Jane Eyre, sewing woes, Wimsey love

Watched Jane Eyre on Masterpiece Theatre last night. I didn't expect much from it, since every adaptation of it I've ever seen is exactly the same, and all dreadfully stupid. Especially once you've seen Wide Sargasso Sea it comes to look even more ridiculous, because you're reminded that there's a whole other side to the story that's barely even touched on, and it makes you aware of how dismissive 19th century England was toward people of other cultures. That being said, this was the first version I saw where I didn't find myself thinking that if the crazy wife actually killed Rochester it wouldn't have been more than he deserved. Of course, the whole thing still does hinge on the incredible convenience of the madwoman in the attic dying, so that Rochester could have his proper, safe, English wife at last, but at least in this one Jane and Rochester are a little less proper, and a little more like real people. It was nice that they were shown as actually being friends, instead of the usual romance novel smoldering glances and heaving bosoms. (Although there was still a lot of that, but Toby Stephens is younger than the dudes that usually play Rochester, so it wasn't as disgusting as usual.) I wouldn't say that I wildly loved it, like a lot of people seem to, but it was good, and I liked it. I may even actually read the book someday. Maybe. It is by one of the Brontes. At least it's not Wuthering Heights. I REALLY have to draw the line there!

The 1920's doll dress is giving me more trouble than I thought. Drat. I wanted to have it finished already. And don't even get me started on the embroidery sampler I'm doing. Embroidery is EVIL. Evil I say!

On the bright side, I finally got the Edward Petherbridge/Harriet Walter Wimsey series on DVD the other day. I think I must have clutched it to my heart for at least an hour once we got home from Barnes & Noble. Bless their 'buy 1 get 1' sale. ;D