Winter Wonderland Matches

I awoke at 7 to a winter wonderland. Everything was white, including the street. Normally, Oaklyn is the best town in the area at clearing the streets. If the streets here weren't clear, none of them in the area were passable, period. I called Acme, told them there was no way I'd be able to get an Uber today even if my knee was up to pushing carts in deep snow, and went back to sleep.

It was still coming down when I got up again, and the dark gray sky basically said that it would continue to come down for a long time. I think you can guess that no one went anywhere or did anything today. I spent most of the day in front of my laptop, listening to records and going through Once Upon a Time In the Land of WENN, seeing what needs to be edited and where I left off. 

In fact, I spent a lot of the afternoon putting a dent in the records I've bought in the last few months. Soundwaves is a K-Tel release from 1980. There's some really great stuff here, some of the biggest hits of the early 80's - "Upside Down" by Diana Ross, "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc, "I Wanna Be Your Lover" by Prince, "I Was Made for Lovin' You" by Kiss, "Lost In Love" by Air Supply - but my favorite is one I didn't even know existed until I bought this. I know Meco did a Star Wars: New Hope disco instrumental medley (it still turns up on the radio from time to time), but I had no idea he did one for Empire Strikes Back, too. It's pretty awesome. You've never lived until you've heard an electronic version of "The Imperial March."

I thought two Rupert Holmes records from the early 1980's suited both the snowy weather and the story I was working on. Anyone who's seen Remember WENN or heard the cast albums for Curtains and The Mystery of Edwin Drood knows Rupert loves playing with masks and hidden identities, and that's the theme of Adventure from 1980. "The Mask" sounds like Victor in the third season, "Blackjack" might as well be Scott Sherwood's anthem, and Betty certainly was "Cold" to him during much of the third and fourth seasons. "Adventure" is what Scott wanted with Betty, and "You'll Love Me Again" and "I Don't Need You" have a lot of Hilary and Jeff in them.

Full Circle from a year later is somewhat similar. Things are a bit more romantic here. "You Remind Me of You" has a title from the Marx Brothers, but is honestly very sweet. There's also "Loved By the One You Love," "Love at Second Sight" (Hilary and Jeff again), "My Lover's Keeper," and the title song.

The Moody Blues' The Present wasn't nearly as big of a hit as Long Distance Voyager, their previous album, had been, but that doesn't mean it lacks merit. "Sitting at the Wheel" and "Blue World" were minor hits at the time, and there's the dreamy "Running Water" and "Under My Feet." In fact, it made for rather nice reflection music on an afternoon that kept switching between snow, frozen rain, and sleet.

Finished the night with dinner, a shower, and the Sunday Match Game marathon. There were quite a few panelists named Robert or Bob who appeared on the 1973 - 1982 run of the show. The first and most prominent was Price Is Right host Bob Barker. He turned up on the second week and would appear sporadically through 1980, usually to promote Price. He had some of his most memorable episodes in the late CBS run and early syndication, including the time he protested Gene covering the slit skirt of a pretty casting coordinator and when his chair broke and sunk below the desks. 

Bobby Van was the other regular "Bob" during the 70's run. He was usually seen with his dancer wife Elaine Joyce, but he did make occasional appearances on his own from 1973 through 1977. His first appearance on the show was sitting next to Elaine on the top row in 1973...and one of their answers to a question was so sexually-charged, that episode is now banned from the airwaves. 

Three Roberts and Bobs were semi-regulars during the later and syndicated years. Robert Walden of Lou Grant, a former student of Charles Nelson Reilly, turned heads and made hearts flutter from 1979 through 1981. Robert Pine, the only actor to last through the entire six seasons of CHIPs, was a genial "dad" presence from 1978 through 1980. Character actor Bob Donner of Mork and Mindy started off in 1980 and would last through the end of the syndicated series in 1982, making occasional appearances on The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour as well.

There were other guys named Bob or Robert who only appeared for one or two weeks. Robert Vaughn of The Man From U.N.C.L.E appeared twice, in a memorable week in 1973 with Nancy Dussault and McLean Stevenson, and again in 1975. Comedian and game show host Robert Q. Lewis and Robert Culp of I Spy and The Greatest American Hero made their only appearances early on in 1973. Broadway star Robert Morse did a hilarious week in 1974 where he imitated an ape and accidentally blurted out an answer. Brett was more than happy to kiss action star Robert Urich during his only week in 1975. Robert Mandan of Soap did incredibly well in 1978, probably the best of any star who only played one week. 

Get to know a lot of guys named Bob in this hilarious and happily snow-free marathon!

Match Game Sunday Classics - The BOB Marathon 

Oh, and you've probably already guessed that the Collingswood School District, including the Thomas Sharp School, is closed tomorrow. I checked their website around 3 PM. Good thing I'm already off of the Acme on Monday (and Tuesday) anyway. I'm not going anywhere tomorrow but here. 

It's a Sunshine Day

Began the morning with scrambled eggs, oranges, and Body Language. Roger E. Mobley's softball prowess didn't help him act out clues or guess puzzles. Shelly Smith finally outguessed him on the last puzzle. She had a harder time getting her contestant through the Bonus Round. They did get nine clues to guess, but could only get one Bonus clue.

Blockbusters went a lot better. Bill Cullen witnessed a fierce back-and-forth battle between a woman and a grandmother-grandson pair. The pair just barely won in the end. They had an easier time with the Gold Run round, only missing two questions. They were just starting the first round with a gentleman when the show finished.

Headed out shortly after the episode ended. The laundry had to be done today. I badly need work clothes. Picked the right day to do it. They were dead for the entire hour. Never saw more than one or two people around, other than the one guy painting the exterior siding. 

Had a lot of errands to run, too. I've wanted to try the new Mango Pepsi flavor. WaWa only had the Zero Sugar, but I figured that was enough. Got money to buy a Barnes & Noble gift card for Mother's Day at Family Dollar. Got a card for Mom and pads there as well. Also had the chance to enjoy a gorgeous day, sunny, warm, and breezy, very much in the lower 70's. 

(By the way...the Mango Pepsi isn't bad. You can really taste the mango, anyway.)

Put away the laundry, then watched Match Game '75 while having a Banana-Strawberry Smoothie for lunch. This very goofy episode starts out with a question on what happens when someone falls into the meat grinder at McDonald's and Brett's lengthy answer. (And frankly, I agree with Richard's answer to that question.) Meanwhile, Gene gets a little too frisky with teeny Sarah Kennedy under her desk, to Brett's annoyance!

Put on The Return of Captain Invincible after lunch. I know I said I was going to do this on Thursday, but I really wanted to watch it when I could focus on it...and boy, am I glad I did. I go further into this very, very peculiar Aussie superhero spoof at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Cult Flops - The Return of Captain Invincible

Switched to Super Password as I cleaned the bathroom. Richard Moll and Gloria Loring continue their week. Moll seemed pretty pleased (at least, as much as he ever did) with managing to lead his contestant to the Ca$hword on the first clue! For the second day in a row, the producer and writer divorcees were the big winners on Tattletales, just barely over Patty Duke and John Astin. 

Finally got to scrubbing the bathroom floor during Press Your Luck. Boy, did it need it. It was really grimy, with several ugly spots. There were some ugly spots on the show, too. It wasn't that bad in the first half. Everyone picked up money, with only one Whammy seen. They waited until the second half to really fly. The new champ just barely beat the other man, picking up a trip and a lot of cash.

Switched to writing after the show ended. I decided Richard Dawson is more of a Batman type than a Superman. As we meet him, he's a broke single father looking for a job at the Match-Up Network as a host. The sarcastic receptionist (Marcia Wallace) is about to direct him to auditions when he encounters the argumentative restaurant critic who mainly reviews bars (Brett) and fussy theater and film critic (Charles). 

Also signed up for Netflix while online...for all of ten minutes. It only took me a quick glance at their line-up to realize they aren't for me. I saw some great cartoons, most of which I could easily watch elsewhere. I don't care about their original programming. If I want to see Stranger Things, I'll pick up the nifty DVD releases packed to look like 80's videos. I canceled them almost immediately. I may end up trying Paramount Plus instead. 

Made an early Cinco De Mayo ground turkey nacho dinner while watching Match Game '79. Gene's right that Marcia has the perfect phrase to describe Bill Daily. "He goes through life with perpetual jet lag." Meanwhile, Brett complains about Charles eating on the first tier and Marcia has to help a contestant win $10,000 with "Cookies and __." Things went even better on Match Game PM. The contestants were actually quite good, ending in a fairly intense tie. Richard got to help the contestant with the Head-to-Head this time.

Sale of the Century celebrates Thanksgiving reeeeellly early with holiday-related questions and prizes like a trip to Massachusetts and a big kitchen set. The champ pretty much dominated, buying both Instant Bargains and the Instant Cash and easily getting through the Speed Round. Had a lot more trouble with the Bonus Round, though.

Peeked at the other side of the house while Jodie was out. They've started remodeling the dining room. Either they laid hardwood floor, or there was gorgeous hardwood flooring under all that matted old green rug. The floor looks really nice. 

Finished up the night celebrating Star Wars Day at Disney Plus with something a little different. I'm surprised I don't remember the 1985 Ewoks cartoon. It being on ABC may have had something to do with it. We usually preferred the schedules on CBS, NBC, or cable. It's a pretty typical cartoon of the time, with rough and colorful animation and slightly cutesy stories depicting the magical "primitive" world of the Ewoks in more detail than the live-action films could.

Started with the second episode, "The Haunted Village." Logray, the village wise man, has developed an invisibility soap that can hide the Ewoks magical sunberries from a dragon sent by witch Morag. The Dukocks, a race of skinny creatures that resemble a cross between a monkey and the Grinch, manage to get their hands on the soap and try to clean themselves with it. Wicket and his friends have to get rid of them, then figure out how to spread the soap on the remaining bushes.

Morag's not through with her evil deeds. She kidnaps the baby of the Phlogs, a race of giant creatures, and orders the Dulocks to hold it hostage. They can't handle it, and it keeps escaping. Meanwhile, Wicket thoughtlessly insults Malani when he's tired of her swooning over him. She runs off, and straight to the baby and the Dulocks. Wicket and his friends go after them to stop "The Rampage of the Phlogs" from damaging their village.

Wicket will do anything "To Save Deej" when his father's cut by a razor-sharp poisonous fungus. A strange little creature named Mring-Mring seems like more of a hinderance than a help at first. His antics prove to be a lot more useful than Wicket and his brothers originally suspected when he helps them find the ingredients for the cure.

Latara is fed up with her constant chores and no one listening to her flute playing. She joins "The Traveling Jindas," a troupe of performers, to see what their life on the road is like. Not only does it prove to be even harder than life in the Ewok village, but the Jindas constantly get lost. When they run straight into the Dulocks, the Ewoks go in and try to rescue them.

Tooth and Consequences

Began a late morning with breakfast and the second half of Blockbusters. I came in just as the solo woman was about to begin the Gold Run. She started shaky, but picked up quickly after getting her first right question and ended up winning another 5,000. They were just introducing a brother-sister team when they finished for the day.

Switched to the most recent Muppet Babies episode at Disney Now while cleaning up from breakfast. Fozzie and Kermit are thrilled to reopen their pizza parlor, this time with "Best Pals Pizza Delivery." Kermit keeps forgetting to deliver the pizzas when he gets too involved with helping Walter, the lead character of his favorite TV show Wacky Alpacas, with his own problems. It takes Walter's balloon breakdown to make Kermit realize he should be focusing on his own work. "Summer the Science Penguin" wants to find a way for Fozzie's macaroni to stick on his picture without glue. She feels like a failure when none of her experiments work out, but Nanny encourages her to keep trying.

Went to Disney Plus for an earlier Muppet Babies episode. Having had many a bad day myself, I could certainly relate to Summer's "Upside-Down Day." She's disappointed after having trouble all morning. Gonzo tries to cheer her up by making the nursery, then the entire backyard turn over. Turns out that the real cure for her "Bad-Day-Itis" isn't as complicated as the kids think. It's "Tooth and Consequences" for Animal when he claims he hasn't gotten a present from the Tooth Fairy. The other kids take him to the Tooth Fairy's castle to find out what's going on.

After I finished the dishes, I called the dentist. I've had a broken tooth for years now. It didn't hurt until about two weeks ago. I put off calling them first because of my finances, then everything that came up last year. Now that I have money and my hours at work are slightly better, I really don't have an excuse anymore. To my surprise, they had a slot open later in the afternoon. I took it. Better to get it done sooner than later, and it's been a while since I've been to Target.

But first, I really needed to get my laundry done. At least it was a gorgeous day for a ride. Sunny, windy, cool but not unusually chilly for late April, probably in the upper 50's-lower 60's. I wasn't the only one taking advantage of the nice weather, either. The laundromat was busier than I've seen it in a long time. I barely managed to get a washer and dryer. 

Saw a man sitting behind a card table covered in plastic-wrapped soft pretzels on my way there, about a block from the laundromat. Today was Pretzel Day, and in honor of the day and the new pretzel store his family's opening in late June or early July, he was giving out freebees. Yum! The pretzel was warm, salty, and so soft, it practically melted in my mouth. Good price, too, from what I could see on the flyer he handed me. I may have to treat myself to a pretzel every now and then once they open. Worked on story notes while the laundry was in the dryer. 

As soon as I got home, I put the laundry away, then had a fast banana-strawberry smoothie lunch. Decided to try something different on Disney Plus while I worked. I'm surprised I don't remember the 1985 animated series Ewoks. Apparently, this prequel to Return of the Jedi and the Ewoks TV movies focus on the diminutive bear-like warrior clan and their lives before humans invaded their world. 

Started with the first episode, "The Cries of the Trees." Poor Wicket is always getting into trouble with his aunt, especially after older Peebo encourages him and his brother Willy to play a game that's supposed to be for the elders. The witch Morag wants the Ewoks out of their woods, which are dry from lack of rain. She forces the Queen of the Wispies - fire fairies - to burn their forest down. Wicket and his friends are the ones who come up with a creative way of saving their homes.

Ran a few quick Ewoks-focused shorts from the online Forces of Destiny female-based series. Leia helps two of her new friends make a quick "Ewok Escape" during Return of the Jedi, and we see how she got the tan dress she appeared in at their village later. The Ewoks want a nibble of stormtrooper at "The Imperial Feast." Leia knows it's not nice to eat people and sends Han to get rations from Hera of Rebels. She'll give them to him...for a price. She's the one dealing with Ewoks when they sneak aboard the Ghost with Chopper. But "Chopper and Friends" more than prove their worth dealing with TIE Fighters over Endor.

Hurried out as soon as the last short ended. The traffic was just starting to pick up on Cuthbert, but I managed to get across with little fuss. Noticed a nifty new mural on the side of Genova's Pizza as I passed. Someone did a colorful panting of junk food - pizza slices, milkshakes, fries - on a black background. I might have to make a closer inspection of it when I have more time.

Got to the dentist's office at the Westmont Plaza with just enough time to sign in. They were busy, but it thankfully didn't take long for them to call me over. Talked to the cheerful lady who cleaned my teeth first. According to her, they were really built-up, thanks to my having put this off for three years. 

After I finished with her, an equally sweet young technician took many x-rays of my mouth. The more dour doctor took a look after that. His conclusion is what I'd feared. The broken tooth not only will have to go, but I'll need another root canal. May need one in a tooth on my lower left side, too. A broken wisdom tooth doesn't hurt, but it obviously needs to come out as well. He also mentioned my gum disease is advancing. I was supposed to have seen a gum specialist in 2018, but I canceled because my dental insurance doesn't cover it, and I didn't have the money then. I made the appointment. I have it now. 

Made a quick stop at an equally busy Target on the way home. They had a really cute pack of striped cotton crew socks for $7. Looked at their purses, but they all seemed a bit to cheap for me. Grabbed unbleached flour and oatmeal, both of which cost a lot less there then at the Acme.

As soon as I got home, I took my recycling out to the curb, then rescued some of the boxes Jodie brought out there. The largest ones were too big to keep in my apartment, but if I'm going to move anytime soon, I'll need something to move my things in. 

Worked on writing for a while. Allen Ludden and Ira Skutch, the representative of the railroad, are arguing over the town's problems when Gene and Richard arrive. Allen protests that his boss, Mark Goodson, is not only buying up too much usable land, he's not stopping his friend Governor Todman from increasing taxes. Ira's complaining he doesn't have anything to do with that when they arrive.

Broke for leftovers at 6:30. Jon "Bowser" Bauman starts off Match Game '79 with his own poem about his experience on the show. The others tease Gene about his wearing blue socks with brown suit, while Bob jokes about him and Gene being "sex symbols" and ogles Brianne Leary in her cap and newsgirl outfit.

Fred Grandy returned for Match Game PM, along with Eva Gabor, Gary Burghoff, and Marcia Wallace. They almost lost Gary when he walked off after his answer of "cheesecake" as to what a delicatessen owner would cover the doorknobs with was booed. Eva had her own problems after she answered "__ and Proper" for a delighted Air Force officer...who accidentally kicked her foot and took off her toenail! (Brett and Marcia later revealed she took the injury well and was a real sport about it.)

Sale of the Century was dominated by the one male contestant. He took the lead early, won a Fame Game, and bought the second Instant Bargain. Won the Speed Round by a wide mile and got the Bonus Round money at the last second.

Finished the night at Shout Factory TV with the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode Final Justice. I was hoping this later Mike episode would have them making fun a western, but it was actually about Texas sheriff (Jon Don Baker) who chases an Italian mobster (Rossano Brazzi) across Malta after they're diverted to the island nation. A local police detective (Helena Dalli) joins him as he ignores orders to return to Texas and tracks down the men who killed his partner.

I honestly found this to be entertainingly cheesy, with or without the robots' wisecracks about Baker's weight and good-ol'-boy wardrobe and the bad dialogue. I wouldn't be surprised if my stepfather rented it when it came out in 1985. It's the kind of thing that was right up his alley - cheesy action with lots of blood, gunplay, violence, and a big man out for justice. Recommended if you're like Dad and love campy action, too. 

Matching Sailor Guardians

After the last few days, I needed to sleep in. By the time I got moving, Buzzr was running Match Game episodes. Orson Bean brought his goofy, laid-back wit to the first episode, joined by a lady named Chelsea Brown whom I'd never heard of, but was a lot of fun. Charles and Brett got a lot of mileage out of teasing each other here, whether it was talking about Brett streaking or joking about his toupee. The next episode brought in redheaded Kaye Stevens of the noisy laugh, Loretta Swit from MASH, and former football player Rosy Grier. (Rosy was the size of the rest of the panel put together. Gene quickly told him he could write whatever he wanted!)  Orson Bean returned for the first '75 episode, joined by Betty White and blonde bombshell Lynda Day George.

Headed out to get the laundry done after the first '75 episode ended. I had a huge load to do, including towels. Thankfully, after the last two weeks, there were several cheaper washers open when I arrived. It was busy, but not overwhelmingly so. I worked on story notes and ignored Action News on Channel 6 and a talk show.

There was a package waiting for me in the mail box when I got home. Lauren found a knitted "Baby Yoda" from The Mandalorian on Etsy and sent him to me as a late Christmas present. He's soo cute and is knitted beautifully. Looks just like the little fellow in the show and is the right size to hug. (I figured he'd be much smaller.)

I put Baby Yoda on my bed, then spent the next hour dusting around furniture. I only do really major dusting every couple of months. Who's going to see it besides me? I just wanted to get as much of it up as I could quickly.

As soon as I finished, I put out the winter decorations. I usually get most of them up when I put out the Christmas stuff, but I forgot. Two folksy snowmen - one on wooden legs, one a "snow angel" with wire wings and a halo - surround the red vase on the music area table. There's a cute little stuffed snowbear ornament guarding the CD player. A lovely little sparrow bell Mom gave me several years ago went up on my bedroom door. Hung a "let it snow" sign and cardboard hangings of snowmen taking part in winter sports on my walls.

For some reason, Charlie was upstairs cursing for a lot of the morning and early afternoon. I really have no idea what he was doing, other than painting the two wooden posts that hold up the dormer roof. I do know it involved much cursing and drowning him out with Sailor Moon Super S (fourth season).

The only new episode out of this batch was actually a two-part "special." In the first story, we encounter Micheru "Sailor Neptune" Kaioh and Haruka "Sailor Uranus" Tenouh for the first and only time in the fourth season. Micheru takes on a possessed ventriloquist and his demonic dummy when they attack her ailing lover. Chibi-Usa is in the spotlight in the second story, based after a short from the manga (comic book) series. A new student in her school may be turning boys heads in more ways than just her looks. The pretty, pale miss is seen eating flowers and avoiding sunlight, leading Chibi-Usa and her friends to believe she may be a mini-vampire.

Went into writing after all the winter decorations were hanging up or on the tables and shelves. Bill Cullen is a wizard who can make the books he's going to deliver vanish and reappear in his carriage. Marcia warns him about going too close to the Summerlands, which are crawling with Malade's trolls, among other monsters. Bill assures her and the others that he can take care of himself. Bill the Wolf tries to explain what happened in the Summerlands, but he ends up howling again.

Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Had leftovers while watching one more Match Game episode. Comic actor  Ron Massak (who ironically also appeared on Password Plus this week) had the honor of watching Charles and Brett spar on the top desks in this one. The delightful Patty Duke Astin traded quips with Richard under them, while sweet Joyce Bullifant told Gene some very odd jokes.

Finished the night online with the 1991 comedy Delirious, which is currently running for free on YouTube. Jack Gable (John Candy) is a soap opera writer who would do anything to keep the show's diva and his crush Laura (Emma Samms) on the air, despite her spoiled behavior behind the scenes. The show's producers (Jerry Orbach and Renee Taylor) hire a hack writer (Milt Oberman) behind his back, and he puts down a pretty young woman (Mariel Hemingway) trying out for a part he deems unimportant.

After he sees Laura returning to her boyfriend, he hits his head, gets into an accident, and wakes up in the world of his soap. Laura is now Rachel, the only woman in a wealthy and powerful male-dominated family, whose evil patriarch (Raymond Burr) is determined to get his hands on a weight-loss formula. Janet DuBois (Hemingway) is the daughter of the formula's creator, who thinks Jack is a big pharmaceuticals executive who wants to buy the formula. Jack tries to tell her otherwise at first, until she makes him realize that his writing changes the outcome of the show and what happens to the characters. He writes himself as a strong, dashing character to catch Rachel's eye, only to realize that Janet is the one who really deserves the formula and his attention. Now he has to decide how he wants this story to end...and learn that no amount of re-writing can make him anything but himself.

I remember Dad-Bill renting this one at least once after it came out on video in the early 90's, but I don't think I've seen it since then. I've never been a fan of soap operas and have no trouble seeing them skewered. Candy has fun as the guy who finds out he can write himself into the macho role he's always wanted, and Samms and Hemingway, both of whom have considerable experience with real soap operas, have a blast as the two different women he tries to impress. This is a fun little gem if you're a fan of Candy or the real soaps from the 80's-early 90's this is spoofing. Here's the YouTube link if you're interested:

Delirious (1991)

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Merry Christmas! I began a beautiful holiday morning with the Colliers Harvest of Holidays. They have at least five Christmas stories, more than for any other holidays. My favorites are "Flora McFlimsey's Christmas," about a little doll who manages to walk down to the tree on Christmas Eve, where the angel on top cleans her up for a little girl, and "A Star For Hansi," as a grandmother teaches her granddaughter about saving with a story on how she bought her little brother a star with her last saved coin.

Sun was streaming through the window overlooking the park as I crept to the tree. I always open the presents Linda Young gives me on Christmas morning. This year, my big gift was a beautiful warm woven wrap in red and blue plaid. The other larger gift was a cozy mystery novel set in an ice cream shop. The "stocking stuffer" was a new pair of gloves. I especially appreciated those! My cheap black gloves are stretched out and badly pulled.

Watched Match Game on Buzzr as I opened gifts. Betty White appeared with her husband Allen Ludden of the Password franchise on a week of episodes in 1976. In the first one, Allen got a look at this crew's usual shenanigans when his wife again rolled up Gene's pant legs while he talked to the upper desks. "Is this what goes on when I'm not here?" asked her amused husband. In the second, a question about their social life sent them both blushing and giving strange answers.

Strolled to Dad and Jodie's around quarter after 10 on foot. Everyone was already there when I arrived, including Jodie's son TJ and his fiance Eric and her other son Jesse and his wife Dana, along with Vanessa, Jessa, Joe, and Midnight, and Rose and her tribe. Along with leftover candy, ham, and macaroni salad from last night, Jodie and Dana set out Jodie's amazing French bread casserole, Dana's sausage bake, egg muffins, blueberry and plain English muffins, a plate of pineapple chunks and berries, real syrup, and orange juice. Dad had the Christmas Story marathon going in the background all morning, and someone found the Gatlingburg Festival of Lights Christmas Parade on WPHL 17. (Why a Philly station played a parade from Tennessee is way beyond me, but it was fun.)

We unwrapped the gifts around 11. I gave everyone their cookie boxes. Khai got a book on codes and Super Mario Maker 2. Finley got the most adorable play barn and her own stuffed "puppy" on a leash, so she could have a dog to lead around like Midnight and Nala. I got warm alpaca wool socks from Dad and a brand-new laptop and 50 dollars from Dad and Jodie. I'm typing on my new laptop now. It's a HP and is a lot smaller - and ten times faster - than my old Toshiba.

Everyone but Dad, Jodie, and the kids took part in the gift exchange. This time, everything but my cocoa mug was wrapped. We grabbed them based on size and shape alone. I was first; I took the only bag under the tree. Jessa wanted a box that included a pair of light-up chopsticks, but Dana snitched it. (She eventually kept what was in the box but gave Jessa the chopsticks.) The others kept switching around a package wrapped with brown paper and a thick rope. Jessa ended up with it; she got a cool slide music maker. I think Joe got the cocoa mug.

Everyone says I got the best present. Someone wants me to move into the 21st century. My present was a Google Nest thing that acts as an alarm and controls everything in the room. I'll figure it out tomorrow or later in the week.

Rose and her crew drove me home. Mom called while I worked on setting up my laptop. She absolutely loved the cookies I sent her. She's still trying to figure out her new, smaller stove. Her best gift, though, was getting to see Lilah when she had to deliver a package to Collyn and his dad Mike in Wildwood. Mom and Anny are still having problems, and Mom hasn't seen her grandchildren in ages...so a hug from her granddaughter was the best possible present she could have gotten.

Jessa didn't pick me up until nearly 1:15. We were about 20 minutes late to the mid-afternoon showing of Rise of Skywalker. We missed the commercials and probably about the first ten minutes or so, but we did see most of it. Or at least, I saw most of it. Poor Jessa is still wiped out from working early all week and slept through the majority of the film.

I'm not going to do the plot here because of spoilers, but...I loved it. Maybe not quite as much as The Last Jedi, but I did still enjoy it a lot. On one hand, I wish we'd seen more of Rose, that it had wrapped up some plots better (and I frankly liked the idea of Rey being a nobody more than her having a fancy linage)...but I also approved of many of the changes, and I like that in the end, Rey,  Finn, Poe, and Rose all opt to just stay friends instead of going for the obvious romance. Also, I mostly approve of how they ended Leia's story. It seems right.

In the end, I think all five of the Star Wars films released by Disney have gotten a bum rap. Fans and critics tend to just expect waaaaaayyyy too much from these movies. If' you're a Star Wars fan who enjoys the sequels or the franchise in general, I'd totally disregard the reviews and go check out the end of Rey's story.

Jessa and I drove over to her and Joe's condo in Deptford after the movie ended. Joe and his 14-year-old daughter Dannica and 11-year-old son Connor were playing the newest Just Dance when I arrived. I laughed and watched them and Jessa shake their booties to "Prince Ali" from the live-action Aladdin remake and a few other songs.

After the kids finished their game, they opened their presents from their father. Dannica seemed happiest with a new sketchbook from Jessa and a sequined pillow with Danny DiVito's face on it from her father. (I didn't ask about the latter.) Connor loved his box of practical jokes and goofy little toys and Mad Libs book.

While the kids opened their gifts, Joe showed me the tons and tons of offerings on Disney's new streaming service, Disney Plus. We watched two funny shorts featuring Sporky, the new "hand made" toy character from Toy Story 4, and the classic Mickey Mouse short "Lonesome Ghosts." Joe started Return of the Jedi while the kids were looking over their presents, but they lost interest around the time Yoda died, and everyone was hungry.

Truth be told, no one had any idea what we were going to do for dinner. The only place we could find open was WaWa...but the kids loved it. I got a double mocha chilled cappuccino and a cheeseburger quesadilla (ground steak with pickles, cheese, and onions on a crispy tortilla). Everyone else had soda, chips, popcorn, and hoagies.

We took them home and had Christmas dinner while watching Dannica's favorite movie The Greatest Showman and playing Mad Libs with Connor. It was a lovely and cozy couple of hours. The kids were happy, we all laughed, Midnight sniffed around our legs, and I was glad to be around people who were having fun and wanted nothing more than for me to write a goofy answer to a silly story and sing along to "This Is Me" and "Rewrite the Stars."

We headed out around 7:30-quarter of 8. The kids had to be home between 7:30 and 8. They live in a gated community; the opening gates glowed like blue and red lightsabers, and you had to type a code on a pad to get in. Joe took the kids up to their mother while Midnight, Jess and I waited. Jessa and Joe dropped me off ten minutes later.

This was one of the best Christmases I ever had...and the present I loved most of all was just spending time with everyone in the family, people who enjoyed my company and enjoyed being around me and each other. I had more fun today and yesterday than I've had in a long time. Here's hoping your holiday, no matter what you celebrate, was equally wonderful!

Dolls On a Bad Day

Began a cloudy morning with breakfast and Star Wars: Resistance. Kaz and Tam are disappointed when the races are canceled and they're no longer able to join the Ace Squadron, but the residents of the Colossus have worse problems. "The Disappeared" are those who have gone missing after speaking out against the First Order, including Ace Squadron leader Hype Fazon and cantina owner Aunt Z. Kaz and Torra do what they can to rescue them...but in doing so, they expose Kaz's spying activities and puts Team Fireball in danger.

Kaz, Yeager, and Neeku manage to escape their First Order captors in "Descent." Tam, however, doesn't believe that the First Order is there to harm them and turns herself in. The trio run back to the kids, who take them to the Colossus' main computer. It's there that Kaz hatches a daring plan to lower the Colossus into the sea so they can get to the tower and send a communication to the Resistance.

Shortly after breakfast, I accidentally brushed against the shelf on the table with the DVD player. That shelf is thin and prone to tipping...and it did indeed go crashing to the floor! To my horror, two of the Clone Wars discs were missing. I found Season 1, disc 1, but I spent more than 20 minutes searching and just could not find Season 2, disc 1! I really don't want to replace it. I have to vacuum this week, anyway. If I can't find it by the end of the week, I'll replace it.

I didn't get started with dressing the dolls as fast as I would have wanted, thanks to all that mess. It was also time to pull out the dolls' winter clothes. Molly, Jessa, and Ariel are all in jeans. Ariel has beaded bell-bottom jeans with high-top sneakers and a magenta t-shirt. Jessa wears a pink, black, and white sailor-style blouse with jean capris. Molly's simpler in a red t-shirt with rolled-up jeans and loafers. Samantha and Josefina are in their current "meet" outfits. Sam wears her lacy pink dress with the burgundy velvet sash and lace collar with white tight and black and white boots. Josefina has her red and blue flower print skirt. Felicity's in her original Rose Garden "meet" outfit.

Had a really quick lunch while doing another Resistance episode. We're at the beginning of the end with "No Escape, Part 1." Things are really going badly for Kaz. Yeager was captured, and the rest of the Resistance can't come. Kaz and Torra have to rescue Yeager while Neeku and the kiddies discover that the Colossus can fly and try to get it in the air. Meanwhile, the First Order has gotten to Tam and claims they're only peacemakers...and she's starting to believe them...

The seat stayed on my bike for ten minutes. It fell off on the White Horse Pike, near the former PNC Bank. I was so fed up and frustrated, I got upset and cried and totally embarrassed myself. I tried to find a branch I could use to tighten it, but there just weren't any around. One of the store owners on that block of the Pike got it on, but it was still tippy.

Tried to cheer myself up by taking the long way across Newton Lake Park. A day that started out cloudy had turned hot, sunny, and a little humid by that point. There were quite a few people out and about, enjoying the sparkling green river, including a flock of Canadian geese poking around for a snack.

It was past 3 by the time I finally got to the Haddon Township Library. They were busy too, with a cart laden with DVDs. There were so many, half of them didn't fit on any of the shelves. I put away what I could get in. Took out two recent girl-power tales, Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase and Felicity Jones playing a real-life female rebel, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, in On the Basis of Sex, plus Funny Girl for review on Thursday.

Made a very quick stop on the way home. My friend Amanda had a birthday today. I went in, quickly grabbed her a card, and went back out.

As soon as I got home, I messed around with the bike seat again. It once again took me a half-hour, but I got it balanced enough that it's now on. Whether it actually stays on this time remains to be seen. I just have to get to work tomorrow.

Just about the only thing that went well for me today was finishing what I now call The Most Dangerous Blank. Just as Ira turns into a devil and starts attacking her, Brett is shaken awake by Fannie Flagg. Turns out it was a vodka-fueled nightmare, based on her own misgivings about their treatment, her frustration with her divorce, and overindulgence in alcohol at lunch and Richard's ongoing complaints about doing Match Game and Family Feud. Charles and Bill tease her and say she needs a doctor, but she's fine...mostly, anyway. When she shakes off the liquor and tries to ignore that look in Ira's eyes...

The only place I've ever seen Match Game fanfiction at press time is WattPad, and I'm not crazy about them. All of my Match Game fanfics as of this second will be exclusive to my Writer's Desk at the Riverside blog, including this one.

Major warning that this is a horror story, and it's got a hard R rating for language, violence, mild sexuality, and general horror mayhem. For those of you who are over 16 or are already horror and Match Game fans, I hope you all enjoy...if you dare!

The Most Dangerous Blank: Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Rose called while I was writing. I don't know how, but she'd somehow heard about what happened with my bike today. I was hoping I wouldn't have to replace it, but it's really broken. I'd prefer to do it myself once I have the money, but she said we'll see. Now I really feel embarrassed. I wish I was better about holding my feelings in check. I just get upset and scared, and I don't think. I get angry. I need that bike, and it's less than a year old. I haven't had seat problems like this before.

Finished out the Resistance set as I ate leftovers for dinner. The second half of "No Escape" has Neeku coming up with the idea to flush out the First Order by flooding the halls. That works, but now they're sending TIE fighters and a Star Destroyer after them...and Tam, believing herself to have been betrayed by her friends, sides with the First Order. Kaz and the others are going to need a lot of help to take down Vonreg and his troops...but help is on the way, from not one, but two unlikely sources.

This grew on me as the season went on. I'm still not all that crazy about Kaz, who can be even more of a cocky jerk than Poe at times. The revelation about his parents and his family and what happens to them in the finale comes a bit too little, too late.

I find his co-workers to be more interesting and relatable. Tam puts a human face on the Empire and the First Order and explains why people will live in totalitarian regimes, despite their poor treatment of them - they provide jobs and safety. Neeku is hilarious, the kids are fun (and show just how awful Kylo Ren can be), and supporting characters like mouthy Aunt Z and sweet Torra add to the fun. Love the animation too, a unique CGI that's made to look like hand-drawn animation. It looks terrific, and far less "computer-ish" than some earlier Star Wars cartoon efforts.

If you're a fan of the Star Wars sequels who really needs to know more about the Resistance, you'll want to give this a look. It might make a nice lead-in to this December's Rise of Skywalker.

Ended the night after a shower with Rose of Washington Square. I go into more detail about this melodramatic vehicle for Alice Faye at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Rose of Washington Square

A Good Day for Baking

Began a cloudy morning with breakfast, then decided I'd try making those Raspberry Oatmeal Bars that came out so well back in May. This time, I used the Smuckers' Fruit and Honey jam as the topping. They came out very crumbly, too much to really handle, but also very sweet and decadent.

Watched episodes of Star Wars: Resistance while I baked. Kaz takes the Fireball to rendezvous with Poe and General Leia Organa. Tam hadn't finished fixing it, and he's lucky the Resistance is able to keep him from crashing. He, Poe, and their droids are sent to follow a First Order flight path. They end up on "Station Theta Black," a mining facility, but end up fighting Phasma and Major Vonreg when they give the orders to destroy the facility and the evidence.

"Bibo" is a slimy little sea critter that Neeku has become attached to. The rest of the crew isn't nearly as fond of him. He eats everything metal, including their tools and parts, smells terrible, and makes a mess. He runs away, but is found by Kel and Eila, the kids from "The Children from Tehar." Eila is upset, predicting that a big "something" is coming after Bibo. When a sea monster attacks the Colossus, the Ace Squadron fights them off...but Kaz and his crush Synara knows what it's really after.

It's "Dangerous Business" when Kaz keeps an eye on Orka and Flix's Acquisitions Shop for the day. Things get ugly when an alien named Teroj Kee comes looking for a certain part. Kaz says he can't have it, but he tricks Kaz into a locked storage container and steals it anyway. It'll take help from BB-8 and Orka and Flix's pet Gorg Bitey to stop the pirate and help Kaz figure out his involvement with the First Order.

"The Doza Dillemma" happens when the Captain's daughter Torra is kidnapped by pirates. Doza has to accept the First Order's protection if he wants to see her again. The First Order seemingly "rescues" the girl, but Kaz is suspicious of their intentions.

Trouble with the First Order boils over when "The First Order Occupation" comes to the Colossus. Kaz gets nervous when the stormtroopers ask him and Yeager a few too many questions. Despite his worries, he still helps pirate spy Synara escape the ship and return to her clan.

The kids are the ones who come across "The New Trooper" and knock him out. Kaz steals his armor and discovers to his horror that the First Order intends to take over the Colossus and use it for a resupply station. He has to get the information to Yeager, then get the armor back to its real owner without getting caught.

Poe and Kaz discover that "The Core Problem" is the First Order has somehow made a sun vanish, destroyed several planetoids, and drilled through another planet. The two and their droids land on an abandoned moon, whose population was destroyed...except one probe droid, who reveals the boys' location. They just barely manage to escape TIE fighters before Poe heads off to Jakku. Kaz returns to the Colossus with a different droid. He has a lame excuse as to where BB-8 is, but Tam is starting to get suspicious...

Headed out for a walk after the bars were out of the oven and I'd gone through my journals in the back room. It was gray, cloudy, and cool, but that was certainly an improvement over the heat we've had recently. The gardens are blossoming with mums, marigolds, and late roses, but the lawns are showing the relative lack of rain of late with dry, yellow grasses.

I was mainly out for a stroll to the Oaklyn Library. At 1 PM, they were quite empty. It was just the librarians and me, listening to reports on the hot weather elsewhere on the Weather Channel. I organized the DVDs, looked over the children's books, and moved on.

After a short stroll around the neighborhood, I returned to my apartment for a quick lunch. After I ate, I went into cleaning the bathroom. It really needed to be done, despite my having not been around for a week this month. The tub was especially grungy, probably from those couple of baths I took a few weeks ago.

Ran Johnny English Reborn for the rest of the afternoon. Johnny English (Rowan Atikson) has been training in Tibet after the newly-elected president of Mozambique died on his watch. He's joined by young, eager assistant Colin Tucker (Daniel Kaluuya) as they search for Vortex, a group of spies-turned-assassins who destroyed English's previous mission. English keeps finding the spies and their three keys that open a weapon, only to see them murdered by a little Asian cleaning woman (Pik-Sem Lim). The second spy lives long enough to reveal that there's a third turncoat spy...within MI7 itself. English doesn't believe who it is at first, allowing the mole to escape. With the help of psychologist Kate Sumner (Rosamund Pike) and footage of the Mozambique incident, he discovers how Vortex is controlling the killers. Now he has to evade the turncoat spy and that Killer Cleaner long enough to prove to everyone what Vortex is really after.

Wacky spy spoof benefits from Atikson's antics as the impossibly naive spy, even if the story isn't the most inspired. If you love Bond satire or Atikson, you'll want to give this one a look.

Did some writing after I finished the bathroom and the movie ended. To Brett's horror, the producer turns into a devil before her very eyes. Other devils run out and attack the others, grabbing the other two women and dragging Charles from Richard. Brett demands that Ira release them, but he has other plans...

Broke for dinner at 6:30. With the cool weather continuing, I figured I could get away with baked chicken legs. Tried a recipe for "deluxe" red cabbage and apples from the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook. Didn't add the gingersnap pieces called for, but it otherwise came out absolutely delicious, nice and sweet and very purple-red. Had it with roasted broccoli. Yum! It all came out very well, with juicy chicken and sweet cabbage and apples.

Finished the night with three episodes of Get Smart. 99 and Max end up on the "Island of the Darned" when they hit a jungle island in search of the hunter who killed and stuffed a CONTROL agent. The hunter decides to turn things around and hunt them. They try to evade him, but it takes a puff from a very lethal cigarette to really get rid of him. "Bronzefinger" is an art thief who could be one of three art restorers at a local museum...if someone wasn't knocking them off one by one. A beautiful debutante wants to give Max the "Kiss of Death" for killing her father, but she's prepared for her intoxicating charms.

Early Autumn Sunshine

I awoke to a phone call. Jessa wanted to know if I needed someone to pick up my bike. Not only did I appreciate the gesture, but I offered to make her pancakes for breakfast before we did it. I just needed an hour to read, write in my journal, make my bed, and get things organized.

I'd just put on Resistance as Jessa arrived. We continued with the episodes while I made us Chocolate Chip Pancakes for breakfast. "The Children From Tehar" are a duo with a 20,000 credit bounty on them. Kaz wants to find them in order to make the money to replace Tam's acceleration compensator, but it turns out that the children aren't runaways. They're refugees, the only survivors of a village in the Unknown Regions. Kaz has to figure out how to keep Captain Doza from figuring out where they are.

I didn't really pay much attentions to the episodes when I pulled out family photos to show her. She enjoyed seeing the photos of me when I was younger so much a while back, I showed her the photos in the other box. While there are a few photos of the Oaklyn side of the family, it's mostly my sisters and Keefe and my parents. Jessa didn't really get to see them in the 90's and early 2000's and seemed to enjoy them, especially my pictures of the many parties Rose and her buddies had in the late 90's-early 2000's.

She dropped me off at Dad and Jodie's around 12:30. I brought my laundry along with me, so I could pick up my bike and go straight to the laundromat from there. They were busy when I arrived; I barely got a washer. Worked on notes and ignored soap operas and talk shows as the crowds cleared out. Had no trouble getting a dryer.

Packed everything away, then made a grocery list and headed out. I didn't really need much, but I did want to pick up a few things. Found canola oil and broccoli on sale and a can of diced tomatoes and a container of pineapple chunks on the clearance shelves. Dug chicken legs and shrimp out of the meat coolers. Restocked milk, yogurt, brown sugar, and plastic sandwich bags.

Not happy with my schedule at all. While I have Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday off, I don't have anything near enough hours this week. I tried to tell the head manager that I needed more, but she said they'd been cut down this week, and I'd have to hope someone would call me in.

Cheered myself up at home with writing after I got everything put away and had yogurt and pineapple for lunch. Brett confronts Ira with her gun from the lighthouse, but Charles spills the beans that she used the last bullets to get Richard down. The oily producer proceeds to admit that he went after Brett because of her separation from Jack Klugman - he thought she was vulnerable. He calls jumpy Bill a coward (who is quick to remind him that he was in Korea), then leers at Fannie and Joyce. Joyce, who just got married, does not appreciate Ira leering at her and gives him a hard kick in the shin!

Broke for a quick leftovers dinner at quarter of 7. I wanted it to be quick because today was the last Final Friday Block Party on West Clinton. It was a beautiful day for it, sunny, breezy, warm, and dry. The sun was slowly sinking over the horizon as I strolled past families and teens on their way home down the street.

The Final Friday Block Party is Oaklyn's big food truck showcase on the block of West Clinton where the shops are. It's mainly a summer thing; today is the last one of the year. It was packed when I arrived. I could barely elbow my way through the families enjoying huge sandwiches from the food trucks and "edible cookie dough" from a booth. Kids ran around, sporting intricately painted faces, while their parents listened to loud music at the end of the block. Those food trucks are still too expensive for me. I ended up with tasty strawberry cheesecake ice cream from Phillies Yummies.

Ended the night with a pleasant stroll around the neighborhood. I don't often go for a walk at twilight. Pretty soon, it'll be too dark to go for walks at 7 unless it's Christmas and the house lights are on. I went all the way down Goff Avenue to watch the lights on the Ben Franklin Bridge come on and make a wish on the first star of the evening.

Good Day Sunshine

Began the morning with early work. It was quiet for most of the day. I did clean the bathrooms, took the recycling from the front offices to the back baler, rounded up outside trash and recycling, and sweep the store, but I was mostly outside gathering carts. The carts kept disappearing, but that's because people were using them to do inventory. It was too nice to be inside anyway. The sun was out, the sky was blue, the breeze was cool, and there wasn't a bit of humidity to be seen.

Took the long way home down Nicholson Road. It couldn't have been nicer. I got off at 2, so the traffic wasn't too horrible yet. The gardens on Nicholson and the bright yellow wildflowers and goldenrod along the hill into Oaklyn glow with a dusty yellow richness that can't be found at any other time of year.

Spent the rest of the afternoon working on my almost-finished fanfic. The entire group winds up walking through the door and back into Studio 33 at Television City. Brett lets her mother's instincts take over and takes charge of the group, ordering the others to get Richard elevated on the lower desks, untie him, and clean the grotesque clown makeup off his face. Fannie cleans him off, then slaps his cheeks until he's moving. Of course, the first thing he sees on awakening is her considerable cleavage. She knows he's fine when he starts making boob jokes in a British accent.

Broke for dinner at 6. Had leftovers while watching more Resistance. Kaz and the crew are frustrated by the ship's Captain Doza rationing their electricity. He learns that Doza may be purchasing more fuel from the First Order, including red-clad Major Vonreg. He encourages a cocky racer, the aptly-named Hype Fazon, to let him up into "The High Tower," where officials and other wealthy Colossus residents live. Kaz does manage to find out what Doza and Vonreg are doing with the fuel, but now Doza suspects him to be a spy.

It was such a nice night, I went for a walk around 6:30. It was too nice to be inside all day! I was originally going to have ice cream at Phillies Yummies, but it looks like they're done on weekdays. I treated myself to a massive cinnamon bun at Common Grounds' Coffee Shop. I sat among college students and teenagers who were doing work on their laptops and ate my flaky pastry and really too-sweet cinnamon insides.

After my dessert, I went for a stroll around the neighborhood. It was gorgeous on Kendall, with the leaves waving in the breeze and the gardens bursting with marigolds and mums. I was far from the only person out and about. Parents pushed their children in strollers or accompanied younger girls on their way out of dance class. Older girls chatted around The Square Meal and Phillies Phatties. Kids rode by me on their bikes; adults chatted on porches and in gardens.

Finished the night at home, playing Super Mario All Stars. Thought I'd try something a little different tonight. Attempted the original Super Mario Bros first. I was able to take the infamous Warp Zone to Level 3, but got no further than Level 3-4. Didn't do much better with Super Mario 2. I made it to the last round of Level 1, but couldn't get past the villain.

Winds of Fall

Began the morning with breakfast, then with baking. Dove into the Hershey's 1934 Chocolate Cookbook to try Cocoa Molasses Drop Cakes. They seemed appropriately homey for a much cooler morning. They didn't make much...but what they did make were chewy, rich, and wonderfully spicy! The kitchen smelled wonderful while they were baking.

Watched Gold Diggers of 1933 while I baked. I go further into one of the three classic Busby Berkley musicals of the early 30's on my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Gold Diggers of 1933

I ran one of the three cartoons the DVD came with while getting organized and looking over a few things. "Pettin' In the Park" has a nanny and a driver kissing in his car, but a cop who was also interested in her wants to break them up quick!

Headed out to run errands as soon as the cartoon ended. First stop was the Oaklyn Library. They're already decorated for Halloween, with a black lace curtain hanging in front of the main door and cloth witches, ghosts, and ghouls everywhere. The DVDs needed a lot of work, especially the adult titles. Everything was out of place! This what happens when you're gone a week. It was otherwise quiet in there. I think I saw one other person besides the librarians and me the entire time.

Next stop was Genova's Pizza on Cuthbert Road for a quick lunch. Despite the cool, cloudy, windy day, I sat outside and enjoyed my slice of cheese and slice of mushroom pizza and can of Coke in silence. They had football on ESPN on inside, and it was kind of noisy. I enjoyed the quiet and the traffic going past on Cuthbert.

Rode down Cuthbert to the Haddon Township Library for this week's session there. They also had a lot to do. The DVD return racks were so full, I wasn't even finished with the adult titles by the time I was ready to go. Took out A Chorus Line and the 1939 animated Gulliver's Travels for review, along with the spy spoof Johnny English Reborn and the first season of the newest Star Wars animated series, Resistance.

Took the long way through Newton Lake Park on my way back to Oaklyn. It was surprisingly full for such a cool day, with a lot of mothers and their children running around in the playground, and a lot of Canadian geese grazing around for a snack. I dodged them and admired the slowly yellowing foliage and variety of wildflowers waving on the river.

Made a quick stop at Dollar General on my way home. They didn't have what I was looking for, so I just bought eggs (which are cheaper there than at the Acme) and my favorite pecan roll and moved on.

Went straight into writing when I got home. Gene distracts the demon puppets by taking over as host of the demented version of Family Feud they're stuck in and actually interviews them, allowing the others enough time to slip away from their grasping arms and tangling ropes. Once they puppets are all behind the desks, he calls a commercial and leads the others out before the puppets realize what's going on.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. I made skillet chicken cheeseburger casserole - ground chicken with orange peppers, mushrooms, onions, Worcestershire sauce, and cheddar cheese - and then decided I'd try something a little different. I picked up real apple cider from the farm market on Saturday and used a cup to make my own apple cider donuts. They fell apart a little when I pulled them out, and really weren't that apple-tasting. I may add more cider or actual apples the next time I make them.

Finished the night while I worked with the first couple of episodes of Resistance. "The Recruit" is the two-part pilot episode about how Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac) recruits hotshot young New Republic pilot  Kazuna Xiondo (Josh Brener) to get to know the residents of an aircraft refueling station and find out who's working for the First Order. He's supposed to be a mechanic working for Jarek Yeager (Scott Lawrence), but he runs off his mouth about how good of a pilot he is. He ends up in a local race, flying an ancient ship against an undefeated pilot.

"The Triple Dark" is a major storm that Neimodian Hallion Nark wants to flee before it hits. He brings his car to Yeager and pushes hard to get it done as fast as possible. This proves to be a moot point when they're attacked by pirates, and Kaz has to figure out how to save them.

Kaz isn't exactly getting along with his fellow mechanics, but it's "Fuel for the Fire" when he befriends a cocky young swoop bike racer. He thinks the kid wants to be friends, but he really has ultierior motives. Kaz eventually saves him from himself when he steals a highly experimental fuel that may become deadly in the wrong hands.

Dashing Through the Rain

Overslept and kicked off a quick morning with breakfast and my Story of Star Wars LP. Star Wars: A New Hope was so wildly popular in the late 70's, kids were clamoring for anything they could get that was Star Wars-related. For many kids, this cut-down version of the film, complete with a book with photos and the original voices, was the closest many would get to seeing it over and over until it turned up on video.

It was still sunny, hot, and humid when I got to work. Every time I tried to get the carts or returns done in the morning, I kept getting thrown in a register for someone's break or when they left. It wasn't even that busy. Thankfully, by the time the afternoon bagger arrived, more cashiers had also appeared. I spent the second half of my shift helping him with the carts outside.

Clouds had been gathering for almost an hour when I finished work at 1. Rumbles could be heard over the horizon as I dashed home down the Black Horse Pike. I was just starting to cover my bike when the first big fat raindrops started falling down. I dashed up the stairs as fast as I could before they could fall even harder.

Changed and had a quick lunch while it poured and rumbled outside - twice. Ran a pair of Three Stooges shorts while I ate and got organized. They're "Three Missing Links" when a director claims they're perfect to play natives and a gorilla in the movie he's filming in Africa. They want to tell him where he can take his film when they run afoul of real natives, gorillas, and a lion. "We Want Our Mummy" movies them northward to Egypt, where they have to find a missing professor and the mummy he was looking for to get five thousand dollars.

The weather finally calmed down enough for me to head out around 2:30. I wanted to hit the Haddon Township Library before the next round of storms. They were busy with kids and their parents trying to find something to do in the crazy weather. Their DVD return racks were piled so high, they needed another rack to hold the TV shows. There were so many, I only got the kids' titles and half of the ones for adults done before dark clouds and the lateness of the day sent me out again.

I did take out a few things for myself. Grabbed the recent releases Green Book and Bad Times at the El Royale. They had the full series set for What's New, Scooby Doo? in. There's enough episodes I haven't seen of that one to give it a shot.

It started raining again just as I rushed across the street to the Westmont Plaza. I waited under the overhanging roof at Target until it at least slowed down enough for me to start out. It was still raining, and I did still get pretty wet dodging the rush hour traffic. It didn't stop raining until I'd already walked in the door, of course. To my knowledge, it hasn't rained since then.

Tried to work on some writing after that, but I got distracted by this cool blog that talks about vintage Acme architecture. I did manage to get some in later in the evening. Vader tells Bob A Fettman and his motley collection of oddball bounty hunters that he wants them to find Leia, Harris, and Charlie...and no disintegrations. But for now, his own boss is calling him...

Had a quick leftovers dinner around 7. Started What's New, Scooby Doo? as I ate. Since I've seen a lot of episodes of this show on other sets or in re-runs, I'm going to try to only watch the ones I either haven't seen at all, or haven't seen in a long time. Kicked things off with "Space Ape at the Cape." Mystery Inc is at NASA when Velma wins a contest to see her project put on a major shuttle launch. While they're there, an alien egg seems to hatch...and puts out a nasty monster that doesn't want the shuttle launch to go forward!

Finished the night with Lego Star Wars. Finally completed "Rescue the Princess," which fully finishes New Hope except for the Super Story. Had enough time to move on to Empire Strikes Back. Got "Betrayal at Bespin" on the first try, but couldn't get through "Cloud City Trap." I'll try that and the New Hope Super Story again tomorrow.

American and Galactic Patrol

Kicked off the morning with breakfast and the "America Rock" shorts from Schoolhouse Rock. "No More Kings" and "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" covers the American Revolution. "Fireworks" is a jaunty ragtime tune about the creation of the Declaration of Independence. "The Preamble" explains the Constitution. "Elbow Room" shows how Americans expanded westward in the latter half of the 19th century. "Mother Necessity" reveals how scientists and inventors turned the wheels of the Industrial Revolution, and "The Great American Melting Pot" salutes the immigrants who filled the factories. The dynamic "Sufferin' 'Till Suffrage" discusses how women won the vote in the US after over a century of protests. "Three Ring Government" compares the US government to a typical circus. "I'm Just a Bill," which has an actual bill explaining just how long it takes for a bill to become a law, is probably the best-known of these.

"Tyrannosaurus Debt," a pointed commentary on the US debt and how it keeps growing, is from the much later "Money Rock" in the 90's but fits in with the "America Rock" shorts as well. "I'm Gonna Send Your Vote to College," which uses a spoof of college fight songs to discuss the Electoral College, was made for the DVD set I have.

Headed out for work shortly after the cartoons ended. Work was very busy for most of the day. I spent three hours outside in the heat and high humidity, rounding up carts and gathering the trash and recycling, because I was the only bagger there in the morning. Dodged the men filling pot holes in the parking lot as well as I could. Other baggers started to arrive by around quarter of 2, allowing me to switch to sweeping and doing returns. I picked the right time to go inside. Dark clouds had started gathering as early as noon. By 3 PM, we were in the middle of a noisy thunderstorm, complete with torrential rains. Thankfully, it had long finished by the time I was done.

Saw Jodie while I was doing returns. Thanks to the weather, it looks like their 4th of July party is now combined with the birthday dinner for Finley, whose birthday is today. It also sounds like they're inviting a few more people. (That doesn't surprise me.) I'll be over their house around 4:30-5 PM tomorrow.

I did need to pick up a few things after work. After the ice box cake I made two years ago was more of a mess than anything, I wasn't going to take any chances. I bought ladyfingers for the "crust" and cream cheese, strawberries, and Cool Whip for the filling. (No messing with home-made whipped cream this time.)

Charlie had a new deck leading to my apartment half-finished when I arrived. I put my bike against the fence, left him to his work, and went upstairs to change and do some writing. Leia wishes Luke would stay with her and Harris instead of rushing off to Dagobah. Luke tells her he'll learn more from a great master like Yoda. She helps him get ready to take off with the Jet Pack squad.

Broke for a quick leftovers dinner at 6:30. After I ate, I made the icebox cake. Added lemon juice to the cream cheese, Cool Whip, strawberries, and powdered sugar, then layered them over the ladyfingers to make a strawberry lemonade icebox cake. Decorated the top with blueberries and sliced strawberries in a flag pattern.

Finished out the second season of Clone Wars as I worked. Anakin is saying "R2 Come Home" when he and Mace Windu are trapped in the debris from a crashed spaceship and only his little droid can get the word out to the others. Artoo not only has to get around droid-eating gundarks, but avoid Boba Fett and Aura Sing and their crowd, who are holding the downed crew members for ransom. Ahsoka and Plo Koon find themselves on a "Lethal Trackdown" as they pursue Boba and Aura and their prisoners from the lower levels of planet-wide city Coruscant to desert planet Florrum.

I can definitely understand why this still has a huge fandom that was thrilled to hear about its return later this year. This is well-written and exciting in a way the first two Prequel films mostly weren't, with enjoyable and interesting stories, decent animation, and engaging characters. Between this and Rebels (and the mixed response to the Sequels), I'm starting to think Star Wars makes an even better TV series than a movie series. The serial format gives it more time to develop characters and bring its world to life. If  you're a fan of the Prequels or Rebels, you'll absolutely want to give this earlier series a look as well.

Moved on to Lego Pirates of the Caribbean after the cartoon ended. Finally completed "Isla Del Muerta." There was a cave just to the left of the underwater statue in the secret cave that was practically invisible. It brought me to a hidden bay, where I shot ducks and slid onto a ridge to pick up the last three pieces and finish that round...but not the game. As it turned out, I missed three of Jack's compass points. Easily found the one in "Norrington's Choice," but I'm having a harder time with the ones in "Port Royal." I'll try again tomorrow or Friday.

Charlie called while I was playing, claiming that there was a package for me around front. He'd drop it at my steps when he took his dogs for a walk. That was a surprise. I hadn't ordered anything. It was from Lauren. She and her parents apparently had an overabundance of tea, so they sent me every tea under the sun - Bentley's in a tin, Twinings, Celestial Seasonings, and various brands in a plastic container. They'd also thrown in a set of three Hershey's Kisses-themed lip glosses. I really appreciated it, especially the Bentley tin. My identical tin is scratched and dented from years of being shoved on the top shelf of my cabinets.

Finished the night with honey ginseng green tea and America the Beautiful, a 2-disc LP set of patriotic music compiled by Reader's Digest in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. I always listen to at least the first disc of this set on or around patriotic holidays. Favorites here include "This Land Is Your Land," "God Bless America," "American Patrol," the clip-clops of "The Grand Canyon Suite," and a Boston Pops concert of George M. Cohan songs that's so much fun, you can hear people singing along in the background.

Dolls on a Summer Day

Began a hazy gold morning with breakfast and Clone Wars. Duchess Satine isn't the only senator to be targeted by assassins. In "Senate Murders," Padme's dear friend Onaconda Farr of Rodia is killed by a poisoned drink after he advocates a bill in the senate that would end the creation of clones and slow the war. She and Bail Organa make their own inquiries to find out who wanted him gone.

Dressed the dolls for summer and the 4th of July after the cartoon ended. Samantha wears her sailor's middy and tam with the black stockings and black-and-white boots from her Flower-Picking Outfit. Josefina is in her original school outfit, the Indigo Skirt and Camisa. Jessa wears the red t-shirt from the original Blue Jeans Basics with a pair of shorts I bought from a craft show and Springfield collection socks and sneakers. Molly also wears a sailor-style blouse with her Camp Gowanigan shorts and baseball hat and saddle shoes. Whitney's ready to dance in the 4th of July Parade in her white dance dress with the red and blue sequins and bright red tap shoes that was originally sold at American Girl store shows. Ariel got the patriotic-themed peasant blouse Lauren sent a few years ago and Springfield Collection capris and white Swiss lace espadrilles. I left Felicity in her white and blue dress and cap. I really don't have much to change her into, and it works for the holiday.

I was going to have yogurt and a peach for lunch, but almost every peach in the bag I bought on Friday but one had begun to get too soft. I sliced them and make Peach Flummery instead. Returned to Clone Wars while I ate. Anakin plays a "Cat and Mouse" game with a notorious Separatist leader who was thought to be dead in a new ship that can turn invisible. He's supposed to be getting past the Separtist blockade and bringing supplies to the troops, but he would really rather use their new toy to break up that blockade.

"Bounty Hunters" honors Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, whose work inspired George Lucas as well as The Magnificent Seven films. Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan crash on the Seuss-like planet of Felucia after they discover that drone droids destroyed their hospital base. They end up helping a group of bounty hunters help farmers fend off pirates lead by Hondo Ohnaka.

Headed out to run errands around 1:30. First stop was the Haddon Township Library. I mainly wanted to return The Jazz Palace, which I finished this morning. Spent an hour shelving kids and adults DVDs. Both were overloaded - several didn't fit. I once again didn't take anything out. Don't know when I'll be in next week, and I still have movies I haven't watched at home.

Needed to make a few stops on my way home. Craft stores carry feather boas in all sizes. I found a sparkly purple boa at AC Moore that was just the right size for a toddler girl. Picked up a few items at Target that were cheaper there than at the Acme, including mouthwash and bandages. Realized I'd forgotten a card for Finley; ended up at a busy Dollar Tree, where I also picked up party cake ice cream sandwich for a treat.

Went into writing as soon as I got home. Rudy insists on going with Luke to Dagobah. He has a better idea of where it is than Luke and knows Yoda. He's not entirely happy that Luke is leaving the others, but Luke insists he has to complete his training, and Yoda is the only one who can do it.

Broke for dinner and more Clone Wars at 6:30. Made ground turkey and vegetable stovetop casserole for a quick dinner. We move from The Magnificent Seven to Godzilla with "The Zillo Beast." The Republic has awoken the beast from its underground slumber with a droid-destroying bomb. They have to figure out how to get past its near-indestructible skin. "The Zillo Beast Strikes Back" when they take it to Coruscant and it gets loose and ends up destroying part of the city.

The young Boba Fett is reintroduced in "Death Trap" when he joins a group of young clone cadets who are visiting the Jedi ship. Fett just wants to kill off Mace Windu, who killed his father...but he puts half the ship and the other young clones in danger when he destroys the controls.

It had been humid, hot, and sunny for most of the day. The clouds didn't move in until around dinner, and the thunder didn't arrive until I was online. The storm was brief, but it was big, very noisy and with buckets and buckets of rain. Thankfully, it doesn't seem to have done anything since.

Finished the night after a shower with 1776. I go further into this musical retelling of the creation of the Declaration of Independence at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

1776

The Jedi and the Con Men

Awoke to a gorgeous and fairly cool morning. Enjoyed breakfast while doing more Clone Wars. "Lightsaber Lost" has Ahsoka pursuing the thief who swiped hers. She's helped by kindly old Jedi master Tera Sinube, who teaches her to slow down and have patience.

It was so cool in my kitchen, I was able to make Chocolate Chip-Orange Muffins from the Hershey's 1934 Cookbook without turning my house into a sweat box. Did more Clone Wars as I worked, and then as I did the dishes and got ready for work. The next three episodes introduce Duchess Satine, Obi-Wan's love interest, and the planet of Mandalore. Satine is determined to have her eternally warring home sit this galactic conflict out. "The Mandalore Plot" has a terrorist organization known as Death Watch target her for assassination. Obi-Wan is supposed to guard her - but they had once had a relationship, and he ends up falling for her again instead.

Obi-Wan has to endure a "Voyage of Temptation" when he, Anakin, and Artoo are supposed to protect Satine on her way to Coruscant to talk to the Senate. Artoo and Anakin discover assassin droids in the cargo who attempt to murder the Duchess. Obi-Wan has to figure out who aboard is the traitor.

Headed out to work as soon as the cartoon ended and the muffins were out of the oven. Work didn't start well. Every time I tried to help the head bagger fill the carts, I'd get pulled in to return cold items or take a register. Everything calmed down after that first hour, allowing me to spend the majority of the rest of the day outside with the carts. It was a good day for it. While not as windy or cool as yesterday, it was still really beautiful, sunny and dry.

Ran into Charlie on my way in. My bike had been moved further down the fence this morning, and the bricks they used to lean on had been removed. Charlie told me he's going to finally upgrade the walkway to my apartment so that it's even and extends to front of the house. The bricks will be replaced by a small shed or patio for my bike and the bike that belongs to a friend of his. He'll be outside working on them for a couple of weeks.

Did writing when I made it upstairs and changed. Harris admits to Leia and Rieekian via walkie-talkie that their location has likely been compromised. Leia says they'll have to evacuate. Harris is more interested in grabbing his stuff and leaving, or so he claims...

Broke at 6 for leftovers for dinner and Clone Wars. The "Duchess of Mandalore" herself is the one in trouble when they do finally make it to Coruscant. A senator is murdered giving her information on Death Watch's plot to encourage the Republic to establish a military presence there, overthrowing her peaceful government.

Moved on to Lego Pirates of the Caribbean after dinner. Finally found those last two pieces in "Tortuga." They were actually on a separate island you have to take a boat over to that's behind the main area. "Isla Del Muerta" is a lot more complicated. There's two secret areas, one underwater, that requires a lot of back and forth. It took me over 40 minutes, and I still missed three pieces.

Finished the night with The Sting.  This Oscar-winning caper comedy takes us to Chicago during the height of the Great Depression. Young con man Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) is looking for revenge against mob boss Doyle Lonnigan (Robert Shaw), who had his partner murdered. He looks up Chicago grifter Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman), who agrees to help him. Aided by Henry's girlfriend Billie (Eileen Brennan) and a group of experienced cons, they create a phony betting parlor and draw Doyle in. Meanwhile, cop Snyder (Charles Durning) pursues Hooker, lead by FBI Agent Polk (Dana Elcar).

One of the best comedies ever made. A terrific cast of character actors back a top-of-their-game Newman and Redford as they navigate through the twists and turns of the delightfully complicated plot. The Marvin Hamlisch ragtime score might be anachronistic, but it's so catchy you can overlook that. Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" became a top 10 hit more than 70 years after it was written, and you can't hear it and not think of this film. If you're a fan of Newman, Redford, caper comedies, or Joplin, this is absolutely recommended.

Bear-ing the Heat

Kicked off a hazy, sunny morning with a quick breakfast and more Clone Wars. "Legacy of Terror" gets a little freaky when Luminara Unduli is captured while trying to find Geonosian leader Poggle the Lesser. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and their clones have to brave a cave full of Geonosian zombies to rescue her and bring Poggle to trial.

Headed off to work shortly after the episode ended. It wasn't fun. I spent a lot of the day in the register, including the last two hours. There were two call outs, and a cashier quit. Most people at least seemed to be in decent moods. When I did manage to get out to do carts, it was humid, hazy, and murderously hot, in the lower-mid 90's. The carts kept vanishing all day. Even with help, I couldn't keep up with them.

Thankfully, it slowed down enough by 4 that I was able to leave a few minutes early. Dark clouds were gathering on the horizon, even as I dashed home on my bike. I'd been home for about 20 minutes when those clouds finally burst, resulting in a rather noisy little thunderstorm. (To my knowledge, it hasn't done anything since.)

Spent the next few hours writing. Vedder recognizes Patricia, and she him...but he's still hurt by what he felt was her betrayal, and she can't understand why he's still with Palpatine. She addresses him by his real name, but he chooses not to acknowledge her and leaves instead.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Made chicken stir fry with yellow squash, snap peas, mushrooms, and onion with the last of the leftover chicken cutlets over brown rice while continuing Clone Wars. "Brain Invaders" also veers off into horror territory. Ahsoka, Barris, and their clones are supposed to be delivering supplies to Tatoonie, but they don't realize they also have an unwelcome visitor - a worn that enters the heads of humans and controls them. Ahsoka has to dodge murderous clones who are under their commands...but things really get chilly when Barris falls under their sway, too.

"Grievous Intrigue" kicks off with the nasty cyborg kidnapping Jedi Council member Eeth Toth. Jedi master Adi Galla joins Anakin to try to save him, while Obi-Wan lures Grievous out of hiding and acts as a distraction.

Disc 2 ends with "The Deserter." Obi-Wan and his clone soldiers Cody and Rex follow Grievous to the near-by planet Saluecami, hoping to sniff him out. Rex is shot by a sniper and recovers with a fellow clone who deserted his ranks, married a Tw'lek woman, and helps her raise her kids on a farm. But Grievous might be closer than they suspect...

Moved on to Lego Pirates of the Caribbean after dinner. Only had time to get through "Queen Anne's Revenge" tonight. It took me long enough to figure out how to get past Blackbeard and into the final two rooms. Turns out you need to use Blackbeard to do it - apparently, Blackbeard has enough sense not to attack himself. Blackbeard has to open a closet in the first room; the second one requires finding a jewel and putting it in the right panel. At any rate, I've now totally completed "Queen Anne's Revenge" and need only one more piece to finish out Stranger Tides.

Finished out the night with Hey There, It's Yogi Bear! I go into further details on Yogi's first big-screen adventure at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!

The Heat Is On

Started off a bright, sunny morning by finishing Corpse at the Crystal Palace, then going straight into breakfast while finishing the first season of Clone Wars. Mace Windu fights for "Liberty at Ryloth" when he convinces heroic Twi'lek freedom fighter Chaim Syllendula to join them in taking down Separatist leader Wat Tambor.

Anakin is involved in a "Hostage Crisis" when he goes to visit his secret wife Padme at the Senate Building and she and her fellow senators, including Bail Organa, are held by bounty hunters in order to force Palpatine to release gangster Ziro the Hutt. Anakin has to figure out how to save him without his lightsaber, which he loaned to Padme.

Between this and Rebels, I'm wondering if the Prequels should have been a TV series all along. Both are largely better-written than the majority of the films, and the characters are far more fleshed-out. You really get a sense of Obi-Wan and Anakin's friendship here, and I adore feisty Ahsoka. The animation is far more detailed and attractive than the slightly stiff CGI seen in the Clone Wars movie.

While you can see this without having seen the Clone Wars animated film, a working knowledge of the Star Wars Universe, especially Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, is necessary to understand most of what goes on here. If you're already a fan of the Prequels in particular or Star Wars in general and you want more, you'll want to see if you can track this show down. (There will apparently be one last season coming out this fall on Disney's new streaming service.)

Called Mom as "Hostage Crisis" was winding down. Rose mentioning her on Sunday made me realize I hadn't talked to her in ages. She's not very happy about moving to Anny's old house. The yard is too big for her to take care of on her own, and like every other house in Cape May County, it's overpriced and too expensive. What she really wants to do is move down to Virginia with my brother Keefe in a few years after he gets married and buys a house. It doesn't help that she's not getting along with my sister Anny again and doesn't have her support in moving. Like me, Mom is an extreme introvert who lacks a wide group of friends to help her out when things go wrong.

Made my way out the door as soon as Mom went to tackle her current yard. First stop was the Oaklyn Library. They were a little busier than usual, with a few people on the computer dodging the heat. I gave the DVDs in both areas a look and shelved a few children's books.

Made a quick stop at WaWa for money, then went to Genova Pizza on Cuthbert Road for lunch. They now have the cheapest pizza in the area. A slice of broccoli, a slice of cheese, and a can of Coke only cost me a little over $4. I enjoyed my meal outside on their shaded patio, enjoying the soft breeze and listening to two older men chat with the cooks.

Next stop was the Haddon Township Library. While a magic show in one of the conference rooms kept kids amused, there wasn't a whole lot to do with shelving items. For once, I had no trouble putting away the kids' DVDs. Everyone must have taken out movies to amuse their kids once they got out of school. The adults' titles were the opposite. I could barely fit them on the shelves and only got half of them. I had even less luck with the TV shows. They really need to put them somewhere else, or get more spinning racks. They don't begin to fit in what they currently have. I considered taking out books, but couldn't find anything I liked and eventually moved on. (No DVDs, either. I have no idea when I'll be in next to return them.)

Stopped at Tuesday Morning and Target after leaving the library. Mom mentioned that Finley is really into playing dress-up now. I was hoping to find her a boa or little play ballet slippers or a tutu. No luck at either place. The tutu play outfits at Tuesday Morning and princess costumes at Target were way too big for Finley, and she's still too young for the kids' costume jewelry. I did finally manage to be bandage wraps I could afford at Target, though.

Today was lovely, sunny and dry,  not a cloud in the sky...and in the lower 90's and climbing. I was so hot, I stopped at Cabana's on the way home and bought a black cherry/vanilla gelati. Enjoyed on their patio, where they sell mums in the fall, Christmas trees in December, and football merchandise during their season.

As soon as I finally got home, I went straight into writing. Luke remembers nothing after passing out until he awakens in the room he shares with Han, Leia, and Chewbacca the dog at the ski lodge. Everyone's there, including Chewie, who lavishes Luke with slurpy doggie kisses. Charlie and Rudy praise how well he's recovered. Harris is more interested in needling Leia about their non-existent relationship. He finally annoys her enough to kiss Luke before she takes off.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had leftovers while watching one of the more recent episodes of Rick Steves' Europe Linda sent me for my birthday. Rick spends his early summer exploring Italy's rugged Cinq Terre area on the Italian Riviera. It's a line of five towns, four of them on the Mediterranean, that are touristy but less glamorous and fancy than their French counterparts. I think I prefer these, with their laid-back atmosphere and lovely little fishing towns.

Played a little Lego Pirates of the Caribbean after dinner.  I'm getting closer to being done. Finished "The Bretheren Court," "The Kraken, and "Singapore." I have all the extras and True Pirate statuses. I just need to get the minikits and compass points.

Finished the night with Meatballs after a shower. The counselors-in-training of Camp North Star is gearing up for a fun summer of stealing air conditioners, playing pranks on the camp's owners, and occasionally playing against their snobbish rich rivals across the lake at Camp Mohawk. Tripper (Bill Murray) is the head counselor who lives to wisecrack, break rules, and chase the head female counselor (Kate Lynch). He makes friends with a camper named Rudy who feels neglected (Chris Makepeace) and spends his mornings jogging with him and his evenings playing cards. The jogging comes in handy when they play Camp Mohawk in a three-day Olympiad, and Rudy is the only one who can run the all-important marathon.

This is extremely 1979 (check out the tube socks, short-shorts, and Afros on everyone) and hasn't always dated well (Tripper's assault on the female counselor early-on would probably be considered harassment today), but is still pretty funny, especially if you're a fan of Murray or went to summer camp yourself.                                                                                   

We're Having a Heat Wave

Kicked off a partly cloudy morning with breakfast and more Clone Wars. Finished off "Blue Shadow Virus," then moved on to working on my new Facebook page. The problem is, ads on the page cost money...money I don't have at the moment. Inviting people off my friends list worked out better. I took a brief look at my neglected Instagram feed, but I think I'll go further into that tomorrow.

Broke for a quick lunch around 12:15. Anakin and Obi-Wan must solve the "Mystery of a Thousand Moons" when Padme, Ahsoka, and the clone troopers are infected with the Blue Shadow Virus from the previous episode. The only known antidote is on the mysterious planet Iego. On arrival, they convince a young boy who has reprogrammed battle droids to serve him to help them find the antidote and find out what the electrical lasers are keeping people from leaving the planet.

Headed out after I finished eating. First stop of the day was Target. My inner elbow and at least one finger are feeling really sore. I was hoping to find affordable wraps or bandages, but they were out of the cheaper bandages and had no elbow or finger wraps. I just moved on quickly. Stopped at the CVS in Haddonfield when I got in there, but I didn't like their prices.

I got out of CVS with plenty of time to head a few blocks down to counseling. I'm mostly feeling much better about things. I think jumping right into job hunting with the Upwork and the proposals might have been too far of a leap for me. I'm going to ease into social media and see if I can let people get to know me and my work before I go for jobs that require pitching myself. This is a much easier and less nerve-wracking way of putting myself out there. I'm glad Jodie and Dad were able to open the pool and that Mom finally found a new home.

Work is the only problem. I'm tired of getting thrown into the register with barely any warning, or given four different orders at once by five different managers. If I'm such a wonderful cashier, why did they take me off cashiering? And there has to be a way for them to improve their communication so they know who is doing what.

Made my way down Haddon Avenue after I finished with Mrs. Stahl. It was hot and humid (88 degrees, according to the digital sign at the Westmont Fire Department), and the sun was in and out. I badly needed water ice. Needless to say, they were very busy with families feeling the same way when I arrived. I quickly ordered a small chocolate peanut butter water ice and ate it on a metal bench outside.

Stopped at the Westmont Acme on the way home. They did have bandages, but I didn't like the prices, and there were no elbow wraps. I just bought a Gatorade (they're on sale this week for 88 cents) and a Kind fruit and nut bar (had an online coupon) and moved on.

Newton Lake Park is gorgeous at this time of year, all lush and emerald green. I avoided the afternoon crowds by taking my bike over the hill and past the Haddon Township Environmental Center and Historical Society and into Oaklyn. It was rush hour by then; took me a while to dodge all the traffic on the White Horse Pike.

Went straight into writing when I got home. Luke hears what appears to be Ben's ghost repeating his words from the previous story about Luke going to see Yoda Yemada in the Dagobah district. Harris doesn't see or hear any of it. He only knows he has to get his friend into a tent quickly, as the snowmobile he brought along can only fit one and won't work well in the extreme cold.

Had dinner around 6. Pan-fried apple sausage, then made a summer vegetable pasta salad with broccoli, tomatoes, cucumber, sliced onion tops, and cubed cheddar cheese mixed into tri-color pasta. Oh, yum! It came out nicely. I imagine it'll be even better in the next few days as the flavors have the chance to marinate.

Returned to Clone Wars as I ate. "Storm Over Ryloth" and "Innocents of Ryloth" revolves around the Jedi and clones' attempts to drive the Separtists from the title planet, home of the Twi'leks. "Storm" has Ahsoka learning a lesson in perseverance when she loses most of her squadron after making a hasty decision. Anakin realizes that she's upset and convinces her to help him with an even riskier maneuver that could break the Separtist blockade around the planet. Obi-Wan and his clones help "Innocents" as they march into a droid-controlled town to destroy their weapons. A sweet orphan girl who befriends the clones teaches them a sad lesson about the true cost of war.

Played Lego Pirates of the Caribbean after dinner. Tried Tortuga again, but I can't figure out how to get the last two pieces. Had more luck with "Pelegoso." Once you get more characters (including Blackbeard), you can open up more areas...including a lot of shortcuts that make that long and complicated round far easier to deal with. I completed that one, all pieces and compass points.

Finished tonight with The Music Man. I cover the original 1962 film version with Robert Preston and Shirley Jones at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

The Music Man (1962)