All the Weather You Could Ever Want

I think the only weather we missed today was hail and snow! It started gloomy and humid when I climbed out of bed this morning. Not exactly inspiring, especially since I had plans to hit the Haddon Township Library and run errands in the morning.

My bike tires needed to be pumped a little. It wouldn't have been a big deal if the mosquitoes weren't eating me alive. They've been really bad in the area that leads to the steps to my apartment...and I knew why. Bits of debris from the trees and puddles of water have collected on the tarp covering my mountain bike that I never use, giving ample fodder for bugs (including a whopper of a spider that must have been the size of my thumb).

I was sick of encouraging the local wildlife and giving a home to feral cats. I felt bad about getting rid of the mountain bike because some of my co-workers at the Acme gave it to me about five years ago for Christmas...but all the thing was doing was propping up cobwebs. I rode it for a few years, but I didn't really need it. I don't like mountain bikes with gears, or how the handlebars made me lean over and feel uncomfortable. I prefer plain old cruiser bikes that you don't have to adjust into this and that. I don't mind pushing it up hills. It's not like I live in the mountains, like my best friend Lauren.

I finally left the bike by the curb, like I did with the TV and computers last week. Anyone who wants it is welcome to it. It's rusty and missing the seat (the old seat was moved to the cruiser bike when my neighbor and I started fixing it up), but someone might be able to do something with it. I gave the tarp back to my next-door neighbors. I borrowed it from them in the first place.

Headed for the Haddon Township Library next. It was about 11 when I arrived. They'd only been open for an hour, and there wasn't much to do. I shelved a small stack of DVDs and a few children's books. Took out two animated sets - more Little Einsteins, this time with a rescue theme, and the newest Sean the Sheep disc.

The clouds had been dark all morning, but it didn't start raining until I left the library. I was lucky I made it into Dollar Tree before the monsoon started. It was pouring like crazy as I wandered around the store. I was hoping to wait out the weather, but it didn't take me that long to buy a pack of Ivory soap and two packs of sponges.

I wasn't going far, anyway. I dashed across the mall to the Westmont Bagel Shop for lunch. I had a tasty Vegetable and Cheese Quesadilla for lunch. It felt rather cozy, with the rain pattering on the roof, All My Children on ABC, and people chatting in the booth behind me and in the main room. By the time I'd finished, the rain had ended, leaving puddles and clouds, but no threats of further storms.

The Rite Aid across the street was up next. They have the area's best prices on contact lens solution. I noticed they had half-gallon skim milk for cheaper than WaWa, too. I decided to save myself a trip and grab a bottle. I used up the last of mine on yesterday morning's cereal. Took out an extra 20 for the week as well.

With no more need to stop at WaWa, I just rode straight home. Put everything away and went right back out for a quick stroll around the neighborhood, just in case it started raining again. It didn't look like it would, though. The clouds were quickly breaking apart, and it felt far less humid and warm than earlier. I bought a Pina Colada Yum-Yum at Leo's to combat a dry throat on my way back and popped into Doria's Deli to congratulate them on winning an award from the Courier Post on having the best hoagies in South Jersey. (I must concede with that. They do.)

I spent the rest of the now-sunny and comfortable afternoon at my apartment. I've been having chocolate cravings, so I baked those wonderful Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal Cookies I got from a recipe in Prevention Magazine two years ago. They came out a little brown, but otherwise as sweet and chocolatey and chewy as ever.

Also continued the Video to DVD Project. I did Adam's Rib last night and finished off this disc with two more romantic screwball comedies this evening. Pat and Mike is Hepburn and Tracy's last movie together at MGM. Hepburn is a suburb all-around athlete. Tracy is the promoter who wants to make her into the Queen of Sports. Trouble is, Hepburn falters whenever her overbearing fiancee's around. Can Tracy help her admit this...and can Hepburn get the ever-tough Tracy to fall for an independent-minded woman?

Not my favorite of their movies, but cute enough. Probably best for fans of golf and tennis in the early 50s, who'll recognize the many stars from those sports making cameo appearance.

What's Up, Doc? is a homage to the screwball comedies of the 30s and 40s. Barbara Streisand is Judy, a perpetual college student who wrecks havoc wherever she goes...and where she is in 1972 is a hotel in San Fransisco. She's set her sights on naive but attractive musicologist Harold Bannister (Ryan O'Neal), and she won't take "no" for an answer. Meanwhile, Harold's odd behavior is flustering his uptight fiancee Eunice (Madeline Kahn, in her film debut), and half of San Fransisco finds themselves embroiled in a wild chase across the city involving spies, jewel thieves, and four identical plaid suitcases.

If you're a fan of either of the ladies or the movies this pays homage to, by all means, check this one out. Streisand and Kahn come out on top as the flake who isn't as ditzy as she seems, and the female Tony Randall who screams when she's angry and just wants her fiancee to explain what's going on...if he can. Lots of classic gags, too, from a woman hanging on the ledge outside the hotel to the classic chase across Frisco.