I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

I was up late doing research on vintage Barbie clothes that might be appropriate for my Sailor Moon dolls. I had been up for about ten minutes when the phone rang. I looked over on the crate I used for a nightstand and saw that it was 10AM. It was Mom, finally calling me back after yesterday.

First of all, it sounds like we'll be doing the Secret Santa this year. It was Rose's idea. Us four adult kids, plus Mike and Keefe's girlfriend Vicki, will have a name sent to us via phone or e-mail. We have to buy a present for that person. The limit is 50 dollars. This is perfect for me. I don't have money to be buying things for everyone this year. Rose and Keefe aren't fans of shopping in general. Rose doesn't really have the time for it, either. Keefe and Vicki are living on the salaries of a Navy student and a part-time cashier at Michael's, too. Three out of six of us are also buying things for young kids. Anny and Dad were the hold-outs. Mom said she talked Anny into it by reminding her that it would save money for Christmas shopping for her kids. Dad said he'd compromise by giving everyone a little money instead of gifts.

Speaking of Keefe, he seems to be doing just fine at school. He's passed everything, which is good. Mom says if he keeps passing everything, he'll have two weeks off for Christmas. I really need to write him. I hope his address is still the same.

I'd just finished getting dressed when Jodie called me. I could go over to Dad's house and get my laundry done, and we could go to the grocery store, too. I had a quick breakfast and ran a few spooky cartoons for Halloween. Runaway Brain is a rare theatrical Mickey Mouse short from the 90s that spoofs horror movies. Mickey needs to earn money for a vacation with Minnie...but he didn't realize that it would lead him straight into the den of a mad scientist and his oddly familiar monster!

Jodie picked me up and, after a quick stop at CVS, took me to Dad's to do my laundry. It was such a gorgeous day. The leaves are finally beginning to turn colors. The trees around Dad's house are lit up with brilliant golds, crimsons, and flame oranges. It still drives me crazy that I should be out riding my bike, renting movies, strolling through local towns or in Philadelphia...and I can't, because of my stupid ankle.

There was a bright yellow bottle of bubble solution sitting on the side of the huge closed gas grill on the porch. When I got bored with reading Don't Worry, Make Money, I grabbed the bottle, pulled out the ridged orange wand, and blew some bubbles. I spent a half-hour blowing bubbles. I watched the fragile baubles dance in the soft wind. Some of them looked like the clear glass ornaments made during World War II, when rationing encouraged cheaper alternatives to traditional German creations. Bubbles stuck together looked like atoms bobbing towards the green grass and spiky foliage in the front yard.

Dad was having his own troubles. A Verizon truck pulled up shortly after I'd returned to reading. Seems they were giving him a hard time about switching the house's phone and cable lines from Uncle Ken's name to his. There must have been something else going on, too. The cable was out when my laundry finished and Jodie and I headed out to the Acme for our shopping.

Good thing the Acme wasn't busy. We both had decent-sized orders. I didn't want to wait two weeks again, but I still needed a bit. The Acme's having a "buck a bag" sale on bagged vegetables. I bought scallions, mushrooms, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes. Restocked my apples, pears, baking cocoa, single packs of fish, milk, white vinegar, fruit concentrate, and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

It was so nice, after I finally got home and put everything away, I spent the next few hours outside. I swept the porch, which badly needed it. It needs to be swept at least once a week in the fall, thanks to the trees all around my apartment. I read outside for a while, enjoying the last rays of the setting fall sun, the increasingly cool air, and the patter of little squirrel feet on my roof.

Ran Hot Shots Part Deux while making leftovers for dinner. I watched the first one last week; figured I might as well do this one, too. This time, the pot shots are at the First Gulf War, Saddam Hussein (and dictatorships in general), Star Wars, romantic melodramas, and the bloody war films of the 80s and early 90s. I actually like this one better, if only for Lloyd Bridges' increased role as the president of the US (and some amusing Sea Hunt gags).