Anything Can Happen

Started off the morning by trying something slightly different with my pancakes. I chopped up the almonds I bought yesterday, added some coconut and melted butter, and made Coconut-Almond Pancakes for my last Sunday breakfast of 2018. Other than I burned one slightly, the came out very tasty and sweet.

Listened to my soundtrack for Mary Poppins Returns while I ate and did the dishes afterwards. The CD basically confirms that this is a really fun score. The touching "The Place Where Lost Things Go" is the best number, but I also like "Trip a Little Light Fantastic" for Jack and his lamplighter buddies, "Can You Imagine That?' for Mary and the kids, and Mary and Jack's duet at the music hall, "A Cover Is Not a Book."

Headed out to finally get the laundry done after the CD ended. I meant to do it yesterday, but I ran out of time. Maybe it's just as well that I put it off. The laundromat was stone-quiet when I arrived. There were maybe two other people there, both of whom were long gone before I'd even gotten my laundry in the dryer. I worked on story notes and ignored informercials on NBC.

It was just past 1 when I finally made it home. I put on the Eagles-Redskins game to catch the first few minutes before I went to Dad and Jodie's. To my surprise, there was a talk show on. I checked my phone and learned that the vast majority of today's games had been moved to 4:25, including the Eagles.

That actually worked out better for me. I got all my clothes put away while listening to my WFIL 50's oldies set. What was unique about this collection is they included snippets of their real-life disc jockeys introducing songs like "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" and "Stagger Lee." It gave me an idea of what their shows must have been like in the 60's and 70's.

Spent the rest of the afternoon working on my fanfic. Leia remains happily with Zoma the summer witch for a while, until she sees a rose in the brim of Zoma's hat. That, and her realization of what the witch did to Han, breaks her out of it. Han's ready to shoot her when she restores him to his human form. Leia finally convinces him that leaving the witch lonely and without her new companions is punishment enough. Zoma thinks they're crazy to continue their search for Luke, but she does give them food for their trip.

I did get to Dad and Jodie's around 4:30. Rose, Finley, and Khai were there, but not for long. Rose is still tired from being sick, and the kids are only a little better. We're talking about going down to visit Anny and her crew for her daughter Lilah's fourth birthday next month. I should have that week off. We'll see how things go. I tried to give her the rent papers, but she said she's too tired to deal with them. She did say that I'd more than likely have to look for a new apartment before the spring. Not only can I not afford the rent increase, but it now costs way more than the apartment is worth.

Even after Rose and her kids left, Jessa, Mark, and Joya were still there, and a couple of the neighbors and their kids arrived later. The Eagles were awesome today. They eventually wiped the floor with the Redskins, 24-0 - and the 'Skins were at home, too. Even after quarterback Nick Foles had to be taken out with a sore chest, his replacement still threw a touchdown.

The Eagles were one of the few teams to not play a nail-biting game that came down to the final seconds. Baltimore just barely rushed past Cleveland 26-24, while Pittsburgh managed to squeak past Cincinatti 16-13. The Los Angeles Rams charged past their west coast rivals San Francisco 48-32. Most importantly for the Eagles, the Chicago Bears out-ran the Minnesota Vikings 24-10...which put the Eagles into the playoffs in the last Wild Card spot. (Poor Mark didn't get as lucky with the Packers today. Their midwestern rivals the Detroit Lions absolutely creamed them, 31-0. Dad's Dolphins didn't do much better against Buffalo, losing 42-17.)

It was so late when I got home, I went right online as soon as I got in and got organized. Put on the original cast from the stage version of Mary Poppins as I chatted with Lauren. This is another version of the original story, with Mary and Bert and Jane and Michael. Like the sequel, the stage show tosses a villain into the mix - the terrifying Miss Andrew, who had once been Mr. Banks' nanny. We learn part of why he's so strict when, despite his praise of her, she reveals herself to be a nasty tyrant who threatens the children. Most of the music is entirely different, but some of it is just as good as the original film and the sequel, including the lovely finale "Anything Can Happen" and Mary's introductory number, "Practically Perfect."