Harold Skimpole

Is Harold Skimpole one of Dicken's nastiest characters?   We spent Saturday and Sunday nights watching episodes from Nute's boxed set of "Bleak House" - the BBC adaptation with Gillian Anderson as a brilliant and beautiful lady Dedlock.  It is the Beeb at its best.  Wonderfully cast, wonderfully acted, wonderfully scripted, and of course (thank you Charles Dickens) wonderfully written.

Charles Dance as Tulkinghorne!   And I hope the actor who played Guppy - Burn Gorman - has gone on to great things.    We met Mr.Woodcourt's illustrious ancestor last night, Morgan Ap Kerrig.  They can't put everything in of course, but I am glad they kept Mr. Ap Kerrig in.  We haven't seen much of Mrs Jellyby, but I suppose she is almost a book to herself. Sometimes when I re-read it, I just go through picking out the Skimpole and Jellyby bits.

And the ending is perfect.  Spot-on for today too, sadly.

Col has been out a'rescuing.  I don't know if you read the sad story of the two young lads who drowned off the beach at Brighton?   One waded in to save the other,who was being swept away. SUSSAR was called out to search for bodies. They had no chance in that sea, at night.  It was fierce.

Both bodies were found.   I hope - I am sure - that Jehovah remembers them, and that they are sleeping safe in "the everlasting arms", with a wonderful awakening ahead of them when the earth has been restored to Paradise.  

But I can't imagine what their families are now going through.

Our meeting at the Kingdom Hall yesterday helped us to hold on, to keep walking "the narrow road" the will lead us safely to the earthly Paradise, and we were reminded always always to hold fast to Jehovah's word - to try to be holy in all our conduct (insofar as is possible for our imperfect selves) and to keep following in Jesus' footsteps.

I did manage to get out on the preaching work - to tell people of the perfect rescue that is in hand - but only for half an hour.  I hope to do a lot better this week.  Tammy and I were rained off.