S11.E05: Episode 5

[libgirl2]

Well I like Lucille, she puts me at ease. 

[Leeds]

 

13 hours ago, MissLucas said:

For me it would be toss between Phyllis and Sister Julienne - when push comes to shove -ahem- I'd pick Sister Julienne. 

After having had a kid or two myself, I'll take the one yelling at me to push, lass, rather than the one sanctimoniously praying over me.

 

14 hours ago, Daff said:

Yuk. Raspberry or cherry might be good, but orange? That’s just wrong. 

 

12 hours ago, Suzn said:

I love orange flavor with chocolate!

Who else remembers when the original Terry's Chocolate Orange was a once-a-year treat when once-a-year treats still existed?

Edited April 19, 2022 by Leeds

[Suzn]

17 minutes ago, Leeds said:

 

 

After having had a kid or two myself, I'll take the one yelling at me to push, lass, rather than the one sanctimoniously praying over me.

 

 

Who else remembers when the original Terry's Chocolate Orange was a once-a-year treat when once-a-year treats still existed?

I don't remember the brand, but I do remember a big orange shaped, orange flavored chocolate.

[Kenzie]

4 hours ago, labresq said:

I feel like I'm the only person feeling shocked at seeing that Trixie and Matthew are sleeping together.  Totally shocked.  

It seemed rushed but then I guess it had to be (filming-wise.) With Trixie leaving they probably didn't want their already slow-building relationship to hang on a short, chaste street kiss until next season.

[Kenzie]

3 hours ago, Daff said:

14 hours ago, EllaWycliffe said:

The cookie/biscuit that the little girl brought her paralyzed dad. Its orange cookie,  basically, with a chocolate topping and under the chocolate topping is a little dollop of orange jam filling. So yummy. Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Jaffa-Cakes-Biscuit-Covered-Chocolate/dp/B000LRIG6W/ref=sr_1_5?crid=5XD2EKT0OZ7X&keywords=jaffa+cakes&qid=1650252836&sprefix=jaffa%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-5

Yuk. Raspberry or cherry might be good, but orange? That’s just wrong. 

One of the most popular items at Trader Joes at Christmas time is a chocolate, orange-flavored  ball that looks like an orange and is sectioned just like you would the real thing. It's surprisingly good!

[Daff]

2 hours ago, zoey1996 said:

All the usual paraphernalia surrounding getting your periods was well represented, but at that time I think most might have thought tampons could be omitted, because they are inserted rather than worn.  I got my period at age 10 in 1961 or ‘62, and that was considered young.  Even when you know what to expect, getting your first period can be upsetting and embarrassing.

At age 15, a friend and I split the cost of a box of 10 tampons (it was August, 90 degrees, and we were desperate to go swimming). My mother and sister both split their sides, laughing. “Those are only for married women!”  

[Daff]

6 minutes ago, Kenzie said:

One of the most popular items at Trader Joes at Christmas time is a chocolate, orange-flavored  ball that looks like an orange and is sectioned just like you would the real thing. It's surprisingly good!

Tobblerone? However it’s spelled, never appealed to me. Give me a juicy navel orange, or nothing. And it wouldn’t occur to me to dip it in choc!

[EllaWycliffe]

8 minutes ago, Kenzie said:

One of the most popular items at Trader Joes at Christmas time is a chocolate, orange-flavored  ball that looks like an orange and is sectioned just like you would the real thing. It's surprisingly good!

I won't lie... I've bought those for myself. 

3 minutes ago, Daff said:

At age 15, a friend and I split the cost of a box of 10 tampons (it was August, 90 degrees, and we were desperate to go swimming). My mother and sister both split their sides, laughing. “Those are only for married women!”  

Oh thank god I was not the only one who heard this - "Tampons are for married women! At your age, it means you're a slut!"

 

[Daff]

7 minutes ago, EllaWycliffe said:

I won't lie... I've bought those for myself. 

Oh thank god I was not the only one who heard this - "Tampons are for married women! At your age, it means you're a slut!"

 

They didn’t say that, but if they had, I wouldn’t have known what they were talking about. The following school year, my friend group passed around the “ Everything You Always Wanted To Know…” paperback. 

[EllaWycliffe]

Just now, Daff said:

They didn’t say that, but if they had, I wouldn’t have known what they were talking about. The following school year, my friend group passed around the “ Everything You Always Wanted To Know…” paperback. 

I found that book mysteriously left on my bed when I was eleven. 

That was the "talk" in my family. 

[Daff]

3 minutes ago, EllaWycliffe said:

I found that book mysteriously left on my bed when I was eleven. 

That was the "talk" in my family. 

We have to stop. We’re off-topic, but I’m laughing hysterically! This conversation needs a roaring fire and some smart cocktails!

[EllaWycliffe]

2 minutes ago, Daff said:

We have to stop. We’re off-topic, but I’m laughing hysterically! This conversation needs a roaring fire and some smart cocktails!

To bring it back on topic, just imagine Sr Julienne saying "ONLY SLUTS USE TAMPONS!!!!" :D

[Leeds]

 

22 minutes ago, EllaWycliffe said:

 

Oh thank god I was not the only one who heard this - "Tampons are for married women! At your age, it means you're a slut!"

 

I've never been more grateful for having a progressive mother than her handing me a box of tampons when I first got my period and saying "These are way easier and more convenient than sanitary towels."  This was back in the 70s.

[jschoolgirl]

16 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

Where I went to College in the U.S, it wasn't unusual to find unexploded WWI ordiances due the College's involvement in the war effort during the war. 

You must have gone to American University -- my grad school alma mater!

[jschoolgirl]

I wonder why they even included the bomb plot. Is it foreshadowing?

[limecoke]

We’ll, I wouldn’t mind Lucille delivering my child but the “precious” is a bit much as is Trixie’s “sweetie.”  All things considered, I’d prefer Phyllis and being called “lass” is way better.

I deplore that PBS cuts scenes. Can’t imagine how you could chop up a CTM episode. I couldn’t.

Wow, that abuse storyline was simple brutal. I figured Lucille would lose the baby. It wasn’t exactly foreshadowed but I saw it coming on the last episode.

Bring on the new midwives!

[Good Queen Jane]

1 hour ago, EllaWycliffe said:

Oh thank god I was not the only one who heard this - "Tampons are for married women! At your age, it means you're a slut!"

Back in the dark ages of my youth (about the same time period we are now seeing on the show), "good girls" didn't use tampons because supposedly they broke the hymen, thereby taking away your virginity (or at least the proof thereof). 

[Rootbeer]

2 minutes ago, Good Queen Jane said:

Back in the dark ages of my youth (about the same time period we are now seeing on the show), "good girls" didn't use tampons because supposedly they broke the hymen, thereby taking away your virginity (or at least the proof thereof). 

My mother actually called her gyn when my sister and I asked to use tampons just to check to see if we would still be virgins.  Her doctor replied that that was not the definition of virgin.  He also told her it was perfectly fine for us to use them.  Smart guy.

I would've been around 10 at the time being portrayed on CTM and the show is correct in that the age of first menstruation has gotten earlier and earlier, especially since WWII; possibly due to fewer malnourished, underweight kids.  Maybe less stress amongst young girls than there was during the depression and WWII.  I remember the nuns at school making the girls stay in the class for lunch and giving us the lecture on proper menstrual hygiene complete with props.  Nuns never mentioned tampons.

[EllaWycliffe]

13 minutes ago, limecoke said:

Bring on the new midwives!

We're actually getting close to when cottage hospitals and midwives visiting on a schedule start to disappear.

1 minute ago, Rootbeer said:

Nuns never mentioned tampons.

Because only sluts use tampons! :D

More seriously part of what surprised me about this storyline was that it was what... 1967? This topic was a major deal in my school in the early 1980s. Wasn't just the early 1960s when Trixie was doing her weird exercise class for the community and she had to explain to a woman that her female parts had names?

[Dehumidifier]

8 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

There's something very touching about all Lucille's scenes even though I only understand about half what she says.

I've decided that if I was having a baby I would chose Lucille as my midwife.  I think it would be nice to be called precious.

Who would you all choose?

Definitely not Trixie. She's scary when she's angry. 

[Dehumidifier]

6 hours ago, EllaWycliffe said:

I mean, its not as though she can get pregnant *again*, now can she? ;) More seriously, I was a little annoyed if only because I remember in prior seasons that she was a bit prissy and proper over how she wasn't a free and easy girl.

As I recall that, a guy took her out and expected to be "repaid" at the end of the date because he took her appearance -- the peroxided hair and heavy makeup -- as a sign that she was easy.

I've been wondering if the show was going to go there with her and her boyfriend. She has to be in her thirties by now and they are in a relationship. 

Edited April 18, 2022 by Dehumidifier

[J-Man]

I was a little surprised by the mention of paracetamol as the preferred method for dealing with menstrual pain. I don't recall paracetamol (acetaminophen/Tylenol) becoming widely available and in general usage in the US until the '70s, and I presume it was the same in the UK. 

Edited April 18, 2022 by J-Man

[Driad]

I remember discovering that ibuprofen was quite effective against menstrual pain, but it wasn't available until 1969 in the UK and 1974 in the US, too late for this show.

[pally]

21 hours ago, dargosmydaddy said:

So... does nobody at Nonnatus notice that Trixie is staying over at Matthew's? (As implied by her sneaking back into the house...) I guess my real  question is-- shouldn't somebody notice? And say something? I know she's not a nun, but I would still think there were certain moral standards at that time. And that quarters are tight enough that people would notice if one of their housemates was repeatedly absent overnight.

My other question-- was there really no one else besides string bean Tim to send out to drag the fully grown man (and his wheelchair) up the stairs?! Yikes!

I think the only one who would have said anything was Sister Julienne and that was due to moral clauses in nursing contracts (remember the brouhaha over Nan's daughter)  As long as she wasn't caught coming in she was most likely safe.  She is smart enough to know the on call schedule.  The nuns have Complin where they are in chapel and then the Great Silence where they are in their rooms unless on call. They are used to people coming and going at all hours due to deliveries so likely pay no mind to the doors opening and closing at night. Trixie no longer has any roommates since Val left so no one to notice there.  Phyllis would likely notice because she always seems to know what is going on but she also minds her own business.  Phyllis, though, might have a conversation with Trixie, reminding her to stay safe from reprucussions.

It was nice seeig Sister Julienne and Phyllis having a personal conversation even though it had a business aspect tp it.  Those characters  have so few one on one interactions.

[EllaWycliffe]

18 minutes ago, pally said:

Trixie no longer has any roommates since Val left so no one to notice there. 

I thought she was rooming with Nancy but in fairness, the teen mom with no husband can hardly be judgy....

[Dehumidifier]

I don't think Lucille's character comes across as condescending. More like a little too prim and proper and perfect. Almost as bad Shelagh, who has a bit of hysteria added 😉.

Which reminds me, how did May's torn up foot get fixed with just one stitch? 

[Cetacean]

I saw Lucille as a typical nurse; she was having a miscarriage but soldiered on to deliver the baby before she took care of herself.  I retired after 45 years as a nurse and everyone I worked with always put the patients first.  Can't tell you how many shifts I worked without a meal or a break!

[EllaWycliffe]

12 minutes ago, Dehumidifier said:

Which reminds me, how did May's torn up foot get fixed with just one stitch? 

I hear you - that looked like a "go to the hospital" injury. I was also a little eye rolly over Shelagh's vapors over May's biological mom in Hong Kong reading the medical report and demanding May be returned. Really, its not like Shelagh was beating her kid with a dog chain and at last check May's mom is an ex drug addict who decided to leave her daughter with the Turners and hasn't been seen in England in over what, two years?

I know none of the Turner children are allowed to speak allowed but what are the odds that May even can speak Chinese still at this point?

[Dehumidifier]

3 minutes ago, EllaWycliffe said:

I hear you - that looked like a "go to the hospital" injury. I was also a little eye rolly over Shelagh's vapors over May's biological mom in Hong Kong reading the medical report and demanding May be returned. Really, its not like Shelagh was beating her kid with a dog chain and at last check May's mom is an ex drug addict who decided to leave her daughter with the Turners and hasn't been seen in England in over what, two years?

I know none of the Turner children are allowed to speak allowed but what are the odds that May even can speak Chinese still at this point?

I was being nice when I said she has a bit of hysteria. Thought she was gonna stroke out in that scene!

[Cotypubby]

33 minutes ago, Dehumidifier said:

Which reminds me, how did May's torn up foot get fixed with just one stitch? 

I know! I thought the same thing. That was a huge gash that looked deep! It was several inches long. No way would that have been closed with one stitch.

[dargosmydaddy]

1 hour ago, EllaWycliffe said:

I thought she was rooming with Nancy but in fairness, the teen mom with no husband can hardly be judgy....

I think that was just when Miss Higgins was staying? Though does that mean Nancy normally rooms with Phyllis? (I can't picture that...)

[Badger]

38 minutes ago, dargosmydaddy said:

I think that was just when Miss Higgins was staying? Though does that mean Nancy normally rooms with Phyllis? (I can't picture that...)

Nancy started rooming with Trixie when the ceiling collapsed in her room.  

[Badger]

10 hours ago, Suzn said:

I love orange flavor with chocolate!

Phyllis all the way for me!  I can do without Saint Lucille.

That was so awkward.  As has been pointed out, there were a number of ways they could have been positioned to hide the pregnancy that looked more natural.  I'm glad they are showing Trixie in a sexual relationship.  She does not need to be a perpetual virgin at her age.

My take is that their relationship has gotten to the point where Trixie keeps an overnight bag at Matthew's place and that sometimes she stays over just to be with him.  I think she just needed someone to talk to about what happened with the Packers.  

Also, don't forget that Trixie and Christopher had a sexual relationship although it was only implied: Christopher said he wanted to be alone in a room with her where they could shut the door, and later we see Trixie putting a sexy negligee into a suitcase for her trip with him.

 

[caitmcg]

54 minutes ago, Badger said:

Also, don't forget that Trixie and Christopher had a sexual relationship although it was only implied: Christopher said he wanted to be alone in a room with her where they could shut the door, and later we see Trixie putting a sexy negligee into a suitcase for her trip with him.

We saw Trixie kind of agonize over the decision of whether to sleep with him, and that was the indication she’d decided to do so.

[Rootbeer]

15 hours ago, J-Man said:

I was a little surprised by the mention of paracetamol as the preferred method for dealing with menstrual pain. I don't recall paracetamol (acetaminophen/Tylenol) becoming widely available and in general usage in the US until the '70s, and I presume it was the same in the UK. 

Paracetamol has been available without prescription in the UK since 1959 and was a prescription med prior to that.  The FDA in the US was very strict about permitting new meds here which meant that a lot of things available in other countries were not seen here.  In the US, aspirin was the major over the counter pain med in the 1960's.

Of course, the strictness of the FDA is one of the reasons that thalidomide was never given to pregnant women here.  The few American babies born with thalidomide birth defects were the children of US servicemen who lived in Germany or other places where it was used, for the most part.

Because of the nature of menstrual cramps, aspirin or ibuprofen or naproxen would generally be better at relieving them than acetaminophen.  

Edited April 19, 2022 by Rootbeer

[AZChristian]

3 minutes ago, Rootbeer said:

Of course, the strictness of the FDA is one of the reasons that thalidomide was never given to pregnant women here.  The few American babies born with thalidomide birth defects were the children of US servicemen who lived in Germany or other places where it was used, for the most part.

The drug was not approved in the United States in the 1960s, but as many as 20,000 Americans were given thalidomide in the 1950s and 1960s as part of two clinical trials operated by the American drug makers Richardson-Merrell and Smith, Kline & French.

[paloma58]

On 4/18/2022 at 10:12 AM, EllaWycliffe said:

My initial thought as well but then I ate one.... :D

they do come in raspberry, and as a raspberry LOVER, I find them too sweet, The orange, on the other hand, are really good.  Aldi usually has them in the fall, as part of their Germanfest/Octoberfest offerings

On 4/18/2022 at 1:21 PM, Kenzie said:

One of the most popular items at Trader Joes at Christmas time is a chocolate, orange-flavored  ball that looks like an orange and is sectioned just like you would the real thing. It's surprisingly good!

LOVE the chocolate oranges - other flavors, too, and dark chocolate.  Now I am hungry!

[Shermie]

On 4/18/2022 at 7:12 AM, JudyObscure said:

When Nurse Crane was telling Sister Julienne that the money was a burden to her, I felt Sister J's temptation to say, "Well, I guess you could give it to us."

I just couldn’t with that comment. It’s not like it was millions of dollars that were beyond her ken to manage. They live in an area of perpetual poverty and the nurses and nuns live a fairly spare life. Having a nice chunk of change for once should be seen as a relief, not as a burden. I once knew a person who had made great money his whole life and due to a super effective union, he had a ridiculously generous pension. He actually said that he had so much money he didn’t know what to do with it. I could have slapped him for that comment. I could list 10 things he could do with that money inside of a minute (and all helpful things, not stuffing it somewhere unseemly, even if that might be deserved after his comment). So I have no patience with anyone who complains when they have “too much” money. Please.

28 minutes ago, paloma58 said:

a chocolate, orange-flavored  ball that looks like an orange and is sectioned just like you would the real thing.

I would see commercials for those at Christmas and think, “I would love a chocolate ball that broke into bite-sized sections if only it didn’t taste like an orange.” I just wanted a chocolate ball that tasted like chocolate.

23 hours ago, Dehumidifier said:

I've decided that if I was having a baby I would chose Lucille as my midwife.  I think it would be nice to be called precious.

Who would you all choose?

I like when Lucille says precious and Trixie says sweetie. It’s genuine and is reflective of their personalities. I’d take any of them as a midwife; they all seem so kind.

[BluBarbi98]

On 4/18/2022 at 8:10 AM, JudyObscure said:

There's something very touching about all Lucille's scenes even though I only understand about half what she says.

I've decided that if I was having a baby I would chose Lucille as my midwife.  I think it would be nice to be called precious.

Who would you all choose?

It would definitely be Nurse Lucille or Sister Julienne. They have such soothing personalities. 

[MartyQui]

My mother had ‘the talk” with me when I was in 4th grade (so 9 years old).  She had a book with pictures of your anatomy, supplied by Tampax (she sent away for it), and showed me what a sanitary napkin was.  I was horrified and embarrassed.  We had the official school sex education in the sixth grade (boys were separated from girls), and there was no talk of how you dealt with your period.  So the nuns were quite progressive!  I didn’t get my period until I was 13, so it was a long time to wait to see what all the fuss was about. :)

[Cetacean]

3 hours ago, Shermie said:

It’s not like it was millions of dollars that were beyond her ken to manage.

Actually, from what I can find, it translates to over a million US dollars today.  So that would mean a pretty penny back then.  I believe nurses made 100 pounds a month or less in the 60's.

[TVFAN]

I'd choose Shelagh or Trixie.  Even before they got together, Dr. Turner thought Shelagh was the most talented midwife.   She's the one  called in to turn babies when they are in the wrong position.  And Trixie could even do a C-section if necessary.  All the midwives are talented and compassionate, but those two stand out in terms of their skills.

[Cetacean]

Watching Phyllis break down when Lucille was miscarrying was just heartbreaking.  Certainly brought me to tears!

I can't imagine the upheaval at Nonnatus house with losing two midwives at the same time!  I will be extremely vexxed if that's the end of Phyllis!

[caitmcg]

3 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Actually, from what I can find, it translates to over a million US dollars today.  So that would mean a pretty penny back then.  I believe nurses made 100 pounds a month or less in the 60's.

As I posted earlier in this thread, the Bank of England inflation calculator says £5,000 in 1967 is equivalent to £96,565 in 2021, or $125,896.35 at current exchange rates. Certainly a whole lot of money at the time for someone of modest means who’s scrimped and saved, but not the equivalent of a million bucks (or GBP). 

I can understand Phylis feeling overwhelmed; she thought her mother was silly to put money into the scheme, and so she was never actually hoping to win the lottery, as it were. 

[Dehumidifier]

So no one is upset that Miss Higgins turned down Phyllis's invitation to take the tour with her? She should have loaded up on barf bags and medication and joined her friend. Temp secretary making them long for Miss Higgins could have been a plot point too.

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, Dehumidifier said:

So no one is upset that Miss Higgins turned down Phyllis's invitation to take the tour with her?

Actually, I was not at all surprised.  We saw how miserable she was living at Nonnatus even temporarily.  Can you imagine being trapped on a bus with her?

[Dehumidifier]

27 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

Actually, I was not at all surprised.  We saw how miserable she was living at Nonnatus even temporarily.  Can you imagine being trapped on a bus with her?

I meant the commenters here aren't upset.

Phyllis did invite her. She obviously felt they would get along.

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by Dehumidifier

[dubbel zout]

Had the trip been taken in something other than a bus—a hired car, for instance—I can see Miss Higgins going. But she knows herself, and that's admirable. She'd drive the entire bus to murder, no doubt.

[Cetacean]

37 minutes ago, Dehumidifier said:

I meant the commenters here aren't upset.

They probably weren't surprised either.

[Dehumidifier]

6 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

They probably weren't surprised either.

Guess there are no low paid single women here.

Edited April 20, 2022 by Dehumidifier