Downton Abbey (S5 E4)

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/chi_bellami/6268722278/

I still think 9:00 is a little too late in the evening for a drive through lonely back roads. But, not having a television, I did it anyway. For Sunday nights must mean the magic of Downton Abbey (do I really mean magic? perhaps it's just entertainment). And who would miss that? 

Our host turned the lights down, and I soon felt a soft tongue on my hand as the resident doggie climbed into my lap. She (at least I think it's a she) did this on and off throughout the broadcast, until it was time to deliver me back to my car. She was very loyal, and sweet. She would sometimes sleep on my lap and then wake up for another furtive lick. In between times, she and I together watched the dramas playing out before us. She behaved as if she was also interested, in: 

Doggie's eyes mysteriously glued to the television

• Thomas, creeping mysteriously back from town looking horrible
• the Dowager Countess visiting her old Russian aristocratic beau in the catacombs while Lady Rose served soup
• choir boys drifting past along the city street under a blue sky
• Molesley discovering that being the First Footman isn't all it was cracked up to be
• a marriage proposal from Lord Merton, with the accompaniment of appropriately sweet background strings
• the wonder of 3-second-per-day 'aristocratic parenting'
• Lord Gillingham being ridiculous
• Cora giving Lord Grantham the shake down after he had been ridiculous
• Lord Gillingham winning the prize for being the most ridiculous when Mary tries to break it off

And that's only scratching the surface!

I do so hope she is able to be rid of Lord Gillingham. For the life of me I can't figure out why he is a 'Lord' in the first place. And why would he have money and estates, when he so clearly is a dweeb? I never did understand that about England.

Of real concern is the fact that the constable keeps showing up (just like detective Columbo) to talk about the hideous Mr. Green. Why, oh why, can't he just go away and leave us all alone? Poor Bates!

As we came to the end of the episode, I felt the soft warmth of the doggie wriggling around on my lap. It is always nice to have a new and furry friend to comfort one while working out the confusions of the upper classes. I never did work them out. But I did simply love the line Lord Morton used during his proposal of marriage:

"I really should go down on one knee, but I fear I’d never get up again."

It was romantic. I was charmed. 

Really - who could resist such a proposal?

See you along the way!

the SconeLady

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chi_bellami/6268722278/">Chi Bellami</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>