The Joys of being Elderly.

Absolutely my mum in her Care Home if she can’t be bothered with visitors.

Winter Wonderland .

On the Rooftop by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton.

On the Rooftop by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sisters Ruth, Esther and Chloe make up The Salvations, a girl group playing the Champagne Supper Club and are the talk of the 1950’s jazz scene in their home town.
Vivian is there mother harbouring big ambitions for her daughters; daughters who have their own ideas for their futures.

I liked the deep south setting; the smokey jazz bars, the gospel choirs, the people. All living under the threat of white businessmen wanting to buy up their town.

Slow but atmospheric.

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Boiling Point. BBC iPlayer.

Four-episode British series created by Philip Barantini, James Cummings and Stephen Graham. Starring Graham, Vinette Robinson and Hannah Walters,

Slow start for me; I hadn’t seen the prior film. Really got sucked into it in the end; well worth sticking with.

Dubrovnik. Croatia.

Hot and bustling; loaded with atmosphere, I liked Dubrovnik. I had been horse riding in the Croatian hills in the morning, so hopped on the bus from the port and made my way into Dubrovnik. I only had a couple of hours, so didn’t have time to walk the ancient walls. This took nothing away from the experience. I had a wander, an ice cream and a glass of wine sitting in the busy square before making my way back to the ship.

Queen of Oz. BBC IPlayer.

Written by: Catherine Tate; Jeff Gutheim; Zoe Norton Lodge; Aschlin Ditta

Catherine Tate stars as Princess Georgiana, a disgraced British royal banished to live and rule in Australia. Brought down by the tabloid press for her party-hard lifestyle and dragged kicking and screaming to her new antipodean kingdom, the sitcom sees Georgiana and her royal staff struggle to adapt to new life Down Under.

Pure Catherine Tate gold.

Annika. BBC IPlayer.

Written by Nick Walker and starring Nicola Walker Annika is a Scottish crime drama television series, based on the BBC Radio 4 drama Annika Stranded.

Sharp, witty, enigmatic. DI Strandhed takes on unfathomable murders washed up in Scotland’s waterways – confiding in the audience as she hunts the killers. (BBC)

Unusual and innovative with a very talented cast this was my new obsession. I am a huge fan of Nicola Walker and this is different again from her other roles. I liked the historical references tied up with the cases. I liked the subtle humour. I also liked the fact that each episode is 47 minutes long. It is brilliant!

Race Across the World. BBC IPlayer.

I want to do this!

Five pairs of travellers participate in an epic race that will take them across Canada. However, there is a catch, the pairs cannot take planes, must leave behind their smartphones and credit cards, and will not have access to the internet. Provided only with the cash equivalent of their airfare from their starting destination to the finishing line, they must find innovative ways to manage their budget and conduct their journey. If they run out of money, they must earn some more to continue the journey. The duos must also pass through a number checkpoints along the way.

Narrated by John Hannah.

Canada was amazing and I love the idea of living on your wits with no tech to help you on your way.

Colin From Accounts. BBC IPlayer.

Written by and starring Harriet Dyer and; Patrick Brammall.

Ashley and Gordon are brought together by a car accident and an injured dog, and learn to navigate life together while showing their true selves, scars and all.

Some proper laugh out loud moments here. Clever acting and writing.

Rain Dogs. BBC IPlayer.

Starring Daisy May Cooper, Jack Farthing and Fleur Tashjian. Created by Cash Carraway.

A dysfunctional family on the fringes of society attempt to go straight in an ever more crooked world.

Echos of Cathy Come Home. Brilliantly acted.

Charlecote Park. Warwick.

Spent a fascinating morning at the National Trust property Charlecote Park last week.

Overlooking the river Avon on the edge of Shakespeare’s Stratford and home to the Lucy family for over 900 years, Charlecote Park is an immaculately preserved and presented Victorian family home. I love a Victorian House and this is one of the best- especially the kitchens and courtyard areas. After a wander around the house, the surrounding gardens and parkland provided a great walk with the family. The weather was cold and crisp; a perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/warwickshire/charlecote-park/things-to-see-and-do-in-the-house-at-charlecote-park

Ashdown Forest. East Sussex.

Home of Winnie-the -Pooh.

“Always watch where you are going. Otherwise, you may step on a piece of the Forest that was left out by mistake.”

Winnie-the Pooh by A.A. Milne.

Blue Lights. BBC IPlayer.

Co- written by Fran Harris, Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson; starring Jonathan Harden, Sian Brooke, Katherine Delvin, Nathan Braniff and Martin McCann.

Set in Northern Ireland, the series follows rookie police officers working in Belfast.

This was far stronger than the magazine reviews led us to believe. Gritty and brilliant.

The Piano.All 4.

Claudia Winkleman hosts the search for the UK’s best amateur pianists playing at four UK train stations. The winner will play at the Royal Festival Hall.

With world famous pianist Lang Lang and singer Mika as judges, I thought this was going to be a bit ‘twee’. It was actually powerful.

Daisy Jones and the Six. Amazon Prime Video.

Starring Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Will Harrison, Josh Whitehouse and Sebastian Chacon.

Based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Taylor Jenkins Reid and loosely based on 70s iconic band Fleetwood Mac. Set in late 1970s LA, the series charts the rise and fall of the fictional rock band, Daisy Jones and the Six.

I absolutely loved this and there is a great soundtrack on Amazon.