Tuesday, December 03, 2019

Once Upon a Christmastime

After the rain we've had the last two days, I was so happy to awaken to sunny skies! I celebrated the lovely day with breakfast, then took advantage of the nice weather to get more cleaning done. Put out my rag rug and the rug at the front door on the porch to be aired, then did the vacuuming. . I do heavy cleaning two times of the year, in late April and May before Lauren visits, and in late November-early December before Amanda visits and I start decorating for Christmas. Went under all the furniture I could move, around all the baseboards and behind everything against a wall.

Ran the 1986 TV version of Babes In Toyland while I worked. I went further into this campy version of the famous fantasy musical at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog last December.

Babes In Toyland (1986)

Switched to another lesser-known TV special as I washed the windows. Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus is the 1975 retelling of the real-life story of Virginia O'Hanlon, who wrote a letter to the New York Sun in the late 1800's asking them about the existence of Santa Claus. The touching answer by the Sun's editorial editor Francis Church was reprinted in the Sun until it closed in the 1950's and has turned up online and in holiday anthology books ever since. This special was done by a lot of the same folks who did the Peanuts cartoons, and it shows, from the sketchy animation to the familiar voice actors.

Headed out to work shortly after the cartoon ended. Work was dead the entire afternoon. It got mildly steady later in the day, but that was it. I spent the day alternating between rounding up carts and sweeping the store; also rounded up recycling and went through the huge boxes of cards in the gift card kiosk. It was too nice of a day for anyone to be in a store. Winds continued to rage, but they did so under a bright sun and sharp blue sky.

Had leftovers for dinner when I got home while watching a few Disney holiday shorts from my A Walt Disney Christmas collection I dubbed off video. "Once Upon a Wintertime" is a Currier and Ives lithograph come to life as a group of forest creatures help two lovers who run into trouble while skating. "Santa's Workshop" and "The Night Before Christmas" are Silly Symphonies about Santa's Christmas Eve at the North Pole, and what happens after he delivers the gifts. The Disney gang is "On Ice" as Mickey shows off for Minnie, Goofy attempts ice fishing, and Donald teases Pluto. Don doesn't have much more luck with his nephews in their snow war in "Donald's Snow Fight."

Worked on writing for a while after I ate. Patti's the first one to see a massive cloud of dragons and leathery demons flying over Hans-By-the-Sea. Bill's sure they want him, but Brett suspects they're after her and Patti. Now they really have to get out, before they all become dragon food!

Broke for a shower around 7:30. Finished the night with Slightly French. I go further into this 1949 musical with Dorothy Lamour and Don Ameche at Musical Dreams Movie Reviews.

Slightly French

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