Here Comes the Sun

It was still cloudy, cool, and damp when I rode to work at 8:30 this morning. It spit a little while I was on my bike, but the worst appeared to be long gone by the time I headed out. I had no problems getting to work.

Work wasn't busy, either. In fact, it was pretty dead when I first arrived. It did pick up later, but it never got quite as busy as it did Monday. Worst that happened was trying to explain to several people that the big $.99 sale on six-packs of Canada Dry soda was only for four days. It's still on sale for $1.99...but for some folks, that just wasn't good enough. (Maybe if people hadn't bought carts filled with cases of soda, there might have been enough to last the weekend.)

Otherwise, there were no major problems. I even finally remembered to put in my requests for time off. I asked for my birthday on April 14th, June 17th for my brother Keefe's graduation, and June 23rd through July 1st for my best friend Lauren's yearly visit. Having my birthday off is nice but optional, but I really want the other two.

After work, I rode to the Audubon Crossings Mall behind the Acme. I needed new cheap sneakers to run errands in. The soles started coming off the old ones shortly after I bought them. I eventually just picked up a pair on sale for $10.99 at Payless. I'd had that pair before and they didn't last long, but hopefully by the time they do give up the ghost, I'll have the money for more.

By this time, the sun was bursting through the clouds, which looked a lot fleecier and less gray. It was much warmer, too, far too warm for the heavy black winter coat I'd worn that morning. I finally rode home around quarter after 1.

I stopped at the mail box on my way in and found four packages bound together with rubber band waiting for me. My recent eBay orders for the American Girl dolls had arrived! I hurried inside to check them out.

The first one was for Felicity. I was originally going to try making her Christmas Gown and Stomacher myself from an AG pattern, but I finally decided it would take me years to be able to make such a complicated pattern. I picked it up on eBay instead when I saw it for $19.99, far less than it's last price of $32 before it sold out in December.

It's a very pretty dress, and the bright blue color is gorgeous on my Pre-Mattel Felicity. I like that it's in two parts, too. I can use the petticoat for other things as well. My only complaints is that the fabric feels less like a fancy ball gown and more like something a parachute would be made out of, and the dress is a recent Mattel version and the stomacher attaches with Velcro, rather than the more practical snaps that originally came with it. Otherwise, I'm glad Lissie finally has something nice for Christmas.

My favorite of my eBay finds was Samantha's Plaid Cape and Gaiters. I believe it's the original version that came out in the 80s, or at the very least a Pre-Mattel version. The wool is very thick and heavy, and the lining is silky and smooth. I have a pattern for this one, too. Perhaps I can make her a cape in a lighter fabric for spring and fall when I get better at sewing. I'd love to make myself an adult-sized one, too. It's just such a lovely, elegant coat!

I had less luck with two outfits for Jessa. An off-brand outfit came with a pink, black, and white false-layered shirt and jean capris. The shirt looks really cute, but the capris were too small. Oh, well. I still got them on her, and I love how the outfit looks. Didn't have as much luck with the other outfit. It appears to be home-made. The pants are too big and the vest is too small, but the black turtleneck fits.

After I changed Jessa into her new capri outfit and put everything else away in the back or in the recycling, I changed into a t-shirt and capris myself. I had a quick lunch of Peanut Butter and Apricot Preserves on home-made rye bread and an orange, then headed out for a nice long walk in Newton River Park.

I got out at around 2:30, apparently the same time as the Oaklyn School. Groups of children, some with their parents, ran and jumped and skipped down West Clinton Avenue. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and who could blame them? A day that had started out gloomy was now sunny, warm, and breezy. I skipped along with them, glad that I worked early enough to enjoy the beautiful weather.

It was nice in Newton River Park, too. Lots of people were doing the same thing I was, going for a stroll or a jog. Dafodils and crocus were blooming in gardens. The trees are just starting to show the first signs of buds. The newly-arrived sunlight sparkled on the deep-green waters of Newton River as I passed by.

When I got home, I spent the rest of the evening sending good feedback for all of my eBay purchases and making honey-peanut butter granola bars. I burnt them a little, but otherwise, they came out all right.

I ran the 1937 The Prisoner of Zenda while having leftovers for dinner. Ronald Coleman is Rudolf Rassendyl in this version of one of my favorite books. Rudolf arrives in Ruritania hoping to do some fishing...but gets caught up in a dastardly plot to take over the throne when it's discovered that he's a dead ringer for Ruritania's about-to-be-crowned King.

The cast is the thing in this rousing action tale. Ronald Coleman is perfect as Rudolf and his royal double. Madeline Carroll is a bit chilly as the King's intended, Princess Flavia, but C. Aubrey Smith and David Niven have a fine time as the King's most loyal advisors. Raymond Massey and a dashing Douglas Fairbanks Jr. are marvelous villains as well.