Rainy Days and Baths

It was pouring when I woke up this morning, and continued to do so as I read The Lion In the Valley and wrote in my journal. I only rode to work yesterday because it was so late; there was no way I was going to do it this time. I called Dad for a ride to work.

After I let off with him, I called Mom. She was quite happy. In good news, she did get that job at the Cape May Lewes Ferry that she mentioned she interviewed for. She'll start orientation next month. It sounds like she's going to do anything that'll require sitting down - taking reservations, taking phone calls, selling tickets. She says she especially wants to learn how to take reservations. In tourist-heavy Cape May County, that's one of the most useful skills a job-hunter can have. She's also spending time with my brother Keefe, who is up from the Navy base in Charleston on leave, and taking care of my stepfather, who has a nasty cold that's required two doctor visits and lots of medicine.

I made Apple-Cinnamon Pancakes while listening to this week's Brunch With the Beatles. We get psychedelic with one of my favorite Beatles albums, Magical Mystery Tour. I've heard the movie's weird as hell, but the album has some great numbers. I heard "Blue Jay Way," "Your Mother Should Know," "Baby You're a Rich Man," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Flying," and "Penny Lane" before I had to head off to work.

Dad did drive me to the Acme and back. It wasn't raining when he picked me up...but even after the five minutes it takes to go from Oaklyn to Audubon, it was back to torrential downpours again. That could be why we were swamped all day long. We're in the midst of some really big four-day sales too, including that 88 cents for generic Acme frozen vegetables deal I bought on Friday. Not to mention, it's getting close to the beginning of the month. We were so crazy, a manager had to send a stock boy in for me so I could get out on time.

When I got home, I went straight in the bath. I desperately needed that bath, especially after last night. I read Writing Fiction For Dummies and listened to 80s and early 90s soft rock and the sound of the rain on the roof.

I passed the rest of the evening quietly. I made salmon with leftover green beans and the last of the pasta-vegetable bake for dinner, then had pineapple upside-down cake for dessert while listening to 80s soundtracks. I'm not a big fan of Flashdance or Dirty Dancing today; despite a smoldering Patrick Swayze in the latter and some fine dancing in both, they're really just overheated melodramas that haven't dated well. They do have outstanding soundtracks. "I've Had the Time Of My Life" from Dirty Dancing and "What a Feeling!" from Flashdance both won Oscars; other favorites of mine from these albums include "Imagination" and "Seduce Me Tonight" from Flashdance and "She's Like the Wind" and "Yes!" from Dirty Dancing.

(Incidentally, the rain has been off and on pretty much the entire day. At press time, it sounds like it's raining heavily again. It's supposed to peter out tomorrow and start up again later in the week - we'll see what happens.)