1981. Two years after UXB. We were all younger and, um, firmer back then.

Difficult not to think in that scene, "OMG Sherlock Holmes' arse!" butt I do try. ;)

Thirty years ago.

I'm liking Julia better now.

I finished last night. It always ends the same. *sighs*

Now I am sad. I'm going to go clean the kitchen and baked something to cheer myself.

Cordelia's story of Sebastian hurts.

So, disc one, episode two, what happens between the middle of the rotunda scene and the invite to Venice? My disk skipped.

Let me go pop in the disk. BRB.

Still's Youtube will take you out of the rotunda. After that we join C,S, Cordelia and Bridey for dinner, where it is broken to the family that Charles is agnostic, and that Bridey has met with the Bishop of London who wants to close the chapel at Brideshead, which upsets S. because he doesn't want to have to drive far on cold winter mornings, but also Cordelia because she visits the chapel often and is comforted by its proximity. After dinner, Bridey and S., go off to discuss some papers that their father will need sign, leaving C. with Cordelia who explains that for five shillings she can have a black baby baptized and named for her, and she currently has six black Cordelias. That takes you to Sebastian inviting Charles to Venice.

Still, I watched the commentary episodes this afternoon. Very entertaining. Andrews and Quick seem to have better recollections than Irons. It's amazing, after watching it, to find out the Morroco scenes were short first, because it plays seamlessly.

I still missed the dinner scene. No big deal. Baptized black babies, ha the alliteration.

I think if you search six black Cordelias on youtube, you'll find at least that much of the scene.

No kidding. They were just so - them. Tonight I finished watching the last episode: "Homeless, childless, middle-aged, loveless." Did Charles ever even see Baby Caroline?

At Christmas. He would go home at Christmas to keep up appearances.

He was less than forty years old when the series ended. I can't help but wonder what happened next.

According to the book, Charles is 45 at the end.

Irene Wilde's happy cheerful version of "Brideshead -- What Happens Next":

Bridey actually enjoys a middle-class existence with his hefty new bride and her brood. The breakdown in social strata in the post-War period really lets him loosen up, cultivate a pot-belly and enjoy life as only someone portrayed in a film by Simon Jones ever could.

Cordelia does become a spinster and travels about doing good deeds and is also very happy.

Julia remains married to Rex, though they continue to live apart. Rex goes to New York and takes advantage of post-war prosperity in the States where he always was a better fit anyway. Julia drifts in and out of a few affairs and wears her tragedy well. She opens Brideshead to the public in order to try to keep up the maintenance on it, though she is seldom there herself.

Charles develops into a pretty okay absentee Dad after much groveling to Celia. He, too, continues to travel the world painting -- never recapturing the "inspiration" but doing passable work.

Anthony distinguishes himself "unofficially" as a spy during the war. The Government never officially recognizes the role he play, but you know Anthony -- "unofficially" there isn't a soul who doesn't know of his contribution. He is beaten to death by street thugs in 1954 who felt they had nothing to lose by beating up an old queen.

Sebastian does not survive the war. He either ends up in a concentration camp or succumbs to the hardships and privations of war-time conditions. His cheekbones looked stunning to the very last.

Aloysius lives a life of retired luxury in a Teddy Bear museum in England. Though he seems quite content with his lot in life, there are twilights when he looks back at his Oxford days and smiles and wonders about his old chum Sebastian.

Does Charles's new wife expect him to ride to the hounds? Do his children give him grandchildren and what happenes to them? Does Julia decide she likes being clled Lady Marchmain? Who cleans the cigarette butts out of the fountain?

Charles does not remarry. Julia retains the Flyte name until her death. Hooper, after the war, is hired on at Brideshead with the sole and singular job of cleaning the cigarette butts out of the fountain.

I will have to think further on Charles' children, since I really consider them Celia's children, so they have very little of their father in them.

My guess is that Caroline has even less of her father in her than John-John does. Ah! It's Bridey who married the hefty - er - bride (what did Beryl mean by that joke anyway? the one that Lord Marchmain related on his deathbed?) and Charles and Julia both remain alone and apart. Figures that God would want it that way.

You should have heard me trying to explain all the asides relating to the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson and the Queen Mum and all. And that - no - Queen Elizabeth II is not related to Queen Eizabeth I. Also, she (my daughter) exclaimed at one point: "I can't believe that she's actually named Barrel!"

There's really only one burning question in my mind:

Where did they get Sebastian's rose-colored dressing gown and can I get one, too?

Ok, it's really two questions, but the one is useless without the other.

The dressing gown be can be viewed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulEHogq4Xwo&feature=fvw

I'll bet Billy'd like one too. And me.

Revi, this youtube link is for you.

Aw, thanks!

I know what a romantic you are.

I'm almost finished.

Thoughts, opinions, and whatnots?

Done. I'm not sure yet. It was really long. How long is the book 700-800 pages?

I have the book upstairs. I'm not sure it's that fat.