It’s a rare thing these days, having the screen to myself. As the children grow through their teens they’re obviously up later in the evening, they start to want to watch what we’re watching, and though the number of people living here hasn’t changed for 7 years, it feels like the house is just fuller of people as they get older.
So screen time Just For Me is a rare and precious thing.
If I do find myself with a spare couple of hours on a rainy day, or curled up on the sofa with minor poorliness, I’ll reach for the remote like any of us would. But what to choose?
The husband will always look for something to make him laugh – maybe something with Bill Murray. Or possibly some straightforward stand up, Dave Gorman perhaps.
But for me, while I do love to watch those too, Me Time is not made up of those. No, I’m looking for glamour and drama. I want period sets to die for, make up to gaze it in wonder and fashion to make me sigh wistfully. I’ll be looking for soothing balm for my soul.
For me, there’s not usually any hesitation. I’ll briefly consider countless new and unseen movies, but I’m just fooling myself really. Who am I trying to kid?
I head straight for the classics.
I’m slowly working my way through a back catalogue of old movies I haven’t managed to see yet, interspersed with ones I love so much I cannot resist watching them again. So far this month I’ve managed the following:
Some Like It Hot. It’s glamourous, it’s 55 years old and it’s laugh-out-loud funny. The stars scamper through the witty intelligent script in their impossible elegance and good humour. I love love love this movie, one of my all-time faves. It makes me happy.
Finally I got round to seeing That Touch Of Mink. I love Doris Day. I love Cary Grant. But this 1962 film… not so much. There was something missing, and though it was amusing I’ll probably not see it out again. Doris was ju-u-u-ust a touch irritating for me (I know. It’s a shocking thing to say).
To allow the lovely Cary Grant to redeem himself, next up on my list is To Catch A Thief. I’ve never seen it, and by all accounts it’s one I’ve been missing out on.
How about you – what do you choose to indulge in when you get a couple of hours to yourself?
