Saturday, April 19, 2014

In Spring, the Easter Bunny Never Sleeps

Started off the morning with this week's American Top 40 re-run. We returned to 1978, this time in late April, for another round of R&B, hard rock, pop, and disco, disco, and more disco. Hits in early spring of that year included "Emotion" by Samantha Sang, "Lay Down Sally" by Eric Clapton, "Can't Smile Without You" by Barry Manilow, "With a Little Luck" by Wings, "Our Love" by Natalie Cole, "Running On Empty" by Jackson Browne, "We'll Never Have to Say Good-Bye" by England Dan and John Ford Cooley, "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman, "Dust In the Wind" by Kansas, and the title song from the romantic comedy The Goodbye Girl by David Gates.

But the real talk of that spring - and of the previous five months - was the smash-hit, platinum-selling soundtrack from Saturday Night Fever. In fact, the Bee Gees' two major hits from that album, "Stayin' Alive" and "Night Fever," were the top songs that week, with "Night Fever" in the middle of it's 7 weeks at the #1 spot.

I headed out about a half-hour or so after the AT 40 ended. Haddon Heights was originally supposed to have its town-wide yard sale today, but it was moved to next week for some reason. That's all right. It was such a nice day, just being out for a ride was lovely. I haven't had a good ride for anything besides counseling trips since last fall. I did run into a few yard sales that weren't told about the date changes. Just found an interesting-sounding young adult novel called The White Twilight, about a girl in medieval Denmark who has to figure out why pirates are attacking their king and the castle her father is working on.

(And I also learned that much of the Haddon Heights side of Haddon Lake Park had once been an actual lake, Crystal Lake, that was drained in the 30s. That explains the park's bowl shape and oddly curving slopes.)

Since I was in the area, I made a stop at the CVS on the corner of King's Highway and the White Horse Pike. They'd completely re-did the store since the last time I was there. The space for vitamins and other pills had been tripled, and they had more food supplies as well. I needed shaving cream; also picked up bubble bath (haven't had Mr. Bubble in years) and laundry detergent. I went across the street to the little Italian bakery, but they were so crazy, I left with nothing.

I headed back towards Oaklyn around quarter of 1. I eventually ended up at the Oaklyn Library for this week's volunteering session. The re-organizing in the children's section continues. I completely re-did the kids' DVDs, then fixed the board books, which are the only kids' items that aren't going anywhere. They're still trying to figure out how to get everything together, so I just left the rest.

I got in around 1:30. I had a quick lunch of leftovers while watching a couple of Max & Ruby Easter episodes. "Ruby's Easter Bonnet" is an elaborate concoction of flowers and ribbon, but it's Max's jumping frog that adds a little something extra. Max wants to lead "Max's Easter Parade," but Ruby and Louise would rather decorate Easter eggs. And Max plays the Easter Bunny for Ruby and the other Bunny Scouts during their Egg Hunt in "Max and the Easter Bunny."

Went back out around quarter of 2 to get my laundry done. I'm not doing it on Easter, and Rose asked me if I wanted to go to Khai's birthday party on Monday evening. Today's the only day I had to get it done. It wasn't that busy, but maybe it was just as well. The two women who were there, one of whom was a manager who was wiping down the washers and driers, spent the hour I was there gossiping about their neighbors and trading sarcastic lines.

Despite the nice day, I decided I was wiped and ultimately spent the rest of the afternoon at home. I made that Key Lime Cake for Jodie's party tomorrow while watching a couple of Easter specials. Yogi gets into major trouble with Ranger Smith when he eats all the candy for Jellystone's big Easter Jamboree. Yogi and Boo-Boo go after the Easter Bunny to make it up to him in Yogi the Easter Bear. Here Comes Peter Cottontail has the title character traveling through a year's worth of holidays to deliver eggs and defeat the evil Irontail. The First Easter Rabbit explores the Easter Bunny's origins, as Stuffy goes from almost-destroyed stuffed animal to beloved spring icon.

Switched to movies as I made Lime Buttercream Frosting for the cake. Gold Diggers of 1933 is the second of three Warners movies Busby Berkley did that year that helped return the movie musical to prominence. Here, the "Gold Diggers" of the title are Fay (Ginger Rogers), Carol (Joan Blondell), Trixie (Aline MacManon), and Polly (Ruby Keeler), chorus dancers who have been hit hard by the Depression. Polly's delighted when the guy she's had her eye on (Dick Powell) somehow ponies up $15,000 to back a dour producer's (Ned Sparks) latest extravaganza. It turns out that Powell is wealthy and his family is less than amused, especially his obnoxious brother (Warren William) and lawyer (Guy Kibbe). Carol and Trixie try to keep the two from interfering with the show or Polly's new sweetheart.

The Depression pops up more than usual in this one, including in the searing finale, "Remember My Forgotten Man," a despairing tribute to the Bonus Army March in 1932. Otherwise, the trifle of a plot is really just there to carry some of Busby Berkley's most famous numbers. The movie opens with one, "We're In the Money," performed by girls in coin costumes. Ginger Rogers sings a verse in Pig Latin at one point. Other famous songs include "Pettin' In the Park" (with its randy baby and Keeler in her tin bathing suit) and the electrified violinists of "The Shadow Waltz." My only complaint is Blondell has no chemistry with William; they end up together more because the plot says so. MacManon and Kibbe are better as the older, wise-cracking duo. Necessary for fans of Berkley or the cast; fun for 30s musical enthusiasts as well.

Moved to the Disney Robin Hood as I made lamb chops in lemon sauce, sauteed asparagus, and spinach salad for dinner. This animated version of the famous British folk stories changes things a bit by making all of the characters animals and using an interesting mix of Brit and Western comics and singers for the voices. This was the first Disney movie made after Walt's death, and the turmoil does show, especially in the cheap and often reused animation. On the other hand, that voice cast and a very funny script and decent songs make up for a lot of shortcomings. This is one of the most hilarious things Disney ever did - they wouldn't have this much fun in their animated movies until Aladdin in the early 90s. Great for younger and grade school kids who'll get a kick out of the slapstick, and for adults who grew up watching this on video and cable like me.

Oh, and for those of you who won't be around for Easter tomorrow, here's two of my favorite springtime animated specials and shorts on YouTube:

This Silly Symphony is, to my knowledge, currently Disney's only venture into Easter:

Funny Little Bunnies

One of my favorite Bernstein Bears specials takes us back to before the birth of Sister to discuss the miracle of spring and Easter:

The Bernstein Bears' Easter Surprise 

Here's hoping that all of my readers have a wonderful Easter and Passover!

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