I hadn't been awake for very long before the phone rang. Mom was getting back to me after I called yesterday. She was on her way to work (was doing the ticket booth at the Ferry today) and couldn't talk for long. She's happy that I had a good time on Lauren's vacation, but really couldn't say much more.
I only had a few errands to run today. Started at the Oaklyn Library. My current home town's library is really only one room, with no need (or space) for the formality at the Haddon Township Library. It's probably just as well that they weren't busy. There wasn't much to do with the adult DVDs, and the kids' area looked like someone was in the midst of vacuuming the curtains and ran out of time - the equipment and one set of curtains were still there. I did shelve some items and organized the board books, then headed out.
Headed to the Acme next to get a few groceries and money for the week. I was mostly restocking meat. Chicken drumsticks were on sale; also bought the single packs of tilapia and salmon and a larger coconut-crusted tilapia fillet. Got the smaller box of brown sugar (it wasn't on sale, but I was out), and chocolate chips. There were some good health and beauty products sales. I got Arm & Hammer Deodorant for 79 cents and a three pack of Dial Basic soap for a dollar. The lines were only long because there were two registers open - they must have been waiting for help.
I have a very busy week next week, the most hours I've had since the early spring and only one day off, Thursday. That's fine. After I was bored the last few days, I'd rather have the hours! I do have one relatively late night on Wednesday, but otherwise, my hours are pretty normal, including 12 to 4 on the 4th of July. That'll give me plenty of time for both Oaklyn's town parade and the parties and fireworks later in the day. (In fact, I think those are about the same hours I worked the 4th of July last year.)
When I got home, I put everything away, then had a quick lunch while finishing out the third cartoon DVD. Although I don't think any short on this set will get close to "Les Escargots" for sheer weirdness, there were a couple of oddities. "Winter Draws On," "The Golden State," and "Time for Love" are charming Screen Songs sing-a-long Paramount shorts from the late 40s. "The Story of Time" is a ponderous stop-motion history of clocks and watches that reminds me a lot of Donald In Mathmagic Land and Donald and the Wheel from the late 50s-early 60s...but without Donald's personality or those shorts' sense of humor. "Red Riding Hood" gives us the return of the imitation Minnie from "Circus Capers." This time, Miss Mouse has to rescue her red-hot Granny from a wolf who wants to marry her! "The Cob Web Hotel" is definitely no romantic honeymoon spot for flies - it's run by a spider who uses it to trap his dinner. When a pair of newlywed flies are attacked, the other prisoners in the hotel come to their rescue.
By the time the cartoons ended, I was bored stiff. I wanted to talk to someone, but most people I know are working or doing their own business. I didn't know what I felt like doing. It was too late to go on a long trip. I jumped on the bike and rode around Oaklyn for a while before I turned around. A walk around Collingswood might make me feel better.
It being a beautiful Friday evening, windy and warm but not really humid, Collingswood was rather busy when I arrived around 4PM. This time, I did catch the Twin Oaks Thrift Shop before they closed. There were quite a few people wandering around the shop, but I did manage to find The Woman's Comfort Book.
Speaking of comfort, I thought a nice fountain soda from the Pop Shop would cool me off and make me feel a little better. They were surprisingly quiet for a Friday evening, maybe because I came in at 4:30, before the dinner rush. I decided to try a "Coconut Cupcake Soda" - coconut and cupcake syrups in Diet Coke. Yummy! Sweet, but absolutely delicious, and very refreshing. It really hit the spot.
I browsed in Frugli Consignment across the street. They were busy with families looking for kids' clothes, but I saw nothing for me and moved on. The Women's Comfort Book suggested, among other things, playing at a playground to liven up flagging spirits. I wanted to go to CVS anyway, so I swung by the playground on the river in Newton River Park, across from the condos. I went as high as I dared on the swings, squeezed across the balance beam, and flew down the awesome slide with the rollers. It was really fun! The view on the river was gorgeous too, sunny and green and sparkling. (But what's with that new blacktop across from CVS? Parking for the fireworks?)
My trip to CVS didn't go well; they didn't have the shampoo I was looking for. I finally just headed home instead. I made Italian breaded chicken with steamed snap peas and sliced cucumber for dinner while watching The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.
The Wind and the Willows and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow aren't the first stories I'd put in an anthology together, and indeed, the two have little in common. Mr. Toad follows the title character and his friends Rat, Badger, and Mole as Toad escapes from a fraudulent car theft charge, then wins back his home Toad Hall from the weasels who set him up with the help of the others. Basil Rathbone narrates, with the help of several charactor actors, including Pat O'Malley and Eric Blore. Bing Crosby narrates and does all the voices for Ichabod. Ichabod Crane is a schoolteacher in colonial New England who competes with local bully Brom Bones for lovely Katrina...until the night of the Halloween party, when he meets local legend the Headless Horseman face-to-jack-o-lantern!
I honestly like these two cartoons better separate. Sleepy Hollow is pretty funny until it makes a total turn around for that truly freaky chase climax! Mr. Toad's segment is more pure comedy/action. This is really only for major fans of the books in question, Disney movies, or people looking for Halloween content for grade school kids (that final chase with the Headless Horseman is a bit too much for the youngest).
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