My bread plaiting days . . .
Having resolved to blog daily, I had visitors, snacked, watched TV, dozed and, finally, realised that the day had gone. So here I am, hacking away at a keyboard in the early hours.
Daily blog – missed. Good sleep habits – missed.
I’m now moving the goalposts to 365 posts in the year. I am sure I can hit that, even if it isn’t exactly daily. Experience shows that if I can get the habit back, it will take over and I will, once again, begin to feel uncomfortable if I miss a day.
I’m going to alter good sleep habits to better sleep habits. Better sleep habits are a slightly easier target as I can claim to be better whilst still being bad at things. “Better”, after all, just means “less bad”.
We watched quite a lot of Pride and Prejudice this afternoon, the 1995 TV version with Colin Firth as Darcy. I also quite like the 1980 version the BBC did, which was what converted me to romantic comedy. I say this because something did and Pride and Prejudice, whilst not being exactly “comedy”, comes nearest to fitting the description. I’ve never really settled to the books and apart from Sense and Sensibility I’ve never really enjoyed other film versions. I’m at an age now where I either have to knuckle down and tackle them seriously or confess my shortcomings as a reader and use the time for something I enjoy.
Badger-faced Welsh cross-breed
The 1980 version only comes in at Number 9 on the list of the 10 best, and the 1990 strikes me as being very accurate in costume and detail. Yes, the 2005 Kiera Knightley version has its charms, but it’s just not quite as good. As for the rest, I have only seen Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and I wasn’t impressed. It could have been great, but it was a bit flat and I really don’t know how the list compiler can put it in at Number 3. Anyway, that’s just my opinion, maybe a true Austen devotee can tell me why this version is so good. Then you can tell me why the Bollywood version and the multiple American versions are so good.
I’m off to bed now and will check this in the morning before posting. While I’m asleep I will try to dream a screenplay for Pride and Prejudice – Old Age and Treachery, where Darcy and Bingley get into all sorts of unsuitable scrapes as the Bennet girls try to make them grow up and attempt to prevent an unfortunate happening for Mr Collins in the rivalry over gardens. I can see a garden shed, a still and a home-built steam engine cropping up, not to mention a sequence involving dandy horses and a long hill . . .
Edit: I tightened things up a bit and added to my outline for Pride and Prejudice – Old Age and Treachery by adding dandy horses. This, in turn, means it would be advantageous to locate it around Pemberley and would leave Mr Collins, having inherited Longbourn, out of the picture. For a look at the real life Longbourn follow this link. It also contains a link to a better list of recent versions of Austen’s work.
A Bear impersonating a 19th Century farmworker.
Photos are a selection from January 2016.
Your timing shift to make 365 days is a wise move
Wise or sneaky? Or is there a difference? 🙂
Rick and I saw the DVD version of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth. It was very good!
Yes, it is good.
I have enjoyed in several of the Austen films, but as an astute critic pointed out, when you watch the films you are missing the voice of the author which makes the book so enjoyable to read. She writes good dialogue, but she is an excellent observer of life.
Apart from the dangers of that, there are the problems of the script being modified and the actors being more engaging than the characters they are based on. However, However, it is a lot easier to drink tea and watch TV, instead of balancing everything on your knee. 🙂
That too is an astute observation.
I’m not sure that has ever been said before. Perhaps I am learning new things as I blog. 🙂
The Colin Firth version is only acceptable version
Is that Colin Firth or the faithful adaptation of the text speaking there?
Well, as to adaptation, there was only one thing that I thought they should have used from the book, so adaptation is mostly good. And yes to Colin. Because I mean really…he’s perfect in the role. But…rest of cast also perfect. Mr. Collins and lady Catherine especially….
We just finished watching it – there was a strong cast – including those with solid careers behind them and ones with glittering careers ahead.
The only thing I didn’t like about the adaptation was that Lizzie doesn’t tell her father that Darcy is the one that got them out of the Wickham jam. I think that’s an important part of the story
Yes, I noticed that. I was waiting for it like the second shoe that never drops . . . 🙂
You make me laugh. I hope you will decide to do what you enjoy and leave the other stuff to those who enjoy the other stuff. All the best in 2026. XOXO
Thank you. I will do my best.
Sorry I haven’t been around.
https://pacificparatrooper.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/new3-1.jpg
I was thinking about you just before Christmas. I’m afraid that I have a tendency to fade out these days and haven’t been visiting as much as I would have liked. Happy New Year to you.