Balancing Changes

Happy birthday to me! Mother Nature couldn't have given me a nicer birthday present. It was utterly gorgeous when I awoke this morning. The breeze was chilly, but the air was much warmer, and the sun was coming out.

I ran a couple of birthday-themed cartoons during breakfast. The very first 80s Strawberry Shortcake cartoon, The World of Strawberry Shortcake, is set during the title lass' 6th birthday. Disney did two birthday cartoons for their most popular character, Mickey Mouse. The first was "The Birthday Party," a black-and-white "everyone sings and dances" short from 1931 that featured Mickey and Minnie's adorable duet on "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." The second, "Mickey's Birthday Party," came out in 1942. This time, the emphasis is on Goofy's antics as he attempts to bake the cake, some really wild hoofing from Mickey, and a bit of Latin American dancing between Donald Duck and Clara Cluck that gets a little out of hand.

It was a great day for a ride to yoga class. I told Karin today was my birthday when I got in. She was so sweet. She had the whole class sing "Happy Birthday" to me...while doing their vinyasa exercises. It was a little embarrassing, but very kind of her and all of them. Talk about good karma!

My next stop was the Collingswood Library. There was a stack of DVDs to put away and file, and the shelves needed to be organized. I wasn't around for too long, though. I had other plans for today.

After I left the library, I rode over to the Collingswood PATCO and hopped a train bound for Philadelphia. I had so much fun shopping in Philly on my birthday last year, I thought I'd repeat it.

I got off at the 8th Street stop and went straight to Reading Terminal Market for lunch. It was quarter after 12 by then, and I was hungry! Alas, everyone in the entire downtown Philadelphia area seemed to have had the same idea. It took me two rounds of pushing my way through crowds before I found an empty seat at Pearl's Oyster Bar. I had a tasty lunch of cod sandwich with a delicious bowl of Manhattan Clam Chowder.

I had thought of getting cake, but Dad would probably have one for me later. I went a couple of booths down and got Bassett's Ice Cream instead. My two-scoop Cinnamon cone was sweet and wonderful; tasted like a liquid snickerdoodle. I took it across the street to the sculpture park next to the Marriot Downtown Philadelphia and enjoyed my treat while watching the people go by.

Headed for FYE after my cone was down to the last drip. I didn't do as well there as I did last year, but I did find some good stuff. I picked up the third volume of The Three Stooges Collection and found Yogi the Easter Bear in the used bins. The Road to Collection four-DVD set wasn't on sale, but at $14.99, it was a much better bargain than some of the other DVDs in the store that were going for that price for a one-disc set. I already have Road to Zanzibar, but my copies of Road to Morocco and Road to Utopia are on aging videos. I've never even seen the first one, Road to Singapore. FYE was selling Chicago for $5.99 with any purchase; that was another video replacement.

I didn't do nearly as well at Borders across the street. Alas, the Philly Borders is one of the many stores across the country that's shutting down in the wake of their bankruptcy announcement. I was hoping the location would save it. I bought a Felicity American Girl mystery, Traitor In Williamsburg. Asked the woman who rang up the book why the store was closing; I always assumed it was pretty popular. She said it was...but the owners of the building the store is in opted not to renew their lease after Borders filed for Chapter 11. Popular or not, they had to go.

The beautiful day and soft, fresh breeze lifted my spirits after my disappointment at Borders. I strolled down Broad Street, admiring all the wonderful theaters and art-related buildings. I took a turn and headed down Spruce, passing some wonderful old brick buildings converted into condos, and went into the heart of Washington Square to explore one of my favorite stores in the world, Russakoff's Used Books and Records.

Only now, it seems to be Russakoff's Used Books and DVDs. The store still has the same great collection of used books, videos, and posters, but the store is no longer quite as cramped and cozy. Much to my disappointment, the records were gone. The owner said he wanted to thin out his inventory after his parents retired, so he moved the records to his North Philly location and raised the price on them. Phooey. I still like the store, though. They did have a decent selection of used DVDs, and they still have good books (even though the prices seemed to be higher on them, too). I ended up with the Calvin and Hobbes collection Something Under the Bed Is Drooling and Leonard Maltin's volume on classic animated shorts, Of Mice and Magic.

The 10th Street PATCO entrance is an almost literal hop, skip, and jump away from Russakoff's. I just went straight from there to the train station. However, instead of riding right home from Collingswood, I swung by Dad and Uncle Ken's house. Dad said they had cards for me.

They weren't the only ones home when I arrived. Jodie, Dolores, my friend Erica, and her mother Miss Helen were there, too. Poor Jodie was very, very upset. Her beloved black lab Max had to be put to sleep this afternoon. She kept saying he was in a better place...but I know how she felt about Max. He might as well have been another son to her.

Dad, Jodie, and I had sloppy joes and broccoli together after Erica and Miss Helen left. Dad bought the cutest little cake with Cool Whip frosting and pink trim. He and Jodie sang "Happy Birthday" to me. I got a card with a picture of me and a really sweet 30s-style graphic of women in garden party dresses enjoying a birthday party from Dad (who makes his own cards.) Dolores and Uncle Ken gave me a cupcake-themed card done in lovely shades of pink, turquoise, and yellow. I got $75 from the four of them all-told.

Nothing could really cheer Jodie up, though. She started crying half-way through eating the cake. I just held her. She held me when I was feeling overwhelmed at Rose's baby shower last year.

I went home around 6. Just messed around for a while. Watched The Three Stooges. The first short on the set, "You Natzy Spy," was a hilarious spoof of the Nazi regime...a year before the US got involved with the war. "A Plumbing We Will Go" was a lot of fun, too.

Mom called to wish me a happy birthday just as I was stepping out of the shower. She had just come from my brother's spring band concert. Keefe's played drums for his school bands since junior high. Playing the drums is one of his favorite hobbies. We're both going to miss him when he joins the Navy; he'll be signing up officially within the next few weeks.

And I think, if I can get off next year, I'll try something a little different. I still enjoy spending my birthday in the city, but maybe I'll go to South Street instead of FYE, or shop on Antique Row. There's a lot of city out there. The world's changing, and it's time I changed with it. I just need to figure out how to take it slowly...and make it stick.