Windy Balance

I felt so nice when I got up this morning, I didn't want to get out of bed. I cuddled in my blankets, not feeling hot at all. In fact, there was a wonderful breeze on my legs. When I did finally finish my journal and open my front door, I discovered a breezy, lower-70-degree morning. It was still dry, but yesterday's heat had dropped to something far more normal for this time of year.

Perhaps in honor of the changing seasons, today's yoga class concentrated on heart and chest work-outs that get your energy going. I was hard-pressed to keep up with the other 13 people in the class, including the teacher Karin and my friend Pattie. Pattie and I both had a hard time with the balancing twist that involved turning your torso to one side and lifting your torso and legs. I'm just too big.

Headed straight to the Collingswood Library next. It was very busy, and there were plenty of DVDs to put away. People were taking them out, too. College-age girls wanted romantic dramas. Kids wanted animated movies and Dora the Explorer. Older men were looking for action movies.

After I finished at the Library, I headed straight home. I had beef stew for lunch, then did something I've wanted to do for a while - bake a cake! I've been craving chocolate, so I made Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake in a bundt pan with Cinnamon-Chocolate Glaze. It came out soooo well, nice and moist. The glaze even came out right, for once.

Ran That Midnight Kiss as I ate my stew and did my baking. Opera singer Mario Lanza made his debut in this film...and I guess the writers decided that sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction. Lanza plays a Philadelphia truck driver who is discovered by wanna-be opera singer Kathryn Grayson and real-life concert pianist Jose Iturbi. Indeed, Lanza was from Philadelphia and was discovered when he was driving trucks there. He's still something of a legend in this area. There's a statue of him in Fairmount Park.

(The movie, however, is for fans of opera, Lanza, and/or Grayson only. It's a bit contrived and flat, and only works because of the excellent cast. In addition to Lanza and Grayson, we also have Jules Munshin as the producer of the opera, Keenan Wynn as a fellow truck driver, and Marjorie Reynolds as Lanza's original girlfriend and the dispatcher at the truck garage.)

Went to work shortly after the movie ended. It was a bit busier than last night, otherwise not a problem, and the hours moved fast.