Sunday Praise: What’s been making me happy lately?
- Anyone who knows me knows my love for Kevin Bacon. He shared this joyous clip this week of famous on screen dances all spliced together to Footloose. It is wonderfully done and is guaranteed to make you smile.
- Stella wants a dog, so her strategy is to leave random notes around the house. This was her latest…
- My new online programme for Seamus Heaney HomePlace launched this week and while I don’t get the same buzz as live events, it’s still good to be presenting great writers like Kevin Barry, Donal Ryan, Cathy Rentzenbrink and Colum McCann.
- I’ve not been entirely convinced about watching theatre online, but this week I saw Mark O’Rowe’s new play The Approach presented by Landmark Productions and it was really powerful and worked well online.
- You know that feeling when you really, really want to get your hands on a proof and then you finally get your hands on that proof? My most anticipated read of the year dropped through my letter-box this week and I may have squealed with joy.
- I discovered a page on Facebook called Jaded in Japan and it is filled with the most stunning artwork.
- I’m a big fan of a true crime podcast and Where is George Gibney? is fantastic. The story of this one-time stellar Irish swimming coach is grimly fascinating. The subject matter is very difficult though, so it won’t be for everyone.
- I have a rather bizarre love for long-nibbed pens, but can never find them in the shops here. Instead, I order them from Greece! These lovelies arrived this week.
- We have been re-watching Black Books. It’s very dated but still very funny. Although we always watch it after a few glasses of wine so that might be why…
- Belfast’s Paradasso Theatre Company announced a festival dedicated to Brian Moore. Lonely Passions: Brian Moore Centenary Festival will take place in August and I’m really looking forward to taking part.
- And finally, the death of the wonderful Christopher Plummer did NOT make me happy this week, but this always does. RIP you wonderful man.
So, what in your life deserves some praise this week? Let me know in the comments!
Sunday Praise black books christopher plummer homeplace mark o'rowe Sunday Praise
Cathy746books View All →
I am a 40 something book buying addict trying to reduce the backlog one book at a time!
746books.com 
Black Books! The wine episode is the best! And I’m envious of your Ridgeway proof! And the writers in your events program are ALL super-appealing to me, if only I could get the time zones to work 🤪
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Thanks Kim! All the events are available for 3 days in case you are still tempted 😊
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Oh, that’s very handy to know. Thanks.
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Having had a very quiet and steady week, I guess I have to be thankful that nothing new or dramatic happened! 😅
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And sometimes that is exactly what is needed!
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We’ve been watching Bridgerton. I know it’s a Problematic Fave (as the kids say) and I can see a few issues with it, but it’s been making me so happy.
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Haven’t watched it yet but it looks like a lot of fun!
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SUCH fun. There’s a bit of bonking so maybe cover the kids’ eyes for that…
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Black Books is pure LOVE!
And C.Pummer news was really sad. He was, of course, one of my first childhood crushes – The Sound of Music and his character there ❤
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Oh mine too. I loved him.
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Tamsin Grieg in Black Books – Hysterical!
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She’s SO good!!
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Some of my kids went through a similar phase re: getting a dog. I resisted (because I knew I would end up doing the work), but tested it by dog-sitting for a friend… as I suspected, when it came to picking up poo, and having to walk the dog twice a day, the pestering stopped!
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Yes, that might be a good plan!
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She really does want that dog, doesn’t she! Maybe I should watch Black Books for the third time.
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We watched the ‘Tower of Soup’ episode last night. So, so funny.
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Ha ha, love the dog campaign! We have quite a bit of cat/dog pestering here since our old moggy died a year ago. PS Watched Game Night the other day, on your recommendation. I said to my husband “ooh let’s watch this, Cathy746 said it was good”, cue quizzical eyebrow (who!?)!!” Loved it
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Ha! Glad you enjoyed Game Night!
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I was also very sad about Christopher Plummer’s passing. 91 years young! I teared up a bit now watching that clip from The Sound of Music.
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I loved him so!
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Same!
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Black Books dated? really? I still think of it as modern. Haven’t seen it for a while though.
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The humour hasn’t dated, just the style I suppose. It’s 20 years old this year!
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Stella’s note has given me a good laugh. I applaud her novel technique 😂
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This is one note out of about 20 – I find them everywhere!
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Stella sounds quite determined! I never gave in to my children, but often now find myself wishing we had a dog…
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I’d love one but the work and the money has to be taken into consideration! She’s a persistent one though 🙂
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Sounds like you had a lot of good things happen this week. I loved that Footloose Video. I have not hear of Black Books, but I am Canadian. I will have to see if I can find it somewhere. Have a great upcoming week Cathy.
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Thanks Carla, I love anything to do with Footloose!
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Lots to make you happy, Cathy! Keep me updated on the puppy campaign 🙂
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I love the dancing compilation, how many times does Fred Astaire appear?! It’s incredible and enough to make me start thinking of going back to IG!
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It’s just wonderful isn’t it? I loved it!
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The yearning for a pup… picking up poo is a huge incentive if you ask me.
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I really enjoyed the Footloose clip, I love a movie with dance routines!
Wishing you a great reading week
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Oh me too!
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I nearly screamed when I saw that note from Stella – because I remember leaving the EXACT SAME NOTE (on more than one occasion) for my parents. Their biggest objection to getting a dog was always that I wouldn’t pitch in taking care of it. If it’s any comfort, when I inevitably wore them down, I did indeed pick up the poo, for as long as I lived at home and I was happy to do it. 😉❤️
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Brilliant! That’s good to know 🙂
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I love podcast recommendations, especially in the true crime realm! I’m downloading this one for this weekend, thank you! What other good ones did you enjoy?
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I loved West Cork and enjoyed Serial and S-Town but I’m pretty new to podcasts myself.
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Serial is an old favorite too, and S-Town as well! I’m a total podcast addict 🙂
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