Grundoon59

Episode 15.20 - Pendrick's Planetary Parlour I am not as great a fan of James Pendrick as others in the Murdochian fan universe are (I am now ducking out of the way to avoid the ire of the Pendrick admirers) but I did enjoy the episode. I made a guess at who was the likely killer early on and was proved right but did like the journey in getting to the reveal. Especially liked Struthers and wouldn't mind her popping up again in the future. Also glad to see George featured so prominently and was worried that he might be taking steps away from the police force (if I am remembering his appearance on Frankie Drake, he made some successful investments that enabled him to live comfortably in the 1920s and that could have started with Pendrick). Continuing to feel for Margaret and have a sense that as Julia warned, she may find out something she does not want to know.

@Ailianna - I forgot to add to my post - all happy thoughts and good wishes for a successful procedure and speedy recovery. Take good care of yourself and I look forward to your future posts.

I am also in the 3/5 Rent/Lizzie Borden/Harvey Milk club. All three of those fell neatly into my oddly shaped wheel house. Central American geography is a weak spot for me (with South America not far behind) so even if you had spotted me the country, I probably would not have gotten the answer. I am embarrassed I didn't get Dorothy Parker - thanks to several stays at the Algonquin Hotel with Mother Grundoon, I had a fascination with the Round Tablers. However in reading the clue, I thought it was saying her death was in the twenties, not the poem and went down other paths trying to come up with an answer. But in her honor (even though they have nothing to do with her), I will bring Parker House Rolls with plenty of butter for all tables.

@ECM1231 Welcome - it is a fun group of folks who have helped me get through some tough times the past with humor and trivia (always a good combination). As I have probably mentioned before Broadway Musicals would be one of my dream categories - having said that I would hope not to fall flat on my face should the Jeopardy gods ever grant me a visit to the show. Rent is not one of my favorite shows but it was an Instaget. With my luck, if I were ever on the show, I would get lots of science and/or Central/South American geography questions like Monday's FJ which if you had spotted me the country, I would not have gotten right.

15.19 - Brother Can You Spare a Crime? Utterly agree with @auchic and @peacheslatour, Watts is my favorite and needs to be happy. But I will admit to wondering if Milo was not necessarily someone to rely on for the long term. Maybe he will return soon but his the manner of his departure was definitely not cool. I was also suspicious of the family especially given their demonization of the people in the camp. I hope the father, son and daughter all have pay a price for their actions, especially since no one except Murdoch and Watts seemed to give a rip about Morris. Sounds like Opal was the gem (pardon the pun) of the family although not entirely saintly. Glad Murdoch and Watts didn't give up until the truth came out. Glad they are giving Margaret something more to do this season - she did a good job of still looking haunted by Bobby's situation at the beginning of the episode but having some of it erased as she settled in at the clinic and was helping others. Good on ya Brackenreid for putting pressure on the cafe owner but you need to put your money where your mouth is (and he did).

4/5 with 1* (which I got with a pure guess after getting stuck on Cyrano but thinking he wouldn't be considered ridiculous). Got M-W and thought I was on a roll but I couldn't make my Thursday brain come up with any Sicilian cities Sarajevo was just one of those things I knew and for Tuesday, a long ago fascination with early years of the Oscars (and movies of the 1930s) took me right to Gable. My favorite FJ of the week though was the Guggenheim - I was lucky enough to visit many times with the Parental Grundoons in my formative years and it was the kind of museum where we might be at different paces looking at exhibits but would wait up before descending another level (always took the elevator up and made our way down). One particularly fond memory is of an exhibit of abstract art with lots of pieces with names like "Untitled No. 2" which all of us found funny for some reason. Father Grundoon and I were about half a level away when we heard Mother Grundoon's laughter echoing across the atrium - we knew exactly which painting she was looking at and had predicted the reaction. Sophisticated and/or jaded New Yorkers were not as amused as we were but we didn't care.

Wouldn't mind at all because I have only heard nice stories about him but we are from great distances apart in Canada

I enjoyed seeing the Detroit clues (even if I could think of several that would have worked but been slightly harder). WDIV is my news station of choice in addition to airing Jeopardy so fun to see the anchors reading the clues. Mother Grundoon was at Tiger Stadium for the Mandela event and worked summers during college in the 40s at the Willow Run plant (which is actually well outside Detroit). Plus with the last name of Howe, I have spent decades answering the question "So, are you related to Gordie?" - the answer is no, despite Father Grundoon also hailing from Canada. For FJ, I could not get my brain to summon up cities in Sicily fast enough to get it right - I just said Naples even though I was sure it was not right.

Since the Sondheim category would be on my dream Jeopardy board (in fact if I could make the whole board just random facts about his musicals/career, I would be a thrilled contestant), I was afraid they wouldn't get to all the clues since they seemed to be avoiding it for awhile. But I cheered as they answered each and every one of them. I would have included some other of his shows like Company or Merrily We Roll Along or Gypsy but I was glad Assassins and Into the Woods made the cut. FJ was an Instaget for me - I went through a period of intense interest in movies of the 1930s and knew the movies/Gable right away.

Episode 15.18 - Patriot Game - I agree @auchic - the best part for me was watching Watts' reactions to Terrence Meyers. Everyone else has gotten so used to the insanity Meyers brings with him that seeing him with fresh eyes was wonderful (plus it was Watts). Also loved the reveal on Project Iguana. Happy they gave Margaret something more to do - do not mess with her or her man. Always delightful to see George and enjoyed Higgins wanting more time with the ballerina. I also liked the refresher course on Russian/Korean/Japanese early 20th century history. I learned some of it back in college but had forgotten the ins and outs.

Thanks for the picture @PBnJay! My Monday/work-addled brain couldn't cope with looking for one and/or figuring out how to post it. Happy Paczki Day all!

Somehow got to 5/5 with one*. Monday and Friday were guesses but I was solid for the middle of the week. Being a Girl Scout all the way from Brownie through Senior helped (had a discussion about it being an * while buying cookies this past weekend.) Willie Loman and the Addams family were Instagets largely due to love of theater. I am still recovering from the idea that the Von Trapps were fictional. To celebrate Mardi Gras and the amazing generosity the Polish people are showing the refugees, I offer up a variety of paczki (ridiculously caloric donuts that are sinfully good).

I always try to remember that the players have accomplished more than I have just by getting there and that I have no idea what I would do if I really had no clue for FJ. But Geez Louise, saying the Von Trapps were a fictional family made me want to throw something at my television set. Maybe it is because I got to stay at their lodge in Stowe as a kid and meet Maria but that answer made me insane for a minute or two. I apologize to anyone in the metro Detroit area who may have been disconcerted by my overly loud ranting.

As a long time (if long ago) Girl Scout, trefoil took me straight to Juliette Gordon Low. It is just one of those names that always stuck with me although I did go through the mental conversation of is there an e on the end or not. I even remember reading a children's biography of her which talked about her losing her hearing in part because a grain of rice tossed on her wedding day lodged in her ear (may be totally folklore but the image always stuck with me). I agree if the Richmond professor missed W&M, it would have been bad - actually surprised they didn't all get it from the way I was yelling at the screen.

S15.E17 Bloodlines I enjoyed the episode - a million years ago in a college history class, we had to do an exercise involving the different viewpoints in the civil rights movement of the early 20th Century and I was part of the W.E.B. Dubois group so I have always had a fond spot for him even if I didn't always agree with his viewpoint - he had a remarkable career. My appreciation for Mrs. Hart continues to grow but I am still not sure whether Cassie is someone to be fully trusted or not. I figured out part of the who done it reasonably early but not the why. I liked Brackenreid's attitude and helpfulness but have to wonder if he would have been the same before Nomi became part of his life. I liked the Julia/William/Harry story but I am ready for a break from the Harry stories for a minute. Nothing against the young actor but I will appreciate the air time given him to be used to see more of George, Watts, Higgins, other characters.

3/5 but 2*. I knew that Tuesday and Thursday were responses that would make me slap my forehead when I heard them but I could not get anywhere near Big Bird or Hemingway. Duluth was an Instaget thanks to Great Lakes familiarity (I just ran around a mental map of Lake Superior). In my mid to late teens, I went through a period of fascination with the French Revolution so the Reign of Terror zipped right to the front of my brain. For Friday, I can only thank the Stratford Ontario Shakespeare Festival for having seen Merry Wives of Windsor enough that I got the answer very quickly. I spent the weekend making a new batch of chunky applesauce which has three ingredients (if you count spices as just one) which I will offer up as a side dish or dessert. Happy Belated Birthday @bybrandy!

4/5 for me this week - it would have been a clean sweep if only I could have gotten my poor, tired Friday brain to remember that it knew the Chekhov reference (but it wouldn't help me out). I was not 100% sure on the date for Trivial Pursuit but I knew it was about that time and frankly couldn't think of anything else to guess. The Tuesday quote sounded like Christie (given her love for Egypt) so again I went with a guess (and the thought of the upcoming movie did play around in my brain). For Wednesday, I didn't even think in terms of tree trunks so San Diego was my only thought and on Thursday, I went right to Mother Theresa for some reason. Every bit of food sounds yummy - I will offer up after-dinner chocolates with Happy Valentine's wishes for all!

I agree about FJ - I was referring more to her wager for the Daily Double in Vice Presidents. Given how she was doing on the other questions in the category, it could have been a chance for her to bet big and be in a better position for FJ. But I understand completely that in the heat of the game, it might be hard to risk everything even with a "good" category. But hey, she did better than I have ever done just by getting there so who am I to judge.

I agree with you @shapeshifter, I was surprised at the low DD wager Michelle made especially given the category. However I have no idea how I would react in similar circumstances should I ever make it to the show. It might fall into the "is this too good to be true" area where caution might take over. I have nothing against Lawrence but I was rooting for Michelle since Allen Park is adjacent to the city I live in and I will (almost) always hope for a local to do well.

@dgpolo - thanks for the Amelia Peabody mention. I was a devoted Elizabeth Peters reader - enjoyed all of her series of mysteries. I agree they would make a good movie/tv series. I wonder if Acorn ever considered them.

The Algonquin missed answer hurt and I am surprised she couldn't hear me screaming the answer at her (but then the space time continuum would never be a strong category for me). Mother Grundoon and I stayed there several times on trips to NYC around my early December birthday. A lovely hotel (smallish rooms but as Mother Grundoon would say, "we did not come to New York to sit in a hotel room") with so much history and a perfect location. Great cabaret for many years, elegant lobby and bar plus it had a resident cat. Even managed to see a couple of minor celebrities - Teller was finishing tea in the lobby as we were starting ours (didn't hear him speak) and I almost tripped over Tommy Tune in the front desk area while he was checking in and we were checking out (the year prior we had seen him in a one man show of song and dance - he was very gracious about me nearly kicking him and took time to speak to Mother Grundoon as well which made her day).

I am somewhat embarrassed that I have never been to Busch Garden Williamsburg. While I was in school, I never had a car and left the area before summer even started. On subsequent trips, I have either been attending reunions or concentrating on CW. @Browncoat & @zoey1996, you are making it sound so nice that I will put it on my to do list.

4/5 with 1*. For Monday, I knew that I knew the answer but could not get Gertrude Stein to rise to the top level of my thoughts. For Tuesday, I knew the papal history part but mainly have to credit my junior & senior high French teachers who made us learn and sing "Sur Le Pont D'Avignon" so much that I still have at least most of the lyrics in my memory banks. Wednesday was a lucky guess since Queen's Gambit is still on my to be watched list. For the Eisenhower jacket, I must give credit to Father Grundoon - he was in the WWII infantry, European theater and told me about a lot of things (only the stuff he thought I could/should be able to handle). Friday was an instaget because even though I haven't been in over ten years, I do consider myself I Disneyaholic and Twilight Zone is one of my favorite rides. I am starting to get my cooking enthusiasm back and will offer up a Roast Chicken (trying a new recipe) with a side of Wild Rice for the table.

I don't know which TS hurt my musical loving heart the most - Shirley McLaine, Big River or Fred Astaire. Shirley's is the classic understudy being discovered because the star couldn't go on. Big River is one of my favorite musicals (I do have many). I was lucky enough to have seen the original touring cast with Ron Richardson who had a voice that could lift your soul. It also had John Goodman in a supporting role. Mother Grundoon and I also loved the revival we saw on Broadway which included hearing impaired and non- hearing actors in many roles - it was an amazing production. But for sheer sentiment, Fred Astaire probably hurt the most. The parental Grundoons saw Royal Wedding while they were "courting". They always claimed 'How could you believe me when I said I love you when you know I've been a liar all my life?' was "their" song.

Thanks @orza, that makes some sense then. I think I was also playing a game on my phone and that may be why I missed it.