Very Nearly Spring

Began the morning with breakfast and The Scooby Doo Show. "The Warlock of Wimbledon" has supposedly cursed tennis star Jimmy Pelton, who bought an enormous old English manor that seemingly came with the warlock and his terrifying "Hell Hound." Scooby and Shaggy would rather dodge the dog's sharp teeth, but Velma suspects there's a lot more going on here than meets the eye when the manor's caretaker and Jimmy's coach disappear, and she finds a certain red clay where they vanished every time....

Spent the next few hours baking. Took advantage of the glass pan I got from Goodwill and having all of my cookbooks in one place again to make my favorite brownie recipe. They came out pretty well, despite my getting some yolk in with the egg whites. Since I'm clearing out food, I also made that banana bran muffin recipe Rose gave me a while back. Added actual banana, vanilla, and the remaining chocolate chips from the brownies, and since the bag was so small, I made it into banana bread instead. Other than I didn't realize the mix had nuts in it, this came out even better, soft and just sweet enough on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

Went back upstairs while the bread was in the oven. I had lunch, then dusted the rooms and took down the winter decorations while watching The Dance of Life. I go further into this early talkie backstage melodrama at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

The Dance of Life

Took the trash and recycling outside, and then waited for Jessa. And waited, And waited, And waited some more. After a half-hour, I texted her. She was getting her oil changed, then got stuck in traffic. She could have told me a lot earlier. I got so fed up with waiting, I grabbed a cookbook and walked down Johnson to drop it in the larger book kiosk. She was finally there when I arrived.

(At least it was a nice day for all the waiting. It was sunny and breezy, but much warmer. It got into the 60's for the first time this year today. I was fine in a sweater and my jean jacket.) 

Though it was too late for outings by quarter after 6, Jessa did treat me to dinner at the Black Horse Pike Diner. She had chicken Parmesan. I had fish and chips. My "fish and chips" were crunchy breaded flounder fillets on top of fries with two big onion rings, broccoli, a salad, and chicken soup. It was all delicious, even the butter pecan ice cream I had for dessert.

After I got home, I finished The Dance of Life, then switched to Match Game Syndicated while putting up what I have for spring and St. Patrick's Day, including a green tinsel garland, two cute vintage hangings of a panda and raccoon dressed for the holiday, and my Irish-themed pair of Beanie Baby bears. Watched Match Game Syndicated while I worked. Gene and Bill Daily spent this week drooling over a nubile young Charlene Tilton, while Charles and Brett did their best acting to impress Patty Duke. Patty just wished Charlene would actually wear more than halter tops for a change.

Finished the night with the first disc of The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz while I worked on the Dance of Life review. Considering the movie I was reviewing is from 1929, it's rather appropriate that all of the selections here date to the 10's and 20's. We actually start off with two vintage ragtime numbers in Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton's versions of "Maple Leaf Rag" before moving on to Bessie Smith's "St. Louis Blues" and King Oliver's "Dippermouth Blues." Things pick up back with Jelly Roll and hot numbers like "King Porter Stomp." Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven contribute the best and best-known numbers here with "Hotter Than That," "Sweethearts On Parade," and "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues."