I was watching the tube yesterday and I did something that proves ignorance can sometimes be bliss. I began to time commercials and compare their time allotted to the overall scheduling. I regret that I did no as the results were something that I would have been happier not knowing. Throughout the day and varying the channels I discovered that, on average, the programmers for commercial TV allocate between 20-40% of the broadcast time to those insults on our intelligence, our pocketbooks and to our taste - commercials. That's right up to 40% and the average is close to 35%! Can you believe it?! That means that our of every ten minutes four are devoted to the all enthralling effort to entice you and I to part with some of our hard earned cash. There is nothing subtle about it especially as some of them are repeated one right after the other. You can't even go to the movies to escape them any more as most movies are now preceded by several commercials as well. I understand that the cost of producing a TV show have escalated with the costs of the "stars", the costs of production, and of course the costs of broadcasting when you factor in the need to make huge profits for the shareholders, but really 40%! Even the UK's BBC has succumbed to the almightily buck. There was a time over there when the shows were commercial free. If something was a sponsor for the program the product would be included in the scene, but with the expansion of US shows everywhere in the world that simply wasn't possible or other products would weasel their way in so as to make it unworkable and now they are infested with the darn varmints as well. Shame, really. Makes me long even more for the cruising lifestyle and escape from the temptation of turning on the one eyed god and vegging out in front of it. When Barb and I were first married we went for three years without one very nicely thank you and for the life of me I cannot understand what made us regress. WE have some friends here in Shelburne that still don't. They have a screen and DVD player and all they watch are blessedly, commercial free movies which is what we do on the boat. When I was still in uniform I used to watch the news to find out what was going on from a non-military point of view but I don't have that excuse any more.

Oh well. We all know I am not likely going to do that.

Looks like a thaw is on the way (Hurrah!) and perhaps I will be able to get some work done out in the workshop (unheated) towards the house. I was able to get some of the trim done in the kitchen which was one of the conditions laid down by she who must be obeyed before I can get going on the bathroom or the living room, the two remaining major restoration projects for the old chateau. I have to get those both done for my own peace of mind so that when spring comes I can focus on Nelleke and getting her ready again for cruising. Granted it still won't be for a year that we will be setting off but I will feel a lot better if I can get everything done the year before so that the main thing that I will have to worry about in 2014 is provisioning and updating charts. I keep reminding myself and everyone else who reads this blog about what our plans are so forgive my repetition. It is one way of maintaining my sanity.