Tuesday, November 01, 2016

Of Turkeys and Muppets and Meddling Kids

Ouch. I was so sore when I got up this morning. My right shoulder and upper arm were the worst of it. I put out my right arm to slow me when I fell. I can move it, so I don't think it's broken, but it does hurt. I think I twisted or pulled muscles. Right wrist doesn't feel great, either. My left knee is pretty bruised, but is moving better than the arm. The side of my left elbow also hurts.

Even with the soreness, I had things to do this morning. I decided to begin a cloudy, cool day with breakfast and a few last horror items I didn't get to yesterday. Vincent Price was at his zenith as a horror icon when he appeared on a first season episode of The Muppet Show. The writers had fun with his image, both as a horror star and an elegant raconteur, in a skit about Gonzo and Fozzie running into him in a haunted house and his discussions with Kermit about gourmet cooking and the craft of horror acting.

After I finished breakfast, I took down the Halloween decorations and put up what I have for Thanksgiving. Even though I've grown fonder of Halloween over the last few years, I still prefer the November and December holidays. I've found a few Thanksgiving decorations at yard sales - a pair of folk-art pilgrims, ceramic turkey pilgrim salt and pepper shakers, a beautiful turkey candle, a porcelain teddy-bear Indian holding a basket of corn, a tiny cloth pilgrim mouse, and two Webkinz turkeys I named Plymouth and Mayflower.

Most of the decorations are cardboard posters and hangings. I found a cute pilgrim girl carrying apples, a Snoopy-and-Woodstock banner, and an exquisitely drawn turkey (all three likely from the 70's or early 80's) at a yard sale a few years ago. Mom gave me the banner with the cute pilgrim and Indian kids and the laminated, colorful "hand" turkey that says "Happy Thanksgiving" from her stash. The realistic-looking large cut-outs of pilgrims and Indians working together came from the Acme the first year I moved here (even though their size makes me think they were originally intended for classroom use). The card covers come from various Thanksgiving greetings sent to me over the years.

Ran an episode of Fairie Tale Theatre as I worked. The lesser-known "Boy Who Left Home to Look for the Shivers" is the closest they come to flat-out horror. The boy of the title is Martin (Peter MacNichol), a simple lad who has never been afraid of anything. He eventually finds himself at an Inn, where he accepts the task of staying in a haunted castle for three nights. If he survives the three nights and can defeat the evil wizard (Christopher Lee), he'll win the treasure and the princess. The innkeeper's daughter Amanda (Dana Hill) fears he'll be killed. Marvin gets more into teaching the ghouls in the castle about bowling than being scared of them. It's not until he falls in love that he discovers what real fear is.

As soon as Side One of George Winston's Autumn piano solos finished, I headed out. Stopped at the Oaklyn Library first. They weren't terribly busy. An older lady chatted with the librarian for most of the forty minutes or so I was there. I did take a look at the DVDs, but I spent most of the time in the kids' area. They must have had a Halloween party yesterday. There were books all over the place. I shelved them all, including the Halloween books that were on display.

I decided to celebrate my win yesterday and make up for my accident and last week with a treat. Jalapeno's Grill on the White Horse Pike has really cheap lunch specials. I got a vegetable burrito for 5 dollars. The refried beans and Spanish rice that came with it weren't very good, but the burrito itself was delicious. It had tons of melted cheese, rice, and veggies. Good thing, because their service hasn't improved. It still takes me a while to get the waitresses' attention, and there were only two other pairs there.

I went home, grabbed my laundry, and went right back out. I really needed to get that done. Once again, I picked the right time. It was quiet as can be when I arrived. I saw a few people, but it never got terribly busy. It was just me, Steve Harvey, Ellen, and my story notes. Good thing, because I did have a fair-sized load this time, including the black jeans I wore yesterday when I fell. (They're fine. Not even a tiny hole.)

Put everything away when I got in, then worked on my story. Poe has suddenly appeared in the hallway, walking with eyes in the front like a ghost...or a man not under his own control. The appearance of a (supposed) "vampiress" finally gets Luke and the kids following Poe downstairs.

Did Scooby Doo and the Witch's Ghost while eating leftovers for dinner. The gang are up in Massachusetts, at the request of horror writer Ben Ravenscroft (Tim Curry). They're hoping to have a quiet visit, but it turns out the town Ravenscroft once lived in has been turned into a bit of a tourist trap lately, thanks to an unearthed pilgrim settlement. The locals claim the ghost of Ravenscroft's ancestor Sarah, an accused witch, is haunting the area. Ben wants to find her spell book. It's the only way to prove she was a Wiccan, a healing woman, rather than a witch. Whose version of Sarah's history is real? And what do goth singers the Hex Girls have to do with it all?

The second Scooby direct-to-home-media movie is a tad lighter than the previous Zombie Island, but still fairly spooky for the franchise. References to Halloween and Thanksgiving and the general fall atmosphere makes it perfect for transitioning between the autumn holidays. The Hex Girls proved so popular, they would turn up in a second movie a few years later, as well as episodes of What's New, Scooby Doo? and Scooby Doo Mysteries Incorporated.

No comments: