Masterpiece Monday: Call the Midwife (season 2, ep. 3)

Good Thursday morning (afternoon?), my friends! I hope your week's going well. :)

How did you all like last Sunday's episode? I finally caught up last night and here are my brief thoughts ...

Another tough one to watch - Maeve Carter had a very scary experience birthing her daughters. What a strange situation that was - am I to understand they were both married to Mr. Carter, but only Maeve conceived? Or is she the true Mrs. Carter? And how old were those women supposed to be? I think Maeve was referred to as "elderly?"

Meg was very hard to take - I was really incensed by her nasty attitude and behavior. But I was glad all ended well for Maeve and her children - though it got pretty harrowing (and graphic) there for a bit. Bill had to run out to pick up Bookworm so I was watching that scene alone ... not a good idea!!

And poor Jenny - and Jimmy, to a degree. I hope he'll find happiness not just in doing the right thing but in his marriage itself. Francine's certainly no Jenny, though, and I do think he honestly loves Jenny. But what about Jenny's feelings? Do you think she loves Jimmy (romantically) or is it just hard for her to let go? I think she did the right thing, knowing Jimmy's feelings and desire for her - that could only lead to trouble. But still, a sad ending to their friendship.

And what do we think about Sister Bernadette and the Doctor? Are there some feelings there, too? I've long suspected she has a crush and that perhaps her vows are a struggle in some ways for her. I wonder if something will happen here ...

The new nursing assistant, Jane ... wonder what's her story. She's certainly a meek one. I wonder how she'll fit in? She's nice enough (or at least, acquiescent) but I'm missing Chummy something awful.

Oh, and before I go - I must mention how much I just LOVE Jenny's clothes! She wears the most darling outfits and the sunny colors are so perfect for her. So lovely.

Ok, I think I touched on the main points of the show ... I'd love to know what you all are thinking!

If you have a moment, please leave me a comment below ... and enjoy the rest of your Thursday!

*❤*

Masterpiece Monday: Call the Midwife (season 2, ep. 2)

Good morning, my friends! How did you like last night's show?

(Spoilers ahead!)

It was a tough one - lots of emotional stuff, and even heartbreak, too. I really had to turn off my mind (and turn away from the screen) in the beginning when the Kelly's suffered their loss. Very difficult to watch that scene ... for any parent, but perhaps particularly so if you're pregnant yourself.

You know, I'm always impressed with how well this show balances sadness with sweetness and even silliness. But that's life isn't it? It's never all one way or the other. It feels good to be reminded of the lighter things when our hearts are heavy with loss ...

I felt so badly for Cynthia and all she endured, and what a terrific job done by that actress. Cynthia was so in control and professional, and yet you could see how shaken she was. And then she just slowly lost it - her composure and trust in herself. Thankfully the findings cleared her of any responsiblity in the death of little Thomas. (Anytime there's something awful that happens on tv - to a mom or a newborn - I remind myself that today they have much better prenatal care and testing. Just as they would have caught a mother's preclampsia, they would have hopefully caught, such as in the case of Thomas, a newborn's undeveloped lungs.)

Now, on to Jenny and Jimmy - holy crow, that was a shocker! And of course, disappointing. I was sure he had a girl from the beginning because of course, Jenny had seemingly changed her mind regarding her feelings for him. I just knew that would not go too smoothly - and yet, you could tell he was still smitten with Jenny and probably would have dropped everything (even Francine) for another chance. But his life is now bound to another (two others, actually) and Jenny has promised friendship but nothing else. I guess they're just not meant to be. (And the previews for next week look scary for Jimmy, don't they?)

As for Chummy and Peter - are they really gone for six months? Will this be the least we see of these characters this season? Or maybe we'll see them in Africa? I thought the sendoff by the Cubs was adorable. 

Oh, and Sister Monica Joan! What a dear lady - I was glad we got to revisit her character - it's been a while. :)

***

So I'm curious to know how you enjoyed last night's show and what your thoughts are on the plot and character development. If you have a moment, please leave me a comment below!

Have yourselves a good Monday, everyone ... see you here again sometime soon!

*❤*

Masterpiece Monday: Call the Midwife (season 2, ep. 1)

Alleluia, my friends! Happy April! Rabbit, rabbit!

I hope you all had a nice weekend, celebrating Easter or otherwise enjoying your home, family and friends. :)

So Call the Midwife has returned, and it was just as lovely as I remembered. Miraculously, I was able to stay awake last night to watch the show in its entirety, but my mind is a bit muddled this morning to form a readable reaction. I will join you all in the comments a bit later today ... the boys have a busy morning and I have a house to put back together after the big Easter shindig yestereday. (Wonderful fun, pictures to come!)

Overall I can say I enjoyed the episode very much - especially Trixie's storyline (nice to see her character develop). I was appalled at both the captain's daughter's situation as well as Molly's marriage ... how very sad (for the women) and shameful (of those men). I haven't read the CtM novel myself, but I'm assuming these situations are based on real life according to Nurse Jenny's memoir ...

And speaking of television, we recorded Mr. Selfridges, the new Masterpiece Classic as well as Game of Thrones on HBO. I have no idea when we'll catch up with those shows, but hopefully sometime this week!

So Happy Easter Monday, everyone ... please leave a comment if you'd like and I will "see" you in the comments a bit later today.

:)

Friday Fun: Slowcooking, Cherries & Snoooooow

Happy Friday, my friends! I hope this post finds you well.

Thanks for all the encouragement and suggestions regarding a possible FCS video ... it seems I've got some thinking and planning to do! I also feel inspired to get cracking on my weekly planning sheet - *digging up old copies and seeing what's what* - and thanks for the feedback on feedburner ... so far it seems to be working pretty well. :)

I have just a few things to share with you today ...

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First of all, I'll definitely be checking into this series of posts this weekend:

Slow Cooker Freezer Meals

Each part (there are four) features several family-friendly recipes for the crockpot - to be prepared ahead - ingredients only - and then frozen in plastic bags. You end up with all these flat frozen bags of ready-to-go crockpot meals - I LOVE this!! How great it would be to have several of these meals stocked for after the baby arrives? (Plus crockpot cooking is wonderful for the hot summer months.)

Speaking of slowcooking, Bill has me looking at this Healthy Slowcooker, to replace the old Rival we are currently using ... anyone have experience with this model? Or, may I ask, what kind of crockpot do you use and are you happy with it?

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And today is the 22nd of February - on this day in the Catholic calendar we celebrate The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, which takes on a bit more significance this year as we're soon to begin the process of electing a new pope. I'm starting a very simple conclave study with the younger boys today to continue throughout Lent - or until a new pope is chosen, hopefully before Easter! We're a bit intrigued by the buzz surrounding our own Boston Archbishop, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, so that will be a neat angle to follow ...

The 22nd is also George Washington's birthday and I love to make a cherry cobbler on this day. (Referencing, of course, Washington's alleged childhood indiscretion with a rather unfortunate cherry tree.) So a cobbler will be made later today using up a can of cherry pie filling I had in the pantry. :)

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And yes, the snow is still coming - though with less impact than originally forecast. It will begin sometime tomorrow afternoon and last through late day Sunday ...

This is the updated snow map for our area:

We'd be in the purple neck of the woods ...

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Here's a short video preview from PBS featuring a glimpse of Call the Midwife and Mr. Selfridges.

 Sundays This Spring

I'm thrilled to learn CtM will be moving to the 8 p.m. time slot. That is music to this oft-exhausted, expectant mama's ears!

By the way, Sarah asked about catching up with CtM and as best I can tell, full episodes are no longer available on the pbs website. The first season is out on dvd now - perhaps it's available at a local library? Netflix has it as well.

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Will you be watching the Oscars Sunday night? I have yet to see even one of the best picture nominees, but we do have Argo in our Netflix queue. And - Oscars aside - I'm itching to take the kids to see Oz: The Great and Powerful, which, going by the previews looks pretty fantastic. I'm hoping to pull together a field trip for opening day.

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Well I think I've chewed on your ears long enough, lol! Just wanted to pop in and catch up and wish you all a very happy weekend. :)

I'll back to "check in" again soon ...

*❤*

Thursday's This & That

Well my friends, I've got a nasty cold this week, so posting will be light for a bit, but very quickly I thought I'd mention a few things this morning ...

I'm posting from my perch on the family room couch, aka my "nest" these past few days. Been watching lots of cooking shows with Earlybird ... and as much as we love Jamie and Ina, our new favorite is The Pioneer Woman. So fun! And she homeschools! Why haven't we watched this before?

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Speaking of cooking, here are a couple of neat recipes I'm hoping to try when I feel up to it:

Sweet Potato Souffle

(I made my first souffle last May - ready to try again!)

Maple Apple Tartlets

(I've actually made these before, but the boys have requested I make them again - they are much easier than they look!)

Lemon Custard Cakes

(I have several Meyer lemons to use up - I just love citrus in the winter!)

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While resting, I've been enjoying a book I received in the mail the other day, The Life and Times of Call the Midwife: The Official Companion to Seasons One and Two.

It's a fantastic and gorgeous look into the world of CtM - fashion & beauty, homes & food, nurses & nuns, faith & health - as well as a peek behind the scenes. I'm just loving it! And if you're a fan of this show, you will love this book, too. (Remember to mark your calendars for 3/31 ~ Easter Sunday night I believe~ that's when season 2 premieres in the US!)

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Very exited about the weekend ... lots of fun planned, so I'm really hoping I've kicked this bug by then. For one thing, Mum and I are planning a trip to a local yarn shop on Saturday. I've been itching to knit for some time, but wanted to wait until we knew if this baby was a boy or a girl. Now that we know, I am hoping to pick up some lovely yarn with which to begin a simple project of some kind. Perhaps a blanket to start?

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Now, a new "bump" shot has been requested ... so I'll see what I can do about that. ;) I feel like I'm HUGE for 20 weeks, but I think most pregnant women feel like that, lol. The baby's very active and according to my pregnancy book he's about the length of a banana, crown to toes. At 20 weeks - I'm halfway there! (As you can see from my little baby ticker parked at the top of my blog.)

And yes, we do have a name picked out out ... but we're keeping it under wraps till his birth. ❤ As for cravings? Pineapple salsa, barbecue, cheeseburgers and steak sauce! Yep, it's definitely a boy. :)

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Also, I know I promised a look at the learning room and that post IS coming soon ... I'm just a bit behind on my new year "spruce up!" Also, I have been asked where we got my corner desk (the one shown in this post) and I can tell you Bill ordered it online from HomeElement. It arrived in a few big pieces and he and the boys put it together for me. :)

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Ok, time to wrap up and return to my roost! I hope your week's going well ... the flu is on a rampage this winter, so please take care of yourselves and your loved ones ... stay healthy and safe!

I'll see you here again very soon ...

*❤*

Masterpiece Monday: Call the Midwife finale!

Good Monday morning, my friends!

Well, those six weeks went by all-too-quickly, did they not? I can hardly believe the season is over! I just adored this show, and I'm sad to see it end ... but I'm thrilled we have more CtM to look forward to. From what I hear, a second season is already in the works, and there will be a "holiday special" airing at the end of December! (On my PBS station it's December 30th - one week before Downton Abbey returns.)

So let's talk about last night's show a bit ...

First of all, my affection for Chummy just increased ten-fold last night - between her heartbreak over Peter and the way she handled Cathy Powell's less-than-ideal birthing conditions. What a kind and gentle, yet truly strong woman. And I LOVED it that she made up her mind to reunite with Peter and got a handle on her "Mater" in the end. Bully for Chummy!

And Jenny Lee finally resolved to move on from Gerald ... at last! Didn't you want to reach through that screen and slap that awful man in the back of the head? Sitting there at his desk, surrounded by family photos, asking Jenny to meet him? Grrrr. I hope this was truly the end for her - of both the communication and her feelings.

Speaking of feelings, I still hold out hope for Jenny and Jimmy. Last night they began to rebuild their friendship, and that's a good start. But I can't help but wonder if she truly doesn't feel anything romantic for him or if her feelings for Gerald prevented her from even contemplating the possibility? I'd love to see her give him a chance, because I so like Jimmy. He reminds me of my Bill. :)

Then we had that poor Cathy Powell - seemingly oblivious and all on her own, but I was thrilled with how her situation resolved itself. I was certain her boyfriend had either run off on her or perhaps was dead. How lovely in the end that they were together, caring for their three baby boys!

And the troubles and turmoil of Sister Monica Joan ... what a moving storyline. My heart broke for her throughout the whole episode. When it turned out the "stolen" jewels were actually hers, I was so relieved. How beautiful that her Nonnatus House family rallied around her, protected her and fought to absolve her.

That's been a keynote of the show I think - finding family amongst people who care for you and share your best interests. CtM certainly touched upon a whole bunch of "issues" and yet it was never judgemental or preachy ... that was very refreshing.

CtM really had a nice blend of drama and humor, unforgettable characters and excellent acting. I loved the detailed look at that time and place in history, and I also loved that, for the most part, the plotlines were resolved happily. Times were tough then, and situations were hard, but the resolution of each storyline felt satisfying, whether it was sweet or sad.

I can't wait to watch more, but now I'm quite eager to read the book!

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How about a quick chat about Once Upon a Time, before I go? Some really neat twists and turns last night!

First and most importantly - we now know who Henry's father is!

And we got a glimpse at Emma's life before she became a bounty hunter. No wonder the poor woman's so jaded and bitter ... for all she knows, Neal never loved her. Only used her and left her to take the blame. (We the audience know he left her only because he loved her ...) And what an intense and exciting moment when August showed up (aka Pinocchio) to rectify the situation and protect Emma's (or I guess I should say, Storybrooke's) best interests. What on earth did August show Neal in that box? And that last line - August promising Neal a postcard when Emma was free to be his again - WOW! Because we all remember the opening scene of the season, when Neal (unknown to us at the time) received a Storybrooke postcard through his window. I wonder if/how/when Neal - Henry's dad - will show up in present time? And do we think there's anything magical about him or is he just a regular bloke?

Now, the beanstalk storyline ... I enjoyed how that played out. Hook is an interesting character - but can we (Emma) trust him? Of course not - not fully - but I don't think he's all bad either. That said, I think he'll be out for revenge on Emma once the giant lets him go. (What a great twist! And how fun to see "Hurley" from Lost in this role!)

And how about that strange nightmare shared by Aurora and Henry? A red room with curtains on fire? Where is that room? And what is that all about?

As usual, I'm left entertained, intrigued and eager for more ...

***

Well my friends, I must be off now and get my day rolling. I hope your new week gets off to a good start ...

Thanks so much for stopping by - I'll see you here again very soon!

❤

Masterpiece Monday: Call the Midwife (ep. 5)

Good Monday Tuesday morning, my friends! Time to discuss our favorite little show ...

But first, a quick note ...

Thank you for all your prayers for our safety during Hurricane Sandy. Fortunately, New England was was spared the worst of it, and this morning it seems the storm has passed. As I type, it's still dark here, but we have power and the skies seem to be clearing a bit - in fact, we can see the Full Hunter's Moon through the western windows. We never did lose power but oh, how that wind wailed last night! And we got lots of heavy rain, but no flooding in our parts. So we were very, very lucky ...

By contrast, other regions did not fare as well. New York and New Jersey in particular, bore the brunt of the "Frankenstorm's" wrath. The images and stories shared on the news are so shocking and frightening! This morning I'm thinking of all those dealing with Sandy's destruction, and saying prayers for their safe and speedy recovery.

(If you were in Sandy's path, please check in if you have a moment - let us know you're ok.)

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Ok, on to this morning's discussion ...

So, what did you all think of this week's episode? As usual we had some pretty sad, heavy storylines, interspersed with lighter more humorous moments.

The Peggy and Frank story - well, I will admit, I had a hard time getting past the fact that they were brother and sister. I don't know, that was just so disturbing. Everything else about that storyline was quite poignant and ultimately, very sad. I'm curious - who was Tip to them? Was he just a young lad who worked with Frank at the stand? Or was he a relation?

Jenny's rejection of Jimmy broke my heart ... I was so rooting for him! But you could tell all along her heart was just not in it. And maybe not just because of this lost love, but because of her work and strong need to commit to it. Bill wondered if Jenny may actually become a nun by the end of the tale ...

And the mysterious Gerald placed a beseeching phone call. Wow, so he's still out there and pining for Jenny. Do you think he is/was married? Is that why they could not be together? He certainly sounded older ...

The pig story was cute but I'll admit, I was honestly pulling out my hair when Chummy nearly ruined her planned visit with the Constable's mum. I was literally yelling at the tv, "Take the dress off! Just change first!" Ay-yi-yi ... maybe it's the hormones, but I was sooo aggravated by that scene, lol! Thankfully, her beau is a good man indeed, and was not only able to accept the situation but he pitched in to help out. They are SO well suited for each other, and I just love that he's so smitten. Chummy is just a doll, I love her. :)

Not too many babies this time, save for the fisherwoman's. Poor Trixie (who I don't really care much for) having to deal with the awful smell as she tended to the delivery ... I found myself holding my nose during the scene and trying desperately not too think too much about all that drying fish. Ick.

Previews for next week - a trial, a visit from Chummy's mum and a whole lot more drama. Can't wait to see what happens next!

Now, for some thoughts on Once Upon a Time ...

I must confess I fell asleep before the end of the show so I had to have the boys fill me in. And I also must admit, I was a bit disappointed in Dr. Whale's big reveal. We were so excited to find out who he was - perhaps the whale who swallowed Pinnochio? Or maybe Peter Pan? But Victor Frankenstein? Was not expecting that. Maybe because he's not a fairy tale character, but I guess they're expanding their horizons.

And wow, Cora's a really bad seed, isn't she? I wonder if they're slowly changing Regina - redeeming her even - so that she can ultimately save Storybrooke from her evil mother?

The storyline with Captain Hook is intriguing ... so now Emma and Snow are going to help him find this compass so he can buy his life back from Cora? And next week we encounter a giant in the form of the wonderful Jorge Garcia - aka Hurley from Lost? Cool. :)

And from what I've read ... and don't read the rest of this paragraph if you don't want to be spoiled ... next week we learn the identity of Henry's father. It also so happens that unidentified man from the first episode will be making another appearance next week. So, hmmm ...

Well, that's all I have time for right now ... the day has gotten light enough to see and at first glance I see a lot of leaves, puddles and small branches out there. Nothing too bad at all. Feeling very grateful this morning that we weathered the storm fairly easily, especially in light of what so many others are going through ...

 I think we'll all be glued to our news devices today for updates on the aftermath and who needs our help. In the meantime, we can offer them our prayers.

Have a good Tuesday, my friends ... take care of yourselves and your loved ones and I'll see you here again very soon.

❤

Masterpiece Monday: Call the Midwife (ep. 4)

Happy Monday, my friends!

Well, I'm very sorry to say ... I fell asleep last night right before the episode began! (First trimester fatigue is hitting me hard right now!)

But I invite you to share your thoughts about last night's show in the comments section and I will join you very shortly. :)

Does anyone know how many episodes there are in all?

Because I just had an awful thought ...

If CtM is based on a book, once the story has been told in so many episodes ... will that be all there is to the show?

o.O

In the meantime, I was able to stay awake to watch Once Upon a Time with the boys ... do any of my readers watch that? What did you think of the show last night? Captain Hook - bad guy or possible (conflicted) hero? I really love how the show creates characters who are niether all bad or all good.

And where and who is Bae??

(I'm thinking he's Henry's father and remember the first scene of this season's first episode - the man walking through a city to his apartment? I think he might be Bae.)

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Well, I hope you all have a nice start to your week ... posting might be slow as I keep up with my rest, but I'll catch up here again just as soon as I can!

❤

Masterpiece Monday: Call the Midwife (ep. 3)

Well, this show certainly knows how to pull at the heartstrings, doesn't it?

>>> SPOILERS BELOW <<<

Episode three brought us two very poignant plotlines ...

First we have Jenny's visits with Mr. Collett, a lonely widower living in a filthy tenement, surrounded by bittersweet memories. This man was such a sweetheart - obviously lonely, but quite happy with his lot. He just took to Jenny's attention like a bee to honey, and a tentative friendship developed. I just loved how he called her his "maiden." :) He reminded me of a few older male relatives I've known ... gentle and kind, proud and yet humble at the same time. The end of that storyline broke my heart, but I was so glad he knew such kindness at the end of his life.

Next we have Ted and Winnie, an older couple expecting a baby ... he's absolutely thrilled, she's obviously not. We begin to suspect there's more to her hesitance than her age ... and once she's in labor she admits she's afraid the baby will be black. (Making it clear she cheated on her husband.) Uch, what an awful situation ... we just know how this is going to play out ... only we don't. Because yes - when her baby is born, he's clearly not Ted's son, but who would have suspected Ted's amazing reaction? What a sweet and forgiving man. Given the nature of the show I guess I'm not surprised Winnie's gentle husband took this shock in stride, dismissed her indiscretion, and took that beautiful baby under his wing.

{Side note: I have to chuckle at how many "older" women are having babies in this show. Because I sit here, pregnant myself at the "ripe old age" of 43, and see these women who, I just assume, must be older than I am, lol ... only, the last two ladies were both revealed to be younger than me! Forty-one last night and 42 the night before (the mother of the bride who had the breech baby)! I just look over at Bill and say, "But they look older than me, right?" Well, you can imagine how delicately he answers that question.}

Hormones are a wonderful thing, are they not? ;)

So then we had the introduction of Jimmy, Jenny's old childhood friend, who shows up needing a place to stay. He's quite witty and a bit of a flirt, but we (and she) can't be sure of his feelings - though everyone around them sees them clearly. I like Jimmy a lot - he's sweet and, I think/hope, sincere - but I keep going back to that first episode when Jenny confessed that she loved someone once, but she couldn't have him ... or something like that. I'd have to go back for the actual lines. I don't think she meant Jimmy ... when he appeared she seemed fairly unruffled. Pleased to see him, but not overwhelmed. Of course I still can't help but wonder if the unrequited/unresolved love she mentioned will show up again in her life ... maybe just as she and Jimmy get serious?

Ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself ...

Anyhoo ... last of all we had a little progress between Chummy and her attentive policeman ... how I laughed when Sister, watching their awkward interaction, said she remembers why she's so glad she took her vows, lol! I cannot wait to see how Chummy's "pictures date" goes next time! And the brief preview of episode 4 promises a quite lively installment, filled with dancing and drama ...

I am just loving this show!

:)

Now, did anyone catch the Downton Abbey season 3 preview at the end of the show? It looked so good! All those familiar faces and new developments ... even just hearing that soft lilting score made my heart happy! January 6th is getting closer, my friends! A question for my readers who live overseas: without revealing any spoilers, can you tell us how you're liking the new season so far?

Well my friends, I am gong to wrap this up now and get on with my day. I hope you all have a nice Monday ... thanks so much for stopping by!

See you all again very soon ...

❤

Call the Midwife, Episode 3 Preview ...

You can watch it here. :)

I was perusing the CtM website this morning and found the above video ... ooh, I can't wait for Sunday night! I am dying to know who Jimmy is to Jenny! A brother perhaps, or the one "she can't have?" And I totally called a little "something" sparking between Chummy and the bobby on the bike. ;)

My Sunday nights are just so fun right now - between watching Once Upon a Time with the boys and then Call the Midwife with Bill ... we also watch Boardwalk Empire (Bill and I only of course!) but we haven't had the time to catch up with the new season yet. Our dvr is getting dangerously full.

A few of you commented how funny it was that my "little news" post came right on top of the CtM chat post - and it's true! I laughed at that, too. The other funny thing is, when we watched the first episode - which was especially powerful as you remember - I said to Bill (and this was before we knew we were expecting, mind you) ...

"I could not watch this show if I was pregnant!"

Little did I know, lol!

I plan to stick it out though, because there's no way I can not watch this show! I will undoubtedly get even more emotional over the storylines than I normally would, however. That's ok, though - it's all "par for the course" right?

I hope you all have a fantastic Friday ... I will see you here again very soon!

❤

Masterpiece Monday: Call the Midwife (ep. 2)

Good morning, everyone!

It's super early here, but I wanted to get this chat post up as soon as I could, because oh, MY, what a fantastic show this is! Are you all just loving this as much as I am??

I'll jump into the comments a bit later when I can, but let me just start with this ...

I just ADORE Chummy!

Oh my goodness I have not loved a character this much in a while. She is just wonderful ... her upper crust accent and boldness ... her kind demeanor ... the bike, LOL! ... the way she soothed that frightened woman (and impressed the doctor) ... and of course, the beautiful "breech" scene at the end. She's fantastic, and I can't wait to see what else this character has in store for us.

I hope you'll pop in and tell me how you liked last night's episode. I'm getting the feeling this is going to be a very special show - and I might just have to go out and get the book. Sounds like the show's following it pretty closely?

Have a great Monday my friends ... I'll see you here again very soon!

❤

Masterpiece Monday: Call the Midwife (ep. 1)

So what did you think of the new MT series, Call the Midwife?

Well I, for one, am completely hooked!

I love that the main character is new to the midwife profession, and to the area she's been assigned (London's East End). She's the perfect "eyes" through which we can absorb the atmosphere of this bustling and impoverished community. And so far I really like this character - Jenny's timid but capable, quiet but caring, eager to help and learn. And I'm SO curious to learn more about this unrequited love she mentioned! Might she meet someone new to take her mind of this man "she can't have?" (And why can't she have him? Is he unavailable or just uninterested?)

The show's plot centers around this group of young nurses and the order of nuns they work alongside. And oh my gosh, I love these nuns - they've got strength and spunk. :) They've been caring for this community for many years and need all the help they can get. But the conditions these poor famililies live in are awful. I was just bawling over the scene with Conchita and her baby - her 25th child! And that horrible woman, Pearl - so tough and uncaring - but my heart broke for her too. Suffering from an STD (thanks to an unfaithful husband) and living in absolute filth ... just existing and angry at the world. When Jenny tells Pearl she sees these East End women not as slatterns but heroines, the smile on that poor woman's face? Well ... I was crying again.

I am fascinated with the setting as well (late '50s London) - the homes, hairdo's and attire. And I'm not usually one for medical dramas, but I enjoyed that aspect of the show very much. Especially the knowledge they had (how they tested for pre-eclampsia) and the instruments and techniques they used, etc.

Bill enjoyed the show, too, though he was decidedly less teary about it, lol. And when it was over he said, "Not a lot of testosterone in that one, eh?" ;)

So as I say, I'm hooked, and I'm eagerly looking forward to next week's episode ...

Who's with me?

:)

Have a great Monday, my friends ... and Happy October!

I'll be back here again very soon.

❤