Birthdays and Matches

Began a gray and gloomy morning with breakfast and Yogi Bear. Yogi thinks that the big TV show Ranger Smith says he's going to appear on is a variety show and tries to learn how to sing and dance. It's really Yogi's Birthday Party, with all the Hanna-Barbara funny animals created to that point coming on the show to wish Yogi the best of his day.

Switched to Match Game and making Almond Butter Icing for the cake I baked yesterday after breakfast. Instead of watching movies or running Buzzr all day, I went to YouTube to watch my favorite Match Game episodes. Part of the show's charm is you never know who'll appear...even when they're not actually panelists. In the episode I chose from early 1978, Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, Jim Nabors, and Tim Conway literally wander in from filming the last season of The Carol Burnett Show down the hall and play a round. Tim gets the last word with his very funny "answer." 

Given the nature of the show, there's tons of references to the pop culture of the 1970's and early 80's. Being the huge fan of Star Wars that I am, I couldn't resist an episode from later in 1978, shortly after the new set debuted. Gene jokes about how the screechy noises the new question holder makes sounds like "something out of Star Wars." The music department even kicks in at one point with a bit of the original movie's theme song. Gene also lets a young lady who can't see from her seat perch on-stage for a while. 

(Wish my icing came out as well as the episode. I didn't let the butter soften long enough, then put in too much milk. It's lumpy and soupy. At least the cake itself was delicious!)

Made my way out after the episode ended. I couldn't put off getting my laundry done. I needed clean work clothes. The laundromat was pretty busy, so I sat outside and worked on story notes. The clouds grew heavier and the wind picked up a little as I worked, though it remained warm, probably in the mid-60's. It started spitting a little as I rode home.

Arrived home just in time. The rain picked up, even as I hurried in the door. Put on another Match Game episode while folding clothes and opening a card with 20 dollars from Lauren and her parents. Composer Marvin Hamlisch is probably best-known today for reworking the music of Scott Joplin into the Oscar-winning score for The Sting. He appeared on a week in early 1976, along with Isobel Sanford of The Jeffersons. At the end of the last episode of the week, he and Charles created a cute song for Brett that was so catchy, she joined the guys in singing along. 

Called Uber for a ride to the Cherry Hill Mall. Not only was it getting late, but it was raining too hard for a hike to Cuthbert. Of course, the ride cost a ridiculous amount of money because of the weather, but thankfully, the rider didn't take anywhere near the 20 minutes Uber claimed to arrive, either. I had just enough time to print out a bus schedule to get home before she arrived.

She let me off at Nordstrom's. My original thought for lunch was the Bistro in the center of the mall...but they were insanely busy, even at quarter after 2. Browsed around The Disney Store a few doors down, came back, and they were still busy. I finally gave up and had a huge burger and delicious, crunchy onion rings at a quieter Fatburger instead.

Did a quick walk around the Mall to find a few other things I needed. GameStop's gone and Build-a-Bear is still appointment only, but most of the other stores I like are still there. Peeked at the toy store next-door to Build-a-Bear for games to play with Lauren and Famous Footwear to find new work sneakers and walking sandals, but no luck. 

Did a little better at JC Penney. I badly need new socks. The old ones keep getting holes in them. The Mixit cotton crew socks I like were on sale for $9.50. Picked up a three-pack of white and of pale blue, black, and tan. 

Bought a cute flower-print t-shirt and a new khaki trench raincoat at Old Navy. My current rain coat is a heavy bright blue thing I bought in a hurry at a now-defunct women's store just a few doors down in the Cherry Hill Mall. It never fit right and had no cord threaded in the hood to keep it from flying off. Had the time to take brief peeks at Famous Footwear and The Shoe Show before going outside to catch the bus.

Thankfully, the bus was early despite the rush hour traffic. It took no time at all for them to drop me off at the in-construction expansion of the Merryfields bar on the White Horse Pike. Pulled on my new rain coat to combat the showers on the way home. Treated myself to a Double Mocha Cappuccino from WaWa in the rounded plastic container. 

Went straight into writing when I got home. Gene tells Lee and Debralee there's nothing to see. He has no idea who these bandits are, or who's in charge of them, or why they're targeting gold and local ranches. He does know that he needs to take Richard to Mayor Allen Ludden to give a report on what happened and see what he can do about getting him a job.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Made a smoothie while watching Match Game '79 on Buzzr. They skipped ahead from New Year's Eve 1976 to New Year's Day 1979. Gene stumbles through his doors in the opening draped with streamers from the previous episode and looking more than a little bleary-eyed. He recovers long enough to see a bald contestant joke about how he made a bet with his wife that he couldn't get on the show.

Wish Rita Moreno appeared on the show more often. She was a lot of fun when she turned up, as in tonight's Match Game PM episode when she helped a contestant answer "__ Ladd" for the Head-to-Head. Meanwhile, Gene admires the soft wool in Bart Braverman's jacket, but Charles declares that the fireman contestant has the best suit of all. Later, we get a very funny question about Helen Rayburn applauding when Gene __. 

Finished the night online with more Match Game on YouTube. Janet Finn was one of the show's earliest big winners in 1974. She was such a sweet lady, her whole run was a pleasure to watch. My favorite of her appearances came from towards the end of her run, when Charles spoofed newscasters when he read his "Russian ___" answer for the Head-to-Head that would make her the top champ. 

Janet was far from the only memorable contestant to appear on the show. Just a week or so after the New Year's Day 1979 episode, a lady contestant got so excited, she practically attacked Gene. Nipsey Russell had no trouble grabbing hold of her for a squeeze, though!

I've done the infamous "School Riot" episode from 1977 before, but it is a major part of the fanfic I'm currently working on. I go into further detail on this one in an entry from last month. 

The syndicated episodes of the early 80's have their own share of wild antics. McLean Stevenson gets his first chance to host after an argument over the merits of the miniseries Shogun ends with Charles smacking Gene with his card and Gene "collapsing" onto Jonelle Allen. In an episode from a year later, Betty White turns up in the opening in a brief red dress to show off her still-terrific gams. Later on, Sharon Farrell and Richard Paul inadvertently demonstrate mud wrestling when she topples onto him. 

That wasn't the only time McLean pulled crazy stunts. In 1974, he kept kissing all the men in the panel the whole week. This ended with Gene dashing off before he could grab him for a smooch and McLean chasing him all over the studio and in the back of the audience. 

Changing places or personalities happened quite often. My all-time favorite daytime episode from 1977 had Jo Ann Pflug, Richard Dawson, and Fannie Flagg on the lower tier playing Dick Gautier, Brett Somers, and Charles Nelson Reilly in the upper desks. The ladies in particular are scream here, especially Jo Ann's huge smile! Richard would play Brett again, this time joined by Betty as Charles, in an equally funny PM episode from later that year. 

Richard Dawson was not happy at all when Goodson-Todman added the Star Wheel in mid-1978. He was the panelist most often chosen for the Head-to-Head. The Star Wheel was added to give other stars more of a chance to play...or at least, that was the idea. Of course, it stops on Richard the first time it's spun, prompting almost the entire panel - including a sheepish Richard - to walk out!

My very favorite episode of the 1970's-80's run - and the one I use to introduce people to the show - is a classic PM episode from mid-1975. The entire episode is hilarious, thanks to Brett and Betty's constant sniping at each other, but the lunacy reaches a head during the Audience Match. The first question is "Admiral __." Brett gives "Byrd." Charles throws out "Admiral and the Lady" (which was booed by the audience). Richard's answer is "Color Television." Gene can't believe he said that and makes a bet as to whether or not it would be on the board...and guess who was right?

Here's all of my favorite episodes (plus tonight's PM on Buzzr), so you can enjoy every bit of matching lunacy!

Honorable Mention: PM #175 - Feel Bart's Coat!/Rita Answers "__ Ladd." 

14. 1978 #1246 - Star Wheel Premiere

13. 1979 #1367 - Gene's Wild New Year 

12. 1974 #259 - Run Around Studio 33

11. 1977 PM #66 - Richard Plays Brett & Betty Plays Charles

10. 1978 #1149 - Cast of The Carol Burnett Show Wanders In

9. 1978 #1264 - Star Wars Jokes

8. 1976 #625 - Song for Brett

7. 1974 #280 - Charles Reads "the News" for Janet Finn

6. 1980 Synd. #302 - Shogun Incident/McLean Hosts I

5. 1977 #1005 - School Riot

4. 1981 Synd. #442 - Betty's Red Dress/Sharon & Richard Mud Wrestle

3. 1979 #1376 - Excited Contestant Attacks Gene

2. 1977 #915 - Lower Tier Plays Upper Tier

1. 1975 PM #17 - Admiral Color Television Incident

The Password Is 'Christmas'

Began a busy day with breakfast and Yogi's All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper. The whole Hanna Barbara funny animal gang goes to visit Yogi and Boo Boo at Jellystone National Park, but they're not home. They already went to the big city to visit their friends! Yogi dresses as Santa to evade the cops in a department store. Judy, the daughter of a rich man who largely ignores her, thinks he's the real Santa and befriends him. When the gang does arrive, they end up helping the two bears get Judy home to her daddy for the holidays.

Jessa called shortly before I got going. Did I want to go out to lunch today? Sure! I just had to get my laundry done before we left.

Moved on to Buzzr while getting organized and tidying up a bit. Press Your Luck was just finishing when I got on. It came down to a young man who really wanted a trip to Australia and a woman who was after a Hawaiian vacation. In the end, the lady got her wish, the win, and her tropical trip (and only one Whammy).

I only had vague memories of Blockbusters before this morning, and I believe they were mainly of the later 1987 Bill Rafferty version. Bill Cullen hosts the original 1980 show, as one champion goes up against two challengers. The board is made up of letter-filled hexagons. If you answer a question correctly that begins with that letter, you win a hexagon. Make a chain, and you move on to the "Gold Rush" bonus round. The champion lady absolutely killed today; the challenger duo couldn't get close to her. (Blockbusters apparently did far better in England, where it ran throughout the 80's and into the early 90's and has been revived several times.)

Rushed to the laundromat as soon as Blockbusters ended. I didn't have a large load, but I wanted to get it done. I don't know when I'll have another chance to do it before Christmas. Thankfully, it was the quietest I'd seen it in weeks. There were maybe three other people there when I arrived. I was in and out as fast as I could go.

It wasn't fast enough. Jessa was just getting out of her car when I arrived. We trooped upstairs so I could hastily drop the laundry bag, grab my purse, and show off my new Roku, then were on our way.

We were going to eat at the Pop Shop...but once again, there were no parking spaces. Collingswood is just too busy during the lunch hour. We ended up at the Crystal Lake Diner. Considering they're having financial problems, they probably needed our business more anyway. Jessa had a huge tuna melt and a bowl of New England clam chowder. I had a half of a mile-high roast beef sandwich on rye, tasty crunchy fries, and a wonderful lentil soup.

Hung out at my apartment for an hour after lunch. I packed up the Christmas boxes for Mom and Anny while Classic Concentration was on. Alex Trebek hosts this cross between a rebus puzzle and Memory. People choose numbers, hoping to match two prizes. If they do, they'll reveal a little bit of a rebus puzzle. The first person to reveal the puzzle wins the game. The bonus round has them doing another timed Memory round to win a series of increasingly fancy cars.

Poor Jess! By the time Password was on, she was fast asleep on my loveseat. She works at the Post Office in Deptford and started her shift at 6 AM. I let her snooze while sorting my laundry and enjoying the show. I'm guessing this version of Password is from the mid-60's, from the ladies' hair, a considerably younger-looking Allen Ludden, and the pastel and gray sets. Here, celebrities and contestants only guessed one Password at a time, and the speed round was just random words, rather than a string of alphabetical ones. Lovely Barbara Rush and an incredibly young-looking John Forsythe were the Password givers in this episode.

I hated to wake up Jessa, but I really had things I needed to do, and I imagined she did, too. As soon as she left, I went over to the Oaklyn Post Office and sent off my two remaining packages. To my shock, the place was dead. Considering how close we are to Christmas, I figured the line would be out the door! Maybe everyone came at lunch. There was only one woman behind me, and two came in after me. At any rate, Anny and Mom's boxes are now off to Cape May County, and I'm finished with everything that needs to go out of town.

Dashed across Newton Lake Park. It was getting late, and I still had a few errands left. They were surprisingly busy for late in the afternoon, with lots of people walking their dogs, kids coming home from school, and a flock of Canadian geese looking for a snack. Winter has fully taken over the park now. The trees are barren, the grass is yellow and crackly, and the bottle-green lake is half-frozen.

The Haddon Township Library wasn't any busier than the Crystal Lake Diner had been earlier. Everyone must have come in earlier; the return cart was fairly full. I shelved adult DVDs and made my way out after a half-hour. Didn't take anything out this week. Between Roku and my own collection, I have plenty to watch for Christmas. Not to mention, I don't know what my schedule will be like next week, or if I'll have the time to return anything.

Had one stop to make on the way home. I needed a few things at Dollar Tree, including a container to keep my cake and pudding mix boxes together in the pantry, a new shower curtain, bags for Charlie's cupcakes, and sponges. The line was half-way around the store, but a second one opened up shortly after I got in, and the wait wasn't long.

Put up the shower curtain after I got in, then went into writing. Re-wrote their first encounter with Della. Brett and the guys arrive at Columbia Eye Castle in a torrential downpour. While rushing towards the main building, they see someone swimming the moat. Nipsey runs over to help her, but to tell the truth, she doesn't really need it...

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Jessa let me keep her leftover tuna melt from earlier. I had it with defrosted frozen green beans and almonds. Watched an episode of Match Game while I ate. Joey Bishop revels in being able to insult people who aren't members of the Rat Pack in an episode from 1976. Meanwhile, Betty White rolls up Gene Rayburn's pant legs again...twice.

Finished the night making Red Velvet Cupcakes for Dad and Charlie and the downstairs residents. The cupcakes come from a mix, but the buttercream icing is homemade. I used buttermilk because I forgot I was out of regular milk...and I ended up rather liking the tangy taste.

Watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation as I worked. Clark Grizwald (Chevy Chase) is looking forward to the perfect old-fashioned family holiday, with all his relatives gathered around the table for a turkey dinner, a huge tree, lots of presents, and a big surprise on Christmas Day. As usual for this series, what Clark imagines and what actually happens are two entirely different matters. The two sets of grandparents don't get along. His yuppie neighbors next door think he's off his rocker. His boss (Brian Doyle Murphy) is a grouchy jerk. Their tree is bigger than their house, let alone the living room. His gigantic lights display shorts out the neighborhood power grid...and even when he does get it working, Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) shows up with his family and causes even more chaos. By the time the SWAT team is coming through the windows on Christmas Eve, Clark has finally figured out that no Christmas is perfect...but that doesn't mean we can't make it memorable.

My favorite holiday comedy from my childhood along with A Christmas Story. If nothing else, Clark's crazy Christmas Eve always made me appreciate how comparatively quiet my family's Christmases were. Thanksgiving was the big "gather all the relatives" holiday in my family. Though my sisters would have friends over Christmas night and the occasional relative might pass through between Christmas and New Year's, Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day were generally reserved for the family. Considering there were six of us, including four kids, this may have been a good thing.

Scatological humor makes this one more appropriate for older kids and young teens going on their own holiday vacations, and adults who have probably gone through just about everything that Clark does here at one time or another.

Making It Christmas

I spent a dreary, misty morning watching Christmas programs and movies. The Bishop's Wife is the lovely Julia (Loretta Young) who is feeling neglected by her husband (David Niven). He's desperate to get a new cathedral built. When he prays for guidance, he gets Dudley (Cary Grant), an impossibly handsome and suave angel. Dudley seems to charm everyone around him, including Julia, the maid Nora (Elsa Lanchester), and an old family friend, the Professor (Monty Wooley). The bishop is less than impressed, especially after Dudley constantly takes his place on outings with Julia. What Dudley's really trying to do is teach the bishop a lesson - no cathedral is as important as helping his congregation or spending time with those he loves.

The last of the three popular post-war Christmas movies is a lovely, sentimental favorite. Grant makes an especially charming angel.

I made the Vanilla Cream Icing and frosted the cupcakes and the Pumpkin Pudding Pie for Dad's party tomorrow night while the movie was on. Loaded the cupcakes into square containers I bought from Dollar Tree earlier in the month that were originally intended for cookies, put the pie in the refrigerator to chill, and that was that. I'm now officially done with all of my Christmas preparations. The only thing I have left to do is deliver the food, cards, and gifts to the Camden County side of the family. I'll be doing that tomorrow night and Thursday morning.

Moved onto TV episodes and specials as I did some things online and had leftovers for lunch. Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas was one of the very first holiday specials to debut on HBO in the late 70s. My family's copy was taped about a decade later. Emmett Otter and his mother Alice are facing a bare Christmas, until they decide to enter the local talent contest. Emmett joins the title jug band; Mrs. Otter performs a folk ballad solo. The ultimate winner of the contest is a surprise...and what happens to Ma and Emmett when they sing together is even more so.

The late 90's cable comedy-drama Remember WENN's only Christmas episode debuted during their second season. It's "Christmas In the Airwaves," and it looks like the holiday season of 1940 will be one of merriment and cheer for the staff of radio station WENN. At least until the station's owner and her miserly financier arrive. She's grieving for the loss of her husband; he only cares about selling off the station. When the word comes down to the staff that there's to be no Christmas on the station, they find a way for the show to go on, and to prove to their owner that her life can go on, too.

It was still misting when I left for work, but not so heavily that I couldn't ride my bike. Work was busy when I came in and busy when I left, but on-and-off steady throughout most of the day. There was a crock pot of warm mini hot dogs in the back room for lunch. It was still so busy when we finished, I was almost late getting out. Otherwise, there were no major problems and the day went fairly quickly.

When I got home (slightly damp from the ongoing mist), I ran A Garfield Christmas Special as I settled in for the night. Garfield's not looking forward to spending the holidays with Jon's family, but he does bond with tough-minded Grandma. While Jon and his brother Doc Boy beg to open presents and read stories about Binky the Clown, Garfield makes a late-night find in the barn that may make Grandma's Christmas morning a little merrier.

When the Going Gets Tough...

Started today with another Peanuts baseball tale. Charlie Brown's All-Stars have never won a game. Chuck thinks uniforms and playing on a real league might make a difference...until the league tells him they won't accept a team with four girls and a dog. The Peanuts are angry when they don't get the uniforms, until they find out Chuck stood up for them...and for possibly the only time in the entire series, admit they were wrong and try to make him feel better.

I made the bed and stripped the sheets while the Peanuts were on. I only make the bed about once or twice a month. Who's going to see it? I only did it today so I could put on fresh, lighter sheets for spring and dump the older sheets in the laundry to be washed later.

I finally headed out around noon. It was an absolutely glorious day, in the lower-mid 60s and sunny as could be. Newton River Park was bustling with dog-walkers, joggers, parents with strollers, and kids hurrying around the playground. It's looking so much greener than it did even a week or two ago. There's more and more new grass amid the dry yellow straw, buds are just starting to appear on the trees, and dafodils and crocus are popping up everywhere.

The Haddon Township Library was bustling, too. I had a lot to organize and shelve, starting with a very messy children's section. I had some adorable help from a little 4-year-old girl who was looking for Barbie As specials. She ended up with Barbie In the Three Musketeers, along with Big Top Scooby (she said some of Scooby's more recent programming scares her, but she liked the circus theme in that one), and one of the Dora the Explorer sets. There were lots of adult titles to shelve, too.

I took out less than I did last week, but I did still find some movies to watch this weekend. Now You See Me, a caper action movie about a group of magicians who pull heists, was a surprise hit last summer and has a great cast and an intriguing premise. I never did get to Trading Places the last time I had it out. I actually like Easter With Max & Ruby better than the earlier Springtime For Max & Ruby, as the Easter specials there are a bit kinder to both bunnies. And the library just got a new Doc McStuffins disc in that seems to cover the arrival of Doc's mobile medical unit (a purple painted wagon).

Since it was late by that point, I just stopped at WaWa for a 4-inch roast beef hoagie on a wheat roll, skim milk, and money from the ATM machine and headed home. I ate my hoagie while watching Max & Ruby's later Easter tales. Ruby puts together the fanciest Easter bonnet she can for the Bunny Scouts' annual bonnet competition, but Max is more interested in getting his frog to hop in "Ruby's Easter Bonnet." Ruby and Louise are painting beautiful eggs for Grandma, but Ruby's brother would rather be a part of "Max's Easter Parade." Max finds a way to join in when the Bunny Scouts search for eggs in "Max and the Easter Bunny."

I pulled out the glass iced tea jar and put it on the edge of the counter in front of the sink as I went looking for a jar. I must have put it too close to the sink, because....CRASH! The jar tumbled into the sink, breaking into a hundred pieces and slicing two of my fingers so badly they bled everywhere. I'm still really upset! I don't have too many other vessels to hold liquids. I mostly drink iced tea, milk, and water. Not to mention, glass iced tea jars are impossible to find. I got mine at the Acme a couple of years ago and haven't seen glass ones there since. It took me ten minutes to clean up the mess and clean and bandage my fingers before I finally rounded up my laundry and hauled out.

It was past 4 when I finally made it to the laundromat. They were busy with elderly people and family doing their wash before dinner. There was a line for the change machine when I arrived! That was the only thing I had to wait for. I was able to get a washer and a drier quickly, though I needed a little more time on the drier than usual because of the flannel sheets. I was out after 5.

When I got home, instead of separating everything and putting it away, I separated light and heavy clothes and pulled out the plastic bin that holds out-of-season items. I think the warm weather today was a good indication that we're finally done with really cold temperatures during the daytime hours. I'll probably need a sweater or coat at night for a while, but I don't think I'll be wearing turtlenecks or my corduroys again until November. I forgot I replaced a lot of summer blouses last year. I need t-shirts, good skirts for summer and winter, pajamas for both seasons, and a darker pair of jean shorts.

I ran Romancing the Stone while making a quick mushroom and cheese omelet and carrot sticks for dinner, and then while whipping up a Fluffy (Cooked) White Frosting to put on top of and around my Spring Cake. (I used strawberry jam for the filling.) This tale of a shy romance novelist (Kathleen Turner) who goes to Columbia to rescue her sister, only to find treasure and a handsome poacher (Michael Douglas), has been one of my favorite movies since it came out when I was a kid. I'm not normally into romances, but this one has comedy and action to spare - and possibly because it was written by a woman, it's the novelist who gets to defeat the evil dictator in the end. Highly recommended for all lovers of romance, adventure, or strong female characters.