Started the day with breakfast and more My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. "Rarity Takes Manehattan" to attend a huge fashion competition. She tries to be generous to everyone, but when she's a little too generous to a competitor who steals her ideas, she and the others end up learning a lesson in being kind without getting taken advantage of. "It's Not Easy Being Breezies," tiny pony fairy creatures who travel through Ponyville to their homeland once a year. When a group is separated from the rest of the heard, Fluttershy takes care of them. They don't want to leave, and Fluttershy isn't sure she wants them to, either. They're also wild creatures, and they know can't stay. Pinkie Pie discovers she might be a distant cousin of Applejack's in "Pinkie Apple Pie." Applejack and her family travel to visit an aunt who might know if Pinkie really is related...and to show Pinkie that they can be the perfect family for her.
I went into taking down the St. Patrick's Day decorations and putting up what I have for Easter as the cartoons continued. Easter is one of my favorite holidays; thanks to the things Mom cleared out of her collection two years ago, I have quite a few items, from a garland with miniature carrots and eggs hanging off it that went on the hutch to a couple of resin and porcelain rabbit statues, as well as the colorful quilted egg runner for the kitchen table Mom made at least 20 years ago. (I'm out of tape - the Easter paper decorations will have to wait for Friday or next week.)
It was sunny and bright when I headed out, but also colder and very windy, in the lower 40's. The sun felt nice and warm as I rode over to the Oaklyn Library for this week's session there. Two of the librarians were rearranging the adult DVD shelves. I just concentrated on organizing the kids' DVD's and books instead.
As I came up the hill to West Clinton Avenue's tiny "shopping district," I noticed that the coffee shop that had been rumored to open on the corner of Manor and West Clinton for years was finally ready. Common Grounds Coffee House was a large, friendly room with exposed brick on one wall and inspirational quotes from everyone from Bono to Winnie the Pooh to Albert Einstein on the other. A small display held quiche, muffins, and other baked goods. I had a 12 oz chai latte and a thick slice of bacon and scallion quiche. The quiche was delicious, with lots of cheese and bacon pieces. The chai latte was a little watery, but it was just sweet enough, with tons of foam on the top. I enjoyed my quiet lunch, listening to the two other women in the room chat.
Studio LuLoo is two doors down. They were having play time for local pre-school kids when I arrived. As they started to clear out the kids, I did the dishes. They had a ton again, mostly cups and silverware. They forgot to let the silverware soak again. It was disgusting, crusted with what I assume to be birthday cake. (Studio LuLoo is a popular local birthday party spot.) When I finished that and the kids were gone, I washed all the windows I could reach with a squeegee. The windows in the kids' playroom are mostly blocked or have posters for musical events taped on them, but I was able to get one window done and the doors.
When I got home, I did some classwork for a while. I need to finish off that junk drawer essay, then look for a market I could conceivably sell it to if I was ready to. I don't know if I am, but at least I'll have some ideas.
I finished out Friendship Is Magic as I got ready for work. Friendship's fourth season ended with a blast from the past. Tirek, the nasty demon from the original My Little Pony special "Rescue From Nighmare Castle," makes his return in the two-part season finale "Twilight's Kingdom." Twilight is wondering what her role as a princess will be. When Tirek escapes and starts taking magic from ponies, she and the others realize that the items ponies have given them all season are more important than just tokens of friendship. They could be the keys to literally saving Equestria from Tirek's revived rampage.
I got a bit of a surprise at work. I wondered why I was working so late, and only for a few hours. I haven't worked at night in a while. Turns out, I wasn't up front at all. I joined several college kids in working on spring cleaning in the store. While they scrubbed around the bakery displays and the shelves of fruit, I scrubbed the displays of loose and bagged vegetables, organic produce, and bottles of fresh salad dressings and fancy juices like Naked. It took me the entire four hours. My fingers were frostbitten from the cold floor and refrigerated displays and my arm and elbow were beyond sore, but I did get it all done.
I do wish the manager who gave the orders was a little bit more helpful. He just said "go get cleaning supplies and do the displays." He didn't tell me where the supplies were. I had to ask the college kids. Nor did he say when we should go on break. I waited for someone to tell us, then just went on my own. I left five minutes early when there wasn't really anything else for me to do. (And it's probably just as well that I didn't do the registers tonight. As far as I could tell, the front end was quiet the entire evening. They barely needed two cashiers and self-checkout.)
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