You Bring the Summer

Started the morning with Gray Squash Pancakes (I had half of a gray squash I had to get rid of) and music. I've never seen the Beatles movie Magical Mystery Tour, but given the reviews I've seen for it basically state that it's a mess, maybe that's just as well. It has some great music, though, including "Your Mother Should Know," "I Am the Walrus," "The Fool On the Hill," and the title song. Four numbers that were previously released as singles-only, "Penny Lane," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "All You Need Is Love," and "Baby You're a Rich Man," were also collected here for the first time.

Charlie and Richard had long been upstairs by the time I was burning one side of my pancake. They were applying some kind of brownish sticky stuff, glue or epoxy or stain, to the porch with a roller. It smelled terrible, oddly sweet and too strong. The guys wore blue hazmat suits and goggles just to deal with it. And of course, the wind blew that smell right into my apartment.

I tried to ignore the smell while working on my fanfic. (The smell was so bad in my bedroom, I did my writing session at the dining table.) The moment Leia kisses Harry, most of the clouds lift. His vision is still a bit blurry, but his mind is now his own. Unfortunately, their reunion is short-lived. Roberto Fettara saw Leia creeping around and alerted his boss. Yasmin Hutt orders Harry returned to her room under lock and key, while Charel will be locked in another room. She has her own...special...plans for Leia...

It must have dried by the time I was having lunch, because it smelled a bit better. At least enough that I was able to put on Good Times! and make a plum-ginger smoothie without feeling dizzy. Good Times! is the most recent album by the Monkees. It was a surprise hit two years ago, and for good reason. Whether brand-new or reworked for this album, these songs are some of the best they've done since the late 60's. The title number is my favorite, but I also like Micky's "You Bring the Summer" and "Little Girl" from Peter.

Headed off to work right after lunch. It was busy when I came in, and there were no carts. It doesn't help that they're switching to our new computer system tomorrow. We're getting totally new everything - register computers, schedule spreadsheet, even new price tags. People from a computer company were rushing around, trying to get everything ready...and getting in people's way and using up carts that customers needed. I didn't have help for a lot of the afternoon, either. I spent 3 and a half of my five hour shift outside. I was so tired by my last hour, I used it to work on the overflowing carts of returns instead.

Rushed home after that, and was once again greeted by that sickeningly sweet smell. Charlie and Richard had finished up the other side of the porch. I once again tried to ignore it while eating leftovers for dinner, and then while in the bath. I looked over two of my Christmas With Southern Living books for holiday ideas while listening to Johnny Mathis and a CD collection of hits from the 1940's, The White Cliffs of Dover.

Finished off the night with the soundtrack from Brighton Beach Memoirs in honor of Neil Simon, who passed away today. While neither the first of his comedies adapted to film, nor the most successful, it does have a rather nice 30's-inflected score and a couple of good songs from the era.