Storm Antoni blows in from the Atlantic and washes out the day really - oh dear! We can't complain, because it was in all the forecasts, and it looks like Hampshire, where we're house-sitting for our daughter Alison's family, is going to be in the middle of it. Damn!
Later, through the house's high Victorian windows, we catch a glimpse of Jules as she trudges back to her car after she's dropped off a totally drenched Sika.
a very drenched "Jules" goes back to her car after
her romp on the common with Sika. Poor Jules !!!!
Lois quickly sponges Sika off with an old towel, just like he was a sweaty old boxing champ, not that she's had any experience of doing that exactly, other than with me of course! And later, in a brief break from the rain and wind, she takes pity on Sika again, and takes him for a little canter herself, just like she does sometimes with me. But don't get the impression that I'm jealous or anything haha!
in a brief break from the storm, Lois takes Sika for a little
walk round the house's extensive 6.5 acre grounds
They arrived in Geneva last night from Florence, via Milan, and spent the evening walking along the lakeside as the sun was setting. Today they've been spent what Ali describes as a "gorgeous day" in and around the lake, with Ed, Josie (16) and Isaac (13) taking the opportunity to do some diving into the lake.
It's obviously a bit warmer there than it is here, to put it mildly.
Lake Geneva today - Ed, Josie and Isaac do some diving
from a platform: in this last photo you can see Ed in mid-air.
20:00 In the evening we wind down for bed with the first half of the second programme in a series taking a fresh look at the life and career of film-star Marilyn Monroe.
And it's interesting that, by half-time in this second programme at least, we haven't seen a single male pundit or "talking head". They've all been women, so the series is definitely making a point there - no question.
We're guessing that when the programme-makers decided to "reframe" Marilyn and her career in the heavily male-dominated film industry, they thought they would do it from a thoroughly female viewpoint, which is interesting.
The first programme in this series, which we saw last night, dispelled any impression that Marilyn was a passive victim of the Hollywood studios and star system - she knew what she wanted to achieve in her career and she really went for it, without giving in to any of the predatory film-moguls who wanted to go to bed with her, so good for her!
In 1952, however, a scandal broke that threatened to ruin her fledgeling career, just as she was taking one of her early starring roles in a hit film, "Love Happy". The scandal was all about a nude calendar she had modelled for a few years earlier, when she was broke and couldn't afford to pay her rent.
When she was called in to studio boss Darryl Zanuck's office, Marilyn decided to tough it out, not apologising and not explaining, and "embracing her sexuality" as the programme calls it. So good for her (again) ! Zanuck and the studio bosses weren't really concerned about any moral implications, but they were very anxious that the scandal might be bad for their business, needless to say.
The programme stresses how ahead of her time Marilyn was, to take this approach, which soon became public knowledge. It was a risky move, and she was "rolling the dice" with her career.
And, no doubt impressed by the reaction of the press and the public, Columbia boss Darryl Zanuck relented and gave Marilyn the lead role in "Niagara", a film that went out of its way to stress her sexuality. So all was well in the end.
Tremendous fun !!!!
She followed all this up in December 1953 with being Playboy Magazine's first front-cover plus centrefold, and the issue sold out. Then came her starring role with Rita Hayworth in the film "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", and there she was - fully accepted and probably the biggest star in the world.
The film showed that Marilyn wasn't just a pretty face but could also be genuinely funny and comedic. In 1955 she was a guest on the Jack Benny show.
22:00 We go to bed - zzzzzzzz!!!!!!
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