Out in the Sunshine

I had just enough time to get a pleasant walk in before work today. I worked at noon, the earliest I've gone to work in weeks. It was still really nice this morning, though a bit warmer than it has been. I strolled down Manor, then past the Oaklyn Library and up to the White Horse Pike and back down West Clinton. It wasn't too busy out. Most people are probably getting ready for Labor Day or their kids' return to school.

Work was quiet for most of the afternoon. It did pick up during the usual 4-6 rush hour, but it had calmed down enough by 6 for me to shut down and leave, despite my relief being the college kid who is always late coming in from his second job. I spent most of the day shelving candy.

The only major errand I got in today was picking up my contacts. They called me on Saturday and said they were in...but if I haven't been working late or busy, we've been pounded by hurricanes! I had debated eating out, but finally opted to just go home after I was finished.

Miss Redmer and the Hair Day Adventures

Started out another beautiful, comfortable morning with a few Sailor Moon episodes related to vacations and to hair salons, all from the first season. "Nightmare In Dreamland" takes Amy, Serena, and Raye to an amusement park that turns out to not be much fun when it's discovered to be a Negaverse hide out. Raye wins tickets on the hot new ocean liner and invites Amy in "Cruise Blues," but it's Serena who bites off more than she can chew when she tags along. Mina tries to make Serena feel better about losing Darien to the Negaverse in "Bad Hair Day," but the cure may be worse than the sickness when the hair salon the girls try out ends up being part of an evil plot to capture the Silver Crystal. And in "Last Resort," Serena finds herself protecting her family from the evil spirit trapped in a lake...but can she do it without giving herself away?

Headed out after the last episode ended. I had a LOT to do today! The first stop was the Haddon Township Library. I shelved a few DVDs and books, but I mainly wanted to donate videos. I'm giving the Haddon Township Library half of my videos. The Oaklyn Library gets the other half for their Book Sale and Flea Market. (I'm also retaining some children's videos to give to my cousin Samantha's family.)

Since I had to go to Collingswood, I stopped at the Westmont Acme instead of the Super Fresh, as it's on the way. I needed vinegar and maple syrup, and I also picked up Drano. The bathroom sink has been clogged something horrible for almost a week now, and the usual vinegar and baking soda wasn't working. I've been doing my hair in there because the fan in my bedroom is blocking the full-length mirror. I think it's time to stop doing that. I suspect that the sink is jammed full of hair.

My next stop was a very quick run into the Collingswood Post Office to send off Lauren's DVDs. I dubbed her some things that I thought she'd like, along with two movies she wanted and didn't have. It's the least I can do for her, after everything she's dubbed for me over the past seven years or so.

I had planned on going to Haddon Hair Designs in Collingswood next to get my hair layered and trimmed. When I arrived there, though, they were closed and dark. I peered into the large windows, and noticed that most of the shelves, dryers, and salon chairs were gone. Sigh. I had no idea they went out of business. No one said anything about it. I didn't even notice, and they're a block away from the Collingswood Library.

I ended up strolling a few more blocks to the new Hair Cuttery that just opened in the empty space between WaWa and Rite Aid. I used to go to the Hair Cuttery in North Cape May when I lived there. This is the first Hair Cuttery to open near my current apartment. The girl who did my hair, Holly, was very sweet. She did a nice job. I just needed to get it layered and trimmed, as usual. It's been annoyingly frizzy all summer. Since I was there, I made a quick stop at Rite Aid for clips and pot scrubbers, too.

I was going to go out to lunch, but it was so lovely outside, it seemed a shame to waste the weather. I bought a turkey and Swiss 4-inch hoagie at WaWa and ate it in Newton River Park, near the playground. I wasn't the only person who wanted to take advantage of Mother Nature's good mood. A gaggle of boys played softball. A family with small children ran around the tree while the kids squealed over bugs and tumbled in the grass. Kids rode their bikes. Adults walked dogs and strolled together.

Made one more quick stop at CVS for Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner (Rite Aid actually had a better price, but they don't carry the curl formula I like), then rode home. I spent the next few hours sweeping the hurricane debris off the porch, then online. American Girl not only officially released their new historical dolls Marie-Grace and Cecile today, they also put out several new modern dolls and doll outfits and a mini-Ivy. My Mini-Julie can finally have her best friend!

But the beautiful day beckoned. I went for a short walk around the neighborhood around 5:30. Stopped at Leo's Yum-Yums for cherry vanilla water ice, then just walked in the neighborhood behind West Clinton Avenue. Most people have or are in the process of cleaning up from the storm. While some folks may have had flooded basements, I suspect the worst of it was probably fallen tree limbs. (I only saw one fallen tree near the corner of Beechwood and Lakeview Avenue in Collingswood, and it was a really old tree anyway.)

When I got home, I made flounder with fried peppers, red onion, and potatoes for dinner and watched Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Everyone's favorite British cheese-obsessed inventor and his brilliant canine companion are now in the rabbit-removal business, just in time for a huge vegetable competition in their sleepy village. Wallace comes up with a mind-altering machine to try to make the rabbits not like vegetables...but he accidentally switches minds with one of the rabbits! Can Gromit save his friend and the vegetable competition when a huge rabbit terrorizes the village? Fun horror spoof and a nice introduction to these two.

It's a Beautiful Day

It remained absolutely gorgeous when I headed out to do my laundry this morning. Sunny and dry, with yesterday's wind replaced by a cool breeze. No wonder the laundromat was busy. This was added to a larger laundry load than usual. I had new clothes to break in and towels to wash along with the usual things. Thankfully, my timing was good. I just got a washer, but by the time my load was out, most of the driers were open.

Thankfully, what I can see in the neighborhood appears to be fine. There were trucks picking up the larger downed limbs, but all wires were in place, and there were no large trees on the street. There weren't even many puddles left. The underpass that goes beneath the train bridge on West Clinton looks like it may have flooded, but there's nothing but a puddle or two and dirt there now.

I had a quick lunch of leftovers at my place while working on the DVDs I'm going to send Lauren. The movie I taped ended just in time for me to head out. This time, I rode to and from work with no problems.

Work was quiet, especially for the beginning of the month. A lot of people may have done their shopping during the pre-Irene panic on Friday. It was steady during the 4-6 rush hour, but died quickly afterwards. It was so quiet by 8PM, the managers were originally going to ask me to stay when a cashier called out, but opted to send me home instead when there just wasn't enough to do.

The Storm Blows Over

I was up late last night chatting with Lauren. It was 10:30 before I got up this morning. It was cloudy, cool, very windy, and still a little humid...but the porch was almost dry. It didn't look like it had rained in hours.

Despite the improving weather, I opted to stay at home and wait out the storm. Called Mom first thing after writing in my journal and getting dressed. Other than they were still getting rain, they were perfectly fine. Dad was home. He, Mom, and Keefe live in Erma near the Cape May County Airport, twelve minutes from Wildwood and well away from any beach or major flooding areas. My sister Anny and her son Skylar, who do live in the Villas near the bay, went to upstate New York near Lake Ontario to visit friends of Anny's. They had some downed branches, but otherwise had not lost power or had any other problems.

I ended up spending the day at home, which I haven't done in ages. I finally had Peach Pancakes for breakfast while dubbing Octopussy. A sentimental favorite, Octopussy is the only Roger Moore James Bond movie I have. I believe it may also have been the first James Bond movie I ever saw. Bond's pursuit of the killer of a fellow agent takes him to Germany and to India, where he encounters a suave businessman (Louis Jordan) who is working with a crazy general to ignite World War III and a gorgeous smuggler (Maud Adams) who trains her female gymnasts in circus work...and crime.

Along with The Spy Who Loved Me, this is my favorite of the Roger Moore Bonds. While he is beginning to show his age by this point, he generally handles the stunts well and looks more alive than he did in View to a Kill two years later. Jordan is one of the best villains in the entire series, and Adams (in her second Bond outing) is quite good as the dangerous title lady.

Went right into Tomorrow Never Dies while I dusted the apartment. The second Pierce Bronsonan Bond film is also my favorite of the four he did. The theme here is media manipulation. Bond this time is after a media magnate (Jonathan Pryce, who always was very good at scenery-chewing) who is trying to turn world powers against each other in order to drive the ratings on his news programs. He's helped by the magnate's wife (Teri Hatcher of Lois and Clark) and a tough Chinese agent (Michelle Yeoh).

Yeoh is probably the best Bond girl since Honor Blackman in Goldfinger, and she adds a great deal to some classic set pieces. My favorite is the amazing motorcycle chase in China.

I promised Lauren I'd make her two DVDs of movies and programs I have that she wants to thank her for all the DVDs she's made for me over the years. She requested Three Little Words and A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, and I decided to toss in two more comedies, an animated movie, and a bunch of animated shorts I thought she might like as well.

Made a cake while Three Little Words was on. One of the Cooking Light books I bought from a yard sale a few weeks ago had an intriguing recipe for Lemon-Rosemary Cake With Currants. I nixed the currants, since I don't have any, and made a light Lemon Buttercream Icing instead of the syrupy glaze originally called for. Other than that, I made the cake as described. It smelled marvelous in the oven and came out absolutely divine, sweet with a wonderful herbal fragrance.

Dad came over around 4:30 to bring my bike back. By this time, the sun was peeking through the clouds, the humidity was gone, and it was windy but nothing like earlier. In fact, it had become an absolutely drop-dead gorgeous day. I stood on the porch and enjoyed the last of the soft, cool wind after Dad left. It was so comfortable in the apartment, I was able to make Merlin's Magic Chicken (legs) for dinner without making the kitchen and living room hot at all. I also had Lemon-Garlic Chinese Green Beans and Marinated Potatoes and Tomatoes, with the cake for dessert.

Eye of the Hurricane

It was just cloudy and humid when I switched on this week's American Top 40 re-run this morning. The Top 40 went back to August 1980 this week. Hits from late summer of that year include "All Out of Love" by Air Supply, "More Love" by Kim Carnes, "Magic" by Olivia Newton-John, "Upside Down" by Diana Ross, "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me" by Billy Joel, and "Let My Love Open the Door" in a rare solo hit by Who member Pete Townsend. The number one song that week was one of the prettiest and most peaceful ballads of the early 80s, the lovely "Sailing" by Christopher Cross.

I made a quick run to the bank and the farm market while the weather was still decent. The bank wasn't busy; the farm market surprisingly was. I guess everyone else wanted to get their vegetables while the going was good, too. Didn't see grapes this time, but plums were out, so I picked up a pint of those. The small Ginger Gold apples I like were back, too. Also grabbed peaches, tomatoes, red potatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, a squeeze bear container of blueberry honey, zucchini, an ear of corn, romaine lettuce, and some unusual, very long green and purple string beans - Chinese beans, I think someone called them.

Obviously, with the impending storm, there were no yard sales today. I went straight home. When I got in, I swept the porch, did things online, and dubbed more James Bond movies. On Her Majesty's Secret Service, from 1969, is an oddity in the series for several reasons. First and foremost, it's the only Bond role for Australian model George Lazemby. While he's not quite Connery's equal, he isn't bad, either. What makes this one of the best Bonds is the supporting cast. Diana Rigg as Italian contessa Bond woos (and marries) is the best "Bond Girl," and Telly Savalas is a matchless Blofeld. The ski and car chases sequences are some of the best in the entire series.

Diamonds are Forever came out two years later in 1971. Connery was back for one of the most bizarre films in a series known for strange plots. This has long been a favorite of mine, and even I can't quite figure out the full plot, other than it involves diamond smuggling, a reclusive millionaire, and a super-laser. Once again, it's the supporting characters who stand out, including Bruce Glover and Putter Smith as a pair of hitmen with unusual methods of doing in their victims and Jimmy Dean as the aforementioned millionaire. The ladies, however, are a disappointment after Rigg - Jill St. John is annoying, and her character comes off as little more than a bimbo.

(The other awesome thing about this one is the theme song, the best of the three Bond title songs Shirley Bassey performed.)

It started raining around 11:30. It rained on and off into the afternoon. I was hoping it would slow down again by 2:30. It didn't. I was working late and didn't really want to drag anyone out in the storm, so I just rode my bike to work and got very wet.

It may not have been worth the trouble. It was steady when I came in, busier than I figured it would be but nothing resembling the mob from yesterday. As it turned out, all of our closest competition - the Shop Rite in Bellmawr, the WaWa a few blocks from us on the Black Horse Pike, and the Wal Mart in the Audubon Crossings Shopping Center - closed early because of the storm. They may have done the right thing. By 9, we were so dead, the college kids (and one manager) were all crowded around some little electronic educational game for kids in an attempt to amuse themselves. No, we never closed. The Acme NEVER closes early. Everything outside was dragged in the store, including trash cans and all the carts that could be rounded up, but the store closed at 11 like always.

I got a phone call at quarter of 8. It was my sister Rose. Why didn't I call her or Dad when the weather got bad? Why did I ride my bike in a storm? Because I had no desire to drag anyone out in a hurricane. It's not fair to them. Rose insisted that she or Dad would take me home, and I wasn't in the mood to argue.

I did get out a few minutes early - not a great surprise, given the weather. Yes, the storm was going full-force when Dad arrived. We got wet just loading my bike into his car! Dad did drive me back to my place. I left the bike in his car. It's probably safer there anyway. I'm off tomorrow and wouldn't be needing it. I'll pick it up tomorrow afternoon, after the storm subsides.

Hurricane Plus No Help Equals Panic!

It didn't start out that way this morning. It was sunny, hot, and humid, but not cloudy or unusually windy. I vacuumed the apartment and dubbed more James Bond. Thunderball and You Only Live Twice are very typical mid-60s Sean Connery Bond. Both are set in exotic locations (Nassau; Japan). Both have James involved with SPECTRE world domination plots. Both are filled with everything that people expect of this series - gadgets, girls, lots of explosions. Maybe too much. Thunderball in particular drags like crazy, and its underwater photography is a lot less exciting today than it was when it was new in 1965. Live Twice is mostly notable for introducing the first villain hideout (a volcano).

I had no idea the Acme tried to call me in until right before I left. By the time I got the message, it was right before I left. I shrugged, packed my lunch, changed into my work shirt, and left. How bad could it be?

It was AWFUL. The Acme was a total zoo all day long, with lines down the aisles until right before I was done. There's just too much going on. First of all, anyone who lives on the east coast probably knows that Hurricane Irene is coming our way. I doubt we'll get much more in this area than rain, wind, and minor tidal flooding, but everyone around here loooovvvvesss to panic! Second, it's almost the beginning of the month, and the weather may have prompted early deposits of many checks. Third, it's Friday, and a lot of people get paid and do their shopping anyway, no matter what the weather.

Sigh. And fourth, there were at least three or four people who called out because they wanted to get ready for the storm. That's ridiculous. Do that sort of thing AFTER work, not during it. We had absolutely no help all night.

Thank goodness things had begun to slow down a little by the time I got to my own shopping. I'm also glad I own a large Britta pitcher I filled with water, lots of D batteries, bought my milk yesterday, and only eat whole-wheat, rye, and multi-grain bread from the bakery in the summer. We were low on milk and bread, and almost every bit of water and every D battery had been cleared off the shelf. I bought whole wheat bakery bread, brown eggs, oatmeal, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter sticks, two single fish packs, organic chicken thighs that were on sale, flour, and peanut butter.

My schedule next week is much better. Sunday and Tuesday off, only one late day (Wednesday) and one long day (Saturday).

Earth-Bound Balance

Despite the cloudy and humid weather, I did make it to yoga this time. Tuesday's earthquake got Karin thinking of our relationship to the earth and the ground and how it influences us. We concentrated on back and leg movements, including a few bow-pose variations that really taxed my still-sore knee joints.

My stop at the Collingswood Library afterwards was a fast one. For one thing, there wasn't much to do. I organized the DVDs (the kids' section looked awful) and shelved a small stack. The clouds were getting worse by this point, too, and the humidity was thick enough to cut a knife through. I was barely there a half-hour before heading out.

It was showering lightly when I unlocked my bike. The shower picked up after a quick stop at WaWa for milk and a small turkey hoagie. Though I tried to wait out the rain under awnings and trees, I finally got bored. I rode straight home and got wet.

It would rain and occasionally thunder on and off for the rest of the day. Needless to say, I went nowhere else. I probably wouldn't have, even if Mother Nature was in a better mood. I had cleaning to do, my legs and feet are still sore from the weather and the last few weeks of work, and I wanted to continue my Video to DVD Project.

Ran New Moon, the last MacDonald/Eddy operetta I'm dubbing, while I ate my hoagie and then as I gave the bathroom a desperately-needed scrubbing. New Moon puts the duo back in Naughty Marietta territory. He's a scandalized Duke who was sent to Louisiana as a bondservant, she's the noblewoman who buys him. Their roles are reversed when the ship they're both sailing on crashes on an uncharted island. Feisty Jeanette has no interest in marrying anyone, especially an idealistic nobleman...but when too many men in the colony try to woo her, will she have a choice? And what will the entire colony do when the French finally appear?

For once, Nelson seems more comfortable than Jeanette does. They both have a great deal of witty banter, especially once they get to the island. Their forced marriage ceremony is hilarious - "Smile." "I am smiling." "Pardon me. I wouldn't have known."

Went into pure action as I cleaned the kitchen and baked Old-Fashioned Ginger Cookies. Romancing the Stone is a long-time favorite of mine. A romance novelist goes after her sister in the jungles of Columbia. She's helped on the way by a roguish mercenary and chased by a bumbling thief and a local dictator. I discussed this classic back in February for Valentine's Day, and I'm glad I was able to move it.

Finished the night with two of the earliest James Bond films as I had salmon in White Wine-Lemon Sauce, sauteed zucchini, and Marinated Red Potatoes and Tomatoes for dinner. Dr. No is the first "canon" Bond film and introduced the series and Sean Connery as Bond. Goldfinger is my favorite Connery Bond film - Connery pursues the gold-obsessed title character, who wants to attack the gold at Fort Knox.

Before the Storms

Though there's rumblings of Hurricane Irene coming this way starting Saturday night, today remained absolutely gorgeous. It was all bright sunshine and soft wind as I headed down the street to the Oaklyn Library for this week's volunteering session there.

It was pretty quiet this morning. There were a few kids in the children's area, but otherwise, it wasn't bad. There was either no Storybook Hour today or I missed it. I was able to organize the children's books after finishing the DVDs with no interruptions.

I went right into dubbing the next movie when I got in. I know I said I wanted to buy Bitter Sweet when it comes out in the Warner Archives next month, but I finally decided to save myself 20 bucks and add it to the list. Bitter Sweet is the second of two Technicolor movies Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy did together, and their second romance that ends in tragedy. MacDonald is a prim and proper young British woman in 1881 who scandalizes her upper crust family by running off with Austrian music teacher Eddy. They live in happy poverty in Vienna until they get a job working at a cafe. MacDonald is pursued by an amorous captain (George Sanders, in one of his many "cad" roles), but it's Eddy who may not survive his advances...

Yes, it's more-or-less Maytime in color. As such, it's really not their best film by a long-shot. Noel Coward, who wrote the music for the original show, really hated it, and MacDonald and Eddy supposedly weren't happy, either. There's some nice moments, though. I love Eddy carrying MacDonald up the stairs to their apartment in Vienna. Otherwise, unless you're as big of a fan of these two as I am, I recommend you try Maytime first for them in drama mode.

I baked Spicy Applesauce Cupcakes while Bitter Sweet ran. They came out very well, moist and nutty...and fairly low in fat. They came from one of the Cooking Light cookbooks I got from the yard sale in Audubon a few weeks ago.

After Bitter Sweet ended, I ran Danger Mouse until it was time to head for work. Work was on-and-off steady. I shelved candy during the off times. There were a few annoying customers; otherwise, there were no problems.

When I got home, I dubbed The Girl of the Golden West. Another lesser-known MacDonald/Eddy vehicle takes the two out to California during the Gold Rush years. She's a tough-talking saloon owner, he's a bandit with a lot of romantic ideas...and both of these urban creatures (she was born and raised in Philadelphia, he was raised downtown) are clearly out of their element in a western. Buddy Ebsen is a lot more comfortable than they are as the town blacksmith and an admirer of MacDonald's. Walter Pidgeon is the sheriff who is determined to capture Ramerez...and win a certain saloon owner's heart. Like Bitter Sweet, this is hard to find and is generally for fans of these two, Ebsen, or Pidgeon only.

Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

Started another gorgeous morning with a ride to the Haddon Township Library. It was a lovely day for a bike ride. Newton River Park was so busy, I rode on the street part of the way in order to avoid joggers, parents with strollers, couples walking together, and flocks of Canadian geese. It's so pretty out now, no wonder everyone's out and about. The grass is thick. The trees are much perkier than they were just a month ago. The wildflowers stand tall and brilliant. I'm so glad we've had this rain. It's been such a help, and we so needed it.

The Library was busy when I came in, too. The DVD cart and children's books carts were both loaded. I had plenty to do. Didn't see any DVDs I liked today, but I did take out two books on writing and one with small business ideas, along with a Calvin and Hobbes comic book.

Went straight home this time. I wanted to get to the Cherry Hill Mall and hit the end-of-the-summer-season sales. I had a really quick lunch of Peanut Butter and Peach Butter on a home-made English muffin and a peach, then hurried out the door to catch the 1:47 to Cherry Hill.

I just barely made it. Good thing it was a few minutes late! I hurried as fast as I could to the bus stop a block down from the entrance to the Wal-Mart section of the Audubon Crossings Shopping Center. My heart was thumping when I finally made it to the bus stop sign.

Not long after I got on the bus, I heard someone mention to the driver that there had been an earthquake. I had no idea. I hadn't felt anything rushing to the bus stop but my feet and my pulsing heart. Nothing seemed any different...except for the people standing on the sidewalks in Westmont, looking a little dazed. Another man mentioned it when the bus stopped at the Cherry Hill Train Station behind the Shop Rite.

The Cherry Hill Mall looked just fine when the bus finally arrived. I didn't do quite as well as I did on my last mall trip, but I did find some things I needed. I picked up a pair of khaki capris for work, a bright gold Henley shirt, and a light green nightshirt with a book print that says "Never judge a book by its movie" at JCPenney. Bought Dick Tracy, The Last Starfighter, and The Shadow new on sale from FYE. Got a pair of cheap sneakers to run errands in at Payless Shoes.

My best find was a last-minute discovery at Lane Bryant. I've been looking for a nice, simple, inexpensive sundress to replace the red and blue dotted print that didn't fit for over a year now. Everything I've seen has either been too fancy, too expensive, or both. I found a sleeveless teal dress with three sweet ruffles on the hem of the skirt on a major clearance. Originally marked at 55 dollars, it rang up 18. Score! It's so sweet and lovely.

I also noticed that the 450 bus to the Cherry Hill Mall will let you off at the corner of Cuthbert Road and the White Horse Pike if requested. Good. That's a shorter trip than the hike to Audubon. It'll make things a lot easier on me when I want to go to Cherry Hill.

When I finally got home, I made pasta and chicken meatballs for dinner and continued my video to DVD dubbing. I'm working my way through my operettas that aren't on DVD now. Did the Arabian adventure The Desert Song during dinner and the MacDonald/Eddy Canadian romance Rose Marie after a much-needed shower.

Incidentally, the only damage that earthquake did here was knocking the Walt Disney Treasures DVD sets off the shelf. I've been meaning to move them, anyway. They're really too heavy for the flimsy Wal-Mart DVD rack I had them on. I swapped them and the animated movie DVDs to the heavier ash-colored DVD rack and moved the dramas and comedies to the Wal-Mart one.

The Chocolate Soldier and the Opera Diva

I couldn't believe how gorgeous it was this morning. The sun poured through the windows, but it wasn't the hot, hazy, humid sun of last month. It was soft, pure sunshine, with a hint of a cool breeze and no haze or humidity anywhere. I immediately switched off the air conditioner and fans and flung open the windows.

It was so nice, the air conditioner was off at the laundromat when I got there, too. The cooler weather also brought out the crowds. The place was really busy when I came in. I was just able to get a washer and a dryer.

When I got home, I put away my laundry and dubbed The Chocolate Soldier, a 1941 vehicle for Nelson Eddy and Rise Stevens. Though it uses the songs from the original 1909 operetta, the plot comes from the 1924 play The Guardsman - a Hungarian performer (Eddy) is so jealous of his wife's (Stevens) flirtations, he poses as a Russian actor to test her faithfulness. Nigel Bruce (Watson of the 40s Sherlock Holmes series) is his best friend.

I like the onstage portions so much, I kind of wish they'd stuck to the original story...but Stevens and Eddy both do fairly well with the fluffy plot. Eddy looks like he's having far more fun here than in any of his vehicles with Jeanette MacDonald (and his Russian accent is at least slightly more credible than that ridiculous Spanish accent of his from The Girl of the Golden West).

Went online to work on some ideas for an at-home business. I want to keep things very simple. I'm not buying into anyone else's idea. I want to run my own business and do things my own way. I'm tired of living by other people's (and companies') rules. I'm fed up with "The Company Way" - unlike Robert Morse, Matthew Broderick, and Daniel Radcliffe, I just can't live that way. I'm tired of the revolving door of bosses. (The head store manager who just came here in May already found a better job and is leaving within the next few weeks!) I'm sick of the stress, sick of the silly uniforms, sick of the hundred different rules that keep popping up for no good reason. I don't like shilling for things I don't eat or use, and I'm not crazy about the annoying customers, either. I wasn't meant to work for a big corporation.

Trouble is, now I need to figure out what it is I can do. I already have some ideas. I'd love to try copywriting, editing, database organization, writing newsletters for local businesses, website editing, or virtual assisting. I just need to decide exactly what I want to do and how to advertise it.

I just barely got off in time for work. It turned out to not be worth the effort. Between the beautiful weather and this being the middle of a holiday-less month, we were pin-drop quiet for most of the evening. It was only busy during the usual 4-6 rush hour, and then on-and-off.

Waiting for the Weather to Change

The clouds were going in and out when I got up this morning. It looked like Mother Nature didn't know quite what she wanted to do. I made Peanut Butter Pancakes and dubbed That's Entertainment III. The last of the four documentaries about MGM musicals focuses on behind-the-scenes footage and numbers that were cut or dropped from the films.

Called Mom after breakfast. She was also awaiting the storms. The rain finally found its way to Cape May County this week. She was no longer worried about her parched garden - it finally had plenty of water. Dad's coming home this week as well.

Work was steady for most of the afternoon. It thundered off and on all day, and rained lightly once, but the storm held off. I got to and from work with no trouble, and picked up cooking wine and chocolate chips quickly afterwards.

Made a tomato-mushroom-Colby Cheese omelet for dinner when I got in and copied Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall to DVD. This 1993 concert brings in some of the biggest stars of the time to perform music from the shows Sondheim had done through then. Among my favorite numbers are dancer Karen Ziemba and comic Bill Irwin's hilarious "Sooner or Later" from Dick Tracy, Dorothy Louden's medley of "Losing My Mind" (from Follies) and "You Can Drive a Person Crazy" (from Company), Madeline Khan's "I'm Not Getting Married Today" (also from Company), and Bernadette Peters' touching "Not a Day Goes By" (from Merrily We Roll Along).

Switched to The Great Waltz after getting out of a much-needed shower. The first in a series of operettas I have on video that have yet to make it to DVD, this is the biography of composer Johann Strauss. I don't know enough about classical music to be able to tell you what's fact and what's fiction...but I do know the cinematography's so sumptuous, it won an Oscar.

We did finally get that storm, too...around 9:30, and for all of twenty minutes or so. I think the worst passed us by this time.