Welcome to Spring

Began the day with breakfast and What's New, Scooby Doo. "Space Ape at the Cape" brings the gang to Florida, where Velma has submitted a project to NASA. The scientists there are more interested in the shuttle that's about ready to launch...or would be, if an alien egg hadn't suddenly hatched and an alien wasn't wrecking havoc! While Fred and Daphne search for clues, Velma attempts to keep a bratty kid away from her project, and Shaggy and Scooby discover the joys of freeze-dried astronaut food.

Let Supermarket Sweep run while I got organized. I came in as they were doing the Five-Second Shoot Out mini-game from the later series. The Big Sweep got really wild. All three teams were relatively close in time and scores. Two of them got the frozen yogurt David wanted, and all found bonuses (including an adorable teddy bear with a mustache in a kilt). The team that won didn't do quite so well at the Bonus Round. The first answer tripped them up...but Arm & Hammer does make a lot of products...

Headed out after that. The weather was off-and-on cloudy, humid, and cooler than it has been, but far from cold. I was fine in my sage green knit sweater. Decided to celebrate the first day of spring with a ride into Westmont and a quick trip to Sprouts. 

My first stop was the WaWa on the corner of Cuthbert and the White Horse Pike for money and a grape Propel. I wanted the money for Salvation Thrift, which doesn't take credit cards. Alas, I found nothing there, no matter how much I dodged the many ladies on their lunch breaks looking for deals. Nothing interesting at Party Fair, either. I eventually backtracked down the block to McMillan's Bakery and treated myself to one of their incredible, overstuffed cream donuts. 

Headed across the street to Phidelity Records next. They were also relatively busy with guys chatting with the owner and looking for rock records and CDs. I eventually came up with three records:

Frank Sinatra - All the Way

Doris Day - Greatest Hits

Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band

And four CDs: 

Train - My Private Nation

Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street

Miles Davis and Quincy Jones - Miles and Quincy: Live at Montreux 

The Kinks - Come Dancing With the Kinks: The Best of the Kinks 1977-1986

Made my way down Cuthbert and around kids getting out of Haddon Township High School over to the Westmont Plaza. I needed to get my trip to Sprouts in, since I won't have time tomorrow. Unlike everywhere else, they weren't busy. The kids don't go in here. Sprouts has no seasonal section and only sells toys at Christmas. I was able to restock brown sugar and buy bananas, coconut milk, breakfast cookies, soda, and those raspberry-lemon dried mango slices in peace. 

Went straight home after that. Put on From Justin to Kelly as I put everything away. I go further into this rush-job vehicle for American Idol stars Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guardini that's now regarded as one of the worst films of all time at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Cult Flops - From Justin to Kelly

Mom called as I was settling down with the movie. I called her earlier to wish her a happy birthday. Neither of us have a lot going on right now. I told her about my stomach problems and long hours last month, my trip into Philly, and getting to see The Day the Earth Blew Up, and she told me how excited she was about the Eagles winning the Super Bowl. We discussed the Looney Tunes and the Eagles' chances of repeating next year as Keefe, Julia, and Aurora arrived home and she went to greet them.

Switched to Match Game Syndicated while eating dinner. The first week I saw featured Dick Martin, Elaine Joyce, and big George Kennedy. At one point, Gene got so into explaining the big bang to Dick, all of the panelists but Dick got up and left...and the camera panned out to reveal most of the crew had also left. The lights even went off at one point! Jimmie Walker's week is still MIA, so they skipped to the next week, with Robert Donner, Marcia Wallace, and a bubbly Betty Kennedy.

Finished the night with cast albums and soundtracks, the first in honor of spring. I have no idea who thought putting Seven Brides for Seven Brothers on the stage was a good idea. The 1985 London mounting lasted two months in two separate limited engagements and seems to have gone over slightly better than the 1982 Broadway cast, which barely made three days and wasn't recorded. Honestly, this is rather charming, with some decent new songs, including Adam explaining that "Love Never Goes Away" to Gideon and Milly and the brides and brothers cooing to the new baby that they're "Glad That You Were Born." Revised versions have done well in regional productions, so maybe this really just needed fine-tuning. 

The reason I bought the soundtrack for the Disney Cinderella wasn't for the soundtrack itself, though I love "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," "So This is Love," and "Bibbiti Bobbiti Boo." The deluxe CD I dug up from Mostly Books also includes seven songs that were written for the film, but not used. I originally heard them on the 2-disc Cinderella DVD I picked up in 2005, but could never find them on an audio disc until now. Of the cut numbers, the cute "I'm In the Middle of a Muddle" for Cinderella as she wishes she had more help for her chores and the lovely waltz "The Dress My Mother Wore" are my favorites. There's also the mice describing how happy they are to have their new clothes in "The Mouse Song," and "Dancing On a Cloud," which was intended to cover a sequence where Cinderella and the Prince dance into the heavens. 

Oh, and once again, it was cloudy for much of the day, but wouldn't start pouring until well after dark. This time, we even got a bit of a thunderstorm. As far as I can tell, it's long gone now. 

The First Day of Spring

Began the morning with breakfast and a series of Silly Symphony shorts that took place during the spring or had spring-ish themes in honor of the first day of Spring. "Flowers and Trees," the first three-strip Technicolor animated short, won an Oscar in 1933. Two trees are in love, until a mean old tree nearly burns the forest down to get the girl. "Farmyard Symphony" gives us a mini-opera as a rooster pursues a pretty white hen and the other members of the barn yard wait for breakfast. A gingerbread man helps a pretty cookie become the queen of "The Cookie Carnival," then hopes she'll make him her king.

"Springtime" is one of the earliest black and white shorts. It's pretty much just flowers dancing and animals eating each other in time to classical music. "Birds In the Spring" is equally simple. Three baby birds fall out of the nest. Mama and Papa catch two, but a cheeky little fellow decides to start out on his own, until he's chased by a snake and bees and his parents rescue him. "The Goddess of Spring" is an operatic retelling of Persephone and Hades myth that Walt intended as a trial run for Snow White. The animation isn't quite there yet - Persephone moves like she's made of rubber - but there's some nice music, and the story itself is well done.

Headed out after "The Goddess of Spring" ended. Walked to the Westmont Plaza, since I wasn't going home afterwards. While the weather isn't warm like it was last week, it could be worse. It's windy, yes, but the sun is nice when you can get into it. At least it looks like the first day of spring. Cherry trees and magnolias are in bloom now; every garden bursts with daffodils and jonquils. 

Got into Westmont with a little under fifteen minutes left before my dental appointment. Thankfully, the lady who cleans my teeth could take me seconds after I arrived. I went in, she scraped and polished my teeth, and went out. The entire process took less than a half-hour, including making my next appointment for late June. 

Had lunch at the Westmont Bagel Shop. Apparently, the lady did really good work. An older woman complimented me on my smile while I was waiting for my spinach and feta omelet and multi-grain bagel. That made me feel even better than the delicious lunch. 

It was getting late by the time I finished, so I figured I'd take Uber to Somerdale. The chatty guy arrived in four minutes and got me to the Cinemark 16 in ten. Thankfully, there was no traffic on the way. He arrived just as the ads began.

First of all, along with the live-action comedy If (Imaginary Friends), there's some cool animated movies coming out this summer. No interest in another Despicable Me whatsoever. I liked the first three, but not enough to get me into a theater. If I see it at all, I'll stream it or rent it later in the year. Inside Out 2, on the other hand, looks genuinely intriguing. The girl the emotions are inside of is growing into her teen years, so there might actually be a story here. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire definitely isn't my thing, but the visual effects on the previous Godzilla movie did just win an Oscar. The Wild Robot gives me Iron Giant vibes and looks like it'll be beautifully animated and very sweet. 

I ended up seeing Kung Fu Panda 4. I'm not going into spoilers here while the film is in theaters, but I did enjoy it. Maybe not as much as the previous films, but I still love this franchise. Jack Black still has fun as Po the Dragon Warrior, and Awkwarfina does better than you might think as the fox thief he trains. Bryan Cranston and James Hong as Poe's two very different fathers are hilarious, and Lori Tann Chinn has a few good moments as a female boar who manages the bar where Po looks for someone who can take him across the sea. Some terrific animation too, especially near the end, when the villain is taking everyone's moves. 

The villain, however, is a lot less interesting here, and some of the action sequences seem a bit perfunctory. This also lacks a lot of the warmth of the previous films, especially the third one that emphasized Po's family. I'd say if you love this franchise like I do, come check this out too. If you haven't seen the other movies yet, please do so before you come anywhere near here.

Went straight over the hill to WalMart after the movie ended. They didn't have any interesting records, but I did find The Wild Wild West: The Complete Series for $19.99. Though Pluto TV currently has it, that was too cheap to pass on. Finally found the Listerine Gum Therapy mouthwash; Target's been out of it for ages in the smaller size. Grabbed more of those Junkless granola bars too. They had D vitamins in gummy form for a decent price. Picked up large colored pencils for the kids' Easter bags.

Got down to the Black Horse Pike in more than enough time for the bus to arrive. It was a little late, not bad for the height of rush hour. Thankfully, the traffic was going in the opposite direction. The bus made only two stops and got into Oaklyn within 20 minutes. 

Did job hunting after I got everything put away, then began another fairy tale idea. I keep stalling on the Match Game fanfics. I'm hoping I might actually be able to finish another short. This one begins with a woman who lives above a flower shop and works for a kindly older lady, though she feels awkward learning the things the woman already knows and living in her home. 

Watched I'll Cry Tomorrow while I worked. I go further into this harrowing adaptation of vaudevillian and early talkie star Lillian Roth's autobiography at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

I'll Cry Tomorrow

Broke for dinner and Match Game Syndicated at 7 PM. Rita Moreno made her first appearance on the show this week since the lost 60's series, along with Gary Crosby, Joyce Bulifant, and David Doyle. No one really had much luck with "__ Hairs" in the Audience Match. They did better in the second episode, as David helped the contestant with "__ Plaza" in the Head-to-Head.

Put on records while I worked on my I'll Cry Tomorrow review. The Ronco Get It On! collection has some of my favorite songs from 1974. Classics here include the original "Drift Away" by Dobie Gray, "Ain't No Woman Like the One I've Got" by the Four Tops, "The Morning After" by Maureen McGovern, "Playground In My Mind" by Clint Holmes, and a disco-esque version of "Also Sprach Zarathrusta" by Deodato. 

The Unforgettable Fire is one of the earliest hits from Irish band U2. It's mostly known today for the massive hit singles "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)." They went far more atmospheric than their earlier records, and this may have been their biggest success yet. 

Finished the night at YouTube with more animated spring shorts. "Springtime Serenade" is one of the very few color shorts made with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit at Universal. He and his sister Fanny are eagerly cleaning their summer resort for warmer weather. They ignore a groundhog's dire prediction...until the snow arrives...

Though credited to directors Harman and Ising, the public domain Happy Harmonies short "To Spring" was some of the earliest work by William Hanna. Little men who live underground mine rainbow pillars to produce all the color for spring. They have to work overtime when Old Man Winter creates a storm to keep him around a little longer.

"Pastry Town Wedding" was the first cartoon from the RKO Van Beuren Studios. It has a lot in common with "Cookie Carnival." Two tiny pastry people who help the larger chef with his work opt to get married. Very light on plot, but there's some imaginative animation, especially when they're making the wedding cake.

Younger Than Springtime

Got a faster start than anticipated this morning! I heard the alarm, opened my eyes, closed them for five minutes...and then it was a half-hour later. I finished Wings of the Falcon, had breakfast, wrote in my journal, and rushed to get changed. Called Uber quickly...and of course, they took almost 14 minutes to arrive. I was almost late. 

That's the worst thing that happened all day, other than my break was slightly late. We were on-and-off quiet for most of the afternoon. We had plenty of help for a lot of the time, too. I spent most of the time standing around on one foot, lining up the soda in the coolers, and putting away candy best I could. It died so quickly by 5, I was able to shut down with no relief and no need for one. 

Had far less trouble getting home than I did coming to work. Got a driver in 3 minutes, and he hit no traffic. I arrived home in less than five. The absolutely gorgeous weather may have played into that and our lack of customers today. It was sunny and cloudless, breezy but not too hot or too cold for the first day of spring. 

When I got in, I changed and went straight into something I'd been putting off for a while - making the bed. I sleep under six blankets, and they were starting to slide off. I usually just spread out the sheet and the comforter and fold up the rest, but this time, I spread them all out but the huge magenta plush blanket. That one is so big, it would have overwhelmed the bed and possibly knocked my two stuffed My Little Ponies off again. (I need to find a better place for them. They're on the edge of the ledge between the bed and the wall, and Bow Tie in particular keeps tumbling off.)

Listened to my Tune Up for Spring album while I worked. This is one of the seasonal-themed albums Columbia put out in the 60's. It sticks with the spring theme a little bit better than my similar Music of Spring album does. I like the bouncy instrumental Ray Conniff Orchestra version of "Younger Than Springtime" that features on both records. Other good songs include Al Jolson's iconic version of "April Showers," Jo Stafford's lovely "I'll Remember April," and two from Polly Bergen, "Spring Is Here" and "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year." 

Broke for dinner and Match Game '74 at 6:30. Richard ran into some major trouble during the Head-to-Head when his answer to "__ Canyon" wasn't at all what the audience or the contestant...or probably anyone outside of the Los Angeles area...expected. Though Richard had been in America for over a decade by that point, he was still learning about North American geography. (Richard and the others would refer to this incident several times over the next few years whenever he gave a particularly bad answer.) 

(Oh, and according to the commercial tonight, it looks like Buzzr's next big week-long marathon will have a college theme for spring break. It'll also make use of several shows that don't turn up on their schedule that often anymore, like Sale of the Century and the 1988 Family Feud. It's even going to run the week of my birthday! I'll absolutely be looking forward to that one.)

Finished the night on YouTube celebrating the official start of spring with some fond memories. In the 1980's, the arrival of spring meant the debut of new specials that were basically advertisements for either a brand-new toy line or additions to an existing line. For all the mercenary nature and obvious cheapness of these programs, my sisters and I loved the whimsical story lines and gentle characters. They're also a reminder of forgotten or lesser-known toy lines. For every Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears that are still well-known today, there's a Herself the Elf that's remembered by collectors and nostalgia fans, or a Peppermint Rose even they've forgotten.

The Charmkins holds a special place in my heart. We didn't have the tiny sweet-smelling jewelry charm toys, but the video was one of the first two movies we ever rented, and we'd take it out many times over the years. I'd never forgotten the story of how Brown-Eyed Susan and Willie Winkie rescued dainty ballerina Lady Slipper from the evil Thorn. This is also one of the few specials to have something like an anti-hero in mischievous Poison Ivy, who delighted in turning her friends into anything she wanted (and was adorably played by Sally Struthers to boot). 

(Incidentally, the other movie we rented with Charmkins was Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, which we'd eventually tape off cable.) 

Peppermint Rose came out in syndication in 1993, which was a bit late in the day for this sort of frilly fantasy. I kind of regret that these didn't go over better. I remember seeing the dolls in stores, and they were really lovely in their lacy Victorian striped bloomer dresses and huge flowered Blossom hats. This tale of a pre-teen who is brought to a destroyed land to rescue a magical rosebush from an angry queen beetle is actually pretty fun. Rose starts out as an annoying kid who thinks she can solve everything by handing someone a check; her delight in doing things herself for the first time is genuinely sweet. 

I suspect this and fellow late-comers PJ Sparkles and the stuffed animal line The Yum Yums were really the last of their kind. The Yum Yums was actually a big enough deal to turn up rather surprisingly and without fanfare on CBS during a Saturday morning in the summer of 1990. (And although they never made much of a splash in the US, they apparently remain popular in Japan to this day.) 

If you also don't remember a spring without sweet-smelling kitties, nature-loving elves, and rapping teens in Victorian bloomers, here's a fruit cart load of fond memories for you! 

The Charmkins (1983)

The Magic of Herself the Elf (1983)

The Care Bears Battle the Freeze Machine (1984)

Rose Petal Place (1984)

Strawberry Shortcake Meets the Berrykins (1985)

The Yum Yums: The Day Things Went Sour (1990)

Peppermint Rose (1992) Part 2

The Story of PJ Sparkles (1992)

The First Day of Spring

Began the morning with a quick breakfast and shorts in honor of the first day of spring. "Springtime" is one of the earlier Silly Symphonies. It's pretty much just animals eating each other in time to classical music and trees and plants dancing along. The later color "Birds In the Spring" has a mother and father robin rescuing their cheeky baby from the perils awaiting him on the ground. "The Goddess of Spring" is a full-blown mini-opera retelling of "Persephone and Hades" and one of the Disney Studios' attempts to prepare for animating humans in Snow White. (They weren't quite successful here. Persephone is lovely, but dances like she's made of rubber.) 

Headed off to work shortly after that. Was able to take the bike and enjoy a gorgeous, sunny morning. It was likely in the lower 50's, just right for the first day of spring, and windless. Just made it to work on time.

Good thing, too. We were on-and-off busy all day. It would be quiet...then all of a sudden, we'd be hit with long lines of people buying food for barbecues and Easter in two weeks. Thankfully, there were no problems dealing with them. The head bagger came in for me so I could go home. 

Had a little grocery shopping to do. Found a pack of breaded fish and two packs of crab cakes with manager's coupons on them in the seafood section. The Acme had a good sale on a big two pound container of strawberries that was even better with an online coupon. Restocked milk, canned black beans and chick peas, parchment paper, toilet paper, butter, yogurt, oranges, frozen vegetables, bananas, fruit bars, and cereal.

Mixed feelings on my schedule this week. In good news, my days off are on Tuesday and Friday - I won't have to wait six days for a day off this time. Just wish I didn't have a late seven-hour day on Monday and an early eight and a half hour day on Wednesday. 

Headed home after I got off. Classic Concentration began just I got in the door. According to Alex Trebek, the young woman contestant already won several prizes, including three vacations, by this point. She picked up another a cruise to the Bahamas, among other things, easily defeating the young man she played twice. It took her longer to figure out the guess the car bonus round - too long. She got half-way through before the time ran out.

Called Mom to wish her a happy birthday after I changed and put everything away. She's worried about the Cape May-Lewes Ferry where she's a ticket taker cutting her hours due to financial problems. Otherwise, she seemed pretty happy. She's the one who recommended the Electra bike brand to me. Apparently, she has an Electra bike of her own she loves. She said she thought she might take hers out for a ride sometime this week.

Did a little bit of writing after I got off with her. Gene assures Ira Skutch that the gold that came from the local mine is being watched by his two young, eager deputies Jimmie Walker and Gary Burghoff before it goes on the train. Ira doesn't like the idea of two untried deputies watching over those gold nuggets.

Broke for dinner at 7. Watched the first two episodes of the classic Republic action serial Zorro's Fighting Legion as I ate leftovers. Don Diego Vega is in the newly-established Republic of Mexico, visiting his uncle Francisco. When his uncle is cut down, he's asked to lead his new "fighting legion" who'll combat the mysterious Don Del Oro. This huge statue claims to be the god of the Yaqui tribe and is inciting them to revolt (and treating them rather condescendingly) so he can end the republic and be made emperor. Diego Vega takes Francisco's place among the councilmen, one of whom he suspects to be Don Del Oro. 

The only Zorro serial to actually revolve around the original Zorro or take place when the original story was set in the 1820's is probably the best of the "Zorro" serials along with the unrelated Zorro's Black Whip. The interesting story and setting and some great set pieces mostly make up for the Native American stereotypes. 

Finished the night online after a shower with Gay Purr-ee. I go further into the only animated musical to feature Judy Garland at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Animation Celebration Saturday - Gay Purr-ee

Welcome to Springtime

Started off the first day of spring by texting Mom; today is also her birthday. Moved on to two cartoons while I ate breakfast. "Springtime Serenade" is one of the few color cartoons featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit during his starring years at Universal. Ozzie, his sister Fanny, and other local animals are delighted that spring has arrived. Ozzie and Fanny are even cleaning up their summer resort. A grouchy old groundhog is determined to spoil their fun with predictions of winter. The animals don't listen, until the snow starts falling.

"Springtime" is one of the earliest and most basic of the Disney Silly Symphonies. (In fact, it was the third Silly Symphony.) It's pretty much just plants and animals dancing and animals eating each other in time to classical music.

I headed out shortly after "Springtime" ended. Work was quiet for pretty much the entire day. It did pick up a little bit in the afternoon, but it never got anything like crazy. I did the outside trash and recycling and alternated between rounding up carts and shelving items during the first half of the day; shelved loose items and candy, bagged, and helped a manager load Easter candy onto a display during the second. There were no problems whatsoever.

No wonder we were dead. By the time I got out of work, it was in the mid-50's and climbing. It was such a nice day, I took the long way home down Nicholson Road. They weren't terribly busy, either, not even around the entrance to the Audubon Crossings Shopping Center. It certainly looks a lot more like spring than it did at this time last year, when we were beginning our third snowstorm in a row. Some of the trees on Atlantic even had bright pink blossoms.

Charlie was still working on the windows in the living area, behind my dining area table, when I got in. I don't know if he only has the upper halves in, or if he's doing smaller windows, but...there are only windows on the top half. The bottoms are covered in plywood. He also tore out the wood between the windows and around the electrical outlet, which now dangled a bit (despite him having at least three things plugged into it).

I tried to ignore his cursing and did some writing. Luke Skylander is an engineering student and fan of comic books and sci-fi who lives with his uncle and aunt above their furniture repair shop. Uncle Owen isn't happy to hear that Luke has been buying comic books from old Ben MacKenner, who had known his father Anthony when they were in the same unit during the Korean War. He'd rather his nephew stayed away from that crazy old coot and focus on his studies at Coruscant University. Luke does agree to take Rudy and Charlie to Ben's shop and is excited to learn that Rudy had been in the same unit as his father in Korea.

He'd finally left by the time I'd broke for dinner at 6:30. Ran a few more spring cartoons as I got organized. "Birds In the Spring" was one of the earlier color Silly Symphonies. Once again, it's what it says on the tin. A baby bird falls out of its nest and is almost eaten by a snake before the other birds rescue him.

"The Goddess of Spring" is a full-blown mini-opera, and one of the cartoons Disney used as a trial-run for Snow White. This retelling of the Persephone and Hades myth has some fun music and a nice sequence with Hades' minions dancing, but Persephone moves like she's made of rubber, and her gnomes up above are too cutesy.

Made chicken salad on a bed of spinach, tomatoes, and scallions for dinner. Moved to Tiny Toon Adventures while I ate. Babs introduces "Spring In Acme Acres." A bored Cupid turns his arrows over to brainless Conrad the Vulture. He thinks he's creating "Love Among the Toons," but he's really wrecking havoc, including Monty falling for Babs! "Elmyra's Spring Cleaning" proves to be hazardous to the health of her pet fish, who just wants her to put his water back. Plucky and Dizzy compete on a game show, "That's Incredibly Stupid," which parodies the stunt shows of the late 80's and early 90's. Plucky keeps sending Dizzy out to do the stunts, but the last one proves much harder than he anticipated...

Did two Yogi Bear shorts as I cleaned up from dinner. Yogi is a "A Wooin' Bruin" when he has to try to win Cindy from a brawny circus bear. Ranger Smith is just wondering why bears are suddenly swiping everything from a cake to his car. "Spring Has Hit a Snag" for Snagglepuss when he invites Lilah, a  pretty lioness, into his home, only to find that she's a demanding brat who whines for him to do everything.

Finished the night on the couch with something a little different. I hadn't heard good things about the original 1948 Superman: The Serial, but it's actually a lot of fun. Unlike a lot of superheroes who were transferred to serial form, it pretty much keeps Clark's origins intact. (Which, unfortunately, gives the first chapter the same problem of it moving slow as the first movie.) Clark has to battle the wicked Spider Lady, a female mob boss whose men have a ray capable of destroying the planet. He has to figure out what she's up to, while making sure a very determined Lois Lane (Noel Neill) doesn't find out who he is or get herself killed grabbing scoops from him.

I like this. Kirk Alyn isn't a bad Superman; Neill's even better as a very determined and sarcastic Lois. There's a lot of complaints about the flying being animated, but it doesn't really look that horrible. The Spider Lady is actually a pretty nifty villain, too. If you're a fan of Superman or old-time serials, you can do far worse than this one.

Snow In the Springtime

It was still just cloudy when I finally rolled out of bed this morning. Despite the weather, I opted to honor the first day of spring during breakfast with a couple of cartoons. It's "Spring In Acme Acres" during the first season of Tiny Toon Adventures. Babs and Buster introduce three cartoons with (very) mild spring themes. "Love Among the Tunes" has the Elmer Fudd Cupid turning his arrows over to Conrad so he can go on vacation. The none-too-bright vulture proceeds to create some odd matches, including Babs and Montana Max. "Elmyra's Spring Cleaning" proves to be hazardous to all of Acme Acres, especially one poor fish whose bowl she sucks into her vacuum cleaner. "That's Incredibly Stupid" is a parody of the goofy stunt-based game shows that were wildly popular in the late 80's-early 90's. Plucky keeps making Dizzy do all the stunts, but the last one proves to be more than even Plucky can handle.

Did a few shorts while getting ready to run errands. "Springtime Serenade" seemed very appropriate, given it had started to snow by the time I put it on. This later Walter Lanz Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon is one the few the character did during his starring years in color. He and Fanny are proprietors of a summer resort who, along with the other animals of the farm and woods, are delighted that spring is here and they can get their cleaning done. A grouchy old groundhog is determined to spoil their fun with predictions of bad weather. They don't believe him at first, until the snow actually begins to fall.

"Springtime" is the second of the seasonal-themed Disney Silly Symphony shorts (and the third Silly Symphony period), and as such, is the one of the most basic. It's pretty much just animals dancing and eating each other in time to classical music.

The snow was just coming down as a light squall when I headed out. My first stop was the Oaklyn Library. Considering the weather, I was surprised there was even just one other person there besides the librarian and me. I organized DVDs and half-listened to the blather on CNN. I did end up taking out some movies here. They get new releases quicker than the Haddon Township Library. Found Coco and Thor: Ragnorok, along with the French ballet-themed animated film Leap!

The snow and wind were both picking up by the time I left the library, around quarter of 1. I was going to go home, but I really wanted to return the Haddon Township Library DVDs. My next day off is Saturday, and they usually have plenty of help that day. Thankfully, the traffic wasn't too bad at that point, though the snow was just starting to mix with ice and sting my face.

Needless to say, the Haddon Township Library wasn't busy, either. I didn't have nearly as much to do this week as I had last week. Just shelved the children's DVDs and CDs and audio books. Didn't take anything out here; I don't know when I'll be able to get here again.

By 2:30, the snow was quickly turning into sleet. Beyond really hurting when it hit my face, it was making the sidewalks and back roads more than a little slippery. I went straight home, dodging early traffic that may have been let out early due to the weather.

Made some calls when I got in. Today is Mom's birthday. She was spending it buying a new car after the old one was totaled in a crash. They got luckier than we did weather-wise; at press time, all they've gotten has been rain.

I called Dad before that, hoping for a ride to work tomorrow. Jodie called me back while I was talking to Mom. When I did get through to her, she told me what I'd suspected all along. The roads are a sheet of ice...and if they continue to be messy, she and Dad won't be going anywhere tomorrow. I don't want to call out and lose my 8 and 1/2 hour day, but if no one can get out, I may have to consider that.

Did two more spring-related Silly Symphonies while I got organized. "Birds In the Spring" is what the title implies. We follow a family of birds in the late spring, particularly one cheeky little fledgling who gets into big trouble when he leaves the nest for the first time. "The Goddess of Spring" is the myth of Persephone and Hades retold as a full-blown mini-opera. This was one of several Symphonies Disney made as a test for Snow White. While some of it is lovely (the dancing in the "Mighty Hades" number is pretty nifty), other bits show that Walt's animators had a long way to go (Persephone dances like she has no bones).

Spent the rest of the afternoon inside, working on my story. Han continues to be fussy after Obi-Wan and Luke go off to work on spells, insisting on sleeping in the cart and turning it into a tent. Leia helps him. She finally decides it's time to bury the hatchet with this man, especially given he's not in great shape. He agrees. He finally thanks her for having saved him earlier and asks her if she'll teach him how to handle a sword. Only if he shows her how to handle a mechanical bow; she's never seen one before.

They finally make it to Scarif, a dusty port city. Obi-Wan tells them they'll look for people to help them get to Coruscant and deal with Palpatine and who know about Han's real identity there. Leia points out that unicorns are rare, and Luke might attract unwanted attention. He makes his horn invisible and the rest of him look more like an ordinary horse.

Got so into writing, I didn't break for dinner until quarter of 7. Used up the last of the spaghetti sauce, along with spinach, mushrooms, and Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, to make Italian Scrambled Eggs for dinner.

Played more Lego Star Wars as I ate. There's one piece in "Retake Theed Palace" I just cannot get to! I'll have to look that one up online. Had a much easier time finally finding the red brick in "Darth Maul."

Finished the night with Can-Can. The 1960 film version of the Cole Porter show keeps most of the original show intact, but eliminates the artist subplot. Satine Pistache (Shirley MacLaine) runs a nightclub in Paris that's notorious for performing the scandalous, leg-baring can-can dance. Her lawyer boyfriend Francois (Frank Sinatra) and a laid-back judge (Maurice Chevalier) are more than happy to look the other way. A newly-arriving judge (Louis Jordan) is less willing to play Satine's game. He tries twice to get her arrested and actually succeeds the second time. She tries to seduce him into changing his mind, but ends up falling for him. Francois doesn't like that one bit! Satine has been trying to get him to marry her, with no success. Now she has a judge who is more than willing to comply. Francois responds by getting her drunk at a high-society party, where she embarrasses herself. But Satine has her own way of getting back at him...and proving that the can-can is really good, clean fun for all.

Overlong fluff, but it does have some good numbers, notably "It's All Right With Me" for Sinatra and an attentive Juliet Prowse (in her first role), "Live and Let Live" for Chevalier and Jordan, MacLane's "Adam and Eve Ballet," and the full version of the can-can with Prowse and MacLane in the finale. I'm especially fond of the colorful and evocative costumes, which gained a deserved Oscar nomination (along with the score).

This is still a favorite of Mom's. She saw it as a kid and introduced it to us when it came out on video in the early 90's. If you're a fan of the cast, Porter's music, or like your musicals on the lighter side, this musical might be all right with you, too.

I'm really crossing my fingers. It snowed and sleeted on and off all afternoon. The snow stopped around quarter of 5, and it hasn't really done anything since then. Right now, they're saying anything from 5 to 10 inches. Yikes! If it's going to do that, I may be stuck here. We'll see what happens.

The Beginning of Spring

Celebrated the first day of spring with breakfast and a first season episode of Tiny Toon Adventures. It's "Spring In Acme Acres," and the Toons are getting ready to enjoy the great weather...when Cupid isn't going on vacation and letting Conrad the Buzzard make a mess of every couple in school. Elmyra's spring cleaning is even more terrifying, especially for one poor fish whose home and water is sucked into her vacuum cleaner. The final short has Plucky and Dizzy taking part in one of the stunt-filled game shows popular in the late 80's and early 90's. Plucky pushes Dizzy into increasingly outlandish activities to win huge cash prizes...but Plucky winds up the loser when the final "stunt" involves judging extremely strong and comely women.

Worked on writing for the next few hours. The interior of the Death Star Airship is all gleaming lacquered furniture and whitewashed metal walls. While Tarkin drones on about the size of the ship and its crew, Leia wonders how she's going to find her contacts. She grabs Cedric and breaks from the group, hoping to make some sort of a distraction. The duo run into a pair of white-clad Imperial guards. No amount of flirting from Leia can get them to leave their station.

Ran a couple of spring-related Silly Symphony shorts while eating a really quick lunch and getting ready for work. "Springtime" is the earliest of the seasonal shorts, and the most basic. It's just animals dancing and eating each other in time to classical music. "The Bears and the Bees" has two adorable bear cubs after honey they found in a stump. A big black bear doesn't want to share his treasure. The bees who really own the honey have other ideas. "Birds In the Spring" follows a family of avian creatures as their little ones prepare to leave the nest. "The Goddess of Spring" is a full-blown mini-opera, and a major preparation for Snow White. Disney retells the myth of Persephone and Hades, with a rather rubbery Persephone and a strange devil-like Hades.

Work was on-and-off steady, not surprising on a gorgeous day. It was in the 50's, sunny, and breezy for most of the afternoon. Even when it got a little cloudy later, it was never that cold. I'm glad I spent most of the day outside. I did bag for an hour when I got in, but it was really too nice to be indoors.

When I got in, I took out both paper and can recycling, then started dinner. Made simple Garlic-Lime Chicken Thighs to go with leftover cabbage and potatoes. They came out perfectly, tangy and just garlicky enough.

Did an episode of Fairy Tale Theatre while the chicken baked. "The Three Little Pigs" tells the tale of a trio of porcine brothers who are sent out into the world by their mother (Doris Roberts) to make their fortune. The first pig would rather concentrate on getting rich quick and builds a cheap house of straw. The second (Fred Willard) is more interested in courting a sassy southern belle sow (Valerie Bertanelli) than building his house of sticks. The third pig (Billy Crystal) is far more sensible. He wants his house of bricks to be the perfect place to work on his art and playing his oboe. All four pigs learn a lesson in planning ahead and working together when a henpecked wolf (Jeff Daniels) who is after a pig dinner destroys the first two houses.

Moved onto an episode of Good Eats while eating my chicken and cleaning up from dinner. Alton Brown shows how to make fast, low-fat food for one or for many - by cooking in a pouch. We see everything from a whole snapper in the oven to plums and apricots on the grill.

Finished out the night with video games. Since Lauren had her self-defense class tonight and was on late, I had a little extra time for Kirby's Epic Yarn. The third round is Treat World, a level filled with mushrooms you can bounce on and cookies that turn and try to spin you off. The mushroom round was the easiest. Once you figured out that ground-pounding into the mushrooms gives you an extra-big super jump, that one's no sweat. I had the hardest time with controlling the train in another level. You're supposed to draw tracks with the controller to lead the train to beads and treasures, but I just couldn't draw it right, or get the train to go on the tracks. I didn't have the chance to finish the world - I'll hopefully be able to do that the next time I play.

I Wish It Would Snow Down

I awoke to sunny skies and no snow whatsoever. The ground wasn't even wet. I also woke up late after staying up with Lauren last night. I made lumpy Banana-Chocolate Chip Pancakes while listening to The Pirate Movie soundtrack.

It was getting a little cloudier as I rode to work, but otherwise remained dry. Work was surprisingly off-and-on steady for a Sunday. Usually, we're insane all day on Sunday, especially when we're supposed to have bad weather later. As a couple of customers pointed out, everyone must have come in yesterday, when they were still announcing flat-out snow with no rain mixed in. Thankfully, but the time the crowds were picking up, my relief was arriving.

A customer mentioned it was snowing and raining outside. Maybe it was further north. All it was doing when I got out was raining lightly. I didn't see a bit of snow. I rode home and only got a little wet.

When I got in, I called Mom. Along with being the first day of spring, today is her birthday. I got the wrong dad when Rose called and said Dad was in the hospital. Turns out it's my stepfather Bill who was found with a tumor. He's been in the hospital the last few days, and Mom's been with him. She says they were able to remove it, but he's going to need bed rest and chemotherapy. She had gotten home from the hospital in time to spend her birthday with Anny and her brood.

Spent the rest of the evening listening to David Bowie (honored the late rock star with Diamond Dogs) and Phil Collings (...But Seriously) and doing decorations. I meant to get the St. Patrick's Day things down and put up my Easter stuff last week, but I literally couldn't get around the mess in the kitchen and living area. I've always liked Easter. Decorating eggs was a big deal in my very artistic family, even after the Easter Bunny was no longer leaving us baskets filled with candy. I don't decorate eggs, but I do like filling baskets with plastic eggs and putting out my stuffed Peeps and chick and pink rabbit, and the rabbit statues I got from Mom. Mom also gave me the garland festooned with mini-bunnies and carrots and the hand-quilted Easter egg table runner. I found Patchy Bunny, the big resin bunny figure, at a thrift shop years ago.

And at press time, it STILL hasn't snowed. It was raining a while ago, but I don't think it's even doing that now.

Springtime Snow Time

When I got up this morning, it looked like it had just started snowing. There was about an inch on the ground, and just on the ground. It wasn't sticking to the streets or the sidewalks. I figured it would be fine to just ride to work. I ignored the weather and celebrated the first day of spring with another Easter special. Daffy Duck gets a rare chance to have the spotlight to himself in Daffy Duck's Easter Egg-citement. This one is an anthology of three spring-themed Looney Tunes shorts. Daffy teams up with Sylvester in the first, as the two chase after a gold egg. The second has the miserly duck guarding a chocolate Easter bunny factory from Speedy Gonzoles, who wants to bring holiday treats to the children of his village. The third is Daffy solo, as he tries to figure out how to get north without flying.

The snow was coming down harder and fluffier when I left. It still wasn't sticking to the street, though. I wasn't calling Rose after her complaints a few weeks ago, and Dad and Jodie are still in the hospital. I just rode to work and got wet. The roads and sidewalks were perfectly clear at quarter of 11. Visibility was the main problem. I had a hard time seeing through the snow.

Work was on-and-off busy. It was really crazy when I arrived, but it calmed down after the lunch rush hour ended. I spent a lot of the afternoon either standing around or spring cleaning my register. Thankfully, it was quiet enough by 5 that I was able to shut down with no relief.

My schedule next week is a bit quieter, really par for the course at this time of year. I have one short and relatively late day on Sunday. Otherwise, it's all late morning and early afternoon work, Monday and Wednesday off. I'll get caught up on my schoolwork this week and finish putting up the Easter and spring decorations.

I didn't have nearly as much grocery shopping to do this week. It was mainly some restocking - canned pineapple, sugar, unbleached white flour, apples, grapefruit, skim milk, tape. McCormick's Grill Mate Seasonings were $1.50. I had a 25 cents off coupon from the Monopoly game that made it even cheaper. Went with the Steakhouse Onion Burger seasoning when I couldn't find the Worcestershire Pub Burger bottles. The Acme's generic cereal was on sale as well - picked up their unsweetened shredded wheat.

One of my customers had said earlier that it was supposed to snow until 10. He must have heard the weather report for the Poconos. It wasn't doing anything when I finished shopping. By the time I was heading to Arby's, it had started to rain. The parking lot was a slushy, sloppy mess. I just had a Turkey Club, fries, and Diet Dr. Pepper and watched the rain on the Black Horse Pike.

Since the Black Horse Pike didn't look that bad, I rode home. The main streets were still pretty clear, or at least, not as bad as the parking lot. The side of the roads and the sidewalks were messy as heck. I was very wet when I finally got home.

After I arrived, I called Mom to wish her a happy birthday. She'd just had a visit from my sister Anny and her two sons and baby daughter. She's still working at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. They're evidently in the midst of spring cleaning, too. She re-opened the larger ticket booth for the season, and thought it was so dusty and dirty, she scrubbed every inch of it herself!

I listened to the soundtrack from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as I put everything away. These songs are close to the hearts of many kids who grew up in the 70's and 80's, as one of the few movie musicals any of us really knew. Charlie and Grandpa Joe's jubilant "I've Got a Golden Ticket" is my favorite number. I also like Wonka's famous "Pure Imagination," performed in the Chocolate Room as the kids explore.

Incidentally, the rain continued for the rest of the night. As far as I can tell, it isn't doing anything right now...but I've heard clumps of snow falling off the roof since I got home. It's supposed to get into the 40's and 50's by next week. I don't think this snow will be around even as long as the last round. It's spring. The weather never lasts long.

Welcome to Springtime

The first day of spring began partly cloudy and very windy. I worked on The Mummy's Case and wrote in my journal, then had breakfast. Ran another Rankin/Bass Easter special, Here Comes Peter Cottontail, as I ate. The first Rankin/Bass Easter tale shows what happens when the title character (Casey Kasem) oversleeps on Easter day and loses his Chief Easter Bunny status to nasty Irontail (Vincent Price). He has to travel through a year's worth of holidays to deliver his eggs and evade Irontail, with the help of eccentric narrator Seymour S. Sassafras (Danny Kaye) and caterpillar pilot Antoine (also Kaye).

I really didn't have much planned for today, nor did I really want to have much planned, considering how busy my week's been. I did volunteer at the Oaklyn Library, mainly because I didn't get to volunteering there last week. They had re-organized the children's books again, clearing out more older books and putting ones with similar themes (holiday books, storybooks) together. I mostly concentrated on the adult and child DVDs and the board books. There were several new adult DVDs that needed to have their stickers removed and be brought up to the main desk (where recently released DVDs are now kept). The board books were a mess - I had to almost completely re-arrange those shelves.

I rode around Oaklyn a little after that. A stop at CVS revealed that they'd pulled out their Easter candy, but didn't provide much else I couldn't live without. Picked up a turkey hoagie and a small bag of Pretzel Chips at WaWa.

While the sun was warmer than it has been, the heavy wind made it feel chilly, and the sun kept going in and out. Other than sweeping the porch briefly, I did nothing else outside today. Watched an episode of Tales of the Gold Monkey during my hoagie lunch. Jake Cutter transports a "High Stakes Lady" who wants to take part in a big poker game on an Oriental island to their casino, but it turns out that big bucks is far from the only thing she's after. When Jake is attacked by a group of Japanese men who turn out to be spies, he begins to realize that this poker-faced beauty is playing for far higher stakes.

I spent the next few hours online, doing the first lesson in my online communications course. So far, so good. I just had to take a quiz and write what my goals are for class and for communicating better. Simply put, I want to learn to get around my shyness and fear of authority and try to figure out how to talk to and empathize with people better. I'll never get the kind of job I want or the kind of life I want if I don't learn how to handle interviews and be more assertive and confident.

I next decided to go through the dolls' clothes and do some re-arranging, especially now that they have more things coming. I finally decided that the coats took up too much room on the dolls' pewter clothes rack and moved them to the box Whitney came in. Pajamas were moved to a large vintage box that once held Josefina's Feast-Day Outfit. Out-of-season separates were moved to the box Samantha came in. (Yes, I still have Sam's original box, in pretty decent condition, too. Jessa didn't have the boxes for Felicity and Molly, and the box the doll Jess came in had been crunched so badly, I finally decided it wasn't worth keeping.)

I changed the dolls into lighter outfits for Easter and spring. Samantha looks quite elegant in her pink and white Tea Dress with the big Bertha collar. Jessa wears the late 90s Birthday Outfit with the purple fruit-print jumper and t-shirt. Felicity also wears a birthday outfit, in this case her Pink Spring Dress and Pinner Apron. It's too cold for Molly's sleeveless Birthday Pinafore - she went in her Polka-Dot Outfit instead. Whitney's temporarily sporting the yellow floral Queen's Treasure dress I bought off eBay - she'll be going into the pink dress from Kit's Candy Making Set as soon as it arrives. (Though I will admit the headband from the Queen's Treasures dress looks awfully cute holding back Whitney's curls. I might have to find or make her some more headbands like that.) I left Josefina in her Feast Day Finery. It looks so pretty on her, and I really don't have much else to change her into.

Put on The Rocketeer as I made leftover steak and Brussels sprouts sauteed in honey-wine-butter sauce for dinner, with Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins for dessert. I love this 1991 adaptation of the comic book series of the same name. The title character is Cliff (Bill Campbell), a pilot in 1938 who discovers a secret jet pack hidden in a hanger. With the help of his friend Peevy (Alan Arkin), he gets the jet pack working, rescuing a friend from an accident at an airshow. While the rest of Los Angeles tries to discover the identity of "The Rocketeer," Cliff tries to find out who wants the jet pack and rescue his girlfriend Jenny (Jennifer Connelly) from smarmy movie star Neville Sinclair (Timothy Dalton). Sinclair turns out to be a lot more dangerous than either suspects...

I love this marvelous, old-fashioned adventure tale. If you're a fan of square-jawed 30s heroics, "diesel punk" science fiction, or tales of manly men and smart women doing battle on incredible inventions out of Flash Gordon, this is highly recommended.

I Love Rock n' Roll

Started out the morning with breakfast and more Rick Steves. Steves moves from France to Belgium to visit the headquarters of NATO in Brussels and a world-class chocolate shop and Flemish art in Bruges. This is one of my favorites of the Rick Steves episodes I own. How can you not love a country that takes chocolate, bike-riding, French fries (there called Flemish fries), waffles, and world peace seriously?

Switched to Rock of Ages while cleaning out the area under the sink, where I keep my pots, pans, mixing bowls, and leftovers containers. This goofy musical uses hard-rock and pop songs of the late 80s to tell the tale of a young woman named Sherrie (Julliane Hough) who comes to Hollywood in 1987 to make it big as a rock star. She meets Drew (Diego Boneta), who works in the famous rock club The Bourbon Room and is also looking for a chance for fame. The club's owner (Alec Baldwin) is deep in debt and may lose the venue to the city if he can't make money soon. He has high hopes for the last concert of Arsenal, whose legendary lead singer, Stacee Jackx (Tom Cruise), is leaving the band to go solo. Meanwhile, Los Angelas' mayor (Bryon Cranston) and his very religious wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) are determined to clean up the mean streets of the city...and get rid of the rock and rollers for good.

I absolutely loved this. Everyone was having a total blast, from Cruise as the drugged-up Jackx, to Paul Giamatti as his sleazy manager, to Russell Brand as Baldwin's loony stage manager, to Mary J. Blidge as the owner of a strip club where Sherrie ends up at towards the end of the movie. This is the quintessential feel-good, guilty pleasure musical, not all that far removed from Xanadu or Grease 2 in the real 80s.

That said, I can also understand why it's received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike and was a flop at the box office last summer. I haven't seen the still-running Broadway show this is based on, but it's apparently quite different, with a tougher plot and no happy ending, which may alienate fans. What plot is there is feather-weight and rather silly; it's basic boy-meets-girl. If you want a musical with a message or a meatier story, you might want to check out Les Miserables instead.

If you have fond memories of the late 80s, are a fan of the hard rock and pop from the era, or are into any of the cast, I highly recommend it. Give it a chance when you need a pick-me-up; I guarantee you'll be belting Journey with the cast by the finale.

I went for a walk around noon. It was still too warm, but otherwise really lovely. It was so warm, I wore sandals and shorts for the first time this year. The sudden rise in temperatures has been a boon to the flora. The trees are finally in bloom, with flowers bursting from every branch. Hyacinths have joined the daffodils, crocus, and jonquils in many gardens. Lawns are an explosion of pale green grass, sun-yellow dandelions, and tiny little white and blue flowers. The magnolia trees are just starting to show off their pink and white petals. I was originally going to volunteer at the Oaklyn Library, but it was so nice, I strolled around the neighborhood instead. I wasn't the only one out. I passed several dog walkers, and many parents played with their younger children in front lawns and on porches.

When I got in, I finished Rock of Ages, made a quick Taco Chicken Soup for lunch from the contents of my refrigerator and a can of tomato sauce, then went to work. Work was busy off and on, but not nearly as bad as it has been. Other than a few annoying customers, there were no major problems and plenty of help. I was in and out.

April In Oaklyn

Much to my surprise, I awoke to a day that was not only sunny and bright, but above-average warm, already in the 60s by 9. When I finally made it out to the laundromat around 11:30, it was at least in the lower 80s. I was too hot in just my old blue ribbed zipper sweater! It was so nice, I dropped my very full laundry bag in Miss Ellie's old cart instead of taking the bike.

The laundromat was incredibly busy when I arrived. I had to dig around for open washers. Turns out someone had closed the empty washers, instead of leaving them open like they're supposed to. Good thing I did finally get a washer. I had a huge load to do, one that included towels and bed sheets.

When I got back in, I decided Mother Nature was telling me it's time to pull out the spring clothes. We should be just about done with cold days; I can layer sweaters over t-shirts on chilly evenings. There's several items I really need to replace. My bathing suit is just about done. I bought it from WalMart to begin with when my last one gave out. I need work-out clothes in general, but especially ones for warmer weather. I should probably replace that peach ruffled skirt, too. I love it and think it's cute, but it no longer fits all that well. Two pairs of capris that are tight need to be replaced as well.

Spent the rest of the afternoon continuing with the dusting in my bedroom. After that, I went on my computer briefly and added the records and cassette to my inventories. Wow. Even with clearing some out, I still have 390 records, counting what I just bought, and 55 cassettes.

I ran Rick Steves episodes throughout the afternoon. I thought his spring-set jaunts through Paris were especially appropriate for the time of year. I also did the show that focused on the glamorous French Riviera, from Monaco and its casino to the museums that house artwork by the many creative-minded folks who made the Riviera their home in the early and mid 20th century.

Work was very busy off and on all night. For the most part, there weren't too many problems, other than one woman who threw a fit when she had to come back for some things that she forgot. Instead of shrugging and saying "Oops, I forgot again, my bad," she blamed us because she's always forgetting things and we should tell her! Um, sometimes, people forget things. They even forget a lot. It happens. Thankfully, she told two front-end managers who nodded their heads, then agreed with me that she was being silly. After that, the rest of the night was comparatively quiet, and I was able to get out without a fuss.

First Day of Spring

Actually, I spent most of the first day of spring inside. I ran the 2-LP soundtrack from the first That's Entertainment movie as I updated inventories and did some computer work. Organized a few things around the apartment, too. I'm behind on doing household chores. I'm not used to working so much in March...but we don't usually have more than one major holiday in March, either. Not to mention, it was a lot warmer by this time last year. Last year, everyone was worried about it being so warm and dry so early. Now, everyone's worried about late snow.

Switched to Miss Spider and her crew as I had leftover crock pot chicken legs and vegetables for lunch. A Froggy Day In Sunny Patch introduces Felix, the vegetarian bullfrog who is a friend of the kids. The kids first met Felix when he got his tongue literally tied around a plant. After they helped him, he explained that he's a bit tongue-challenged and doesn't eat meat. The kids are delighted to have a huge friend who can hop and hide with the best of them. The remaining citizens of Sunny Patch are more worried. They heard that a family of frogs has moved in...and most frogs eat bugs! Spidercus in particular is determined to drive the frogs out of Sunny Patch. The kids do their best to hide Felix from the "Frog Watch Committee."

It was a beautiful day when I finally headed out for work. It was sunny and windy, but not too cold, probably in the lower-mid 50s. That could be why it wasn't quite as busy as it has been. It was on and off, really busy only during rush hour. Otherwise, I stood around a lot. I wanted to help shelve candy, but one manager did that, then the one who came in for her took over. She said "clean the registers." The registers were just cleaned last week! I was so happy when it was finally time to go and it was so quiet I could leave with no relief and no need for one.

Miss Redmer Takes a Bawth

It's just as well that I slept in this morning, then spent an hour or so reading and writing in my journal. When I got up, it was still pouring cats and dogs. By the time I was having breakfast, the rain had vanished, replaced by blue skies and somewhat warmer temperatures.

Ran cartoons as I ate and cleaned up after my meal. Quite a few of Disney's music video-esque Silly Symphony series of shorts revolve around springtime, including one of their earliest black and white shorts, simply titled "Spring." Other spring-y black-and-white Symphonies included "Playful Pan" and the adorable "The Bears and the Bees."

Spring turned up in several color Symphonies as well. "Birds In the Spring" is pretty much what the title says. A bird pair have babies, then fly to the rescue when one falls out of the nest. "The Goddess of Spring" is more ambitious. Practically a mini-opera, this take on the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades was Disney's first attempt to animate realistic humans. It's not entirely successful - Persephone dances like she's made of rubber in the opening scenes - but the color is beautiful, and the music is quite lovely.

It was past 12:30 when I finally made it out to do this week's laundry. I timed it well. It was still pretty busy when I got in. I noticed they had three new washing machines on the end of the line of the regular, cheaper top-loading models. They had buttons instead of knobs, and to my annoyance, the cold function was only for delicates. I decided to try it anyway, despite it costing 25 cents more. I don't know that it made much of a difference; my clothes didn't seem any cleaner than usual.

By the time I headed out at quarter after 2, the laundromat, which had gotten pretty quiet for a while, was getting busy again. Since it was so late, I went across the street to Amato Bros Deli for lunch. I had a tasty Turkey and Bacon Hoagie while watching the Phillies play the Yankees in pre-season baseball in Florida. My hoagie was tasty but a bit messy; the lady overloaded the Russian dressing. (Oh, and the Phillies eventually won, 4-1.)

When I got in, I put my laundry away, then went right back outside to sweep the porch and enjoy the weather. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, windy, bright, probably in the lower-mid 50s. I didn't have a lot to clean up on the porch, mainly sticks and the last of the sticker balls, but I'd put it off for a while and wanted to get it done.

I went right into the bath after I finished sweeping. I enjoyed my bath last week. It felt just as nice this week, if not nicer. It was wonderful to actually have the time to just kick back and soak while my 20s jazz CD played in the background. I was in there for so long, I didn't get out until the CD was done...almost 2 hours later. That's how much I needed a good, long soak!

My bath put me in too good of a mood for Torn Curtain, which is what I originally planned on watching tonight. I ended up with Till the Clouds Roll By instead. This is one of several composer and musical performer biographies the major studios doted in the 40s and 50s, this one revolving around long-time Broadway and film favorite Jerome Kern. The first half is charming. After opening with a mini-version of Kern's (Robert Wagner) most famous musical Show Boat, we learn more about his life, including the romantic way he met his beloved English wife and how he just barely missed sailing on the Lusitania. The second half is mostly contrived and little-related to the real Kern. Shame, because there's some nice numbers, including two for Judy Garland playing Marilyn Miller, "Look For the Silver Lining" and "Who?"

The huge cast is by far the saving grace here, along with some fairly realistic numbers. They're done the way they would have been in the real Kern shows they represent, from Dinah Shore's beautiful "They Didn't Believe Me" in a flowery Western landscape to June Allyson and the chorus giving birth to many college/school musical cliches in the two Leave It to Jane numbers. Garland's "Who?" with the male chorus is staged just in the way Miller often did her numbers - compare it to the real Miller's "Wild Rose" in the film version of Sally.

The numbers and the sweet first half are the saving graces. Not for those who expect strong plots with their music, but fans of the MGM/Freed unit movies or any of the stars will find much to like here.

Windy Spring

Started this morning with oatmeal for breakfast and a couple of second season Monkees episodes. One of the most popular episodes of the entire series - with Monkees and fans alike - is the hilarious "Fairy Tale." In this minimalist take on fantasy stories, Peter is an out-of-work peasant who adores an, ahem, lovely princess (Mike Nesmith - yes, in a dress). When she's captured by some nasty knights, Peter turns to his three friends and a special locket to help rescue her.

Mike was also at the center of "Monkees In Texas." The boys visit his Aunt Kate in the Lone Star State, and find themselves mixed up with bandits determined to run her off of her land. Micky's the one who's in trouble in "Monkees On the Wheel" when he accidentally wins a fortune on a fixed roulette wheel during a gig in Las Vegas. The guys have to prove they aren't crooks...while trying to catch the real ones!

As with yesterday, work was on-and-off busy all day. Unlike yesterday, however, we didn't have nearly enough help, leading to long lines for much of the morning and afternoon. Didn't help that my relief was late, either. A manager had to come in for me.

By the time I got home, this morning's clouds and cool air had given way to brilliant sunshine and warm skies, though the gale-force winds remained. I went for a short walk when I got in. I'd been inside all day, and I wanted to enjoy at least a little of the fresh air. The trees are getting greener every day. Most of them are just starting to pass the flowering stage now. The daffodils are pretty much gone, but the tulips have emerged, and the violets are beautiful.

When I got in, I decided it was the perfect time to pull out my spring clothes. Even if we get a few more days in the 50s and lower 60s, I probably won't need the turtlenecks or the heavy corduroy pants and skirt again this season. (I barely needed them during the winter.) I can wear sweaters and jackets over t-shirts until Mother Nature starts behaving a bit better.

Ran more Monkees as I had leftovers and a spinach "pancake" (spinach with eggs and cheese cooked pancake style - an old last-minute-meal favorite from when I lived in Wildwood) for dinner. Aliens replace Micky with a robotic lookalike in "Monkees Watch Their Feet." When Peter and Davy finally catch on, they at first turn to the government, then decide to take on the aliens themselves.

What Do I Do Now?

Started off a sunny, breezy, (too) warm day with a call to Mom. I finally got her after missing her all yesterday. We talked for over an hour! Basically, she said that I need to make more of a plan before I drop the local copy editing idea. I get all of these big ideas...but I never do any of them because I'm not good at making strategy. It overwhelms me, and I end up getting scared and dropping the idea. That's been a big problem for over a decade now. I need to make a business plan and start separating the big plans into more manageable chunks.

I have no idea what to do for class, either. The teacher hasn't e-mailed me since I sent in my first assignment in late February. I need to e-mail him and ask him what I should do now. I'm not going to have a website ready by the time the class is supposed to end on March 22nd, nor will I be able to do major advertising. The class did give me a business idea...but I really should have taken writing courses first, not courses in starting an online business. I was hoping to learn how to draw up a business plan, but there's nothing about that in this class.

And I need to figure out  how to meet other area writers. I want a mentor, someone who can help me get started, but that's always been another sticking point. I'm not sure how you go about meeting area writers. The one and only writer's group for South Jersey listed online isn't accepting new members. There are no professional writers in my family or among my few friends. Mom suggested asking the libraries if they can direct me to any writers who have guested there. That's not a bad idea, especially at artsy-fartsy Collingswood.

It was 10:30 before I finally got to breakfast, and past noon when I finally hit the laundromat. The wait may have been worth it. There was one couple there and a few random people, but it wasn't really busy. Good thing, too. I had a lot of laundry, including two towels from my gym visits and the jeans with mud stains on them.

After I got in and put everything away, I went for a walk. I did end up at CVS, but they didn't have what I was looking for, so it was really more of a wandering the neighborhood walk. Oaklyn looks lovely at this time of year. New pale-green grass, lavender hyacinths, and brilliant yellow daffodils brighten gardens that are still shedding their winter grayness. A few families have St. Patrick's Day decorations or banners out; a few more have left up their winter decorations. Most are content to be between holidays.

I had a really quick lunch when I got in, then went to work. Work was exactly the same customer-wise as yesterday, steady and fast with few problems. The computer did slow down on us later, but I dodged it by volunteering to round up carts outside. That was a blast! It was a gorgeous night, breezy, warm (in the 60s), and a little cloudy. I got a better workout pushing carts to the patio than I do at the gym, even after one of the baggers was sent outside to help me. 

Around Camden County In Five Hours

The American Top 40 was on when I got up this morning. We discoed our way into early March 1977 as bubblegum pop, dance music, and vocalists ruled the charts. Hits from this era include "The Things We Do For Love" by 10cc, "Torn Between Two Lovers" by Mary MacGregor, "Weekend In New England" by Barry Manilow, "Night Moves" by Bob Seeger, "New Kid In Town" by the Eagles, the live version of "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney, and "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul (of Starsky and Hutch fame).

Barbara Streisand had the #1 hit that week, one of the biggest hits of her career, in fact. Her version of A Star Is Born usually suffers by comparison to the Janet Gaynor and Judy Garland movies...but the soundtrack was one of that year's blockbuster records and spawned the smash ballad "Evergreen."

I had a lot of errands to run this morning, starting with my last trip to the Logan Presbyterian Church's thrift shop for what I hope will be a while. I had two more bags to deliver, a large one filled with no-longer-needed or threadbare linens, the other with containers and random knick-knacks. I didn't see anything I wanted and just headed out after a few minutes.

Went straight to the bank next to deposit my paycheck. One of the tellers mentioned a new thrift shop on the White Horse Pike, on the edge of Oaklyn and Audubon next-door to TD Bank. They really didn't have much more than clothes and DVDs, but they might be a better place to take any clothes I want to donate than the collection boxes in the back of the Acme.

Made a quick stop at the Oaklyn Library after that, where I organized DVDs and did what I could with the children's books. Several people were showing a new volunteer how the library worked, and I didn't want to get in their way. I left early.

Rode over to Audubon next to hit the gym. Wasn't in there too long, either. I got a decent workout on the elliptical machine. Next time, though, I think I'll up the resistance and the time. I concentrated on the arm weight machines. Since there aren't as many weight machines for the arms as there are for the legs, I did free weights as well before cooling down and stretching.

Made a few more short runs, since I was in the area and off work. Went in Staples really quick for a new mouse pad. I've had the old one for probably about three years. Had a nice lunch of French Onion Soup and a Chicken Fajita Wrap at Applebee's, then bought new rugs for the bathroom, kitchen, and outside the main door. All four of those rugs are also about three or four years old and definitely needed to be replaced. The one in the kitchen has a charming red-and-white strawberry print; the one for outside is a simple, heavy woven twine. The bathroom rugs are plush sage-and-off-white. One has stripes; the other has a leaf print.

I worked on the computer for a little while. I was going to start a web site for today and finally get that assignment done. The next assignment requires me to send my URL to search engines. Trouble is, that pesky lack of experience is getting in the way again. What am I going to say on my web site? How will I make people trust me? I'm beginning to wish I'd taken copy editing classes before taking this business course. It doesn't even teach you how to make a business plan! It just says to make your web site "one that sells," advertise, get with local groups for your product, and voila! I don't think the teacher considered what one does when one lacks experience in everything, or when one's product isn't really physical. This class was a mistake.

I got so frustrated, I finally went outside for a walk around quarter after 4. It was a lovely day, chilly and still a bit windy, but sunny and fresh. I went back into the park again, this time being more careful in our backyard. The sunlight glistened across Newton River, showing through the tangle of bright green, thorny vines around the trees. I even caught sight of a train going over the near-by bridge, and two men fishing on a small motorboat on the river. Leaves can just be seen on the bushes now, and the daffodils have blossomed in Miss Ellie's garden.

When I got in, I dusted the apartment, put up the spring and St. Patrick's Day decorations, and made a simple chili for dinner. Ran Around the World In 80 Days as I worked. This is the 1989 miniseries version of the Jules Verne novella. Mysterious British gentleman Phineas Fogg (Pierce Bronsonan) wagers that he can get around the world in 80 days. Today, this feat could be done in a matter of hours, but in the late 1880s, it was still an arduous undertaking. Fogg and his servant Passepartout (Eric Idle) run into everything from a student revolution in France to cowboys, Indians, and bandits in the American West. Trailing Fogg from one corner of the globe to the other is Inspector Fix (Peter Ustinov), who is determined to land Fogg on a charge of stealing thousands of pounds from the Bank of England. A trip to Bombay throws an Indian princess into the mix as well. Will the quartet win the bet and finally make it back to England...and how many star cameos can you count in this massive undertaking?

Like the 50s Around the World movie with David Niven, this is a star-laden travelogue that relies heavily on pretty scenery and a bevy of character actors popping up in odd places. Unlike the 50s version, there's a lot more adventure...and at the very least, the Indian princess looks Indian, instead of like Shirley MacLaine. Recommended for fans of Bronsonan, Idle, star gazing, or epic 70s and 80s miniseries.

Spring Has (Finally) Sprung

It was sunny, bright, and windy when I awoke this morning...and even more to my surprise, it was warm. Really warm. It had to be in the 60s when I poked my head out the front door. It was so warm, I barely needed a sweater while riding over to the laundromat.

I probably shouldn't have gotten in so late. It was really busy when I arrived. I was very lucky to get a washer and dryer. I spent the time finishing up Zorro, which will be going back tomorrow (along with A Weekend to Change Your Life and A Bundle of Trouble).

When I got home, I went right into putting everything away. I had a really big load this week, and there was a lot that needed to be organized, including towels and a bath mat. As I returned everything to its proper place, I put winter clothes aside in one pile.

When everything was stored, I pulled out the bins I use for the seasonal clothes. I wanted to pull out the spring clothes last week, but it never got warm enough! Today was the perfect day to do it. Other than some good black pants and skirts and a few long-sleeved shirts, all of my winter clothes - the other long-sleeved ts, turtle and mock-turtlenecks, most of my long pants, sweaters, anything corduroy, my chenille sleep socks - went in the bin. I pulled out short-sleeved blouses, more t-shirts, shorts, and short-sleeved pajamas.

I just had enough time for leftover tuna casserole for lunch before heading to work. It was so warm by quarter after 2, I didn't need to wear the sweater I brought along. However, it was also very, very windy, making for a difficult ride.

Work wasn't too bad when I got in or when I left...but the 4-6 rush hour was a mob scene. It was especially bad in the express lane I worked today. People were in a hurry to get out and enjoy the nice weather. This wasn't helped by this being the beginning of the month and having to deal with all the fun people that brings out of the woodwork.

Much to my surprise, it was still warm (and windy) when I rode home at 8. I didn't need the sweater coming OR going! I don't think that's happened since last October, maybe September.

When Enchantment Meets the Real World

Kicked off my Easter season this morning with The First Easter Rabbit. This 1979 Rankin-Bass special tells the origins of the Easter Bunny. Originally a stuffed rabbit (hense his name, "Stuffy"), a fairy turns him into a real animal and anoints him the symbol of spring and head of Easter Valley. Can he keep the valley's Golden Lilly blooming in time for the holiday...or will a chilly character called Zero put his celebration on ice?

I left for work shortly after the DVD ended. Work was pretty much dead all day. The day had started out sunny, but the sun disappeared about half-way through my shift. When I got out at 4, the day was gray, blah, and windy, though not quite as chilly as earlier in the week.

As soon as I got home, I changed into a sweater, pulled my coat back on, and went back out. I wanted a walk and I needed milk at WaWa. It was very busy there when I arrived; I had to wait a little while to get my milk.

Spring is in full bloom in the neighborhood, despite the temperatures. Canary-yellow daffodils and soft lavender hyacinths bloom in every garden. Some of the trees have their first creamy white magnolia blossoms. Others have buds that'll be leaves in the next few weeks.

Not trusting the weather, I spent the remaining afternoon inside, cleaning the kitchen, listening to music, and watching Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue.

The third movie in the Disney "Fairies" series introduces something new to Tinker Bell's world...humans. Fairies and humans aren't supposed to go near one another, but Tinker Bell is very curious about the human world. She can't resist following a Model T when she sees one for the first time, but the grouchy night fairy Vidia follows her and reminds her to restrain her curiosity. If humans find them, they might hurt them...or worse!

Fortunately, the human who does find Tink and takes her home is Lizzie, a little girl who likes fairies. Vidia gets upset when Tink is captured and tells the others, which spurs a mission to rescue her during a huge rainstorm. Lizzie's having problems of her own. Her very "modern" naturalist father will have none of her nonsense talk of fairies. To him, the only things that exist are the ones that are visible to the naked eye. Tink, however, has a few lessons in ingenuity, faith, and magic to teach everyone, fairies and humans alike...

I'm glad Disney didn't shut this series down when they disbanded their made-for-DVD/video animated movie division a few years ago. I've enjoyed the tales of Tink and her magical buddies. Here, for once, we get to know her friends slightly better, and everyone gets a chance to shine.

Princesses, Paupers, and Strawberry Shortcake

It was a gorgeous morning for a ride to the Haddon Township Library. By 11, when I headed out, the sun was shining, the breeze was whistling, and it was probably in the lower-mid 50s, fairly normal for this time of year. There were lots of people out and about, too, enjoying their last day of gorgeous weather before rain (and possibly snow) comes in starting tomorrow.

The library was also bustling when I arrived. I mostly concentrated on DVDs today. The kids' DVDs badly needed to be organized. There were stacks and stacks of adult DVDs to shelve, too. There weren't as many non-fiction DVDs as in the past few weeks, which was probably a good thing. It looks like most of the non-fiction DVDs were just reorganized, and it'll take me a while to figure out what goes where.

The Library seems to have gotten several new kids' DVDs in during the past week. I indulged my girlie side and took out two Barbie As specials, the first musical The Princess and the Pauper and the just-released A Fairy Secret. They had the newest Strawberry Shortcake and Max and Ruby DVDs, so I grabbed those as well. I also took out the western Two Mules For Sister Sara and last year's Russell Crowe version of Robin Hood.

I ended up taking out a pile of books, too. I not only picked up the newest Samantha AG mystery Clue In the Castle Tower and the one and only Josefina mystery, Secret In the Hills. Found two cookbooks on healthy eating that were far more to my liking than the awful Hungry Girl cookbook from a few weeks ago. One was The Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook. The other concentrated on seasonal foods. I'm a firm believer in eating seasonally.

Made a couple of quick stops at the Westmont Plaza next. I grabbed dried apricots from Super Fresh and sponges from Dollar Tree. Had a tasty turkey, avocado spread, lettuce, and Swiss cheese sandwich for lunch at the Bagel Shop. I went straight home after lunch, dodging two FedEx workers who thought they were being cute by standing in my way and pulling back at the last minute. Jerks. They're lucky I didn't run them over. That wasn't funny.

I remembered while riding back to the apartment that I have bills due. I paid them online right away when I got home, then did a few things on the computer. Went for a walk around 4. I went down to the end of Goff Avenue to enjoy the perfectly clear view of Newton River and the Ben Franklin Bridge, then walked back around to Kendall and West Clinton. Everything in the neighborhood looks so nice. Daffodils and crocus bloom in gardens; forsythia bushes drip with brilliant sunshine-colored blossoms. Some homes still had St. Patrick's Day banners waving in the breeze. Others settled for more general spring depictions of birdhouses, flowers, birds, and baby animals.

Spent the rest of the afternoon working on granola bars at my place and watching cartoons. First on deck was Princess and the Pauper. I avoided this one after hearing a song from it performed at the 2004 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and finding it to be excruciating. That song isn't great...but the movie itself is surprisingly one of Barbie's best. It's actually a fairly accurate adaptation of Prince and the Pauper. Here, Barbie is wealthy intellectual Princess Annika and ambitious indentured servant Erika. When the kingdom's supply of gold runs out, Annika finds herself engaged to marry a rich prince from a neighboring kingdom. When the queen's treacherous adviser has Annika kidnapped, it will take all of the wits of both girls, their pet cats and horse, and their respective beaus to reveal his plot and save the kingdom!

The biggest surprise of all was how much of a musical this was. It had at least 7 songs plus some reprises, more music than many live-action movie musicals. And unlike Diamond Castle and Island Princess, where only Barbie and a couple of her animal buddies get to sing, almost everyone has a number. Even the villain gets two songs and a reprise to himself.

Even better, the plot was genuinely exciting and fun. The villain was appropriately menacing, and this is one of the few times the good queen really figures into the plot. The prince who falls for Erika and the royal tutor who is Annika's best friend are far more interesting than most of the bland male characters in these stories, too.

Alas, most of the episodes on the Max and Ruby set were ones that had been previously released. "Max's Castle" was my favorite of the episodes that were new to me. Ruby and Louise are building the "perfect" block castle. Max, as usual, thinks their castle could use a little something...like his toys barging in.

Puttin' on the Glitz, on the other hand, was entirely new Strawberry Shortcake. It's the first 2009 series DVD I've seen to be a series of episodes, instead of episodes strung together to make a "movie." The first and last episodes, both dealing with confronting and criticizing friends about problems and with the impersonality of technology, were my favorites.

Made granola bars and dinner while the cartoons ran. The Lemon Thyme Chicken from the Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook came out superbly, other than I added a wee bit too much lemon juice. I paired that with spinach salad and steamed broccoli for a nice dinner.

The granola bars...were more of a problem. The recipe called for a kind of thick caramel-type sauce to be added to dried fruit, nuts, and oats. I was hoping that leaving them in the pan to harden would make them less flaky. That wasn't smart. They just stuck to the pan. Oh well, they still taste good. I'll just eat my granola bars in chunks...and now I know how to make caramel sauce, too.