Friday, December 10, 2021

Cookie Baking Day

Started off the morning with breakfast and The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree. Papa and the cubs head up into the mountains to find a real tree, "a tree to show how Christmas-y we are." Every tree Papa chooses is already the home of wild animals who would prefer to keep their lodgings for the holiday. They return to Bear Country empty-handed, but the animals have a wonderful surprise for them at their own treehouse.

Went online to search for an apartment after I ate. I just can't find anything. Everything I turn up is in an apartment building, and they've pretty much made it clear that they want no part of me or my money...and that's when I don't get distracted and look at other things. Even Craigslist has nothing. I keep seeing 2 and 3 bedroom houses for rent. I could pull off a 2-bedroom if it's really cheap, but I don't need the extra room. 

Didn't break until quarter of 1. Made my grocery list while watching Match Game '79. Gene doesn't know what to think of a female contestant whose jokes are better than his! Fannie Flagg has more luck with "__ Harry" on the Head-to-Head round.

It was closer to 1:30 when I headed for the Acme to do this week's grocery shopping. They did have the Sonic Spinbrush refills, at buy one, get one fifty percent off and an online coupon. Also had online coupons for Bryers ice cream, eggs, and bananas. Found bags of whole-wheat bow tie pasta on the clearance rack. I've never seen whole-wheat bow tie pasta before. They had more of those cute little cornice pears, too. Grabbed shrimp for dinner. Restocked yogurt, brown sugar, chocolate chips, shredded wheat, packing tape, and cranberries. 

The neighbors were outside when I got in; I talked to them and scratched their big black dog Gunther's head. I'm still kicking myself over not trying to find an apartment in at least June, when the eviction moratorium began to lift, and moving here in the first place. I'm also annoyed with Jodie over having no idea what I am. Yes, I know the suite isn't technically an apartment, but I paid rent. That makes me a tenant. We should have made a real lease late last July or in early August, when we'd recovered enough from Dad's death to think officially. 

They also said Jodie and Rose's problems go back a lot further than their feud over my staying here. I never saw it. Rose helped Jodie with the pool last summer! She and her family went to her 4th of July party! She had her over for Easter and Memorial Day! They seemed fine to me. I think a big part of the problem is Rose's kids, particularly Khai, are upset about losing the house and the pool. They grew up there as much as in their own house, and I don't think Jodie respects that. 

Put everything away when I got home, then went into packing and re-organizing kitchen supplies and the American Girl dolls while watching The Flintstones' Christmas Carol. Fred Flintstone gets so into playing Scrooge for their local theater, he neglects everyone and everything around him. Wilma's furious about him forgetting to pick up Pebbles from day care. She has enough on her plate, including being the show's stage manager and costume designer. It takes an incident at the local department store after hours for Fred to learn what Scrooge did, that kindness is it's own reward, and his family means more to him than any stage show.

Switched to Press Your Luck as I moved my office supplies from my old L.L Bean computer bag to a box. I want to use the bag to carry my laptop and necessary supplies when I house-sit for Rose. Once again, the champ had no trouble and hit no Whammies. This time, he picked up a Honda motorcycle and a ton more money, putting him to just under the limit for CBS game shows at that time.

Worked on writing next. Brett's hot and thirsty after Fannie took her on that run to nowhere, so she asks for a drink. She immediately regrets it when Fannie gives everyone dry cookies. Richard explains how everything in Looking Glass Land is the opposite of what it would be elsewhere and takes them to the nearest brook for a drink instead.

Broke early for dinner at 6. Ate shrimp, steamed green beans, and whole wheat bow tie pasta with butter while watching the last CBS episode of Match Game '79. Gary Burghoff gets to help with the final $10,000 Head-to-Head question "__ and Hot." Meanwhile, Gene gives Bill Daily his navy jacket to wear at his wedding. (Bill must have really liked that jacket. He not only wore it at his wedding, but is seen sporting it in several syndicated Match Game episodes, too.)

By the time I did the dishes, Buzzr switched back to Match Game '74. Brazilian hunk Alejandro Rey and magic-loving Nanny Juliet Mills were present for a near-riot when Richard Dawson argued for his answer of "submarine" for "ship." Rich had more luck with "__ Code" on the Head-to-Head.

I'm not making five kind of cookies for Christmas this year, and wouldn't have even if I could decorate. There's still too much going on. (I might make fudge for the neighbors, since it's not hard to make and doesn't take long.) Limited the baking to oatmeal chocolate chip for Rose, Anny, and their families and dark chocolate mint for Mom and Jessa and Joe.  

Started the oatmeal chocolate chip while Match Game PM was on. Gene starts this one off by shoving his way through the doors! He has a slightly easier time with some of the stranger answers to why Dr. Welby continues to deal with a patient who passed away 6 months ago and where a meteor is speeding towards on Earth. (Loved Joyce Bulifant's answer on the latter!)

Returned to vintage Christmas specials while making the mint chocolate cookies and sliding them all into the oven. The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas is Ted E Bear. Most bears think he's crazy, but he's determined to stay awake, avoid hibernation, and find out what Christmas really is. He eventually stumbles into the city, where a sidewalk Santa directs him to a home, and a little girl who teaches him that Christmas isn't a day, but a feeling.

Santa Bear's First Christmas isn't a cartoon; it's barely animated book illustrations. At least the soft artwork is lovely, the folksy music used in the background is soothingly rustic, and it's charmingly narrated by Kelly McGinnis. A polar bear cub is swept from his Arctic homeland to the woods, where he befriends a little girl named Marie and her grandfather. He has to find firework when Grandfather becomes sick on Christmas Eve. It takes a visit from Santa to give him his two fondest wishes...to help his new friends and get home to his family.

Finished the night on YouTube with Christmas variety shows. Perry Como's Early American Christmas from 1978 is basically "Perry Como's Christmas In Williamsburg." Como visits the Colonial Virginia town and shows us its customs and traditions, from pineapples on top of fruit pyramids to drinking with the men at the local tavern. Diane Canova reveals a fine singing voice, and John Wayne reads a letter from a soldier who was lead by George Washington. 

Julie Andrews' Christmas is actually the holiday episode of The Julie Andrews Hour. Like the Perry Como specials, she and Jimmy Stewart show off the holidays in London and a typical small town like the one Jimmy grew up in. Unlike Perry's shows, these are fanciful soundstage recreations, with a big Victorian dinner with all the trimmings while people sing "Consider Yourself" around the table and Andrews performing one of my favorites of her Christmas recordings, the British song "Wextford Carol," in a stylized church. 

Celebrate the holiday season with two of the finest vocalists of the mid-20th century!

2 comments:

mrotunno said...

I love 70s variety shows, especially holiday ones. Thanks for these!

Emma said...

You're welcome! I heard about these shows as a kid, but never saw them. I'm glad I have the opportunity now!