Thursday, November 29, 2018

Welcome to the Holidays

Started the morning with breakfast and The Bernstein Bears' Christmas Tree. Papa Bear takes Brother and Sister into the mountains to find the perfect tree. He keeps picking trees that are occupied by animals who have no desire to give up their homes for the holidays. After he spares the home of a family of snowbirds, the animals have a surprise for them when they get back to their own tree house.

Headed to work even before the cartoon ended. Work was pretty much the same deal as yesterday - dead as can be. I did some returns in the morning, but I mainly alternated between gathering carts and shelving candy until another bagger came and took over the carts. It was just starting to pick up a little when I headed out.

Had a quick lunch of lemon muffins and a banana-peanut butter smoothie when I got home. Finished out the Bernstein Bears, then moved to another Christmas tale of a bear, The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas. Most bears hibernate through the holidays, but Ted E Bear wants to find out what this Christmas business is all about. The other bears laugh at him when he tries to take a plane to Christmas. He eventually stumbles to the city, where he encounters a certain jolly old man in red. It's him who finally tells Ted that Christmas isn't a place. It's really more of a feeling...and one that's best shared with those you love.

Headed out around quarter after 2 to volunteer at the Haddon Township Library. They were even less busy than the Acme had been. There were signs saying that the children's and series DVDs and the audiobooks were being saved for other people, but I was able to shelve the adult titles. Took out another holiday set for My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and the Cat In the Hat Knows a Lot About That Christmas special. Movies this week are Pulp Fiction, Arthur Christmas, and The Wizard of Oz.

Took a brief look at AC Moore on my way home. I was hoping they'd have a nice dress for Ariel to wear at Christmas, but I didn't see anything I liked. It was getting fairly late anyway, and I wanted to write, so I moved on.

Went into writing as soon as I got in. The Ghost next brings Anakin to meet Lando Calarissian and his nephew Finn Finnegan. Lando owns a tavern that he owes a great deal of rent on to Scrooge. They also encounter the now-older Ben Willkens at his book shop. All are planning to attend Han and Leia's big party that night. Ben is considered to be a friend of the family.

Had a quick tomato, cheese, and mushroom omelet for dinner while watching the My Little Pony disc. "Hearth's Warming Eve" was the series' first Christmas-themed special, and it's first Hearth's Warming episode. The Mane Six appear in a pageant that tells the story of how Hearth's Warming came to be. Many years ago, the three types of ponies didn't get along. When their land and supplies are ruined by a harsh winter, the heads of state (Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, and Rarity) and their meek assistants (Fluttershy, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle) head off to find a new home. Even after they do find a beautiful land, it's again attacked by the Windegos. They freeze both the land and the angry rulers. It's up to the assistants to warm things up a little when they have fun together...and realizing just how important everyone is, no matter who they are or what they do.

Got out the door for Oaklyn's Christmas Parade and tree-lighting around 6. I opted to go on foot, strolling with the rest of the town down West Clinton. About two blocks from the City Hall and Fire House, a lady handed me a thick foam glow stick that flickered red, blue, and green in the dark night. I have no idea why she gave it to me, since I'm not a kid and don't have kids, but it did make a rather nice night light, and it was free.

As at Halloween, there was chaos when I arrived at the parking lot between City Hall and the fire house. Kids had lightsaber fights with the glow sticks, while the Girl Scouts set up cookies and hot chocolate as refreshments. (I managed to snitch two oatmeal cookies and two chocolate-striped cookies before a den mother told me the refreshments were off-limits until after the parade. Then why set them up before the parade?)

The parade was supposed to start at 6:30,  but the first fire engines didn't find their way to City Hall until nearly 7. The Oaklyn parade mostly consists of decorated firetrucks and isn't nearly as elaborate as the one at Collingswood. There were some nifty floats, though. One truck pulled a float with a large "gingerbread" house. Another was driven by firefighters wearing Lego masks and had a Lego Movie theme. Another pulled a sleigh with a stuffed Santa, and there was one that shot fake "snow" into the air.

I'm wondering what happened to the kids. The chorus from last year was reduced to four pre-teen girls singing a few carols. At least their female teacher had a rather lovely voice, and people did sing along.

I stuck around long enough for the sing-along and to see the Volunteer of the Year light the lights on the Town Tree on the grass by the West Clinton side of City Hall. While everyone else took their children into City Hall to see Santa, I went in the opposite direction and walked home. While it's not as windy as it has been, it's still a bit breezy, and quite cold. I figured I'd take a hot shower instead of waiting for the hot chocolate.

After my shower, I finished off the My Little Pony disc. The remaining two episodes are from the fifth season. Rainbow Dash is upset when she learns that her pet tortoise Tanks will be hibernating for the winter in "Tanks for the Memories." She does everything she can to stop him from sleeping, and then stop winter from coming. Pinkie Pie is "Party Pooped" when she goes to the homeland of the Yaks to try to figure out what will make them feel at home enough to enjoy her party and help Twilight become friends with them.

Moved on to The Wizard of Oz as I went online. I covered this much-loved 1939 fantasy at my Musical Dreams Reviews page.

The Wizard of Oz

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