Beautifully Cold Mornin'

While it was still cold this morning when I got up, it wasn't quite as cold as yesterday, and there was no wind whatsoever. With today off, I lingered in bed for a happy hour, reading old journal entries and Indiana Jones, before finally getting up, getting dressed, and heading to to do this week's grocery shopping at the Acme. I was there around noon, which may not have been the best idea. The Acme was very busy, with long lines - people preparing for the big playoff games tomorrow, I suppose. In addition to the usual things - yogurt, grapefruit, bananas, greens, a green pepper, onion, and ground turkey to make meatloaf tonight - I found a bin with low-priced CDs. I finally came up with two $1.49 CDs of big band and swing music, some of which I hadn't seen before.

There was a package for me in the mail when I got back home. The second book in my Barnes and Noble Gift Card order, Beautiful Mornin' - The Broadway Musical in the 40s had arrived. This is the second in Ethan Mordden's series of books on the history of the Broadway musical in different time periods, from the 20s, when the musical as we know it first began to take shape, to the 70s, when many considered it a dying form (including, from his fussing, Mordden). I don't really agree with some of what Mordden says (especially on most musicals made after about 1979, which is why I tend to disregard his book on 80s and 90s musicals, The Happiest Corpse In the World), but the book is well-written and researched and snappy even when Mordden's at his most snobbish.

I read the book and ate a quick lunch of home-made Honey-Wheat Bread with Peanut Butter and celery, then went for a quick walk down to the White Horse Pike to deposit my paycheck in the ATM machine and finally deliver at least a little bit of my $700 dentist bill to Dr. Hyder (her office being a block down from the White Horse Pike PNC Bank branch). I had briefly considered a longer walk, but by this point, the earlier sunshine had been replaced by soft, gray clouds, and it was considerably colder. I just headed home instead.

I spent the rest of a quiet evening reading Beautiful Mornin' and vacuuming the apartment, which badly needed it. Even after quickly doing the spot around the Christmas tree two weeks ago, there were still a good amount of fake tree "needles" all over the music room. This was coupled with more fake needles and glistening cellophane from the garlands. I know I didn't get it all - I'll be finding fake greenery "needles" until NEXT Christmas.

Inspired by Beautiful Mornin', I ran CDs of four Broadway shows of the 40s while I read and made dinner. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Kiss Me, Kate are the original casts. Oklahoma! is the 1979 Broadway revival cast. On the Town is a studio album from 1960 with some of the original Broadway cast members, including Nancy Walker and Betty Comden and Adolph Green (who also wrote the book and the lyrics). The last two are particular favorites of mine. The exuberant Oklahoma! has been my favorite Rogers and Hammerstein show since I saw the movie as a child, and there's some lovely music in On the Town, including the touching "Some Other Time."