On the Boardwalk In Atlantic City

Began the morning with breakfast and He-Man. "The Curse of the Spellstone" allows it to control the weather. Evil Lynn passes herself off as a peasant woman who stirs up the population against Man-at-Arms and his new weather machine. She unleashes "The Creeping Horlac," a dark void creature that consumes the castle while He-Man, Battle Cat, Stratos, and Ram Man search for the Spellstone.

Called Uber after the cartoon ended. It was much later than I planned on leaving, near quarter after 9. They arrived in 10 minutes and seemed to hit every red light on the way to the Lindenwald train station, but I did get there in time to buy tickets for the train. There were far fewer problems going home. The driver arrived in 5 minutes, and there was no traffic by quarter after 7. 

Thank heavens there was no trouble with the trains, either. The one going to Atlantic City was right on time, less than 10 minutes after I bought my tickets. They were quiet for 10 AM in the morning and not even remotely full. I must have missed the morning commuters. I watched the suburbs and scrub pine go by and listened to music on my cell phone.

When I arrived in Atlantic City, I saved time and spared my heel with a ride on the Jitney. These small green shuttle busses take tourists and locals from the hotels and casinos to points all over Atlantic City. The shuttle that goes from the train station to the casinos is free. Hopped right on the one going to Bally's, Caesar's, and the Claridge...and I'm glad I got there early, because it filled up pretty fast. There weren't many seats left when the driver headed off down Michigan Avenue.

The Jitney let me off at Brighton Park in front of the Claridge. Not only is the Claridge Hotel one of the few historic hotels left on the boardwalk, but the small park and vintage fountain give the Claridge the look of something out of an old romantic comedy. The park was a little messy, with some trash and old picnic tables, but it still looked like Clark Gable and Carole Lombard should have been staying there.

It was a gorgeous day for a stroll on the boardwalk. Blue sky, soft clouds, a wonderful breeze carrying that tangy sea air. It wasn't too busy around Brighton Park at 11 in the morning. Most people were working, on the beach, or sleeping off last night's debauchery. I even stood on a ramp looking over the beach at one point, watching families set up their blankets and blue umbrellas and take their children out to the bottle-green waves, remembering how my family spent almost every day at the Cape May beaches in the 80's. Homeless people sang sad songs (badly) on the benches behind the beach.

I finally just decided to have an early lunch at Landshark Bar and Grill first. It was the perfect day for eating outside. It was 11:30, so neither the beach nor the restaurant were too busy yet. I enjoyed my simple burger, pickle, and home-made chips while enjoying watching the families on the beach and listening to the few people around me chatter and enjoy each other's company.

My next stop was originally going to be Steel Pier, but I looked it up on my phone and discovered that it doesn't open until 2 PM on weekdays. Backtracked to the Central Pier Arcade instead. I had absolutely no luck whatsoever with their long rows of cranes, no matter how much I tried to win a stuffed pink female seagull with a bow on its head and a wavy French fry in its mouth. I did better with the Monopoly spin-the-dice game, skee ball, filling Icee cups as fast as I could, collect-the-ball games, and Doodle Bug (make a little green guy hop up through a sketchy themed world). 

I earned 745 tickets all together, thanks to hitting Park Place on Monopoly. Coupled with the tickets I had leftover from when Lauren visited in July and my solo trip last August, I had enough for another paper fan (green this time, with a pretty rose and bluebird print) and a small ladybug Squishmallow named Ladee with heart-print wings. Considering how much the kids at Thomas Sharp love to look for ladybugs in the mulch, it's rather appropriate that her tag says she's a first grade teacher who appreciates the value of nap time. 

Since it was only about 1 PM at that point, I returned to Steel Pier, but ducked into the arcade next-door. This one is much tinier than either Central Pier or Dave and Buster's. It consisted of a Yahtzee game, four cranes, two skee ball machines, two fishing-themed wheels, a Crusin' Blast machine (one half wasn't working), an Alien game, a Pac-Man/Galaga console, and several toss-the-ball-into-the-cup games. I tossed a lot of balls and made third on the working half of Crusin' Blast in a cherry-red Lamborghini running through the Death Valley course. I made 500 points and got a peculiar rubber fuzzy worm-thing that had a cheerful little face and lights up when you squeeze him.

Several families were waiting outside the gates to Steel Pier when I walked over. There were so many, they opened the gates a few minutes early. I wanted to ride the Observation Wheel, but it wasn't ready yet. I played a balloon toss game instead. I popped one balloon, enough to win a tiny pale aqua shark. She was such a little darling, with her big eyes and wide sweet smile, I couldn't bring myself to trade her up for something bigger. I named her Taffy (as in salt-water taffy) and returned to the Wheel instead.

The Wheel had opened by the time I got back there. I love the Observation Wheel. It's my favorite ride in Atlantic City. It's wonderful to glide in a wide, air-conditioned gondola over the city and see it the way a bird does! Atlantic City looks like Little People buildings from way up there. By that point, the beach was much busier too, a sea of dark-blue umbrellas that almost matched the Atlantic. There were a lot of people surfing or ducking the waves, cooling off on a warm, humid day.

After I got back on the ground, I tried my luck at a crane with Pokemon in it near the entrance to Steel Pier. When I came away with nothing, I decided it was time to start heading back. By this point, it was past 2 PM. The boardwalk was now teeming with people just out of lunch or the casinos and looking for excitement. Not to mention, even the breeze couldn't hide how humid it was. I was sweating bullets when I ducked into the smaller Fralinger's. They did have my favorite fruit slices this time. I bought two bags and a bottle of water.

I got off at Brighton Park and walked back to Michigan Avenue...but this time, I turned down Atlantic Avenue, passing Express and Ruth Chris Steakhouse to Dave & Buster's. The Atlantic City branch is smaller than the one at Blackwood and the pirate wheel was down, but it still has plenty of Pac Man skee ball, ring toss games, carnival-themed wheels, and ball toss games. I played Mario Kart here and came in second with Princess Peach on a Japanese-themed round that went underwater. Made just enough to get a Champ Bear with a little leftover for when I visit Lauren in late September-early October.

There was one last thing I wanted to do in Atlantic City before I headed to the train station. I stepped into Famous Footwear to see if they had Easy Spirits or something similar to run errands in. Nope. Not only were they busy with parents and college students looking for back to school shoes, but all they had were Reebox, Converses, and Nikes. I'm not a fan of any of them. Hit Starbucks for a quick Iced Orange Matcha Latte instead. At least they weren't busy this time. I walked in, got my drink, and walked out. Sat down on a bench, sipped my drink and watched a mother enjoy her own drinks with her two sons.

Considering all the trouble Lauren and I had getting home last month, I had no problems with the 4:59, either. It arrived on time and left about two minutes late, nothing to panic over. It did stop to let a train pass around Atco, but the delay wasn't much of a problem. This time, the train was busy with noisy, drunk college students who mentioned they were on their way to a concert. (I looked it up later and discovered they were likely going to a Foo Fighters show at Lincoln Financial Field.) I was originally going to take the PATCO to Collingswood or Westmont and pick up Uber from there, but there were so many drunk and loud college kids around the ticket kiosks when the train arrived, I thought I'd be safer elsewhere.

Ended up having breakfast for dinner at the Stratford Diner instead. I wanted to go here when Lauren came last month, but we got in so late, we went to Tim Horton's instead. I was able to enjoy my waffle with strawberries and scrambled eggs in peace, other than a fussy baby with his parents at the booth across from me.

Finished the night after I finally got home and took a shower with Let's Go Native on YouTube. I go further into this wacky 1930 comedy featuring Jeanette MacDonald and Jack Oakie as a broke costume designer and a cab driver stranded on a remote tropical island at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Let's Go Native

Summer Breeze

We got a really quick start this morning because we were leaving a bit earlier than we have. I called Uber at 9:50. It picked us up within 8 minutes. Even with hitting every red light from here to Lindenwald, we still made it to the train station there by 10:15. That left us plenty of time to buy tickets for the 10:34 NJ Transit train to Atlantic City. 

Thank heavens the train was right on time, because it was also full. We managed to get a seat in the back of the first car, near the door. At least the ride is only a little over an hour. I spent the time listening to music on my YouTube account. We pulled in on time, too, around 11:30.

We absolutely picked the right day to walk on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. It was sunny and breezy, but not hot or humid at all, probably in the upper 70's. The boardwalk was busy at quarter of 12, but not overwhelming. We headed straight down, passing Bally's and the Central Pier. (I also noticed that part of Peanut World, most of which burned down last winter, was opened, but not all of it. Several of the stores next to Peanut World were closed too, including the one Lauren bought her Atlantic City shirt from last year.)

Landshark Bar and Grill is on the beach near Steel Pier and across from Resorts and the Hard Rock Casino. I got to see what they were building on the beach when I visited Atlantic City on my own last August. It was a new Tiki bar intended to be an extension of Margaritaville across the way at Resorts. We had an absolutely wonderful lunch outside, watching the people on the beach under blue and yellow umbrellas. Lauren had a massive bacon barbecue burger. I had a basic cheeseburger. We both had salads - I had a house salad, she had Caesar. We were surprised when someone brought us a plate of fried pickles. We forgot to order them! Turns out the waiter was new and brought it to the wrong place...but we'd already started in on them. He got more for the other people, and we got free fried pickles.

Lauren and I split up briefly after lunch. She checked out the small arcade next to Steel Pier and bought a lemonade. I had to ride the giant Ferris Wheel on Steel Pier. That's my favorite ride in Atlantic City. I love seeing the world through those air-conditioned gondolas. It's like seeing a Little People version of Atlantic City. The beaches were so busy today! I'm surprised I saw a lot of people swimming. After all the storms, I would have thought the undertow was too strong for swimming. 

After I got back on the ground and found Lauren, we headed back towards the Central Pier Arcade. The main interest here is their two long rows of cranes. Lauren had no luck with the cranes whatsoever. I didn't, either, but I did better with the other games. I hit big jackpots on the Monopoly spin-the-dice game and the pirate wheel that netted me over 820 tickets, plus I had 140 tickets leftover from my solo trip last August. I finally chose a really cute small Funshine Bear dressed as a bee with glittery wings and a paper fan with a pretty yellow and red rose and bluebird print. 

By the time we left Central Pier, it was past 3 PM. The boardwalk was getting a lot more crowded and hot. Not to mention, we wanted to explore the Outlet Mall a bit before we caught our train home. We headed back down Michigan Avenue, past Bally's and the AtlantiCare Hospital to Arctic Avenue. We started at the Toy Company, a jammed full shop with stuffed animals, knock-off toys, and Atlantic City sweatshirts. After we got nothing there, I got a drink at Starbucks...but the line was so long and the three baristas were so busy (the girl who was supposed to be taking customers had to run and get ice), the iced blue coconut matcha latte wasn't worth it.

I met Lauren across the street at Old Navy and a small leggings-and-shorts store called Cozy. We poked around American Eagle next-door, then decided we'd try something different. Bambu specializes in dessert drinks with odd Asian ingredients. Lauren tried one with ice cream and said it was delicious. I stuck to tart passion fruit iced tea and three macarons (vanilla, strawberry shortcake, and mixed berry). 

It was time to head back to the train station. We had plenty of time to use the bathroom, buy tickets, and get in line. And then...we waited. And waited. And waited. The train didn't leave at 5:21. It still hadn't left at 6 PM. I was frantic and in tears when they finally canceled it. There was no way we were taking the bus back to Lindenwauld. It takes forever and runs through some really sketchy territory. We just waited at the station for the 7:13 to arrive. Thankfully, that was right on time. Other than slowing down for a train coming in the opposite direction, we had no problems. We were back in Lindenwald by quarter after 8. 

We were going to eat at the Stratford Diner, but it was closed by then. Tim Horton's was opened until 10, so we tried them. It was such a lovely evening, we even ate outside on their patio. I wish there were more of these in South Jersey! This Canadian franchise specializes in donuts, coffee and lemonade drinks, and sandwiches. I had a strawberry drink with coconut water and a turkey club sandwich. Lauren had a beef and cheese panini and a Diet Coke. Yum! They were so good with thick potato chips that tasted like movie popcorn. It was so nice to talk to Lauren while watching the sun set on the White Horse Pike!

When we finally got home, I took a shower, then watched the second Family Feud 50th anniversary marathon on YouTube. I came in just as the show's producer Mark Goodson crowned Richard King of daytime game shows. The show was at its height of popularity as the number-one daytime show in the late 70's. It was so popular, it not only moved into syndication, ABC also did a series of nighttime specials with some of the most popular shows of the time playing each other. This made for some strange bedfellows, like when the cops of Barney Miller played the wholesome Eight Is Enough cast, or nighttime soaps Knots Landing and Dynasty and daytime soaps All My Children and General Hospital played each other. Some of the celebrities could be even more nervous than regular contestants, even when they were right, like Connie Francis and Michelle Lee. Richard was happier when the Dallas Cowboys played their cheerleaders, and former Miss USA winners played former Miss Universes.

Let's keep playing the Feud with these classic looks back at some of its best moments!

Family Feud Sunday Classics - 50 Years Celebration Marathon Part 2 (Including Pilot and Final Episode)

On the Boardwalk In Atlantic City

Started the morning with breakfast and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Mickey tells "Pluto's Tale." Pluto pulls a golden ball out of a tree. Good Fairy Clarabelle declares him to be the prince who can rescue her beloved puppy Princess Bella from the sneaky Wizard Pete's castle. Pluto has to help King Donald and Queen Daisy in their orchard and get help from Woods-mouse Minnie to find his way to Pete, who wants to trade Bella for the Golden Ball.

Called Uber after that. This time, I came out at around 11 to give myself more time. The driver took 7 minutes to get there. Thankfully, there was also no traffic on the White Horse Pike. We arrived at Lindenwauld with 15-20 minutes, and I still had 15 minutes to buy train tickets. No trouble with the train to Atlantic City this time, either. It was right on time both ways, going to and from Atlantic City. Surprisingly, considering we're coming up on Labor Day Weekend, it wasn't full going there. The train going home was a bit more full, likely with communters on their way home before the holiday weekend.

The moment I got off, I headed straight for the boardwalk and down to the Landshark Bar and Grill (after a brief bathroom break). This blonde wooden structure about a block from Steel Pier is right on the beach. Normally, it offers splendid views of the beach, but today, it was partially blocked by construction workers building some kind of light wooden structures near the boardwalk. From what I could see, I suspected they may have been smaller beach-front bars for Hard Rock Hotel guests or beach-side extensions of the Landshark.

Oh, well, at least my fried cod sandwich was really yummy. I think the chips were house-made, too. Like the ones from Haddon Culinary in Collingswood, they were thick and crunchy, but not too greasy or flimsy like the ones in bags. And actually, it was fascinating to watch the men put together what I presumed to be the wooden deck or patio for the new bars, wooden piece by wooden piece.

Headed a few doors down to Steel Pier after lunch. Steel Pier isn't really the "Showplace of the Nation" anymore, but it is the only major outdoor amusement park in Atlantic City. I debated buying tickets for the rides, then passed. I'll be doing a better amusement park and a huge multi-states fair on vacation next month. My only real interest in Steel Pier was the Observation Wheel. It's a huge Ferris wheel that looms over the Pier and beaches like a massive steering wheel. 

I love the Ferris Wheel. The view from the gondola was spectacular. It was cloudy when I left Oaklyn, but it started clearing up during lunch at the Landshark. By the time I was gazing out the windows of the gondola, it was a perfect, clear, dry afternoon, without a cloud in sight. The bright green Atlantic matched the burnished gold of the Borgota in its shine and sparkle. It was too windy for the beach to be really busy, but there were quite a lot of people around and umbrellas dotting the sand for a day that wasn't even in the 80's. It was like looking down on a Lego version of an amusement park. Everything was so tiny from above, even the people. 

Several small food booths hug the entrance to Steel Pier, along with six games. I ignored the games in favor of getting a milkshake. They were out of my first choice, Nutella and Banana, so I went with Mint Chocolate Chip. Ooooh, sooo minty, with lots of big chocolate pieces. Expensive, but very sweet and tasty.

Doubled back down the boardwalk to Central Pier. Not only was the arcade fully operational after their big fire last year, but the go-karts were open, too. I was mainly interest in the arcade. It's smaller than Dave and Buster's downtown, but it does have two long rows of cranes with every type of cool stuffed animal available. Alas, I had no luck with the cranes this time, so I focused on skee ball, catch-the-ball games, and something called Doodle Bug, where you made a little doodle guy jump upwards onto sketched platforms. 

I did even better than in June, earning 629 tickets. That was enough for a really cute Atlantic City metal tray with a red "peace" van on the beach, another paper fan (red with a rose print this time), and red ear buds. I was hoping they would be wireless and fit my new phone, but alas, they weren't. Oh well, I'll donate them the next time I bring a bag to Goodwill.

Made my way further back down the boardwalk to my favorite souvenir store on the boardwalk. Peanut World has every bit of junk you can imagine, and probably a lot you can't. I don't think a lot of their inventory in the back has likely been refreshed since the 90's, maybe earlier. More to the point, they're also the only store in Atlantic City that carries my favorite fruit jel slices. They're really good, too, sweet and thick. I got two slices of each flavor they had, plus a Diet Dr. Pepper and, since I had no luck with the cranes, a cute stuffed brown bear on all fours whom I named Cinnamon.

By that point, it was past 4 PM. Time to start back down Michigan Avenue and head towards the Atlantic City Convention Center. Stopped at the Starbucks about two blocks down from the train station for a quick drink before I left. They were busy with college students taking a break with shopping, but I did get to try a sweet iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte. Even with waiting in a long line for a drink, I still got to the train station next to the convention center with more than 20 minutes to buy tickets and wait for the train. Once again, the train was on time, and there was no problem with either the bus or getting the Uber home.

When I got in, I went straight into dinner and Match Game Syndicated. Came in to see Jon "Bowser" Bauman pull plastic chains and a comb out of a giant high-top sneaker-shaped bag. Arte Johnson had more problems being the smart guy between two decidedly unique blondes, Eva Gabor and Joyce Bulifant. 

Finished the night after a shower with When the Boys Meet the Girls. I go further into this strange MGM attempt to meld the Beach Party series with the Gershwin musical Girl Crazy at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Cult Flops - When the Boys Meet the Girls

On the Boardwalk In Atlantic City

Got a quick start this morning. We had just enough time for breakfast and two cartoons. The Disney characters are on a "Hawaiian Holiday" that has Donald and Pluto tangling with a crab and Goofy attempting to hit the surf, only for it to hit back. Donald's "Beach Picnic" also gets out of hand when he first tries to ride an inflatable horse, then chases off the ants who have invaded his meal.

Called Uber to get us to Lindenwald. The last time I took two trains to Atlantic City, I almost missed the second one. I wasn't taking chances this time. The driver arrived in 7 minutes. We were there in 15, with 15 minutes left to buy tickets. 

Ironically, for all the rushing, the train to Atlantic City wound up being 7 minutes late. Thankfully, we encountered no other trouble. The train wasn't anywhere near full. We slid into one of the two-person seats near the middle. Lauren spent most of the trip sleeping. I watched the scenery, mainly pine trees and houses, fly by. We got into Atlantic City by quarter of 1.

I took Lauren straight down Michigan Avenue, past the Outlet Mall, AtlantiCare Hospital, and Bally's, right up to the boardwalk. It wasn't a bad day to explore the boards. Though it was cloudy, cool, and windy, that's not necessarily a bad thing in largely shade-less Atlantic City. The sun was even starting to come out a bit as we strolled past Bally's, Peanut World, the gray Korean War Memorial, and many seedy-looking souvenir shops. The boardwalk was busy, but not overwhelmingly so, nothing like Cape May and Wildwood on Saturday. 

My original thought for lunch was the little gyro place I ate at last year, but Lauren wanted a real lunch that amounted to something more than pizza. She was the one who spotted the Landshark Bar and Grill, a blonde wooden structure hugging the beach and dunes. It was a brilliant idea. We got to sit outside, right along the beachfront. She had an Asian chicken, noodle, and vegetable bowl. I had a fried cod sandwich with zesty jalapeno tartar sauce that melted in your mouth. We shared a plate of fried pickles that were even better than the ones at Friendly's yesterday.

Our plans got a check when we made it to the Hard Rock Hotel. Alas, it would seem that Steel Pier is currently open only on weekends, and the observation Ferris Wheel only after 4 on weekdays. Lauren's not really all that fond of heights anyway and gets motion sickness. We ended up turning back.

Good thing I found out online that Central Pier had been remodeled and reopened after its devastating fire last year. I wonder if the fire mainly effected the back area with the raceway. That was closed, and I saw carpenters working there. The front rooms with the arcade seemed largely the same. 

Central Pier's real main attraction is its long rows of cranes, all of them with good stuffed animals. Lauren still didn't have any luck, but I won Hello Kitty dressed as an alligator for my niece Finley. It doesn't have a lot of other games, but it does feature ski ball, along with the usual mainstays like coin push games, ball drop machines, and ball throws. To my surprise, Central Pier seems to be the only arcade in the area that still uses tickets (though they also have cards you can tap). You feed the blue tickets through a machine, then bring the receipt up front. I had 621, not enough for anything really cool. I did get one of those cute folded paper fans with pretty flowered prints that you open. 

Next up, we returned to Peanut World and the dilapidated shops between Bally's and Resorts to get our own souvenirs. Lauren didn't see anything she wanted at Peanut World besides a Coke Zero. I got a Coke Zero, a red Atlantic City tank top, and larger versions of my favorite fruit gel slices. Lauren finally found a purple and green tie-dye tank a couple of doors down, next-door to Ilene's. 

By that point, it was almost 4. We were going to get ice cream and smoothies, but not only was the booth we found ridiculously expensive (the cones were $9 each!), they were out of the smoothies Lauren wanted. We finally decided we were better off leaving the boardwalk, especially after witnessing seagulls noisily attack a teen girl's fried Oreos. (They stole food that had been left on plates by the beachfront at the Landshark Bar and Grill, too. We also saw a squirrel who seemed very out of place wandering around near the booth.)

Though we did peek at Aeorpostale, it was getting late. The train to Lindenwald leaves at 4:59. There isn't another one until almost 7. We hurried to the Atlantic City Convention Center and bought our tickets with ten minutes to spare. The train left less than five minutes after we got on and settled down on a seat in the very back of the car. Once again, there was no trouble on the trip. In fact, I passed out shortly after leaving Atlantic City and didn't wake up until about 10 minutes before we arrived at the Lindenwald Station.

I spotted the Stratford Diner during our Uber trip to Lindenwald. Lauren checked it online when we were on the train and confirmed that it would be open when we were there. The diner is a bit more like a typical chrome-and-tile eatery than the wood-paneled Legacy, including an eclectic song selection that ran the gamut from rap to "Freddy My Love" from the Grease soundtrack. 

Since we had sandwiches and and entrees for lunch, we opted to have breakfast for dinner. She had eggs Benedict. I had a perfectly crispy golden waffle topped with bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream. We decided we even had room for dessert. I had a very sweet, individually wrapped mini pineapple upside-down cake. She had a small two-layer strawberry shortcake, a decadent confection wrapped in whipped cream, with layers of strawberries, cake, and more cream, topped by a gigantic glazed strawberry. 

Surprisingly, despite it being nearly 7 PM, we got an Uber driver in less than a minute. She was a cheerful young college student who asked us about our vacation and Atlantic City trip and mentioned goings-on in Philadelphia. She got us home within 20 minutes, with no traffic or fuss.

After we got in, I rounded up our laundry and took it downstairs, then took out the recycling. Jumped in the shower after that, then put the laundry in the dryer. After I got back upstairs. I spent the rest of the night watching more game shows with lost episodes or that are mostly lost in honor of Buzzr's month-long Lost and Found marathon.

In the early days of TV, most broadcasts were aired live and either weren't recorded, or were preserved by kinetoscopes that could be easily ditched for their silver content. Thanks to that, much of 50's TV, especially from early in the decade, is gone forever. This charming children's game show, Chopsticks from 1958, is one of the survivors. Kids play pianos and answer musical-themed questions in the hope of winning an encyclopedia. Cute show, and the kids honestly played quite well. 

Even after game shows began to be recorded on tape, rather than broadcast live, they still were rarely preserved. Tapes were expensive, and they were frequently erased and used again. Even popular shows, like Match Game and Family Feud, were hit with this. The original 60's version of Match Game is largely gone for good, with only a handful of shows remaining. Though the vast majority of the 70's-80's Match Game survives, even that has some episodes missing, damaged, or unable to be run due to offensive answers or rights clearances. Buzzr themselves recently unearthed the previously-missing episodes 31, 32, and 33, claiming they had been badly damaged and that they repaired them to the best of their ability.

Though the first run of Family Feud with Richard Dawson is largely said to survive, most of it isn't online. ABC was still erasing tapes through the early years of its run. Buzzr usually runs the episodes made after 1983, and then only the nighttime syndicated shows. I have a rare early episode of the daytime run here.

Most of the daytime run of Tattletales does exist, but its syndicated nighttime run isn't so lucky. Rights clearances are the big problem here. Bob Newhart's estate insists on his game show episodes not being re-run, including him and his wife Ginny's appearances on Tattletales...and they apparently turned up on the syndicated series the most. Buzzr did use two episodes for its Valentine's Day marathon in 2020; I have the earlier one here, featuring glamorous Joan Collins and her then-husband, businessman Ron Kass, Dan Rowan and his wife Joanna Young, and Dick Smothers and his sweet wife Linda. 

Short-lived flops have an even worse survival rate. Wedding Party from 1968 was likely ABC's attempt to capture that Newlywed Game magic. One member of an engaged couple would be taken offstage. The other would choose three prizes from three different groups. Their fiancee would try to guess which were chosen. If they win, they get all of them and a honeymoon package. Yeah, not the most exciting game. I can see why ABC didn't want to hang on to this one. Over-eager host Alan Hamel had more fun discussing the lady's job as an astrologer than actually playing the game.

Even now, some short-lived flops are still hard to find. BrainRush was one of the shows on Cartoon Network's CN Real, their attempt to create a live-action program block. Host Lamone Morris asks kids questions on a roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm in California. Each correct answer earns $25. The player with the most money moves on. Round 2 has them playing mini-games on the coasters, while Round 3 has them answering multiple-choice questions. The winner can then double their earnings or lose it all.

Um, yeah. This one is kind of dumb. The whole premise is just plain weird. It worked better with adults in taxis. I think this one would have tanked even if CN Real hadn't been monumentally panned by pretty much everyone. It barely lasted a month, with the last two episodes burned off on Wednesdays. The sixth episode remains missing other than brief clips to this day.

On the Boardwalk In Atlantic City

Started a sunny, slightly humid morning with Garfield In Paradise. Garfield and Jon are off to Paradise World, an island tourist trap that was the cheapest tropical place Jon could get them to. Their trip doesn't start off well, thanks to a falling-down hotel run by an owner who tells Jack Benny jokes. Things take a turn for the strange when their 50's rental vehicle takes them to the village of a group a doo-wop-worshiping natives...and a volcano that's about to explode!

Headed out even before the cartoon ended. I wanted to take my annual summer trip to Atlantic City today, while it is still summer. I was on the train to Lindenwauld by quarter of 11 and in Lindenwald by a little after 11.

Instead of sitting on a hot train station platform for an hour or wandering around Walgreens, I decided to have an early lunch. There's three restaurants across the street from the Lindenwald Train and Bus Terminal. I finally decided I didn't have enough time for the sit-down diner or Indian restaurant and opted for Burger King. It was the fanciest Burger King I ever saw. It must have been either just-built or very recently remodeled. They had a huge dining area with a separate room for parties, TVs everywhere, and even a counter with Wi Fi and computers. I took it all in while eating my Whopper and fries.

Even with lunch and buying my ticket, I still spent a half-hour waiting on the platform for the train. Thankfully, it was only about five minutes late. The train was half-full, mostly with the lunch crowd on their way to a day trip in AC like me, I suspected from the college students across from me. At any rate, there were no problems whatsoever getting there, and I enjoyed a very pleasant ride.

As soon as I arrived in Atlantic City, I strolled down straight down Michigan to the Boardwalk, passing a newly repainted Bally's on the way. (I'm disappointed they painted over all the cute Wild West-themed sides they had. Now it's just a mellow if slightly bland yellowy-tan.) Even as I walked, the clouds were gathering, and it was killer humid. It spit a little as I headed onto the boardwalk.

The Boardwalk was as busy as it always is during the summer. I went in the direction of Resorts, the Taj Mahal, and the Claridge this year, since I went towards Caesars and Tropicana last year. My first stop was Peanut World, the coolest souvenir store on the boardwalk. They have every kind of junk you can imagine....including a counter with some of Atlantic City's least-expensive candy. I went with my favorite fruit slices in pink grapefruit flavor. I desperately needed a can of Diet Rite too by that point. It wasn't that hot, but the humidity was horrible even close to the water.

Hit the Casino Pier next to try my luck at the cranes (and to avoid a sudden shower). (And to make up for not hitting the arcades this year.) I tried one with some very large Peppa Pigs. After I gave up on Peppa, I attempted one with more generic round stuffed animals. Nope. No luck.

The sun was out again by the time I made it to the Taj Mahal and Steel Pier. Steel Pier isn't really "The Showplace of the Nation" anymore, but it is the only amusement park in Atlantic City. I strolled around, watching people enjoy themselves on the rides. The place was surprisingly busy for a day with such iffy weather. I found a couple of wire tables with umbrellas between the Slingshot and the Rock and Roll and looked out onto the misty, hazy beach and deep green-blue waves.

(And yes, I saw the Dinosaur Beach logo on the Crazy Mouse roller coaster. Evidently, the same people who now run Steel Pier once owned the mid-90's jungle/dinosaur-themed Hunt's Pier revamp in Wildwood. Thanks to Matt at Dinosaur Dracula for pointing out this bit of lost Jersey Shore history!)

I was hot and sweating like crazy. It was time to go back. I stopped at one store for water and at one of the bathrooms. I really wanted ice cream, but most food is expensive on the boardwalk, and a lot of those small booths don't take credit cards or have a minimum. I didn't have much cash on hand.

Having done most of my clothes and shoe shopping earlier in the summer, the only store in the Tanger Outlets I was interested in was Toys R Us. I wanted to see if they had some of the new Ever After High dolls, but I wasn't keeping my hopes up. They were an outlet store.

Someone must have just restocked the shelves. The Ever After High/Monster High area was full to capacity. The products were almost entirely brand-new. too, including two just-released Toys R Us exclusive Ever After High dolls, Royally Ever After Apple White and Heartstruck C.A Cupid. I also saw Way To Wonderland Apple and Maddie Hatter, the re-release of Poppy and Holly O'Hair, and Candy-Coated Cedar Wood for the first time.

My real interest are the Signatures (original release) dolls. They had Faybelle Thorne (peppy daughter of the Wicked Fairy from Sleeping Beauty) and Bunny Blanc (laid-back daughter of the White Rabbit) for $15.99, cheaper than the $19.99 I usually see them go for on Amazon. I grabbed them both,

Fortunately, the train station is only a few blocks from the Toys R Us Outlet. I darted there, bought my ticket quickly, and still made it on the 3:36 train to Lindenwald with time to spare. Other than the train stopping to let another train going in the opposite direction pass, there were no major problems. We arrived at the Lindenwald station right on time.

Went straight upstairs to the PATCO. The train going to Collingswood was a lot more full than the NJ Transit train had been. People weren't in great moods, either. They talked loudly on their phones and fussed at each other when they tried to move around. I was so happy to arrive at my destination and hurry back to the ground.

When I got back into Oaklyn, I stopped at Phillies Yummies to finally get my cooling treat. It was now a gorgeous day for it, too. The clouds and humidity must have all ended up at the beach. By 5 PM, the sky was a radiant blue, and it was dry and in the mid-80's, perfectly normal for this time of year. I had a mint chocolate chip water ice. It was extremely green - a neon green more suited for lime than mint. It was quite tasty and mint-y, though.

As soon as I got in and got organized, I pulled Bunny and Fayebelle out of their boxes. Fayebelle's been a real surprise. I didn't expect to like her character or her doll when she was announced on New Year's Day, but she's slowly growing on me. Fayebelle is a perky cheerleader who also happens to be an evil fairy. She loves cheering so much, she cheers her spells instead of chants them! While her sparkly tunic and simple leggings are kind of plain compared to some of the other dolls' outfits, she has some of the prettiest hair in the entire line. Like Darling and Kitty, it's very silky and smooth, with lovely turquoise highlights. I did have problems keeping her wings on once I took off the rubber band (which I probably should have just left on).

I had more problems with Bunny. Not only does she have an odd facial mold, but she had more gunk in her hair than anyone else but Poppy. She went right in the bathroom sink for a twice-cleaning. Even after that, her hair is still a bit thin and sheds like crazy, and her head is a bit floppy. Too bad, because I like her character. Unlike the object of her affections Alistair Wonderland, Bunny has no use for maps...or for rushing, for that matter. This jazz-loving rabbit girl always manages to get where she's going eventually. Her dress is adorable. I love the fuzzy white collar. (Even if I wish the black collar and pink ribbon were real and not plastic.)

Ran The Merry Widow while taking out the dolls, and later while making a chicken salad for dinner. The last of the Jeanette MacDonald/Maurice Chevalier/Ernst Lubitsch musicals takes us to the fictional European country of Marshovia. The king is horrified when Sonia, the widow of the title (MacDonald), decides to leave off mourning and decamps to Paris. She owns more than half the country. If she takes her money elsewhere, they'll be ruined. They send the charming Count Danilo (Chevalier) after her. The ruse works too well - he actually falls for her. Now he has to convince her that he's sincere, even during a trial when he's accused of being a traitor to Marshovia for letting her go. If you're a fan of operetta or these two, this one is a bubbly bit of fun that's worth tracking down in the Warner Archives.

Finished out the night with a nice, long bath. Oh boy, did I need it. I was hot and tired after my long walk, and my knees were so sore, they were barely moving. I enjoyed the sounds of big band music while looking over more Christmas With Southern Living books for holiday gift ideas.

Summer In Atlantic City

I slept in today - I won't be able to sleep in tomorrow! I work at 8 AM. Since I'll be working early for the next two days, I thought I'd have a little fun today. I rode over to the PATCO around 11 and took the 11:23 to Lindenwald. The train to Atlantic City was a little late, but not too bad. Good thing, too. The 12:02 was packed! Literally. The train conductor had to keep telling people to move to the back cars and the front cars. I'd never seen so many people on their way to AC.

The traffic was bad when I arrived, too. I assumed it was because of the nice day. It was hot, a bit hotter than yesterday, but not humid, and a heavy wind kept things from getting too warm. Had a quick lunch of those Spicy Chicken Wonton Tacos at Applebee's after I arrived. It was rather busy for 1:30. I assumed it was the tail end of the lunch crowd.

I browsed in the Tanger Outlets next. This large mall area is the first thing you see if you enter Atlantic City through the Expressway. I didn't do all that well. I did find a cute turquoise and black floral-print skirt at Layne Bryant, but they had nothing in my size at Eddie Bauer, and nothing of interest at Toys R' Us. Much to my disappointment, the Disney Store I bought my toddler Merdia doll at two years ago was gone as well.

I finally just dodged the traffic and the scores of people toting folding chairs and headed for the Boardwalk. I went in the opposite direction from my last couple of Atlantic City trips, towards the Tropicana and Trump Plaza instead of the Taj Mahal. Might as well go this way while the Plaza's still open. A stage area set up for a concert revealed what all the crowds and traffic was about, not to mention the balloons and ads all over the boardwalk for South Jersey country station Cat Country. A popular country star, Blake Sheldon, had a free concert on the beach tonight. Alas, the concert was at 6. The latest train I could get away with catching was the 5:52. There wouldn't be another one until 8:15! I wasn't staying in Atlantic City that late.

I wandered around the boardwalk for a couple of hours. Stopped at one of those 99 cent stores with ancient knick-knacks that Matt at Dinosaur Dracula loves. While I didn't find anything nearly as cool as he did, I did pick up a rather pretty lace-trimmed floral fan (I always loved fans as a kid - they seemed so elegant) and a can of Diet Rite, which I haven't seen since I was a kid. The Diet Rite was surprisingly tasty - I never remembered RC Cola and Diet Rite being that good in the 80s.

Played skee ball and some of the Wheel of Fortune machines at the Playcade. I also tried Pac Man for the first time in years. Got pretty far at it, too, up to the second peach screen. I ultimately won a small plastic trumpet and six peppermint hard candies. My American Girl dolls will get the trumpet.

I dropped by Steel's Fudge for my favorite fruit slices. They had flavors I'd never seen before, like apple, pear, pomegranate, and pineapple. I got a 1/4 pound of the latter two to save for a treat later or tomorrow, and a coconut macaroon for right there.

By that point, it was past quarter of 5. Time to head back. I first stopped at one of the numerous t-shirt shops for one of the main reasons I went there. The Atlantic City t-shirt I bought a few years was worn out. It was time to get a new one. I bought one with a simple red, white, blue, and yellow Atlantic City lettering that looked nicely faded. It took a while for me to buy it, as there were two women haggling over the cheap trinkets under the glass counter.

I wasn't originally going to check out the Pier Shops, a huge high-end mall, but I saw a giant, bright colored candy store and couldn't resist taking a peek. It'Sugar had every kind of confection you could imagine...ironically except for fruit slices. I didn't see any, and what I did see was pricey, including the giant stuffed Nerds. I just went in the main mall instead.

The main mall wasn't that much more exciting. While it was certainly prettier than it had been when I was in college and would occasionally shop there, the fancy stores carried nothing of interest to me. The fountains were lovely and soothing, but the whole mall was much too dark, especially around closed stores. I could barely read some of the signage. The upstairs was especially dark and foreboding, for all the blue lights in the ceiling that were supposed to look like stars. I hurried down a wide ramp, hoping to find my way back to the boardwalk.

I did not find the boardwalk. Instead, I strolled into a world of flashing lights, card dealers, and lemons and 7s. I forgot that Caesers' is connected to the Pier Shops and had ended up on their casino floor. I had neither the time nor the funds for gambling, so I just kept right on going, following the signs around the casino area and across the glass and carpet walkway over the street that connects one part of Caesers' to another. The walkway took me past several gift shops and to an elevator, which finally took me to a bakery and cafe and the lobby. I finally ended up back on the street near Bally's. I now knew where I was. I just followed the crowds straight down to the Rail Station behind the Sheraton Hotel.

This time, there were no travel problems whatsoever. The train to Lindenwald departed on time, was mostly empty, and was only slightly late getting in. The PATCO train to Collingswood somehow almost missed stopping at the Ashland station, but otherwise came and went on time. I rode straight home after I made it to Collingswood.

I was putting together a chicken pasta salad for dinner when the phone rang. To my delight, it was Mom. I sent her a card and a letter a few days ago, just to say "hi." I haven't heard from her much since she started her new job at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. She was in a good mood, though very tired. In addition to her job as a ticket taker and reservations assistant, she helped my sister Anny with her son Skylar's 10th birthday party earlier in the day. It was just his brother, his grandparents, his mother's fiancee, and a few local kids who were the children of Anny's friends. If the photos of them on Anny's Facbook page are any indication, they had a great time pelting each other with water balloons.

Ran most of 'Neath Brookyn Bridge while I ate dinner. We're back with the East Side Kids and a more substantial mystery. The boys help a young girl their age whose guardian was trying to force her to leave her paralyzed grandfather. When Danny (Bobby Jordan) goes back for her clothes, he discovers that her stepfather is dead. The police think he did it, but the Kids know better. Mugs (Leo Gorcey) goes undercover to infiltrate a gambling racket, while the others hide the girl.

On the Boardwalk In Atlantic City

I started a cloudy day with this week's grocery run. I didn't need a whole lot. I was mostly restocking baking items - flour, brown sugar, butter. They had a sale on ground chicken and Acme's organic honey. It wasn't really busy there, either. I easily got into a line and out the door.

When I got home, I put everything away as fast as I could, and then rushed back out and over to the Collingswood PATCO. I just made the 11:32 train to Lindenwold. I'd been wanting to make a trip to Atlantic City all summer, but I either didn't have the time, the money, the energy, or a mix of two or more of those things. It was now or never. I flew to the station so fast, I actually had a stomachache when I arrived.

Thankfully, I caught all vehicles without a hitch. The PATCO train to Lindenwold was right on time, as was the train to Atlantic City. The 12:01 train to Atlantic City was fairly full, not surprising on the first day of the Labor Day Weekend, but I did manage to get a seat. (I'm glad I waited on the train this time. The 554 that I took to Pomona a few weeks ago would have taken two hours to get to Atlantic City. I didn't really want to wait that long.)

While I did take a look around the Disney Store at the Walk Outlets, that wasn't my main objective for this trip. I spent most of my four hours in AC on the world-famous boardwalk, talking in the sights and sounds. The sun was going in and out by quarter of 2, and it was windy and fairly chilly on the boards. It was no day for the beach, which along with the holiday weekend, explained why the boardwalk was bustling with rolling cars and showgirls in skimpy 20s-inspired costumes.

My first stop was a small eatery called Joe Rock Cafe near Bally's. I saw a sign outside that said they had breakfast all day and was hoping to find a decent meal for at least a bit cheaper than most of the other "name" eateries. I finally settled on a Belgian waffle with fresh blueberries smothered in syrup. It was a little chewy, but not bad. The blueberries were a bit better - I wonder if they'd been purchased from a local farm market.

I spent the next hour or two just exploring the boardwalk. I browsed in a few gift shops, including an old grimy favorite, Peanut World. I tried the crane games at Central Pier. One had WebKinz; another sported stuffed animals from the movie Rio. No luck with either.

I was delighted to note that Steel Pier didn't have a one-charge-pay-all admission. I was free to walk around without having to buy any tickets first. "The Showplace of the Nation" is really just a glorified amusement park, but it's the only such place in Atlantic City. The coolest ride is the Crazy Mouse roller coaster, which has rounded seats that fly around curves, instead of the usual car-like seats. Otherwise, it's your standard back-and-forth pirate ship (there called the Flying Dutchman), merry-go-round, kid's cars-on-track, Ferris wheel, "Rock n' Roll" fast music-playing around-and-around coaster, and tea cups. (The bumper cars said "coming soon" - maybe they were down for repairs?) I tried a water gun game, but I couldn't get my water to hit the spot properly.

My legs were really tired by that point, and it was getting later and windier. I started heading back. Made one last stop at Central Pier to try for those stuffed Rio birds (still no luck). I checked a few candy shops, including Frailinger's and James', for my favorite fruit slices. When I didn't see them, I ended up grabbing them from Peanut World.

After I left the boardwalk, I made a quick stop at the Bus Station for schedules for the Cape May buses for my trip down there in a few weeks. I browsed in Ashley Stewart and Layne Bryant, the only plus-sized women's clothes stores at the Outlets. Nothing I absolutely needed. I was tired and hot and sore at that point. I just headed to the Train Station a bit early.

The train was supposed to leave at 4:42. People started lining up at 4:25. Then someone saw a man go through the door. He wore a suit and looked official, so I guess people assumed that everyone was supposed to head for the trains. Wrong! They wouldn't be ready for another 10 minutes or so. I felt silly as a huge crowd of holiday weekend travelers stood at the doors and stared at the conductor and each other, wondering what was going on.

Thankfully, that was the worst that happened on the trip. Once we got out of the terminal, it was smooth riding all the way to Lindenwauld. The PATCO went even better. While the train to Lindenwold was very full, the PATCO to Collingswood was empty. There were only two other people on the train with me. I was off by 6 on the dot and back in Oaklyn by 6:30.

I treated myself to what may be my last Leo's Yum Yum of the season. They'll probably be open for another month or so after Labor Day - they usually close in late September-early October. I had my favorite Cotton Candy Yum-Yum. I tried to eat it on the bike, but a good chunk wound up on the street before I finally came to the conclusion that creamy water ice is best eaten sitting down.

When I got home, I put away my candy, then ran Weekend at Bernie's while making spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. This odd 1987 comedy is set on Labor Day Weekend. Two ordinary working stiffs (Andrew McCarthy and Johnathan Silverman) are invited to spend the weekend at their boss' beach house after they discover that someone's defrauding the insurance company they work for. It all seems too good to be true...until they discover their boss dead and hitmen on their trail. The more party-hearty of the two suggests making the dead man appear to be alive. They may not have a choice if they want to get off the island without ending up like Bernie!

This is one of the stranger premises in an era that was rife with odd comedies. Surprisingly, while no masterpiece, it still works quite well. Silverman and especially McCarthy are having a ball as the two guys who will do anything - including drag a dead man around - to prolong their vacation. Recommended if you love really odd, slightly dark 80s comedies or grew up watching this constantly on cable as I did.

Brief Journey

This day didn't go nearly as well as I had hoped. I shouldn't have slept until 9:30, but I was up last night adding music to my iPod. I didn't get to the gym until quarter after 11. I did a quick bike session, just 20 minutes, then did the arm weight machines. I stretched to avoid a repeat of my stiffness problems last week.

Got to the Acme by noon. I was mainly there for my paycheck. I didn't need a lot of groceries this week. I was mainly there for ground turkey (thankfully found one with a manager's coupon) and Acme's Wild Harvest Organic boxed chicken broth. (Which, amazingly, costs the same as their regular chicken broth.) Replaced diced tomatoes after using them on stir-fry earlier in the week and the butter I used on baking. Grabbed Honey Nut Chex Mix and generic shredded wheat on sale.

It was 1PM when I got in. I put everything away, had a really quick leftovers lunch, changed into drier clothes, and went back out again. Stopped at the bank first to deposit my paycheck, then rode onto Collingswood and the PATCO Station.

I'd planned on going to Atlantic City today. I hoped to catch the 2:23 Transit train...but nope. I missed it by 15 minutes. Not to mention, there wasn't another train until 3:58! I probably should have given up and gone home at that point. Instead, I wandered over to the Walgreens on the edge of the Train/Bus Station property, got a bottle of water, and wandered back over to get my tickent.

That wait was a mistake. I was hoping to spend a few hours there and have a nice dinner, then take a train home around 6 or 7. There were no trains running at 6 or 7. The next train going to Philadelphia after the 5:52 didn't leave until 8:10! That meant I probably wouldn't get into Lindenwauld until 9, and it would likely be closer to 10 before I got home. Busses weren't much better. There was one bus leaving at 6:50 that wouldn't get into Lindenwauld until 8:45!

I spent one measly hour in Atlantic City. I thought of eating a quick dinner at the same place I ate at the last time, but the line was long and their prices weren't great. Subway probably wasn't a great substitute, but they were the only other restaurant in the area that sold meals. I stopped at Starbucks to use their bathroom...and ended up using the one at the Station when I didn't want to wait in line.

I did make it on the 5:52. Other than the train going home stopped twice to let other trains pass, there were no problems traveling. The PATCO was a little noisy going home, but it wasn't horrible, and I did have my iPod. I went straight in the shower when I got in.

I'm extremely disappointed. I was really looking forward to another Atlantic City trip, but I bungled it badly and wasted $13.20. We'll see if I have enough money to try the outlets again next month or during my vacation.

Let's Run Away to Atlantic City

After two long work days in a row, that's all I wanted to do. It was a gorgeous day for it, too. The air was warmer than yesterday, but there was a strong wind that kept things cool and no humidity. It was bright and sunny, with a brilliant, hurts-to-look-at-it blue sky. The Acme actually tried to call me in; I just ignored the phone. After spending most of the last two days there, I had no desire to let this one go. I need these two days off.

I ran into some trouble in Lindenwauld. I got there at 10AM...but there wasn't another train to AC until 12! I strolled around the area, checking out a Walgreens on the corner near the bus/train terminal, and spent an hour reading Assignment: Ceylon. Both the PATCO and NJ Transit trains were pretty busy, but I did manage to find a seat with no trouble. Everything was on time. The train rolled into AC by 1PM.

My first stop of the day was The Walk, the outlet stores along the streets near the Atlantic City Expressway. It was incredibly busy for middle of the week. The traffic was horrible; it took forever just to cross from one line of stores to the other. There was some kind of bridal trade show going on at the outdoor patios where H&M and Starbucks are; not a good thing, since I needed lunch and to hit the bathroom. Thankfully, it didn't take as long to get my tasty Tomato, Basil, Mozerella and Chicken Panini from the crepe cafe, but I did have to wait in line for the bathroom at Starbucks.

After that, I spent the next couple of hours shopping the outlets. I couldn't buy a lot; I don't have a lot of money on me right now. I limited to what I really wanted and needed. The "wanted" was covered by the Meridia toddler doll I picked up at the Disney Store.  She has crinkly, curly red hair and the cutest little smirk that says "I'm going to get into trouble the moment Mummy's back is turned." I really, really want to see the new Pixar movie Brave anyway. I was originally going to get Belle as my third and last Animator's Collection doll, but then I saw this unique sweetie and couldn't resist her. (I also picked up a really nifty Muppets-themed tote bag to haul her around in. It even has an outside pocket.)

The needed was a new pair of shorts and some really neat sunglasses with white, red, and orange floral frames from Layne Bryant. The sunglasses were 50 percent off. The shorts, a pair of orange, red, and white plaid Bermudas that'll match my new Fashion Bug t-shirts nicely, were 30 percent. I was going to get another pair of jean shorts, but while I did see a pair I liked, I decided to try something different.

(I explored other stores as well. I browsed in Toys 'R Us, hoping to find clothes for the Animator's Collection dolls. I wanted to find new sneakers for work, but neither Adidas nor Puma nor Converse really had what I was looking for.)

It would be criminal to not take some time on the world-famous Atlantic City Boardwalk, especially on such a nice day. I didn't go in any of the casinos, but I did have a nice stroll. I bought an Atlantic City t-shirt and my favorite candy, fruit slices, from the wonderfully cheap and grungy Peanut World gift shop near Bally's Casino. I put a dollar into a crane game, hoping to win a huge Smurf doll. Nope, no luck. I bought a mango slush at one of the numerous small ice cream/pizza booths.

I hurried back to the Train Terminal in front of the Convention Center with just enough time to buy tickets and jump on the 4:42 to Lindenwauld. Once again, everything went just fine. Both of the trains were right on time, and other than some obnoxiously noisy teens and college students chattering in the back of the PATCO car, there were no problems.

I pulled my bike in around quarter after 6. I started taking Meridia out in the train, but she had too many heavy wires holding her in to do it completely there. I finished the job at home. When a happy-to-be-out Meridia was sitting with her Animator's Collection "sisters" Cinderella and Tiana, I finished up the shrimp for dinner and had macaroni salad and fresh farm market cucumbers and lettuce. After that, I hopped in a much-needed shower and went online.

Return to the House On the River

The skies were still clear and blue and it was still relatively cool when Mom and I headed out this morning. She had work at Michael's, and I was heading home. No one else was there when I left. Keefe was still at Anny's, and Dad had gone fishing. Mom and I said our good-byes at the Dunkin' Donuts on the corner of Route 47 and Route 9 in Rio Grande where the bus stop is. She went to work, and I went to wait for the 9:46.

When the 9:46 didn't arrive by almost 10 (even though the bus to Cape May was on time), I decided to assume it was late or I'd missed it. I went in Dunkin' Donuts and bought an iced tea with no sugar and a sesame seed bagel. I was outside for less than 5 minutes when I saw the bus pull up at the stop! I ran with my meal and just barely made it.

Thankfully, that was the worst that happened on the road. The 552 to Atlantic City did get crowded between the Wildwood Bus Terminal and Cape May Courthouse, but it's also one of the few buses that run at the Southern Jersey Shore, and the only bus that makes stops at Route 9 and on Crest Haven Road. Once we got past Courthouse, everyone cleared out, and the trip to Atlantic City was peaceful. There wasn't even any traffic this time.

I arrived in Atlantic City and realized I'd forgotten to pack a lunch. I stopped at the Subway in the Outlets and had a roast beef 6-inch hoagie. I originally wanted apple slices and a soda, too, but the guy didn't put them with the sandwich. I didn't understand that you had to get them from the main dining area...and then I couldn't find them because I couldn't understand a word the guy said under his thick, unidentifiable accent. I finally stormed out with just my sandwich. I ate the sandwich on a terrace next to the building, then walked to the Train Terminal at the Convention Center and bought a soda.

The rest of my trip passed without incident. The train from Atlantic City to Lindenwald departed and arrived right on time. The bus to Oaklyn arrived on-time, ran into no traffic whatsoever, and arrived on-time. Neither vehicle was close to full. I got off at the dentist office across from PNC Bank in Oaklyn and walked home.

After I got in and unpacked, I briefly debated a swim, but finally decided that I had way too much laundry to ignore. In addition to everything from vacation, I had towels and dust rags from last week to do, along with my work uniform and all the usual things. I was there for more than an hour and a half; good thing it wasn't busy at all. There were just two old people and an older Hispanic man.

I got in around 6:30. I sorted my laundry and put it all away, then called Mom. I wanted to wait until after she was done work at 6 to tell her I was home. Yes, she was home. She was glad to hear from me, happy that my trip went well, and very happy that I went to visit her. I called Rose, too, to say "hi." She was holding her son Khai when she called me back and couldn't talk for long, but just the fact that she actually called me back within 20 minutes of me making the call was a good thing.

And I have to admit, even with the fussing over my clothes, I'm happy I went down there, too. I rarely got Mom and Dad to myself as a kid, much less now. There's usually siblings or grandchildren around. I don't often get to connect with my parents the way my friends Lauren, Linda, and Kelly do. No wonder they all enjoy spending time with their parents. I had a great time.

And tomorrow, library volunteering and more vacation!

It's Very Unusual

The day began well. Dad drove us to the train station amid a gorgeous, dry 85-degree day. We got our tickets just fine, and the train arrived on time. Everything progressed smoothly...at first.

We were between Lindenwauld and Atco in Burlington County when we just stopped. There had been an accident on the track. The train coming in the opposite direction had hit a pedestrian! Lauren tried to find out more on her cell phone, but even listening to Burlington's police radios didn't net us more info.

Ultimately, after almost an hour's wait, the train was canceled. We ended up having to spend nearly two more hours on a bus to Atlantic City. This wasn't bad at first, either, despite my initially being upset to the point of tears. In fact, it kind of beat the train. Much of Burlington and Atlantic counties is farmland and woods, and it was really gorgeous.

It was nice until we hit the Atlantic City suburbs. Not only did the scenery get a lot less attractive, but people kept getting off on every single block! I don't know why everyone couldn't have gotten off in one place. Like it would have killed them to walk a few blocks?

We didn't get into Atlantic City until quarter of 3. We had a quick, late lunch at Ruby Tuesday's. (I had the Salmon Sliders. Lauren had Chicken Quesildilas. We both had the salad bar.) After lunch, we finally headed past Caeser's and Bally's Wild Wild West and onto the Boardwalk.

We mostly just strolled on the Boardwalk. Lauren had never been in Atlantic City before, so even that was a new experience. We rummaged through a dollar store/candy store/junk shop called Peanut World. We hit the cranes at Central Pier. Lauren didn't win anything, but I won a vinyl ball. (Accidentally, actually. I wanted to win the teddy bears in the next crane, but I put my money in the wrong machine.) We took pictures outside of Wild Wild West.

As we headed towards Trump's Taj Mahal, our vision got a lot dimmer...and not just because of the shadows of the casinos. A fine white mist had started swirling around, obscuring the tops of buildings and most of the beach. As the mist grew thicker, the crowds on the Boardwalk got thicker, too, chased off the sand by the mist and the lateness of the day. We finally decided we'd be better off away from the beach, where we could see where we were going.

The Outlets were our next stop. In an attempt to bring people to Atlantic City for a reason other than gambling (and clean up the entrance area around the AC Expressway), the city started building a series of outlet stores for high-end chain shops and restaraunts. The last time I saw them was in the winter of 2005, right before I moved. The IHOP and the Borders Outlet were gone, but there were plenty of other stores. We browsed in Lane Bryant, Old Navy, and Bath and Body Works, though we never did buy anything.

Lauren saw a monitor with schedules for the trains and buses at the bus station when we arrived in Atlantic City. We returned to the bus terminal to take a look at that monitor and check to see if they'd fixed everything. They apparently had; there were no more alerts. We walked over to the Sheridan Hotel behind the outlets where the train terminal is, bought our tickets, and hopped the train back to Cherry Hill.

There were no problems at all this time. We had to wait a few minutes when we got home for Dad, who got stuck in traffic, but we passed the time playing catch with my new purple ball.

When we finally got home, I made us Scrambled Eggs with Spring Vegetables, and we had ice cream for dessert while watching more Bowery Boys movies. Tomorrow, we'll hopefully be going into Philadelphia to see Independence Hall and my favorite downtown stores.

(And here's an article about the train accident from the Courier-Post. It doesn't say a whole lot more than what we found out, but it's there.)