No I haven’t disappeared . . . .

I have no computer access at home and the battery is about to go on this laptop. See you when things get straightened out. Back to my meal at Mickey D’s.

Richard Armitage goodness in my four fav characters

An awwwwwwww moment.

First let me say this is NOT my manip, haven’t gotten that far yet with my skills. In fact, I don’t know who to attribute it to, so if the fan who did create it happens to see this, please let me know so I can credit you. It’s lovely! Judit mentioned wanting to see Mr. A holding a baby. Let’s all join in a collective sigh, now, shall we?
Edit: Thanks to old eagle eye Servetus, we seem to have located the creator, Richard’s babe of http://richardsbabesdoodles.blogspot.com Thanks, Dr. S.

More Lucas and Ros . . . my favorite Spooks

Sexy Lucas . . .

Need I say more? Look at the evidence . . .

 

Lucas love . . .

The keen intelligence. The dry wit. The disarming smiles. The heroism. The undeniable beauty. Lucas North, the spy I love.

 

 

Love me some Lucas & Ros . . .

 

 

 

A mixed bag of Guy, Lucas and Portah (with some Deeming on the side)

 

 

More Porter Perfection for you

 

 

 

 

He’s my superstar . . .

Assorted and Sundry Armitage

OT: OK, now I want an otter. The charming “Ring of Bright Water”

Ring of Bright Water (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have my ice pack on my shoulder and pain meds in my system and enjoying some nature therapy. The 1969 film Ring of Bright Water has been on this afternoon and I found it quite delightful. Starring real-life couple Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna (of Born Free fame) and based on naturalist  Gavin Maxwell‘s book, the film chronicles the story of Graham (Travers), a  jaded Londoner, who adopts an orphaned otter, a situation that does not work very well in his London flat.

Graham, who has always intended to write a book, decides to move to the Scottish highlandswhere he and Mij the otter live in a ramshackle cottage. Graham manages to keep putting off writing that book (instead, he works on fixing up the place, he sketches Mij and takes notes about his unusual pet).  He also meets

Derelict bothy at Sandaig Sandaig is an evocative place because this is where Gavin Maxwell wrote the famous book 'Ring of Bright Water'. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

the very attractive town doctor, played by McKenna, and the three, along with the good doctor’s spaniel,  become fast friends.  There are orphaned geese which Graham rather ham-fistedly attempts to teach how to fly, and his harpooning of a toothless shark in hopes of feeding Mij (too bad it turns out he doesn’t like shark steaks) amongst other adventures.

It’s a sweet, humorous and touching film suitable for all ages, with beautiful scenery and a scene-stealing performance by Mij. Dang it, that otter is just tooooo cute.

Maxwell's Otter. The memorial to Gavin Maxwell - a very appropriate statue of an otter, beautifully sited on a promontory overlooking Luce Bay. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Portercandy

Because we are equal opportunity oglers. And Portah is soooooo yummy.

 

 

 

 

Armitage as ministering angel and humble hero

More John Porter. Can anyone of us forget those moments when he introduced himself to Katie, checking her injuries and doing his best to console and encourage her. “Trust me.”  And she did. And we did. Don’t we all have moments in life when we wish a John Porter would show up and console and encourage us? And then there’s that lovely “aw-shucks” moment when Porter gets the approval of the nun, who now realizes he truly is “a good man sent by God.” Love his smile here.  Love John Porter. My hero.

Porter as loving dad

We’ve seen Richard Armitage play a dad in a few productions–Shakespeare Retold, Between the Sheets, The Impressionists and Strike Back (and stepdad in Sparkhouse) and just as he strikes all the right notes as ardent lover and romantic hero, RA makes us believe in him as a loving, caring father.

I love this particular scene from Strike Back in which Porter, missing and presumed dead, appears on the doorstep to be greeted by his daughter and wife.  The embrace he gives Alex, so all encompassing, the expression on his face–showing his pleasure is being able to hold his beloved daughter once more–positively tugs at the heartstrings.

 

Part of Porter’s immense appeal is his tender side–the part of him that is so gentle with a traumatized Katie, the part that can’t reject the opportunity to aid orphans, the part that seeks to comfort his tearful little girl and later, to give her that wonderful “I’m glad to be home” hug. He’s big, tough and ruthless when need be; but he is also a kind and gentle man. He’s been estranged from his daughter after his life fell to pieces following the debacle of the Bratton extraction, but we know he never stopped loving or wanting to be with her.

I look forward to seeing Richard playing more dad roles in the future. As in so many other things, he does it so well.  (I still dream of him in the Atticus Finch role in To Kill a Mockingbird.)