Saturday 7 March 2009

My Third Guilty Pleasure

Watching Daytime Telly


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Now why should I feel guilty about it? My husband never does, he can watch telly all day, however I do get the guilt pangs.

Maybe it’s because there was no daytime TV when I was young other than children’s TV. Ah the memories come flooding back, Muffin the Mule, Andy Pandy, Bill & Ben the Flowerpot men.

So what is the charm of daytime telly for me? Well I still haven’t got used to getting up and not going to work. So I watch telly programmes when I think I should be at work. It feels a bit like skiving off. Wonder when I'll get used to this. Strange how you're conditioned to going to work.

The telly is usually on as my husband switches it on the minute he gets up, that's anytme after 5.30am. He seems to be addicted to watching the BBC morning news. I wouldn't care I've seen it and they repeat the same things afer about an hour.

He then goes off to work and I make my latte and sit down to watch a little telly.

What do I watch? Well not the BBC news, I don't want to be depressed watching stories about the economy.

Inspector Morse is one of my favourites. I do like a good detective programme and this is probably the best. Funnily enough I didn’t like it at first but it grew on me. It has just about everything to recommend it a few murders but no gratuitous violence and bad language. It has an amazing cast of characters in every programme, a virtual who’s who of British actors. The one with John Gielgud is one of my favourites. There’s humour, fabulous scenery, wonderful scripts and although opera music isn’t my favourite genre, it does add a touch of class to the programmes.

This is one telly series that actually improves on the books. I’ve read a couple of Colin Dexter’s Morse books and they’re OK but the programmes are better. Colin Dexter himself admitted this on a programme about the making of the telly series.

Pie in the Sky is another wonderful TV detective series. I love Richard Griffiths, he has such a dry way of dealing with situations and nothing like the dreaded Uncle Dursley character he plays in the Harry Potter films. If you haven't seen it, forget Starsky and Hutch, Kojak and CSI; this series is a million miles away! There’s not always a dead body, no bad language (a pet hate of mine) wonderful actors, lovely gentle humour and a recurring food theme with his restaurant which provides the title for the series.

Wanted Down Under is something I’m almost addicted to. I absolutely love watching a UK family being transported to Australia or New Zealand to see how they would adapt to living there. Apparently 40% of UK families who emigrate there return in less than 2 years, so this programme gives them an opportunity to check out the place, the work situation, housing and lifestyle in a place of their choice. It’s great seeing the different places and the people’s reactions. The hardest is watching the videos from friends and families. I have to say I would have loved to live in New Zealand but I know I could never have left my family behind.

Jeeves and Wooster is a series I didn’t see first time around for some reason. The antics of those wonderful upper class twits is a joy to behold, the ridiculous situations they get into really makes me laugh. There’s lovely scenery and again there’s a wonderful cast, the pairing of Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry is a just class.

I also watch a lot of children's telly once I pick Lauren up from nursery. I don’t like much of it but have to say I fell in love with In the Night Garden and I don't feel at all guilty watching it because I'm keeping Lauren company!

I could listen to the introduction over and over again, well I do most days! I love the poem and the music, Derek Jacobi provides the perfect rendering of the poem. If you haven’t heard it, here’s a clip.



Those characters with the silly names are great, there's Upsy Daisy, Igglepiggle, Tombliboos, Makka Pakka, the Pontipines, Wallanders, Haahoos, the Ninky Nonk and the Pinky Ponk, well you get the picture! How sad is that knowing all their names? I need to get a life!

Along with most other young children, my granddaughter has all the characters, books, toys, jigsaws, DVDs, dressing up outfit, pyjamas, dressing gown and slippers. Wish I had shares in that programme.

Upsy Daisy and Igglepiggle

They have a good section on the CBeebies website that Lauren loves to play on. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/inthenightgarden/

Want to play in the Night Garden? Just click on one of the stars.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/inthenightgarden/flash/index.shtml

If you have a webcam you can have your/child/grandchild’s face appear in parts of the picture and only you can see it. The instructions are here http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/inthenightgarden/info.shtml

Yes, sad old git that I am, I’m hooked, I’ll admit it.

Anyway, it’ll be OK when my husband retires because he's a definite telly addict, it'll be on all day. I'll have no guilt at all, well he certainly doesn't. We can watch it together, as long as it’s not flippin’ sport! I heard the good news today that F1 is returning to the BBC. They've even got a new section on the BBC website for it. He'll be over the moon as he's complained non stop about it being on ITV and "constantly" interrupted by adverts. Good old advertising free BBC! Well that's if you don't count all the trailers for their programmes.

I have one story about telly I never let him forget. When I was at the polytechnic many moons ago, I had to go on a field trip for twelve days to Yugoslavia, as it was called then. I felt really guilty about leaving the children (nine and eleven so not that young) for so long. You see my guilt complex! My husband said not to worry, it would be a doddle! He would take a couple of weeks off from work, look after the kiddiwinks and decorate the living room and dining room.

I came back home and guess what? No decorating done. Why? Well it was late June and the 1982 World Cup was being played in Spain. I suppose he must have watched every match televised even though England didn't win. Again!

15 comments:

  1. Dear Winifred ~~ I live on my own and I must have a radio on or the TV. More for company and
    so I don't hear any little sounds outside. I must admit, the radio is good, The TV has less good programs, though I like a few, including Australian Rules football and the cricket. I don't watch them intently, play computers and look up occasionally. I am glad you liked the
    Harrod's salesman joke. Pain is easing, but still has a way to go. Take care, my friend,
    Love, Merle.

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  2. Lately, I get up and try not to turn the television on. I find the news distracting and the programs, more so. I can't get a thing done with all that noise. Notice I said try. I try not to. It doesn't always work. I catch the Ellen Degeneres show in the morning then try to get something, anything, done.

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  3. ps-your word verification is acting up. If others are having trouble, it helps to press preview, and then post comment.

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  4. The detective stories I can go for, but In the Night Garden??? My sons watch it just to pick out the rude references...the ship is a boob, Makka Pakka is racist, and the snogs between Ooops a daisy and just about everyone (LOL)are just a little toooo long. The Tittifers...well I rest my case!

    I need the TV on when everyone is out for the noise..as a teacher and a mum I just work better when there is an element of noise and something to listen too..

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  5. My husband has control over the main tv in the house. I have a smaller tv I can watch when the mood hits me. I enjoy the night garden song
    Patsy

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  6. This post left me totally mesmerized. I loved the video and wish I had grandchildren young enough to share all this with.

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  7. When I was much younger I loved watching T.V. I had one in the kitchen so I could watch and work at the same time. I loved game shows. In the afternoon there was some talk shows I loved to watch. But, now that I'm older, I don't watch much T.V. It just doesn't seem to appeal to me like when I was young. But, I do enjoy reading, as I've said before that is my guilty pleasure. BTW, I don't think we get any of the shows you watch. If we do I have missed them.

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  8. I've taken the word verification off.

    I have had a few problems with other people's blogs and I can't see the word so I just post it and it gives me a new word. Blogger is a pain sometimes. Really acts itself.

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  9. I watch a fair amount of TV, I think. Many days though I just want silence. We don't get any of the shows you mentioned. Someday maybe I will get to visit another country and see what is on the TV there. We have about 80 channels on the cable, and rarely anything good to watch. That is sad.

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  10. I used to watch alot more daytime TV here when I wasn't working fulltime for the first 2 yrs. It actually helped me settle into the new culture alot better I think.

    BTW Winifred, I have been meaning to say for awhile, for some reason I can only ever see your current post on the page that opens and none of the older ones. Clicking on your header also doesn't take you to the main page, like it does on other blogs. I know I can use the archive list but I don't tend to - just for your info.

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  11. I have the TV on quite often, especially when I am in the sewing room... Even just listening to to the music channels...

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  12. Upsy Daisy and Igglepiggle, just those two names sound like fun. Our youngest one watches alot of the Disney Channel and also Nickelodeon Channel. when she was younger, she liked Sesame Street

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  13. I'm with you on your favourites Winifred - really enjoy all of those you mentioned except for "In the Night Garden". I have heard of it of course, having a 4 year old grand-daughter, but have never watched it. Am I missing something do you think? A x

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  14. We decided to buy into cable tv when Jim retired. I don't watch much daytime tv but he loves the cooking shows and, of course, sports. I, however, am pretty addicted to my computer so I guess it's about a wash. I guess we all have our weaknesses --- and strengths.

    Why are women so much more apt to feel guilty than men???

    ~hippo hugs~

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  15. Ok, I tried to leave you a comment yesterday, but said was not available ??
    Poof gone...
    So, I'm leaving it again, since I am totally addicted to "In the Night Garden"..
    I watched all the episodes on YouTube, and stayed up late last night listening to the wonderful voice of Derek Jacobi, what a delight, for all ages alike.
    Thanks for introducing this to me......

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