televisual pleasures

We still don't get as much guaranteed evening time as we'd like and so don't watch nearly as many films as we used to, but lately I have been really enjoying some television.  Toast Of London was only aired a couple of months ago, I think, and we've already watched the whole series twice (thanks to our swanky new TV recording box) and I'd quite happily watch it all again right now.  I haven't really heard too many people talking about it, which surprised me because I found it absolutely hilarious.  I'm not sure how I'd describe it...  Bizarre, surreal, hilarious.  Oh, I already said hilarious...  I think if you liked Reeves and Mortimer in the '90s then you should love this.  Matt Berry is very Berry in it, but with a tad more seriousness/acting than usual, which I really liked.  Not that "seriousness" seems an appropriate word.  God, I'm an awful television reviewer!  I think what I mean is that the characters are absolutely stereotypes and cardboard cut-outs that are way too over-the-top to be believed, but they are a bit more empathy-inducing than you might expect from Matt Berry?  I'll stop now, just take from this that it's really funny.  This clip shows protagonist Steven Toast and his archenemy, Ray Purchase, performing the dubbed voiceovers for some pornography.  The solo kissing makes me laugh out loud every time I watch this.  Ray Purchase is almost too funny.

Another show we've been watching, talking of Vic and Bob and Matt Berry, is House Of Fools.  I'm still in two minds about the series because some of it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable and like Vic and Bob have maybe lost it a bit, but every episode (especially episode two with the noisy floor in the pie shop) has made me laugh out loud, which, as Graham pointed out, is more than can be said for a lot of so-called comedy shows.  I think what I don't like is the slightly pantomime atmosphere because of the live audience, but I'm still looking forward to every episode, finding it hilarious in parts and enjoying all the surreal and animated sections.

I'm also looking forward to seeing what Babylon is going to be like in the coming weeks.  I think it could be quite entertaining and has good credentials - Danny Boyle plus the makers of Peep Show/Fresh Meat, another two comedies I've really enjoyed.

Have you been watching anything good lately?  Got any top recommendations?  I can't handle anything too emotional (nothing about pregnancy, babies, health or death, please!) but am pretty open-minded otherwise.  It doesn't have to be comedy either, though if you can recommend something else to make me laugh, that's all the better.

how many pesos?

Have you seen what the Mexican ski team are going to be wearing at the Winter Olympics?  Amazing!  I know which team I'll be rooting for on the slopes now!  I think all countries should be forced to follow suit (pun not intended) and ski in national dress.

I found out about this via Claire's twitter.  I'm a twitter lurker.

last weekend, this weekend

I was stuck in the office for all the daylight hours last weekend and wasn't lucky enough to get a window seat.  Yuck.  Fortunately, one of my colleagues spotted this double rainbow (sprouting from the Science Centre tower this time) and alerted us all for a very pleasant screen break...which was about as good as the two shifts got really.  Must be the season for double rainbows i.e. perpetually rainy!

This weekend is set to be very different from last and much more fun.  Graham and I are going on a mini-break to Newcastle, staying overnight WITHOUT DULCIE, who is staying at home with her grandparents.  This is very exciting for all concerned.  I'm hoping to see Spuggy (ooh, Byker...Grove!) and am looking forward to having my side of the bed all to myself for a night and eating a massive hotel breakfast in the morning.  It's going to be good!

So far our plans extend to an antique market and fish and chips in Tynemouth, a cinema trip, a visit to the BALTIC and some general exploring of a new-to-us city.  With no buggy/toddling toddler, we'll be able to set our own schedule, go up and down stairs with ease and squeeze through any doorway that takes our fancy.  Bliss.  But you know I'll miss the little ankle-biter really :)

bedfellows

We're still fighting a losing battle to get Dulcie out of our bed, but sharing with her is not all bad, you know.  I am seriously sleep-deprived, but I do get to wake up to this face every day and her bed-head can be most entertaining :)

Our latest plan is to replace Dulcie's (mostly unused) cot bed with a big-girl single bed of her own in the hope I can lie in it with her to get her off to sleep then make a sneaky escape to my own bed and just hope she stays sleeping for as long as possible.  That's the short-term aim, I should add.  I still dream of a time when we can tuck her in, switch off the light and walk out of the room while she's still awake.  Oh yeah, and in this dream she'll have her own bedroom with a carpet and a working radiator and no damp patches.  (Work on the flat progresses s-l-o-w-l-y...)

Dulcie and I have been chatting about the potential bed and I've been bigging up the idea of how grown-up she'll be and how she can have real covers and get tucked in and be such a big girl.  These suggestions were being met with a stony-faced "NO" for a while but she's starting to come round, I think, and now claims she likes the idea.  I had wanted to make her a quilt cover from vintage florals etc, but I'm thinking a certain cartoon pig might sweeten the deal yet further for her.  It's not the style I'd hoped for, but I'll do whatever it takes to reclaim the night!

budding photographer

 Dulcie has suddenly mastered the art of using the digital camera.

 It's quite interesting to see the photos she takes.

Not that she puts much thought into their composition or anything, but it's still a snapshot of life from her short-stuff perspective.

I still remember being shorter than a washing machine :)

been sewing

 Yesterday was my once-every-four-weeks day off with no Dulcie to look after.  This dress had long been on my mind, so I decided to treat myself to a morning of making and count it as a job from the long-term to-do list.  I bought the fabric in May and cut the pieces out in September, so it seemed like the right time to start sewing!  Ha!  Once I got going, it really didn't take that long and, like every sewing project so far, it turned out imperfect but passable and was probably saved by the loveliness of the fabric I used.  With or without imperfections, it's still really satisfying to sew an item of clothing, especially since it's an activity I was intimidated by for so long.  Now I just need to progress to clothes for myself, but I get the feeling imperfections will be more of a problem then, so I'm kind of wary.  I'd still love to wear a dress I made myself though.  Certainly worth a try!  I even have a couple of patterns (one modern, one vintage) to try.  All I need now is time and a touch of bravery.

Anyway, back to the dress I HAVE made.  Here's one of the buttons, found in a charity shop before I ever planned to make this.  I'm glad to have been able to use these buttons on something.  Much better to see them here than not see them in the button jar.

This dress was made using the same pattern as the bee romper suit and, like that, it's kind of on the wide and short side (I lengthened it by a couple of inches this time) but I think that should work well.  I'm hoping it will be one of those dresses that metamorphosises into a top as Dulcie grows.  Hopefully she'll be wearing it through a fair few seasons.  It is actually a little on the large side at the moment overall, but that's all right.

I'll try to get a photo of Dulcie modelling this soon.  She's been wearing it today and looking good!

life

The fruit is on the table.  Peppa Pig is in the fruit bowl.