Friday, February 24, 2012

Attractions and Distractions

Feast or famine, it's so often the way.  Most of the time I despair for something decent to watch on television.  Something which will broaden the mind, feature a corset or parasol or at the very least not be eight years behind the British viewer's experience (BBC Canada...are you listening?).

Apologies to David Starkey but my latest historian crush is Amanda Vickery.  Forget the "Ooh, can I have your autograph" sort of thing, I just think it would be fantastic to have a close friend who could chat about the price of breakfast cereal today as well as contraception from the Georgian era over a cup of tea.

Since At Home with the Georgians aired here a few weeks ago there is no moment too brief to re-watch a snippet of an episode.  I especially love that although the presentation may be of historical facts, the men and women are represented as the modern citizens they were of their day.  An attractive home, food on the table, decent values and security for the future are just a few basic wants which haven't changed throughout the years despite technology and shortened hemlines.  The way Professor Vickery caresses the pages of a diary reclaimed from the bowels of an archival storage facility displays an awe and respect for its writer that goes beyond academic research.  Clearly she is passionate about her work and the people she gleans facts from.  If you're her neighbour or friend...lucky! 

For an earthier approach to educating a viewing audience about life at home during the Edwardian era we are two episodes in to Edwardian Farm.  Ruth, Peter and Alex are back, living to period in a cottage in Devon, toiling away on the farm and in the kitchen.  You can practically smell the aroma of sweat coming from their tired bodies.  Most of the time I would be quite willing to pitch in alongside but when offal is on the menu I am more than happy to be watching from my sofa.  And each foray into these historical experiments leaves me with a yearning to try my hand at cheese making, what's that all about?

We're having our own domestic issue at the moment, a four year-old stove with its third major issue.  Don't think I haven't envied Ruth Goodman and her wood stove minus its electronic motherboard.  I've been eyeing up our fireplace and picturing how it would look with a spit and cauldron.  But what to do about baking cakes and cookies?  There has been more time spent visiting appliance stores, reading consumer reports and angry customer forums than my books for pleasure these days which does not make me a happy lady of the house.  I'm in the midst of my own Aga saga, so to speak...now there's an idea!  Don't I just wish.

9 comments:

  1. I have been so looking forward to watching At Home with the Georgians but it hasn't yet aired on a channel out here. Just imagine my excitment when I followed your links to the TVO website to find full episodes available there! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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  2. Claire, Well I know what you're doing this weekend! And you're most welcome.

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  3. I saw/heard Amanda Vickery at the Charleston Festival last year. She spoke with Virginia Nicholson about personalising social history. It was fascinating and Ms. Vicery was very engaging and quite funny. The Georgian period doesn't especially interest me but she really made want to run out and buy her book! And I'm quite jealous about Edwardian Farm, it can't be had on Netflix but perhaps I can dig it up online.

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  4. I hadn't heard of either of these series prior to your entry, but now I need to check them out. Love these types of series, so thank you for sharing!

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  5. I commiserate with you about your stove. We paid the price of a small car for a semi-professional quality stove five years ago and I regret every cent of it. The burners don't light, or the igniters keep clicking after you turn off the gas. The small oven has a hot side and a cool side and makes a popping sound when the gas goes off, not what I want to hear. Many service calls and calls to the manufacturer (Wolf) and nothing is resolved. No offers to replace it or return our money. I've been thinking about installing a fireplace, too. Keep it simple and there will be fewer problems.

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  6. It sounds like I have another series to look forward to. Hope At Home with the Georgians makes its way here soon!

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  7. I loved this show, and think Amanda Vickery is a really engaging presenter.

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  8. "At Home with the Georgians" sounds wonderful and I would love to see it. I am not familiar with Amanda Vickery or the show and I am hoping they play it here in the U.S. Now that "Downton"is over I am searching for more quality programs and English history is a favorite topic of mine.

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  9. Oh I hope your stove gets sorted out soon.

    G and I both loved At Home with the Georgians. Hopefully her Jane Austen program will air in Canada soon. And then definitely keep an eye out for Lucy Worsley and her house program, which was brilliant too.

    K x

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