Cozy Baking on a Rainy Day

Started out the day with a run to the laundromat. (I worked too early and got off too late to get there yesterday.) I made it there earlier than usual, around quarter of 10. I picked the right time. Other than an older man and a middle-aged woman, the place was totally deserted. I had my choice of washers and driers for once. Good thing, too. I had a ton of it, thanks to changing my sheets last week.

The weather did not look promising. The sky was dark when I got up this morning, and it was getting darker every minute I was in the laundromat. The clouds finally burst 20 minutes before the dryer ended, of course. I didn't feel like waiting for the shower to end, so I just rode home.

That may have been a mistake. Just five minutes in that shower left me dripping and my clothes wet. I had to hang half my clothes up to dry again, including my brown cotton capris.

Ran Date Night while putting my remaining clothes away and having leftovers for lunch. This is pretty much Adventures In Babysitting for adults. A married couple (Steve Carrell and Tina Fey) whose marriage is getting stagnant go out to an expensive restaurant in Manhattan for dinner. The husband gets a table after being brushed off by claiming he and his wife are a couple who don't claim their reservation. Turns out that couple stole a very important flash drive that could implicate a gangster and a district attorney in several mob activities. The duo are chased all over Manhattan by corrupt police officials...but all they want is to figure out what's going on and get home to their kids.

Not the greatest comedy in the world, but you could do worse with this cast. Tina Fey and Steve Carrell don't have the best chemistry, but they both play their usual uptight neurotics to the hilt and have fun with some of the wilder material. Extra points for Mark Wahlburg as the sexy owner of a local security business who helps the couple out...and won't put his shirt on. Ever.

The movie ended around 1:30...and thankfully, the rain also halted temporarily then. This gave me a chance to ride over to the Haddon Township Library without getting totally soaked again. I'm glad I went through the park. I was joined by several joggers and a flock of Canadian geese, and I can't blame any of them. The weather may not have been good for humans lately, but it's done wonders for the flora. The trees are in bloom, rippling with the most amazing shades of white, pink, lavender, soft orange, and pale green. Others have the beginnings of bright green leaves. The tiniest, daintiest little yellow flowers dotted the lush grass.

I was at the library for a while. There were a lot of DVDs to return, and even more children's books to shelve! I didn't take out anything this week, though. I still have books to read at home (including Wicked), and I'll probably end up buying DVDs for my birthday.

I made short stops at Super Fresh and Rite Aid (the latter for contact solution), then rode home. I spent the rest of the afternoon watching Three Stooges shorts and baking. I made Lemon Chiffon Cupcakes for my birthday. The rye bread is almost gone; replaced it with a simple loaf of French Bread.

After this morning's bout with the weather, I opted to stay in. This time, I made the right choice. It started raining again around 5, and it's been raining off and on for the rest of the night.

A Room In Oaklyn

To be honest, I spent most of the day at work. It was busy on and off all day. The sky was a bit overcast and it was cool when I came in at 10. However, by noon, the sun was out, and the temperatures had soared into the lower 80s. Not surprisingly, there were several call-outs this evening, and I ended up staying an hour later. Even with a manager coming in for my break not long before I left, I was still really tired.

Went straight home after I finally finished my shift. I changed into shorts and a t-shirt, made a simple omelet and green beans for dinner, and watched The Boy Friend. Ken Russel's 1971 version of the 50s British stage hit retains the 20s setting (I'm guessing somewhere between 1928 and 1930, from the costumes and the references to "song and dance movies"), but makes the original story of shenanigans at a girls' school in Nice into a Busby Berkley take-off with the cast of a small-time musical trying to impress a visiting Hollywood director. The show is strictly low-budget, but everyone, from the Hollywood impresario to the show's director to the costume assistant who took over for the ailing leading lady, can't help but imagine what they could all do with a Berkley-sized budget...

Actually, what they could do with a Berkley-sized budget is make a series of strange-but-charming numbers that have nothing to do with anything. The songs somehow become backgrounds for kaleidoscopic musical interludes ranging from Berkley girls-in-geometric-forms romps to a ballet based on Greek tragedy in a real forest. While not as inherently strange as Russell's later Tommy, it doesn't work that well, either. Some of the numbers (like the Berkley-esque "I Could Be Happy With You" and the bawdy "It's Nicer In Nice") are fun and really cute. Others (the outdoor Satyr Ballet, the elves-and-fairies segment of "Room In Bloomsbury" that looks like something from a bad live-action kids' show) are just plain odd.

Shame this wastes some nice performances, including Twiggy as the Ruby Keeler-esque kid thrust into the spotlight and Tommy Tune as an American tap dancer appearing as one of the schoolgirls' beaus. Russell might have been better off just filming the show as it is. From what I've gathered, it remains an oft-revived stage favorite in England to this day.

I went for a walk to WaWa after dinner. It was a little cooler by this point. There was a really nice breeze that kept it from feeling as hot as it could have. The streets were teeming with people washing cars and mowing lawns. Groups of kids moseyed along, chatting or texting their friends. Kids rode bicycles or scooters. People pushed toddlers in strollers or walked their dogs. The trees here are just starting to bloom. Flowers in soft shades of pink, white, purple, and green perfume the air. Gardens are brightened by daffodils, crocus, and hyacinths.

The Writer's Way

I slept in a little this morning, but not too long. I had work at 12:30. I read Wicked in bed, then wrote in my journal. I got up in time for Brunch With the Beatles. The theme there today was "Songs That Won Awards." These include "A Hard Day's Night," "Yesterday," "Eleanor Rigby," and "Hey Jude."

I did get to talk to Mom today. She was in a good mood. She initially had the house to herself before Keefe arrived home. Poor Dad wasn't. Both of the commercial fishing boats he works for broke down, which means he's losing money during a prime work period.

I told Mom about my desire to seek life counseling and to start an at-home business. She said that what I should really do is...write. It's what I'm good at. Yes, I'm good at writing, and I enjoy it, but I just can't seem to sit down and do it outside of my blog and journal on my own. I either get an idea and don't finish it, or I can't even write it down. Or I can't get ideas to come at all. I sit there and stare at a blank screen.

Headed for work right after "Brunch" ended. Work was busy, as it always is on Sunday. It went very quickly. There were no major problems, and my relief was a bit early. I was in and out.

I came home, made Flounder with Lemon White Wine Sauce and Mushrooms for dinner, and baked granola bars. I finished The Sting while the granola bars was in the oven. Hit the shower after they finished.

Got out of the shower just in time for The Dress Circle. The prolific Hollywood musical composer Harry Warren was in the spotlight tonight. If you've heard of him at all, you probably know him for his work with Al Dubin at Warner Bros in the 30s. He wrote music for other studios long after that, though, including "I Can't Begin To Tell You," "Jeepers Creepers," "On the Atcheson, Topeka, and the Santa Fe," and "I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man."

Into the Spring Of Things

The clouds had disappeared into the horizon by the time I was having breakfast. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, windless and in the mid-upper 50s. It was about what it should be this time of year. I rode my bike to the bank, then around the neighborhood, looking for yard sales. One sale on East Bettlewood was indoors. There was a line to get in when I rode past; I didn't have the time to wait! Checked out one at West Cedar; didn't find anything interesting.

I stopped at Doria's Deli and bought a roast beef hoagie, then rode home. I had a quick lunch before changing into my work uniform and heading out. My ride to and from work was perfectly pleasant. It was so nice, I wore my red sweater and nothing else and felt fine.

Work was on-and-off busy all day, though never quite as bad as earlier in the week. I got in and out on time with no relief, and there were no major problems beyond a few mildly annoying people.

Good thing. I had my own grocery shopping to do. I skipped shopping tonight because I worked late. I didn't have quite as much to get tonight. I mainly needed to restock my fruit - got grapefruit (3 for $1.99), oranges, strawberries, and bananas. Was out of yogurt and almost out of milk; needed tomato sauce and tomato paste after using them on a recipe on Tuesday.

When I got home, I put everything away, had leftovers for dinner, and watched the first half of The Sting. This is a rare Oscar-winning comedy...and a rare movie to completely deserve its Oscar. A young con-artist in 1936 Illinois (Robert Redford) is devastated when his long-time partner is killed by a gangster and his men. He heads to Chicago to meet up with his buddy's old friend (Paul Newman) to settle the score. They decide to pull the biggest swindle of their entire lives on the nasty mob boss...but with a cop (Charles Durning) on their tail, will they be able to make the biggest "sting" of all?

While other movies have shown con-artists at work, none top the sheer artistry on display here...or the sheer talent. This is a great movie to check out if you're a fan of classic character actors. In addition to Newman, Redford, and Durning, we have Eileen Brennan (as Newman's girlfriend), Harold Gould, Ray Walston, Robert Shaw (as the crime lord), and The Bowery Boys' Billy Benedict (in a cameo early on as a card dealer).

The best known-aspect of this film today may be what I purchased on LP last weekend - the score. Ragtime music may be an odd choice for a movie set in the 30s, but it so vividly captured the film's mood that the soundtrack was not only a hit in it's own right, but brought the long-forgotten composer Scott Joplin back into the limelight and made his "The Entertainer" a Top 40 hit over 60 years after it was composed.

Revelations In the Rain

The rain kept me inside all morning. I slept in, had breakfast, then finished off Wishcraft. Most of the last three chapters of the book was reading, rather than exercises. They dealt with getting through fear, rallying your family to the changes in your life, and the next steps.

Sigh. Though Wishcraft gave me an idea of what I want - to start an at-home business or at least work for a smaller company - I still don't know how I want to make those ideas work, or what strategy to use. I don't know many people I can just ask to come over and give me ideas. I'll look around for life counselors and see what I can do about starting with one later in the month.

That took much longer than I thought it would. It took so long, I didn't even have the time for lunch! I had to leave early. The lady who rang up my new work pants at Fashion Bug last night forgot to take off that white plastic tag thing that's attached with a metal piece, and I need those pants tomorrow. Not to mention, today is paycheck and schedule day.

So I hurried over to the Acme. It was raining a little at that point, around 2, not as hard as earlier but not lightly, either. I wasn't too wet when I left Fashion Bug and headed for work. I bought a bagel and a banana for lunch, picked up my paycheck, and went in.

Work was on-and-off busy all day. The waves of beginning-of-the-month customers are finally beginning to subside. It probably won't be really busy again on the weekdays until we get closer to Easter and Passover. I put candy away during the dead spots. I was able to get off and on with no problems. I did get wet going home, though.

Oh, and I have a very nice schedule next week. Nothing later than 6:30 (next Friday), and a couple of early days. Once again, I have Tuesday and Thursday off, which makes me very happy. My birthday is Thursday.

Family Balance

I overslept and was almost late for yoga class! Ironically, the class ended up being not THAT full. Karin wasn't feeling well, so Micki worked on hip and shoulder openers and shoulder stands with us.

I generally like the classes, but I need to start focusing on the more positive aspects while I'm there. I tend to obsess over being as good as everyone else. I'm overweight and I'm not as flexible as others who take these classes are. I often feel that I'm just not as good as they are, which isn't true. It's hard to reverse a lifetime of feeling the need to compete with everyone from my sisters to my classmates. I never feel like I'm as good as the next person.

After class, I went over to the Collingswood Library. There was a small pile of DVDs to file and shelve. I did some rearranging, but for once, it wasn't too bad. This morning's chilly weather must have scared off some of the usual Storybook Hour crowd. I didn't see as many kids as usual on a Thursday morning.

I went home via Newton River Park. The sun was just starting to come out after a cloudy, cool morning. Thankfully, the wind finally died out last night. I had a very pleasant ride.

After a brief stop at CVS, I rode by Dad and Uncle Ken's to see if anyone was home. Dad was, as it turned out. He told me he was going to take my sister Rose and her boyfriend Craig out for dinner at the Oaklyn Manor Bar down the street. Today is Rose's birthday, and she's usually so busy, she doesn't get a chance to celebrate it! Dad said she let Craig's mother babysit their son Khai and opted for a day with her family.

I was supposed to meet them at Dad and Uncle Ken's house at 5, and it was 1:30. That gave me plenty of time to do chores at home. I had half of a turkey and spinach sandwich on rye for lunch. I dusted the bedroom, which finished this month's cleaning. I finally got around to putting up the Easter decorations. I baked an Orange Chiffon Loaf Cake for Rose and signed the card I bought her on Tuesday.

Of course, when I went over to Dad and Uncle Ken's at 5 after a nice walk, they weren't ready yet. Rose was in the shower, and Jodie had only just gotten home from work. I went back to my apartment and worked on Wishcraft exercises until quarter after 6, when I walked down to the Oaklyn Manor Bar on my own. Just minutes after I arrived, Dad's white van turned a corner and headed down West Clinton.

We had a good time. I kept knocking over drinks. I knocked over my own and Rose's. I'm a little tired; I was up late last night with Lauren. We talked about the owners of the bar over the years, and about how the Phillies are doing. (They creamed the Mets this afternoon, 10-0. Rose, Craig, and Dad are huge baseball fans.)

We had a cake that Jessa made for Rose at Dad and Jodie's house. Dad and I talked about my job options. When Rose and Jodie came back inside from their own chat, Dad and Jodie talked about home ownership with Rose and Craig. Rose and Craig live in a small apartment in Audubon that didn't really fit them, two dogs, and a cat very well...and certainly doesn't work for a baby.

Jodie drove me home. She was worried that I haven't been over there much lately. Part of it is simply I'm not over there as often in the winter, after football's done but before Dad opens the pool and people start congregating for parties. I don't want to do my laundry over there, either. It's a lot easier and faster for me to do it at the laundromat. There's been some tension between the members of the household, too. And Dad just told me Uncle Ken isn't feeling well. Not to mention, I'm still trying to figure a lot of things out on my own.

I did promise Jodie I'd try to visit at least once a week. And it sounds like Jodie's getting burned out on her Campbell's Soup job. She says she's not happy there anymore. Maybe some else I know can finally relate to how I feel about the Acme!

(I will be going over there for Easter. Apparently, everyone's going over to Uncle Ken's for Easter this year, which is a lot more convenient for me.)

Springtime Frolics

I slept in this morning. Ended up spending most of it reading Wicked and listening to my CD of the cast album. By the time I really got going, it was almost time for work.

I'm glad I did have the chance to pick up the mail before I left. Much to my surprise, as I haven't ordered anything from anywhere lately, there was a package for me in the mailbox. It turned out to be early birthday presents from Linda and James Young. (My birthday is a week from tomorrow.) They gave me the 1994 version of Little Women on DVD and a kids' adventure book called Nick of Time. I have the 1949 Little Women on video, but I like the 1994 version as well. And the book sounds like a lot of fun!

Work was on-and-off busy. It was much busier than it usually is on a Wednesday, thanks to the beginning-of-the month people. There were a LOT of annoying old ladies who give you six thousand orders on how to bag. Ladies, I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING! LET ME DO IT, PLEASE!

I was very happy when my relief showed up on time. I wanted to do a little shopping at the mall behind the Acme. I haven't had as much need to go back there since the FYE closed. I mostly want to save my clothes shopping for after my birthday, when I get more money. However, I really did need a new pair of spring work pants. The flannel-lined pair I had were going to be too warm for summer, and I really need two pairs. I ended up with a cotton drawstring cargo set. I hope they at least last the summer.

I had the last of the leftover tuna casserole at home while listening to the Xanadu soundtrack. Changed my sheets, too. The flannel sheets I bought from the Vermont Country Store are now too warm for the time of year. I was going to wash them last week, but I had enough laundry with the towels.

I also went for a nice little walk. I strode down Goff Avenue to admire the view from the boat landing, then down to West Clinton and up Manor. It had been windy and sunny all day, warmer than yesterday but not as warm as Monday. Clouds were starting to gather on the horizon as I hiked around the neighborhood as well. It's supposed to rain tomorrow; we'll see what happens.

Spring Is Running Hot and Cold

It wasn't that cold when I woke up this morning. I heard rain on the roof and decided to sleep in, hoping that the clouds would be gone when I got up for breakfast. Well, the rain had stopped by the time I was getting dressed, but the clouds remained.

Alas, as I was finishing breakfast, it started raining again. Hard. It was crazy-windy, too. I've had enough of running around in bad weather. I spent the rest of the morning organizing the back room instead. When I re-packed my winter clothes, I got them all into one bin...which meant I no longer needed the other bin I was using for clothes. That bin now holds the winter decorations, including things for Valentine's Day. The small container that held the winter items now holds doll clothes and the shoe boxes. Separates remain in the plastic dresser, but I moved pajamas, accessories, and any outfit I don't have a hanger for to the bin.

I didn't get out to the Haddon Township Library until past noon. Turns out there wasn't much to do there anyway. The majority of the DVDs that needed to be shelved today were non-fiction, so I worked on organizing those.

It took me longer to find fiction books to read than it did to shelve DVDs! I've always had problems searching the regular fiction stacks. Nothing seems to jump out at me. That's why I started reading mysteries in the first place. They seemed a lot more fun than all the dull romances, silly bodice-rippers, blood-filled political suspense stories, and ridiculous tales of women who don't want to do anything but shop, whine to their families, and get married. I want action...but nothing political. I want Zorro, The Prisoner of Zenda, Rafael Sabatini. I want comic action like 7,000 Clams, or fun action, like Carter Beats the Devil, or even something as profound as one of my favorite books, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Kay. I want strong women and men who DO something, not just complain or swoon. And when I do non-action, I want stories about smart people, quiet people.

I do read fantasy from time to time, but most of the series novels tend to be too complex. One exception is the world of Oz. I like the musical Wicked and thought I'd try the novel it was based on. That ended up being the only non-fiction book I took out today. I also took out a book on creativity by Julia Cameron and four DVDs - The Care Bears To the Rescue Movie, Mickey's Round Up, Date Night, and The Sting.

It was so late when I got out of the library, I rushed the rest of my chores. I hurried through Super Fresh for maple syrup and plum tomatoes for tonight's dinner. I rushed to Dollar Tree for sponges, a container for brown sugar to replace the one that got cracked in the refrigerator, and cards for my sister's and her son's birthdays in the next few weeks. I raced through my two slices of pizza at Nick and Joe's for lunch.

Finally got home around 4:30. I made chocolate chip meringue cookies, then dusted the living area. I didn't have the time to get to dusting the bedroom or putting up the Easter decorations. Maybe Friday.

Ran cartoons for the rest of the afternoon. Mickey's Round Up is a collection of numbers and/or puzzle-related episodes from the Disney Channel little kids' series Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I usually avoid renting the toddler cartoons that involve the audience. Fond though I am of Dora, Diego, and similar shows, the "interactivity" can get annoying if you're just watching them.

I do, however, love the classic Disney characters. I've seen Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the Disney Channel a few times, and it's really cute. The basic idea - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, and Pluto hang out in Mickey's really nifty clubhouse (that just happens to be shaped like him). They're sometimes joined by other famous Disney characters, including Big Pete, Professor Ludwig Von Drake, Clarabelle Cow, and Chip and Dale.

The Professor was involved in the disc's first and title episode, "Mickey's Numbers Round-Up." Goofy's supposed to be delivering a box of "wild" numbers to the Clubhouse so Mickey can watch them while the Professor's out. Goofy drops the box, and the numbers all run off! Mickey and the gang count down each number as they catch them.

"Daisy Bo Peep" was a variation on "Numbers Round-Up." Here, we're counting down Daisy's lost sheep instead of numbers. The next two episodes, "Mickey's Big Surprise" and "Super Goof's Super Puzzle", involved critical thinking and puzzle-solving. (And marked a rare animated appearance of Goofy's comic-book superhero alter-ego.)

The bonus episode, "Mickey's Show and Tell," took us back to rounding up objects. Martian Mickey (yes, an alien who looks like Mickey with green skin and feelers), loses his "pets" - moving 3-D shapes like cubes, spheres, and cylinders. Once again, the others have to corral them. Probably my favorite of the five episodes on the disc - I liked searching for the shapes among different objects.

As with The Giving Festival Movie, Care Bears to the Rescue was a collection of what I assume to be episodes of Care Powers Team. The wrap-around wasn't even interesting this time around. The Care Bears are holding their own Oscars for the best caring rescues. Oopsy is upset that he probably won't win anything, but he might get his chance for the most spectacular rescue of all when Grumpy gets stuck under the stage as he's about to win an award.

I'm still not sold on the Care Power Team concept. Thankfully, there was a lot more involvement from the other Care Bears this time. Cheer Bear had a mildly sweet story involving her taking care of a baby Gobblebug, and the first story with Funshine and the two walking Clouds was kind of fun. Otherwise, this was a bit dull, and the awards ceremony story was lame. I still say American Greetings need to do what it did with Strawberry Shortcake and completely revamp the Care Bears concept and design again.

The rain and cold continued for most of the day...and started breaking up around the time I got home at 4:30, of course.

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.

Emma Redmer Vs the Internet

I wasn't able to post last night because Verizon was down from the time I got home at 8:30 until almost 1:30AM! I'm still soooo mad. The DSL light was on, but the Internet itself wouldn't go on. I finally called them around 10. Found out that a computer had gone down at headquarters and a whole swatch of Camden County and Philadelphia were out, including us. And when I did finally get back online, they made me completely re-do my account just because I called them...again. For at least the third time in the last year.

That's it. I've had enough of their nonsense. I'm going to look into Comcast or other high-speed internet browsers this week. If I continue to have trouble with them, I may check for other options for my land-line phone as well.

(I did get some things done last night. Read Zorro and worked on my half-double and double crochet.)

Other than that, I've had a very pleasant weekend. It was gorgeous and sunny yesterday morning, though windy. Perfect weather for my first yard sale run of the season.

Audubon had it's Spring Town-Wide Yard Sale. I picked up a whole stack of great albums from five different sales:

The soundtracks for The Sting, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and Fame

Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

The Doors - 13

The Original Cast Album for the 1960 Broadway hit Fiorello!, featuring Tom Bosley as Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia

Frank Sinatra - Strangers In the Night

Judy Garland - Live at the Palace Opening Night

The Spinners - Pick of the Litter

Two kids' albums, Disney's animated version of Robin Hood and The World of Strawberry Shortcake, a slightly expanded variation on the first special.

The Strawberry Shortcake record was a particularly meaningful find. My sisters and I wore our copy of that record into the ground in the 80s. The woman I bought it from said she hoped to save the records for her children, but didn't think she'd ever get around to buying a record player. She also had fond memories of listening to it over and over again.

I also found four CDs:

Natalie Cole - Stardust

Linda Rondstat - Simple Dreams

Billy Joel - Glass Houses

True Value Hardware Happy Holidays Vol 39 (I love those! I have 28-33 on cassette and CD and am always on the look-out for more.)

My best find was closer to home. I went to St. Mark's Lutheran Church across from PNC Bank in Oaklyn for their Indoor Flea Market. I found in a collection of mostly odds and ends a video copy of the 1971 movie version of the British musical The Boy Friend. Twiggy is the usherette who becomes a star; Glenda Jackson is the star she replaces. Ken Russell, who directed the truly strange Who musical Tommy, made this...which means it's probably pretty weird. Sounds like fun, though, and I do love the music from the original The Boy Friend.

Work was extremely busy yesterday and today. It was even worse today, thanks to a lack of help. No one called out; we just didn't have enough people to handle the heavy beginning-of-the-month crowds. At the very least, it went quickly both days.

I started off this morning with Brunch With the Beatles. "Rock and Roll Music" was the theme today. In addition to the remakes of "Twist and Shout", "Rock and Roll Music," and "Roll Over Beethoven," we heard Beatles songs with more of a rock edge. Among these were "Come Together," "Revolution," and my favorite George Harrison solo song "All Those Years Ago."

Mom was in the shower, but I talked to my brother Keefe for a while. He was going to practice archery in the backyard after we chatted. That's awesome. I don't remember learning archery when I was in high school in the mid-90s.

I watched Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World while making granola bars this afternoon. This is the story of the young man of the title, a slacker wanna-be rock star who plays in an alt-rock garage group with his buddies and ex-girlfriend. He's dating an effervescent teenager to make himself feel better about a recent break-up...until he meets the girl of his dreams. Turns out that mysterious, independent young lady carries a lot of very literally baggage. Can Scott defeat her seven exes in order to get the girl of his dreams...and learn that true love is really worth fighting for?

I ended up getting a big kick out of this one. Adapted from a series of indie graphic novels, Scott Pilgrim has a marvelous time sending up video game cliches, from Mortal Kombat's "Round 1 - Fight!" intros to the coins that appear whenever Scott defeats an "ex." The cast had a lot of fun, too, including Michael Cera as the confused slacker musician and Kieran Culkan as his gay roommate.

I can, however, completely understand why this was a huge bomb last year. I like it because, even though I'm not a gamer now, I played enough video games as a kid to get what they're making fun of. If you've never played video games, aren't into comics, and/or can't handle slacker teens and youths, this is definitely NOT the movie for you. This has "cult" written all over it in letters six feet both ways.

Got home in time for The Dress Circle. "The Shows of April" was the theme this week. Among the hits, flops, and limited releases that first appeared in the spring were Destry Rides Again, Carousel, Follies, the late 70s hit I Love My Wife, the 1996 revival of A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, last year's Sondheim on Sondheim, and one that's about to debut this month, the Frank Wildhorn Wonderland (a modernization of Alice In Wonderland).

Little April Showers

It was snowing when I got up this morning, but it ultimately didn't amount to much. It never stuck to anything, nor was there enough to block anyone's view. When I was finally getting dressed and having breakfast, it was lightly showering again. By the time I was on my way to the Oaklyn Library, it was barely doing that.

I mostly organized books at the Oaklyn Library. The DVDs weren't too bad. For some reason, the kids' fiction picture books had a lot of non-fiction mixed in. I don't know how that happened. And someone messed around with the young adult series shelves. They were all out of order! Now I'll have to redo them again next week.

The rain was gone when I walked home, but the skies remained dark. I had leftover Tuna Casserole from last night while watching another Duke/Sach Bowery Boys movie, Looking For Danger. That's my favorite of the last seven movies, thanks to some nice action sequences and very funny gags that almost makes it seem like The Road to the Bowery.

I rode to work a little bit early to get my schedule. My hours for this week coming up are not bad at all. Not only do I have more of them, but the majority of them are earlier. I retain Tuesday and Thursday off as well.

Work was busy, not a surprise for the beginning of the month. I had a few mild problems with WIC Checks. Other than that and a mix-up with my relief that caused me to be almost late finishing, work went fine.

I had shopping to do when I finally did get off. The primary item this week was chicken. There's a big 40% off sale on chicken this week. I bought cutlets, skinless breasts, and legs. I also needed to restock apples (Granny Smiths are 99 cents a pound), grapefruit (3 for $1.99), powdered sugar, and oatmeal. Used a coupon and a sale and got more of those fancy Lipton teas that come in the pyramid-shaped bags. Got Wild Berry this time.

I bought a hoagie roll, too. I ate out enough this week and decided I preferred eating at home. I didn't get to my turkey hoagie and carrot stick dinner until 8:30, but at least I ate it in my own living room.