Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Getting Ready for the Holidays

Yow! I can't believe I slept until 10:30 this morning. It might have been just as well. It was still pouring when I went to bed last night. By the time I was finally eating breakfast, the rain was long gone, replaced by clouds, wind, and a cool but not too cold day.

I had enough time after I ate to do a few quick chores. First thing on the agenda was making my Christmas list. This isn't what I want. It's what I'm giving. The first list has everyone who will be getting cards and packages from me. The second is the list of the food I make - five types of cookies to give to various families and bring to the Acme's Christmas luncheon, two loaves of bread for the McHughs and Jodie's Christmas brunch, cupcakes for Dad and Charlie and his men, and candy for Jodie and Dad's Christmas Eve party.

The third list is all my shopping. I only buy gifts for my five nieces and nephews, plus my friends Amanda and Lauren. Amanda and Lauren come from small families and don't have many people giving them presents. The kids will not only be getting food with their family gifts from me, but they probably don't need the extra sugar (especially during the holidays).

Next up was vacuuming the apartment. I just did this one really fast. I intend to do more major cleaning towards the end of the month-beginning of next month, before I put up the Christmas decorations and Amanda visits. After that, I pushed a wooden crate under my bed, where a rod under the springs broke last night. (The other rod broke ages ago.) Not only do I not have the money to replace that bed right now, but after the incident with the air conditioner last month, I'm afraid to carry anything remotely heavy across the porch.

Ran the Peanuts Thanksgiving specials as I worked. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving has Chuck entertaining Marcie, Peppermint Patty, and Franklin for Turkey Day. There's a slight problem. Peppermint Patty invited them without giving Charlie Brown a chance to explain that he and Sally are suppose to be going to their grandmother's for the holiday. He, Linus, Snoopy, and Woodstock make a meal of toast, popcorn, and jelly beans to appease them. Peppermint Patty is disappointed, until Linus and Marcie remind their friends of the real reason behind the holiday.

The history of Thanksgiving is further investigated in "The Mayflower Voyagers," an episode of the miniseries This Is America, Charlie Brown. The Peanuts are pilgrim kids heading to the New World with their parents. They must endure a rough crossing over the Atlantic, a hostile environment, and a frigid New England winter that wipes out more than half the Pilgrim population. Hope finally comes to the group in the form of Squanto, Chief Massasoit, and their friendly Indian tribe, who teach them farming techniques suitable for their new country. They're so thankful for their friends and their good harvest, they invite them to share their good crop.

Headed out to run errands around quarter after 1. First stop was Target. I wanted to buy underwear, but I decided to wait for later in the week and just opted for Starbucks. It's a good thing I did. As it turned out, all I could afford was a chai latte.

Rode to the Haddon Township Library next. They must have been a lot busier earlier in the morning. The DVD return cart was overflowing. I compromised and left the adult titles to be returned by those kid volunteers who come in on Wednesdays. I shelved and organized the children's titles, the TV sets, and the three audio books.

I mostly have other things I want to watch this week, but I did take out a few DVDs. I enjoyed Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood so much, I took out a slightly longer set, this one themed around Daniel taking over King Friday's job for a day. I've rented Saving Mr. Banks before, but never got around to watching it. With Mary Poppins Returns debuting in theaters next month, I figured now was the perfect time to finally check it out. Also grabbed the 1938 version of A Christmas Carol (which I have seen, but not in ages) and the Disney Pocahontas and Pocahontas II: Journey to the New World to review for my Musical Dreams Reviews blog's Animation Celebration Saturday.

Went straight home after I left the library. For one thing, it was past 3:30 by then, and the traffic on Cuthbert was getting worse. The clouds, which had tried to break up earlier in the day, had gotten darker. By the time I made it home, it was just starting to rain again. (Although thankfully not enough to make me anywhere near as wet as I was when I got in on Friday!)

I finally tried to finish the application to the company Rev, which assigns people to write captions for online videos. I just could not keep up with the video, no matter how fast I went. It was nerve-wracking. My stomach was in knots. And then I accidentally signed out when I meant to send the darn thing. I don't think I'm cut out for captioning work. I need to find something where I can go at my own speed.

Managed to sneak some writing in before dinner. Anakin encounters Edgar Snoke and his grandson and Snoke's newest employee Benjamin Solo coming out of the First Order Savings and Loan as he walks home. Anakin privately thinks Snoke is a good businessman but is too extravagant in his tastes. He thinks more highly of his sober, dedicated grandson. Ben is devoted to finance and business, and both Snoke and Anakin think he'll go far in the world.

Moved to Daniel Tiger as I finished out most of the leftovers I had in my fridge. When Dan shows interest in what King Friday does, Friday makes him "King Daniel for the Day." He insists that, above all, a king must be kind. Daniel and his mom agree to run several errands for the King to show that kindness. As they walk through the neighborhood, they find several of their friends in need of help. Prince Tuesday hurt his ankle playing baseball and needs a doctor. O the Owl is upset that he dropped his ice cream cone and won't have a treat. Miss Elania is even more upset that her favorite toy got dirty and she can't play with it while it's getting washed. Daniel helps all of them, while proving how importance kindness is to being a leader.

The reason I took this specific set out was for "The Neighborhood Fall Festival," another seasonal episode. Dan, Katerina, and Elania help Music Man Stan set up a scarecrow, a pile of pumpkins, and other fall decorations for the big town fair. They're disappointed when a wind blows the decorations askew, but decide to help Stan by putting them back up while he gives Prince Wednesday his piano lesson. The kids can't set it up exactly like he had them, but Mrs. Tiger reminds them that it's equally important to do what they're able to do and do it their way.

"Daniel Takes Care of Snowball," the class pet, after school one day. Wednesday wants him to come over and play, but he shows more sense than most kids in cartoons and opts to stay with Snowball. Wednesday stays with him, and they learn how to care for a bunny.

This time, it's a grown-up who's upset in "Looking for Snowball." Teacher Harriet is very scared when she tells the kids and their parents that she accidentally opened the latch on Snowball's cage while taking him home and he got loose. They mobilize the rest of the neighborhood to find their favorite bunny.

Daniel learns how important "Sharing at the Library" is when his dad brings him there to take out a book. O wants to take out the same book he does. Instead of squabbling, Dan Sr. reads the book to them. Katerina doesn't want to share her puppets, but Daniel shows her how much more fun it is to play together.

The sharing theme is carried over to "Daniel Shares With Margaret." Daniel has a new sticker book he wants to play with, but baby Margaret wants to play, too. He tries to keep it away from her at first, then gives her a few stickers to place in the book. He thinks the weird places she puts the stickers are so funny, he makes up a silly story about them.

What I like about this series is how much I can relate to it, even as an adult. "Daniel Shares With Margaret" was by far my favorite of this round. I remember having similar fights with my siblings about sharing toys when they were really little...and how funny they could be as toddlers, too.

I never got to take care of a class pet, but my family has had many different types of pets over the years, including bunnies. I could relate all too well to poor Prince Tuesday in the "King for a Day" episode. I hurt my ankle about five years ago and had to have help going to the doctor and getting well, too. I also understood why Elaina was sad about her toy. I missed my stuffed animals when they'd have to be washed when I was a kid. And the incident with Teacher Harriet losing Snowball reminded me of how helpful my co-workers at the Acme and the Audubon and Mt. Ephram cops were when my bike was stolen two weeks ago.

Finished the night with Snow White and the Three Stooges, which I discuss further at my Musical Dreams Reviews blog.

Snow White and the Three Stooges

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