Three Beautiful Things 08/01/19: Sewer Project Completed, My Fascination, *Luther* and *The Americans*

1. The plumbing crew arrived at 6 a.m. and by about 3:30 or so they had completed their task of installing lining in our sewer line from the basement, inflating this material, and giving it time to cure.  Our sewer line is essentially new. The process was not too noisy. No digging trenches. No disruption of the deck or yard. They had to dig a small hole in the basement and cut some pipes and they did a great job plumbing those pipes, backfilling and cementing the hole they dug, and leaving the basement clean. I immediately checked our furnace's filter and it definitely needed changing, so I got that done. It's a relief to have this project completed.

2. I just couldn't pull myself away from the house while this work was underway. I was fascinated by the process and watching the crew carry out their plan. They faced complications -- at one point they almost gave up -- but they stuck with it and with some ingenuity and persistence got the job done.

3. Once the house was cleared, I spent some time in the Vizio room. I returned to the first season of Luther and watched a weird episode about a wealthy sociopath whose crimes were grisly and involved exsanguination. I enjoy watching John Luther work on cases, but I find the parts of episodes involving him and his estranged wife and his ongoing battles with a character named Alice distracting, even tiresome. I would like to see more of DSU Rose Teller -- I really enjoy Saskia Reeves' work -- and more interaction between Rose Teller and John Luther.

After one episode of Luther, I returned to the The Americans and watched the final episode of Season 1 over again and then watched the first episode of Season 2. I enjoy the way this series messes with its audience by inviting us to commit our sympathies to the KGB agents living as suburban Americans. I catch myself. What am I doing rooting for the Soviets? Hoping the FBI fails? Starting to care a lot for this arranged marriage and the couple's children? I'm getting sucked in. That's what's happening. And it's a lot of fun.