Movie: The Lady in the Van

 Upon Dame Maggie Smith's recent death, I started watching all of her movies that I could find. This was a somewhat odd but charming one.

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 The Lady in the Van is a 2015 British comedy-drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner and written by Alan Bennett. The film is based on the true story of an elderly woman named Mary Shepherd, who, despite her unconventional lifestyle, made a lasting impression on Bennett. Maggie Smith stars as the eccentric Mary Shepherd, a woman who lives in a dilapidated van parked in Bennett's driveway for 15 years.

The story is set in London and follows the unique relationship between Mary and Alan Bennett, played by Alex Jennings, who allows her to stay in his driveway despite her unpredictable behavior and often mysterious past. Through a series of flashbacks and humorous exchanges, the film reveals the complicated and touching dynamics of their unlikely friendship. It also explores themes of kindness, boundaries, and compassion, as well as the hidden stories that people carry with them.

Maggie Smith’s performance as Mary Shepherd was widely acclaimed, earning her a Golden Globe nomination and solidifying the film as a favorite among fans of British cinema. The Lady in the Van is known for its wit, depth, and emotional resonance, all delivered with a charming British sensibility. It's a poignant yet humorous exploration of the lives of two seemingly very different individuals who, over time, develop a deep and genuine connection.

A lot of cousins

August 28, 1949 was my grandfather's birthday, George Elmore Rogers.  Seventy second birthday.  My grandmother, Gummy, is standing on the far left, next to Poppy.

Their home in Houston was where lots of cousins gathered, and mother's of wives of cousins.  I can't keep track of them all.

Am I in the picture? You betcha! One of the children in the front, staring at my father, the photographer, with my chin on my hand.

Now I've passed my 73rd birthday.  It's hard to believe!

Movies? Yes, I've got some collections of old movies of this family, taken by my father and uncle.  I played some of them on my TV and took some still photos.  Unfortunately they are stored somewhere that I can't locate right this minute.  So I'll just share the still photo with all the cousins.  I think only the older generation in this photo would have known everyone there.  This was a rare time when my mother had given my little sister and myself Tony permanents, so we had curly hair.

Go check out more Sepia Saturday stories that may or may not have movies in them, HERE.  Scroll down to the names on a list and click on each person to see what they've submitted this week!

Narrowing or widening my horizons

Well, starting within, not the great blue horizon, but my own lifestyle.
I've realized I've been narrowing down and narrowing down, till there's very little room for DOING anything.

It has been a good thing to do at this time of year.
But solstice is behind us and now I'm widening things again.

First I reconnected some video equipment.  Over a year and half ago I stopped cable TV, and kept just the internet service.  But the TV and VCR and DVD player are still machines that can play tapes and DVD's.

I had thought I'd miss TV so much I would be playing them a lot after turning off live TV.  Nope.  I watched videos in bed for a while, on a tiny screen. And for the time since then I've happily watched my favorite shows (maybe a day or a week later) on my computer.  Now I've turned on the bigger screen in the living room.

I also have Netflix which can stream things onto the computer.  I haven't got it connected into the old TV, since it probably doesn't have any USB ports...I'll check when my favorite old movie is finished.

What is it you might ask?

May-widge...

If you haven't guessed it yet...