One Stormy Evening

It was still sunny, hot, and humid when I rolled out of bed this morning. Celebrated the first month of summer with one of the Looney Tunes specials from the 1980's while I ate breakfast and baked Banana Oatmeal Bars. Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over features three shorts with a mild late spring theme. In the first one, we see how Bugs and Elmer met as a little bunny and a boy with a pop gun. The second has Bugs brought to Mars by Marvin the Martian to be the pet for his new friend the Abominable Snowman. The last short gives us typical Wil E. Coyote/Road Runner antics with a slight twist ending.

Bugs and the Toons are the only ones trying to avoid the heat. Garfield and the gang at US Acres have their own way of keeping cool, under heat and pressure, in a first season episode of Garfield and Friends. Garfield wants to win Jon a birthday present, but "The Binky Show" is hosted by the most annoying clown in animation. Orson is terrified that his brothers will pick on him when they visit the farm. Bo the Sheep shows him how "Keeping Cool" can drive off his bullying siblings. Garfield admonishes Odie "Don't Move" when he goes into a shop to get food, but that doesn't stop Odie from having a wild trip around town.

The sun and humidity remained as I headed to work this morning, but a nice, stiff breeze made things a lot more bearable. Work was far less of a problem than yesterday. They're finally training new cashiers, which means we had plenty of help up front all afternoon. There were two other baggers around, too. I did round up carts when I came in, but I mostly spent the day doing returns.

My food stamps came through today...all fifteen dollars of it. I can't believe they did this to me! I had 120 up until now. I need that money. I can't live on 15! I'll call them first thing Monday and find out why the reduction was so extreme. I only make slightly more money than I did before, not enough to make much of a difference.

For now, I was able to buy a few things that I did need. Took advantage of some major produce sales to pick up strawberries, small sweet peppers, mini-cucumbers, and a container of Campari tomatoes. Restocked cake mix, skim milk, jam, toilet paper, black beans, sandwich bags, cooking spray, chocolate chips, oatmeal, corn meal, yogurt, and tuna.

The pavement was still wet when I finally made it out. It looked like it had rained earlier. Indeed, dark clouds lingered, even as I headed home. I'd just heard the first stray rumbles of thunder when I made it through the door.

Tried writing for a little while, but I was hot and distracted. Palpatine is escorted into the throne room. He announces that he's taking over the throne...and all of the magic after the Great Confluence, to the dismay of many. Leia's about ready to throw a few knives at him, but someone else has other ideas...

Broke for dinner at 7. Since it was so late, I kept my meal simple. Had an Italian Chicken Salad - sliced mushroom chicken with tomatoes and cucumbers, on a bed of the last of the greens, topped with home-made balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Yum! Came out very well, actually. All the flavors complimented each other nicely.

Played Lego Indiana Jones while I ate. I'm still having problems with glitches on "Shanghai Showdown" preventing me from getting the last piece. The last piece on the first round of the game requires out-running the infamous boulder, something I just can't seem to figure out how to do. I did manage to finish "Free the Slaves" and "Desert Ambush" (including the part I got stuck on before in the latter).

Switched to the Disney animated Cinderella after I got tired of the game. I really wasn't up to anything more complicated than the tale of a put-upon young lady who gets to attend a ball and win a prince's heart, with the help of her mouse companions and an eccentric fairy godmother. This is one of my favorite Disney movies. Cindy's a fun character, the antics of the mice are cute, the animation is lovely, and Lady Tremaine is one of the most chilling of all Disney villains. Highly recommended.

It had been pouring and thundering off and on since about 8 PM. Finished the night and honored the weather with One Stormy Night, one of my favorite record finds. This is a collection of instrumental music, interspersed with the sounds of rain and thunder. It's a lot more relaxing and enjoyable than it sounds from a group called "The Mystic Moods Orchestra."