Return to Cranford

Good news for those who loved the BBC productions of Elizabeth Gaskell's "North and South", Wives and Daughters", and "Cranford":

Based on novels by Elizabeth Gaskell, the series about the 1840s British town of Cranford will indeed have a sequel. It will once again feature Dame Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Francesca Annis, Julia McKenzie and Jim Carter in a two-part tale to air in England at Christmas 2009. No word yet on when or where it might air in the U.S.

The only bummer is that we have to wait so long to see it.

Remember the Ladies

"My pen is always freer than my tongue. I have wrote many things to you that I suppose I never could have talk'd."
-Abigail Adams to her husband John

Today's reading: "My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John"

My afternoon with Jane Austen, Lori Smith, and Caleb

Mom took the boys to the skating rink this afternoon for some rollerskating with the home school group(socialization, you know), so Caleb and I have been home alone together for almost two hours now. I predicted when they left that Caleb would hardly say two words to me at a time, and I was right. We've both been sitting on the couch all afternoon, reading. I started and finished “A Walk with Jane Austen”, by Lori Smith, and while I was sitting on the loveseat reading, laughing, and relating, Caleb was across the way on the other couch reading the Bible and Chemistry and who knows what in absolute silence.

Anyway, I would like to introduce you to my latest favorite website, Jane Austen Quote of the Day, “Daily wit and inspiration from Austen, compiled by Lori Smith, author of A Walk with Jane Austen”

I really enjoyed Ms. Smith's book- it was very open and honest, a great girl book. I loved it, and you should all read it!

Usually when I start reading a book like this, I have to finish it, and so when I finally do finish it hours later, I have to go work fast to make up for lost time. So, I'm off to make dinner as fast as I can.

Here they go Again

Nebraska is protected from any form of gambling by the state Constitution. Every two years, supporters of gambling have brought up a bill to allow some form of gambling in Nebraska, and it has each time been soundly voted down by the people of Nebraska. This year, the gambling industry of taking aim at Nebraska’s racetracks:

“Under a proposal made Wednesday, with voter approval up to 3,500 slot machines would be allowed at Thoroughbred racetracks across Nebraska.”

I didn’t even know there were racetracks in Nebraska until I got an email about LB266.
The article goes on to justify gambling by saying we are in such “tough economic conditions”, we just have to have gambling! We would hate to have to raise taxes! Baloney. Our State Government could easily cut down on spending and thereby have enough money for whatever needs arise.


“A leading opponent of expanded gambling in Nebraska, Pat Loontjer of Gambling With the Good Life, said the newest proposal has "three B's'': a "bribe'' to state leaders in the form of roads funds; a huge new "bureaucracy'' to regulate the slots in a related proposal, Legislative Bill 266; and a "bailout'' for horse racing, an industry she says can't survive on its own.


"It's an industry in the state — especially around Grand Island," Karpisek said about why horse tracks deserve help. "In this economy, we need to help everybody stay in business."

Not TRUE! It is not the government’s business to keep everyone else IN business. It’s not even possible for the government to keep “everyone” in business. If they want to keep us in business, lower our taxes and just let us keep our own money.

Welcome to the Marchioness

Welcome to my new blog! I've styled it around Dickens works, with the title coming from his story "Old Curiosity Shop". I have imported all my old posts from my old blog, and so now "The Frazzledsister" has come to an end, and "The Marchioness" is beginning. Over the winter holidays of 2008/2009, I read almost all of Charles Dickens novels, such as Nicholas Nickelby, Barnaby Rudge, Old Curiousity Shop, Hard Times, David Copperfield, Little Dorrit, and most recently Domby and Son. Those that I haven't read I have seen the BBC TV productions of, like Bleak House, Martin Chuzzlewit, and Our Mutual Friend. I enjoyed them all so much that I thought I would use those stories to embellish this new blog. If my life were half as sad, mysterious, and exciting as Dickens' novels are, I think this would be a very popular blog, but my life so far has really been pretty normal. When I wrote on The Frazzledsister I didn't really advertise my blog(especially to Church people, especially during the political season) and I didn't post very personal things, for fear of someone I knew getting mad at me. I think my writing suffered because of it, and I hope on this blog to be a little more open. In the past year(It seems like it was a hard sort of year) I have gotten to know my peers at church a little better. After being members of the church for three years, finally I know more people and am more comfortable with them. Those young Ron Paul fanatics I thought were so militant, weren't so bad as I thought- or maybe they've just recovered. I still don't feel as though I have any really close friends there, like Anne of Green Gables and her "bosom friends", and maybe I never will, but at least we're all on speaking terms! So please, new readers, and even fanatical politicians from Church, feel free to comment, but don't all attack at once!