ncis

Oct

2019

READ

Passing Strange – Ellen Kloges

A short little book about witches living in New Orleans that preserve themselves in artwork.

Writers: Their Lives and Works – James Naughtie

A brief overview of several different authors, including some I was not aware of

National Geographic July 2019

Eye to Eye – Frans Lanting

This is such a beautiful book of photography from Frans Lanting. I particularly love his photos of elephants and the different wild cats.

Moscow: An Illustrated History – Kathleen Berton Murrell

This was an interesting short history (with black and white illustrations) of how the capital city of Moscow came to be.

Monster, She Wrote – Lisa Kroger and Melanie R Andersen

This is an absolutely fascinating book about all the pioneering (and a lot of forgotten) female writers of horror, ghost stories and speculative fiction. A lot of these women were sometimes the first in their fields, predating men who are often considered the pioneers.

WATCHED

Madam Secretary

4×15 The Unnamed – Well this had shades of Aung San Suu Kyi and the Rohingya.

4×16 My Funny Valentine – Puppies!

4×17 Phase Two

4×18 The Friendship Game

4×19 Thin Ice

4×20 The Things We Get to Say

The Originals (Parent’s First Watch)

3×05 The Axeman’s Letter – They completely agree Aurora is nuts

3×06 Beautiful Mistake – They loved Freya breaking the necks of all the Strix

3×07 Out of the Easy – They thought the Thanksgiving decorations and dinner were excellent, and were most approving of Freya breaking Aurora’s neck.

3×08 The Other Girl in New Orleans – They got quite the shock when they saw Finn!

3×09 Savior – They loved the Christmas decorations. Totally didn’t see the ending with Cami’s death coming. They also were quite shocked at Elijah having to dagger Rebekah!

3×10 A Ghost Along the Mississippi – Dad says this show has some of the best scriptwriting ever. They totally didn’t see Cami pulling the switch with Aurora and locking Tristan in the box coming!

Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure

1×01 Venice, Albania and Turkey – Utterly stunning scenery and fascinating information

NCIS

16×02 Love Thy Neighbour – This show is getting good again. So glad Maria Bello is in it. And this was an excellent piece of character development for Torres

The Team

2×05 I’m glad Tarek and Rasha are okay.

2×06 Seriously Nelly and Gregor? Did we HAVE to? Also, it’s like no one can kill the maniac birdwatcher!

2×07

2×08 I’m glad someone finally got the maniac birdwatcher. He was nuts!

Elementary

1×03 Child Predator – This episode was so good. Such twists!

The Blacklist

5×03 Miss Rebecca Thrall (No 76) – This show has lost something along the way. The writing is not as tight, and the characters are acting out of character.

Sep

2019

Adding in the extra Saturday from last week.

READ

National Geographic History – July/August 2019

National Geographic – August 2019

Fascinating look at migration and how it affects the world.

National Geographic – September 2019

This was a really interesting issue not he Arctic, and how it is melting during climate change. It also had a fascinating article on the dangers of the permafrost melting.

WATCHED

Madam Secretary

4×06 Loophole

4×07 North to the Future – Kat Sandoval looks so smart in her suit.

4×08 The Fourth Estate

4×09 Minefield – I think Stevie would be an awesome President. Kat Sandoval is awesome.

The Team

2×02

2×03 – Is it really necessary for Gregor to hit on every woman he encounters? Also, I hope Helle did kill Morten because he is a creepy psycho Nazi

2×04 – So sad. Psycho Nazi lived.

The Originals

2×16 Save My Soul – Mum and Dad’s reaction to Vincent saying Eva was his ex-wife was hilarious

2×17 Exquisite Corpse – So huge grins and thumbs up when Freya breaks out of the magic binding chains and snaps Klaus’ neck. They also enjoyed her killing Esther, too.

2×18 Night Has a Thousand Eyes – They thought Dahlia was great fun and they were both glad to see the end of Mikael.

2×19 When the Levee Breaks – They weren’t particularly pleased with Dahlia when Aiden died, but boy did they get a huge shock when Klaus got daggered!

2×20 City Beneath the Sea – They both agreed that now that Klaus is awake, he’s going to be a tad cranky.

Inspector Rex

1×15 Under the Streets of Vienna

Arrow

5×20 Underneath – One of the best episodes they’ve done in a while! See, Arrow, this is what happens when you focus on the ladies.

NCIS

16×01 Destiny’s Child – Kayla Vance is awesome. And Jack laughing as Hakim ranted was hilarious.

Jul

2019

Double shot this week because I had a migraine last week.

Read

When Everything Changed – Gail Collins

A picture of my poodle Rosie looking at the book "Everything Changed" by Gail Collins — Rosie and Everything Changed by Gail Collins

A fascinating look at the way women’s rights have changed over the years.

Drop Dead Healthy – AJ Jacobs

This was an interesting read, but it’s hard to find any relevancy when you have chronic illness. Chronic illness makes it difficult to do any of the things recommended.

Pachinko – Min Jin Lee

This book was interesting, because it kept you engrossed even though it was not a happy story.

Watched

Grimm

5×15 Skin Deep: It was like watching an episode of Botched. Also, Eve turning into Renard was beyond creepy

5×16 The Believer

5×17 Inugami

5×18 Good to the Bone

5×19 The Taming of the Wu

5×20 Bad Night

5×21 Beginning of the End Part 1

5×22 The Beginning of the End Part 2

6×01 Fugitive

6×02 Trust Me Knot

6×03 Oh Captain, My Captain

6×04 El Cuegle

6×05 The Seven Year Itch

Elementary

6×01 An Infinite Capacity for Taking Pains

6×02 Once You’ve Ruled Out God: I love this show. And their episode titles

The Blacklist

4×18 Philomena (no.61)

4×19 Dr Bogdan Krylov (No.29)

The Flash

3×16 Into the Speed Force

3×17 Duet: I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this episode and how much I didn’t expect to. Cisco can sing! Loved “Dads” Martin and Joe. Also, why is Kara awesome in every show except her own?

Inspector Soneri Fog and Crimes 3 – The Secret Room

NCIS

15×22 Two Steps Back

15×23 Fallout: I love Kasie.

Hawaii 5-0

3×03 Lan I Ka Moana

3×04 Popilikia: Steve’s mum gives me the creeps.

Arrow 5×16 Checkmate

Wynonna Earp 2×08 No Future in the Past

David Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur

Legends of Tomorrow 2×14 Moonshot

Rizzoli and Isles 7×10 For Richer or Poorer

Kommisar (Inspector) Rex 1×2

Jun

2019

Read

A black poodle Rosie, in red and grey stripped pajamas sitting next to the book "Born to Drum" — Rosie with Born to Drum by Tony Barrell

Born to Drum – Tony Barrell: I LOVE to drum. I learnt in high school and I was quite good – I won two competitions and I was able to learn things by listening to them. Unfortunately fibromyalgia means that drumming is now very painful, but I still like to read about it and listen to other drummers play.

Landwhale – Jes Baker: Really great book. Very personal story but lots of things resonate

1,339 QI Facts

Watched

Grimm

4×21 Headache

4×22 Cry Havoc: Points to Trubel for finally knocking Juliette off

5×01 The Grimm Identity:Adalind has become remarkably less annoying as time goes on.

5×02 Clear and Wesen Danger

5×03 Lost Boys

5×04 Maiden

5×05 Rat King

5×06 Wesen Nacht – Oh hello, platinum blonde assassin Juliette

The Blacklist

4×16 Dembe Zuma (No. 10)

4×17 Requiem – Are we to assume that Kate’s version of the fire is the real version?

Elementary

5×22 Moving Targets

5×23 Scrambled

5×24 Hurt Me, Hurt You That reveal that the woman that has been kind of stalking Sherlock is all in his head was such a huge twist that I never saw coming. These writers constantly hit it out of the park!

Blue Bloods 1×01 Pilot

The Flash 3×15 The Wrath of Savitar

NCIS 15×21 One Step Forward

Jun

2019

It’s a special double issue this week because the ankle surgery has left me feeling a bit worn out. Enjoy.

READ

Astrid Lindgren by Jens Andersen

The Durrells of Corfu – Michael Haag: I really liked this one because we got more information on things that Gerald didn’t write about. I had no idea that Gerry’s friend Theo studied radiology with Madame Curie! However I did not like that the author was so graphic with what happened to two of their dogs.

Himalaya – Michael Palin: Normally I love his travelogues, but this one bothered me. Not only did he ride on an elephant he watched a mahout hit an elephant with the front end of a bullhook. I really, REALLY hate that.

The Scarlet Pimpernel -Baroness Orczy: I mainly know this book from the mini series with Jane Seymour which I absolutely loved, but it was fun to finally read the book.

Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin – David Ritz: I had no idea what her life was like so this book was a real eye-opener.

Domino 1 – Gail Simone: Any comic written by Gail Simone (a redhead!) is a plus for me, so I knew I had to try this one out and I’m glad I did!

WATCHED

NCIS LA

9×13 Cac Thu Nhan

9×14 Goodbye Vietnam – having two episodes with Hetty’s friends was such a gift and I love that Linda Hunt got a great personal storyline

9×15 Liabilities – Hetty’s back! YAY!

9×16 Warrior of Peace – Nell continues to be awesome, but I found the story morally uncomfortable. Reminds me of an episode where they killed two Iranian security guards even though they didn’t have to.

9×17 The Monster

9×18 The Vendetta

9×19 – Outside the Lines: Nell’s in the field again! Rejoice!

9×20 Reentry

9×21 Where Everybody Knows Your Name: I’m glad Deeks finally got his bar. I think this will be great.

9×22 Venganza

9×23 A Line in The Sand: I’m totally with Deeks here. Mosley’s out of control and is going to get someone killed.

9×24 Ninguna Salida: And smart money says Mosley got someone killed.

Wynonna Earp 2×6 Constant Cravings

Hawaii 5-0 2×23 Ua Hala: The minute I saw Chin checking out Doyle from jail, I knew there was going to be trouble, and I was right. Also, Dad goes “I thought Steve’s mother was dead” and I said “Yeah, well when you see what she does, we’d probably all have preferred she was.” Plus, did Rachel really think Danny wouldn’t fight for Grace? The man literally uprooted his entire life to move to Hawaii just because she was there!

Grimm

4×4 Dyin’ On a Prayer

4×5 Cry Luison

4×6 Highway of Tears

4×7 The Grimm Who Stole Christmas

4×8 Chupacabra – we fast forwarded past the dog getting killed (why do people find it necessary to put this in shows?) but we enjoyed Wu finally finding out that Nick is a Grimm.

4×9 Wesenrein -Well there’s a terrifying parallel with the Ku Klux Klan if there ever was one.

4×10 Tribunal – Dear Wesen Council – stay away from Monroe and Rosalee. Also, I loved Juliette going all Hexenbiest on the Manticore – I hope she does the same to Adalind.

4×11 Death Do Us Part

4×12 Marechausse

4×13 Trial By Fire

4×14 Bad Luck

4×15 Double Date

4×16 Heartbreaker

4×17 Hibernaculam: Well that was weird

4×18 Mishipeshu: This is just getting really weird. And Juliette is out of control

4×19 Iron Hans

4×20 You Don’t Know Jack: And this is just bizarre

Black Lightning

2×1 The Book of Consequences Chapter 1 Rise of the Green Light Babies: Look if Jennifer wants to glow and float in her sleep, let her. And what would she tell a therapist? “I can self-immolate and I like to create growing protective bubbles?” Lynn annoys me.

Lego Masters

1×4

1×5

1×6

1×7

1×8 Not commenting on that final choice. David and G should have won.

Rizzoli and Isles

7×8 ZM7258-100: I know where this show is heading, and I’m not too happy.

Arrow

5×14 Sin-Eater:

NCIS

15×20 Sight Unseen

May

2019

Read

National Geographic

July 1983
March 1975
January 1983
December 1982
November 1964
May 1964
November 1983

Really enjoyed the article in the November 1983 issue about restoring the Last Supper and what the restoration revealed.

The Uncommon Reader – Alan Bennett

This is an interesting little book. It involves the Queen finding a travelling library on her back lawn, and how she becomes so interested in books that she starts ignoring her other jobs.

My Life With Bob – Pamela Paul

It’s so nice to find someone else who keeps a log of every book she reads. Mine is on my computer (simply because writing can be painful with fibromyalgia) and I keep list along with whether I finished it and whether I liked it or not. This was a great travel through the books and experiences that shaped her life.

Watched

Grimm

3×3 A Dish Best Served Cold

3×4 One Night Stand

3×5 El Cucuy (the look of shock on Renard, Nick and Hank’s faces as they find out the scary monster Wesen is a little old lady is PRICELESS)

3×6 Stories We Tell Our Young

3×7 Cold Blooded

3×8 Twelve Days of Krampus

3×9 Red Menace

Black Lightening

1×8 The Book of Revelations (Well, we knew Gambi’s secret had to come out at SOME point)

1×9 The Book of Little Black Lies (Mum and I have decided that Anissa is the most intelligent person on this show).

Agents of Shield

1×1 Pilot (Lola is awesome and so is Maria Hill)

1×2 084 (Melinda May is also awesome)

The Flash

3×13 Attack on Gorilla City

NCIS

15×19 The Numerical Limit (I feel since the last episode they’ve really upped the game. The show is good again)

NCIS LA

8×16 Old Tricks (Always know it’s coming, but I still always cry when I see Hetty get Owen Granger’s letter and the special credit at the end of the show)

8×17 Queen Pin

8×18 Getaway

8×19 767 (Let’s be honest, Cheryl is the real hero of the episode)

8×20 From Havana With Love

Hawaii 5-0

2×20 Ha’alele

Rookie Blue

6×9 Ninety Degrees (I love Marlo and how she’s progressed through the show. Her comments on mental illness were spot on).

6x10 Breaking Up The Band

6×11 Epiphanies –

I’m going to miss this show, because Gail was my favourite character. I was annoyed that they took Holly away – that would have made the last season perfect. So glad Oliver still has Celery – she’s so good for him. I loved Gail in the final scene, standing up the front like Oliver’s enforcer.

I still find it interesting that every single character has progressed throughout the series…except Andy McNally. She showed in the last two episodes that she’s exactly the same as in the pilot. Everyone else (including Duncan/Gerald) has progressed.

So…big thumbs up to training boss Gail and her place as Oliver’s right hand-woman (guns and shoes!), but big thumbs down for dropping Holly out of the show. Not going to forgive for that one, showrunners.

Read and Watched October 6th-12th

Read and Watched – 21st to 28th September

What I Read and Watched – 23 June to 6 July

What I Read and Watched June 10th to June 16th

What I Read and Watched – 26 May to 8th June

What I Read and Watched – 28th April – May 4th