Follow the Leader

I slept in again (I really need to stop staying up late, looking up info on classic Disney shorts). I didn't have the time to do any cleaning, but I did get my laundry in. That's was a good thing, because I was doing my bathroom and kitchen towels, which meant there was quite a bit more than usual.

I watched a few cartoons while my laundry was in the washer. The Backyardigans learned the importance of being prepared as they went on a "Race Around the World" to country rock. Austin, Uniqua, Pablo, and Tyrone were competing against each other in a four-even-race (Tasha was the announcer). Austin was nervous because this was his first race and the others had all won gold medals before, but he taught his friends a lesson when he was able to help them out of trouble in various events, thanks to the things he brought along in his waist pack.

Baloo the Bear also learned a lesson about friendship in the 1930s-set Tale Spin. When he helps Shere Khan (here a ruthless businessman...tiger) out of a jam, Khan offers to reward him richly for his troubles. Baloo takes his offer a bit too much to heart, buying fancy clothes and cars and quitting his job at the air service business Higher For Hire. His ward Kit Cloudkicker and Rebecca Cunningham, Higher For Hire's owner, are worried about his obnoxious behavior and sudden spendthrift ways. Their worry turns to alarm when Baloo's kidnapped and ransom is demanded. Needless to say, Baloo is rescued and finally discovers that there are some things money can't buy...like good friends and trustworthy bosses.

I went for a walk after Tale Spin. It wasn't really a very nice day, cloudy, damp, and on-and-off light showers, but I needed to get outside. I was walking down by CVS when a tiny dog sprinted after me, barking and yapping. It looked like he'd ran from someone's house or broken off of a leash, and sure enough, a little boy came rushing after him, calling his name. I tried to encourage the dog to return to his young master, but it was almost ten minutes before he finally gave up barking and running around me in circles and went home.

I repeat what I said last month about people being more careful with their pets. That dog might have gotten run over by a car, or gotten lost, or been hurt by someone much less sweet than me! Please, fence in your yard when your dog is outdoors, keep an eye on them when they're indoors, and keep them on a leash when they're in an unfenced area!

I made a brief stop at the Oaklyn Library on my way back to Uncle Ken's. I took out last year's big Disney/Pixar film Ratatouille (and left the DVD at Dad and Uncle Ken's - I'll have to go back for it tomorrow) and two books on making bread, Betty Crocker's Bread from 1974 and the huge and aptly named The Bread Bible. The laundry took longer in the drier than usual, due to the unusually large load, so I had the time to work on Key Lime Pie Murder, which I bought at Wal Mart last month.

(I finally finished the Maisie Dobbs book Pardonable Lies this morning. As excellent as the previous stories; a touching and haunting tale of dealing with grief, war, and the loss of loved ones.)

I went to work about an hour later. Work was steady up through about 5, after which the rush hour came in and we got busy. It died around 8PM and didn't appear to be in any hurry to speed up again when I left a half-hour later.