Bad Day Rising

Started off the morning with breakfast and more new Daniel Tiger. "Daniel Gives a Gift" to Miss Elainia, a beaded bracelet he made himself. He wants to make one for him, too, but doesn't have enough beads. His mother points out he should appreciate the beads he has. Likewise, when Elainia ignores Dan's gift amid the pile she has, Lady Elaine reminds her to stop and appreciate the gift she was given. "Daniel Receives a Gift" from Grandpere, but can't help comparing it to his other things. Likewise, Katerina likes the bell on her scooter, but wishes she had a basket like Daniel. Their mothers remind them to appreciate what they have.

Hurried off to work just as Daniel Tiger ended...and I really wish I'd stayed home. I usually like bagging, but work was nothing but a pain today. I didn't start until 9:30 and we're supposed to sweep on the hour, so I already started late. Wanted to go on break a little early so I could get to sweeping before noon. Not only did I not get to sweeping before noon, but a manager sent me in for one of the cashier's breaks. I panicked when I had to deal with a man whose government card wasn't working. (And he's not the first one. This is the second time in less than a week those cards gave us trouble. The government apparently didn't tell anyone how to work them. Instead of being early to break, I ended up being late and getting upset. 

And I missed at least two times sweeping the store. I thought I swept at 2, but a manager said I didn't. I must have forgotten to log it in. We're supposed to log the sweeping twice, on the time clock and on a paper list. I don't know why we have to sweep at all, and certainly not once an hour. Once every two to three hours would be more than sufficient, especially on quiet days.

And truth of the matter is, I'm just plain tired. My knees hurt. I'm worn out. I had a hard time keeping up with the carts, even though we weren't that busy. The night manager ended up sending one of the stock boys out to to do the carts, so I could gather the overflowing trash.

Needless to say, I rushed home soon as I finished. Changed and got organized while watching Match Game '74. This one is from the only week Penny Marshall appeared on the show, more than three years before Laverne & Shirley started. She was mostly pretty quiet, but she did begin to warm up some by this point, even if she didn't appreciate Brett imitating her.

Had dinner while watching the Match Game Syndicated episodes. The first episode ended with Brett and Charles not getting any of David Doyle's impressions at all. They also teased him in the second episode, giving him "Pathetic Answer Awards" for his reply to the question about why Dumb Dora the interior decorator didn't like Red China...even though it wasn't really that dumb of a reply. 

Finished out the night after a shower with more episodes of The Muppet Show on Disney Plus, this time revolving around tough-guy actors. Alan Arkin drinks Bunsen's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde potion, turning him into a rampaging monster who destroys a group of bunnies' rendition of "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah." He recovers well enough to sing "Pig Shuffle" in the end, to Piggy's annoyance...but then Kermit drinks the potion!

James Coburn befriends another well-known tough critter in the fifth season - Animal. He's impressed after seeing Animal attack a trio of octopuses who were playing "Temptation" on the drums too slowly for the Muppet monster's taste. His attempts to help Animal find his center and the sudden arrival of a stereotypical Japanese dance troupe inspires them to change the western finale to a Japanese kabuki finale. The cowboys who were supposed to be in the number aren't crazy about that idea, and they all end up square dancing anyway. 

Dolls, Harts, and Ski Bunnies

Started off my morning with breakfast and a new episode of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Mr. Malik Comes Back to School," and the kids are happy to see their substitute teacher again. They're especially delighted when he introduces them to his hermit crab! They love imitating the crab's walk and hearing a story about hermit crabs...but Daniel and his friends learn there's a time to play, and a time to do what the teacher says and move on to the next activity. Daniel and Katerina don't want to stop building their snow cat, but Mrs. Tiger insists on taking them home for "Daniel's Wintertime Walk."

Went straight into changing the dolls into their own winter clothes after I finished eating. Samantha is in her gray Buster Brown school dress and black boots and tights. Josefina sports a blue empire-waisted floral gown I bought for her on eBay a few years ago. Barbara Jean also wears a hand-made eBay outfit, a butter-yellow mini-dress with long sleeves pintucks on the chest. Felicity's ready to hit the trails in her emerald-green Riding Habit and tri-corn hat. Ariel gets Julie's Casual Outfit with the orange peasant tunic, dark blue corduroy gauchos, and nifty boots. 

Whitney wishes the river would freeze up again so she can go skating in Molly's Skating Outfit and Springfield Collection skates. Molly's nice and cozy in her Play Outfit with the blue plaid flannel shirt, navy-blue corduroys, and the oxfords from Kit's School Outfit. Jessa mixes and matches pieces from her own meet outfit and the one from 2004 - the thick black corduroys and yellow sweater she came with, the flower-print long-sleeved t-shirt with sequin trim and turquoise sneakers from 2004, and a bucket hat. 

Watched Ski Party while I worked, and later while I puttered around online. I go further into this winter extension of the Beach Party films at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Cult Flops - Ski Party

Caught a little bit of Password Plus while eating a quick lunch. Buzzr has finally started showing the Tom Kennedy-hosted episodes from 1981 and 1982. Bill Cullen returns to the show as a panelist here, joined by lovely Barbara Rhodes.

Headed off to work soon as I finished eating. Barely got there in time...but as it turned out, we were off-and-on steady, and frequently quiet. It's the middle of the week and the middle of the month. Most people are probably waiting for the holiday weekend. Had some customer trouble, including with one man who kept insisting on using his card, even when it clearly wasn't working. And of course, my last one was a large familly who took so long, I was late getting out.

Hurried straight home after that. Had dinner while watching Match Game Syndicated. Brett's delighted when someone gives her a paper doll version of her wearing her long-sleeved black gown, but Charles isn't as impressed. They can't figure out David Doyle's impressions in the end, either.

Finished the night online with a fifth season episode of Hart to Hart. Two friends of theirs seem upset when they see footage Johnathan shot during a ski trip of someone hiding around their car. That someone would do anything to get that footage, which links him to "Larson's Last Jump" and the death of a champioon skier..including holding the Harts and Max hostage at gunpoint. 

In the Cold, Cold Winter

Slept in so late, I started off my day with brunch and Match Game '75. Buzzr jumped back to the first day of Carol Bartos' run. She went on to become the show's all-time winner at that point. Gene kicks off the episode goofing off with a smaller and heavier microphone than he normally uses. He's even happier with the top answer on "Gene __" in the Audience Match! Meanwhile, Dr. Joyce Brothers is very embarrassed by some of her answers. 

Headed out to run errands after that. Started off with my first visit of the year to the Haddon Township Library. They still haven't started their volunteering back up yet, and frankly, their selection, especially of mysteries and sci-fi, isn't that great. They never get the newest stuff in, either, or you have to wait ages for it. I did find an earlier book in Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mysteries, Blood Orange Brewing, one of Elizabeth Peters' thrillers from the 70's The Night of the Four Hundred Rabbits, The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey, and the most recent version of What Color Is Your Parachute? 

Needed a few things at Target on the way home. I'm almost out of B12 vitamins, so I grabbed a bottle. I accidentally stepped on and dented my dry erase board when I was redoing the schedule, and I've had it for a while anyway. Time to replace it. Picked up green grapes on a good sale. The line for self-checkout was insanely long when I joined it. Good thing they finally opened a regular line a minute or two later.

The line at Starbucks was nearly as long. By this point, the teenagers from the two high schools down the street and behind the Westmont Plaza were done and looking for warm drinks. Thankfully, the line moved pretty fast. I got to enjoy a chai tea latte, a vanilla bean scone, and a spinach-egg white-feta wrap while listening to their chatter.

Considered picking up a soda for the way back at Dollar Tree, but I finally decided I just wanted to go home. Besides, it was rush hour. Not the best time to be at the Westmont Plaza. It took me forever just to cross busy Cuthbert. Thank goodness I managed to cross during a lull. At least the weather remains decent. It's windy and a bit colder, probably in the lower 40's, but also sunny and bright.

Put everything away when I got home, then brought my laundry downstairs and went into writing and looking up things online. Debralee's shocked when she, Gene, the Nutcracker, and his men emerge into a white world. They're not even in Burbank anymore. The Nutcracker explains they're at the Forrest of the Snowflakes. Gene introduces the Snow Queen, who seems very familiar...

I got so caught up, it was past 7 before I put my laundry in the dryer and grabbed leftovers for dinner. Watched Match Game Syndicated as I ate. As he begins the Audience Match, the contestant calls on Patty Duke, calling her one of his favorite actresses...which prompts everyone else to walk off! Later on, Debralee Scott complains about her chair being broken or too low.

Took a shower, then brought up the laundry. Finished the night watching more of The Muppet Show on Disney Plus as I folded it. This time, I focused on jazz greats and vocalists seen during the fourth and fifth season. Trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie is delighted to perform with the Electric Mayhem, but a noise auditor has been called in due to complaints about their rehearsals in the alley out back. Meanwhile, there's a new heckler in the box. Waldorf brought his wife Astoria, and she looks mighty familiar...

Everyone is on edge when Scooter brings in five million dollars worth of gold for guest star Shirley Bassey's "Goldfinger" finale number. Not only are the Muppets nervous, but a security guard keeps accusing everyone of wanting to steal it. Needless to say, he's not thrilled with Bunsen and Beaker's attempts to turn a bar into something else, or the Muppet Newscaster announcing it to the world on the air.

Animal isn't the only drummer on the show when veteran drummer Buddy Rich appears...what little anyone could see of him, anyway. His episode is plagued by lights suddenly going out. "Veterinarian's Hospital" and the Newscaster do their skits by candlelight (or the latter tries to). Rich has rougher encounters with Piggy when they do martial arts together and Animal during a drumming duel in the finale. 

Andy Williams is more than happy to perform the theme from "Love Story (Where Do I Begin?)" for Piggy and Kermit when she tells him they're engaged. Unfortunately, no one told Kermit that. Backstage, the show is a lot cheesier than usual when they're best by roving packs of cheese who tell terrible cheese puns. 

Lost and Found Games

Got a quick start after working on The Prisoner and the Castle this morning. I'm so tired, I kept nodding off. Barely had time to grab a very quick breakfast and hurry off to work. At least the weather remains decent. It's still off-and-on sunny and in the mid-40's, though the wind's died down.

When I came in, it wasn't busy at all. I spent my first hour at work returning loose items. It didn't pick up until nearly 11:30, when I had to go in for someone's break. After it picked up, it never slowed down. We had lines down the aisles until the Eagles-Giants game started at 4:30. Even after that, we were off-and-on steady. We still have no help, too. I heard someone say they're having problems finding people to work nights. I had no relief and barely got off in time. 

There were things going on at the house tonight, so I ate out. I originally planned on eating at the Oaklyn Manor Bar, but apparently their dining room closes early on Sunday. Common Grounds does, too. Ended up at Phillies Phatties by default. Had a slice of cheese pizza and a slice of mushroom while watching the Eagles game. I came in around the middle of the 4th quarter. The Eagles were up 19-9. They got a field goal as I finished the cheese slice. Three pre-teen boys wrestled and horsed around at a table on the other side of the room. The one pre-teen girl checked her phone and mostly ignored them.

(Oh, and I missed the last two minutes or so, but apparently, though the Giants did get a last-minute touchdown, it wasn't enough to win the game. The Eagles won 22-16, enough to make them the number 1 seed in the NFC. The Giants are also in the playoffs; they'll go up against the Vikings on Saturday.) 

Went straight into Match Game PM when I got home. Bill Macy finished out his only week on the show with this episode. Elaine Joyce tries to excite the audience about her answers (and advertises her husband Bobby Van's now mostly-lost charades show Showoffs in the opening). Richard doesn't have as much luck with "__ Beans" in the Head-to-Head.

Also saw a commercial for Buzzr's next marathon. They usually run their Lost & Found day on a Sunday in late September, but it didn't appear last year...and now we know why. They expanded it to the entire Martin Luther King Jr. weekend and will include pilots and episodes of rare shows, including several episodes of the Jack Nartz/Gene Wood Beat the Clock from 1972. 

Beat the Clock isn't the only show with missing or rare episodes. More than almost any other genre, game shows are prone to being lost. NBC and ABC erased tapes as late as the early 80's. (CBS largely stopped in 1972.) Some syndicated companies erased their programming into the mid-80's! The original 1974-1975 Jackpot with Geoff Edwards and 1972-1976 Gambit with Wink Martindale were among the victims of tape reuse, with one episode existing of the former and about six of the latter. The men-vs-women panel show The Better Sex from 1977 only has four episodes remaining. 

At least they were filmed. Live game shows from TV's earliest days fared even worse. If they were recorded at all, it was on kinetoscopes - early film dubbings - that were often reused for their silver content. This episode of the daytime Tic Tac Dough from 1958 hosted by Jack Barry is one of three episodes of the infamously rigged 50's version of that program known to exist. 

Thanks to TV's spotty preservation of its own history, we're missing a lot of "firsts." Alex Trebek's first American show, The Wizard of Odds, had vanished completely except its opening theme song until a full episode turned up in October. Dennis James hosted some of the earliest hit shows, but many of them, like the early proto-Wheel of Fortune/Press Your Luck mash-up Beat the Odds from 1962, are either gone completely or have few episodes remaining. (Note the inclusion of "The Whammy" on the board. Yes, this was made by the same company that would go on to do Press Your Luck 20 years later.)

Tape erasure isn't the only reason shows go missing. The producer of the 1983-1984 version of Dream House apparently lost all the master tapes for that show in a flood. To be honest, the show is mostly another Wheel of Fortune imitation, but it does have a nifty bonus round with people guessing numbers to open the "Golden Doors" to their new home. Bob Eubanks presides here. 

Even older shows that do exist can often be hard to find. While most of the 1969-1978 syndicated To Tell the Truth has run on Buzzr and Game Show Network, the first season apparently hadn't been seen anywhere since its original run in 1969-1970 until an episode showed up late last year. Too bad. The amazing psychedelic set is a work of art. I wish they hadn't replaced it for something less colorful by the early 70's. 

Here's more lost pieces of TV history to warm you up on this chilly weekend! (And thanks to Wink for the Gambit episode on his Vault channel!)

Tic Tac Dough (1958)

Beat the Odds (1962)

To Tell the Truth (1970)

The Wizard of Odds (1974)

Jackpot! (1975)

Gambit (1976)

The Better Sex (1977)

Dream House (1983)

Winds of Winter

I overslept, which meant I took longer to do my morning reading than I thought. Barely had time to grab breakfast and run out. At least the weather wasn't bad. It was cloudy and windy, but no colder than it should have been at this time of year, probably in the mid-40's again. The sun finally emerged later in the afternoon.

We weren't busy when I came in or when I finished, but we got off-and-on steady in between. It wasn't bad earlier in the day when we had more help, but then everyone started going home. Not only that, but we're severely short on help to begin with. Two college-age managers just got better jobs and left. One manager will be taking six months off for important surgery; the assistant floral manager had a family emergency and had to take leave. At least four people are on vacation in the upcoming week. 

I actually got my schedule yesterday. It's not bad. A lot more than it was before December, probably due to all those people being out. More seven and 8 1/2 hour days, but two days off, Monday and Friday. 

Oh, and I picked up some groceries. Mainly needed muffins for lunch at work. Found a really pretty notebook decorated with glitter half-price on the clearance shelves. 

Hurried home soon as I finished and went upstairs with my dinner. Watched Match Game PM while I ate. The second episode of the nighttime series kicks off with jokes about how big sportscaster Howard Cosell's mouth is. (The jokes about him on this show make me wish I actually remembered him. He'd largely retired by the time I was old enough to be watching football.) We also get some odd answers to "__ Stock" in the Audience Match, and enough time for a chat with Lee Merriweather, Clifton Davis, and Betty White in the end.

Finished my night on YouTube with Everything's On Ice. I go further into this rare programmer about a seven-year-old figure skating protege and the uncle who exploits her talent at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Family Fun Saturday - Everything's On Ice (Follies On Ice)

We Must Believe In Magic

Started off a gloomy morning with breakfast and Charlie & Lola. Considering what our weather's been like the last few days, I suspect a lot of kids can relate to "It's Raining, It's Boring." Lola's bored when she and Charlie visit his best friend Marv's house. Many of their games are for two players, or are something she can't play. She really wants to take his dog Sizzles to the park. As it turns out, the best game is the simplest...the one that allows Lola to use her considerable imagination.

Puttered around online for a while until it was time for me to head to work. Once again, it was wet when I left, but not raining...but this time, it had dropped back into a more normal mid-40's as well. At least, it wasn't windy or colder than it should have been for the time of year. I got to work right on time.

The Acme was pretty dead for most of the afternoon. I spent too much time standing around bored or desperately trying to find something to do...until the dinner rush hour, and then we ended up with long lines. People are still having a hard time figuring out their government program funds. To my frustration, a couple left behind a $600 order because the woman couldn't get their food basics card to work and said they didn't have enough on the food stamp card. It was almost an hour before we could corral a bagger who could put all that away. And then they said I had a relief, only to tell me I didn't when I went to put something away. Good thing I got out on time.

Ran right home after all that and into dinner and Match Game Syndicated. Eva and Gene briefly swapped seats at one point to figure out a question. Meanwhile, the others try to help the contestant figure out "__ the Car" on the Audience Match...but the top answer ends up being something that may be a little obscure today. 

Finished the night on Disney Plus with fourth season episodes of the The Muppet Show revolving around country music stars. John Denver was no stranger to Muppet lunacy. He'd go on to do two popular Christmas specials with them. He and Kermit hope to go backpacking in Kermit's native swamp, but the others aren't nearly as enthusiastic. Piggy has trouble with a mouthy tree in her version of the poem "Trees," the Swedish Chef can't catch squirrels for dinner, and Gonzo wants to know what one does with a talking garden.

We get our first taste of the popularity of Star Wars on The Muppet Show during the Crystal Gale episode when Darth Nadir (aka Gonzo in Darth Vader mode) and his Storm Chickens invade "Pigs In Space." Gorgeous Gale herself appears in a haunting rendition of her "We Must Believe In Magic," with ghosts and wizards who predate the Ghost of Christmas Past by almost 15 years gliding around her. Meanwhile, the Prairie Dog Glee Club steals anything they can get their paws on, including Kermit's collar (to his embarrassment) and most of Piggy's wardrobe.

Kenny Rogers lands right in the thick of the insanity when stereotyped Arabs drill for oil in his dressing room and Kermit winds up on crutches after breaking bones in a circus act. Kermit does manage to get a good idea for a number out of this, a really surreal version of the famous reggae number "Coconut." Naturally,"Veterinarian's Hospital" also has fun with this, though Piggy chastises them for making jokes about her frog. Rogers manages to squeeze in a surprisingly dark rendition of his "The Gambler." 

Piggy and her fellow hams hog the spotlight in the opening of the Anne Murray episode as literal road hogs riding motorcycles while singing "I Get Around." Anne does the much calmer "Snowbird" as she deflects a dodo's bad bird puns. Scooter's constantly riding a skateboard backstage somehow makes it into Anne's big finale, "Everything Old Is New Again." 

Matches and Magic

Got a quick start this morning with breakfast, then dusting my rooms. Watched Wintertime as I ate and worked. I go further into Sonja Henie's final 20th Century Fox vehicle at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Wintertime (1943)

Put up the remaining winter decorations next. Most of them went up with the Christmas things. I already have a very nice bronze Christmas bell to hang on the door. There wasn't room for the sweet little wren-shaped bell, or the two big folksy snowmen. One is a snow angel with vine arms and a wreath, the other has wooden sewing spool legs and arms. They're joined by a little stuffed snow bear. Found my snowman candy dish, too. Moved the hanging snowmen I bought from Ocassionette and the pretty pink, white, and green beaded wreath I found at a thrift shop to the doors. 

Hurried out soon as I finished. It was just gray and warm on my way to work, but it was enough to keep the customers at bay. We were once again quiet until rush hour, when it picked up considerably. I had trouble with a few customers, including two who couldn't figure out the new cards that older people and some families use to buy necessities. Apparently, they really don't work well with the food stamp cards, and they wanted to use both. A manager ended up taking them. At least they did have a relief for me at 6.

Once again, I emerged to a wet world, though not to the degree of last time. It showered slightly as I rode home, but that ended well before I got in, and it didn't look like it was heavy earlier. The really heavy rain didn't arrive until around 8 or 9, but it's long gone now.

Had dinner while watching Match Game '74. Gene starts off discussing his career dancing on Broadway as a replacement for Dick Van Dyke in Bye Bye Birdie. (Charles replaced Paul Lynde in that show, which is how he and Gene knew each other.) While Nipsey Russell gets some of the funniest lines ("I think we should all go to the nut house and surrender,"), the others have a good laugh at "Tiger __" in the Audience Match. The new champ had trouble with a question involving tigers the episode before. 

Buzzr started running the 1979-1982 syndicated Match Game episodes during the 7 PM hour tonight. Indeed, they began with the initial two episodes from fall 1979, with Brett, Charles, Bart Braverman, Bill Daily, Eva Gabor, and Fannie Flagg as the first syndicated panel. Here, the same two contestants play two rounds, rather than ongoing contestants. Each contestant gets two chances to win. The Star Wheel is carried over from the later seasons, as are the doubled stakes...and the audiences who frequently get really wild. 

I'm so glad they finally got around to these. I've seen most of the ones currently existing on YouTube, and many of them, especially from the early 80's, are as funny as anything that turned up on CBS. Indeed, the first episode is highlighted by Charles criticizing the camerapeople, only for them to film the top of his head...anywhere but him! He makes fun of Brett's cheap jewelry in the second episode, while Eva tosses in a mention of the Arnold the Pig from Green Acres. 

Finished the night online after a shower with some quick Mickey Mouse Clubhouse at Disney Plus. "Goofy the Great" wants to put on a magic show, but he can never remember the right words. Everyone has to help Goofy remember and fix his tricks when they don't come out right. 

I Can Dream, Can't I?

Began a gloomy day with brunch and Match Game '76. This was the hilarious week featuring Isobel Sanford of The Jeffersons and songwriter Marvin Hamlisch. Hamisch and Charles wrote a song for the sweet contestant in the first episode. She's delighted when she comes up with the answer to "__ Bend" in the Audience Match all on her own. In the second, the guys write a song for Brett in the end.

Spent the next few hours listening to my Andrews Sisters double LP and my Jo Anne Castle ragtime piano record and putting away the remaining Christmas decorations. The holiday-only stuffed animals and their clothes now go in the huge felt Santa bag instead of a container, freeing up a container for other things. It took me two and a half hours. It's not that the tree is super-wide or tall. I just have so many ornaments, they take a while to put away. I also moved a thick, heavy side table from one side of the room to the other side next to the entertainment center.

Karen from Abilities Solutions called as I finished up the tree. She hadn't gotten back to me because first they shut down for Christmas, then she went on vacation. That was fine. I assumed they were closed for the holidays and busy before that. She suggested a receptionist job at a medical firm. I'm not sure I can handle a receptionist job. I really am not comfortable talking on the phone. 

In fact, I wish I knew what I could really do. All I know is I can write, read, edit, and organize things. That's it. Those are my skills. Thing is, I also know I'm better than the Acme job. I've worked there for 20 years, and I'm not being paid anywhere near what I should be with my experience. The pension plan that Mom touts is pitiful, too. It's not enough to live on, no matter what she thinks. And I just plain hate the job. I've always hated it. It's boring, I don't deal with people well, I don't fit in with my coworkers, and I am never, ever going to advance in it or do anything else. 

By that point, I was hungry and tired of hanging out inside. After I got everything into the smaller closet, I grabbed an umbrella, my raincoat, and a bag of clothes to donate and went for a walk. It showered lightly as I emerged, but the rain slowed down as I headed to Dollar General. By the time I dropped my clothes in the bin behind the store, the rain ended. It's remained cloudy and damp for the rest of the day, but to my knowledge, the rain hasn't come back. 

Hadn't had pizza for a while, so I went to Capitol a few blocks down for lunch. Since it was advertised out front, I went with two slices of cheese and a bottle of soda, in this case diet Coke. Ate them in silence while ignoring the news and two college girls waiting for their sandwiches.

Looked up jobs when I arrived at home, but all I got was discouraged. All the data entry and writing jobs I saw at LinkedIn and Indeed required far more experience and knowledge than I have. They want people who have been writing and editing and doing data entry for years. I see all the skills and experience companies want listed, and I panic. How can I compete with people who have done non-retail jobs and have real experience and skills? 

Tried to cheer myself up with writing. Debralee gets a major surprise when the mouse hole becomes colder and icier the further she goes. She appreciates the Nutcracker helping her along, and despite his being made of wood, even thinks he's kind of cute.

I was very depressed when I broke to dust the front room. Watched Match Game '74 while I worked. Character actor Richard Long and Jo Ann Pflug, along with giggly Kaye Stevens, joins in here. For some reason, they all make fun of Richard Dawson's answer of It's a Wonderful Life for "It's a __" in the Audience Match. The movie was only just becoming better-known at that point. 

Let Match Game '78 continue after dinner. Jo Ann Pflug sticks around; this time, Gary Burghoff and Fannie Flagg join them. We get some amusing answers to "Not for __" in the Audience Match in the first episode. A contestant is a little embarrassed about a certain answer of hers in the second, but the panelists sure aren't. 

Rainy Winter

Began the morning with breakfast, then with writing. Gene leads Debralee and the Nutcracker towards the hole in the wall where the Mouse King and his followers disappeared. Gene mentions that the Snow Queen should be able to help them find out what happened to the Sugar Plum Fairy, her cavalier, and Princess Marie. Debralee's quick to point out that there's no snow in Burbank...but then, it starts to feel colder in the hole...

It poured when I woke up this morning. While the rain wasn't quite so bad by quarter of noon, I still didn't want to be out in it. Called Uber for a ride to work. I got incredibly lucky. Took me less than a minute to find drivers, and less than three minutes for both day and night drivers to arrive. No problems getting there either way.

The weather must have scared off our customers. We were pretty dead for most of the afternoon. I did go in for someone's break when I arrived, but I mainly shelved unwanted items from 1 PM until almost 4:30. They only pulled me to go in for the lady in express so she could go home. By that point, we were so short on help, people with huge orders kept pulling into my line, even when I tried to tell them not to. Many of them weren't in the best moods, too, I guess because of the weather. 

Picked up a few things before and after work. Got brownie cookies and those fudge-topped shortbread rounds I like. The Special K fruit-filled pastry bars are buy 2, get them for $2.50 each. Grabbed red velvet muffins for lunch at work this week. 

Went straight into dinner and Match Game '78 when I got home. Gene's microphone now sports a lightning bolt in reference to the trouble he had with it the day before. The contestants has even more trouble with the Head-to-Heads "Herbert __" and "__ Trial." 

Finished the night with the Sonja Henie vehicle Thin Ice. I go further into her second major Hollywood film at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Thin Ice (1937)

Neighborhood Angels

Started off a sunny morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Inspired by Lady Elaine giving his mother sunflower seeds, Daniel decides it's "Neighbor Day" and joins his mother in giving sunflowers to their neighbors. On the way, he and his friends help Mr. McFeely deliver packages, organize the new musical instruments Music Man Stan got in the mail, and clean up Baker Aker's kitchen. King Friday appreciates the kids' efforts so much, he declares Neighbor Day to be an official holiday in The Land of Make Believe.

Worked on writing for the next hour and a half. The Nutcracker gets lost in fantasy as he dreams of rescuing his beloved Princess Marie, who is also under a spell. He thinks she's the one who'll lift his curse. Debralee's not sure that's how things will work. Is she really that pretty and sweet? The Nutcracker says so. He thinks she's the most wonderful girl in the world.

Hurried off to work soon as I got off the computer. Barely made it on time. We were off-and-on busy today, not surprising during the beginning of the month and a day many people had off. I ended up in express, which I hate. I always panic and can never keep up with people or tell them not to come in when they have too many items. At least they were able to corral one of the teen boys to go in for me at the end of the night.

Dark clouds gathered even as I went to work this afternoon. By the time I got out, I emerged to wet streets and dripping cars. It looked like it rained at some point, though the showers were down to mist by 7 PM. It started up briefly as I rode through Oaklyn, but vanished as I reached East Clinton.

Changed, then had dinner while watching Match Game '78. I don't often see the early '78 episodes from before Richard Dawson left on Buzzr, and they picked a good one. Brett Somers returns from having been in a play, only to find Gene with a cold and everyone giving weird answers to what she did to her current wig (especially Richard). 

Finished the night with the fourth season of Charlie's Angels on The Roku Channel. Kris Munroe poses as a rich divorcee in Arizona to find out why a former thief skipped parole. Turns out being a bank robber doesn't mean you're not dangerous. Bosley, Kelly, and Tiffany set up a plot to lure him back to Los Angeles, only to discover that "One of Our Angels Is Missing," and he may have more in mind for Kris than just conning her out of her money. 

I'm Into Something Good

I opened my eyes, gazed over at my alarm clock...and it said quarter after 10!  Yikes! I'd planned on being up and out the door to Collingswood at 8! Got dressed quickly, grabbed a banana and a cocoa-almond bar for breakfast, hurried downstairs, grabbed my bike, and rushed out.

One of the advantages of living on the other side of Oaklyn is being closer to Collingswood. I arrived at the PATCO Station in a little over five minutes. There was a long line to buy tickets...but once I bought the tickets, it wasn't as bad. I noticed when the train to Philly rolled in that the first car wasn't full like the others. I took that one, and had a nice, quiet ride. 

Got off at 13th Street, two blocks from the Mummers Parade. It was half-done by the time I made it there, but no matter. I strolled up and down Broad Street, enjoying the carnival atmosphere. The Mummers Parade has local string bands dressed in colorful ruffles and sequins strutting down mid-town Philly. One group in blue and turquoise had a shark theme. Another were Grinches in red and green. There were red, white, and blue clowns, and primary-colored clowns in baggy pants who stopped and did the Limbo for the delighted crowd. A magician and his brigade wore black and orange and performed tricks. A group in black and white checks blasted hard rock as they passed the Doubletree, following a band in glitter-trimmed khaki coveralls representing Top Gun: Maverick. 

I walked all the way down Broad to the stately Philadelphia High School for the Performing and Creative Arts. (Which I honestly mistook for a museum until I read the sign out front.) That seemed to be the end point for the parade. I caught another couple of groups here, including a pink-and-blue baby group in huge bonnets and two more generic groups in primaries and pale blue. All kinds of people stood on the lamp posts and watched from behind the barriers, from families with young children to extremely noisy and inebriated college students. 

I couldn't blame them for wanting to enjoy the parade. It was perfect parade weather. The sun was out, the sky was almost the same color blue as the shark group's costumes, and it was warm, in the upper 50's-lower 60's. It did get a bit blustery, but that beats the 30's and 40's it usually is during the Mummers Parade. 

Started back down Broad around noon. I wanted a drink, but the Dunkin' Donuts on Broad had a line of Mummers going out the door. After I got back to near City Hall, I ducked down 13th Street until I ran into Macy's. I remembered that they had a Starbucks. Not only is the little corner store still there, but they were empty. Drank my Peppermint Mocha Frappuchino in peace. Got to admire the Macy's Light Show as I made my way through, too. Even if the actual show ended yesterday, the lights still looked pretty.

Cut down Market Street and through Primark, since I was now closer to 8th Street than 13th. Lauren and I didn't check out the Round 1 on the top floor of the Fashion District when we visited in early June. I only went a half-hour here, since I had other things I wanted to do. Couldn't find the skee ball, but I had fun playing other games. Earned enough to get another medium Beanie Baby, this one a fluffy brown ostrich named Orson, and still have points left for my birthday in April.

I've already done a ton of shopping this week, so I passed on the rest of the Fashion District. Went straight to the PATCO station under the mall. They weren't busy, either. Nor were the mall or Round 1. Everyone must have still been at the Parade or heading to the Eagles-Saints game. No trouble getting home at all.

Since I was already in Collingswood, I had brunch at the Pop Shop. They were busy, mostly with college students looking for hangover cures and something to do away from the family. I kept things simple with two scrambled eggs, two pieces of bacon, two pancakes, fruit salad, and iced tea. The scrambled eggs were more flat than scrambled, kind of like an unfolded omelet. They weren't bad, just strange. The bacon was just crispy enough, though, and their moist "Betty" pancakes have won awards. Even so, they were too big to finish.

Rose texted me when I was at the PATCO station. She had a ton of food out. Did I want to come over? Sure, why not? I had no other plans for the day. Took the quick way down Collings and across the White Horse Pike back to Oaklyn, making my way down to Reading and then to West Clinton.

It was basically similar to the spread Rose had out at Christmas...but there was even more food, and this time, her husband Craig's parents joined us. We noshed on a meat and cheese tray, a tray of berries and pomegranate seeds, a vegetable tray, a tray of pepper poppers and olives, baked brie, and a plate with crackers and blue cheese. She served Hoppin' John, a southern dish traditionally eaten on New Year's she'd gotten out of a Disney Princess cookbook. (Needless to say, it was a Tiana recipe.) After I ate, I played with Finley on the enclosed porch, trying to pop the bubbles she blew before she did! 

After we came in, I admired Rose's full bookshelves while her hubby Craig and her son Khai watched the Eagles game. They did not play well. Again. The Saints eventually shoved past them 20-10. 

Made a better find on Rose's shelves. One of my favorite books when I was younger was The Smartest Bear and His Brother Oliver, by Alice Bach. "The Smartest Bear" is Ronald, who wants to stay awake all winter to read the Encyclopedia and be seen as different from his twin brother Oliver, whose interests are in eating and not much else. It's not until his parents give them their birthday presents that Ronald realizes that they do know he and his brother are as unalike as bears can be.

Oh boy, did I relate to Ronald as a kid! Rose and I aren't twins, but we're different as can be. Rose wasn't a big reader when we were younger. She didn't really get into reading until she became a fan of fantasy in the early 90's. I actually did read the encyclopedia then, and would stay up very late to do it. And yes, my sisters did tease me about it. And like Ronald, I was over the moon when I got my first typewriter. (Only I got mine for Christmas 1987.)

We've had this book for as long as I can remember. It was definitely our original copy. The previous owner had colored in the Steven Kellogg artwork with colorful markers. I thought Mom got rid of it ages ago. Rose said I could have it, since her kids don't read it often. 

Rose sent me home with a ton of food, including grapes, a bag of salad, more Hoppin' John, and a slice of fruit tart. Put all that away when I got home, then went straight into writing. Debralee wants to know what's going on here. How did Gene get magic? He's always had it. He thinks she'll be able to help the Nutcracker save the Princess, before the Mouse King does worse things to her. 

After that, I had the fruit tart while watching Holiday Inn. I go further into the movie that introduced the song "White Christmas" at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Happy New Year! - Holiday Inn

Took down most of the Christmas decorations during the second half of the movie. I intend to rearrange the containers, including moving most of the larger stuffed animals to the felt Santa bag. Had enough time to take down the regular odds and ends tonight. I'll do the bears and the tree on Wednesday, my next day off.

Finished the night online with the Match Game New Year's Day marathon. These episodes may have been less festive, but some of them were almost as funny. Dorothy, an overly enthusiastic contestant who jumped up in her seat and flung her arms around so much, she accidentally hit the guy next to her, really livened up New Year's Day 1974. Gene stumbled into the first day of 1979 draped with streamers from the previous episode and looking more than a little bleary-eyed. Butch Hartman, who would later go on to create The Fairly Oddparents for Nickelodeon, began his long winning streak on Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour on the New Year's Day episode. 

Ring in the New Year with Match Game and see if you can get people playing along!

Match Game New Year's Day Marathon

Threw in a few more vintage New Year's game show episodes after that ended. What's My Line started off 1961 with Lucille Ball as the hilarious Mystery Guest. She couldn't disguise her voice from Arlene Francis, who knew her too well. Note the reference to her being on Broadway. The show she appeared in was Wildcat, a musical about a strong-willed oil driller who hopes to make a killing so she can earn money for her sister. It has good music, but the book was so weak, when Lucy got too sick to appear, that was the end of the show. 

One of the few remaining episodes of the second Alex Trebek High Rollers run is its New Year's Eve 1979 show. Alex dons a tux and his models sport sparkling gowns as contestants roll the dice to win big packages. The twinkly-eyed older lady who started off didn't have the best answers and didn't win, but she did pick up a prize package. The lady who won didn't do much better and missed the bonus round. She was going up against a young man when they finished.

Likewise, Peter Tomarken and Rod Roddy sported snazzy tuxes for the New Year's Eve 1985 Press Your Luck episode. There were a surprisingly lack of champagne-toting Whammies here; they only hit once in the second round. The champ just barely beats a lady to get cash.

The late 80's Card Sharks and Family Feud brought kids and families to the party. Card Sharks celebrated its Young People's Week in 1987 as kids competed to win a trip to Hawaii instead of a car. Family Feud finished its first season in 1988 with balloons, streamers, and a Fast Money win. 

Super Password didn't get too fancy in 1984, either. There was more talk about Jamie Farr being held over for a second week on the show. They didn't really do anything for the holiday until everyone sported hats and noisemakers in the end. 

Celebrate New Year's with these sparkling games!

What's My Line? (1961)

High Rollers (1979)

Super Password (1984)

Press Your Luck (1985)

Card Sharks (1987)

Family Feud (1988)