As you will see above, Michael Palin, who Saturday's Culture Show was about. We only caught up last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Some surprising things we didn't know about the Python team but, at the end of the programme which coincides with the publication of his diaries, you finish up thinking "He really is a nice chap". There were repeats of favourite sketches, which are still hilarious.
The fish-slapping dance in which there are two great moments. The first when John Cleese measures up with his big fish - and the ending which I won't describe because there must be young people around who have never seen it. And I don't want to spoil it. There were extracts from loads of sketches. The Ministry of Silly Walks for instance is still so good. They didn't show unfortunately the opening sequence when the big foot used to come down. More up-to-date are his travel programmes and it has always seemed to us that wherever he goes in the world people of all races, rich and poor alike, like him and find him easy to talk to.In retrospect there isn't much to add to yesterday's stuff about the PhotoShop Course. I thought this morning that I had tracked down the book the tutor recommended, to Waterstones. Attempting to order it though, revealed that they only had one copy and that was reserved for someone else. Ho Hum - Amazon here I come (it rhymes but don't scan too well).
Similar experience in Currys. I picked the camera for Debra's birthday - a Kodak complete with 6x4 printer but, they didn't have one. The helpful girl tracked one down to Arnold Curry's and gave me a reference no. and the advice that I could order it and they would save it for 24hrs. Ringing the number and pressing 5 as suggested had zilch effect, 3 times, -no-one answered. So I rang Currys main number and spoke to another nice girl, this time in Sheffield. When I gave her the reference number she found it on her computer and said that if a I placed an order there and then, I would qualify for free delivery to my home address within 3 days AND it was £30 cheaper. I'm quite glad that the Arnold Shop didn't answer!
Collected my old lappy from Rainworth and so far so good in the matter of preparing it for Debra. I've managed to get on the net and download the AVG free antivirus software for her. Tomorrow I'll set her up with Google and Macafee Site Advisor etc., I might even put her on Firefox- which will be quite an experience for her coming from a clapped-out Mac. Still problems to sort with regard to My Pictures etc. but all solveable.
Met Bob for lunch again and this time we patronised the Old Court House Wetherspoons, as a change from The Widow Frost. Bob prefers the Court House because it is more like a proper pub. Food good again, reasonable drinks prices, - and good value. V. Nice coffee ...........
Simply obliged to agree that M Palin programme very good and he seems a very nice man indeed. Not, for me, enough to carry travel programmes so I don’t watch them. And I have never opened a book of his first venture which I received as a Xmas present several years ago (cynically; probably passéd on pristine by someone who had been given it the year before [I managed to put an inappropriate acute accent over the ‘e’ in passed without knowing how] )
ReplyDeleteThat programme was followed by 3 more about Python. Lots of good stuff from sketches and films but best thing, for me, was Graham Chapman’s Memorial Service, brilliantly opened by John Cleese (starting with an apparently appropriate and serious eulogy but rapidly becoming irreverent, honest and funny) and concluded by Eric Idle leading the massed choir in ‘Always Look on the Bright Side …’.
Ham-o-Zum / Here I come (?)
I don’t quite understand how Firefox will be 'quite an experience’ for Debra. I seem to have it but don’t know what it does and am seldom aware of its presence!
Wetherspoon’s (note my pedantic added apostrophe) drinks’ (ditto) prices are more than reasonable – ‘Hard to believe’ is more like it, inc a selection of coffees at 69p for a decent sized cupful, plus a free, miniature, rock hard ‘biscotte’.