TV - Montalbano: Il Senso Del Tatto

Pretty good episode. Blind guy dies, big black guide dog Orlando ends up outside. Montalbano immediately sniffs out something odd. Leads him to a 'vacation' with Livia to outlying island where he uncovers a desperate hotel owner, a fisherman who catches nothing but has state of the art computers and multiple TV setup. Turns out to be a sordid ring of drug smuggling by the blind guys who hide the product in their canes, with a barking seeing eye dog as a distraction. Orchestrated by a very respectable advancing political figure. The scene where Montalbano asks where Orlando is, and gives the guy a choice of 2 guns/scenarios was really good. They find him in an undercave dog fighting ring at the end. Catarella is so cute in his outrage at the dogs' treatment. Nice.

TV - Les Vacances de Maigret

Really liked this one, pretty good. While visiting his in-laws in Belgium, wifey gets ill and ends up in hospital. While there, a mysterious patient, along with a slipped note in Maigret's pocket piques his interest. Sordid tale of doctor, who tried to kill sister-in-law, kills little red-haired girl, and imprisons wife. Maigret steps on everyone's toes while 'not' investigating. Hilarious.

So annoyed the ending was cut off, just as Maigret's turning the screws on the good doctor.

Visited The Legion, Had Some Fish

After a miserable Christmas, Hubby insisted we go out. Mainly to distract me, and maybe lift our spirits a little. Fine, we dropped by the Legion. Always nice to see the ocean, and the museum grounds. Spent a little time inside, couldn't enjoy anything. Did see my 2 favorite pieces, and picked up a few art books.

Afterwards had an early dinner at the fish place around the corner. Good, cozy family-like ambiance, but subpar food.


Masterworks of European Painting In The California Palace of The Legion of Honor.














Legion of Honor: Selected Works

TV - Maigret: La Vente à La Bougie

Was I not in the mood? French references we didn't get? Hubby even wanted to watch this with me, mostly to keep me company while we were mourning our boy.

Whatever. This one just plain sucked. Incredibly boring, thin story that was just repetitive. Maigret's in town to check out an "ex-con" now managing a small hotel. Meanwhile there's a candle auction to sell some old lady's house that has a story of hidden treasure in it. Guy gets stabbed to death in bed, all the guests become suspects. Another guy dies. Maigret still investigates even while sick in bed. Turns out to be the 2 cousins.

Movie - Quantum of Solace

One shitty day - After his flight, taking Mozart to the vet one last time for his autopsy, getting the results, Hubby decided we needed to get out of the house for a distraction. We hadn't seen the new Bond film yet (I'm a fan), so he insisted we go.

Apropo title - there was no measure of comfort for us because of Bubby. When the lion logo roared, I cried. We always joked that that was Mozart, that's how he saw himself.

The movie: AWFUL. What an awful mess. There was no coherence to the overwrought, messy story. Awful bad guy who wasn't conceivably close to being a bad guy. Bond was actually pretty good, almost scary. Didn't have anything to do other than pretend to be Bourne, though. The entire movie stank of Bourne. If I wanted to see that, I'd just pop in our DVDs. Fer crying out loud. Hubby thought it was quite entertaining. Lots of action. That was good for him.

Mozart Passed Away

Our beloved little furrboy died suddenly last night. I was playing with him, then turned around to get their dinner, when he suddenly collapsed.

Our hearts are broken.

Book - Rounding The Mark

Good read. Most brooding book so far in the series, though not as dark as Aurelio Zen. Camilleri's seriously outraged with the establishment and taking it out in this book. His disillusionment with the 'establishment' starts to reach a breaking point. The most character development yet, including his own physical limitations.

The police force's excessive use of force and frame-up job at the G8 summit gives law enforcement a black eye, which Montalbano takes as a personal affront to his own professional reputation. While he's taking his usual swim, he bumps into a corpse. In addition, he also crosses paths with a illegal immigrant boy whose behavior puzzles him. These two people intersect in the course of his investigation, thru a sordid world of human trafficking, to a 'blockbuster' kind of ending, which was a little letdown. Doesn't matter, though, excellent book overall.

Book - Rituals of The Season

Haven't picked up a Margaret Maron in several years. I enjoyed The Bootlegger's Daughter, Up Jumps The Devil, and a couple more after that, then the interest faded.

This was 50 cents at a book sale, so why not? Holiday theme, Deborah Knott, sure. Meh. Nice piece of fluff, decent light reading. The writing's ok, I was kinda bored with it, and it didn't help that it was so obvious right at the beginning who the killer was.

Pretty Novica necklace

Just got this in the mail from Overstock, and wow, it's a really cute piece! Even the box is really nicely crafted, although I would have preferred a cheaper container, since I just toss this stuff away.

Favorite Album - Count Basie

How Do I Love This Album. Let Me Count The Ways. Masterpiece.