Did YOU see This Old House last night?

When we originally ditched the bulk of our cable package for the very, very limited basic, I had to find new favorite programming for the most part. Hidden in amongst all the fluff on the 200+ cable channels were actually decent stations. Overtime, a few have stood out:

• CSPAN - I've been watching this lately and finding myself being amused with the Republican caucuses and feeling thankful that I don't live in Iowa (although Big A would love to move there). Mitt and Rick were especially amusing to watch as they met the crowd at town hall meetings. Rick's Texas accent and his 'Come on over here, girl' when asked if someone could take their picture with him was a highlight.


• The local cable access channel - Thanks to this channel, I've learned to never, ever, ever, ever buy an historic home in an official historic district and if for some strange reason I did, never, ever, ever, ever try to pull a permit and get the necessary approval for new windows. Also, the Department of Interior standards is in a desperate need of updating. Much like other government departments probably.


• The nearby Big Ten university cable access channel - Just last night, I bypassed American Idol to watch and listen to NPR's Michele Norris speaking at the university's Martin Luther King celebration last week in which she spoke of her grandmother who was an educated woman but who worked as a live Aunt Jemina at pancake demonstrations. The old Aunt Jemima - hoop skirt and headwrap, not the modern day one who looks like she sells real estate. She also spoke of the different types of activism. It doesn't necessarily have to be the 'sleeping outside in a ten' kind of thing. Her grandmother was an activist because even though she was dressed this way, she still talked and acted in the educated way she was. This speech was outstanding...and thankfully American Idol is early in the tryouts anyway.


• PBS - Sure, it may be a sign of old age but Big A and I have enjoyed the last few weeks of This Old House restoring and adding on to their oldest home ever worked on. We realized we were old when we both realized that we missed last week's episode but now that we know that they replay it Saturday mornings at 9, all is well again. Another PBS show that I enjoy are the few cooking shows that I can catch on the infrequent days when I am home during the afternoon. America's Test Kitchen is one such show. I love learning how to make the perfectly tested non-fried crunchy baked chicken or which knife sharpener was the best (which then became Big A's Christmas gift that year). Besides This Old House, Big A is a fan of their historical offerings, most recently one about Custer which I probably should have watched but figured I have the book. I'll just wait (and wait and wait) to read it.
  


• QVC - Laugh if you will but this channel amuses me. I use to mock my aunt for being a big QVC shopper. She has been known to tell stories about buying perfume from them without having experienced the scent in person. With the lack of stations, I have discovered that they do have good prices when it comes to things like make up and I found my new favorite jeans from them and the best purchase ever: a new winter coat. Now, winter coats can be almost as dicey to buy via TV or catalog as perfume is especially if you have long arms like I do. I was in the market for a coat that is a bit more dressier than the ones I have to wear to work and one evening while watching QVC, I saw it. I figured if it didn't fit right, I could just send it back. When it arrived, I was very apprehensive since me with long arms and coats sometimes don't get along well but as soon as I slipped one arm in, I knew it was perfect. I'm in love with my winter coat...and thanks to having the QVC card, I was able to get the payments spread over 4 months. Not that I needed it but with Christmas getting closer, I thought it was a nice perk. Another perk...saying out loud "That is a Denim and Co. coat!" when you see your aunt walk in at the family Christmas gathering which makes the other family members (especially the ones on Facebook) heartily laugh. Shockingly enough, my aunt does not have a QVC card but then again, she is the old lady that still orders via the telephone and occasionally gets on air. Me, I just do it all via their website.

Perhaps someday we will get the full package again and have a cable bill well over $100 but for $18, I think we are doing just fine even if I am met with blank stares and dead silence when I ask friends, "Did you see This Old House last night?"