Duped by the Duex Dukes

What a freaky Friday. I went to bed and the Duke of Edinburgh (aka Prince Phillip) was only 40 years old. And I didn't like him. I woke up and learned the real-life 99-year-old Duke had died. Give me another 59 years – or 2 more seasons of The Crown – and I'll catch up and pay my due respects.

This is what happens when you binge-watch a show and you not only dream about it, it impacts real life. That's kind of freaky, isn't it?

It won't stop me from watching. I am one of those Royalty Geeks (besides King Cone, that is). My interest started with Princess Di and has continued through to Meg and Harry – so I'm thoroughly enjoying The Crown series on Netflix. And yes, I fully recognize I'm 5 years late to the royal dinner party!

Still, now I can buzz through the 4 seasons on cold or rainy or free nights and don't have to wait for new episodes.

If you're at all interested and haven't watched it yet, might I suggest you start first with The King's Speech – an excellent 2010 movie that tells the story of King George VI, his impromptu ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.

Basically, The Crown picks up from there, chronicling the life of Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s to modern times. The series begins with an inside look at the early reign of the queen, who ascended the throne at age 25 after the death of her father, King George VI. As the decades pass, personal intrigues, romances, and political rivalries are revealed that played a big role in events that shaped the later years of the 20th century. I basically Google something after every single episode!

I just started season 3 and there's mostly new actors portraying the characters as they age. So, I need to adjust to that. Throw in a nonfiction death in 2021 and I'm in a state.

You know what solves that? A royal date night with hubby. Actually dining inside a restaurant – a steakhouse just down the road – and enjoying a good fish fry and dessert...

This seriously was the best piece of turtle cheesecake I've ever had – well half, since I did share with hubby. The top was almost like a thin crust of caramel and I could taste maybe some brown sugar in there? Not sure. Doesn't matter. It was just gooooood.

It was nice – and normal – to treat ourselves out for once. Haven't had a sit-down dinner with just the two of us in an actual restaurant since our anniversary last July. And no concerns about social distancing tonight since we got to the restaurant at a non-busy time between early birds and dinner dates. 

Even got the table by the fireplace. Now that's the royal treatment!