Happy Frankenstein Day!

Lately, we have been neglecting our holiday calender, but I finally had the opportunity to look at it yesterday and found that today is FRANKENSTEIN'S DAY which means something to both My Mr.Cham and I, but not for the same reasons.

Let us begin with a little bit of history.
In 1816, eighteen years old Mary Wollstencroft Shelley

travelled to Germany and Switzerland with her husband Percy and her stepsister Claire. They joined Lord Byron in Geneva and on a dark and stormy night, Byron suggested that they have a contest to see who could write the best horror story. Mary eventually won with THE MODERN PROMETHEUS, which told the tale of Dr. Frankenstein and his experiments attempting to reanimate the dead. The story became a novel which was published anonymously in 1818 and again, with Mary's name, in 1820.

A still from the first film version from Edison Films in 1910 starring Charles Ogle.

In 1931 Universal Pictures released FRANKENSTEIN starring COLIN CLIVE  as the doctor and BORIS KARLOFF as "The Monster".

Colin Clive and Boris Karloff

Boris Karloff with Marilyn Harris

BORIS KARLOFF

A sequel THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN followed in 1935

Boris Karloff with Elsa Lanchester 

There have been, to date, countless film adaptations,  television movies and miniseries,   stage productions including plays, musicals, opera and a ballet. Countless! I tried to count the list at imdb.com and gave up. There are no less than five Frankenstein projects in development.

David Rappaport and Clancy Brown in The Bride (1985)

Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham-Carter in Frankenstein (1994)

I was beginning to think that LITTLE WOMEN was going to hold the record for the most (unnecessary) adaptations. Not even close!

Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, Gene Wilder, and Peter Boyle in Young Frankenstein.(1974)

 In 1964, THE MUNSTERS debuted and ran for two seasons. The sitcom featured a rather odd, but endearing family. Herman Munster (played by the wonderful Fred Gwynne)

was clearly inspired by Frankenstein's Monster, his wife Lily and her father , only known as "Grampa" who were vampires andwith the last name of Dracula and Eddie, the Munster's only child was inexplicably a werewolf, complete with a werewolf doll. Lily's niece Marilyn (a "girl next door" version of Miss Monroe), was the only "normal" member of the family.
The series has been in reruns ever since.

Fred Gwynne, Yvonne DeCarlo,
Al Lewis, Pat Priest and Butch Patrick.

There have been several attempts to reboot and remake the series over the years, including MOCKINGBIRD LANE in 2012.

Charity Wakefield, Eddie Izzard,
Portia DeRossi, Jerry O'Connell
and Mason Cook.

Despite the inspired casting of Eddie Izzard as Grandpa and some very atmospheric production design and impressive special effects, it failed to find an audience.  It was rather gory for primetime television and very expensive. The pilot reportedly cost $10,000,000!😮

 When I was a toddler and just beginning to talk, I began saying the word "pummy", but no one knew what I was trying to say, much to my mother's consternation. Then one day while watching The Munsters, she says that I went up to the screen, put my little hands on Herman Munster's face and said "Pummy".
That Christmas I received my very own Herman puppet, which I still  have to this day.

I continued to be a fan of Mr.Gwynne's in

THE COTTON CLUB (1984) where he played Frenchy Demange

With Bob Hoskins

 and in his iconic role of JUDD CRANDALL   
 in PET SEMATARY

In 1998 the Oscar nominated film GODS AND MONSTERS told the story of the last days of director JAMES WHALE. Although he directed the 1928 film version of SHOWBOAT, The Invisible Man, and The Old Dark House,
he is mostly recognized for directing FRANKENSTEIN (1931) and BRIDE of FRANKENSTEIN (1935).)
Please visit our GODS and MONSTERS page for more information.

And here is My Mr.Cham's video  "Happy Halloween, Mr. Whale" from his YouTube channel.

I was going to make a theme menu for lunch or dinner today, but I honestly could not think of anything. When I asked My Mr.Cham for suggestions.....well, suffice it to say, they were probably accurate, but not very appetizing. I thought about buying this cereal as a little joke, but after I read the box, I changed my mind.😱

Who knew that breakfast cereal could be so scary?

Fish and Chips and Farewell London (For now😊😉).

Greetings from points unknown, or as my Lord and Master referred to it this morning : "Jet Lag Central"😞.  Poor baby, a long weekend and back to work today, so I am back on posting duty. It is simply not worth trying to travel with a laptop, and the slow cooker won by unanimous vote, so I hope that you will forgive me for this belated post via android. Oh, how I wish I had an actual Android to type for me! Perhaps C-3PO. He is so charming when he is not scolding R2D2.

I had consulted the weather before arriving in London, and had found that my plans to go to Hyde Park for a picnic and to feed the ducks and geese while My Mr.Cham was otherwise engaged would simply not be practical, so I decided to visit the historical, thousand year old Borough Market

where I found this lovely jersey cow apron, and looked at these bowls, but decided not to buy any because my luggage is already too heavy.

 I purchased some very big chocolate chip cookies,

as well as a
special treat for my sweetheart's dessert.

and on my way out, I picked up a couple of orders of fish and chips for our dinner

at the appropriately named FISH!

I returned to the hotel a bit footsore (actually, I splurged a taxi there and back because I was afraid of getting lost😕). It is very large, but it was a very nice market and I would recommend it. Unfortunately, I was not able to see all of it. Perhaps, when we come back through London on our way home next month.

On Sunday, I had contemplated visiting the Natural History Museum, after enjoying a David Attenborough program about it, but the sheer size of it was too daunting and I have to confess that looking at taxidermied animals in glass cases is, dare I say it, too depressing. It reminds me of the 1972 movie Z.P.G. (Zero Population Growth)

  starring Geraldine Chaplin and Oliver Reed. Set in a bleak future, a couple find that the wife is expecting, but their happiness turns to fear because having children has been outlawed for thirty years. One day, they visit the local "zoo" which is in truth, a place filled with taxidermied animals in glass cases because animals are extinct. I do not want to live in that world. Would you?

Consider that a purely rhetorical question.

I decided instead to go to Sainsbury's because

I needed to pick up some supplies to replenish my traveling pantry which to my dismay has dwindled quickly. I had no idea that such "basic" items such as ramen noodles, miso paste, semi sweet chocolate morsels, sushi rice, kombucha tea, sunny delight, etc.

would not be available when we returned to our present 'home away from home'. We are truly blessed (and spoiled) to live in a multicultural America with so many different countries' food products available in our local supermarket and online. I assumed that would be the case everywhere, but it is not. I have been enlightened.

Tess🌷

In this age of modern conveniences, it never fails to amaze me when one of our many "conveniences" fails to be.....convenient. Such is the case with hotel WiFi. It doesn't even seem to matter whether you are staying in a $150 a night single room in Fort Worth, or in a $2,000 a night all inclusive resort in the Caribbean !!! I'm presently ensconced in a very comfortable hotel across the pond and I have no complaints, save one. NO WIFI 😵!!! O.k obviously, if you're reading this the WiFi is working now, but since I arrived, only for a few hours everyday ,and when you're dealing with a nine hour time difference between work and home, it can be very frustrating.  It was Tess' birthday on the 7th and I had made the requisite "adorable birthday video" for her and guess what? No WiFi 😒. Well, it finally came in and I posted it to YouTube, but when I tried to post it here.......🤪. Well, luckily, My Tess always checks her phone when she wakes up, saw the YouTube icon in the top left and found the video waiting for her.....and she loved it😁👍😘🤗💘!!! So, what am I "vexed" (Tess's word for it 😏) about ?  I just think that if you advertise a service, then it should be available and reliable. I don't claim to be computer literate, although I've gotten a lot better since we've been writing the blog, but I can't understand what the problem is and why it still IS a problem and nobody seems to know why and of course the hotel staff always apologizes profusely, but nothing happens until it wants to, which is very...you guessed it.....inconvenient. Alright,rant over and onto better things.
🙂

So, as I said, it was Tess' birthday and just like two years ago when I was in London, we thought we would be separated by thousands of miles😔 . But, unbeknownst to me, my ingenious little angel was working on a solution! Not wanting to spend the money on a ticket for $hipfare, but not wanting to fly, she did her research and found that she and her friend and travelling companion Lily, could book passage on a cargo ship for half what an ocean liner would cost. If I had known that my beloved would be traveling with a scurvy crew of swashbuckling pirates⚔️, despite having her formidable chaperone to protect her, I would have insisted that she take a more traditional mode of transportation. (I was later assured that they were "perfect gentlemen" and that she would not hesitate to sail with them again🤨. Apparently, the name of the Captain, was not Sparrow. )

Eeep😟.

I was getting ready to go downstairs for lunch on Sunday when I heard tapping on my door. There was a family with several kids next door who had mistaken my room for theirs the day before, but when I opened the door.............

YIPPEEEEEEEE!!!!!!😁☀️🎉🤗😘😍
My better half had arrived the night before, but not wanting to wake me, had spent the night in Lily's room down the hall until she could surprise me. She had a basket full of goodies procured from the ship's chef (My Tess could charm Satan himself) and kept in the mini bar overnight, and a recommendation of a nice place to have a picnic. I changed my shirt, grabbed my camera and we were off.

PHOENIX PARK

Basically, a park full of deer. Not a phoenix in sight.😒 They must be nocturnal.
Lunchtime 😋!!!

Potato salad, lemonade, veggie burgers
and fresh sweet cherries.
The crew found out that it was her birthday
and gave her this cake.

She saved a piece for me😁
(We shared it😘🤭.)

Tess felt guilty that she hadn't made the picnic herself. I told her she shouldn't have to on her birthday. Two days later, she found a hotel with a kitchenette and she and Lily moved us while I was working. When I got "home", there was sushi 🍣  and steak 🥩 and risotto 🍚and the best coffee in the world 😍☕...
I ate it all and forgot to take a picture. 😟 Sorry. Dessert was melon. Apparently, I'm on a new diet.🙄Yippee.

The next morning at breakfast.........

This has been my standing breakfast
order since I arrived.

This is what I was presented with now that I am no longer in charge of my own gastronomical indulgences. Yogurt and fruit ??? 🤨 That's all ??? Tess ??? (She just smiled apologetically and refilled my coffee cup.)

The following Saturday ...........
THE IRISH NATIONAL STUD AND JAPANESE GARDENS

Horses made of wood ??? What do they eat ?

Does this count as going to Japan?
(She said "No.")

Time for lunch !!!😋

Apples, celery, baby carrots, strawberries and peanut butter.

Well, who doesn't love crudite ?😝

Oven fried chicken.

Now you're talkin' 😋

Potato salad with celery, parsley, olives and LITE mayonnaise.

Honey sweet tea.

Where's the Guinness ? 🍺No dessert ?🍰🍪🥧🍦🍿Tess ???🤨

My poor little Tess. The "ship lag" finally caught up with her. Either that or she polished off the Guinness when I wasn't looking.😯

Shhh🤫 Don't wake her !!! One of the horses stole her straw hat and he's wearing it😃.........No, now he's eating it.😧...😆......🤪

And now, without further ado....

Happy Birthday, Tess 💐🎂🎁💝🐕🍺 (The last one is mine😉.)
    P.S. The WiFi works great !!!  ( 30 minutes later.....Oops, I spoke too soon☹️.)

                  🍀💚👆😁 😉👍💚🍀