Walking In the Air

It was still just gray and cloudy outside when I got up this morning. It didn't start snowing until I was up and getting into my clothes. In honor of the first snowfall of the season, I watched The Snowman while eating breakfast. David Bowie introduces this touching and beautifully animated tale of a little boy and his frosty friend. He brings him into his home and introduces him to his parents and their world...and the snowman takes him to his, flying over rooftops to a party with other snowmen and Father Christmas at the North Pole.

The snow was coming down at a pretty good clip when I headed out to the Acme. As I figured, though the snow was sticking to the ground, the streets and sidewalks were just wet. I had no trouble getting to the grocery store to do my shopping. They were having a good sale on cauliflower, and I found chicken sausage for a nice price. I found one that was just the right size. Restocked apples, oranges, cereal (went with the Acme generic bran flakes), cranberries, fish fillets (catfish this week), brown sugar, skim milk, eggs, pads, and yogurt. Bought two bags from Christmas bread and a tiny box for Rose's gift.

My schedule next week is very disappointing. I was hoping I'd get more hours...but I have far fewer, with Tuesday (I didn't ask for Tuesday off, but they listed it as vacation) and Saturday off along with the rest of my actual vacation. At least I'll have time to do the cookie baking next week along with writing, getting the cards together, sending packages, and the usual volunteering.

When I got home, I put on another Christmas special about snow as I unpacked and had a quick lunch. The First Christmas Snow tells the story of Lucas, a shepherd who is struck blind by lightning in a storm. The boy is taken in by a convent, including a kindly nun (Angela Landsbury) and fussy priest (Cyril Ritchard). He wants to stay with them, but the priest insists that he belongs in an orphanage. The nun has told him about the snow that used to fall at Christmas where she lives. Lucas has never known snow, but he may get his wish on Christmas Eve...

 Pulled out the wrapping paper holder after lunch. I wanted to get everyone's presents together and anything involving presents out of the way. As it turned out, the gift I bought Rose was too big for the little box I picked up at the Acme. It ended up in a small bag. I had no problems with anything else.

Watched White Christmas while I worked. Given the weather, I figured it was appropriate. Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Davis (Danny Kaye) are a beloved performing team who are now producing a major Broadway revue. While on the road, they're invited to watch a sister act perform. Judy (Vera Ellen) is hoping to find a man for her sister Betty (Rosemary Clooney). Davis just wants his partner to quit working so much. Davis has such high hopes, he helps the girls out of the club when they're detained, then convinces Wallace that they should join them at an inn in Vermont. Turns out the inn is being run by General Waverly (Dean Jagger), who had been their general during World War II, and is having trouble due to a warm spell in Vermont. The two men bring their show up to the inn, hoping to attract customers. Wallace comes up with an even bigger idea when he overhears the General being denied for active duty...but it may drive a wedge between his and Betty's growing relationship.

Overlong fluff, but it does have a nice cast, some great numbers, and a very funny script...at least until the romantic comedy contrivances bog down the second half. For my money, the best moment is in the first five minutes. Bing sings the title song to the accompaniment of a tinkling music box, while bombs fall in the distance. It's a lovely moment. If you're a fan of the cast or 50's musicals, it's worth checking out if you can get through the dull middle.

Spent the rest of the evening writing. BB next encounters a security guard with longish silvery hair, a lazy smirk, and a big hairy dog. He brings her to her brother and Mr. Luke Weston, the head of the toy department and one of the store's owners. Luke says he loves to make toys, but they won't sell them in the store anymore because he's been told they're too old-fashioned. BB assures him that you don't always need batteries of a microchip to be fun.

When Luke helps out to aid Poe with a customer, BB follows him. She's still hoping to find her brother and tell him about Ben Solo and his friends skimming money off the company. As she's exploring the toy department, she comes upon a mini-train that rides around the perimeter of the toy department. It's closed, but she sits in one of the cars anyway to rest for a minute. She then hears the cars moving...and hears something that makes her wonder if she's still in the toy department...

Broke at 6:30 for dinner. Finished out the chicken thighs, then made the Salted Caramel cookies. Did A Very Pooh New Year as I worked. The first half of this Pooh holiday tale is more-or-less the same deal as Seasons of Giving. We have new footage of the gang celebrating Christmas together before Rabbit tells the story of the previous year, which becomes the special Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too. The second segment is brand-new. Fed up with everyone assuming his house is party central, Rabbit threatens to leave the 100 Acres Woods. The others make New Year's resolutions to change...which results in Eeyore craving honey, Piglet bouncing, Pooh getting depressed, and Tigger being afraid. When Rabbit gets into trouble, they all learn that, while change can be nice, it's also nice to accept your friends for their own strengths and weaknesses...and appreciate them when they help you out of a jam.

I really like this one. Unlike the random segments of Season of Giving, it actually works the Christmas special in pretty well. It is kind of funny to see all the Pooh characters briefly switch roles...though I kind of wish they had explored this a little more thoroughly. Otherwise, this is a really cute Pooh tale that's worth looking around for.

Finished the night with the live-action Beauty and the Beast. Was this film necessary? Absolutely not. Was it gorgeously filmed, with amazing special effects, a first-rate cast, two fine songs added to most of the ones from the original, and even a few details from the actual French fairy tale put back in? You bet. I loved seeing it in the theater on my birthday in April, and I enjoyed it just as much here. If they must do remakes, at least they can make them as elegant, sumptuous, and beautiful as this one.

(And it gives me high hopes for next year's live-action Disney movie, which I heard is Mulan. That should be really interesting. Though a lot of young women who grew up in the late 90's have very fond memories of this one and there's some things I like about it, it's not regarded as one of their better films. This is one where they actually have room for improvement.)

Oh, and I'm so glad I have this weekend off! It ended up snowing for most of the day. I don't think the showers stopped until around 6. To my knowledge, they never stuck to the streets, but the porch and grassy areas are covered. At least it really feels like Christmas now. It actually looks quite pretty out there, like the world is burrowed under a fluffy white blanket.