Started the morning with more Hello Kitty Furry Tale Theater. Tuxedo Sam is "Robin Penguin," who brings Hello Kitty and Chip to Never Say Never Land to rescue Melody-Bell and fight the evil Captain Catnip. Chip's in the spotlight in "Paws of the Round Table." He's Arthur, the young boy who pulls the sword from the stone. Catnip LeFay wants to get the sword away from him. Sir Lancelot (Sam) and the Lady of the Lake (Hello Kitty) aid him on his journey to find Lady Bunnyvere. Tuxedo Sam is "Tar-Sam of the Jungle," a penguin who seems to be the odd one out among apes. He learns just how important he is to his adopted family when he and Hello Kitty Jane rescue his ape mothers from poachers Catnip and Grinder.
Work was steady to very busy for most of the afternoon. There were some fairly grumpy or obnoxious customers, including some older women who fussed over bagging. A lot of people are getting ready for Memorial Day Weekend next week or for college graduations. Thankfully, my relief was right on time, and I was able to get out with no problems.
I took Nicholson Road home. When I got in, I finished the Furry Tale Theater disc while changing and making a pit stop. Tuxedo Sam gets the lead role again in "Crocodile Penguin," a spoof of the popular 80's action comedy Crocodile Dundee. Sam is a laid-back wrestler in Australia who is invited to wrestle Hulk Alligator (Grinder), the world champion, by his crooked manager (Catnip). "Grinder Genie and the Magic Lamp" takes us to Arabia, where Grandpa Kitty is up to his whiskers in Sutana Catnip's taxes. When Hello Kitty and Tuxedo Sam find a magic lamp with a certain bulldog genie inside, they think they've found the solution to their financial troubles. But Grinder isn't very good at granting wishes...
My back was sore from spending the last two or three weeks sitting behind a computer, and I was bored. I decided to go for a bike ride, before Mother Nature unleashed her full fury. When I headed out around quarter after 3, it was still sunny, hazy, and humid. I stopped at Cabana's Water Ice in Haddon Heights for something cold. I wasn't the only one. I waited in line with families and couples who wanted to cool off, too. One family had an adorable little daughter who wanted to know everything about my bike and why I was out riding it. She was a real cutie. I enjoyed fielding her questions as I ate my peanut butter cup ice cream. (Which wasn't very good. Not nearly enough peanut butter cup.)
I ended up in Barrington. I haven't visited their Antique Center in ages. The Barrington Antique Center is an enormous barn of a building filled with just about every used and/or vintage item you can imagine. I saw a Julie American Girl doll, and while 85 dollars is cheaper than the used dolls I saw there last year, it's still more than I can afford to pay for a doll right now - plus the last thing I probably need is more AG dolls. I ended up with a cute stuffed donkey I named Hee Haw and two records, the soundtrack from The Muppet Movie and an audio version of the 80's Strawberry Shortcake picture book Strawberry Shortcake and the Winter That Would Not End. (The Strawberry Shortcake record was still in its original plastic!) The records were 5 dollars each. That's probably a little high, but I rarely find children's records, especially in good condition.
Headed straight home around quarter of 5, dodging the rush-hour traffic on the White Horse Pike. When I got in, I went straight in the bath. I badly needed a bath. The relaxing felt good. I was able to kick back with my cake decorating magazines and jazz CDs and enjoy the quiet.
Ran some random cartoons from my dubbed discs when I got out of the bath as I ate leftover soup for dinner. Felix the Cat made a brief comeback in 1936 color cartoons from RKO's Van Beuren Studio. While "Nautical Nonsense" is only ok, "Bold King Cole" and "The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg" are odd but enjoyable fairy tales. "Astronomeous" goes further back to the silent era Felix. Felix travels to the moon, where he discovers a king who doesn't quite understand what he is...until he saves him from a falling star.
And, after weeks of it getting humid, only to not do anything, we finally had a brief thunderstorm about a half-hour ago or so. I actually hope we'll get more. We really, really need the rain rather badly.
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Showing posts with label Hello Kitty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hello Kitty. Show all posts
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Some Like It Humid
We slept in this morning...and were surprised to awake to sunshine, humidity, and 80-degrees temperatures. It was supposed to thunderstorm today! Lauren was asleep until almost 11:30. It was past noon when we decided that since it was actually sunny out and Lauren will be sitting for a lot of tomorrow, we'd go for one last walk.
We headed up to the White Horse Pike to check out some of the small stores there. Our first stop was The House of Fun, a collectibles and toy store. The place was even more filled with toys from the 70s and 80s, Hello Kitty merchandise, broken arcade game machines, action figures in and out of their packages, shirts with pop culture sayings on them, and books about comics and cult films than ever. They'd also added a small shelf of videos and DVDs. You won't be surprised to hear that the DVDs and videos were all anime sets, science fiction and fantasy films, and sci-fi TV shows. They also had the usual assortment of ancient video game consoles and their attachments and games, both loose and in their boxes.
I ended up with the 1980 Flash Gordon on DVD, the 1948 Superman serial on video, and a notebook featuring Sanrio character Tuxedo Sam the penguin. (Sam is prominent in Hello Kitty Furry Tale Theater, but I've never seen him on any of the multitudes of Sanrio items until today.) Lauren was intrigued by one of the Atari consoles. She bought it, all its attachments, and several games (including her favorite, Frostbite) when she discovered the store's owner was willing to ship it to Pittsfield for a very good price.
The comic book shop next door was busier, but otherwise not as interesting. The white cat sunning in the window and his black and white companion near the front entrance watched us as we browsed. On the rare occasions I read comic books, it's usually kid-oriented characters - Garfield, Looney Tunes, the Disney crew, Scooby Doo. They didn't have anything like that left. Lauren said she's so behind on her comic book reading, she has no idea what she needs or where the stories are going.
Far from the predicted thunderstorms, it was getting sunnier and hotter by the moment. We headed back to West Clinton Avenue. I dropped into Doria's Deli to introduce Lauren to Mrs. Doria and pick up lunch meat and sodas to eat when we got home. (Her husband seems to be working with their son; she says she did help her with a big catering order for Collingswood High School the day before.)
After we got in, I put my purchases away, and we had ham, provolone, and bibb lettuce on whole-wheat wraps. (I added spicy mustard and radishes.) In honor of Tuxedo Sam, I ran the action-oriented Hello Kitty Saves the Day DVD. Sam is prominent in most of these stories...and you've never lived until you've seen a laid-back blue penguin in a jaunty sailor's cap playing Tarzan or Crocodile Dundee.
Since it was still sunny outside, we went for a short walk in the park next-door. We'd seen a tree laden with blackberries (and dropping them all over the sidewalk) on the way home. There turned out to be a similar tree in the park. Alas, the branches were too high for us to fill bowls with them, but we did get enough to have a nice little snack.
(Those trees are very common in the South Jersey area. There's tons of them in Cape May County. My sisters and I used to pluck them from the trees in our neighborhoods on the way to school as kids. There was also a tree on the other side of the entrance to the mall where the North Cape May Acme is. I'd grab a few on my way to work when I was living with my folks during college.)
We took some pictures of us eating berries and among the flora, then went back to my place for the rest of the afternoon. We played our last round of games. Lauren won Memory and Pokemon Yahtzee. We each won one game of Bingo. In fact, we stopped only because we thought we'd fall asleep if we continued sitting.
Lauren put on Without a Paddle, which she bought at Rustic Music yesterday, while I made mashed turnips and sauteed turnip greens and onions to go with the leftover meat and the last of the carrot salad in the fridge. Paddle is actually less goofy than I thought it would be. A trio of long-time friends (Matthew Lillard, Seth Green, Dax Shepard) find a map that belonged to a fourth friend who just passed away. The map is a treasure map belonging to a man who once hijacked an airplane and vanished with the money. The four decide to use the map and find the loot...but they don't count on encountering a very protective bear, a pair of female hippies, a mountain man with a connection to the treasure, or a pair of drug farmers who shoot first and don't bother asking questions!
It's not nearly as bad as it sounds. It's actually rather sweet. I love how the three men, especially the very neurotic Green, finally learn that the most important thing isn't money, but their relationships with each other and the ones they love. There are a lot of goofy gags involving pot on fire, very dedicated female hippies, and angry bears, but if you enjoy the three main actors or comic treasure-hunting tales like The Goonies, you'll probably enjoy this one.
In fact, we have The Goonies on now; we've also watched Weekend at Bernie's and the Bowery Boys movie Feudin' Fools (which also involved a close encounter with hillbilly farmers on the wrong side of the law). Lauren's going home around 12:30 tomorrow; I haven't decided what I'm doing afterwards. If my legs are up for it, I'll do yoga. Otherwise, I'll be here or return those pants to the Macy's at the Cherry Hill Mall.
We slept in this morning...and were surprised to awake to sunshine, humidity, and 80-degrees temperatures. It was supposed to thunderstorm today! Lauren was asleep until almost 11:30. It was past noon when we decided that since it was actually sunny out and Lauren will be sitting for a lot of tomorrow, we'd go for one last walk.
We headed up to the White Horse Pike to check out some of the small stores there. Our first stop was The House of Fun, a collectibles and toy store. The place was even more filled with toys from the 70s and 80s, Hello Kitty merchandise, broken arcade game machines, action figures in and out of their packages, shirts with pop culture sayings on them, and books about comics and cult films than ever. They'd also added a small shelf of videos and DVDs. You won't be surprised to hear that the DVDs and videos were all anime sets, science fiction and fantasy films, and sci-fi TV shows. They also had the usual assortment of ancient video game consoles and their attachments and games, both loose and in their boxes.
I ended up with the 1980 Flash Gordon on DVD, the 1948 Superman serial on video, and a notebook featuring Sanrio character Tuxedo Sam the penguin. (Sam is prominent in Hello Kitty Furry Tale Theater, but I've never seen him on any of the multitudes of Sanrio items until today.) Lauren was intrigued by one of the Atari consoles. She bought it, all its attachments, and several games (including her favorite, Frostbite) when she discovered the store's owner was willing to ship it to Pittsfield for a very good price.
The comic book shop next door was busier, but otherwise not as interesting. The white cat sunning in the window and his black and white companion near the front entrance watched us as we browsed. On the rare occasions I read comic books, it's usually kid-oriented characters - Garfield, Looney Tunes, the Disney crew, Scooby Doo. They didn't have anything like that left. Lauren said she's so behind on her comic book reading, she has no idea what she needs or where the stories are going.
Far from the predicted thunderstorms, it was getting sunnier and hotter by the moment. We headed back to West Clinton Avenue. I dropped into Doria's Deli to introduce Lauren to Mrs. Doria and pick up lunch meat and sodas to eat when we got home. (Her husband seems to be working with their son; she says she did help her with a big catering order for Collingswood High School the day before.)
After we got in, I put my purchases away, and we had ham, provolone, and bibb lettuce on whole-wheat wraps. (I added spicy mustard and radishes.) In honor of Tuxedo Sam, I ran the action-oriented Hello Kitty Saves the Day DVD. Sam is prominent in most of these stories...and you've never lived until you've seen a laid-back blue penguin in a jaunty sailor's cap playing Tarzan or Crocodile Dundee.
Since it was still sunny outside, we went for a short walk in the park next-door. We'd seen a tree laden with blackberries (and dropping them all over the sidewalk) on the way home. There turned out to be a similar tree in the park. Alas, the branches were too high for us to fill bowls with them, but we did get enough to have a nice little snack.
(Those trees are very common in the South Jersey area. There's tons of them in Cape May County. My sisters and I used to pluck them from the trees in our neighborhoods on the way to school as kids. There was also a tree on the other side of the entrance to the mall where the North Cape May Acme is. I'd grab a few on my way to work when I was living with my folks during college.)
We took some pictures of us eating berries and among the flora, then went back to my place for the rest of the afternoon. We played our last round of games. Lauren won Memory and Pokemon Yahtzee. We each won one game of Bingo. In fact, we stopped only because we thought we'd fall asleep if we continued sitting.
Lauren put on Without a Paddle, which she bought at Rustic Music yesterday, while I made mashed turnips and sauteed turnip greens and onions to go with the leftover meat and the last of the carrot salad in the fridge. Paddle is actually less goofy than I thought it would be. A trio of long-time friends (Matthew Lillard, Seth Green, Dax Shepard) find a map that belonged to a fourth friend who just passed away. The map is a treasure map belonging to a man who once hijacked an airplane and vanished with the money. The four decide to use the map and find the loot...but they don't count on encountering a very protective bear, a pair of female hippies, a mountain man with a connection to the treasure, or a pair of drug farmers who shoot first and don't bother asking questions!
It's not nearly as bad as it sounds. It's actually rather sweet. I love how the three men, especially the very neurotic Green, finally learn that the most important thing isn't money, but their relationships with each other and the ones they love. There are a lot of goofy gags involving pot on fire, very dedicated female hippies, and angry bears, but if you enjoy the three main actors or comic treasure-hunting tales like The Goonies, you'll probably enjoy this one.
In fact, we have The Goonies on now; we've also watched Weekend at Bernie's and the Bowery Boys movie Feudin' Fools (which also involved a close encounter with hillbilly farmers on the wrong side of the law). Lauren's going home around 12:30 tomorrow; I haven't decided what I'm doing afterwards. If my legs are up for it, I'll do yoga. Otherwise, I'll be here or return those pants to the Macy's at the Cherry Hill Mall.
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Football Frolics
Started off today with football-related cartoons. Hello Kitty is more interested in being a wide receiver than prancing around in a ball gown...but she learns that girls can do both, and still get the penguin prince, in "Cinderkitty." Disney's first foray into sports, "Touchdown Mickey," had Mickey Mouse catching the passes and Goofy in the announcer's booth.
Headed to the bank and the Oaklyn Library after a bowl of cracked wheat cereal for breakfast. The bank was my first stop. Much to my delight, my tax return seems to have finally gone through. I'll be able to pay my rent and take a look at some non-credit business courses, along with browsing for a few more things for the apartment.
Headed to the Oaklyn Library next. You can tell I put this one off the longest. The DVDs were a mess, especially the adults. I don't know how the kids' sets got in with the adults - they have the orange stickers on them, for heaven's sake! Fished board books out of the kids' picture books and pulled books related to Valentine's Day and President's Day for display.
When I got home, I ran the Bowery Boys college football movie Hold That Line and the early Three Stooges Columbia short Three Little Pigskins while making Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. The cookies came out of the oven literally just as I was heading out the door!
Work was very busy for most of the day, not surprising on what's both Super Bowl Weekend and the first weekend of the month. One of the teenagers called out, and I ended up staying another hour. I wouldn't have bothered - I hardly need the money - but we really were that busy. We were so busy, a manager had to come in for me so I could go home.
Started off today with football-related cartoons. Hello Kitty is more interested in being a wide receiver than prancing around in a ball gown...but she learns that girls can do both, and still get the penguin prince, in "Cinderkitty." Disney's first foray into sports, "Touchdown Mickey," had Mickey Mouse catching the passes and Goofy in the announcer's booth.
Headed to the bank and the Oaklyn Library after a bowl of cracked wheat cereal for breakfast. The bank was my first stop. Much to my delight, my tax return seems to have finally gone through. I'll be able to pay my rent and take a look at some non-credit business courses, along with browsing for a few more things for the apartment.
Headed to the Oaklyn Library next. You can tell I put this one off the longest. The DVDs were a mess, especially the adults. I don't know how the kids' sets got in with the adults - they have the orange stickers on them, for heaven's sake! Fished board books out of the kids' picture books and pulled books related to Valentine's Day and President's Day for display.
When I got home, I ran the Bowery Boys college football movie Hold That Line and the early Three Stooges Columbia short Three Little Pigskins while making Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. The cookies came out of the oven literally just as I was heading out the door!
Work was very busy for most of the day, not surprising on what's both Super Bowl Weekend and the first weekend of the month. One of the teenagers called out, and I ended up staying another hour. I wouldn't have bothered - I hardly need the money - but we really were that busy. We were so busy, a manager had to come in for me so I could go home.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Football Wizards
Pretty quiet morning. I made gingerbread pancakes for breakfast and watched snow and football-related cartoons. Ran two more Donald shorts, both featuring Chip and Dale. One, in fact, was called "Chip and Dale"; it was their first appearance, and their first go-around with Donald. Donald's chopped down their home for firewood, and they want it back. "Corn Chips" is a variation on this short. This time, the chipmunks fall in love with the popcorn Donald's making over his fireplace on a wintry day, and the trio go into a prolonged battle to see who gets to keep the crispy treats!
I switched from snow to football cartoons after Donald and the chipmunks ended. Mickey Mouse isn't the first Disney character I'd put in Peyton Manning's cleats, but he did do a very cute football-related cartoon in 1932, "Touchdown Mickey." (Goofy's an even less likely Howard Cosell!) And Hello Kitty proves that girls can do anything, even be a princely penguin's wide receiver, in a very imaginative version of "Cinderella," "Cinderkitty."
I finally got a ride to work from Uncle Ken. The snow was slowly beginning to melt, but it was still pretty icy. Work was steady, busier than yesterday but nothing like last week. I'm hoping it won't be too bad this week, despite another storm being announced for Tuesday night-Wednesday. Maybe people got all their panic buttons hit last week...
Uncle Ken drove me back to his house for the Super Bowl. It was a full party, despite the weather. We had Dad (who had a toothache), Jodie, Uncle Ken, Dolores, Dolores' children and grandchildren, Samantha and her family, and a couple of friends of Uncle Ken's. Erica and her mother Miss Helen and Rose and Craig appeared later, after the game began. There was tons of food. Uncle Ken baked a chocolate cake for Samantha's sons Matt and Ethan, who's birthdays were last month and last week, respectively. (Ethan just turned 13; Matt is 11.) There was a bread bowl with spinach dip, Uncle Ken's sensational ham, a vegetable platter, cookies, macaroni salad, deviled eggs, potato salad, a second chocolate cake Erica and Miss Helen brought, and shrimp from Rose and Craig.
I walked back and forth, chatting with everyone. The game went pretty well, too, and halftime was awesome. I'm a huge fan of the British rock group the Who. There's only two left, but those two, singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist/songwriter Pete Townsend, can still put on one hell of a show. Roger Daltrey's harmonica solo on "Baba O'Riley" was just amazing. And I was thrilled when they played my favorite Who song, "Won't Get Fooled Again," as the finale. Everyone laughed when I sang along, but I loved it.
I left with Rose and Craig after the halftime show, so I didn't see the second half. The Saints were behind after the first half, but they apparently made a major comeback and won, 22-17. There will be partying on Bourbon Street tonight, and it won't just be in preparation for Mardi Gras!
Oh, and the commercials that I saw were much better than last year's. My favorite was the guys releasing the whale into the ocean. I have no idea what it was about, but it was funny.
Pretty quiet morning. I made gingerbread pancakes for breakfast and watched snow and football-related cartoons. Ran two more Donald shorts, both featuring Chip and Dale. One, in fact, was called "Chip and Dale"; it was their first appearance, and their first go-around with Donald. Donald's chopped down their home for firewood, and they want it back. "Corn Chips" is a variation on this short. This time, the chipmunks fall in love with the popcorn Donald's making over his fireplace on a wintry day, and the trio go into a prolonged battle to see who gets to keep the crispy treats!
I switched from snow to football cartoons after Donald and the chipmunks ended. Mickey Mouse isn't the first Disney character I'd put in Peyton Manning's cleats, but he did do a very cute football-related cartoon in 1932, "Touchdown Mickey." (Goofy's an even less likely Howard Cosell!) And Hello Kitty proves that girls can do anything, even be a princely penguin's wide receiver, in a very imaginative version of "Cinderella," "Cinderkitty."
I finally got a ride to work from Uncle Ken. The snow was slowly beginning to melt, but it was still pretty icy. Work was steady, busier than yesterday but nothing like last week. I'm hoping it won't be too bad this week, despite another storm being announced for Tuesday night-Wednesday. Maybe people got all their panic buttons hit last week...
Uncle Ken drove me back to his house for the Super Bowl. It was a full party, despite the weather. We had Dad (who had a toothache), Jodie, Uncle Ken, Dolores, Dolores' children and grandchildren, Samantha and her family, and a couple of friends of Uncle Ken's. Erica and her mother Miss Helen and Rose and Craig appeared later, after the game began. There was tons of food. Uncle Ken baked a chocolate cake for Samantha's sons Matt and Ethan, who's birthdays were last month and last week, respectively. (Ethan just turned 13; Matt is 11.) There was a bread bowl with spinach dip, Uncle Ken's sensational ham, a vegetable platter, cookies, macaroni salad, deviled eggs, potato salad, a second chocolate cake Erica and Miss Helen brought, and shrimp from Rose and Craig.
I walked back and forth, chatting with everyone. The game went pretty well, too, and halftime was awesome. I'm a huge fan of the British rock group the Who. There's only two left, but those two, singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist/songwriter Pete Townsend, can still put on one hell of a show. Roger Daltrey's harmonica solo on "Baba O'Riley" was just amazing. And I was thrilled when they played my favorite Who song, "Won't Get Fooled Again," as the finale. Everyone laughed when I sang along, but I loved it.
I left with Rose and Craig after the halftime show, so I didn't see the second half. The Saints were behind after the first half, but they apparently made a major comeback and won, 22-17. There will be partying on Bourbon Street tonight, and it won't just be in preparation for Mardi Gras!
Oh, and the commercials that I saw were much better than last year's. My favorite was the guys releasing the whale into the ocean. I have no idea what it was about, but it was funny.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Bat-ting A Thousand
It was a gorgeous Indian Summer day when I woke up. Couldn't be a more perfect day in October, with a bright blue sky and a sunny, windless day. I ran to the Acme quickly this morning for my paycheck and to pick up unbleached flour, yogurt, and eggs (the first and last on good sales). I stopped at FYE afterwards to see if they had the new WebKinz and the new Christmas Classic Collection set I'm looking for. They did have the new WebKinz but not the set, so I just headed home after that. I put the yogurt and eggs in the refrigerator, refilled the flour container, and headed out again, this time to the White Horse Pike to hit the bank (and finally pay my rent) and for my dental appointment.
It wasn't nearly as bad as last time. I guess my right upper side isn't as grimy as my left. There weren't nearly as many needles this time, and not as much done. It didn't take as long for the numbness to go away, either. I was in and out in a little over a half-hour.
I went over to 7-11 for a pretzel (just to see how numb my mouth WAS), and waited for Amanda to arrive. Amanda's a good friend of mine from college who lives in Vineland, NJ, about 45 minutes away from Oaklyn. We get together from time to time, usually at Christmas, but sometimes for our birthdays. Amanda's birthday was last week; I gave her my present to her, one of the Hello Kitty Furry Tale Theater DVDs. (Amanda loves cats in general and is a huge Hello Kitty fan.) Amanda gave me the cutest gray stuffed sheep from Bath and Body Works.
We took the White Horse Pike down to the Voorhees Town Center. Formerly the Echelon Mall, the Town Center is one of four major malls within driving distance of Oaklyn (and not counting the ones in Center City Philadelphia). (The others are the Moorestown Mall, the Deptford Mall, and the Cherry Hill Mall.) The Town Center is in the midst of a major remodeling project, and while it's left the building cleaner and in better shape than some of the other malls in the area, it also means there isn't as much there as there is in Deptford. This isn't helped by the Town Center being more-or-less in the middle of nowhere, with few other major stores nearby (which is one of the reasons the Echelon Mall was having trouble to begin with) and Amanda wasn't willing to go prowling around looking for more.
We both had Grilled Chicken Sandwiches and Carrot and Raisin Salads and shared Waffle Fries at Chick-Fil-A, then walked around the mall. I bought the WebKinz Bat from Hallmark. She bought a candle from the Candle Scents store (not the one she wanted, Chocolate Cupcake, but Vanilla Cupcake smelled real nice too) and a book from Borders Express, and we both admired the gowns we'd never have a reason to wear at Boscov's.
Figuring we weren't going to find much else, we headed back to my apartment and spent an hour there. Amanda had been to my place in Wildwood, but she's never visited me when I've lived in Oaklyn. I haven't been able to talk her into coming this far up the Pikes. We spent a pleasant hour as I showed off my place and we had chocolate cake and watched Hello Kitty. I'm hoping to talk her back up here for New Year's Eve, now that she knows where I am and that I'm not hard to get to.
Oh, and meet my WebKinz Bat, Boo! Naturally, Boo lives in my first Halloween room. I'm hoping to do at least two more rooms with the Halloween theme (a small pub-type restaurant and a bathroom) before they take it away for the year.
It was a gorgeous Indian Summer day when I woke up. Couldn't be a more perfect day in October, with a bright blue sky and a sunny, windless day. I ran to the Acme quickly this morning for my paycheck and to pick up unbleached flour, yogurt, and eggs (the first and last on good sales). I stopped at FYE afterwards to see if they had the new WebKinz and the new Christmas Classic Collection set I'm looking for. They did have the new WebKinz but not the set, so I just headed home after that. I put the yogurt and eggs in the refrigerator, refilled the flour container, and headed out again, this time to the White Horse Pike to hit the bank (and finally pay my rent) and for my dental appointment.
It wasn't nearly as bad as last time. I guess my right upper side isn't as grimy as my left. There weren't nearly as many needles this time, and not as much done. It didn't take as long for the numbness to go away, either. I was in and out in a little over a half-hour.
I went over to 7-11 for a pretzel (just to see how numb my mouth WAS), and waited for Amanda to arrive. Amanda's a good friend of mine from college who lives in Vineland, NJ, about 45 minutes away from Oaklyn. We get together from time to time, usually at Christmas, but sometimes for our birthdays. Amanda's birthday was last week; I gave her my present to her, one of the Hello Kitty Furry Tale Theater DVDs. (Amanda loves cats in general and is a huge Hello Kitty fan.) Amanda gave me the cutest gray stuffed sheep from Bath and Body Works.
We took the White Horse Pike down to the Voorhees Town Center. Formerly the Echelon Mall, the Town Center is one of four major malls within driving distance of Oaklyn (and not counting the ones in Center City Philadelphia). (The others are the Moorestown Mall, the Deptford Mall, and the Cherry Hill Mall.) The Town Center is in the midst of a major remodeling project, and while it's left the building cleaner and in better shape than some of the other malls in the area, it also means there isn't as much there as there is in Deptford. This isn't helped by the Town Center being more-or-less in the middle of nowhere, with few other major stores nearby (which is one of the reasons the Echelon Mall was having trouble to begin with) and Amanda wasn't willing to go prowling around looking for more.
We both had Grilled Chicken Sandwiches and Carrot and Raisin Salads and shared Waffle Fries at Chick-Fil-A, then walked around the mall. I bought the WebKinz Bat from Hallmark. She bought a candle from the Candle Scents store (not the one she wanted, Chocolate Cupcake, but Vanilla Cupcake smelled real nice too) and a book from Borders Express, and we both admired the gowns we'd never have a reason to wear at Boscov's.
Figuring we weren't going to find much else, we headed back to my apartment and spent an hour there. Amanda had been to my place in Wildwood, but she's never visited me when I've lived in Oaklyn. I haven't been able to talk her into coming this far up the Pikes. We spent a pleasant hour as I showed off my place and we had chocolate cake and watched Hello Kitty. I'm hoping to talk her back up here for New Year's Eve, now that she knows where I am and that I'm not hard to get to.
Oh, and meet my WebKinz Bat, Boo! Naturally, Boo lives in my first Halloween room. I'm hoping to do at least two more rooms with the Halloween theme (a small pub-type restaurant and a bathroom) before they take it away for the year.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Crocodile Cutie
Went to the Acme this morning to pick up my paycheck and do a little bit of grocery shopping. I'm glad the store is selling Acme insulated bags. It hit 97 degrees here and was sweltering even as I made my way to the store around quarter of 11. I didn't need much - granola bars, yogurt, olive oil, more (cheap) eye round steak, skim milk. Despite the store being busy, I was out by 11:30 and home by 12.
After I got home and put everything away, I finally decided that yes, I wanted to go to the Deptford Mall. I wanted to hit the end-of-the-summer clothes sales before they were picked over, I needed new cheap sneakers to run errands in, and I wanted to see if the card stores had the new WebKinz yet. (They always get them before the stores around here do.) I invited my stepsister Jessa along for the ride. We hadn't gone out together since the day in March when we went to the Gallery Mall in Philadelphia. I could use the company, and it wouldn't kill her to do something other than sit inside and download music.
We had a lovely afternoon. I showed her the bus to take and the bus route, and she saw the bus just as it pulled up to the station curb. She helped me decide between the WebKinz Crocodile and Toucan (went with the crocodile, BTW), and found some great pants. She ended up with a stuffed Lightning McQueen (from the Disney/Pixar movie Cars) for our cousin CJ, two cards (for Dad and for CJ), and three pairs of patterned socks, two with Lightning McQueen on them. I bought three pairs of pants (denim capris and two bermuda shorts) and a new white t-shirt (my old one is hanging off me) from JcPenny's massive 60-75% off all summer clothes sale, a yellow-orange tank top from Avenue, the WebKinz crocodile and three cards for CJ, Dad, and my nephew Skylar from Carlton Cards, a new pair of cheap sneakers from Payless Shoes, and the last two Hello Kitty Furry Tale Theater DVDs I didn't have from KB Toys.
Dad picked us up after we finally got in. I spent the evening chatting and eating mushroom pizza with him, Jodie, Mark, and Vanessa, and getting to talk to Rose before she goes to Costa Rica on Sunday. Rose suggested a hair salon in Haddon Heights that did a great job on her hair; I may look them up next week or when I have the money. She also said she'd be willing to give me some of her old clothes that were now too small for her and would take some of my winter clothes that are too big. (I donated a lot of clothes to the thrift shop, too.)
Oh, and meet Everglades the Crocodile! The goofiest reptile north of Florida, Everglades comes with a "Rockin' Croc Storage" container that can be put in a yard and allows him to be my first WebKinz to live entirely outdoors. He lives in a quiet swamp, surrounded by palm trees, flowers, and crumbling ruins.
Went to the Acme this morning to pick up my paycheck and do a little bit of grocery shopping. I'm glad the store is selling Acme insulated bags. It hit 97 degrees here and was sweltering even as I made my way to the store around quarter of 11. I didn't need much - granola bars, yogurt, olive oil, more (cheap) eye round steak, skim milk. Despite the store being busy, I was out by 11:30 and home by 12.
After I got home and put everything away, I finally decided that yes, I wanted to go to the Deptford Mall. I wanted to hit the end-of-the-summer clothes sales before they were picked over, I needed new cheap sneakers to run errands in, and I wanted to see if the card stores had the new WebKinz yet. (They always get them before the stores around here do.) I invited my stepsister Jessa along for the ride. We hadn't gone out together since the day in March when we went to the Gallery Mall in Philadelphia. I could use the company, and it wouldn't kill her to do something other than sit inside and download music.
We had a lovely afternoon. I showed her the bus to take and the bus route, and she saw the bus just as it pulled up to the station curb. She helped me decide between the WebKinz Crocodile and Toucan (went with the crocodile, BTW), and found some great pants. She ended up with a stuffed Lightning McQueen (from the Disney/Pixar movie Cars) for our cousin CJ, two cards (for Dad and for CJ), and three pairs of patterned socks, two with Lightning McQueen on them. I bought three pairs of pants (denim capris and two bermuda shorts) and a new white t-shirt (my old one is hanging off me) from JcPenny's massive 60-75% off all summer clothes sale, a yellow-orange tank top from Avenue, the WebKinz crocodile and three cards for CJ, Dad, and my nephew Skylar from Carlton Cards, a new pair of cheap sneakers from Payless Shoes, and the last two Hello Kitty Furry Tale Theater DVDs I didn't have from KB Toys.
Dad picked us up after we finally got in. I spent the evening chatting and eating mushroom pizza with him, Jodie, Mark, and Vanessa, and getting to talk to Rose before she goes to Costa Rica on Sunday. Rose suggested a hair salon in Haddon Heights that did a great job on her hair; I may look them up next week or when I have the money. She also said she'd be willing to give me some of her old clothes that were now too small for her and would take some of my winter clothes that are too big. (I donated a lot of clothes to the thrift shop, too.)
Oh, and meet Everglades the Crocodile! The goofiest reptile north of Florida, Everglades comes with a "Rockin' Croc Storage" container that can be put in a yard and allows him to be my first WebKinz to live entirely outdoors. He lives in a quiet swamp, surrounded by palm trees, flowers, and crumbling ruins.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Twelfth Night
And so, I finish off the 2007-2008 holiday season with a quiet morning on the computer, editing the first parts of our latest Monkees role play (should probably be out by next week), and another crazy day at work. While not quite as frantic as yesterday (and busy Sundays are normal even outside of football season), we were still a bit short on help, especially managers and baggers. There were lots of very big orders and lots of people, but by and by work seemed to pass more quickly than yesterday (where five hours seemed more like five HUNDRED). The worst that happened was a rose display hit the register's keyboard and got spilled. The lady who wanted it threw a fit, then complained about being in a hurry and left before the manager could fix it and actually make it look better than it did before. Items are always getting caught on the register keyboard, which juts out rather awkwardly over the conveyor belt.
Treated myself to one last Three Kings' Day/Epiphany present. I picked up more Hello Kitty, this time a collection of mostly horror-themed spoofs ("Frankencat," "Catula") and two slightly spooky fairy tales. Also got an inadvertent present from the store when I discovered the disc was $4.99, despite the $9.99 label on the box. (I know they're trying to get rid of most videos, but no one said anything about the DVDs being on sale. Sweet.)
Also called Mom tonight to say "hi"; actually got her and Keefe for once. Dad is out on a commercial fishing trip. She and Keefe had apparently spent the whole day (and the majority of their week) working on the new house and were very tired but happy.
Oh, and Keefe loved the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air: Complete Second Season DVD set I gave him for Christmas. Mom said he's a big fan of Will Smith and Fresh Prince, and I thought he might like to see it without commercials.
And so, I finish off the 2007-2008 holiday season with a quiet morning on the computer, editing the first parts of our latest Monkees role play (should probably be out by next week), and another crazy day at work. While not quite as frantic as yesterday (and busy Sundays are normal even outside of football season), we were still a bit short on help, especially managers and baggers. There were lots of very big orders and lots of people, but by and by work seemed to pass more quickly than yesterday (where five hours seemed more like five HUNDRED). The worst that happened was a rose display hit the register's keyboard and got spilled. The lady who wanted it threw a fit, then complained about being in a hurry and left before the manager could fix it and actually make it look better than it did before. Items are always getting caught on the register keyboard, which juts out rather awkwardly over the conveyor belt.
Treated myself to one last Three Kings' Day/Epiphany present. I picked up more Hello Kitty, this time a collection of mostly horror-themed spoofs ("Frankencat," "Catula") and two slightly spooky fairy tales. Also got an inadvertent present from the store when I discovered the disc was $4.99, despite the $9.99 label on the box. (I know they're trying to get rid of most videos, but no one said anything about the DVDs being on sale. Sweet.)
Also called Mom tonight to say "hi"; actually got her and Keefe for once. Dad is out on a commercial fishing trip. She and Keefe had apparently spent the whole day (and the majority of their week) working on the new house and were very tired but happy.
Oh, and Keefe loved the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air: Complete Second Season DVD set I gave him for Christmas. Mom said he's a big fan of Will Smith and Fresh Prince, and I thought he might like to see it without commercials.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Heading Towards The New Year
Not a terribly exciting day. Picked up my paycheck and did my weekly grocery shopping in the morning. Also picked up another Hello Kitty DVD at the Acme, this one devoted to spoofs of adventure-oriented stories. "Peter Penguin" (a take on "Peter Pan") and "Tar-Sam Of the Jungle" were the most fun this time around, but most kids probably won't get "Crocodile Penguin" unless they have parents who are fans of 80s movies or 80s wrestling (as the episode makes fun of both).
I also picked up this year's kids' calender. I bought a Strawberry Shortcake calender last year when I thought I wouldn't get the retro-oriented calenders I usually receive for Christmas. I did get a calender (retro Coke ads), so Strawberry went in my room across from my bed instead. I'm glad she did. I always felt better seeing her cheery face every morning. I liked it so much, I decided to get another kid-oriented calender for my room for 2008. I couldn't find Strawberry, so I went with the Disney Pooh and his pals.
This evening, after dinner, I experimented with my first Coconut Macaroons. I had more than half a bag of coconut left from the Cherry Coconut Bars I made for Christmas, so I thought I'd make more cookies. There was a recipe on the Baker's Coconut Bag that looked good (and not too fattening, as they required egg whites and are fairly low on sugar, not to mention I'm still using the half white/half Splenda mix). They came out slightly gooey but generally pretty well.
Not a terribly exciting day. Picked up my paycheck and did my weekly grocery shopping in the morning. Also picked up another Hello Kitty DVD at the Acme, this one devoted to spoofs of adventure-oriented stories. "Peter Penguin" (a take on "Peter Pan") and "Tar-Sam Of the Jungle" were the most fun this time around, but most kids probably won't get "Crocodile Penguin" unless they have parents who are fans of 80s movies or 80s wrestling (as the episode makes fun of both).
I also picked up this year's kids' calender. I bought a Strawberry Shortcake calender last year when I thought I wouldn't get the retro-oriented calenders I usually receive for Christmas. I did get a calender (retro Coke ads), so Strawberry went in my room across from my bed instead. I'm glad she did. I always felt better seeing her cheery face every morning. I liked it so much, I decided to get another kid-oriented calender for my room for 2008. I couldn't find Strawberry, so I went with the Disney Pooh and his pals.
This evening, after dinner, I experimented with my first Coconut Macaroons. I had more than half a bag of coconut left from the Cherry Coconut Bars I made for Christmas, so I thought I'd make more cookies. There was a recipe on the Baker's Coconut Bag that looked good (and not too fattening, as they required egg whites and are fairly low on sugar, not to mention I'm still using the half white/half Splenda mix). They came out slightly gooey but generally pretty well.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Silver Bells
Thankfully, the rain stopped early enough that I made it to Collingswood without getting wet. I browsed in the thrift shop for a little while, then took a look at the WebKinz at the Collingswood Variety Store, a dollar store/party store across from the thrift shop on Haddon Avenue. I bought a raccoon to go with the stuffed animal display on my baker's rack that represents the animals who live around me. I opted to name him after a bandit instead of just calling him "Bandit" or "Rascal"; his name is Sundance, as in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
(However, a warning to WebKinz fans. As disappointing as it may be for people who received WebKinz for Kwanzaa and Christmas gifts they haven't registered yet, don't try to get on tonight. Their main page is "temporarily unavailable," and I read may be down until 2AM.)
My chat with Scott was early this year. I told him about Christmas and being busy and the change in plans with going down south, and we discussed my goals for the year.
I am going to continue Weight Watchers. I've lost 42 pounds now, and I feel great.
I'd like to join a writing group, but it's a matter of finding one in this area I can get to that's at a good time. Most of these groups and clubs always seem to be when I work. Not to mention I really rather afraid of groups, and of meeting new people. I never know what to say when I'm around people.
I want to publish my work, if I can find a place to do so, get all the formatting done, and find the courage to send anything anywhere.
I have to e-mail Rowan about their children's library programs, and maybe Creative Writing too. I want to know if it's worth it to spend the money. I'm not going to waste money on more education I can't use because the job market is too competitive or full. I spent four years at Stockton that got me nowhere.
I'd like to do more volunteering. I want to teach children to enjoy reading and become involved in programs that discourage bullying, especially for girls. No child should have to go through what I did in the 80s and early 90s.
After counseling, I went into Philadelphia for my big shopping trip. I stopped at my favorite pizzeria a few blocks from the Locust Street/12th Street PATCO stop, Mama Angelina's, for a huge mushroom cheese steak. They make such good stuff! That cheese steak was sooo nice and hot, which I appreciated on a day that was still chilly, damp, and cloudy.
After that, I walked all over town, from Chestnut down to The Gallery Mall on Market Street. I picked up Laverne and Shirley: The Complete First Season on sale at the FYE on Broad Street, along with It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown and Hello Kitty Becomes A Princess. The last named is five princess-oriented episodes of the cute and very funny 1987-1988 CBS Saturday morning series Hello Kitty's Furrie Tale Theater. Other than a few rather dated 80s references (Pee Wee Herman is mentioned in the "Sleeping Kitty" episode, and a few cartoons are parodies of very 80s movies like E.T and Crocodile Dundee), the fractured fairy tales and movie spoofs are still a lot of fun. "Cinderkitty" was my favorite; how many times will you hear Cinderella say she'd rather be a wide receiver than running around in a ball gown (or as a cheerleader)?
I finally found what I really wanted at the Suncoast Video in the Gallery Mall. I've been dying to get The Chronological Donald, Vol 3 Walt Disney Treasures set ever since it was announced back in March, but I couldn't find it ANYWHERE, and I didn't get it for Christmas. I didn't see it in Philly, either, until I found it at Suncoast. Suncoast is kind of like the geek's FYE, concentrating entirely on DVDs and movie-related merchandise. The one in the Hamilton Mall was always good to me. (I bought three of my MacDonald/Eddy videos from the Suncoast Video at the Hamilton Mall. That was the only place I could find them!) The Borders Express next-door was useful, too. I bought a cute striped journal (I'm half-way through my offline journal; I go through them rather quickly) and another British baking book, this one devoted mostly to popular cookies.
I had a very long but generally enjoyable walk this afternoon. I even took a shortcut through City Hall to get to the Market Street Shopping District. I love seeing the city all dolled up for the holidays, from wreaths on stores to colorful displays in windows to the huge tree in front of City Hall. I also passed a couple of nifty statues, including Gene Kelly and his umbrella in front of the Prince Street Theater and a giant clothespin across from City Hall.
I'm going to do Weight Watchers very quick and get offline. I'm tired as heck; I spent most of the day on my feet! Thank goodness I'm off tomorrow, too.
Thankfully, the rain stopped early enough that I made it to Collingswood without getting wet. I browsed in the thrift shop for a little while, then took a look at the WebKinz at the Collingswood Variety Store, a dollar store/party store across from the thrift shop on Haddon Avenue. I bought a raccoon to go with the stuffed animal display on my baker's rack that represents the animals who live around me. I opted to name him after a bandit instead of just calling him "Bandit" or "Rascal"; his name is Sundance, as in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
(However, a warning to WebKinz fans. As disappointing as it may be for people who received WebKinz for Kwanzaa and Christmas gifts they haven't registered yet, don't try to get on tonight. Their main page is "temporarily unavailable," and I read may be down until 2AM.)
My chat with Scott was early this year. I told him about Christmas and being busy and the change in plans with going down south, and we discussed my goals for the year.
I am going to continue Weight Watchers. I've lost 42 pounds now, and I feel great.
I'd like to join a writing group, but it's a matter of finding one in this area I can get to that's at a good time. Most of these groups and clubs always seem to be when I work. Not to mention I really rather afraid of groups, and of meeting new people. I never know what to say when I'm around people.
I want to publish my work, if I can find a place to do so, get all the formatting done, and find the courage to send anything anywhere.
I have to e-mail Rowan about their children's library programs, and maybe Creative Writing too. I want to know if it's worth it to spend the money. I'm not going to waste money on more education I can't use because the job market is too competitive or full. I spent four years at Stockton that got me nowhere.
I'd like to do more volunteering. I want to teach children to enjoy reading and become involved in programs that discourage bullying, especially for girls. No child should have to go through what I did in the 80s and early 90s.
After counseling, I went into Philadelphia for my big shopping trip. I stopped at my favorite pizzeria a few blocks from the Locust Street/12th Street PATCO stop, Mama Angelina's, for a huge mushroom cheese steak. They make such good stuff! That cheese steak was sooo nice and hot, which I appreciated on a day that was still chilly, damp, and cloudy.
After that, I walked all over town, from Chestnut down to The Gallery Mall on Market Street. I picked up Laverne and Shirley: The Complete First Season on sale at the FYE on Broad Street, along with It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown and Hello Kitty Becomes A Princess. The last named is five princess-oriented episodes of the cute and very funny 1987-1988 CBS Saturday morning series Hello Kitty's Furrie Tale Theater. Other than a few rather dated 80s references (Pee Wee Herman is mentioned in the "Sleeping Kitty" episode, and a few cartoons are parodies of very 80s movies like E.T and Crocodile Dundee), the fractured fairy tales and movie spoofs are still a lot of fun. "Cinderkitty" was my favorite; how many times will you hear Cinderella say she'd rather be a wide receiver than running around in a ball gown (or as a cheerleader)?
I finally found what I really wanted at the Suncoast Video in the Gallery Mall. I've been dying to get The Chronological Donald, Vol 3 Walt Disney Treasures set ever since it was announced back in March, but I couldn't find it ANYWHERE, and I didn't get it for Christmas. I didn't see it in Philly, either, until I found it at Suncoast. Suncoast is kind of like the geek's FYE, concentrating entirely on DVDs and movie-related merchandise. The one in the Hamilton Mall was always good to me. (I bought three of my MacDonald/Eddy videos from the Suncoast Video at the Hamilton Mall. That was the only place I could find them!) The Borders Express next-door was useful, too. I bought a cute striped journal (I'm half-way through my offline journal; I go through them rather quickly) and another British baking book, this one devoted mostly to popular cookies.
I had a very long but generally enjoyable walk this afternoon. I even took a shortcut through City Hall to get to the Market Street Shopping District. I love seeing the city all dolled up for the holidays, from wreaths on stores to colorful displays in windows to the huge tree in front of City Hall. I also passed a couple of nifty statues, including Gene Kelly and his umbrella in front of the Prince Street Theater and a giant clothespin across from City Hall.
I'm going to do Weight Watchers very quick and get offline. I'm tired as heck; I spent most of the day on my feet! Thank goodness I'm off tomorrow, too.
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