Mouse Monster Mash

I was a bit surprised to see rain outside when I awoke this morning. I hadn't seen rain in the forecast. Thankfully, by the time I got moving, it was long gone, and the world was just wet. I ran Jason of Star Command while eating breakfast. Though technically listed as a spin-off of Space Academy, this is really a whole different show. The school for kids with magical abilities and the typical-but-cute edutainment stories have been replaced by an ongoing plot involving Jason (a supposed "soldier of fortune," though he seems to have more in common with James Bond than Han Solo) and his fellow members of Star Command and their war against the evil Dragos. It feels more like a sci-fi serial from the 30's and 40's - there's even two fifteen-minute stories per episode.

Did the laundry around 10:30-quarter of 11. They were pretty quiet for a Monday morning. I saw a few people when I came in and maybe one person when I left. Otherwise, I worked on story ideas and half-listened to Rachael Ray and The View in peace. I really didn't have a very big load, anyway. I was out in less than an hour.

As soon as I put everything away, I went right back out. By this point, the sun had come out, and it was in the 50's and sunny as could be. It was a great day to eat out and run errands. Started with lunch at the Westmont Bagel Shop. I hadn't eaten there in a while. Surprisingly, given it was the tail end of the lunch hour when I arrived, they were quiet. I had a spinach and provolone grilled chicken sandwich on a whole-wheat bagel with macaroni salad and pickle chips. It was tasty, with a ton of cheese, even if the bagel was probably too thick to eat it on.

Headed to the Haddon Township Library next. There wasn't much going on there. The librarians still wanted me to leave the piles of adult DVD titles for the kids to return. I organized the children's titles and shelved the few new releases that were in. I did find a couple of new kids' titles I wanted to see, including brand-new collections for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Doc McStuffins, last fall's Barbie movie Rock n' Royals, and the first season of Star Wars: Rebels.

Made a very quick stop at Thriftway on the way home. I forgot to buy an onion on Friday. Sugar was on a good sale, and I was just about out. They have far better prices on individual toilet paper than the Acme does (69 cents, as opposed to a dollar). They were a little steady, but nothing really bad.

Spent the rest of the afternoon writing at home. Han deals with Jabba, telling the fat, ugly ogre he has the money he owes him to buy his way out of indentured servitude. Jabba pretty much says "you'd better, or I'm sending more of my hunters after you." (I know this scene isn't really necessary, but I love Han stepping on Jabba's tail and the "You're a wonderful human being" line.)

Meanwhile, Luke is back at the ball, wondering what became of Ben and Han. Leia storms in, still mad as heck at being abandoned by and kissed by Han. She agrees to dance with him, and Luke is in seventh heaven...but they both quickly realize that something's wrong...

Ran Barbie: Rock N' Royals while making my favorite Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookies. This is the Barbie series' third variation on The Prince and the Pauper, and their second to make it royalty vs pop singers. In this case, Princess Courtney and rock star Erika are looking forward to two weeks at cultured Camp Royal and vibrant Camp Pop. There's a mix-up with their boats, and Courtney finds herself among the up-and-coming pop stars, while Erika is hob-nobbing with the royal kids. The two heads of the camps don't really get along. One bets the other that their group can't beat them in a sing-off - loser closes down their camp. Though Courtney and Erika don't feel like they fit in at first, when they discover what's going on with the talent show, they bring their new friends together. In the end, they discover the importance of teamwork and how stepping out of the box can help us discover new talents.

Another musical episode, this one was kind of fun. It did have the same problem as the previous Barbie royal life vs pop life story The Princess and the Pop Star - the mild magical angle with the royals feels forced and necessary. Otherwise, this was, while not great, better than the rather dull Princess and the Pop Star. Fun for girls who love Barbie or pop music.

Did the first Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode while making a jelly omelet for dinner. Mickey is also involved in an unusual musical, in this case the tale of how Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto broke down outside an old mansion and find themselves among monster versions of the usual gang. Mickey is Dracula, Goofy is the Frankenstein monster, Professor Ludvig Von Drake is his creator, Clarabelle is the Phantom of the Opera, and Donald and Daisy are ghosts. They keep hearing a strange clanking noise throughout the episode and search every room, talking to the "monsters" on the way.

Finished out the night with a bath. Ahhh. That felt absolutely wonderful, especially after yesterday. I read the Star Wars FAQ and listened to Ann Murray's greatest hits.

Oh, and I hope you enjoyed your extra Leap Year day! Hope you got a lot done, too!