Today I had a dental appointment and my car was due for a service. For historical reasons, both the dentist and the mechanic are located near where I used to live, in the affluent suburbs of south Dublin. I decided to take the day off and go into town for a wander around.

Having dropped off my car at the mechanics, I was too early for my dentist, so I took advantage of the sunny weather and went for a walk. I went down to see the flat where Sally, Anna and I lived just after Anna was born and which, by an odd coincidence, is almost directly opposite the flat where my mother and father and eldest sibling lived just after he was born. I then wandered down by the sea, where some hardy women were swimming.

My dentist couldn't find the source of my twinge. There's probably a crack somewhere. We'll just have to wait until it breaks. Great, thanks.

Into town and took lots of architectural photos. Felt like a tourist. Nice lunch with friend and then went a bit mad in both Hodges Figgis and Waterstones. However, if I'm going to read 50 books this year, I'd better own at least that many, dontcha think? And I'll have to not drop the books I'm reading out of my backpack! Two thirds of the way through The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and I go and lose the damn thing. There's a vague possibility it'll turn up in the mechanic's, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Here be spoilers.

I went to see The Return of the King and I liked a lot of it, very much. It managed to be all about the hobbits, which was good, and there were a handful of outstanding scenes. Gollum and Smeagol talking at the beginning; the Nazgul departing Cirith Ungol; the battle on Pelennor field. Bernard Hill was excellent as Theoden -- best acting in it, I think. I was very glad that they played down the Gimli is a funny short person thing and that Legolas wasn't quite so surfer dude in this one. Eowyn was a bit weak and I could have done without her Loreal moment.

On the down side, there were too many endings. I appreciate that the ending was going to be difficult, but they really could have left it at Minas Tirith. Unless they were going to scour the Shire. Aragorn did not look happy to be king -- not at all, but I wonder if that was deliberate.

I'm kinda glad that there isn't going to be another one. I feel free now (although there is some talk about a film of The Hobbit) even though I will probably have to watch the extended version next christmas. I like the fact that it was strung out over three years, it gives a sense of the time that this would have taken to occur. I would like to know though why Gandalf rarely performs any actual, you know, magic. Isn't he a wizard of some sort?