Bear-ly Warm

I actually got up around 8 today, but I spent some time in bed this morning, ready Apple Turnover Murder. It wasn't until 11 that I really got going. Mother Nature wasn't helping. It was exactly the same as yesterday - cold, damp, gray, and dreary.

First stop of the day was the Oaklyn Library for volunteering. I just organized the children's books. They always need it there. After that, I made a very quick run to the Oaklyn Post Office to drop off my college payments for the month.

I've been trying to get to Haddonfield for almost two weeks now, but either the weather's been bad, or I've been busy. Haddonfield is another historic town a few minutes from here. I thought of riding my bike, but I didn't trust the weather, so I hopped on the PATCO. I wasn't hungry, so I just had a slice of mushroom pizza at Vila Rosa around the corner from the train/bus terminal when I got in.

On one hand, I was hoping to find a new pair of jean shorts after I somehow ripped a pair I haven't had that long on Saturday. Nope. There's at least 10 or 20 clothing shops in Haddonfield...and the clothes were overpriced at each and every one. I don't know why anyone buys anything from boutiques. $175 for shorts that are ripped anyway is highway robbery! What are they, made of gold?

I didn't have luck with the bike shop, either. They didn't have a basket for the mountain bike or the one that I wanted for the cruiser that just hooks on the front. I did get a new tire, though.

I did find one thing I was looking for. The Happy Hippo Toy Shop had just gotten in this month's WebKinz today. They had all the ones I wanted, but I finally opted for the Small Signature Black Bear. (I debated getting the Pom Pom Kitty, but WebKinz Insider has mentioned people have had trouble getting her online pet item.) She's gorgeous, softer and more realistic than the original WebKinz Black Bear, but not as big or expensive as the huge Signature WebKinz. (I also ended up getting dried cranberries and apricots from CVS, one of the only really useful stores in Haddonfield besides the toy shop.)

My stroll through Haddonfield didn't take very long. I arrived around 12:30, was back on the PATCO by almost 2 and home by 2:15. Spent the rest of the afternoon doing something else I've been wanting to catch up on - baking! I made Swedish Rye Bread and Swedish Rice Porridge from Kirsten's Cook Book and turned a brownie recipe into Oatmeal-Dried Cranberry Bars (though I think I overcooked the latter). I'd started a slow-cooker Chicken Stew before I left and had that and the porridge for dinner.

I watched That's Entertainment when I got in, then decided I was in the mood for Meet Me In St. Louis. This is one of the most famous MGM musicals, a lovely tale of a family in the title city in 1904 as they prepare for the World's Fair, chase boys, tell tall tales, and are thrown for a loop when Dad brings home some unexpected news.

Sounds boring? Not to me. This movie makes me feel right at home. I come from a family that is dominated by women, where the father is often out-of-the-loop, and we moved a LOT during my childhood. The opening scene, in which the eldest daughter's beau calls long-distance during dinner, could have come right from my own teen years...right down to the youngest daughter's story about the blood squirting out of a man she saw. (Anny used to tell similar wild stories at dinner at Tootie's age.)

Judy Garland is the second-eldest, and though she's the star here, everyone is obviously having a good time. (Especially Judy. She had such a good time, she fell in love with director Vincent Minellei here.) Little Margaret O'Brien's Tootie and her fondness for death and her doll cemetery was a family favorite. (Anny did similar things at her age - not dolls, but she did bury crabs on the beach.)

A warning for men - like Mamma Mia!, this is a very girly movie. Most of the male reviewers I've seen haven't gotten into it. It's also not really filled with action - those who like more plot in their musicals need look elsewhere. And you may want to be around with your little ones during the Halloween sequence. Nothing really bad happens, but Minellei did such great work with the spooky ambiance that you really feel Tootie's fear. It scared my little brother so much, it was years before he'd watch it straight through.

Oh, and meet Ursula, my Small Signature Black Bear! I'm going to move her into the new pink Princess room I just set up using some Princess furniture I won on cards.