Death and Laughter

During the time of uncertainty, when we didn't know how things were going to turn out, and even in the time of transition, when the decision had been made and we were waiting, I didn't watch much British TV and as a result of that, I missed some amazing series, series that we now have to buy every time we go back to the UK, or get sent to Austen's so that whoever is next coming over can bring.

'Shameless' is one such gem. I have seen the odd episode on one of our channels, but there didn't seem too much continuity to it. Last time I brought back DVD's of series 1 and 2. Beyond brilliant, and the closing sequence of series 2 reminded me of a question Sleepy posed on her blog a few days ago. The hymn 'And did those feet in ancient times, walk upon England's mountains green?...' THAT'S what always makes me cry. I can't get through verse 2 without losing it, I think it's more to do with the swelling of the music than anything else. But there's another hymn that we used to sing at school that gets me even more.
'I vow to thee my country, all earthly things above, entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love....'

Another series, 'Green Wing', I have often mentioned or quoted and this is currently being shown on BBC Canada. I swear it is the funniest, most layered comedy ever. It makes me really watch, not watch while doing my crossword, which is how I normally absorb TV. Every scene, every frame contains the funniest visual humour sometimes just a still, something someone is wearing or doing casually and sometimes very dynamic, a surreal activity that everyone is joining in. The dialogues are hysterical, the characterisations superb. The convoluted plots which interweave and build are excellent. It truly is a work of art.
It is also played by actors of fine comedic pedigree, Sarah Alexander from Coupling, Peep Show's Olivia Coleman, The Book Group's Michelle Gomez, Pippa Heywood from The Brittas Empire, and the former Adrian Mole, Stephen Mangan.

Usually, when the TV company changes its channels, much distress ensues and no good comes of it. Ours did this recently. Bogged up our recording schedules like a charm. But this time, we actually gained. We gained BBC World. This is the BBC news channel which we had previously tried to add to our package without luck, now we have it for free, or at least as part of what we have anyway.

Austen sent me an interesting internet page. Austen is the keeper and researcher of the family tree. The snippet he sent me was the record of the death of one of our relatives who died at the age of 31 during the First World War. It gives his wife's name and his parents - who lived in Portsmouth - and lists him as 'Commonwealth War Dead'. He was a sub-mariner and artificer. He is buried in Chanak Consular Cemetery in Turkey which lists just 38 Commonwealth burials of which three were naval from the First World War. It is also the only reason I can possibly think of for visiting Turkey.
I wonder if anyone from that line of the family goes to visit his grave, just as I always wondered about all those lines of white crosses of Canadian servicemen and women buried in Brookwood in Surrey near where I once used to live.

Makes me proud.