Big Fish Games

I absolutely love my iPhone and iPad. I was on the bandwagon with the first generation models, and have since updated them for my digital art work, and got an iPad for my 93 year old mother who uses hers daily to send emails and read books. I always loved pop up books as a youngster, and it was thrilling for me to have written two children's books that are in the iTunes Store. When we had the first snowstorm here in DC about five years ago, I stumbled across an interactive adventure game that I played on my iPhone during the two week hiatus. And since that time, I am hooked on these games and stories. So every evening before we start watching any serious tv shows, my husband and I sit on the couch together and spend about 45 minutes playing these mystery or adventure games. We've tried a few different ones, but it seems Big Fish works the best for us. My husband plays along to keep me company in spite of the fact that he gets quite bored since he isn't the primary player. But each of us has a strength ... I am very visual and can do the puzzles quickly; he is cerebral and can easily solve anything related to math or intricate details. I just don't have the patience - or brain function - for those sorts of things! Even though the story lines are pretty dopey, it's the time together that makes playing them significant. How long will this go on? I hope for quite some time! 

Midsomer Murders, Inspector Morse, Lewis, & Gentley, Sherlock & More

The Wives of Henry the Eighth was my first introduction to Masterpiece. Over the years I have learned to love the classics. But since we have traveled to London three years in a row to visit my husband's old medical school classmate, England has become even more endearing to us. We find the US contemporary crime dramas a bit too gross and realistic. It's too much - and in many instances - worse than every day news. I don't care for graphic violence and misery. So we have become addicted to everything masterpiece mystery and beyond starting with Midsomer Murders. The characters are fun, the music is weird, and it is humorous. We always feel good watching an episode. Half the time we can't understand it, but the countryside scenes are delightful. The only question I had of the lawyer giving tours at Oxford was "where were the locations that Inspector Morse and Lewis were shot." We saw the Sherlock phone booth in downtown London next to the building he "fell off." Now there is Grantchester and Father Browne - oh, and don't forget George Gentley. My husband loves the sidekick who yells at everyone. There is something sweet about all of these programs and it goes to show you there are entertaining stories beyond Downton Abbey and Pride and Prejudice.  We love them all. It hardly matters where you live or when you watch them, but it still feels the best on Sunday evening. The Masterpiece theme song keeps playing in my head.