By William Crooks
Are you happy with what is available on television these days? Me, not so much. It is interesting to reflect on my viewing habits over the years. When I was very young, our family didn’t have cable, so the only viable option was the CBC. But I remember loving their 80s kids’ programs: Mr. Dressup, The Friendly Giant, Sesame Street and Postman Pat (with his black and white cat)! Later, in my teens, my friends and I often watched the after-school Disney cartoon line-up: Goof Troop, Darkwing Duck and, perhaps the greatest (kid’s) cartoon of all time, Gargoyles. Seinfeld and The Simpsons must be mentioned. Then, post the year 2000: The Sopranos, The Wire, and Breaking Bad. As choices increased, quality decreased… or is it just me? Almost no television show interests me now, with the notable recent exception of Better Call Saul, a Breaking Bad spinoff, which was excellent. Perhaps it is a kind of natural progression of taste, such that only high art can truly engage and satisfy me now. But the great stuff requires so much more effort on the part of the consumer! It’s not television, but For Whom the Bell Tolls was incredible; progress may require a look over the shoulder…
It was a (rare) beautiful day, perfect for joining four other Good Eggs for breakfast at the Hovey Manor, a five-star hotel, in North Hatley. I arrived last, but on time, and joined my fellow diners at their table in the middle of Hovey’s picturesque dining room. The room can fit perhaps 75 people, the whole east wall fully windowed revealing the morning sun gleaming off Massawippi Lake. A large alcove in the south wall sports a handsome fireplace, a cabinet in the corner houses intricately patterned china, the ceiling boasts large, rough-cut beams, and exquisite chandeliers, and the floors are hardwood. A nice bouquet of flowers sits in the center of every table.
