
Hi Luanne! Sorry about your fire. How scary. I had one of those scares not to long ago. Very glad with our house and pets too, that we escaped a huge fire.
Ugh, I’m so sorry you had to go through that experience, but glad all was saved. I am very glad I was home to handle things before it went too far, but am pretty terrified that our cats and house are so at risk because of these hot water heaters. Two years ago one flooded my house. Now this. And now I don’t want to leave my cats alone. I think your art must be doing spectacularly because you have been so busy!!!
Things have been going well, Luanne. After a few years of not being able to work enough, it came back. I do think we are creating even when we are only doing it conceptually. Good wished for your cats and your house. Buying a new hot water heater is not an exciting purchase.
How awful the heater caught on fire, but fortunate that you were home! I hope the cleanup isn’t too terrible.
I love the art in the photos you’ve displayed here.
As for Downton Abbey–I watched it all and loved it, even when some of the plots were predictable.
Of course, I love Maggie Smith, but what’s nice is how the characters change over time. So I went through times of not liking some, but then liking them. So I wasn’t particularly fond of Lady Edith at the beginning, but I got fond of her later. Hugh Bonneville is great, although Lord Grantham is awfully clueless at times. 🙂 I don’t want to say too much since you’re still watching it, and you might not have met all the characters yet. Enjoy!
I would say that the writing of the first 3 seasons has been excellent. If by predictable you mean that there is a satisfying comfort to the way things tend to turn out and a sense to the audience that yes, yes, this was meant to happen, I will agree. But predictable in the sense of oh no, here we go again, seen this a million times, I would say, not to me. On the other hand, the resemblances to Fiddler on the Roof has not gone unnoticed by me!!! We could make a list of all the similarities, couldn’t we?
So funny, Luanne. 🙂
I think the later seasons are a bit more predictable, but at the same time, yes, I was quite happy to have things turn out as they do.
I wondered if that would happen. So often the writing starts to peter out.
Am I right about Fiddler? Do you see it? With the daughters and their life choices and the changing times? I took a playwriting course once from a wonderful teacher, and he said to always start with a classic play that works and then change everything. I think the writers of DA took Fiddler and went from there.
I can never un-see Fiddler now, Luanne. Hahaha.
Perhaps it was subconscious with Julian Fellowes. But then I wonder Sholem Aleichem took the idea of Tevye and his daughters from somewhere else.
Have you ever read the original stories that Fiddler is based on? For adolescent lit, I once taught a few of the stories along with the musical. I used to love teaching a musical as a play for that course because so many high school students love musicals once they know what they are haha.
I read one, maybe more of the stories a long, long time ago. It must have been a fun class.
I brought the movie to watch at my niece’s house when we were waiting for my now son-in-law and younger daughter to return there after he proposed. On Christmas Eve. We’re definitely a mixed-up group. 🙂
Hah, like so many Americans today, us included.
🙂
I’m so sorry to hear about your hot water heater, but glad there wasn’t major damage. Was it a gas heater?
Sadly, I’ve never watched DTA. Last year, TV was something that had to go…especially any series television.
Thanks, Jill. It’s an electrical heater, and something in the wiring or thermostat seems to have been faulty. So so so scary. I’m actually terrified now because I think now that all the hot water heaters are being made by the same few factories, no matter what brand is on them.
I think you would love Downton Abbey. Hopefully you will be able to watch it in the future.
How terrifying to have a fire in your closet!
I liked the “bad” characters in Downton like Barrow and O’Brien. They were a fantastic creepy, evil, scheming duo. Of the good characters, Daisy, the scullery maid was my favourite – a closet radical. Such a great show. We’re so starved for quality TV and pained by the US election that we’re watching the West Wing again. Barlett for President!
Oh, they are wonderful–Barrow and O’Brien! What fun. At first I thought I would just hate them, but since they are so resourceful and changeable, it’s wonderful entertainment. I still haven’t seen West wing . . . .
The next time you’re going to be in Louisville, I insist you email me so that I may drive down to meet you, even if it’s only for a cuppa coffee, k? That’s too close not to see you.
Also, I am glad you caught wind of the fire!!!
I loved Downton, they were all brilliant, toward the end I loved Edith ever so much.
Thank you for the invitation! How far are you from Louisville?!
I’m past halfway through season 5 now, and I will prefer all the “downstairs” characters more than the “upstairs,” except I do really appreciate Lord G. Mrs. Crawley is possibly my very favorite character.
Louisville is merely two hours away, a straight shot! 🙂
I hope I get to come back!
ME TOO!
So pleased the fire was no worse. Downton Abbey is a great series.
It’s almost back to normal here, thank goodness. I’m past halfway through season 5 now, and still enjoying it so much.
Glad all is well with the fire. We’ve had several experiences with fire and they are all frightening — even when caught. The smell, the knowing what might have been ….
Oh, I’m so sorry that you’ve gone through several! fires! So scary. And, yes, the smell and the knowing what might have been–or could be in the future. I worry so about my cats.
That’s what’s important. And irreplaceable.
I know!
Good grief – I’m so glad you were home when that fire started, Luanne *breathes sigh of relief*!
I’ve never watched Downton Abby, but I’ve put it on my ‘to watch’ list now 🙂
Dianne, I probably missed DA in the first year or two and then thought there was no point of starting in the middle. So happy I was able to start from the beginning and see all the episodes (I think there was one that was deleted accidentally, so maybe all but one). I’m past halfway through season 5 now . . . .
Thank you so much about the fire. I am so relieved, so very nervous it could always happen again. These new appliances are not trustworthy.
Fire is my main concern (living in a wooden house) and I’m always double checking everything – to the point where hubby thinks I have OCD. But we have had a wave of fires in Australia in the past few years that have come from washing machines. Phones and chargers and laptop batteries and a host of other things are timebombs. It scares me so much that an appliance that should be safe, isn’t.
That is exactly what worries me. It’s so true. My water heater was less than two years old! And the plumber’s helper said that the reset button never even popped, so it’s likely that more than one thing went wrong in the durn thing. Now all this with the Samsung phone batteries. Why do people think it’s just Samsung? It’s any phone with a lithium battery!
No worries, girl. It’ll come when it comes. Live your life 🙂
Oh, I hope you’re right. I started to wonder if something had changed with me instead of my life responsibilities, if that makes sense.
It does, and I don’t think so, Luanne. You have too much of a background in writing for that to be so. Do other things! At some point the urge will become irresistible. 🙂
What good advice! Thank you . . . .
Liminal space is a good place to be. I’ve been hanging out there quite a bit lately 😉
Hehe. At least I have company in that strange place!
Loved the photos. But Luanne! A fire! I’m so glad you caught it in time. How eerie and unexpected that a water heater would turn on you that way. Be well.
I am so glad, too. Now I will always worry about water heaters: 2 years ago a big flood from one, and now this. Untrustworthy. Thanks, WJ.
Luanne loving the glass cubes (beautiful imagery). Chilling with a good series is its own reward and sometimes it inspires other creative moments. I Have never watched this show but my mum loved it.
Kath.
I always thought I would like it because of the period it covers, but I was both surprised by it’s soap opera qualities and how much I loved it. The acting is fabulous.
Luanne, you are excused from your writing liminality if you are watching Downton – Pretty and I LOVED it – I have to admit that Lady Mary was my favorite, but the entire cast was brilliant. Casa de Canterbury is sad that we no longer have it it to to watch on Sunday nights! Homeland is just not quite the same.
We are now binge watching another BBC series Call the Midwife. Excellent. You and the gardener might want to give it a try on Netflix.
Oh. Eh. Uh. Lady Mary has got to be my least favorite character. She gets under my skin, I must say. Isobel is my favorite and then Elsie Hughes is another. Actually almost everybody except Mary haha. And Tom is a little too dull for my taste. I was going to try Call the Midwife, but I want to start a series at the beginning . . . .
I think my attraction to Lady Mary’s character involves her sexy attire at most functions…plus I have to admit I’ve always loved women who were a bit difficult!! 🙂
I love Isobel, too, though…she is the perfect antidote for Maggie Smith!!
Difficult, Mary? Really? Hahaha. I hated her every time she was mean to her sister. I wanted to smack her. I will never forget Isobel who would never smack anybody, but she might outwit them!
I totally get that – every time she was mean to her sister, I wanted to smack her, too!
I’m glad to hear that you haven’t lost your good sense!
And the problem with Netflix is that it’s too hard to set on my TV :(.
Yes, I agree but make the effort for Call the Midwife and see it from the beginning for sure!!
Maybe i should put it on my to-be-read shelf–speaking metaphorically, of course.
Lucky you, having a chance to enjoy Downton Abbey for the first time – a real treat! A lot of drama to come – to turn your question around, my least favourite character is Mary; started grating on my nerves! Love the photos from the exhibition. An interesting weeks with your own drama – glad you and your cats are all safe.
Annika, I’ve finished the series and was so sad to see it end! I had become seriously addicted to it :). I hope the movie really is going to come out! OK, I ended up with Isobel as my very favorite character. And several others, as well, especially Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Padmore. But I can’t stand Mary. She is arrogant, elitest, cruel, and has no self-awareness or sense of humor. She’s not fun or kind or good. And she’s not even as smart as she thinks she is.
Thank you re the kitty cats!!! They are well.