Monday, January 23, 2012

What is a Weekend?

My latest obsession is the unreservedly snobby Lady Grantham of Downton Abbey, a British drama beginning pre-WW1 and centering on the Crawley family and their servants. Over the Friday to Monday I got a chance to catch up with her. I say "Friday to Monday" because as Lady Grantham enquires: "What is a weekend?"
Lady Grantham with Mary

You see, in the Dowager's world there is no work and every day is a similar round of luncheons and dinners and guests. So, no concept of a "weekend." Weekends, my dear, are beneath you. In fact the posh or "U" thing to say, even later apparently, was "Friday to Monday."

Downton Abbey is the most delectable of period pieces with upstairs downstairs tensions, hunting parties, glorious headgears, late-night dalliances and Dukes up the whazoo. The three sisters are beautiful and complicated, the butler has secrets and what will the sneaky first footman do next. But the star is undoubtedly Lady Grantham, played by Maggie Smith with a battery of icy stare-downs and delightful zingers. See below her encounter with the swivel chair...



In my newly-named not-weekend I stayed home with Jackson and Cy so they could do baseball try-outs. Kevin took Tallulah and Harley skiing.

Instead of boring you with a photo of me in bed watching the telly, here is a kinder image for your eyes... the model from last week's photo shoot, in our bedroom and gazing out to misty skies.

Model Alicia posing in our bedroom

I had hoped to post pictures of me at a wonderful round of parties... instead my dance card was filled with hours on the sidelines of a baseball field, battling whipping winds and rain and having the privilege of overhearing terribly interesting discussions about whether that little person's swing is better than that other little person's.

Jackson and Cy before the try-outs

One thing I don't miss about those Edwardian times though was the place of a young girl. Besides having no rights of inheritance there was a question mark over whether girls should be educated.

Lady Grantham: "Why would you want to go to a real school? You're not a doctor's daughter."
Sybil: "Nobody learns anything from a governess, apart from French and how to curtsy."
Lady Grantham: "What else do you need? Are you thinking of a career in banking?"
Cora: "Things are different in America."
Lady Grantham: "I know. They live in wigwams."


After watching the fashion shoot at our house last week, Tallulah, 10, said: "I'm adding 'photographer' to my list of things to do when I grow up." Her list already includes astronaut, dog-walker, singer and professional soccer player.

Definitely not a model says Tallulah: "There is too much food in the world to love."

Tallulah with her peanut butter sandwich at Alpine
As Lady Grantham would say: "Quite right, my dear." 



32 comments:

  1. I LOOOVE lady Grantham. Lots of laugh out loud moments at her lines. Downton Abbey was one of the highlights of 2011 for me!

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    1. Hi there, welcome and thanks for stopping by. I can't wait to crawl into bed tonight and watch the most recent one!

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  2. I love her too. That's a great show.

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  3. Downton Abbey was very popular over here too! Have a lovely week:)
    ~Anne

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  4. It is soo funny--- everyone is loving Downtown Abbey! This is the third post I have read on it in the past week :)

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  5. I love this show! The costumes are fantastic! xo style, she wrote

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  6. quite right indeed!

    i need to take a look at downtown abbey.

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  7. At least I can't watch them back to back like I did with last season! Waiting for the next one to download to itunes. Do you have the 4th episode?? I don't have it yet.

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  8. A weekend is when we plebeians recover from what the upper class has been doing to us since Monday.

    Sorry the weather wasn't better during the baseball tryouts. In spring, a young man's heart turns to . . . wait a minute; this isn't spring!

    Blessings and Bear hugs to all of you; I'm returning to hibernation.

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  9. How do you tuck the sheet/duvet in at the end of your bed? :)

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    1. Its a bit of a scoop, only did it properly for the shoot.

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  10. A friend recently told me I must download this series. I need a weekend away so I can catch up! And oh how I long for a life where weekends are not the holy grail. But alas, I'm already counting down the days . . . .

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  11. I sooo need to see Downtown Abbey! It's on my to do list this weekend for sure!

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  12. Talullah is a sensible girl! and my first thought on seeing your bed frame was 'I'd snag my tights on that...' but I guess you don't need tights in Kaliforniay.......as for Downton Abbey? oh I love those carriage and corset things and Maggie Smith is fantastic....what on earth must it be like to be so darn posh??

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    1. No tights snags so far but it does grab my cardys a lot. Sort of like having poltegeists in the room..

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  13. I'm quite the Anglophile, so I'm surprised I've not gobbled this up yet.

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  14. Her delivery is incredible, and the writing so superb. The swivel chair scene is hilarious. Great post.

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  15. aaaaaaaah this is on my MUST-SEE list. did you buy it/rent it??

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  16. Downton - already having severe withdrawal symptoms as I last saw it on Christmas Day (the End of Series 2 Xmas Special) roll on Series Three!!!!!

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  17. That comment about "What's a weekend?" was one of the funniest of last season, but you're right, they used to be called "Friday to Mondays" and only people who didn't have to earn a living were able to attend. Their way of sorting out the wheat from the chaff so to speak!

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    1. Also loved when someone said to her: "I won't take offense' and Lady Grantham replied: "I didn't say it correctly then."

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  18. I love Downtown Abbey as well! I just stumbled upon your blog (not using stumbleupon, in a more literal sense!) and fell in love with your bed - it's completely stunning! Will be popping back often :)

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    1. Thanks for popping by Anna! Am just hoping over to visit you now!

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  19. I haven't been watching Downton Abbey and now feel I've missed so many episodes it seems too much like hard work to start at the beginning. Though maybe I should get started on a Friday to Monday when I've nothing better to do.

    With reference to Libby's comment, do you snag your tights (or do you call them pantyhose?) on that bed?!

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    1. Don't wear either normally as I don't have a job and only wear scruffy stuff in the day - but yes, things pull when you get close. Danger Will Robinson

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  20. I have heard so much about Downtown Abby that I am all excited to watch it.!

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  21. i've been wanting to watch too! but let's get back to your bed...wow, i love it. who makes it?

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    1. Hey Bestie - Kenneth Cobonpue made the bed...my friend says it looks like a crayfish pot

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  22. My friends and I love the show. It's our new water cooler discussion! Love anything Maggie Smith. Cool Bed frame....almost like a little cocoon.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, yes have loved Maggie Smith since she was Miss Jean Brodie.

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  23. I love love love Downton! It's a bit of an addiction. Just wait til the current season is over and you have what I had...Downton Depression!

    That's quite the cool bed you have!

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