Stormy Weather

Despite the humidity, on-and-off sun, and threat of storms and (of all things) tornadoes, I headed out for my usual Saturday chores this morning. I was early enough to be able to browse in Collingswood and attend several yard sales after I did the Farm Market and the bank. The Farm Market was as busy as it always is. Like me, people probably opted to come early and avoid the nasty forecast. I didn't really need much today. I just bought strawberries, broccoli, mushrooms, celery, and a shallot for the beet soup I'm hoping to make tomorrow.

I didn't have much luck with the yard sales today. One couple did have records and cassettes, but despite my hovering over him, a guy got there just before I did...and, in full view of me, bought the whole lot before I could look at them!

I did get some good records in Collingswood. I finally found some more children's records at the Collingswood Library. I picked up two more Disney book-and-records (a 1960 version of Bambi and a 1964 retelling of Mary Poppins with lovely, angular full-color pictures), and a short adaptation of A Christmas Carol done by children's record company Peter Pan (I actually remember my sisters and I having Peter Pan records in the early 80s). My favorite find was the 1970 Original Cast Album for Sesame Street, complete with an orange Oscar, a scruffy Big Bird, Gordon with hair, and the first recordings of "Rubber Duckie" and "The People In My Neighborhood." I also picked up what appears to be a mid-late 50s Rosemary Clooney album, Swing Around Rosie.

I made a quick stop at the thrift shop next to say "hi" to my friend Erica. Most of the records they get at Friends In Deed are old obscure disco and R&B singles and leftovers from the days of Philadelphia International Records, but they do occasionally get some genuine cool albums. I picked up Lou Rawls, 70s Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, post-Keith Moon The Who, and Gary Stevens' 22 Good Guy Oldies, a collection of 50s and 60s hits.

I tried a few more yard sales on my way home, getting lost on my way to one, but found nothing of interest. It was getting darker and darker, and the wind was getting worse. I stopped at Doria's Deli around the corner from me for eggs, turkey, brown sugar, and a diet Wild Cherry Pepsi. On my way home, it started to rain lightly. Thankfully, I was inside by the time the thunder and lightning began.

I called Dad and Uncle Ken for a ride, but I got Jessa. Apparently, everyone was either out with friends, out at work, or just out. I finally decided to ignore the rain and ride to work. Though it did rain on my way and I did get wet, the thunder and lighting had passed and the rain itself was lessening. By the time I got out of work, the clouds were receding, the wind was slower, and there was nothing left of the storm but puddles.

Work was on-and-off busy, to be expected on a day when the weather was on-and-off. We had a few annoying beginning-of-the-month customers. One group of ladies kept trying phone number after phone card number in order to get more than three of the Bryers Ice Cream that's on sale 3 for $7. When a card's been in the system for a very, very long time, the phone number will often be lost or deleted. (My card hasn't been in the system for years. I got it when I was about 16. Lord only knows what number I used.) I don't know what they wanted all that ice cream for, anyway. That must have been some party!

Tooth Talkin'

I had my dental appointment today. I had a few fillings put in and a cleaning. Other than I needed those blasted needles again, it was no big deal and didn't take very long. I was in and out in less than an hour. It's also my last appointment until late August. Dr. Hyder gave me a toothbrush-like tool with a rounded brush that sticks out like one of those individual floss things you buy in bags at the store. She says it's for cleaning around the really bad molars on my right side and to help them heal.

It was so gorgeous (and I was feeling so good about being done with the dentist for three months), I went for a walk after I got out. The sky was a beautiful blue, it was warm but not humid, and it was windy enough that it wasn't killer-hot. I had a pleasant walk down to Manor and up Kendall Boulevard, all over my neighborhood.

Not surprisingly, given the gorgeous weather and this being the end of the month, work was steady-to-dead, with no personnel problems. I had one very annoying older woman who had almost every single item in her cart in produce bags and kept fussing about double-bagging her groceries. (Her son was a big guy. I'm sure he could have handled it.)

Oh, and I just posted this month's Monkees Role-Play story, the comedy "The Car Trip." We'll hopefully be starting the next one on Tuesday and will try to be more on schedule with the stories now that Lauren is settling into her new home.

All In The Family

It was an absolutely gorgeous day today, sunny, blue skies, warm but not hot or humid, and still a little windy but not crazy. I began my only day off this week with a laundry run. Uncle Ken had visitors when I arrived. Uncle Ken's daughter Samantha brought over some donations for Jessa's school, and also brought over her 2-year-old daughter Faith to see her grandpa. Faith was totally adorable. She's getting so big now. She knows her numbers (at least up to 4 - she recognized the 4 under the front door), she can jump and run, she's talking very well for her age, and she loves climbing into chairs and hugging her mommy. She loved the flowers Dad gave her, too.

Uncle Ken treated all of the adults to Italian hoagies from Doria's Deli. Mine was delicious! I really should get hoagies from them more often. Faith had a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich on a potato roll, but she didn't eat much of it. (Two-year-olds don't like it when their routines are out-of-order.) I left shortly after they did. (I didn't have much laundry today.)

After I put my laundry away, I headed over to the Haddon Township Library for this week's volunteering session. I did the DVDs again. I was able to do them in peace this time. I got there right as most schools were letting out...and it was really too gorgeous of a day to hang out in a library. After I finished, I made a quick stop at Super Fresh for conditioner, then went for a long bike ride in Newton River Park.

As I rode past the CVS on my way home, I felt something sticky hit the back of my legs. I definitely smelled ketchup. I still haven't figured out how my leg, sock, shoe, and shorts got ketchup on them. One of the workers from the car wash or the auto showroom must have had a messy hamburger for lunch, or someone from the sports bar on the next block was toting a lunch home that got away from them. Thankfully, I had planned on making a quick stop at Uncle Ken's again anyway to pick up the pan that had the rest of my pineapple cake from Memorial Day. I was able to clean up there.

I took a lovely walk after dinner. It was too beautiful of a day to be inside. The leaves on the trees are big and green now, and the rose bushes are in full bloom. I wasn't the only one out and about, either. I saw many families walking dogs or playing in their yards. Kids walked or rode bikes with friends, or went for a treat at Leo's Yum Yums on West Clinton Avenue. I could hear what sounded like a softball game as I passed the Oaklyn Elementary School.

I just finished a chat with Lauren. We discussed our upcoming stories and our September vacation. We'll hopefully be starting the next story this Tuesday. Her brother is visiting June 23rd, and we'll need to get it done before then.

Good Clean Fun

I got a lot done today. It was a gorgeous day when I woke up this morning, cooler than it has been but not so cold it doesn't feel like May. I was up early enough for once to get a lot of chores in, some of which I've been meaning to do for as much as three months. I went for a walk to CVS after breakfast to buy some mouth wash and also picked up a WebKinz I haven't seen much of anywhere else. After I came home, I swept the porch and cleaned my two plastic porch chairs and the blue milk crate I use for a porch table, then removed the cover from the air conditioner and scrubbed that. I baked cookies and put up patriotic decorations and four small posters (the three That's Entertainment III pics Rita sent me and the African Queen photo I bought in Philly). The Entertainment stills went up in the living room, over the DVD shelves and the TV; Hepburn and Bogart guard the entrance to the Back Room in my bedroom.

Work wasn't even a problem this evening. It was steady, with no call-outs and no troublesome customers. (It'll be busier next week, which is the beginning of June. In addition to their usual money, many people who sent in their tax returns at the last minute have checks coming.)

Oh, and Lauren and I finished this month's Monkees role-play tonight, a goofy vacation-themed story. Look for it within the next few days! (And don't worry, it's the whole story this time - and next month's should be more on schedule.)

And meet Nesmith, the WebKinz Pinto and my second member of the "Webbies," my WebKinz Monkees. Nesmith, of course, is Mike Nesmith, the strong-willed, independent group leader and guitarist. Naturally, he's living with Davy in the Webbies' Pad. I used the money he came with to make my first front yard with some of the many outdoor items I've received with pets and from the Trading Cards lately. The Lurking Lagoon, Elephant Fountain, and Circle of Friends Topiaries are ringed with lovely bunches of irises. Iris gardens were on sale at the W Shop, and the deep purple colors ended up looking quite nice with the Lurking Lagoon and the Antique Lamps (I moved the second one from the Kinzville Farmer's Market).

(And yes, I found a wool hat for Mike. He got one of the blue snowflake toques from the Winterfest. Close enough. ;) )

Breaking the Thunder Barrier

Whoa. The thunder I heard an hour ago was so deafening, I screamed in surprise! I'm surprised I didn't have a heart attack. Thought it still raining, the worst of the storm seems to be over. Other than the storm has possibly been making my Internet slow, I don't mind. Hopefully, Yahoo!Weather is right and temperatures and humidity will drop once the storm passes. It's too early for that.

Other than the weather, I had a rather uneventful day. Spent most of it baking bread and finishing up The Muppet Show: The Complete Season Three. The Muppet Show was at the height of its popularity when this season ran in 1977-1978, and it shows. We get three new characters (Beauregard the none-too-bright stagehand, Annie Sue Pig the young singer, and Lew Zealand the boomerang fish-thrower), one new major skit (Fozzie and Link Hogthrob's "Bear On Patrol"), and far more assurance, both in the wonderful, zany numbers and the actual onstage effects. We also have more recognizable guest stars. In fact, the only third season guests I'd never heard of before I bought this set were country singer Roy Clark and eccentric British comedian Spike Milligan.

Ironically, Milligan appeared in one of my favorite episodes of the season, the hilarious spoof of all-star International specials and programs. (I loved the "It's a Small World" number at the end - that song drives me crazy!) Other favorite episodes were Gilda Radner (always happy to see my favorite early member of Saturday Night Live - she was really stuck on Beaker), Pearl Bailey and the "everything but Camelot number, the sweet western-themed show honoring King and Queen of the Cowboys Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Sylvester Stallone and his groupies, Alice Cooper trying to get the Muppets to sell their souls (lots of fun with Cooper's spooky image there), and Miss Piggy and Charlie's Angel Cheryl Ladd beating up on Kermit as they "Enjoy Being A (Liberated 70s) Girl."

The extras were equally fascinating, if too brief. There was a short featurette covering the Muppeteers, a reel of early 60s Purina Dog Chow Commercials featuring Rolf and Baskerville the Dogs, and a really cool black-and-white special from 1968 featuring Jim Henson, Frank Oz, writer/Muppeteer Jerry Juhl, Muppet builder Don Solin, and several early Muppets, including Rolf and Kermit. The educational special was made for the ancestor of PBS and looks and sounds it (the copy Disney dug up actually had missing audio), but was still very informative and fun to watch. If nothing else, it was neat to learning about puppets around the world and see a side of the Muppets that isn't often shown today.

Work was busy and short on help; two kids called out, both too busy with school sports and events to work. One called out an hour before her shift! They did manage to find at least one replacement, but I really wish they'd emphasize the need for these kids to learn to manage their schedules better. If you want to work, work. If you want to do sports and after-school activities, do that. If you can't do both at once, don't. Either drop the sports and after-school events, or drop work until the summer. That's really why I never worked in high school. I wasn't sure if I could handle it. (That and I couldn't find a job.)

Tropical Summer Cake

And here's my recipe for the cake I brought to Mark and Vanessa's barbecue! Try it for your next summer get-together.

Pina Colada Cake

1 Box White Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines, but any will do)
2 tbsp Canola Oil
1/4 cup drained applesauce
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
8 oz can crushed pineapple in juice
3 oz box Limited Edition Pina Colada Jello Mix (If you can't find it, use pineapple and/or orange flavors)
1/2 cup coconut
1 cup water

Grease your choice of pan as shown on box. (I used a 13x9-inch rectangular pan with a cover because it was for a party.)

Add oil, applesauce, and eggs as on box. Mix until smooth, then add pineapple and juice, Jello, coconut, and water. Mix until moist. Pour batter into pan of choice and bake as directed on cake mix box.

You can frost the cake with your favorite vanilla or coconut frosting. I left it plain because I didn't have the time to frost it.

Saluting Those Who Served Our Country

First of all, Happy Memorial Day to all those who served our country...and those who still are.

Second, I had a lovely day. After breakfast, I went to Oaklyn's Memorial Day Parade. The "parade" ended up being the American Legion, the VFW, and the Fire Department. (Maybe everyone else thought it was going to rain, after the weather we've had all week?) Since the parade was only ten minutes and I had at least two hours before work, I walked down to Uncle Ken's house to see what they were doing today. Uncle Ken and Dolores were on the porch. Uncle Ken told me they were going to his son Mark and Mark's girlfriend Vanessa's house for a Memorial Day barbecue and I was welcome to join them after work.

I told them I would and went straight home after that to make a Pina Colada cake for the barbecue. Less than 10 minutes after the cake came out of the oven, I was on my way to work. Work, thank goodness, was absolutely no trouble whatsoever. It was busy, but that's to be expected on the first major holiday of the summer season.

Jodie picked me up shortly after I came home, and we headed for the barbecue. I had a great time. Mark and Vanessa made barbecue chicken, ribs, and corn, potato salad, baked beans, cut melon with sweet cream cheese dressing, and a simpler spice cake. I enjoyed everything, even a little of the potato salad, which I don't normally eat.

After dinner, I went outside to watch Jessa and Vanessa's daughter Brittany play badminton. The girls were absolutely hilarious. It was still windy, and every five minutes, one girl or the other would hit the birdie into the next-door neighbor's yard and have to retrieve it. (Good thing their neighbor didn't appear to be home.)

Mark, Vanessa, Dad, and Jodie eventually joined us. Jodie, Vanessa, Jessa, and Britt played badminton, then volleyball when they got tired of chasing the wayward birdie. When Jodie finally got tired of playing, I joined Vanessa for a round, then played the girls on my own. That was fun! I haven't played volleyball since high school. I miss it. I'm slow to go after the ball, but I have a killer serve.

After the girls got tired of volleyball, we went inside for cake. Mark showed Jodie and me his collection of tropical fish, which he breeds, including a huge and gorgeous angel fish.

I had a fun day. I hope this bodes well for the rest of the summer! ;)

Another One On The Way

Despite half my customers claiming they were going to stay closer to home this year due to high gas prices, they must have heeded Mother Nature and ignored their fuel tanks (and their wallets). Except for one spurt around 5-5:30, the Acme was steady-to-dead today. No major problems, either, not even call-outs. Mother Nature must have felt the need to make up for the dreadful weather we had last week. Today was absolutely, positively perfect. It was warm, sunny, windy but not yesterday's gale-force winds, without a cloud in the blue sky. I had a fantastic ride to and from work, and a lovely walk right before I left for work, too.

I spent most of the morning finally talking to Mom. She confirmed that yes, my sister Anny is pregnant with her second child, and yes, she and her current boyfriend Mike do seem to be serious about possibly getting married, for Skylar and the upcoming child's sake if nothing else. Mom was in an excellent mood. Dad was on a fishing trip and Keefe was at Anny's, helping Mike with some patio work, so she had some rare time at home to herself. It would seem all of Anny's friends are in the midst of having and/or raising children, keeping Mom as busy knitting as she prefers.

A Fair Affair

As it turned out, my customers were right about the weekend weather. When I got up this morning, it was still windy, but sunny with the occasional fat, white cloud in the sky. I grabbed some bags and rode over to Collingswood for their annual May Fair, held the Saturday before Memorial Day weekend. This is basically an extension of the Farm Market (which is blended into it for this Saturday), with tons of food booths, crafts, games, rides, bands, and a classic car show in addition to the usual fruit, vegetables, and flowers.

By the time I arrived around quarter of 11, there were also tons of people. I could barely walk around, much less check out the booths. I first made my way over to the Friends In Deed thrift shop to say "hi" to my friend Erica, who returned there after her job at a museum in Philadelphia ended. She looked and sounded great in her cute new bobbed hair-do. The thrift shop was hopping, but there was nothing there I could carry home on the bike, so I moved on.

My next stop were the Farm Market booths, which were on Leeds Avenue for the fair day. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, the farm market was a half-hour from closing (they still close at noon, though the rest of the fair continues until 4PM). Many of the things I needed were gone, but I was still able to pick up sweet potatoes, fresh basil, baby spinach, leeks, and honey.

I still had a little time before work, so I continued on. The fair thinned out a bit as I got further down Haddon Avenue and the booths were fewer in number. I found the kids' area towards the end of the Haddon Avenue Historic District. Most of the attractions in the kids' area was stuff I could have done in Wildwood - water gun games, cute kid-sized midway rides (there was a mini tilt-a-whirl, a mini spinning tea cups, and a mini Ferris Wheel, along with numerous inflatable bounce houses), but one of the booths was selling WebKinz. In fact, they had several WebKinz I'd never seen before, including the Lil'Kinz Poodle and one I've been wanting, the Lil'Kinz tiger.

I'm going to set up a Monkees display with four WebKinz in the music area of my living room. The Lil'Kinz Tiger is Davy Jones. The Pinto horse will be Mike Nesmith, and Cheeky Monkey will be Micky Dolenz. Haven't decided whether to make Peter Tork the American Cocker Spaniel or regular Cocker Spaniel yet. (They and the Halloween and Christmas WebKinz will be the only ones I buy clothes for.)

Finding Davy reminded me of another WebKinz I really wanted but hadn't found yet. On my way back, I stopped really quick at the Collingswood Variety Store. Yes, they had Whimsy Dragons. I grabbed one, payed for it, and headed right back out again. As cool as the fair was, it was just too crazy for me! Next year, I'll try to get out earlier.

After all that, work was steady-to-busy, with no major problems other than more people calling out and not showing for work. Jade tried to get me to stay tonight, but I hadn't brought enough money for dinner and would be having a late dinner as it was. Besides, I've gotten plenty of extra hours this week. It's not like I'm going to have a bad paycheck.

Oh yes, and meet Athena the Whimsy Dragon and Davy the Lil'Kinz Tiger! Athena is as noble and adventurous as the Greek Goddess of War and Wisdom for whom she's named; Davy is a charmer who's libido is bigger than his tiny frame. Athena will guard her roommate Amalthea the Lil'Kinz Unicorn from her Treasure Throne.

Sister, Sister

I did wind up back at the Acme today, but only to get my paycheck and do a tiny bit of grocery shopping. I would have waited to pick it up until tomorrow, but the bank isn't open on Monday this week because of Memorial Day and I wanted to get it in while the bank was open. The store was surprisingly quiet, with very short lines.

Other than still being very windy, it was a beautiful day outside, sunny and much warmer (if still a tad cooler than normal for this time of year). Since I wasn't far from Market Street in Audubon, I rode up to Abbie Road to visit my older friend Bob and check out the collection of records he has for sale. I wound up with four - the Beatles' Abby Road, the Monkees' second album More of the Monkees, a Drifters greatest hits album, and the soundtrack from the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. I also stopped by Desserts By Design for a massive chocolate chip cookie.

The bank isn't too far from Market Street, so I went there next. I was very surprised to see a woman grilling hot dogs on their front walkway. Turns out today was their Spring Customer Appreciation Day and they were giving away hot dogs and cheeseburgers with all the fixings. Not many people can claim to have had their lunch at the bank, on the bank.

After lunch and depositing my paycheck, I headed home, put my groceries away, and went over to Uncle Ken's to do my laundry. Uncle Ken was out golfing for the day, but Dad was home, working on the landscaping for Uncle Ken's pool. He told me he and Jodie were planning on taking Rose out to dinner for a very late birthday celebration (her birthday is the week before mine in April, but she's a year younger) and invited me to come. I said "Sure." Free dinner is free dinner, and I haven't seen Rose in over a month. I watched Neptune's Daughter and My Sister Eileen on TCM and the final 20 minutes or so of The 'I Don't Care' Girl on Fox Movie Channel and took a walk while waiting for my small load of laundry to finish in the drier.

I hung out at my place and watched more of The Muppet Show before heading out again. I made a very quick stop at the Oaklyn Library to return the bread cookbooks I took out a few weeks ago before heading back over to Uncle Ken's. (I'm not going to get to library volunteering this week. It was too late to run over there by the time I finally finished the laundry. I'll just pick it up again next week.)

We had dinner at the same place we did for my birthday, only Rose got a candle in a heavy chocolate and coffee ice cream dessert. I had a wonderful rock shrimp and asparagus sauteed in a blush sauce over angel hair pasta, with fried calamari and more shrimp and asparagus for an appetizer. We all had a lovely time, and I made some interesting discoveries. My 17-year old sister Jessa just got her learner's permit last week. In fact, Dad let her drive home once we were across the White Horse Pike, and she did very well. (At least, she didn't bump into anything.) And Rose told me my 23-year-old sister Anny is pregnant again...only this time, the father not only wants to BE a father, but may be interested in marrying her.

Crystal Dog Persuasion

Figures. I was called in this morning just a half-hour after awakening by Donna the head front-end manager. Could I come in at 12PM? No, it was 10:30 and I was still in bed! I made it in by 12:30. For once, the customers were all right. We just didn't have enough people to handle them. Three people called out after I arrived (one from the bakery) and they hadn't assigned enough people to work in the first place. That's how I ended up going in. Another manager actually asked me to stay until 8:30, but I said "No, I have errands to run!" Thankfully, they did get one of the boys to come in for me.

I decided to take advantage of being able to get off at 5PM and do what I'd planned on doing tomorrow when I went to get my paycheck. I first stopped at FYE to pick up The Muppet Show: Season Three, which just came out this past Tuesday. One of the boys working there pointed out the new WebKinz Gecko, which he'd just put on the display. I wasn't interested in the Gecko, but I asked him if there were any other new WebKinz there. He pulled out a bag of snakes and a bag of rhinos before he mentioned another bag of "fluffy polar bears." I knew what he meant - the fluffy white Samoyed Dog! That's one of the two May WebKinz I'd been dying to find. The Samoyed Dogs are gorgeous. (And the kid was right - with their white fur and black noses, they DO kind of look like fuzzy polar bears.) I bought the dog, the Muppets, and a used copy of the out-of-print 1995 CD of the Monkees' rarely-heard 1987 album Pool It!. The 20% off all children's DVDs if you buy WebKinz sale was still on, and coupled with my FYE Membership card and another sale, I picked up the Muppets for about $27. That's $12 less than the $39.99 original price. Sweet.

I had less luck with clothes shopping. I wanted to find new lightweight work pants (both of mine are nearly falling off of me) and a weatherproof spring jacket with a hood. My two hooded sweaters aren't weatherproof (as I've discovered the hard way this week), and my lighter winter jacket doesn't have a hood. Fashion Bug was having a big sale on capris, and that seemed to be all they had. We aren't allowed to wear capris to work. Avenue had the right pants, but the only ones they had in my size were much too long. No one had any jackets, or even light sweaters with hoods.

I had a BBQ Grilled Chicken Sandwich at Tu Se Bella's after I gave up on the clothes shopping. I'll just go into Philly next week or talk Rose into a Deptford Mall trip now that she's done with classes.

It was windy and still cool but sunny when I rode home. I'd heard at work that it had rained on and off all day, but I didn't believe them until I was on my way home and it started to rain...while it was still sunny out! It did it again an hour later, when I was at home and watching Muppet Show episodes. Thankfully, according to several of my customers and Yahoo!Weather, Mother Nature's supposed to make up her mind by tomorrow and let us have a sunny, warm Memorial Day weekend.

Oh, and meet Crystal, my beautiful Samoyed Dog! I moved her into the Candy Bed and Breakfast to help take care of Maisie the Gray and White Kitten. Cassie the Himalayan Cat was moved into the new "Cat Palace" room, which I built when I heard the Cat or the Dog themes may be retired. I didn't want to take chances, so I bought some cat furniture and made a small cat room and added more dog furniture to Nelson the Yellow Lab's "Lab House."