Oh, those pitiful mannish women - with their neat tailleurs, dress-for-success bow blouses, and ostentatious corsages!
And speaking of sapphism, we are terribly busy here at the Apartment Muscato (ex-Villa) in preparation for an imminent visit by my dear sister and her SigOther. I suppose she rather is the clever sister, being so much older (he announced without a trace of cattiness, I assure you), but I keep up (although I do try eschew chokers, what with being a stout party and all).
Sister can in fact be rather formidable, as can Mrs. Sister, but it's still not really on a par with what for me is the standard-setter of such occasions - the fateful days when poor dear Georgie Pillson is descended upon by his own rambunctious pair of visitors, his sisters Hermie and Ursie. I doubt, for example, that our guests will come with either dogs or tennis rackets (or was it golf clubs? I think it was golf clubs). They are distinctly more respectful of bibelots than that dangerous pair, and in general at least a shade more restful.
So if it's quiet hereabouts, you'll now why - we'll be off playing tour guide, being fed (Sister has excellent taste in restaurants), and poring over a great album of family photographs into possession of which she has recently come. In the meantime, if you're looking for some high-quality reading, you can get your own copy of Mrs. Culkin Banning's immortal work here. Enjoy.
It was, indeed, golf clubs. And if your Sister and her SigOther are considerate enough to arrive during daylight and/or at the agreed time, they'll be doing much better than Hermie and Ursie (and terrier) did. Have a lovely time and then tell us all about it.
ReplyDeleteDearest Georgie! And, although the television presentation was rather a mishmash, can one ever think of him without picturing the equally dear Sir Nigel?
ReplyDeleteThe performances were mostly marvelous, but I rather regret seeing the series (however much I enjoyed it), as I had had my own very specific ideas about how the rooms looked, and of course that's such an important part of the stories. Sir Nigel was spot on, but I had always though Mapp rather more... ample, shall we say, than Prunella Scales.
DeleteAgreed on all points...the Garden Room, in particular, was not at all as I had imagined It and, nowadays, Prunella might well have worn a 'fat suit'...
ReplyDeleteBut weren't the costumes marvelous!
DeleteThe costumes were inspirational, Miss McEwan's in particular - and utterly spot on for the demi-monde of the 1930s. If either Sister or Mrs Sister turns up in one of Lucia's Victor-Stiebel-esque numbers, I demand to see pictures! Jx
DeleteOh, now I'm going to have to reread all the Lucia books. This is not a complaint, mind you.
ReplyDelete