Some fun Halloween decorations have appeared in the window of the cleaners around the corner. This is the shop with the wonderful Welsh dragon mosaic on the doorstep, which I've blogged a few times before. It's looking ready for the season!
Olga is curious about what it all means.
I got my reading glasses in the mail from Oakley Court yesterday, none the worse for wear. I'm so glad to have them back. I left the hotel a glowing review on Google despite the dead houseplants and slow restaurant service. Those are small hurdles compared to the overall pleasant time we had there, and they more than made up for everything by saving my glasses!
Many of you offered up opinions about the possible tree surgery project I mentioned yesterday. Yes, a landlord would normally be responsible for trees. However, under the terms of our lease, Dave and I are responsible for maintaining the garden -- so removal of brush and ivy overgrowth could arguably fall under that requirement. My plan is to get an estimate and if we proceed, we'll pay for the brush while the landlords pay for the trees. We made a similar arrangement when we had the walnut tree pruned last year. Of course I would never do anything to the landlords' trees without their permission.
We watched an old James Bond movie Tuesday night -- "The Man with the Golden Gun." Unlike most of the Roger Moore Bond films, this isn't one I know well. In fact, I'm not sure I'd ever seen it. Apparently it didn't do well at the box office when it came out back in 1974 and I wonder if it never found favor on TV either. In any case, I can now cross it off my list. I thought it was OK -- certainly no worse than "Octopussy" or "Moonraker" -- but it has possibly the worst theme song of any Bond film. (No fault of Lulu, who sang it. It's just a bad song.)
Should I be proud to admit that I have never seen a James Bond film? I have never seen a StarWars film either - nor any superhero films. This has all created a gap in my quizzing knowledge but fortunately the other guys can usually come to the rescue.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure the only Bond actors I have seen are Connery, Brosnan and Craig. I seem to have missed all the ones in the middle.
ReplyDeleteDo you have to clean up your garden because someone doesn't like it?
ReplyDeleteI love when people decorate for holidays. Actually, I love when ordinary people express themselves creatively just about any way.
ReplyDeleteIt's fun seeing the seasonal decorations come out. I must share your Oakley Court post with friends who are probably as serious Rocky Horror fans as you! Good luck with the garden. The season is getting short.
ReplyDeleteLike Yorkshire Pudding, I have never seen a James Bond film, any superhero film, nor have I watched any of the Harry Potter movies. The only thing I can say is that I saw the very first Star Wars film when it came out. I guess I am a bit weird like that as I know I am in the vast minority when people start rattling off names of characters and I have no clue what they are talking about!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a Roger Moore Bond film ... he was always too "too" for my tastes. I like a Bond who has a kind of rough edge to him.
ReplyDeleteOne last word about the garden: I would not do anything at all because Mrs Russia made up a story about a supposed convo with an unknown caretaker of an unrelated property.
ReplyDeleteBut I would do what I had planned to anyway. Possibly a bit of thinning might be good if any of the trees might come down in the winter.
Other than that, anyone who wants you to do anything, let them come and ask face to face. Hearsay is not good neighbor work. But it's like Mrs Russia to put her wishes into the mouth of someone you don't even know, and I wonder if they exist.
Yes, I get annoyed when people try to push you around!
It's great that you got your glasses. X once left his jeans with his keys in the pocket in a hotel room (it was typical of him--he could walk away from large items in airports and hotel rooms and conference rooms) so he called the hotel. Yes, they had the jeans and the keys. Yes, they would send them. They didn't arrive during the following week. He called again. The jeans and keys were at the front desk. He asked again that they be sent to him. Eventually they arrived. He never managed to stop leaving things behind everywhere he went, and items were seldom returned because he usually didn't know where he'd left them.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I think Boud has it right.
ReplyDeleteI love that picture of Olga looking at the Halloween decorations. Don't you just wonder what is going on in her head?
Glad you got your glasses back!
My mother would not let me watch James Bond movies so I never got into them. I doubt I've seen two all the way through.
The Halloween decor is full on in the US too. Olga is very curious about the decor. Tree pruning done well is good for the trees and makes a better landscape. My 20 year old Magnolia was recently lightly pruned.
ReplyDeleteI meant to tell you that I finished reading "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" and really liked it, Steve. Such a different type of book for me as I usually read mysteries but I found that I couldn't put it down! Now I wish I had been a gamer - think of all of the hours I could spend in retirement playing video games!
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely Halloween season everywhere. I'm glad Olga got a good look at that display. I'm also glad that you got your reading glasses back.
ReplyDeleteLike YP, I've never seen a Bond film. I don't watch many action movies anyway. Landlord responsibilities do vary from lease to lease. My renter is supposed to take care of the yard but I would have to do the big stuff like tree removal.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall that Bond film either but I probably saw it and just don't remember. I don't remember the theme song at all. I'll have to look that up.
ReplyDeleteThat shop is certainly ready for the season.
Great news about the glasses. I did see all the old Bond films. I'm not now current. I can't remember much about The Man with the Golden Gun, but I do remember hating the theme and hating that it was Lulu because I loved her.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a Bond movie all the way through, though I've watch the opening part of Live and Let Die several times. Love the NOLA funeral scene.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to review The Martian Chronicles soon and hope you don't mind if I link to your post about the book and Ray Bradbury. I bookmarked it at the time knowing I'd be reading it eventually.
Fortunately I can order reading glasses from Amazon. I found a brand with decent lenses and decent price, and given the rate at which I drop them on concrete floors, that's a good thing. Boud's perspective is a good one, this whole thing could be Mrs. Russia wanting you to do something.
ReplyDeleteScary neighborhood you live in!
ReplyDeleteI would definitely talk to the person who supposedly made the complaint. If Boud is right, you will save yourself some dosh.
ReplyDeleteYay for lost items returned! I do like that Welsh dragon. Olga needs - NEEDS - a Halloween costume. Batman, I mean batdog, perhaps. Or bunny ears - pink, of course, like her blanket. Nothing humiliating, nothing scary :)
ReplyDeleteI like the Welsh dragon. I believe there are just over two dozen James Bond movies and I have seen most of them though I don't recall which I particularly liked or not.
ReplyDeleteI also think Boud has it right. first of all, if the 'guy' could talk to her he could talk to you as you live in the same building. second, I can't imagine the building supervisor of the apartments would complain about the view above your back fence. seriously, Steve, I wouldn't do anything based on Ms Russia's supposed conversation with someone.
ReplyDeleteI never cared for the Bond movies, too sexist for me, until Daniel Craig.