Oh, Ross Poldark, what are you trying to do to me?

It’s Wednesday - only three days have passed - but we’re all still talking about Poldark Series 2 - episode 8 - which aired on Sunday 23 October 2016. 

As a huge fan of this wonderful series, this episode shocked me greatly. And as someone who has recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure, this episode did not help! I mean - come on - only the week before hadn’t we seen Ross present Delmelza with a beautiful pair of silk stockings which he then proceeded to roll up her legs in a very seductive and sensual way?

So, why did Ross betray her? Okay, so he’d had a terrible day after losing two more men in the mine, and because of that, took the decision to close Wheal Grace for ever. Was being blinded by passionate rage after opening the letter from Elizabeth in which she told him she had agreed to marry George an excuse to do what he did?  

In fact, what exactly was going through his mind that night when he did the dirty on his wife? And correct me if I’m wrong, but after staying the night with Elizabeth, didn’t he return the following morning, with his tail between his legs, to tell Delmelza - to her face - that ‘he had no choice’?

So, what does that mean? Why did he have no choice?

• Ross, of course, is extremely fond of Delmelza. She's the mother of his son - but he can’t help but still love Elizabeth. She was, after all, his very first love, and he’s always held a torch for her.
• Francis is now dead (tragically drowned in the mine) so now, once again, Elizabeth is temptingly free. Could Ross not resist her?
• Secretly, and this is what I think, did Ross think that by having sex with Elizabeth, George would then consider her soiled goods and refuse to marry her? Revenge would be his, and Elizabeth would still be around for him to call on as and when he pleased. But, looking at this from George’s POV, stealing Elizabeth from under the nose of Ross would destroy him for sure. And that is exactly what George would want.

Many of you know that my ambition is to write for Harlequin M&B, and before this episode I imagined Ross as the idea hero - dominant, good-looking, commanding and proud. Ross always had a strong (if sometimes deeply buried!) moral code, but now I'm not so sure. This is definitely a new side to him. He's certainly gone down in my estimation. I'm not sure how he and Delmelza can recover from this. 

What do you all think?

Until next time 

Kim x

Obligatory October observations!

Okay, I'll admit it. I do love to people-watch. And now we're in the Balearics for a couple of weeks, I've been indulging in my favourite past-time.

I don't know if this happens to anybody else, but when we're on holiday DH and I always think we see people we know, or people who appear to look like people we know. For instance, the head waiter in our hotel could be the twin brother of the lady who works in our local chemist back home. We've also seen an actor from a TV soap and Captain Bird's Eye swimming in our pool.

This has been happening off and on all week, and especially with one particular lady who I believed was someone I used to work with.  It all came to a head last night when she gesticulated to me wildly and shouted me over with a huge grin.  There you go, I said to DH, with a rather smug look on my face, it is her.  So - I trotted over and said hello, and asked her if she'd now retired from the secondary school in Blackburn? Um - er - she replied, I actually work at a bank in Manchester.  To cut a long story short, she wasn't who I thought she was, and it was all very embarrassing, and the only reason she'd waved at me was because she'd noticed me staring at her.  Several times. Oh, dear.  DH always says my nosiness will be the death of me, and he's probably right.

Take for instance, the poor old guy I noticed in the dining room, armed with a walking stick, and obviously struggling to carry his food. I felt so sorry for him. I even thought of offering to help him but then, after watching him for a while, I realised he actually eats more than anyone else I know. I can't tell you how many times this seemingly feeble man returns to his table laden down with piles of food balanced on his plate, some of which he slips deftly into his wind cheater pocket to eat later. This clever little dodge happens at both breakfast and dinner so instead of the two meals a day he's paid for, he's getting four. I mean, how crafty is that? I've also discovered on the grapevine (DH) that this same guy borrows the hotel luggage trolley on a daily basis to carry huge quantities of water back from the local supermarket. Now, I know we're all being encouraged to drink more fluids, but ten litres a day? What's he doing? Washing in it?

But, to finish - and this is the worse one of all - I got the shock of my life today.  It was early - around nine o'clock - and DH and I were strolling along the path that overlooks the sea. Now, Santo Tomas has a bit of a reputation for nudity but usually those who wish to indulge - I'm told - congregate further around the headland and not near the main body of hotels. Not so this morning.  I just happened to glance up and - yes, you've guessed it - I spotted a man on his balcony, and, unfortunately for him, the front of his balcony disguised very little, if you know what I mean. There was nothing hidden. Everything was visible. Ahem! And yes, he should have been wearing some clothes before deciding to take in the morning air.

At the same time as I spotted him, a young Spanish teenager who was walking past shouted something up to him - clearly some sort of obscenity - which caused the naked man to scuttle back into his apartment quicker than a scalded cat. 

All this was before breakfast. We definitely had to have a quick glass of cava to put us right.

Until next time.

Kim X