Autumn Blue and Gold

Started off a quick morning making the bed and tidying up as I watched What's My Line. The first guest held some interest for me, thanks to my four years living in Wildwood. He bought and restored neon signs, which even in 1972, were referred to as a "lost art." The second guest brought in more ribald jokes - she was a championship chicken plucker who lead her own all-woman plucking team.

Jodie called me outside before I could see the third guest. We ended up doing breakfast at The Black Horse Diner two blocks from the Audubon Crossings Shopping Center. Apparently, the hostess is a friend of Jodie's. I had two pancakes, half of a grapefruit, and hot tea; Jodie had coffee, eggs, bacon, home fries, and scrapple. The waitress tried giving me French toast; she apparently grabbed the wrong plate. I got my spongy buttermilk pancakes soon enough. The grapefruit was really sweet, too. 

We still had to kill more time while people looked at the house, so Jodie took us to the small WalMart behind the Acme. We both bought candy for the kids on Halloween; I got Tootsie Rolls and lollipops and orange-colored Kit Kats for the kids and my favorite pumpkin-shaped York Peppermint Patties for me. I also grabbed mandarin oranges and cooking spray. Thankfully, a line opened just as we made it up front.

They were still there even after we finished. She drove me around the lake at Newton Lake Park. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day, probably in the 60's, but I was still depressed. Nothing is going right. No offense to Rose, but I really don't want to have to crowd her and her family in their small home. Jodie says her aunt and uncle have plenty of room for her, but I don't really know them well. I'd rather be on my own. 

I got in with just enough time to change into my work shirt, make a grocery list, and pack up my lunch for later. Jodie, at least, was nice enough to drive me there. No problems on the road, and I got there with more than enough time to get organized.

I'm cashiering for the rest of the weekend. It did get busy, but there otherwise weren't too many problems. As long as the lines were, they went pretty fast. Some customers were very encouraging about my current problems. One suggested talking to the head of Main Street Realty; another said I should look into government assistance. 

Decent schedule next week. In good news, two days off in a row, Monday (for regular dental cleaning) and Tuesday. Unfortunately, I'm still stuck working two 8 1/2 hour days in a row, plus an 8 hour cashiering day on Saturday.

Had a lot of groceries to pick up after my vacation last week. Ground chicken and turkey were on sale, and the latter had a manager's coupon. Found a small container of shrimp for dinner. The Acme's generic ice cream brand is doing fall seasonal flavors this year. Hard choice, but I went with Caramel Apple Pie. Grabbed grape tomatoes, celery, and spinach on the "buck a bag" produce sale and strawberries with an online coupon. Restocked milk, yogurt, pears, bananas, plastic wrap, parchment paper, crushed pineapple, chocolate chips, and brown sugar. Added Halloween tattoos to the growing pile of items for my trick or treat bags.

It took thirteen minutes to get an Uber driver this time. Could have been much worse at the height of rush hour. At any rate, he arrived on time, hit no traffic, and got me home quickly.

Went straight into Match Game '77 when I got in and changed. Buzzr's finally running new-to-them episodes, including this week featuring Dick Martin in Charles' seat. (No idea where Charles was - probably directing a play or opera somewhere.) Everyone dodges the sardine and onion sandwich on Gene's breath while Brett and Mary Wickes ogle "new kid on the block," soap star Tom Hallick, on the first episode. We get a lot of candy bar jokes in the second episode when the Audience Match is __ Henry. 

Did the dishes and made Chocolate Chip Muffins while watching Match Game PM. Charles and Fannie spend the episode teasing Brett about her lace wrap that resembles a tablecloth. Meanwhile, Eva Gabor argues with judge Ira Skutch over the differences between the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. 

Slid the muffins in the oven and did the dishes while switching to DVD for Bugs Bunny's Howl-oween Special. This is one of those shows that's mainly bits and pieces of older Looney Tunes shorts strung together with a thin story, in this case Witch Hazel chasing Bugs. At least two of the shorts - "Broomstick Bunny" and "A Haunting We Will Go" - actually revolve around Halloween. Other excerpts including Sylvester being terrified by a giant monster Tweety and mice who want him and Porky gone and Bugs tangling with a vampire. 

Finished the night online after a shower with Stage Fright. I go further into this spoof of slasher flicks and European operetta extravaganzas at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Cult Flops - Stage Fright (2014)