Monday, November 06, 2023

Dolls and Games

Started off the morning with breakfast and the 2007 version of Strawberry Shortcake. After attending a job fair, Strawberry and her friends are excited to try out different careers for a day. Peppermint Fizz wants to be "The Good Mayor," but the other girls are pretty capable of running themselves and don't really need a boss. She finally makes up rules so she can boss them around...but learn that rules and regulations do not entirely a boss make when the girls band together to keep bugs from destroying her peppermint plants. 

Headed out to work after that ended. Work was pretty much the same as yesterday, but much quieter. It didn't start picking up until noon, and even then it wasn't overwhelming. I was the only one sweeping and gathering carts, though. I had a harder time keeping up with them once it got busier. At least the weather was perfect again, with a bright sun against a pale blue sky and not a hint of wind. There were men creating spots for the online shoppers to do their work around the store who brought in pizza, too. I had lunch on the Acme. 

Took the long way home after I ate my pizza. It was such a nice day, I wanted to draw it out a bit longer. The traffic was pretty bad on Nicholson, especially around the mall and construction site for the new power plant. I guess everyone wanted to get out and enjoy the weather. All traffic vanished once I turned off to Oaklyn, and even the White Horse Pike wasn't quite that bad. At least it's starting to look more like fall here. The leaves aren't the most spectacular colors, but they are turning colors and are falling off. I'm seeing the last of the roses and marigolds, too.

Since I already ate, I was able to go straight into taking the laundry downstairs and dressing the dolls when I got home. Samantha, Molly, and Josefina all wear the outfits they originally came in. Sam is in her mauve checked dress, Molly in her argyle sweater and blue skirt, and Josefina in her red skirt with the brown flower print (though she wears it over her long-sleeved nightgown). Felicity's in her third meet outfit, the blue brocade dress with the yellow quilted "underskirt." Kit wears a comfy knitted burgundy sweater and yellow, brown, and green-plaid wrap skirt that I thought looked passable for her time period. 

Whitney gets the red and white flowered dress with the attached red cardigan I found at the American Girl resale shop in Marlton last year. Ariel wears a turquoise square-necked blouse Lauren sent a few years ago, beaded bell-bottom jeans that actually came from the 2003 Ready for Fun modern "meet" outfit, and the boots Whitney originally came in. Jessa has her original yellow meet sweater over the green flower-print turtleneck from the Girl Scouts Outfit, the jeans from the Blue Jean Basics set, and a pair of Springfield Collection jean sneakers. Barbara Jean looks very mod in her pink, black, orange, and white crocheted chevron skirt with the white and orange short-sleeved shirt, bright pink tights, and black flats borrowed from Josefina.

Listened to some of the CDs I've picked up this year while I worked and put the laundry in the dryer. Time Life's Movie Classics is a collection of mostly ballads and instrumental hits from movies of the 60's and 70's (though two selections go back to the 30's). The darkest and most surprising selection was "Suicide Is Painless" from the film version of MASH. I've never heard the song with its lyrics before...and while the music and singing style sounds like 50's folk, the dark comedy lyrics are definitely 70's. Other favorites from this two-CD set include Andy Williams' three movie theme hits "Moon River," "Where Do I Begin?", and "Days of Wine and Roses," the lovely "A Time for Us" from the 1968 Romeo and Juliet, "The Entertainer" from The Sting, and the gorgeous "Jean" from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Bugs Bunny on Broadway is the recording of a concert featuring classical scores from Looney Tunes shorts paired with the segments from the actual cartoons. This doesn't come across on the recording, where you just hear the voices...but that doesn't mean this wasn't worth having. We get most of the music from "Rabbit of Seville" and "What's Opera Doc?", along with the opening of the Daffy/Bugs short "This Is a Life?," "Long-Haired Hare" in its entirety, the Silly Symphony spoof "A Corny Concerto," and "Baton Bunny." Like I said, the visual aspects don't come across here, but the music still sounds good.

Worked on writing for a while after I put everything away and brought the laundry upstairs. Stephen sends his valet Charleton to retrieve Cora for some court function. He refuses to go into the kitchen himself. He's a king. He's too good for that. 

Broke for dinner at 7 PM. Watched Match Game '79 while I ate. The episode started off with jokes about Ralph Nater and his safety activism. (This must be way before his attempts at running for president.) The panel had trouble with the Audience Match "Slim __," while Nipsey had trouble with "Suit __" in the Head-to-Head. Things went much better in the next episode. Joyce got to join a contestant who was a champion dancer for some totally awesome jitterbugging. They were so good, the panel and everyone in the audience clapped along before the music department kicked in with some swing.

Finished the night after a shower at YouTube for the Family Feud Armed Forces Week from 1991. It was especially important during the year of the First Gulf War, emphasizing the many men and women who had actually been in battle overseas. This time, while the Navy and Marines made a good run, it was the Army who went home with everything. They won three times and only lost their first Fast Money try by one heartbreaking point. 

Celebrate Veteran's Day on Saturday by honoring the men and women who have served our country with this wild week of Armed Services Feuds!

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