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 Sunday, December 18, 2022

In bed @ 11 after watching 'Out of Africa', awake at @3:30 and up at 4, unable to sleep, wondering about Lilly, thinking about Christmas stuff, not enough sleep, a day of 'dropping off' ahead.  20 degrees out, wind directly out of the West at 15 mph, wind chill 6 degrees.  Lilly made short work of her outing.

Out of Africa is still one of my favorite movies and I'm glad I watched it, even with some interruptions for pit stops, letting Lilly out and in, and making the bed with fresh sheets and pillowcases.  I had forgotten almost everything about the movie except that I liked it a lot when I first saw it and I love the score by John Barry, though I'm now probably overexposed to it.  I also had forgotten how long it is: 2 hours and 41 minutes.  Hence my staying up until 11 to see it through.  I did remember however that my overall thought about the movie was that it is 'a very grown-up love story,' and I had the same thought as I watched it last night.  Complicated self-directed characters are well played by Robert Redford and especially by Meryl Streep.  I was surprised that Redford got top billing rather than Streep.  I was glad that the movie didn't sugarcoat the English colonists and did treat the indigenous Africans with dignity, the Kikuyus and Masai.  The colonial regime that seems pretty peaceful in this movie was challenged by native insurrectionists or anti-colonial freedom fighters in the 1950s' worldwide rebellion against European colonialism.  The Kikuyus, Masai, and other tribes became known as the Man Maus.  The British colonial regime executed more than 1,000 of them and tens of thousands died in the insurrection from many causes.  The British government later admitted to creating concentration camps and using torture against native Africans and paid some compensation to those who suffered under their aegis.  It's documented in Caroline Elkins' book Legacy of Violence and Ian Cobain's book Cruel Brittania., both of which I've read though only in parts.  The history of British, and English hegemony over colonies, especially Ireland, is a big part of why I have such antagonism toward British royalty and nobility, Downton Abbey and all the hoopla over QEII and Princess Di notwithstanding.

Message from Martinique.  Sarah and Christian have arrived in Martinique, an overseas department of the French Republic on the day France meets Argentina in the finals of the World Cup.  S&C will be attending a rum tasting on the island, wondering what excitement they may encounter on the streets.

Message from Geri.  Sounds like Jimmy is really failing.  Nice tour of old Alexandria with Jordan, including an electric scooter ride.  Steve and Maggie in town staying at a hotel, timed their trip to coincide with Geri's visit.  That sounds like a lovely visit.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.  Watched this this morning but don't know why.  I picked up the English language version with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara instead of the Swedish version, which was what I wanted.  I watched the whole movie but was eager for it to be over.  Maybe the Swedish version is just as unenjoyable but my memory of it is more positive than my experience with this one.  At least I got a bunch of napkins washed, dried, folded, and put away during it.