Afternoon Delight

I actually woke up with enough time to make some simple Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes for breakfast. Came out fairly well too, except for the side of one that got a little burnt. Listened to the cast album for the Broadway Beauty and the Beast while I ate and got ready for work. This stage version of the animated film debuted in 1994 and was Disney's first venture on Times Square. (But not, however, their first time adapting one of their hits to the stage. I'm pretty sure I remember a taping of a live-action stage Snow White running on cable in the 80's. My family recorded it and had it on video for a while.) Most of the same story, with some additional music. My favorite song from the new material is "If I Can't Love Her," a dark ballad given to a despairing Beast in the first act.

Work was pretty much the same as yesterday, mildly off-and-on steady. I was a bit surprised. Sunday's are usually busy, even outside of football season, and today was the last day of a 3-day sale. I spent most of the day doing three carts filled with items that needed to be shelved. I might have finished the last cart if they didn't want me to go in a register to make sure it worked, then sent me outside for the last ten minutes of my shift to round up carts. I really wish they'd just let me finish things!

I took the long way home down Nicholson Road, partially to calm down, and partially because it would have been a crime not to. Another reason we may have been relatively quiet was the weather. It was sunny and warm, with a cool breeze that kept it from feeling too much like summer. The traffic wasn't too horrible, either. I wonder if a lot of people took advantage of the nice weather to head down to the shore and open their summer homes.

Relaxed a bit when I got home; read Rainbow Valley and changed into regular clothes. Went for a walk in the neighborhood around 3 PM. I couldn't believe how nice it was. The dogwoods are just starting to bloom. The grass is so amazing green and fresh-smelling! A little boy a few houses down shot hoops on his driveway. Little girls pushed each other in a bike carriage. Their mother worked in her garden. People chatted on their front lawns or porches. I said "hi" to a neighbor (and frequent Acme customer) walking her big black retrievers. Strolled down Kendall past the Oaklyn School and Rose's house and up to the White Horse Pike.

Dunkin' Donuts was,  not surprisingly given the lovely day, dead when I arrived. Since the last frozen drink I got came from WaWa, I figured I'd let them have a turn this time. Tried the Frozen Vanilla Chai. It was...ok. Maybe a bit too sweet and watery. I sipped it as I strolled home, passing parents washing cars and watering gardens and children chasing each other in yards.

Did some writing for the next few hours. Rusty points out a thermal exhaust port mentioned in the blueprints that could allow them to take down the Death Star Airship. The Golden Eagle (Luke in disguise) offers to do the shooting. The Crimson Hawk (Han) agrees, sending Cedric (Threepio) to call Wedge and his Rogues on their primitive radio. Their guns aren't enough to hold Vader and his men off...or to keep them from shooting at the radio and nearly taking Luke out.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. I thought I'd get rid of the last of the broccoli and some of the older vegetables I had laying around by trying a chicken pasta salad with spring vegetables. While boiling whole wheat pasta and the last of the broccoli, I sliced cherry tomatoes (they were 77 cents on that three-day sale) and three scallions and diced two mushrooms. Tossed them with the pasta and broccoli, then added onion seasoning, light mayo, and two cans of chicken. Oohh, yummm. It came out just perfect. The sweetness of the tomatoes perfectly complimented the bite of the broccoli and the earthiness of the mushrooms while adding a dash of color to the salad.

Listened to Ringo while I ate. Of the four Beatles, drummer Ringo Starr had the least-likely solo career. After a failed start with a country album, this collection of new tunes and a few older ones was a massive hit in 1975, spawning the ballad "Photograph," the early rock remake "You're Sixteen," and my favorite, the bouncy dance tune "Oh My My."

Finished out the night with Kirby's Epic Yarn. It took me three tries (two of them restarts) to finally earn enough from the King Dedede round to get the two extra patches for Snow Land. The first round was a car racing rally that wasn't too horrible, and was actually kind of fun. While the Christmas-themed round with the lifting rod was one of the prettiest in terms of sheer aesthetics (all those glittering lights and holiday colors), it was also one of the hardest. I had to keep up with the moving rod, rewind it when it stopped, and dodge a ton of characters shooting projectiles.  I got slightly more beads from this one; got one item each from both rounds. I'll move onto Space Land the next time I play.