Food and History

Kicked off a sort-of-cloudy morning with breakfast and Blockbusters. The champ made short work of that sister team, but still couldn't make it through the Gold Run bonus round. He was having less luck with another pair when the show ended.

Switched back to My Little Pony while making chocolate chip cookies. The babies are frightened by a spirit they think is "The Ghost of Paradise Estate." It's really a bird-like shapeshifter who was sent by an evil squid creature to find a magical stone that'll restore his watery home and allow him to once more be in charge of Dream Valley. She doesn't want to do it, but the creature's holding her grandfather hostage. Megan, her siblings, and the Ponies do their best to help her find the pieces and stop the evil squid.

Returned briefly to Buzzr for Match Game '75 while pulling out the cookies, then got organized and headed out. I really just needed to do laundry. At least the laundromat wasn't busy when I got in, and I really only had a small load anyway. Worked on story notes while the laundry was in the washer, then treated myself to the new Mountain Dew Major Melon (watermelon-flavored) and a soft pretzel from WaWa. At least the weather wasn't bad. While it continues to be off-and-on cloudy, it was neither as cold, nor as windy as yesterday.

Let Super Password go in the background as I put away my laundry when I got home. Jo Ann Worley and Jack Jones were the celebrity word-guessers here. Jo Ann got her contestant to the Super Password bonus round, but they struck out there and in the Ca$shword mini-game. I also set up the Susan Branch calendar I ordered off Amazon. 

Finished organizing Dad and Uncle Ken's photos while half-watching Buzzr. Sweet Juliet Mills and her husband Michael Miklenda were the big winners on Tattletales, over George Hamilton and his smart wife Alania and Peter Haskell and his tough wife Cricket. The Whammies flew fast and furious during the second half of Press Your Luck. The champ managed to avoid most of them and picked up a Denver vacation, among other prizes. 

Made a few more good finds as I finished going through the bin. My favorite was a vintage cookbook, The College Cookery, from Burlington County College. I'm guessing it's from between 1965 and 1985, from the simple plastic binder design and sepia-toned print. I have no clue why Uncle Ken had that in the bin. I saw no familiar names among those who contributed recipes, and I'm pretty sure neither he nor Dad attended Burlington County College. Some of the recipes looked pretty decent, though. It was the only thing I kept for myself. Put everything else back in the box. I'll call or text my sisters and cousins later this weekend or next week and see what they say about it. 

Worked on writing after I dropped the bin in the den next to my entrance. Richard finally leads past a couple of sailors who try to feel up the ladies and down into the hold. Goodson taunts a very-much-alive Jack Nartz about the loss of his ship The Concentration and tries to persuade him to reveal the location of his buried treasure. Jack refuses - he intends the treasure for his family and crew. 

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Tried a recipe for "One-Pot-Spaghetti" from Uncle Ken's cookbook while I watched Match Game '74. It was pasta, tomato sauce, and water cooked with sautéed onions and ground beef in oil. I made it olive oil and added a little white cooking wine along with dried parsley. Oh, yum. Whomever complied this book knew what they were doing. Tasty and savory.

Gene literally rolled into Match Game, leaving Richard to joke about him falling down drunk. (Which wasn't true. Neither Gene nor Richard were drinkers.) Meanwhile, Scoey Mitchilll, who was notorious for never matching the contestant, actually got his first two matches towards the end. Bob Barker turned up in Match Game PM, but it was Charles who had to try to help the contestant win 20,000 in the end.

Sale of the Century was a nail-biter tonight. The ladies were neck-and-neck, buying no Instant Bargains or Cash. The one guy was behind almost the entire game, until he picked up a number card on the Fame Game that caught him up in a hurry. In the end, the other lady beat the champ by one question in the Speed Round. She didn't do any better on the Bonus Round, though.

Finished the night on Pluto TV with Lost Horizon. I go further into this long and peculiar epic 1973 musical at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Cult Flops - Lost Horizon (1973)

Mall Madness

Got a fast start on a beautiful morning with a quick breakfast and two Danger Mouse shorts from the 5th season. "The Long Lost Crown Affair" takes DM and Penfold into the heart of the jungle to find a crown that once belonged to a jungle king who loved practical jokes. They're saying "By George, It's a Dragon!" when they have to figure out why one of the mythical lizards are wrecking havoc in Wales.

Rushed out the door around 10:30. Ran into my first check of the day when I got to the White Horse Pike. I usually park my bike at the fence behind the Camden Restaurant Supply Store when I catch the bus to the Cherry Hill Mall. I discovered when I pulled up that the building...wasn't there anymore. It looks like it's in the midst of being demolished. Most of it is on the ground. The fences are still there, but it was no place to put a bike. I was still figuring out what to do when the bus came by.

No matter. I rode over the train bridge and down Nicholson Road to Applebee's for an early lunch, leaving my bike at the Acme bike rack. I figured this was as good a time as any to use that gift card Mark gave me. They'd only been open for 20 minutes when I arrived, and there were maybe two other people there. I had a Chipolte chicken wrap and their tasty French onion soup for a nice, quiet lunch. They even have this new system where you can pay with a credit or gift card right at the table (via the monitors used for their trivia games). I was in and out in less than a half-hour.

Finally picked up the bus on Nicholson Road at noon, about a block from the entrance to the Audubon Crossings Shopping Center. The bus wasn't full when I got on, and only one other person went all the way to the Cherry Hill Mall. No traffic whatsoever, either, not even in Westmont or Cherry Hill.

Decided to take the long way around the Mall building and past their parking structure when I arrived. It was too nice of a day to spend the whole time inside. Except for a few puddles, you'd never know it poured yesterday. The sky was blue, the sun was out, and it was a bit warmer than it has been, probably in the lower 50's. Even a stiff wind couldn't dampen my spirits.

Took the elevator up to the bridge and headed over to Target to use the last of those gift cards Mom gave me. While I still couldn't find snow boots or a robe, I did find the perfect hand-held mixer. It's a Hamilton Beach with three attachments and a case to hold them...and it's 20 dollars cheaper than the Kitchen Aid with most of the same abilities. (There was a spot for it at the Westmont Target, but they were out.)

Made a few other good finds as well. Browsing the remains of the Christmas section turned up an adorable plush BB8 ornament, a small box of Christmas-themed Jelly Bellys, and a plaid flannel nightgown sized for 18 inch dolls. I never would have thought to look for doll clothes in the seasonal aisle! I'll have to remember that. Didn't see any Our Generation outfits I liked, but I did dig up a small Porg clip on clearance. Also picked up the soundtrack for Mary Poppins Returns and The Monkees Christmas Party, their first holiday album.

The Cherry Hill Mall was a mob scene when I returned. People were jammed elbow-to-elbow pretty much everywhere you turned. I couldn't squeeze into Build-a-Bear. Saw nothing of interest at Game Stop or the toy store that replaced Jay Street Video Games. Looked for a robe and snow boots at JC Penney, but found nothing I liked. Didn't see any boots I liked or could afford at Famous Footwear or Payless, either. Old Navy was so busy, the line literally went across the store. Dairy Queen had been replaced by a pricier Haagen Daas; ended up getting a cherry frozen lemonade at Aunt Annie's instead.

I did manage to pick up one thing I needed. As at the Deptford Mall last year, there was a booth in the center of the mall selling calendars. I normally buy a folk-art or animal-themed one for the hall near the living area, but I couldn't resist Vader's Little Princess. It's a collection of images from the satirical kids books that depict what might have happened if Vader had raised Leia and Luke as a single Sith dad, and it was too cute not to buy.

By the time I got out of the Mall, I was pooped. Thank goodness the bus was right on time. Once again, there were no problems on the road, despite it being rush hour. They dropped me off in Audubon across from the shopping center entrance around quarter of 4.

Since I was parked at the Acme anyway, I figured I might as well get my grocery shopping done. I mainly needed fruit and vegetables, anyway. Restocked yogurt, bananas, and cranberries. Grabbed a bag of stir-fry vegetables and decided I'd make chicken stir-fry sometime next week. Needed ham, a red potato, and an onion for my New Year's Eve dinner. Raided the clearance shelves to pick up Planters' pumpkin-spice almonds and the Acme's generic pumpkin Cheerios and pumpkin-cheesecake cookies. Pears were on a really good sale, but I still had apples at home, so I settled for three.

There was a box waiting for me when I got in. I used part of one of the Target cards to pick up the second half of the redubbed Sailor Moon S (season three) series and a double-bill of the original Diana Ross The Wiz and The Wiz Live from a few years ago. The latter two will probably turn up next month on my blog for Martin Luther King Jr. Day or the month after for Black History Month, but I couldn't wait for the rest of the Sailor Moon episodes. Minako is jealous that all the other girls have had their pure hearts taken. Her desperate attempts to prove she's worthy of pure heart leads to "The Shocking Moment: Everyone's Identities Revealed," including that of the mysterious Sailors Uranus and Neptune.

Worked on writing for a bit after I got everything put away. The witch makes every rose bush in her garden vanish to keep Leia from remembering about Luke and her mission. When she does awaken Leia from her trance, she can barely remember her own name. The witch tells her that she's her adopted child, and Han is her beloved dog.

Broke for dinner at 7. My Applebee's lunch had filled me up so much, I was only up to a Mocha Banana Smoothie. Did two more Sailor Moon episodes while I prepared my treat. Haruka and Michiru steal Usagi's transformation broach to keep her from following them. Alas, it turns out to be a trap that results in "The Death of Uranus and Neptune: The Talismans Appear." The discoveries of the talisman's eventually lead to "The Holy Grail's Mystical Power: Moon's Double Transformation" and the end of Eudial's run as head of the Witches 5.

Finished out the night with Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 after a shower. I go into further detail on Disney's most unique animated features at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Fantasia and Fantasia 2000

Winter Was Warm

The torrential rain from last night had stopped by the time I woke up this morning. It started up again while I was making breakfast and watching Frosty the Snowman in honor of this being the first day of winter. Frosty comes to life when a magic hat that a magician threw away ends up on his head. The kids are delighted, but the magician wants the hat back now that he knows it really works. Karen, one of the kids, and Hocus Pocus the rabbit evade the magician and help take Frosty up north so he won't melt.

Went right into Frosty's Winter Wonderland while doing dishes and calling my dad for a ride to work. In this sequel, Frosty's happy to see the kids again, but he gets lonely when they're not around. They make him a snow wife to keep him company, but can't figure out how to make her "all livin'." Meanwhile, a jealous Jack Frost will do anything to make sure that he's the only beloved winter character.

Put on The Snowman while I got ready for work. We head to England for the tale of a little boy who builds a snowman that comes to life on Christmas Eve. He shows his frosty friend his house and his family's motorcycle. His friend in turn takes him on a gorgeous flight to the North Pole to meet Santa and other snow people having a holiday party.

Dad picked me up around 10. It was still raining at that point, but the wind was gone, and the rain was down to a steady shower. I didn't really work until 11, but I wanted to leave early in order to hit the Audubon post office and send out Mom and Anny's packages. As it turned out, the line at the post office was only slightly longer than the one in Oaklyn earlier this week, and it moved fast. I was in and out in less than ten minutes.

I got out so fast, I decided to check out a few stores. I didn't find anything at Goodwill this time, but I did go back and get that Star Wars calendar I looked at last week when I was Christmas shopping. The line at Five Below was slightly longer than the one at the post office, but it moved just as quickly.

The rain was slowing down and the sun was struggling to peek between clouds as I strolled across the parking lot and behind the mall to the Acme. We had our Employee Luncheon today. The other reason I wanted to come early was to bring the cookies I made for the party. I wasn't the only one who donated food, either. I saw baked ziti, roast beef and au jus gravy and rolls for roast beef sandwiches, hoagies from the deli, macaroni and cheese, baked spinach dip, plastic buckets of cooked and spiced shrimp, Buffalo cheese and chicken dip, and meatballs in sauce.

Along with my cookies, dessert included sugar cookies and carrot and chocolate cakes brought by one of the deli ladies, a huge pound cake, a cheesecake that vanished quickly, a loaf of cranberry bread, a box of Dunkin' Donuts, and baskets of candy canes and Hershey's Miniatures. I had a hoagie, the spinach dip, and the ziti for lunch, the pound cake, the carrot cake, and two sugar cookies for lunch, and a doughnut and some shrimp for a snack.

My favorite by far was the spinach dip. Yum! It was perfect, creamy and just earthy and savory enough. Who needs chips? I ate it with a fork.

Finished doing the candy when I came in, then spent most of the rest of the day putting away loose items. I did get stuck in the register twice when we got busy. It wasn't really as bad as I thought it would be. We were on-and-off steady the entire afternoon. I thought it would be a lot worse on the Friday before Christmas.

I'm thrilled with my schedule next week, especially compared to last year on Christmas week. Slightly more hours, Christmas Day, Thursday, and next Saturday off...and perfectly normal mid-morning hours on Sunday and Christmas Eve. Not only will I be able to get a lot done, but I'll actually be able to make it to Dad and Jodie's party on Christmas Eve without rushing this time. (Evidently, the Acme learned their lesson after the mess last year on Christmas weekend and hired a LOT more holiday help.)

By the time Dad picked me up, the rain was long gone. It had even been sunny when I helped a nice lady who broke her ankle out to her car. Clouds had moved in again sometime after that, but they were just hanging around and making everything warm and damp. To my knowledge, it hasn't rained since this morning. Saw a card to me from Mom in the mailbox when Dad dropped me off. It said "Do Not Open Until Christmas" - so that one is going to have to wait for next week.

Spent the next few hours writing. Gerda explains to Leia and Luke about how Norweden calls snow the "white bees" that gather the frosty "nectar" that creates their crystals. She also warns them about the Summer Witch, who lives in her own garden out in the country. Most of the locals fear her, thinking she'll drain their minds or turn them into animals, but Gerda assures them that she's just lonely.

Broke for a very fast leftovers dinner at 7. Went right into It's a Wonderful Life while I ate. George Bailey (James Stewart) thinks that life has passed him by. He's lived in the same small town all his life, working in his father's building and loan, building houses for the townspeople and giving them somewhere to go so they won't have to rely on nasty old Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore). One Christmas Eve right after World War II, his Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) loses $8,000 that his business desperately needs. He prays for guidance...which arrives in the form of the sweet-natured angel Clarence (Henry Travers). Clarence shows George what the town where he lives and all it's citizens would have been like if he'd never been born. Mr. Potter literally owns the town, and no one knows him, not even his beloved wife Mary (Donna Reed). He finally starts to realize what a wonderful life he has...and how much his family and friends mean to him.

One of my favorite Christmas movies. I love the cast of beloved character actors having fun playing the citizens of Bedford Falls. Special kudos to Beluah Bondi as George's mother, Lillian Randolph as the Bailey family's hilarious maid Annie, and Travers as the nicest second-class angel who ever came from the heavens. Some of the pro-small-town sentiment might not work with everyone nowadays, but if you love warm, comforting dramas or are a fan of Stewart or the cast, this might be your cup of Christmas tea, too.

The final episode of Tiny Toon Adventures, "It's a Wonderful Tiny Toon Christmas Special," is a very funny spoof of Wonderful Life. There's even a bit of black-and-white "footage" from the film included. Buster is upset when he's pulled from directing the Toons' big holiday show and replaced by Montana Max. He's going to jump out of the film when he's stopped by a rabbit named Harvey with a familiar-sounding voice who shows him what it would have been like if he'd never been on the show.

Finished the night with the first Happy Days Christmas episode from the second season. "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas?" Fonzie, who keeps insisting that he has a big party to go to for Christmas. Richie believes otherwise and invites him over to share the Cunninghams' holiday. Mr. Cunningham is adamant at first that Christmas Eve is to reserved for family only...until Fonzie helps them fix their Santa Claus and their lights and shows them how much fun it can be to share Christmas with someone who is alone for the holiday.

New Year's On Parade

Happy New Year! I ended 2014 with Whipped Nog Syllabub (which turned out to be delicious - I'll have to use eggnog all the time) and fireworks over the creek. There weren't as many fireworks as usual, though. I guess a lot of people thought it was too cold to be outside, setting things off.

I stayed up with Lauren until past 3:30. When I finally got up, it was nearly 10:30 AM! I read a few New Year's short stories from Collier's Book of Holidays, then wrote my first journal entry of the year. As soon as I got up, I got dressed, put on my coat, and hurried out. I was at The Pop Shop by quarter of noon.

The Pop Shop was bedlam. It was a lot busier than the last few times I went to breakfast on New Year's there. The decorations were glittery magenta-and-lime-green ornaments and vintage-looking hangings, with snowflakes everywhere. Almost every table and counter seat was taken. I was lucky to get a table. Less than 20 minutes after I was sitting down and sipping rich, smooth hot chocolate, the line was almost out the door. The Pop Shop is extremely popular with families and college students, and I don't think there were too many other places in Collingswood open.

I ended up with a Bananas Foster Waffle to go with my hot chocolate. It was just ok. The waffle was a little dry and tough around the edges. The "bananas foster" was supposed to be a caramel banana sauce, but it was more like banana-caramel goop. Still tasted pretty good, though I probably won't order it again.

It was a gorgeous day for a second trip into Philly. The sun was shining, and though it was windy, it wasn't quite as cold as it had been yesterday, probably in the upper 30s-lower 40s. I joined a crowd of families and college kids taking a mostly-full PATCO train into Philadelphia to see the Mummers' Parade.

I got off at 12th Street. After getting a little turned around, I finally made my way to the Avenue of the Arts. I walked up and down the street for about an hour. It was 12:30 by the time I made it into Philly. The Mummers' Parade was winding down. The "Funny Groups" based around current topics were long gone, but I could still see the costumed string bands. I saw a group of huntsmen in checked flannel shirts and beards, a military group in ruffled green camouflage who were honoring veterans, a group of mimes in striped shirts and berets, a huge "Frog University" crowd in red and white, a smaller group in blue and yellow pinafores, and a Notre Dame group in gold, black, and white fleur di lis.

I walked from Locust to Pine and the Kimmel Center. It wasn't nearly so busy down there. I loved seeing the college crowds and hearing their chatter. Most of the people down there seemed to be standing on the balcony of the Kimmel! Most of the groups hadn't made it down there yet, so I braved the heavy crowds around the Doubletree Hotel to make it back down to City Hall. I watched the groups there for a while before heading through City Hall and down Market to the Gallery Mall.

I wanted to give the closing Gallery Mall FYE a second look. It goes without saying that they were really busy, given the sales. I took advantage of the 40 % off all DVDs and CDs to get two recently released items I'd been looking for, the TV musical soundtrack Bombshell (I fell in love with the Haddon Township Library's copy a few months ago) and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Also picked up the Disney Hercules (one of the few Disney movies I like that I didn't have) and the Broadway musical The Drowsy Chaperone (I've been trying to get that one for a good price since it came out) used.

My last stop in Philly was at Books-A-Million. Ironically, not only did they have the third and fourth Ever After High titles, but now they had the first and second, which they hadn't on Monday. I bought the remaining two stories, A Wonderlandiful World and the short story collection, along with a 2015 calender from artist Susan Branch.

The PATCO going home was the same as the one going there, relatively full but not jam-packed. I guess a lot of people opted to stay in Philly and continue their celebration. I decided that, after a long couple of weeks, I wasn't up to it. I rode straight home instead.

After I got home, I set up this year's calenders. The Susan Branch went in the hallway. That's the one I use to keep dates for appointments, like counseling. The smaller Dora the Explorer calender went in my bedroom. I use more cutesy, character-themed calenders in my bedroom to keep track of the date for journal-writing, and just to brighten the wall behind my bed.

Went right in the bath after that. Ahhhh. That felt so nice. I settled back, listened to the Marsalises play music from the Peanuts specials (and their own compositions based after Peanuts music), and read The Storybook of Legends and The Unfairest of All. Ever After High has me thinking a lot about destiny. The story line has it that Raven Queen, the daughter of the Evil Queen from Snow White, is really a sweet kid who has no desire to poison anyone. She refuses to sign the book that would seal her destiny. Some of the kids are thrilled, either ones who don't want to follow their destiny, or those like Raven's friend Madeline Hatter, the nutty daughter of the Mad Hatter, who like their destinies but think people should have a choice. Others, like Apple White, the daughter of Snow White, are devastated. Their destinies are the safe path, the thing they're supposed to follow. If they don't follow their destinies, what will happen to them and their stories?

On one hand, I totally agree with Raven and her decision. Beyond the fact that Snow White was never my favorite fairy tale, I think people should be able to do what they want with their lives. What if the daughter of Little Red Riding Hood wants to run with the wolves, or the daughter of the Candy Witch from Hansel and Gretel would rather bake gingerbread than kids, or if Goldilocks was a princess? Hollywood's been re-writing these stories for years, anyway. Stories evolve by being retold and re-written. That's how life works.

On the other hand, I can also see Apple's point. Some people do train all their lives for certain jobs or paths. What happens when people they counted on don't want to follow with them? What happens when people who only know one way are suddenly told they have to change? Should they change? How?

It's been on my mind a lot lately. There's been a great deal of change, in my world and in the world in general. Change is hard, but sometimes, it needs to happen. On the other hand, it's tough when you're not prepared. I want badly to get out of the Acme and do what I want, but I don't know how to break out of my shell and do it. Working the same job for 14 years is the safe path. It's one that I hate and is making me crazy, but its safe. But what happens when safe doesn't necessarily mean happy? What about all the people around you?

I think that's why Ever After High is the only current doll line besides American Girl's historical characters that's sparked my interest. Unlike Bratz or Monster High, or even Barbie's perpetual princesses and careers, these characters have genuine back stories and a really interesting, well-developed plot behind them. They're not just fancy outfits and goofy puns - the story gives you a lot to think about.

Heading Towards The New Year

Not a terribly exciting day. Picked up my paycheck and did my weekly grocery shopping in the morning. Also picked up another Hello Kitty DVD at the Acme, this one devoted to spoofs of adventure-oriented stories. "Peter Penguin" (a take on "Peter Pan") and "Tar-Sam Of the Jungle" were the most fun this time around, but most kids probably won't get "Crocodile Penguin" unless they have parents who are fans of 80s movies or 80s wrestling (as the episode makes fun of both).

I also picked up this year's kids' calender. I bought a Strawberry Shortcake calender last year when I thought I wouldn't get the retro-oriented calenders I usually receive for Christmas. I did get a calender (retro Coke ads), so Strawberry went in my room across from my bed instead. I'm glad she did. I always felt better seeing her cheery face every morning. I liked it so much, I decided to get another kid-oriented calender for my room for 2008. I couldn't find Strawberry, so I went with the Disney Pooh and his pals.

This evening, after dinner, I experimented with my first Coconut Macaroons. I had more than half a bag of coconut left from the Cherry Coconut Bars I made for Christmas, so I thought I'd make more cookies. There was a recipe on the Baker's Coconut Bag that looked good (and not too fattening, as they required egg whites and are fairly low on sugar, not to mention I'm still using the half white/half Splenda mix). They came out slightly gooey but generally pretty well.