The glorious fall weather was a good indication that it was time to break out the remaining Halloween specials. I did one of the most popular, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, while eating Apples and Cinnamon Pancakes for breakfast. Linus spends his Halloween waiting in a "sincere" pumpkin patch for the Great Pumpkin, who will bring all the good little children gifts. A smitten Sally joins him. Meanwhile, Charlie Brown has trouble trick-or-treating, while Snoopy does battle with the Red Baron.
Switched to the Disney special Halloween Hall of Fame while cleaning up from breakfast and getting organized. Johnathan Winters headlines this rare Wonderful World of Disney tale (presumably from the 70's, from some of Winters' jokes in the opening sequence). Winters is a security guard at the Disney Studios who finds a talking jack-o-lantern (also Winters) hiding in the prop room. Seems Jack doesn't think Halloween is that scary anymore. Winters directs him to "Trick or Treat," "Pluto's Judgement Day," and the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" segment of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad to prove otherwise.
Didn't get out to the laundromat until 12:30. They were quite busy, but I didn't have any problems getting a washer and a dryer. Didn't have a really big load, anyway. I ignored news and soap operas and paged through this year's Christmas American Girl catalog, which I got in the mail today.
As soon as I got everything put away, I went back out again. I was still kind of full from the pancakes, so I settled on a small lunch of a sauteed spinach, peppers, and feta cheese quiche and black raspberry Sparkling Ice from Coffee Grounds on West Clinton. It was such a nice day, I sat at one of the metal tables outside and enjoyed the breeze and perfect mid-60's temperatures.
Didn't make it to the Haddon Township Library until past 2:30. I mainly looked for more holds; found all but four out of 30. (The CDs are in poor shape, not well-organized or shelved. I couldn't find one listed, and only found the other because it was right in the front of the shelf.)
Shelved the children's DVDs later. You can tell the kids are back in school. They're overflowing again. I couldn't fit in some F and L titles.
I only took out two DVDs this week, a new animated set for My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and a collection of random Scooby Doo episodes (including a recent Halloween-themed show). Had more luck with books. Grabbed a guide to crocheting afghans, a recent collection of Better Homes and Gardens cookie recipes, and one on the power of being yourself.
Went straight home via Newton Lake Park. I took the park both ways in order to avoid the ongoing repairs and traffic snarls on Cuthbert. Fall is finally starting to make its appearance in the park. The leaves are slowly turning colors; the plants along the lake banks are heavy with ripe seeds and berries. The grass looks so much softer and greener than it did at this time last month! Kids chatted on bikes and on foot. Families pushed strollers; singles walked dogs. People ran on the grass and napped on the metal benches in the sun.
When I got home, I went on the computer to continue my story. After the awkward silence surrounding Rey's insistence that Leia is still Hank's wife, the kids turn the topic to their Halloween party. Poe swears he'll be there - he's the Scarecrow and Baby the corgi is Toto. He finally heads out. He's interviewing old cop Officer San Tekka, who may have known where Luke Waller was last seen.
After Hank shuts down for the day, the other kids head down Canal Street to pick up their friend Kaydel from the doctor's office where she works as a receptionist. Rey says they should check out the Skywalker Manor and decide where to put decorations. Everyone else turns down that idea fast. The Manor is haunted, and it's getting dark. Nonsense, says Ray. They won't be there for long. Just long enough to see the first floor.
I got so into writing, I didn't make it to Dad and Jodie's until 6:30. Jodie called the dish she made Goulash, but it was really more Beef and Noodle Casserole - ground beef, elbow macaroni, chopped onions, and I believe stewed tomatoes. Whatever it was called, it was delicious. She had an apple pie, too, made with very fresh apples Rose picked yesterday.
We settled down together and watched Jeopardy! after we ate. This show will always bring back fond memories of my childhood. My mother was a devoted fan of Channel 6's news show, Action News. She'd watch that before dinner. We'd eat, then would guess the numbers on the Pennsylvania Lottery before Jeopardy! began. Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune were two of the only shows my whole family watched together, even when Dad was home. We all loved trivia and seeing how many answers we could come up with.
It was nice to watch it with parents again. Jodie praised all the answers I came up with, but neither of them were slouches, either. Dad-Bruce the much-traveled man dominated the bridge category. (Especially the one about the 7 Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys!)
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Monday, October 10, 2016
Soup Is Good Food
This was a far quieter Columbus Day than the traveling I did last year! Started off with selections from Colliers' Harvest of Holidays book. They have an essay on Christopher Columbus that's surprisingly honest about what he did (and didn't do) for 1944, especially his treatment of the natives he encountered in the Caribbean.
(And incidentally, I've decided to save my last vacation week for the winter, probably somewhere between mid January and late March. Lauren's talking about coming in May instead of June next year, and Easter is two days after my birthday. I'll just ask for my birthday off and use my last vacation week for a quiet winter break instead.)
Listened to the LP soundtrack to the 1962 film version of State Fair while eating a quick breakfast. This one has the opposite problem from the 1945 movie - this time, Margie (Pamela Tiffin) and Pat (Bobby Darin) are the stiff ones, while Emily (Ann-Margaret) and Wayne (Pat Boone) crackle with electricity. The parents (Tom Ewan and Alice Faye) are just as fun. Richard Rodgers wrote some new songs on his own (Oscar Hammerstein having died in 1960). None of them are terribly memorable, though "More Than Just a Friend," sung by the farmers to their prize hogs, made it into the 1997 Broadway stage show.
Work was insanely busy for most of the day, not surprising on a holiday most people had off and the end of a huge 4-day sale. One of the cashiers called out, which meant I got stuck in the registers a lot more than I would have liked. I did get to some returns, but I never got outside.
I made up for being inside all day by taking the long way home down Nicholson Road. It actually wasn't that busy. (Getting off at 3, just before the rush hour, may have been part of the reason.) It was a great day for a ride. The air was cool and crisp and the sky was a brilliant blue. It was windy, likely leftovers from Hurricane Matthew.
Worked on the story a little bit when I got in. The kids try to goad Hank into talking to Leia. They may be separated, but she's still his wife. They have more luck inviting him to the party. Poe's coming too, of course. They're all doing a Wizard of Oz group theme. Poe's going to be the scarecrow. His corgi pup Baby is Toto.
Dad and Jodie invited me over for dinner yesterday. Jesse and Sandy and her girls were chatting with Jodie when I arrived. Dad was still moaning about the Eagles' loss yesterday, fussing about how terrible they are. (Oh yeah, they're so terrible, they won three games in a row, one a blow-out against one of the best teams in the NFL.) Jodie was happier. She invited me over again for goulash tomorrow. I might have to take her up on it. Her ham and bean soup was amazing tonight, thick and rich and just salty enough.
Swung over to CVS as the sun was going down. I forgot to buy laundry detergent at work. Tried white chocolate Reeces Peanut Butter Cups for dessert, too. I just bought their store brand.
When I got home, I did a little Lego Star Wars. Didn't get far in either round I tried. The Free Play version of "Mos Eisley Spaceport" was so twisty and complicated, I never finished it. I couldn't out-run the Imperial walkers and kept losing money. "Rescuing Princess Leia" only went a little better. I did get some money out that, along with a few more pieces. Picked up the red brick in both levels.
And I hope you had a great Columbus Day, whether or not you did exploring of your own.
(And incidentally, I've decided to save my last vacation week for the winter, probably somewhere between mid January and late March. Lauren's talking about coming in May instead of June next year, and Easter is two days after my birthday. I'll just ask for my birthday off and use my last vacation week for a quiet winter break instead.)
Listened to the LP soundtrack to the 1962 film version of State Fair while eating a quick breakfast. This one has the opposite problem from the 1945 movie - this time, Margie (Pamela Tiffin) and Pat (Bobby Darin) are the stiff ones, while Emily (Ann-Margaret) and Wayne (Pat Boone) crackle with electricity. The parents (Tom Ewan and Alice Faye) are just as fun. Richard Rodgers wrote some new songs on his own (Oscar Hammerstein having died in 1960). None of them are terribly memorable, though "More Than Just a Friend," sung by the farmers to their prize hogs, made it into the 1997 Broadway stage show.
Work was insanely busy for most of the day, not surprising on a holiday most people had off and the end of a huge 4-day sale. One of the cashiers called out, which meant I got stuck in the registers a lot more than I would have liked. I did get to some returns, but I never got outside.
I made up for being inside all day by taking the long way home down Nicholson Road. It actually wasn't that busy. (Getting off at 3, just before the rush hour, may have been part of the reason.) It was a great day for a ride. The air was cool and crisp and the sky was a brilliant blue. It was windy, likely leftovers from Hurricane Matthew.
Worked on the story a little bit when I got in. The kids try to goad Hank into talking to Leia. They may be separated, but she's still his wife. They have more luck inviting him to the party. Poe's coming too, of course. They're all doing a Wizard of Oz group theme. Poe's going to be the scarecrow. His corgi pup Baby is Toto.
Dad and Jodie invited me over for dinner yesterday. Jesse and Sandy and her girls were chatting with Jodie when I arrived. Dad was still moaning about the Eagles' loss yesterday, fussing about how terrible they are. (Oh yeah, they're so terrible, they won three games in a row, one a blow-out against one of the best teams in the NFL.) Jodie was happier. She invited me over again for goulash tomorrow. I might have to take her up on it. Her ham and bean soup was amazing tonight, thick and rich and just salty enough.
Swung over to CVS as the sun was going down. I forgot to buy laundry detergent at work. Tried white chocolate Reeces Peanut Butter Cups for dessert, too. I just bought their store brand.
When I got home, I did a little Lego Star Wars. Didn't get far in either round I tried. The Free Play version of "Mos Eisley Spaceport" was so twisty and complicated, I never finished it. I couldn't out-run the Imperial walkers and kept losing money. "Rescuing Princess Leia" only went a little better. I did get some money out that, along with a few more pieces. Picked up the red brick in both levels.
And I hope you had a great Columbus Day, whether or not you did exploring of your own.
Sunday, October 09, 2016
The Kids In the Neighborhood
It was pouring like mad when I finally managed to open my eyes around 9:30. I finished Beauty, a fairly straightforward retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley, and wrote in my journal. The rain continued to fall hard. I ended up calling Dad for a ride. Not only was it raining hard, but the wind had picked up sometime early this morning, too.
Ran a couple of autumn and spooky-themed LPs I have while eating breakfast. Witchcraft is a collection of instrumental jazz versions of popular standards themed around witches or the supernatural, such as "That Old Black Magic," "Old Devil Moon," "Kiss of Fire," and the title song. Autumn is a lovely series of piano solos by George Winston.
Dad did drive me to work...which I instantly regretted. Of course, by the time he had pulled up to the side of the road, the rain had stopped, though it remained cold and cloudy. He said to call him later if I couldn't get a ride.
The Acme was a mess for the first half of my shift. I got stuck in the registers for a half-hour when I first arrived, and then for another 20 minutes about a half-hour before I left. Not to mention, the carts were a disaster early-on. There were absolutely none left by 12:30, not even the rickety green plastic ones or the huge old rusted red and white hulks. Good thing there were at least two other baggers on schedule to help out. The traffic slowed as early as my break. By the time I finished at 4, the weather was gorgeous and the store was down to steady.
It was so nice, I called Dad and told him I'd walk home. It was hard to believe we'd been pelted with precipitation just that morning. The clouds had completely vanished. The sky was a rich blue. The leaves that skittered around my feet are just starting to turn colors here. Leftover rain drops glistened on radiant golds and crackly browns. The rain must have swept away the last of the algae that choked the creeks and lakes here over the summer. They were almost clear, a deep bottle-green, with only a bit of sickly yellow left around the fringes.
As soon as I got in, I called Richard. I thought I smelled gas coming from the stove. I smelled something, all right, but it wasn't the stove. It was fumes from the paint and varnish the workers downstairs are using. Thankfully, the stove is fine. (He confirmed again after checking a second time.)
Dad invited me over to his and Jodie's house for chili, even though the Eagles game was over by then. I changed and made it over by quarter after 5. The Eagles were down 21-7 to the Lions when I saw them during break. They seemed to have caught up in a hurry during the second half and lost by one measly point, 24-23. You'd think they hadn't scored at all, the way Dad was fussing and carrying on about what a horrible team they were. It's ONE game. They've done really well their last three games. Everyone has an off week.
After Khai had a hot dog and baby carrots (he's a huge fan of raw carrots) and I had my chili and slices of French bread, we visited Jodie's friend Sandy, who lives around the corner from her and Dad. Her daughter Emily was with other friends near-by, but Mary was there (though not interested in talking). While Rose, Sandy, and Jodie discussed the apple-picking trip Rose is taking tomorrow with Khai and Anny and her brood, I tried to get Sandy's little spotted dog Ricky to quit trying to jump on me. At the least, he calmed down enough to let me give him a back scratch.
(Oh, and I found out what Khai's being for Halloween this year. He wants to be a Ghostbuster, complete with proton pack. As a long-time Ghostbusters fan, I love that idea. Sounds like his mom is pretty enthusiastic about it, too. And it would seem he's getting to be quite the athlete. Rose told me he made two goals during his soccer game today, one helping them to win the game.)
Emily turned out to be a few houses down, running around with Chloe and a couple of little boys. Khai joined their chase while Rose chatted with their mother. Emily kept hiding behind Rose every time the other kids went after her. It was hilarious. Emily looked so cute in her orange jack-o-lantern t-shirt, orange and white polka-dot ruffled skirt, purple and orange striped shirt, and tall black boots.
When Rose had to drag Khai away from his buddies, I figured it was time to head home. I finished the night by baking the Ginger Snaps I'd made the night before. I didn't want to chance the stove last night. They baked fine and came out tasty despite the overnight chilling, so the stove is definitely working.
Ran a couple of autumn and spooky-themed LPs I have while eating breakfast. Witchcraft is a collection of instrumental jazz versions of popular standards themed around witches or the supernatural, such as "That Old Black Magic," "Old Devil Moon," "Kiss of Fire," and the title song. Autumn is a lovely series of piano solos by George Winston.
Dad did drive me to work...which I instantly regretted. Of course, by the time he had pulled up to the side of the road, the rain had stopped, though it remained cold and cloudy. He said to call him later if I couldn't get a ride.
The Acme was a mess for the first half of my shift. I got stuck in the registers for a half-hour when I first arrived, and then for another 20 minutes about a half-hour before I left. Not to mention, the carts were a disaster early-on. There were absolutely none left by 12:30, not even the rickety green plastic ones or the huge old rusted red and white hulks. Good thing there were at least two other baggers on schedule to help out. The traffic slowed as early as my break. By the time I finished at 4, the weather was gorgeous and the store was down to steady.
It was so nice, I called Dad and told him I'd walk home. It was hard to believe we'd been pelted with precipitation just that morning. The clouds had completely vanished. The sky was a rich blue. The leaves that skittered around my feet are just starting to turn colors here. Leftover rain drops glistened on radiant golds and crackly browns. The rain must have swept away the last of the algae that choked the creeks and lakes here over the summer. They were almost clear, a deep bottle-green, with only a bit of sickly yellow left around the fringes.
As soon as I got in, I called Richard. I thought I smelled gas coming from the stove. I smelled something, all right, but it wasn't the stove. It was fumes from the paint and varnish the workers downstairs are using. Thankfully, the stove is fine. (He confirmed again after checking a second time.)
Dad invited me over to his and Jodie's house for chili, even though the Eagles game was over by then. I changed and made it over by quarter after 5. The Eagles were down 21-7 to the Lions when I saw them during break. They seemed to have caught up in a hurry during the second half and lost by one measly point, 24-23. You'd think they hadn't scored at all, the way Dad was fussing and carrying on about what a horrible team they were. It's ONE game. They've done really well their last three games. Everyone has an off week.
After Khai had a hot dog and baby carrots (he's a huge fan of raw carrots) and I had my chili and slices of French bread, we visited Jodie's friend Sandy, who lives around the corner from her and Dad. Her daughter Emily was with other friends near-by, but Mary was there (though not interested in talking). While Rose, Sandy, and Jodie discussed the apple-picking trip Rose is taking tomorrow with Khai and Anny and her brood, I tried to get Sandy's little spotted dog Ricky to quit trying to jump on me. At the least, he calmed down enough to let me give him a back scratch.
(Oh, and I found out what Khai's being for Halloween this year. He wants to be a Ghostbuster, complete with proton pack. As a long-time Ghostbusters fan, I love that idea. Sounds like his mom is pretty enthusiastic about it, too. And it would seem he's getting to be quite the athlete. Rose told me he made two goals during his soccer game today, one helping them to win the game.)
Emily turned out to be a few houses down, running around with Chloe and a couple of little boys. Khai joined their chase while Rose chatted with their mother. Emily kept hiding behind Rose every time the other kids went after her. It was hilarious. Emily looked so cute in her orange jack-o-lantern t-shirt, orange and white polka-dot ruffled skirt, purple and orange striped shirt, and tall black boots.
When Rose had to drag Khai away from his buddies, I figured it was time to head home. I finished the night by baking the Ginger Snaps I'd made the night before. I didn't want to chance the stove last night. They baked fine and came out tasty despite the overnight chilling, so the stove is definitely working.
Saturday, October 08, 2016
Rainy Harvest
It was just cloudy and humid when I got up this morning. Ran The Backyardigans while I ate breakfast and got organized. In "Scared of You," Tasha is a mad scientist who sends her assistant Austin out to find three monsters. Austin's upset because he thinks everyone's forgotten his birthday. The other kids don't help. Tyrone the Mummy, Uniqua the Werewolf, and Pablo the Vampire are more scared of each other than anything.
Didn't make it to the farm market until nearly 10:30. They were bustling with people buying produce before the rain started. I even saw an apple pie contest. The Brussels sprouts emerge for the first time this week, and oddly, the corn truck booth was back...but a lot of other fall produce is missing or in short supply. I haven't seen pumpkins most places in a couple of weeks. I finally got a medium-sized one at the organic booth. The lady who runs it told me that the heat we had all summer caused the pumpkins and a lot of the squash to come up too early; they rotted when the rains finally came. I did manage to pick up an acorn squash (also from the organic booth), small gala apples, pears, and Brussels sprouts.
When I got home, I threw on a Three Stooges short as I had a very quick lunch and got ready for work. "If a Body Meets a Body" brings Curly, Larry, and Moe to a spooky old house. Curly might be the heir to a fortune, and the other two want to cash in. Shortly after they arrive, they learn that Curly's uncle was murdered, and then the cops insist they stay. Now they have to spend a night in a possibly haunted house with a killer loose!
It started to shower just as I was crossing Nicholson Road on my way to work. It's continued to rain for the rest of the day. And of course, I was outside for most of the afternoon. I did gather baskets a few times and emptied the trash on the wet wipe holders as you come in...but I mostly rounded carts, including an hour and a half after my break. The rain never abated. I just put on a raincoat and got wet.
It continued to rain as I headed home. As soon as I got in, I changed into dry clothes. I had leftover chicken legs and a green salad for dinner while watching Kung Fu Panda 3.
Po (Jack Black) is happy as the Dragon Warrior and a member of the Fearless Five. Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) thinks he's ready for the next level - teaching. Po's not so sure. His first attempt to teach his friends is a disaster. As he contemplates what being the Dragon Warrior means, he and the Five discover that an evil ox master (JK Simmons) has returned from the spirit world with the chi - the energy - of every master there, determined to gain the wisdom at the Jade Palace. Even as he gathers the chi of every master in China, Poe is confronted with someone he never thought he'd meet - his real panda father (Bryan Cranston). His dad insists on taking him to a remote village where other pandas live, and Poe can learn to be a panda. This makes his crane adopted father (James Hong) rather jealous. When the pandas learn that the ox's army of green jade masters is on its way to the village, Poe learns that the best way to teach is to use everyone's strengths...and that teachers can learn a lot from their students, too.
I love the Kung Fu Panda movies. I think they're my favorite Dreamworks movies, and certainly my favorite series. Who knew so much could be made from a panda who was into the martial arts? The animation is awesome (especially during the chi fight in the finale), Poe's panda family is a riot, and there's quite a bit of father-son bonding that's both touching and hilarious.
I do recommend that you see at least Kung Fu Panda 2 before coming here to get a better idea of the characters and situations. If you're already a fan of this series, hop aboard - it may be the best one yet.
Finished the night with more Lego Star Wars. Tried "Retake Thneed Palace" again - got True Jedi and the red brick, but couldn't find more pieces. As I told Linda Young on Facebook, I did finally re-do the Pod Race. Honestly, I loved using every other vehicle but the darn speeder in the race! Got a few more pieces and "True Jedi."
Skipped way ahead to do a few New Hope levels. "Secret Plans" was a snap. I had no idea Princess Leia's ship had so many corridors! Using a bounty hunter (Greedo in my group) or a stormtrooper gets you into a whole maze of black tunnels that includes a white piece and the red brick. With Darth Maul smashing the walls into atoms and a Jawa to crawl under the grating on some floors, I had no problems getting "True Jedi."
"Through the Jutland Wastes" was tougher. That round takes forever in Story Mode. It was equally difficult even with more characters to work with. I think I did pretty well in the Sandcrawler, but the wastes themselves had many pieces up high or in places where the characters would slide that I just couldn't figure out. I did find the red brick, but I couldn't get more pieces, and got nowhere near "True Jedi."
Didn't make it to the farm market until nearly 10:30. They were bustling with people buying produce before the rain started. I even saw an apple pie contest. The Brussels sprouts emerge for the first time this week, and oddly, the corn truck booth was back...but a lot of other fall produce is missing or in short supply. I haven't seen pumpkins most places in a couple of weeks. I finally got a medium-sized one at the organic booth. The lady who runs it told me that the heat we had all summer caused the pumpkins and a lot of the squash to come up too early; they rotted when the rains finally came. I did manage to pick up an acorn squash (also from the organic booth), small gala apples, pears, and Brussels sprouts.
When I got home, I threw on a Three Stooges short as I had a very quick lunch and got ready for work. "If a Body Meets a Body" brings Curly, Larry, and Moe to a spooky old house. Curly might be the heir to a fortune, and the other two want to cash in. Shortly after they arrive, they learn that Curly's uncle was murdered, and then the cops insist they stay. Now they have to spend a night in a possibly haunted house with a killer loose!
It started to shower just as I was crossing Nicholson Road on my way to work. It's continued to rain for the rest of the day. And of course, I was outside for most of the afternoon. I did gather baskets a few times and emptied the trash on the wet wipe holders as you come in...but I mostly rounded carts, including an hour and a half after my break. The rain never abated. I just put on a raincoat and got wet.
It continued to rain as I headed home. As soon as I got in, I changed into dry clothes. I had leftover chicken legs and a green salad for dinner while watching Kung Fu Panda 3.
Po (Jack Black) is happy as the Dragon Warrior and a member of the Fearless Five. Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) thinks he's ready for the next level - teaching. Po's not so sure. His first attempt to teach his friends is a disaster. As he contemplates what being the Dragon Warrior means, he and the Five discover that an evil ox master (JK Simmons) has returned from the spirit world with the chi - the energy - of every master there, determined to gain the wisdom at the Jade Palace. Even as he gathers the chi of every master in China, Poe is confronted with someone he never thought he'd meet - his real panda father (Bryan Cranston). His dad insists on taking him to a remote village where other pandas live, and Poe can learn to be a panda. This makes his crane adopted father (James Hong) rather jealous. When the pandas learn that the ox's army of green jade masters is on its way to the village, Poe learns that the best way to teach is to use everyone's strengths...and that teachers can learn a lot from their students, too.
I love the Kung Fu Panda movies. I think they're my favorite Dreamworks movies, and certainly my favorite series. Who knew so much could be made from a panda who was into the martial arts? The animation is awesome (especially during the chi fight in the finale), Poe's panda family is a riot, and there's quite a bit of father-son bonding that's both touching and hilarious.
I do recommend that you see at least Kung Fu Panda 2 before coming here to get a better idea of the characters and situations. If you're already a fan of this series, hop aboard - it may be the best one yet.
Finished the night with more Lego Star Wars. Tried "Retake Thneed Palace" again - got True Jedi and the red brick, but couldn't find more pieces. As I told Linda Young on Facebook, I did finally re-do the Pod Race. Honestly, I loved using every other vehicle but the darn speeder in the race! Got a few more pieces and "True Jedi."
Skipped way ahead to do a few New Hope levels. "Secret Plans" was a snap. I had no idea Princess Leia's ship had so many corridors! Using a bounty hunter (Greedo in my group) or a stormtrooper gets you into a whole maze of black tunnels that includes a white piece and the red brick. With Darth Maul smashing the walls into atoms and a Jawa to crawl under the grating on some floors, I had no problems getting "True Jedi."
"Through the Jutland Wastes" was tougher. That round takes forever in Story Mode. It was equally difficult even with more characters to work with. I think I did pretty well in the Sandcrawler, but the wastes themselves had many pieces up high or in places where the characters would slide that I just couldn't figure out. I did find the red brick, but I couldn't get more pieces, and got nowhere near "True Jedi."
Friday, October 07, 2016
In the Autumn Sunshine
It was another beautiful day in the neighborhood when I finally pulled out of bed this morning. I ate oatmeal for breakfast while watching some swashbuckling Backyardigans. Pablo and Tyrone are "The Two Musketeers," but who is that yellow hippo lass who is determined to join them? Uniqua plays Zorro in "The Masked Retriever." She's a librarian who dons a mask and cape to catch Very Important Backyardigan Don Austin before he takes his overdue book over the border!
Cleaned for most of the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. I wanted to get the dusting and windows done, so I could put up the Halloween decorations. Halloween's grown on me over the past few years. As I mentioned, it's one of the few genuinely singles-friendly holidays. You don't need a crowd to dress in a costume, watch a horror movie, or prance in a parade. It's still not my favorite holiday - I'm just not a big horror fan - but I enjoy it more now than I did as a kid. (Not having to go around begging for candy helps, too. I can just buy a bag of Yorks and toss it in the freezer the day after Halloween.)
Unlike Matt at Dinosaur Dracula, most of my decorations are more cute or funny than scary. The black and orange tinsel garland from Rite Aid went over the two windows in the dining area. Put Mom's hand-made raffia-and-cloth bat and moon garland in the kitchen. Moved the leaf garlands to the big windows in my bedroom and replaced one with my fold-out Halloween banner. A little porcelain bear and a larger resin bear dressed as witches went in the bedroom, on the kids' paperbacks and comic books shelf and the wardrobes, respectively.
The Ever After High and Sailor Moon dolls get their own plastic jack-o-lanterns. The witch "scarecrow" and stuffed cauldron Beanie-type toy went on top of the dry sink in the music area, along with a wooden witch cut-out. The jack-o-lantern cut-out is on the dresser I use to hold miscellaneous tools, wires, batteries, and art items. Set up my Halloween Beanie Babies on the DVD shelves. The McDonaldland character, Hamtaro, and Chicken McNugget character Halloween dress-up toys went on the TV table. The Halloween tin is on top of a record crate. The bat table runner Mom made years ago is now the centerpiece of my dining area table.
Ran more Jack of All Trades as I worked. Jack dresses as Governor Croque in order to prove he's a competent leader and keep him from getting replaced with someone far tougher...but a group of girls who have taken to dressing as the Dragoon and writing anti-French graffiti keep getting into trouble.
To find out who has been desecrating cemeteries in the name of the Dragoon, Emilia takes a potion that puts her into a deep coma. She and Jack are hoping to get into the vault and find out who's really behind the damage, but they almost get burned to a crisp instead.
Speaking of Croque, he's not happy when his young wife takes a liking to the Dragoon. Jack tries to teach him how to be dashing to win her back, while Emilia creates a very potent love drug.
This is the only show I've ever seen play Lewis and Clark as a pair of goofy hippies who show up on a deserted island and claim it to be Oregon, then insult Emilia because they think the Revolutionary War is still on. They're still friends with Jack, so he tries to keep the peace between them...and then stop them from assaulting the French. Emilia knows a certain Native woman who can get them on the right track...
I wanted to get to the Oaklyn Library before it closed, so I hurried out around quarter after 1, even before I finished with the Halloween decorations. It was a glorious day for a walk. The sky was blue. The wind was soft. The air was warm, but not at all humid, probably in the lower-mid 70's. A lot of people in the neighborhood seem to have taken advantage of the nice weather we've had these last couple of days to put up their outdoor Halloween decorations. I saw trees hung with ghosts and pumpkin goblins, bright mums in jack-o-lantern pots on steps, and cottony "cobwebs" on bushes. Mums, marigolds, and roses bring fall color to gardens. Certainly more than the trees, which haven't yet turned colors here. They've just been falling.
The Oaklyn Library was quiet when I arrived. It was just me, the librarian, one other older woman on the computer, and CNN. I half-listened to the breaking news about Hurricane Matthew in Florida while organizing the DVDs and shelving children's books.
Picked up lunch at WaWa. I needed skim milk. Also grabbed a roast beef hoagie and a Pumpkin Caramel Smoothie. Yum. I tasted more pumpkin than caramel, but it was still really good. The day was so lovely, I ate lunch at the picnic tables on West Clinton Avenue.
Finished up the Halloween decorations while watching Max & Ruby. "Max & Ruby's Perfect Pumpkin" will be the best one at the grocery store, if she can pick one and keep from getting distracted by Max going after candy! "Max's Jack-O-Lantern" will be funny and happy, or so Ruby keeps insisting. Her brother has other ideas. Max wants to scare Ruby, but his sister may have a few scares of her own for him in "Max's Big Boo."
Worked on writing for a few hours after that. Poe shows up at the Garage, dressed in a natty new suit. He just landed a job with Leia's private detective agency. His first assignment - helping her find out what happened to her brother Luke after his School for Wayward Boys burned to the ground. Poe mentions that Leia wants to see Hank, her estranged husband. He thinks she doesn't want to talk to him...but as the kids remind him, she's still his wife.
It was too nice to stay inside all day. I broke around 5 to run to the grocery store. They're having another one of those buy 6, get 3 dollars off deals. I got two Progresso soups, two Lipton tea boxes (had a buy one, get one free coupon), Palmolive dish washing liquid (I just ran out), and Cheerios (had a coupon for that, too). Restocked honey, peanut butter, ground chicken, bubble bath, canned chicken (another coupon), navy beans, and oat bran. Grabbed the oat bran and two packs of mechanical pencils off the clearance shelves.
My schedule next week is a bit odd. In good news, three days off (Tuesday, Thursday, and next Friday) and no really early days. In strange news, longer hours than I have been getting lately. And I still need more hours.
When I got home, I had leftover soup for dinner, Ran Garfield's Halloween Adventure while I ate. Garfield and Odie dress as pirates for trick or treat, hoping to plunder some nautical candy booty. They get in way over their heads when they find themselves stranded on an island with no candy and ghostly pirates set to arrive at midnight.
Made Old School Chocolate Chip Muffins while watching a couple of spooky Three Stooges shorts. The boys are "Shivering Sherlocks" when they try to help a lady friend claim the old house she's inheriting and end up having to out-run the hideous associate of a group of bank robbers. They're "Hot Scots" when a Scotland Yard case lands them in an ancient castle in the Highlands. But it's no Highland Fling when they find themselves being chased by antique-snitching ghouls and paintings that move. "A Bird In the Hand" brings an ailing Curly back in. A trio of wall paperers out-run their angry boss, only to land in the laboratory of a mad scientist who wants to transfer Curly's brain into a gorilla's body.
Cleaned for most of the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. I wanted to get the dusting and windows done, so I could put up the Halloween decorations. Halloween's grown on me over the past few years. As I mentioned, it's one of the few genuinely singles-friendly holidays. You don't need a crowd to dress in a costume, watch a horror movie, or prance in a parade. It's still not my favorite holiday - I'm just not a big horror fan - but I enjoy it more now than I did as a kid. (Not having to go around begging for candy helps, too. I can just buy a bag of Yorks and toss it in the freezer the day after Halloween.)
Unlike Matt at Dinosaur Dracula, most of my decorations are more cute or funny than scary. The black and orange tinsel garland from Rite Aid went over the two windows in the dining area. Put Mom's hand-made raffia-and-cloth bat and moon garland in the kitchen. Moved the leaf garlands to the big windows in my bedroom and replaced one with my fold-out Halloween banner. A little porcelain bear and a larger resin bear dressed as witches went in the bedroom, on the kids' paperbacks and comic books shelf and the wardrobes, respectively.
The Ever After High and Sailor Moon dolls get their own plastic jack-o-lanterns. The witch "scarecrow" and stuffed cauldron Beanie-type toy went on top of the dry sink in the music area, along with a wooden witch cut-out. The jack-o-lantern cut-out is on the dresser I use to hold miscellaneous tools, wires, batteries, and art items. Set up my Halloween Beanie Babies on the DVD shelves. The McDonaldland character, Hamtaro, and Chicken McNugget character Halloween dress-up toys went on the TV table. The Halloween tin is on top of a record crate. The bat table runner Mom made years ago is now the centerpiece of my dining area table.
Ran more Jack of All Trades as I worked. Jack dresses as Governor Croque in order to prove he's a competent leader and keep him from getting replaced with someone far tougher...but a group of girls who have taken to dressing as the Dragoon and writing anti-French graffiti keep getting into trouble.
To find out who has been desecrating cemeteries in the name of the Dragoon, Emilia takes a potion that puts her into a deep coma. She and Jack are hoping to get into the vault and find out who's really behind the damage, but they almost get burned to a crisp instead.
Speaking of Croque, he's not happy when his young wife takes a liking to the Dragoon. Jack tries to teach him how to be dashing to win her back, while Emilia creates a very potent love drug.
This is the only show I've ever seen play Lewis and Clark as a pair of goofy hippies who show up on a deserted island and claim it to be Oregon, then insult Emilia because they think the Revolutionary War is still on. They're still friends with Jack, so he tries to keep the peace between them...and then stop them from assaulting the French. Emilia knows a certain Native woman who can get them on the right track...
I wanted to get to the Oaklyn Library before it closed, so I hurried out around quarter after 1, even before I finished with the Halloween decorations. It was a glorious day for a walk. The sky was blue. The wind was soft. The air was warm, but not at all humid, probably in the lower-mid 70's. A lot of people in the neighborhood seem to have taken advantage of the nice weather we've had these last couple of days to put up their outdoor Halloween decorations. I saw trees hung with ghosts and pumpkin goblins, bright mums in jack-o-lantern pots on steps, and cottony "cobwebs" on bushes. Mums, marigolds, and roses bring fall color to gardens. Certainly more than the trees, which haven't yet turned colors here. They've just been falling.
The Oaklyn Library was quiet when I arrived. It was just me, the librarian, one other older woman on the computer, and CNN. I half-listened to the breaking news about Hurricane Matthew in Florida while organizing the DVDs and shelving children's books.
Picked up lunch at WaWa. I needed skim milk. Also grabbed a roast beef hoagie and a Pumpkin Caramel Smoothie. Yum. I tasted more pumpkin than caramel, but it was still really good. The day was so lovely, I ate lunch at the picnic tables on West Clinton Avenue.
Finished up the Halloween decorations while watching Max & Ruby. "Max & Ruby's Perfect Pumpkin" will be the best one at the grocery store, if she can pick one and keep from getting distracted by Max going after candy! "Max's Jack-O-Lantern" will be funny and happy, or so Ruby keeps insisting. Her brother has other ideas. Max wants to scare Ruby, but his sister may have a few scares of her own for him in "Max's Big Boo."
Worked on writing for a few hours after that. Poe shows up at the Garage, dressed in a natty new suit. He just landed a job with Leia's private detective agency. His first assignment - helping her find out what happened to her brother Luke after his School for Wayward Boys burned to the ground. Poe mentions that Leia wants to see Hank, her estranged husband. He thinks she doesn't want to talk to him...but as the kids remind him, she's still his wife.
It was too nice to stay inside all day. I broke around 5 to run to the grocery store. They're having another one of those buy 6, get 3 dollars off deals. I got two Progresso soups, two Lipton tea boxes (had a buy one, get one free coupon), Palmolive dish washing liquid (I just ran out), and Cheerios (had a coupon for that, too). Restocked honey, peanut butter, ground chicken, bubble bath, canned chicken (another coupon), navy beans, and oat bran. Grabbed the oat bran and two packs of mechanical pencils off the clearance shelves.
My schedule next week is a bit odd. In good news, three days off (Tuesday, Thursday, and next Friday) and no really early days. In strange news, longer hours than I have been getting lately. And I still need more hours.
When I got home, I had leftover soup for dinner, Ran Garfield's Halloween Adventure while I ate. Garfield and Odie dress as pirates for trick or treat, hoping to plunder some nautical candy booty. They get in way over their heads when they find themselves stranded on an island with no candy and ghostly pirates set to arrive at midnight.
Made Old School Chocolate Chip Muffins while watching a couple of spooky Three Stooges shorts. The boys are "Shivering Sherlocks" when they try to help a lady friend claim the old house she's inheriting and end up having to out-run the hideous associate of a group of bank robbers. They're "Hot Scots" when a Scotland Yard case lands them in an ancient castle in the Highlands. But it's no Highland Fling when they find themselves being chased by antique-snitching ghouls and paintings that move. "A Bird In the Hand" brings an ailing Curly back in. A trio of wall paperers out-run their angry boss, only to land in the laboratory of a mad scientist who wants to transfer Curly's brain into a gorilla's body.
Thursday, October 06, 2016
Fall Sunshine Dolls
It was a beautiful morning to start off with gathering carts at work. It was even nicer than yesterday, all warm and sunny and not too humid. We weren't too busy for most of the morning. The carts weren't really that bad, but they kept sending me out to do them for the first half of my shift anyway. At least two baggers came in later, freeing me up to focus on returns.
Oh, and it looks like those new freezers have finally arrived. There's a whole row of them on aisle 10. Hopefully, that means the end of the endless vacuuming water and leaks. The former cafe area has been totally blocked off by shelves of toilet paper, too.
When I got home, I watched some Jack of All Trades while having Light Chicken and Dumplings soup for lunch. Here, we start getting more into history. Benjamin Franklin is kidnapped by Blackbeard the Pirate while on his way to France to build horrifying weapon. Meanwhile, Jack and Emilia argue over whether England or the US is the better country. (Incidentally, if you need to know just how blatantly inaccurate this show was, Ben Franklin passed away well before 1801.)
Went in the back room after I finished. It was time to pull out the dolls' winter clothes and dress them in warmer outfits for the recent cooler weather. Whitney is in Kit's original meet outfit with the lavender cardigan and floral pleated skirt, swiping Molly's white t-strap shoes. Samantha and Josefina are in their current BeForever meet outfits. Jess goes for 90's grunge in turquoise sneakers from the 2002 modern meet outfit, Springfield collection capris, a gray "American Girl" t-shirt, and the plaid flannel shirt from Molly's After School Outfit. Molly herself wears the (too tight) jeans and the red t-shirt from the mid-90's modern Blue Jean Basics outfit, the red sweater from her hula costume, and her saddle shoes and bobby socks. Finally changed Felicity into her original Rose Garden Gown "meet" outfit.
Worked on writing for an hour or so after the dolls were dressed. Revised things slightly to let Rey mention that Skywalker Manor was purchased by Starkiller Industries. They're going to let them hold their Halloween party. They intend to demolish the building anyway - the kids couldn't do anything worse to it. Hank recognizes Starkiller as a mysterious science organization.
Broke at 5:30 to make a decent dinner. It was cool enough for Merlin's Magic (Baked) Chicken, acorn squash with honey, and roasted squash seeds. Added a green salad with cucumbers and tomatoes for vegetables. Oh, yum. It all came out beautifully. I really need to make squash more often.
Completed the first disc of Jack of All Trades while making dinner, and then while making the bed and vacuuming. This show was made by the same company that did Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, and it shows. It comes off as even more of a satire than those shows did, with historical figures frequently press-ganged into some pretty bizarre plots.
Verne Troyer played Napoleon twice on this disc. In the first, Jack has to win Louisiana from him in a poker game when he takes secretary of state James Madison hostage. Napoleon wants to marry Emilia in the second. Jack does everything from donning a dress as his partner's mother to throwing the French emperor a bachelor party to dissuade them.
Loved the one about Kentucky Sue, Jack's former flame, coming out to the Caribbean to try to marry him (to Emilia's dismay). Also enjoyed the episode where Emilia's father, a decorated spy, comes to Pula Pula on a mission of his own. When it goes awry and he needs Jack's help, he starts to feel like he's washed up. Jack and Emilia try to find a way for him to feel useful again.
Oh, and it looks like those new freezers have finally arrived. There's a whole row of them on aisle 10. Hopefully, that means the end of the endless vacuuming water and leaks. The former cafe area has been totally blocked off by shelves of toilet paper, too.
When I got home, I watched some Jack of All Trades while having Light Chicken and Dumplings soup for lunch. Here, we start getting more into history. Benjamin Franklin is kidnapped by Blackbeard the Pirate while on his way to France to build horrifying weapon. Meanwhile, Jack and Emilia argue over whether England or the US is the better country. (Incidentally, if you need to know just how blatantly inaccurate this show was, Ben Franklin passed away well before 1801.)
Went in the back room after I finished. It was time to pull out the dolls' winter clothes and dress them in warmer outfits for the recent cooler weather. Whitney is in Kit's original meet outfit with the lavender cardigan and floral pleated skirt, swiping Molly's white t-strap shoes. Samantha and Josefina are in their current BeForever meet outfits. Jess goes for 90's grunge in turquoise sneakers from the 2002 modern meet outfit, Springfield collection capris, a gray "American Girl" t-shirt, and the plaid flannel shirt from Molly's After School Outfit. Molly herself wears the (too tight) jeans and the red t-shirt from the mid-90's modern Blue Jean Basics outfit, the red sweater from her hula costume, and her saddle shoes and bobby socks. Finally changed Felicity into her original Rose Garden Gown "meet" outfit.
Worked on writing for an hour or so after the dolls were dressed. Revised things slightly to let Rey mention that Skywalker Manor was purchased by Starkiller Industries. They're going to let them hold their Halloween party. They intend to demolish the building anyway - the kids couldn't do anything worse to it. Hank recognizes Starkiller as a mysterious science organization.
Broke at 5:30 to make a decent dinner. It was cool enough for Merlin's Magic (Baked) Chicken, acorn squash with honey, and roasted squash seeds. Added a green salad with cucumbers and tomatoes for vegetables. Oh, yum. It all came out beautifully. I really need to make squash more often.
Completed the first disc of Jack of All Trades while making dinner, and then while making the bed and vacuuming. This show was made by the same company that did Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, and it shows. It comes off as even more of a satire than those shows did, with historical figures frequently press-ganged into some pretty bizarre plots.
Verne Troyer played Napoleon twice on this disc. In the first, Jack has to win Louisiana from him in a poker game when he takes secretary of state James Madison hostage. Napoleon wants to marry Emilia in the second. Jack does everything from donning a dress as his partner's mother to throwing the French emperor a bachelor party to dissuade them.
Loved the one about Kentucky Sue, Jack's former flame, coming out to the Caribbean to try to marry him (to Emilia's dismay). Also enjoyed the episode where Emilia's father, a decorated spy, comes to Pula Pula on a mission of his own. When it goes awry and he needs Jack's help, he starts to feel like he's washed up. Jack and Emilia try to find a way for him to feel useful again.
Wednesday, October 05, 2016
Autumn Blue and Gold
Finished off Sofia the First while eating breakfast this morning. Sofia's second story to end is "The Tale of Miss Nettle." It would seem her old nemesis is at it again. The nasty fairy has stolen all the flowers from a snow-bound kingdom. The snowdrops are the only flowers that will grow in a harsh, chilly climate. To keep Sofia from interfering, Miss Nettle casts a spell on her amulet that dulls its powers. It brings her Olaf from Frozen instead of either royal lass. (I guess they're saving Elsa and Anna for a later date.) Olaf may be goofy, but he still helps the girl by reminding her of how Anna managed to save her sister.
Worked on writing for a little while after that. Rey and the others talk about using the old Starkiller Manor for a Halloween party. Finn's not so sure about that "haunted" thing. Plus, Rey's discovered that it was just bought by an undisclosed person. She's hoping she can convince the new owner to let them borrow it.
The topic finally switches from Halloween to Hank. He's on the verge of divorce with his wife Leia. Thing is, he still loves her and doesn't really want to do it, and the kids know it. He thinks Leia doesn't want him around and blames him for their son ending up in reform school. The kids try to nudge him into talking to her.
Started The Cat In the Hat Knows A Lot About Halloween as I ate a quick lunch and got ready for work. As with the Christmas special, this is an hour-long episode. That's pretty much where the resemblance ends. This series' first holiday special came out when it was still focusing entirely on animals. Halloween introduces us to different facets of the holiday, from seemingly "haunted" houses to corn mazes, while showing how to deal with fear and things that seem scary. The Cat takes Sally and Nick to Bubbles' Spooky Oooky Closet to chose a costume. The Fish keeps trying to scare The Cat, to no avail. But there is one Halloween symbol that scares him more than anything...
Work was on-and-off busy for most of the afternoon. I did end up in the register briefly when I first came in to allow someone to go on their break. I was outside the rest of the afternoon, even after it slowed down. Good thing it was an amazing day for cart-gathering. The sky was a rich blue, with only a few thin, scraggly clouds. The breeze was soft, but not too cold. It was nice and warm, probably lower 70's.
Ate the last of the chicken-pasta soup when I got home, then cleaned the kitchen. This was actually a little bit grungier than the bathroom, maybe because I've been baking more in the last couple of weeks. It really needed to be done.
Finished Cat In the Hat, then ran the first two episodes of Jack of All Trades as I scrubbed. Jack (Bruce Campbell) is an American spy in 1801. He's been sent by Thomas Jefferson to a remote Caribbean island to keep an eye on Napoleon and the French governor Croque. His partner is a beautiful but uptight Englishwoman who runs a prosperous export company and builds many of their gadgets in her spare time. In the first story, she tries to get him replaced. He ends up saving her instead, dressed as a local legend. In the second, he teaches her how to be seductive in order to charm a code off of a French spy.
This hilarious action caper seems to be best-known for its awesome, rousing opening number. (That number was so cool and well-received, it was nominated for an Emmy.) I love swashbucklers, especially comic ones, and this show seems to be right up my alley. So far, this was five dollars well-spent.
Ended my night with more Lego Star Wars. Bounced around a bit. Went back and did the final "Darth Maul" round in Phantom Menace, then moved to "Discovery at Kamino" and "Jedi Battle" in Attack of the Clones. Didn't do very well with "Darth Maul." There were still some pieces I couldn't find, and I lost so many coins, I never did get True Jedi. Did better with the other two. "Kamino" came out really well. Got True Jedi there and almost all the pieces. I'll see if I can return to this on Friday or over the weekend.
Worked on writing for a little while after that. Rey and the others talk about using the old Starkiller Manor for a Halloween party. Finn's not so sure about that "haunted" thing. Plus, Rey's discovered that it was just bought by an undisclosed person. She's hoping she can convince the new owner to let them borrow it.
The topic finally switches from Halloween to Hank. He's on the verge of divorce with his wife Leia. Thing is, he still loves her and doesn't really want to do it, and the kids know it. He thinks Leia doesn't want him around and blames him for their son ending up in reform school. The kids try to nudge him into talking to her.
Started The Cat In the Hat Knows A Lot About Halloween as I ate a quick lunch and got ready for work. As with the Christmas special, this is an hour-long episode. That's pretty much where the resemblance ends. This series' first holiday special came out when it was still focusing entirely on animals. Halloween introduces us to different facets of the holiday, from seemingly "haunted" houses to corn mazes, while showing how to deal with fear and things that seem scary. The Cat takes Sally and Nick to Bubbles' Spooky Oooky Closet to chose a costume. The Fish keeps trying to scare The Cat, to no avail. But there is one Halloween symbol that scares him more than anything...
Work was on-and-off busy for most of the afternoon. I did end up in the register briefly when I first came in to allow someone to go on their break. I was outside the rest of the afternoon, even after it slowed down. Good thing it was an amazing day for cart-gathering. The sky was a rich blue, with only a few thin, scraggly clouds. The breeze was soft, but not too cold. It was nice and warm, probably lower 70's.
Ate the last of the chicken-pasta soup when I got home, then cleaned the kitchen. This was actually a little bit grungier than the bathroom, maybe because I've been baking more in the last couple of weeks. It really needed to be done.
Finished Cat In the Hat, then ran the first two episodes of Jack of All Trades as I scrubbed. Jack (Bruce Campbell) is an American spy in 1801. He's been sent by Thomas Jefferson to a remote Caribbean island to keep an eye on Napoleon and the French governor Croque. His partner is a beautiful but uptight Englishwoman who runs a prosperous export company and builds many of their gadgets in her spare time. In the first story, she tries to get him replaced. He ends up saving her instead, dressed as a local legend. In the second, he teaches her how to be seductive in order to charm a code off of a French spy.
This hilarious action caper seems to be best-known for its awesome, rousing opening number. (That number was so cool and well-received, it was nominated for an Emmy.) I love swashbucklers, especially comic ones, and this show seems to be right up my alley. So far, this was five dollars well-spent.
Ended my night with more Lego Star Wars. Bounced around a bit. Went back and did the final "Darth Maul" round in Phantom Menace, then moved to "Discovery at Kamino" and "Jedi Battle" in Attack of the Clones. Didn't do very well with "Darth Maul." There were still some pieces I couldn't find, and I lost so many coins, I never did get True Jedi. Did better with the other two. "Kamino" came out really well. Got True Jedi there and almost all the pieces. I'll see if I can return to this on Friday or over the weekend.
Tuesday, October 04, 2016
The Fall Switch
Began a cloudy day with breakfast and more horror-themed New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. "The Monster Frankenpooh" is a story the gang's telling on a dark, spooky night. Tigger wants it to be scary, but it gets sort of carried away and scares Piglet. "Things That Go Piglet In the Night" has everyone on edge when they hear noises in the woods. They think it's a ghost and go out hunting. When Pooh and Piglet are blasted out of a camping trip by Tigger's popcorn, they think they're on "Pooh Moon." The others think they're aliens and run from them.
I've been accumulating several big piles of donations in the back. I gathered the clothes and books/DVDs/videos/cassettes into bags. Stuffed half of my plastic bags into one bag to bring to the Acme's plastic bag recycling bin tomorrow. I'll bring the clothes, too. Grabbed the bag of media to take to the Haddon Township Library later.
But first, I wanted to get the laundry done. It needed to be done badly. Thanks to the towels from yesterday, I had a rather big pile. Thankfully, though it does get busy for a while, it's not bad when I come in and is dead when I leave. I mostly worked on story notes and ignored the news and Days of Our Lives on the TV.
Given that the weather has cooled off considerably lately, I figured it was time to pull out the winter clothes. I have a lot more winter clothes than summer ones (or maybe they're just heavier). It took me longer to swap out winter for summer than vice versa. I still need good winter clothes, including a good winter skirt and dress that actually fits me. I may also pick up a third pair of jeans. And I should probably replace the work pants that don't fit. (I have two other pairs that do fit, but I like to have a third pair, just in case.) Switched purses, too.
After I finally finished that, I headed off to lunch. Tried the lunch special at Viola's International Deli, hot roast beef hoagie with sharp provolone and sauteed spinach with a can of Diet Mountain Dew. It was surprisingly busy for quarter of 2, with several people in and out to pick up late lunches. That could be why the lady forgot my sauteed spinach. She finally gave me a bowl of it, and I spooned it onto the hoagie myself. Ahh, not bad. A little salty, and the spinach was a tad overcooked.
It remained cloudy and windy as I made my way across Newton River Park. The rain last week did its job. While brown patches do remain on the grass, the park mostly looks far greener than it did at this time last month. I was one of the few people enjoying it. I did see some folks pushing a stroller, and a couple of geese near the Cuthbert Road entrance.
There wasn't a whole lot going on when I initially arrived at the Haddon Township Library. I just shelved the kids' DVDs and the CD and audio book. Figured I'd leave the new releases and adult DVDs for the kid volunteers to do after school. I did dig out a bunch of items one of the librarians wanted for holds before I left. It got busier as the hour went on.
Along with two Force Awakens books for fanfiction inspiration, I grabbed some animation this week. They had a new set for Sofia the First, and a Halloween-themed Cat In the Hat Knows A Lot About That disc. Also just got Kung Fu Panda 3. I loved the first two movies and what little I've seen of Legends of Awesomeness.
Made a quick stop at Dollar Tree on the way home for cards for my friends Amanda and Lauren's birthdays, and to treat myself to a Blue Bunny Neapolitan Ice Cream Sandwich. (Yum. The strawberry and chocolate parts were especially good.) Dodged road work on Cuthbert and very light sprinkles going home.
Squeaked a little writing in after I came home. Rey spent her morning in Brooklyn, asking if they could use the old Skywalker Manor for their Halloween party. Some of the kids aren't too sure about that. It's said to be haunted. Hank tells them the story of how Andrew Weller and his wife Patricia died in the house shortly after World War I. He personally doesn't believe it, but it's said that they both still haunt the house, looking for retribution.
After I had leftovers for dinner, I thought I'd try something. I forget where the recipe for Honey Oatmeal Cake came from. It's so tasty and simple, I don't know why I don't make it more often. It's a one-bowl recipe you mix right in the pan where you melt the butter. I tossed in apples for an extra bit of fall sweetness. Oh yum. A little mushy, but tasty and just sweet enough.
Ran three episodes of Sofia the First as I baked. "The Princess Adventure Club" introduces new girl Zoe. She's traveled all over the world and has had amazing adventures, but this is her first time in a regular school, and she doesn't know how to make friends. She and Amber get off on the wrong foot when Amber interrupts her when she's talking to Sofia and the other girls. Zoe starts a Princess Adventure Club in order to make friends. When she won't let Amber join, Amber creates her own adventure club. Sofia now has to find a way to bring the two together and get them to mend their hurt feelings.
Sofia's amulet leads her to "The Secret Library." Seems she has an even more important job than being a magical princess. As the holder of the Amulet, it's her job to try to finish stories that have no ending. Her Aunt Tillie takes her to her first one. Minimus the Pegasus' brother wants to fly free, but he's been captured by a spoiled prince. Sofia is at a loss on how to help him, until Merida of Brave gives her advice about feeling confident.
Amber and Sofia may be delighted by "The Princess Ballet," but their friend Kiri has her doubts. Kiri's good at every sport there is, but ballet is new for her. It takes her a long time to learn all the steps. She wants to impress her mother and show that she can be a winner at this, too. Sofia and Amber try to show her that dancing is about having fun, not just impressing people.
I've been accumulating several big piles of donations in the back. I gathered the clothes and books/DVDs/videos/cassettes into bags. Stuffed half of my plastic bags into one bag to bring to the Acme's plastic bag recycling bin tomorrow. I'll bring the clothes, too. Grabbed the bag of media to take to the Haddon Township Library later.
But first, I wanted to get the laundry done. It needed to be done badly. Thanks to the towels from yesterday, I had a rather big pile. Thankfully, though it does get busy for a while, it's not bad when I come in and is dead when I leave. I mostly worked on story notes and ignored the news and Days of Our Lives on the TV.
Given that the weather has cooled off considerably lately, I figured it was time to pull out the winter clothes. I have a lot more winter clothes than summer ones (or maybe they're just heavier). It took me longer to swap out winter for summer than vice versa. I still need good winter clothes, including a good winter skirt and dress that actually fits me. I may also pick up a third pair of jeans. And I should probably replace the work pants that don't fit. (I have two other pairs that do fit, but I like to have a third pair, just in case.) Switched purses, too.
After I finally finished that, I headed off to lunch. Tried the lunch special at Viola's International Deli, hot roast beef hoagie with sharp provolone and sauteed spinach with a can of Diet Mountain Dew. It was surprisingly busy for quarter of 2, with several people in and out to pick up late lunches. That could be why the lady forgot my sauteed spinach. She finally gave me a bowl of it, and I spooned it onto the hoagie myself. Ahh, not bad. A little salty, and the spinach was a tad overcooked.
It remained cloudy and windy as I made my way across Newton River Park. The rain last week did its job. While brown patches do remain on the grass, the park mostly looks far greener than it did at this time last month. I was one of the few people enjoying it. I did see some folks pushing a stroller, and a couple of geese near the Cuthbert Road entrance.
There wasn't a whole lot going on when I initially arrived at the Haddon Township Library. I just shelved the kids' DVDs and the CD and audio book. Figured I'd leave the new releases and adult DVDs for the kid volunteers to do after school. I did dig out a bunch of items one of the librarians wanted for holds before I left. It got busier as the hour went on.
Along with two Force Awakens books for fanfiction inspiration, I grabbed some animation this week. They had a new set for Sofia the First, and a Halloween-themed Cat In the Hat Knows A Lot About That disc. Also just got Kung Fu Panda 3. I loved the first two movies and what little I've seen of Legends of Awesomeness.
Made a quick stop at Dollar Tree on the way home for cards for my friends Amanda and Lauren's birthdays, and to treat myself to a Blue Bunny Neapolitan Ice Cream Sandwich. (Yum. The strawberry and chocolate parts were especially good.) Dodged road work on Cuthbert and very light sprinkles going home.
Squeaked a little writing in after I came home. Rey spent her morning in Brooklyn, asking if they could use the old Skywalker Manor for their Halloween party. Some of the kids aren't too sure about that. It's said to be haunted. Hank tells them the story of how Andrew Weller and his wife Patricia died in the house shortly after World War I. He personally doesn't believe it, but it's said that they both still haunt the house, looking for retribution.
After I had leftovers for dinner, I thought I'd try something. I forget where the recipe for Honey Oatmeal Cake came from. It's so tasty and simple, I don't know why I don't make it more often. It's a one-bowl recipe you mix right in the pan where you melt the butter. I tossed in apples for an extra bit of fall sweetness. Oh yum. A little mushy, but tasty and just sweet enough.
Ran three episodes of Sofia the First as I baked. "The Princess Adventure Club" introduces new girl Zoe. She's traveled all over the world and has had amazing adventures, but this is her first time in a regular school, and she doesn't know how to make friends. She and Amber get off on the wrong foot when Amber interrupts her when she's talking to Sofia and the other girls. Zoe starts a Princess Adventure Club in order to make friends. When she won't let Amber join, Amber creates her own adventure club. Sofia now has to find a way to bring the two together and get them to mend their hurt feelings.
Sofia's amulet leads her to "The Secret Library." Seems she has an even more important job than being a magical princess. As the holder of the Amulet, it's her job to try to finish stories that have no ending. Her Aunt Tillie takes her to her first one. Minimus the Pegasus' brother wants to fly free, but he's been captured by a spoiled prince. Sofia is at a loss on how to help him, until Merida of Brave gives her advice about feeling confident.
Amber and Sofia may be delighted by "The Princess Ballet," but their friend Kiri has her doubts. Kiri's good at every sport there is, but ballet is new for her. It takes her a long time to learn all the steps. She wants to impress her mother and show that she can be a winner at this, too. Sofia and Amber try to show her that dancing is about having fun, not just impressing people.
Monday, October 03, 2016
Back to the (Lego) Stars
Began a cloudy and humid morning with breakfast and some Looney Tunes. Bugs Bunny's Howl-oween Special is another collection of bits and pieces from shorts, based around Witch Hazel trying to get Bugs in her cauldron. Not the greatest thing, but I do give them credit for at least using horror shorts and one that's actually set at Halloween (unlike the Bugs Easter special that barely mentioned Easter).
Work was a pain in the rear today. I did manage to get some returns done this morning, but it picked up around noon and stayed crazy. I spent more than an hour dealing with harried beginning-of-the-month people, half of whom didn't have enough money to buy three-fourths of what they'd put in their carts. It was frustrating. I saw cans of the Acme's previous organic brand of pumpkin and the Pearson's Nut Rolls on the clearance shelves. I grabbed a can and a Nut Roll and headed out as soon as I could.
It doesn't help that the remodeling began towards the end of last week. The paper goods (cards, paper towels, tissues, toilet paper) were moved; the floor underneath them is being torn apart, hopefully for new freezers. The former cafe area has been blocked off. The deli and bakery are going to be expanded with new freezers. (Fine by me. The so-called "cafe" area consisted of a couple of rickety wooden chairs and tables and displays of whatever junk food is in season. Other than the displays, it was fairly useless. Also, according to the deli and bakery people, it tended to encourage theft. People would take food to the cafe tables, eat it there, and leave without paying for it.)
Spent the next few hours working on the next story. Rey Rider, a young lady living in New York in 1948, is pretty content. She's a member of the Resistance Kids, a group of young adults who try to keep their neighborhood safe from the nasty First Order Gang. She and her friends Finn and Jessika work for Hank Solomon, a gruff but kind older man who runs a garage down the street from their apartment building.
Right now, they have three concerns. One is what they're going to do for Halloween. The second is how they're going to get Hank back together with his estranged wife, ex-police commissioner Leia Organa Solomon. The third is how to keep the First Order Gang off their backs while they do the first two.
Ran more Bowery Boys while eating leftovers for dinner, and then while cleaning the bathroom. Spook Busters is their first horror movie under the Bowery Boys name. The Boys are exterminators running their own business who are hired to clear out an old mansion that once belonged to a magician. They're spooked by the aging residence's many tricks...but it's the discovery of a mad scientist who wants to transfer Sach's brain to a gorilla that really frightens them! Meanwhile, Gabe Dell makes his first appearance in the series as a buddy of theirs who is just back from the Merchant Marines, completely with a pretty French wife.
Incidentally, the bathroom wasn't too bad. It didn't take me very long. A big of a surprise, given I was around for most of last month. I guess it's because the weather's been so nice.
Finished the night with Lego Star Wars: The Original Saga. Did Free Play for the two Theed Castle rounds. (Skipped the pod race for now. I just am not up to dealing with that.) I can't believe how many little nooks and crannies there are in that castle that I wasn't able to properly explore the first time. All those extra characters do have their uses. Jedi who can use the Force can move sparkling objects. High jumpers like Jar Jar and General Grevious can reach objects in out-of-the-way places. Short characters - young Anakin, the Jawas - can crawl through small entrances and get to places where no one else can fit.
I got all but one piece for "Retake Theed Castle" and five for "Escape From Theed Castle," and the red brick for both. I missed True Jedi on "Retake" - I'll try again on another go-around.
Work was a pain in the rear today. I did manage to get some returns done this morning, but it picked up around noon and stayed crazy. I spent more than an hour dealing with harried beginning-of-the-month people, half of whom didn't have enough money to buy three-fourths of what they'd put in their carts. It was frustrating. I saw cans of the Acme's previous organic brand of pumpkin and the Pearson's Nut Rolls on the clearance shelves. I grabbed a can and a Nut Roll and headed out as soon as I could.
It doesn't help that the remodeling began towards the end of last week. The paper goods (cards, paper towels, tissues, toilet paper) were moved; the floor underneath them is being torn apart, hopefully for new freezers. The former cafe area has been blocked off. The deli and bakery are going to be expanded with new freezers. (Fine by me. The so-called "cafe" area consisted of a couple of rickety wooden chairs and tables and displays of whatever junk food is in season. Other than the displays, it was fairly useless. Also, according to the deli and bakery people, it tended to encourage theft. People would take food to the cafe tables, eat it there, and leave without paying for it.)
Spent the next few hours working on the next story. Rey Rider, a young lady living in New York in 1948, is pretty content. She's a member of the Resistance Kids, a group of young adults who try to keep their neighborhood safe from the nasty First Order Gang. She and her friends Finn and Jessika work for Hank Solomon, a gruff but kind older man who runs a garage down the street from their apartment building.
Right now, they have three concerns. One is what they're going to do for Halloween. The second is how they're going to get Hank back together with his estranged wife, ex-police commissioner Leia Organa Solomon. The third is how to keep the First Order Gang off their backs while they do the first two.
Ran more Bowery Boys while eating leftovers for dinner, and then while cleaning the bathroom. Spook Busters is their first horror movie under the Bowery Boys name. The Boys are exterminators running their own business who are hired to clear out an old mansion that once belonged to a magician. They're spooked by the aging residence's many tricks...but it's the discovery of a mad scientist who wants to transfer Sach's brain to a gorilla that really frightens them! Meanwhile, Gabe Dell makes his first appearance in the series as a buddy of theirs who is just back from the Merchant Marines, completely with a pretty French wife.
Incidentally, the bathroom wasn't too bad. It didn't take me very long. A big of a surprise, given I was around for most of last month. I guess it's because the weather's been so nice.
Finished the night with Lego Star Wars: The Original Saga. Did Free Play for the two Theed Castle rounds. (Skipped the pod race for now. I just am not up to dealing with that.) I can't believe how many little nooks and crannies there are in that castle that I wasn't able to properly explore the first time. All those extra characters do have their uses. Jedi who can use the Force can move sparkling objects. High jumpers like Jar Jar and General Grevious can reach objects in out-of-the-way places. Short characters - young Anakin, the Jawas - can crawl through small entrances and get to places where no one else can fit.
I got all but one piece for "Retake Theed Castle" and five for "Escape From Theed Castle," and the red brick for both. I missed True Jedi on "Retake" - I'll try again on another go-around.
Sunday, October 02, 2016
Stories For Two
Began a late morning with Sweet Potato Whole Wheat Pancakes and The Wacky World of Spike Jones. Spike Jones and His City Slickers were one of the most popular bands of the 1940's. They distinguished themselves by making their orchestra a comedy act, utilizing cartoon-y sound effects and goofy non-sequiturs to spoof classical and pop music alike. They even dipped both into the Disney canon and war propaganda with their hilarious rendition of "Der Fuehrer's Face," from the Oscar-winning Donald Duck short of that title.
I put them on for inspiration for the next big story I'm planning. This is intended to be a goofy comedy inspired by the East Side Kids and Bowery Boys movies and other similar series about kids and young adults getting into trouble together from the mid-20th century. Rey, Finn, and most of the other younger members of the Resistance work for Han, who owns a garage in downtown New York in 1948. The only members who work elsewhere are Poe and his dog BeeBee, who work for private detective (and Han's estranged wife) Leia, and Korel Connix, who interns as a nurse.
This is going to be my comic Halloween story. The kids call themselves a "social club." They really just hang out together, trying to figure out how to improve Han's business, get him and Leia back together, and fight the First Order Gang, who are encroaching on their turf. They've been invited to a Halloween party in an old house with some very spooky history. People have died in that house. Rey wants to go. She's heard the First Order Gang might try to invade it.
Before the end of the night, several people will go missing, everyone will get spooked, and the kids will learn the truth about the history of the Old Skywalker Manor...and why the First Order Gang is so aggressive.
Had noon work today. Even thought it wasn't raining and the Eagles were off this week, the Acme was still absolutely insane, especially early on. It's the beginning of the month, and the weather was still pretty bad. I was in the register for two minutes when I arrived before the manager pulled me to help with carts. Fine by me. Even with the humid, cloudy, gloomy weather, I'd still rather be outside. For once, they really needed my help out there. The carts kept vanishing as fast as me and the other baggers could return them! It got a little easier when it slowed down a bit later in the afternoon.
(Oh, and I did get to see some football today. The Seattle Seahawks-New York Jets game was on in the back during work. The Jets just couldn't get past Seattle's offense. Even though their star quarterback Russell Wilson is hampered with an ankle and a knee injury, he still raced past them 27-17.)
Went straight home from work and did some writing. Instead of going right into my next big idea, I decided I wanted to get something off my chest. I've mentioned a couple of times that I loved Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and that Han Solo's death, while shocking, didn't bother me that much. A lot of fans have put Force Awakens down just because it dared to show that the trio from the Original Trilogy can make mistakes and grow apart, not to mention killed off a member of that trio.
There's also the tendency to romanticize Kylo Ren. Over-dramatic teens and young adults looking for the next Twilight have latched onto Rey and Kylo as a brooding, dark couple...but just as many people take issue with this pairing. I personally enjoy some of the interesting "Beauty and the Beast" stories that have been written about them, but they're not my first choice Star Wars duo. Kylo is a spoiled brat who has killed his father and an entire school of children, just because some ugly old wizard told him to. Not to mention, what he did to Rey nearly amounts to mind-rape. That's not romantic. That's scary, and a little pathetic.
What I want is for both generations to work together, to share stories and adventures together, to learn from one another, regardless of whether or not Han survives.
I decided to address these concerns in a simple short story. Rey remains upset about having witnessed Han's death, even months into her training with Luke. She thinks his death was senseless, regrets not having been able to do more to stop it, and is very angry with Kylo. Not to mention, she's confused about her feelings regarding Poe and Finn. She likes them as friends, but she's really still figuring out what love is.
Luke tells her she has every right to be angry. So does he. They've both been through hell. He, Han, and Leia made a lot of mistakes dealing with Kylo, ones that they regret now...but everyone makes mistakes. It makes us human. The thing is, you learn from your mistakes and move on. Luke knows he has to do that and stop hiding...and so does Rey.
Rey mentions all the stories Leia and Chewie and the others told her about Han. She suggests gathering those stories on a holo-site or the galactic version of a USB port, where they can be shared. That way, everyone will be able to remember Han and what he meant to all of them.
Luke approves of the idea. He reminds her that relating memories can help us heal...and that as long as the stories exist, and there are people to tell them, people never really leave our hearts.
I like how this one came out. (If you know anything about Mark Hamill's day job, you may appreciate some of the in-jokes, especially at the very end...) I had trouble getting my last story on Fanfiction.Net, so this is only available on Archive of Our Own and my writing blog for now.
The Stories We Leave Behind at Archive of Our Own
The Stories We Leave Behind at Writer's Desk at the Riverside Rest
I had leftovers for dinner, then finished the night with video games. Went back to Lego Star Wars: The Original Saga to see if I could go back and get some of the things I couldn't find before. Being able to select characters is a big help with the Free Play rounds. Turns out General Grevious has some use for those long cyborg legs besides jumping around in lightsaber fights. He's a super jumper like Jar Jar. Not only was he able to reach several pieces or coins that were too high even for the Jedi double jump, but his four-armed lightsaber attack made mincemeat of the attack droids.
While I was able to get the red bricks from "Negotiations" and "Invasion of Naboo," I still missed some pieces. Not to mention, I only got True Jedi on "Negotiations." I'm still trying to earn enough gold bricks to get into the final bonus round. I may see if I can go back or do more rounds over tomorrow.
I put them on for inspiration for the next big story I'm planning. This is intended to be a goofy comedy inspired by the East Side Kids and Bowery Boys movies and other similar series about kids and young adults getting into trouble together from the mid-20th century. Rey, Finn, and most of the other younger members of the Resistance work for Han, who owns a garage in downtown New York in 1948. The only members who work elsewhere are Poe and his dog BeeBee, who work for private detective (and Han's estranged wife) Leia, and Korel Connix, who interns as a nurse.
This is going to be my comic Halloween story. The kids call themselves a "social club." They really just hang out together, trying to figure out how to improve Han's business, get him and Leia back together, and fight the First Order Gang, who are encroaching on their turf. They've been invited to a Halloween party in an old house with some very spooky history. People have died in that house. Rey wants to go. She's heard the First Order Gang might try to invade it.
Before the end of the night, several people will go missing, everyone will get spooked, and the kids will learn the truth about the history of the Old Skywalker Manor...and why the First Order Gang is so aggressive.
Had noon work today. Even thought it wasn't raining and the Eagles were off this week, the Acme was still absolutely insane, especially early on. It's the beginning of the month, and the weather was still pretty bad. I was in the register for two minutes when I arrived before the manager pulled me to help with carts. Fine by me. Even with the humid, cloudy, gloomy weather, I'd still rather be outside. For once, they really needed my help out there. The carts kept vanishing as fast as me and the other baggers could return them! It got a little easier when it slowed down a bit later in the afternoon.
(Oh, and I did get to see some football today. The Seattle Seahawks-New York Jets game was on in the back during work. The Jets just couldn't get past Seattle's offense. Even though their star quarterback Russell Wilson is hampered with an ankle and a knee injury, he still raced past them 27-17.)
Went straight home from work and did some writing. Instead of going right into my next big idea, I decided I wanted to get something off my chest. I've mentioned a couple of times that I loved Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and that Han Solo's death, while shocking, didn't bother me that much. A lot of fans have put Force Awakens down just because it dared to show that the trio from the Original Trilogy can make mistakes and grow apart, not to mention killed off a member of that trio.
There's also the tendency to romanticize Kylo Ren. Over-dramatic teens and young adults looking for the next Twilight have latched onto Rey and Kylo as a brooding, dark couple...but just as many people take issue with this pairing. I personally enjoy some of the interesting "Beauty and the Beast" stories that have been written about them, but they're not my first choice Star Wars duo. Kylo is a spoiled brat who has killed his father and an entire school of children, just because some ugly old wizard told him to. Not to mention, what he did to Rey nearly amounts to mind-rape. That's not romantic. That's scary, and a little pathetic.
What I want is for both generations to work together, to share stories and adventures together, to learn from one another, regardless of whether or not Han survives.
I decided to address these concerns in a simple short story. Rey remains upset about having witnessed Han's death, even months into her training with Luke. She thinks his death was senseless, regrets not having been able to do more to stop it, and is very angry with Kylo. Not to mention, she's confused about her feelings regarding Poe and Finn. She likes them as friends, but she's really still figuring out what love is.
Luke tells her she has every right to be angry. So does he. They've both been through hell. He, Han, and Leia made a lot of mistakes dealing with Kylo, ones that they regret now...but everyone makes mistakes. It makes us human. The thing is, you learn from your mistakes and move on. Luke knows he has to do that and stop hiding...and so does Rey.
Rey mentions all the stories Leia and Chewie and the others told her about Han. She suggests gathering those stories on a holo-site or the galactic version of a USB port, where they can be shared. That way, everyone will be able to remember Han and what he meant to all of them.
Luke approves of the idea. He reminds her that relating memories can help us heal...and that as long as the stories exist, and there are people to tell them, people never really leave our hearts.
I like how this one came out. (If you know anything about Mark Hamill's day job, you may appreciate some of the in-jokes, especially at the very end...) I had trouble getting my last story on Fanfiction.Net, so this is only available on Archive of Our Own and my writing blog for now.
The Stories We Leave Behind at Archive of Our Own
The Stories We Leave Behind at Writer's Desk at the Riverside Rest
I had leftovers for dinner, then finished the night with video games. Went back to Lego Star Wars: The Original Saga to see if I could go back and get some of the things I couldn't find before. Being able to select characters is a big help with the Free Play rounds. Turns out General Grevious has some use for those long cyborg legs besides jumping around in lightsaber fights. He's a super jumper like Jar Jar. Not only was he able to reach several pieces or coins that were too high even for the Jedi double jump, but his four-armed lightsaber attack made mincemeat of the attack droids.
While I was able to get the red bricks from "Negotiations" and "Invasion of Naboo," I still missed some pieces. Not to mention, I only got True Jedi on "Negotiations." I'm still trying to earn enough gold bricks to get into the final bonus round. I may see if I can go back or do more rounds over tomorrow.
Saturday, October 01, 2016
Miss Redmer at the Book Festival
I slept in a lot more than I'd planned today. I had just enough time for breakfast and a few short cartoons before running off to Collingswood. Ran my first out-and-out Halloween episodes of the season. Max & Ruby did two Halloween episodes. I went with the first, "Max's Halloween." Ruby wants her little brother to be her handsome prince for trick or treat, but Max would rather be a scary vampire. "Ruby's Leaf Collection" will be the best in school, if her brother doesn't keep trying to add to their leaf pile and burying it.
Got to the farm market around quarter after 11-11:30. Even at that late hour, and despite the windy, cold, and cloudy morning, it was packed. Corn and cucumbers are done for the season, and with them went the farm with the truck bed filled with corn. There was enough left for me to pick up apples, pears, a zucchini, three sweet potatoes, and two small tomatoes. (The booth I got the last named from, the one that also sells Chinese beans when they're in season, said this is their last week.)
Followed the crowds down Collings Avenue around noon. As it did two years ago when it rained, the Collingswood Book Festival was been moved into the high school and middle school complex to avoid the weather. That didn't stop people from attending. Collings Avenue was so busy, I had to walk my bike when I got close to the school.
I did really well this year, especially from the "buy 5 books for a dollar" sellers that were the first things you saw coming from town. The entire complex was absolutely crazy. I had a hard time getting around in some places. I didn't even bother really checking out the Barnes and Noble sales tables in the high school gym or the kids' area. I didn't have enough money for full-price books. Didn't bother with food, either. Most of it was overpriced carnival stuff - funnel cake, root beer floats, cheeseburgers - and I wasn't that hungry.
I ended up with:
From the 5 for a $1 seller
Donna Parker In Hollywood, by Marcia Martin
A book of meditations for women
The Two Princesses of Banarre, by Gail Carson Levine
The Deeds of the Disturber, by Elizabeth Peters
Republic VHS copy of The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer
From the $1 "Buy two, get one free" seller
Christmas With Southern Living 1995
Broadway's Greatest Musicals, by Abe Laufe
CD - 20th Century Rocks - 60's Rock Bands Wild Thing
From a Used Sci-Fi/Fantasy Booth
Glory Lane, by Alan Dean Foster (this one was two dollars)
From a second Used Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Action Booth indoors (that also sold DVDs)
The TV show Jack of All Trades, featuring cult favorite Bruce Campbell as a spy for Thomas Jefferson in 1801. This was my big splurge of the day at five dollars, and I actually talked it down from ten.
Headed home around quarter after 1. Crossed at CVS - the corner of the White Horse Pike and Collings Avenue was too crazy. Thank goodness the weather held. It hadn't rained since the day before. It was humid and cloudy, but not too warm, probably in the lower 70's.
When I got in, I had leftovers for lunch while running some mildly spooky Backyardigans episodes, Uniqua and Pablo say "It's Great to Be a Ghost." A nervous Tyrone doesn't agree..until Tasha shows up and claims she can't be scared. It's the least-likely kid who finally does frighten her. Uniqua and Tyrone become "Monster Detectives" to find Uniqua's soccer ball. Turns out it was stolen by Pablo, the soccer monster. If you play soccer with him, he'll turn you into a soccer monster, too! But as they wander through his castle, Uniqua starts to wonder if that's such a bad thing...
Worked on writing for the next couple of hours, and later in the evening. Luke has his own encounter with the old man later. He helps free him from an eagle who's grabbing at his cloak. Once again, he has to cut it away, and once again, the old man is nasty and ungrateful.
Luke and Leia encounter him together on a routine fishing trip a few days later. This time, a catfish has his cape. Luke cuts it free. He just gets angry and stalks off with his bag of treasure. Leia insists they follow him.
They end up in a cave on the edge of a cliff. The old man has a whole pile of gold and jewels there. He's also holding their friend the brown bear prisoner. The bear had tried to defend his gold, but the man captured him and bound him. Leia attacks the old man, distracting him long enough for Luke to free the bear.
Lando appears at this point, demanding to know where his brother is. He's followed the old man, too. The man is Palpatine, the evil sorcerer who stole the kingdom's treasury. Just as the magician starts shooting lightning, the bear reaches out and gives him a solid smack with his paw, knocking him over the edge of the cliff.
Palpatine's death releases the bear from his spell. It is indeed Prince Han, Lando's missing adopted brother. Palpatine turned him into a bear when he tried to defend his family's treasures. He thanks Luke and Leia copiously for saving him. He and Lando take the two and Obi-Wan back to their castle, where they all live happily ever after.
It didn't come out too badly, for another quick idea. It's now up at Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction.Net, and my writing blog.
Luke White and Leia Red at My Writing Blog
Luke White and Leia Red at Archive of Our Own
Luke White and Leia Red at Fanfiction.Net
Made Chicken Noodle Soup with farm market vegetables and canned chicken for dinner. I had three pears that were getting really soft, so I did Pear Cobbler for dessert. Got the recipe from the Cooking Light cookbook I picked up about four years ago or so. Oh yumm. It came out really nice, very sweet and tasty.
Dubbed The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer while I baked and ate. The duo in question are playboy artist Richard (Cary Grant) and romantic teen Susan (Shirley Temple), Susan goes up to Richard's home when he makes vague comments about her possibly being a model. This gets him accused of luring her up there. Her sister Margaret, a local judge (Myrna Loy), agrees to let Susan "date" him instead of him ending up in jail to cure her of her infatuation. Trouble is, now Richard's falling for Margaret, which doesn't amuse her district attorney boyfriend (Rudy Vallee) one bit.
I'm not exactly sure how this won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, but it is a pretty cute look at how adults often react to teenage life. Grant and Temple in particular are having fun as the perky young adult and the guy who doesn't know what to make of her, other than she's making a mess of his life. Nothing really necessary, but if you ever run into it on TCM or DVD, it's a fairly fun romantic comedy.
And the rain is making a temporary return as I write this. I don't think it'll be sticking around for much longer. Sounds like it'll be gone by the middle of the week.
Got to the farm market around quarter after 11-11:30. Even at that late hour, and despite the windy, cold, and cloudy morning, it was packed. Corn and cucumbers are done for the season, and with them went the farm with the truck bed filled with corn. There was enough left for me to pick up apples, pears, a zucchini, three sweet potatoes, and two small tomatoes. (The booth I got the last named from, the one that also sells Chinese beans when they're in season, said this is their last week.)
Followed the crowds down Collings Avenue around noon. As it did two years ago when it rained, the Collingswood Book Festival was been moved into the high school and middle school complex to avoid the weather. That didn't stop people from attending. Collings Avenue was so busy, I had to walk my bike when I got close to the school.
I did really well this year, especially from the "buy 5 books for a dollar" sellers that were the first things you saw coming from town. The entire complex was absolutely crazy. I had a hard time getting around in some places. I didn't even bother really checking out the Barnes and Noble sales tables in the high school gym or the kids' area. I didn't have enough money for full-price books. Didn't bother with food, either. Most of it was overpriced carnival stuff - funnel cake, root beer floats, cheeseburgers - and I wasn't that hungry.
I ended up with:
From the 5 for a $1 seller
Donna Parker In Hollywood, by Marcia Martin
A book of meditations for women
The Two Princesses of Banarre, by Gail Carson Levine
The Deeds of the Disturber, by Elizabeth Peters
Republic VHS copy of The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer
From the $1 "Buy two, get one free" seller
Christmas With Southern Living 1995
Broadway's Greatest Musicals, by Abe Laufe
CD - 20th Century Rocks - 60's Rock Bands Wild Thing
From a Used Sci-Fi/Fantasy Booth
Glory Lane, by Alan Dean Foster (this one was two dollars)
From a second Used Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Action Booth indoors (that also sold DVDs)
The TV show Jack of All Trades, featuring cult favorite Bruce Campbell as a spy for Thomas Jefferson in 1801. This was my big splurge of the day at five dollars, and I actually talked it down from ten.
Headed home around quarter after 1. Crossed at CVS - the corner of the White Horse Pike and Collings Avenue was too crazy. Thank goodness the weather held. It hadn't rained since the day before. It was humid and cloudy, but not too warm, probably in the lower 70's.
When I got in, I had leftovers for lunch while running some mildly spooky Backyardigans episodes, Uniqua and Pablo say "It's Great to Be a Ghost." A nervous Tyrone doesn't agree..until Tasha shows up and claims she can't be scared. It's the least-likely kid who finally does frighten her. Uniqua and Tyrone become "Monster Detectives" to find Uniqua's soccer ball. Turns out it was stolen by Pablo, the soccer monster. If you play soccer with him, he'll turn you into a soccer monster, too! But as they wander through his castle, Uniqua starts to wonder if that's such a bad thing...
Worked on writing for the next couple of hours, and later in the evening. Luke has his own encounter with the old man later. He helps free him from an eagle who's grabbing at his cloak. Once again, he has to cut it away, and once again, the old man is nasty and ungrateful.
Luke and Leia encounter him together on a routine fishing trip a few days later. This time, a catfish has his cape. Luke cuts it free. He just gets angry and stalks off with his bag of treasure. Leia insists they follow him.
They end up in a cave on the edge of a cliff. The old man has a whole pile of gold and jewels there. He's also holding their friend the brown bear prisoner. The bear had tried to defend his gold, but the man captured him and bound him. Leia attacks the old man, distracting him long enough for Luke to free the bear.
Lando appears at this point, demanding to know where his brother is. He's followed the old man, too. The man is Palpatine, the evil sorcerer who stole the kingdom's treasury. Just as the magician starts shooting lightning, the bear reaches out and gives him a solid smack with his paw, knocking him over the edge of the cliff.
Palpatine's death releases the bear from his spell. It is indeed Prince Han, Lando's missing adopted brother. Palpatine turned him into a bear when he tried to defend his family's treasures. He thanks Luke and Leia copiously for saving him. He and Lando take the two and Obi-Wan back to their castle, where they all live happily ever after.
It didn't come out too badly, for another quick idea. It's now up at Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction.Net, and my writing blog.
Luke White and Leia Red at My Writing Blog
Luke White and Leia Red at Archive of Our Own
Luke White and Leia Red at Fanfiction.Net
Made Chicken Noodle Soup with farm market vegetables and canned chicken for dinner. I had three pears that were getting really soft, so I did Pear Cobbler for dessert. Got the recipe from the Cooking Light cookbook I picked up about four years ago or so. Oh yumm. It came out really nice, very sweet and tasty.
Dubbed The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer while I baked and ate. The duo in question are playboy artist Richard (Cary Grant) and romantic teen Susan (Shirley Temple), Susan goes up to Richard's home when he makes vague comments about her possibly being a model. This gets him accused of luring her up there. Her sister Margaret, a local judge (Myrna Loy), agrees to let Susan "date" him instead of him ending up in jail to cure her of her infatuation. Trouble is, now Richard's falling for Margaret, which doesn't amuse her district attorney boyfriend (Rudy Vallee) one bit.
I'm not exactly sure how this won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, but it is a pretty cute look at how adults often react to teenage life. Grant and Temple in particular are having fun as the perky young adult and the guy who doesn't know what to make of her, other than she's making a mess of his life. Nothing really necessary, but if you ever run into it on TCM or DVD, it's a fairly fun romantic comedy.
And the rain is making a temporary return as I write this. I don't think it'll be sticking around for much longer. Sounds like it'll be gone by the middle of the week.
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