Dolls In the Spring

I went decadent with Coconut and Chocolate Chip Pancakes to start my day. Listened to the original cast album of Ain't Misbehavin' while I ate. Hearing the title song in The All Night Strut inspired me to pull out this 2-disc set. Like All Night Strut, Ain't Misbehavin' is a simple three-woman, two-man revue revolving around the music of the early and mid-20th century.  In this case, the music was either written or performed by Fats Waller, a legendary pianist and performer who was known for his lavish lifestyle and great jazz and swing songs. I particularly like "T'ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do" and "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter." Broadway favorite Nell Carter had one of her biggest successes as one of the female singers.

Changed the dolls into formal spring outfits for Easter after breakfast. Josefina wears her Feast Day Outfit with the ruffled camisa and her beautiful gold Heirloom Accessories shawl. Jessa's in the 1998 fruit-print Birthday T-Shirt and Jumper and purple jelly sandals. Whitney gets what's now known as Kit's Springtime Outfit, the peachy-pink dress with the ruffled skirt that was released as a limited edition last year. Samantha also wears a limited edition outfit, in this case her current Flower-Picking Set dress with the white and pink shoes from Rebecca's Lace Dress. Felicity sports her Pink Birthday Dress and floral Pinner apron. Molly's wearing her Polka-Dot Outfit.

(And Sam looks beautiful in her new dress! Unlike the Frilly Frock, it fits her well, too. I love the fancy lace collar and the pretty pink and magenta print. The skirt is also much longer than most of her wardrobe, giving her a slightly more grown-up air. As with the extras from Kit's Candy-Making set last year, I'm going to use the basket and flowers that came with Samantha's outfit as general decorations in the apartment, rather than with the dolls.)

It took me a lot longer to dress the dolls than I thought it would. I had to hurry out to work and just made it. Glad I got there on time. We were busy almost the entire afternoon. It was chilly and a little windy, though not quite as bad as yesterday. It's the week before Easter, and the beginning of the month is this week as well. Some people (and employees) weren't in the best moods. I suspect at least some of the rancor is because Mother Nature keeps hovering in the mid-to-upper 40's and won't automatically jump into the 60's and 70's, the way everyone wants her to.

I spent the rest of the evening eating baked salmon cakes and broccoli and cauliflower and cleaning up a mess in the living room. I spilled water out of the plant on top of the record crates next to the window overlooking the park in the music area. I didn't think it was any big deal...until I felt a wet patch while pulling out Ain't Misbehavin' this morning. The water seeped under three crates and soaked a few records in the crate closest to the window. I put two crates outside to dry and had to leave the others all over the living room while the rug dries out.