Sisterhood

Slept in this morning, then ran Barbie: A Perfect Christmas during breakfast. Young teen Skipper, pre-teen Stacie, and 6-ish Chelsea join Barbie in this modern-set musical tale that seems to be intended as a follow-up to the two Fairy Secret stories. Barbie and her sisters are taking a plane to New York to visit Aunt Millie (of Fashion Fairytale) when it's grounded in Minnesota by a snowstorm. The quartet are disappointed when their flight is canceled and they find themselves stranded at the Tannebaum Inn. The Inn, however, is very much into the holidays, and soon the girls decide to improve their holidays by setting up a concert for a local band, with dogs from a local animal shelter as the opening act. But when Skipper refuses help from anyone and Stacie gets angry at Chesea because she's being a copycat, will the girls ever learn to work together...and find their own "Perfect Christmases?"

Universal's on a roll with their Barbie specials this year. This one was another winner, and just as much fun as the more fantasy-oriented Princess Charm School. In fact, I believe this is the first Barbie special since The Barbie Diaries to not feature any kind of typical "magic" whatsoever. No princesses, fairies, witches, wizards, or even typical villains here. Any "magic" is off-screen and assumed. This is just a very sweet story of four sisters who learn that Christmas isn't just a time of year. It's a feeling...and one that's best shared with those you love.

And I adored the hilarious scene when the four girls break into an impromptu snowball fight on their way back to the Inn. It was so realistically done, it brought back many memories of similar romps in the snow with my sisters and brother.

I also ran the end of Strawberry Shortcake. The episodes that make up Bright Lights, Big Dreams made for a rather interesting companion to last night's Xanadu, as they also involve finding inspiration and following your heart. In the first, Strawberry deals with a pair of very obnoxious bug house guests. It's her friends who finally teach the two that being a guest doesn't give you the right to be rude. The second switched the focus to Orange Blossom, as she and the other girls try to break a record and win a vacation for a Berrykin who is overworked. Though their initial attempts are failures, it's Orange Blossom who helps them learn that brainstorming ideas with friends can provide some great inspiration. The last story had Plum Pudding desperate to win a local dance contest. When she pushes the other girls too hard and finds herself having to deal with the silly Berrykins and their made-up dances, she learns a lesson in listening to others and putting fun before competition.

I shouldn't have put off doing the laundry. The laundromat was the busiest I've ever seen it when I finally made it there around quarter after noon! I was lucky to get a washer and a dryer. I almost didn't get a washer. When I got in, I quickly put everything away, had a lunch of leftovers, and hurried out the door.

As it turned out, I didn't really need to rush. We were on-and-off steady during the 4-6 rush hour and pin-drop quiet for most of the rest of the night. I spent an hour after break doing returns, and another half-hour doing candy. No wonder they gave me four days off in a row, if it's been like this all weekend.