Getting Ready for Vacation

It was gorgeous when I got up this morning, hot and sunny. It was a wonderful day to tidy up the apartment! After breakfast, I aired out the rag rug in the bedroom and the welcome rug in the kitchen, vacuumed, covered the loveseat cushions with a sheet (Lauren sleeps on the loveseat when she's here), scrubbed the bathroom sink and toilet, and went over everything that showed with a dust rag.

Ran Summer Rental as I worked. Jack Chester (John Candy) is a burnt-out air traffic controller who is pretty much forced to take a month's vacation with his family after causing a mix-up at work. At first, everything seems fine - their house is gorgeous, with a private beach. Things start going wrong even before they realize they're at the wrong address. Jack gets sunburned badly, the actual house is a dilapidated hulk on a noisy party beach, and he gets into a feud with stuck-up local big-shot Al Pellet (Richard Crenna). When Pellet ends up owning the house and tries to throw them out, Jack insists they can beat him at the town's regatta. He turns to his friend Scully (Rip Torn), who has been teaching him the ins and outs of sailing. Scully and his crew own a parked boat/restaurant, the Barnacle, that's perfect for the race. The rest of the family finally joins Jack, Scully, and his renegades in restoring the boat and entering the race, proving that the family that works together, kicks snob rear together.

Very 80's comedy that's evidently based after a real-life bad beach vacation producer Bernie Brillstein had. While not as horrible as critics claimed at the time, it's nothing you haven't seen in countless other comedies about summer adventures or "slobs vs snobs." Necessary if you're a fan of Candy; decent time-waster for anyone else.

Switched to Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA as I moved outside to sweep the porch. The fuzzy seed pods - and the pollen - have been absolutely dreadful this year. I got a big tumbleweed of the things off the porch, then pushed another off the sagging side, climbing around the railing as best I could with the bad hand.

Had lunch and got ready for work while watching an episode of Moonlighting. "Money Talks - Maddie Walks" in the early second season when Maddie finds out that her accountant who stole her money ran off with his ill-gotten gains to Buenos Aires. She follows him to his new casino, hoping to win her money back. David goes after her.

Work was even quieter than yesterday. We weren't even busy at rush hour. For one thing, at that point, it was still a beautiful day, sunny, humid, and really too warm for this time of year, in the upper 80's. For another, we're between holidays. It probably won't get busy again until Memorial Day weekend. I did a few returns when I came in, but I spent the majority of the day outside gathering carts.

Got lucky a few times, too. One of the grocery managers had a birthday today. There was a cake with wonderfully sweet icing for him in the back lounge room that we all got to share. And the woman in charge of the self-checkout registers didn't want the other half of her turkey hoagie and offered it to me, as she'd been eating outside and I was still doing carts. That was perfect. I wouldn't need to cook dinner on a hot day when I was dead tired from being outside for so long.

(The only fly in the ointment today, so to speak, was that pollen. I spent most of the day sneezing, with watery eyes and a runny nose, even after I took allergy medicine.)

Grabbed a box of tissues on the way out, then headed home. Watched Garfield In the Rough while eating the hoagie and two strawberry muffins. Garfield is less than thrilled when Jon announces that they're going camping. Where's his TV and lasagna? He's no sooner gotten used to the idea of communicating with nature when they learn that there's a panther loose in the area...and they could be its next victims if they don't evacuate soon!

Spent a few hours writing after dinner. Everyone separates into different carts. Leia rides on Luke. Wedge and his men lead the groups that will invade Solo Castle. Ahsoka and the Rebels crew will create a distraction in the marketplace to keep the guards from the castle. Lando and his men will fight the guards at the castle's entrance.

Jyn asks Leia about Han. She sadly explains that he was kidnapped by Palpatine and taken to Solo Castle, and that he was the prince they were looking for. Leia can no longer feel Han's energy in the Force, and she and Luke are very worried about him. Chirrut, Baze, Cyril, and Artello (via flute) all agree that they'll help her find the missing prince, no matter what.

Broke at 8 for a shower, and then to watch The Great Muppet Caper while going online. Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo are reporters and a photographer for a big city paper who are sent to cover the story of London fashion designer Lady Holliday (Diana Rigg) whose diamond necklace was stolen. Kermit almost immediately runs into Miss Piggy, who is hoping to become a model. She lies about being Lady Holliday at first to gain Kermit's favor. He takes her out to a fancy nightclub (supper club)...where there's a second jewel robbery. Piggy is framed by Lady Holliday's dastardly brother Nick (Charles Grodin), who has an odd crush on her. It'll take all the Muppets' creativity and ability to work together to save Lady Holliday's "Baseball Diamond" from being stolen by the real thieves!

My personal favorite Muppet movie along with Muppets Take Manhattan is one of their funniest, with enough four walls broken to start a brick store. Grodin's especially having fun as the obvious bad guy with a thing for pigs. If you love the Muppets, comic mysteries, or are just looking for a good family movie, this is one of their better ones.

Thankfully, the dark clouds didn't arrive until almost a half-hour after I got home. It's thunderstormed for most of the evening. Lauren is worried about downed branches on the New York-Albany track. She doesn't leave until 11 - hopefully, they'll have them cleared by then.

When the Sun Came Out

The clouds from yesterday lingered as I rolled out of bed this morning. It remained cool and windy, though not as cool as yesterday. Ran some Backyardigans as I had corn meal mush and a half of a grapefruit for breakfast. Austin, Pablo, and Uniqua are on a "Mission to Mars" to find out what that strange "boinga boinga" sound is. Tyrone and Tasha are their Mission Control.

Spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon writing. Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar outline their plan. Lando and Leia will lead two groups in an assault on Solo Castle to rescue Prince Henry, while the others will provide distractions and keep the guards away from Palpatine. Jyn and her guys and Artello and Cyril all agree to go with Leia; Hera and her family will go with Lando. Wedge and his boys will lead the group to a secret servants' entrance in the back of the castle.

Broke a little bit earlier than usual for lunch, around quarter of 12. Continued with The Backyardigans as I had a quick lunch and got ready for work. "Samurai Pie" is one of the most bizarre episodes this series ever did. How many kids shows have you seen with pie-baking samurai (Tyrone and Austin) creating the Great Pie for the Empress (Tasha) while avoiding pie-stealing ninjas (Uniqua and Pablo), set to spaghetti western music?

I left a little early in order to volunteer at the Oaklyn Library before work. I'm not going to have the time for them tomorrow or Wednesday! Maybe it's just as well. It wasn't long before closing, and the library was totally empty besides me and the librarian. I organized DVDs, looked over the kids' books, and moved on to the Acme.

Work proved to be no problem whatsoever. Not only are we now between holidays again, the clouds vanished as early as noon. It had suddenly turned into a sunny, breezy spring day in the mid-70's. Though we did get a little busy around the usual 4 PM rush hour, it was otherwise quiet for most of the night. I spent the day doing returns, bagging, and gathering carts; also helped cleaned up a broken pickle jar dropped by a woman organizing our displays. (She was so nice and helpful!)

It was so gorgeous, I took the long way home down Nicholson Road. We're supposed to get showers for the next few days, including while Lauren's here. I won't have too many more chances to enjoy a nice ride before she comes! It was a little busy on Nicholson Road; otherwise, the traffic wasn't too horrible. The trees are looking greener every day. Gardens are now filled with deep purple irises and azaleas in every color of the rainbow.

When I got home, I had scrambled eggs with asparagus and tomatoes while watching one more Backyardigans episode. Austin's ready for his first "Race Around the World." Uniqua, Tyrone, and Pablo have already won gold medals. Austin's ready to show that he can win his own medal...but what he really proves is how important it is to be prepared for anything.

Put on Dog Day Afternoon while I made Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Bars from the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe in Kit's Cooking Studio, and later while online. Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino) and his buddies Sal (John Cazale) and Stevie (John Springer) hold up a bank in Brooklyn...but this is their first heist, and in all honesty, they're not very good at it. Almost everyone in the bank calls them on it at one time or another. In fact, Stevie loses his nerve and runs out early. Sonny's even less thrilled when he discovers that the bank has already had their pick-up and doesn't have that much money left. Sonny grabs checks instead, then burns the bank's register...which alerts the police that something is wrong. They hold the bank employees hostage, even after Sergeant Moretti (Charles Durning) turns off the lights and air conditioning. Turns out Sonny is partially robbing the bank to fund his current wife Leon's (Chris Sarandon) change into a full woman. Even as events rapidly spiral out of control, Sonny's anti-establishment ranting and being relatively decent to the frightened employees turns him into something of a hero among the crowds.

If you ever wondered if a movie that's three-fourths Al Pacino shouting curse words and anti-establishment rants would be entertaining..well, here's your answer. This is an intense and darkly humorous stand-off between a guy who's not having an easy time and a cop who would rather he didn't do it around people. Durning and Pacino give career-best performances; Pacino and Chris Sarandon got Oscar nods, as did the film and director Sidney Lumet. (The original screenplay won.) If you're a fan of Pacino, heist films, or the movies of the 70's, this is absolutely essential viewing.

More I Cannot Wish You

Began a gloomy morning with some Mother's Day reading from Colliers Harvest of Holidays. The short story was a really cute piece about a little Ukrainian girl who is lost while her parents are cutting wheat in the fields. She asks people where her mother is, claiming that "my mother is the most beautiful woman in the world!" She may not be to others, but to the little girl, she's all things comfortable and safe.

Made Banana Brown Sugar Pancakes for breakfast while listening to Gypsy. I have the original 1959 Broadway cast featuring Ethel Merman in her most famous role as Mama Rose, the ultimate stage mother. Rose is bound and determined that her daughters are going to be stars in vaudeville. She couldn't have picked a worse time to shove them into it. It's the late 20's, and the one-two-three punch of talkies, radio, and the onset of the Great Depression is killing vaudeville. She also tries to keep her younger daughter June in child roles well into her teen years and ignores her shier daughter Louise. The girls do eventually become stars...as stage actress June Havoc and mystery novelist and striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, largely without their mother's help. 

You can't go wrong with any version of this musical. It's one of the most beloved musicals ever made for a reason. Angela Landsbury appeared as Rose in a London and Broadway revival in the mid-70's. Tyne Daly was in a Broadway revival in 1989. Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone both showed up in Broadway revivals staged within a decade of each other in the 2000's. Imelda Staunton was in the most recent revival in England in 2015. Bette Midler starred in a TV version in 1993. (Rosalind Russell was Rose in the 1962 movie, but I'm pretty sure she was dubbed.) All should be on CD and/or online, and the Russell and Midler movies are on DVD and Blu-Ray. 

Called my own mother quickly after breakfast. Mom was at work, but she did say that she'd gotten the card she sent and she appreciated it. Mom works at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal in North Cape May, taking tickets. I imagine she was probably pretty busy this weekend, regardless of the weather. A lot of people may have wanted to take their moms to Lewes and the outlets in Rehoboth Beach for the holiday.

Headed out shortly after the CD ended. Work was a madhouse when I got in, with lines down the aisles. I started out doing returns, then got stuck in the registers for almost an hour. "It'll only be five minutes!" That's what the manager said. Then it really got crazy. At least most people were in decent moods as they shopped for (or sometimes with) their mothers. I panicked so badly, they finally took me off and put me on bagging. I spent the rest of the day bagging, gathering plastic bags, and doing the carts. 

I did get lucky in one way. It rained this morning, but by the time I went to work, the rain was long gone. It did shower a little while I was doing returns early in my shift, but once again, it was gone when I went home. I got in dry. 

I was so hungry when I got home, I had leftovers for dinner right away while listening to Donna Summer's On the Radio. Did a little bit of writing after I ate. Chirrut and Baze express their concern for Han, whom they'd become friendly with during the trip after Scarif. Leia is about to explain Han's real identity when Mon Mothma and crusty, fishy old Admiral Ackbar silences the room. Mothma, the most outspoken advocate of Palpatine in the Royal Council, has just learned that most of Palpatine's guards will be among the people during the Mid-Summer Festival, leaving Solo Castle and Palpatine himself unprotected. Ackbar takes over to explain their military strategy...

Broke at 8 for a shower. Put on the 1959 original cast album for The Sound of Music when I got out (and to cover Charlie screaming at the dogs downstairs again). Beloved stage star Mary Martin headlines as Maria here, winning a Tony (over Ethel Merman in Gypsy) for her work. The movie changed quite a few things from the stage show. "My Favorite Things" is sung by Maria and the Abbess when Maria's trying to explain why she's always such a clown; she performs "The Lonely Goatherd" to calm the children during that thunderstorm instead. Max and the Captain's original fiancee Baroness Elsa had two rather sarcastic numbers, "How Can Love Survive?" and "No Way to Stop It." Neither made it into the film version, possibly because they really don't jive with the show's optimistic tone. Maria and the Captain's big romantic moment was originally "An Ordinary Couple," also cut from the movie in favor of "Something Good."

I honestly prefer the film version. The cast is better, the music is better, and the placement is better. This is one of the very few musicals that was actually enhanced on the way to the big screen. The original cast is really for fans of Sound of Music, Rogers and Hammerstein, or Martin.

Ended the night with another favorite musical from earlier in the 50's, Guys and Dolls. The "guys" are gamblers who keep having to find a new place for their floating crap (dice) game. Head gambler Nathan Detroit makes a bet with smooth Sky Masterson, who will bet on pretty much anything, that he can take the lovely Sarah Brown, a member of the Save-a-Soul Mission, to Havana for dinner. Though she resists at first, Sky does manage to pull it off after he promises to bring the mission a full house of sinners. They fall for each other in Havana, at least until Sarah thinks he's been using the mission for gambling. Meanwhile, Nathan's stripper girlfriend Adelaide is dealing with a nasty cold, due to her boyfriend's inability to hurry up and propose.

I listened to the original cast from 1950 tonight...but despite some good performances (notably Vivian Blane and Sam Levene as the gambler and the woman who wishes he'd actually pay attention to her) I like the more dynamic 1992 revival cast with Nathan Lane and Peter Gallagher better. Blaine also appeared in the 1955 movie, with Frank Sinatra as Nathan and Marlon Brando as Sky, which is pretty good but is also missing music (a lot of songs were cut). 

Once again, the next round of thunderstorms didn't show up until well after I'd gotten home and online (and had gone downstairs to get a box of snacks Lauren sent for our vacation from Charlie). Hopefully, it won't be too bad for the next few days. I have a lot to do before Lauren arrives, including laundry, library trips, and counseling. 

Harvests and Yard Sales

It was raining when I got up this morning, but by the time I was eating breakfast, the showers were long gone. Cheered up a morning that was still cold and gloomy with The Backyardigans. Uniqua goes into "The Heart of the Jungle" to find the home of Sherman the Wormen. Tyrone, Pablo, and Austin are a trio of Tarzans, each one representing something Tarzan is famous for (talking to animals, being strong, not saying much). Uniqua is a scientist and has no time for their pulp fiction nonsense...but for all that she teaches them, they have some things to teach her, too.

While it remained cloudy and cool when I headed out around quarter after 9, it was also dry. I figured it was ok to run errands, starting with this week's Collingswood Farm Market. I'm not the only one, either. Despite the chill, they were packed when I arrived. I saw the first strawberries of the season and an adorable baby goat being fed in a pen. They're still a bit low on produce at this point; most booths are selling plants, herbs, and flowers. I just ended up with a hot house tomato and a bag of greens.

Rode around Westmont and Haddon Township for the next three hours, checking out yard sales. While a few families did postpone or cancel due to the weather, most figured they'd wait and see what Mother Nature did. It remained cloudy and windy, but it never rained. There were tons of houses having sales. It was almost as busy as Audubon was a few weeks ago, especially in the "Bluebird" neighborhood on the edge of Collingswood and Westmont and on the streets behind the old Westmont Theater.

While I didn't do as well as I did with the previous town-wide yard sales, I did make some good finds. Picked up a travel-themed journal and a glass beverage jar in Westmont, the book The Silver Crown by Robert O'Brian in the neighborhood behind the Haddon Township High School, and The Last Unicorn on DVD and two records at a sale in the Bluebird neighborhood. The records:

Nat King Cole - Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

Soundtrack from Midnight Cowboy

Finally headed back towards Oaklyn around noon. Stopped at the Oaklyn Library to finally do a quick volunteering session there. The only person there the entire time was the librarian. I reorganized some kids' DVDs, but was otherwise in and out.

One of the reasons the Library was so quiet may have been the Spring Fling fair taking place just down the road on West Clinton. The Oaklyn School PTA holds a small fair, with rides and games for the kids, every year in mid-May. Along with the bounce houses and games and a swing ride for the little guys, I saw several craft booths, a booth for the lady with the chickens, and a food truck. Saw nothing I couldn't live without and moved on.

As soon as I got home, I put most of my finds away. Filled the glass jar with water, raspberries, and chopped strawberries to make berry infused water. Had lunch while watching a couple of episodes of Sailor Moon. "Usagi Vs. Rei: Nightmare In Dreamland" takes the duo, Ami, and Luna to a local amusement park. Ami heard that guests have been disappearing and suspects that the Negaverse is involved. Rei takes her assignment too seriously, while Usagi just wants to have fun on the rides. They have to figure out how to work together when Ami is trapped with other people whose energy is being stolen by a creepy Audio-Animatronic doll.

Continued on to "I Want a Boyfriend: The Luxury Cruise Ship Is a Trap" as I scrubbed the inside of the refrigerator, another job I only do a few times a year. Usagi is upset when Rei wins tickets on an exclusive luxury cruise line and invites Ami but not her. She uses the Luna Pen to stow away...then discovers that the whole thing is a Negaverse trap set up by a watery monster.

Put on Pontoffel Pock, Where are You? as I cleaned up from the refrigerator and made the bed. Pontoffel Pock just lost his job at a pickle factory and wishes he could get away from it all. A fairy grants his wish, giving him a magic piano that can take him anywhere. His first trip to a small mountain town ends in disaster after he shows off a little too much. His second brings him to the girl of his dreams, "eyeball dancers" Eefa Neefa, but he loses her during the take-off. He has to figure out how to get back to his girl...and the fairies have to figure out where he went with that piano!

Put on the records I bought today as I dusted the bedroom. It always takes me a while to thoroughly dust the bedroom. That's where I keep most of my collections, including the 12-inch and 18-inch dolls and the majority of my books. Tried to re-arrange the American Girl books to give them more room, but I just have too many. Thankfully, I was able to lift most books with one hand (though I did leave the heavier books in the crate I use as a bedside table.)

The Acme used to play "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer" during the season in question a few years ago. This is one of Nat King Cole's more fun albums. Along with the delightful title number, we have nicely done standards of the early 20th century like "A Bicycle Built for Two" and "In the Good Old Summertime."

The soundtrack of Midnight Cowboy is best-known for introducing the Harry Nilsson hit "Everybody's Talkin'." John Barry's score isn't bad, either. There's some nice tracks here that ably capture the gritty world of the two New York grifters.

Enjoyed Cowboy so much, I went to the opposite end of the 60's and ran the soundtrack for Breakfast at Tiffany's. This one is also about two lost souls in New York, and it also produced a pop hit, the Oscar winner "Moon River." That's about where the resemblances end. The tale of a call girl and the would-be writer who lives upstairs has a more delicate and wistful flavor, with cha-chas and mambos and gentle horns.

Worked on some writing after finishing the bedroom. Turns out Counselor Mon Mothma's wine cellar is the meeting place for the Rebel underground, here literally underground. The older woman had been friends with Padme Amidala Skywalker when she was on the Royal Council and expressed her sorrow over their deaths. Leia explains about why Luke can't be there before Jyn arrives, telling her friend that Cassian and Kay are spying on Palpatine and they've been working with Mon Mothma since they left Scarif.

Had leftover tacos for dinner around 6:30. Ran an episode of Scooby Doo, Where are You? while I ate. Mystery Inc is asking "Which Witch is Which?" when a wrong turn during a fishing trip lands them at a spooky swamp. The area is supposedly haunted by a witch and a zombie she created, but the gang finds a lot more lost in the bog than voodoo magic.

Went for a walk after Scooby Doo ended. It was still windy and cold and getting darker by the minute, but I'd been inside all afternoon. Besides, the McHughs were having a huge, noisy party at their house next door that included kids screaming around. I figured the rest of the neighborhood would be quieter. Celebrated having finished my spring cleaning with my first treat from Phillies Yummies of the year. Had a cotton candy "Yum Yum," a creamy and gritty water ice. The clouds were getting even darker, and I was worried that the rain would finally arrive. I ate it as I strolled home (passing the kids screaming for the Mr. Softee truck as I did).

Ran The Last Unicorn as I cleaned up and got organized. Amalthea is the title character, the last unicorn left in the world. She sets out to find what happened to the others of her kind and is promptly captured by a nasty old witch with a traveling circus. The kind-hearted but incompetent magician Schemedrick (Alan Arkin) sets her free and joins her on her journey. They're later joined by Molly (Tammy Grimes), the older woman who had been traveling with a man who is often called "Robin Hood" but is nothing of the kind. They run across the evil Fire Bull at the seaside castle of King Haggard (Christopher Lee). Schemedrick transforms Amalthea into a frail but beautiful human to keep her from being captured by the bull. She ends up falling for Haggard's far more gentle son Lir (Jeff Bridges)...but as she falls deeper in love, she starts to forget her magic. She must decide if she wants to fight the Red Bull and restore her kind, or remain with her beloved prince.

Dark fantasy tale was the last theatrical release of Rankin-Bass, best known for their holiday specials and the animated Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. This is a beautiful but bizarre movie, with a meandering plot line and more than a few dark or morbid moments that still freak out kids to this day. While the cast may be one of the best assembled for any 80's animated film, most of them can't sing, making some moments on the soundtrack rather painful. Farrow does do well as the unicorn and transformed beauty when she's not singing; Grimes and Arkin are also excellent as her traveling companions. And it's too bad that some of the songs aren't performed better, as the score is quite good, including the hit title song by America.

If you've got older kids who love fantasy and are ready for some of the darker aspects of the story, they may enjoy this as much as Rose and I did when we were kids in the 80's.

Ended the night with the Disney Tarzan. The House of Mouse offers a slightly different take on the story of the King of the Jungle. We actually do get to see his origins here, including how he was adopted by a gorilla mother (Glenn Close) who just lost her own child, and how he grew up among apes who taunted him for being different. He works hard to prove he's as good as any ape, whether he has a ton of hair or not. The arrival of a group of human scientists, including the intelligent and adorable Jane (Minnie Driver), brings many changes to Tarzan's (Tony Goldywn) life. His friends Terk the gorilla (Rosie O'Donnell) and Tantor the elephant (Wayne Knight) wish he'd stick closer to home, but he's fascinated by these strange "humans"...and he's falling for Jane. Like Amalthea, he now has to decide where he really belongs, before the hunter Clayton (Brian Blessed) attempts to shoot every animal in the African jungle.

As much as I love Goldywn and Driver as a pitch-perfect Tarzan and Jane and Nigel Hawthorne as Jane's eccentric father, the rest of the cast isn't at their level. Knight's all right as the nervous pachyderm, but O'Donnell's Brooklyn bray is totally out of place in the jungle and takes one out of the 1880's setting. Her big number "Trashing the Camp" has nothing to do with the plot besides giving her and some of the other gorillas something to do. Clayton is one of Disney's worst animated villains, too obvious and annoying. They should have stuck with the big cat who preyed on several characters early in the film as a bad guy.

While not Disney's best adventure film, this isn't bad, either. Fun for older kids and young teens who'll be able to handle the mild violence, including several deaths and a lot of gunplay.

And after the clouds lingered all day, they finally burst around 8...sending everyone scurrying downstairs. And when it rained, it thunderstormed. Got pretty loud there for a while, actually. It's long gone now, though it looks like it's going to rain for a lot of the week.

Jungle Legends

Began a slightly cloudy morning with breakfast and The Backyardigans. Pablo is "Le Master of Disguise," a crafty little fellow who can appear to be anyone or anything. Inspector Austin of the Paris Police follows him onto the Orient Express. With suspects like circus acrobat Tasha, conductor Uniqua, and cowboy Tyrone on board, it's going to be hard for Austin to catch that penguin!

Worked on writing for a little bit after that. Sir Wedge and his men lead Ahsoka, Leia, and the others into the musty, damp wine cellar of Mon Mothma's private estate. Turns out the wine cellar is a meeting place for the Rebel underground. Mothma is one of its leaders; Ahsoka is another. Jyn and her guy friends are there, too.

Broke for lunch and to get ready for work at noon. Uniqua is looking forward to "Pirate Camp," where Captain Austin teaches eager young sailors the ins and outs of being a buccaneer. Pablo would rather be anywhere else. They don't do very well on their tests...but they need to learn in a hurry when Austin accidentally ends up the footwear of Captain Red Boots (Tasha)! If she tickles you, you'll turn into a ghost!

Work wasn't too busy when I got in. I spent most of the first half of my shift doing returns. It picked up during rush hour. I got stuck in the register again and panicked again. We're still short on help, especially up front. I did returns for a little while again after my break, but mostly spent the rest of the afternoon outside doing carts. It was too nice to be inside all day, anyway. The clouds were long gone by quarter of 5, and it was sunny, warm, and breezy, probably in the mid-70's.

Wrote down my schedule when I got in. I work Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, and then...vacation! Lauren will be arriving around 7:40 on Wednesday, giving me plenty of time for a counseling appointment and to get ready for her arrival. We'll be together from Wednesday through next Thursday, and I'm very much looking forward to it. Not only do we always have a great time when we're together, but I haven't had more than two or three days off in a row since early December.

I was starving when I got off! I'm probably going to be eating at Sonic and Chick Fil' A with Lauren next week, so I opted for Arby's. Besides, they're the cheapest of the three and the closest to the Acme building. Despite it being 6 PM when I got off, they were dead when I ordered my turkey club, Coke, and curly fries. The only other people in the dining area was a man and his toddler daughter and another fellow eating alone. I enjoyed my meal while watching the heavy traffic going towards the Shore for Mother's Day weekend.

Returned to the Acme to do my grocery shopping. They're having a ton of really good sales this weekend. I picked up thin cutlets and chicken legs at 40 percent off, eggs and butter with coupons from the flyer, buy-one-get-one-free strawberries and raspberries, and Ivory soap, breakfast cookies, and cereal with online coupons. Restocked white flour, buttermilk, regular milk, yogurt, cheese, toilet paper, olive oil, grapefruit, bananas, taco sauce, and chick peas.

Did one more episode of The Backyardigans after I got home and started putting everything away. "What's Bugging You?" asks Uniqua and Tyrone, who run a pest control business. Seems Tasha has a wormen, the colorful worm-like critters who appear on the show from time to time, in her house! She's about to show it to Mr. Spiffy (Pablo) to get in his Spiffy Club. Tyrone and Uniqua do everything they can to clear out the little fellow without making too much of a mess.

Ended the night after a shower with The Legend of Tarzan. John Clayton III, aka Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) is now living in England with Jane (Margot Robbie) as the rightful ruler of Greystoke. He's called back to the Congo when George Williams, the American envoy to Africa (Samuel L Jackson) reveals that the Belgian king is enslaving the natives to try to refill his coffers. Spirited Jane says there's no way he's going without her. They end up in a hostile native village that believes Tarzan to be an evil spirit. Jane and the natives are kidnapped by the ruthless Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz), a envoy of the Belgian king who is searching for diamonds. George manages to get John before he's carried off. The duo pursue Lom and Jane further into the wilderness. They encounter John's old gorilla tribe, who aren't too happy about him taking off. He has to learn why the natives hate him and figure out how to rescue Jane, before Lom and the king force the natives to mine the diamonds and strip the Congo clean of wealth.

This is pretty much what I thought it would be. It's standard B movie fodder, despite an excellent cast and a fairly interesting story. I wish someone had turned on the lights! The cinematography is murky and dark throughout much of the film, making it hard to see pretty much anybody. I'm not the only one who wasn't impressed - this wound up being one of the bigger flops of the summer of 2016.

If you're a really big fan of the cast or Tarzan tales, you can do far worse than this action-packed jungle adventure.

Spring Cleaning Mysteries

It was cloudy and a bit cool when I got up this morning. Ran more Be Cool, Scooby Doo while I ate breakfast and got organized to cheer things up a bit. The gang is "Eating Crow" when they find themselves on a farm that's being terrorized by a moving scarecrow. Fred's attempts to show off for a pretty farmer's daughter, Velma's hay fever, and Daphne's obsession with finding a pet of her own distract them from finding clues. Good thing Shaggy and Scooby are paying attention to the behavior of Beth's father and their neighbor...

Headed out to do the laundry around 11:30. I probably should have left the load in the dryer longer - I was doing towels and a bath mat this week, along with the usual clothes - but I didn't have the money. I had to get quarters off a man there when my dollar bill was too crinkly for the change machines.

As soon as I got home, I put everything away, then headed back out. I wanted to go for a walk, hit the Oaklyn Library, and have lunch. The first part went very well. It sprinkled slightly while I was in the laundromat, but by quarter after 1, the sun was trying to come out. The tulips and daffodils are gone now, replaced by irises, azaleas, and lilacs. Their heady scents perfumed the air as I strolled down Manor, kicking up constant tumbleweeds of fuzzy seed pods from the trees.

The Oaklyn Library was closed when I arrived. Turns out they closed at 11:30 for some senior luncheon. Darn it! I strolled down to WaWa to buy a hoagie for lunch instead. Took my turkey and Swiss sandwich and bottle of lime Bubbly sparkling water to the picnic tables on West Clinton Avenue, where I enjoyed my lunch while enjoying the warmer, windy weather. (And this is the first time I've seen Bubbly in bottles. The Acme only has the cases of cans. It's not bad. The lime flavor comes across pretty well, anyway.)

Spent the next few hours after I got home dusting the living and dining area. Twice a year, in May before Lauren visits and late November before Christmas, I remove everything in the house - books, knick-knacks, CDs, DVDs, records - and thoroughly dust under them. Thanks to my bad thumb, I couldn't move the records, but I did manage to get pretty much everything else one-handed.

Finished the remaining Be Cool, Scooby Doo first season episodes as I worked. "I Scooby Dooby Do" has the gang taking part in the wedding of two friends of theirs. The groom is nervous about the legend of a bride who lost her groom on a cliff. The bride is superstitious about everything that might go wrong. The mothers hate each other. Shaggy's trying to figure out what he's supposed to say for his best man speech. Tomboy Velma hates the ridiculous Disney Princess bridesmaid gowns they're wearing for the ceremony. Shaggy's the one who eventually figures out how to bring the lovers together after the Ghost Bride destroys the wedding and nearly tears them apart.

The gang have their own Coco-esque encounter with the Mexican holiday The Day of the Dead in "El Bandito." The title character is the ghost of a legendary local bandit who supposedly left behind a fortune in gold. While Fred tries to become a legend in his own right, Daphne attempts to communicate with a long-dead relative, and Shaggy and Scooby freak out over there being a holiday celebrating skeletons and the dead.

They enter "In the Mouth of Madcap" while babysitting at a local amusement park. Daphne tries to focus on getting quiet Wayne to enjoy himself, something Shaggy and Scooby have no trouble doing. Fred would rather investigate the rumors of a killer clown operating out of a dilapidated fun house. Velma still has the same problems with clowns that came up in an episode of What's New, Scooby Doo? and tries her best to avoid the mystery.

Mystery Inc is off on a camping trip in "The Norse Case Scenario." Their trip is disrupted by the ghosts of vikings whose remains were found in the area. Fred and the others investigate as Daphne tries to prove her outdoor skills to get her own make-believe nature badge and keep them all out of "forest jail."

"Norse Case Scenario" isn't the last time the group is threatened with prison. The season finale "The People Vs Fred Jones" has Fred on trial for supposedly being the Toxic Mutant, a creature who roams a town that was abandoned in the 50's after it was flooded by sludge from a local factory. The district attorney is determined to prove that Fred is guilty. Too determined, if you ask Fred's lawyer Daphne, who got her "law degree" on a video game. That DA is definitely hiding something...

On one hand, some individual episodes were really interesting. "Norse Case Scenario" and "People Vs. Fred Jones" points out that a lot of the kids' breaking and entering would likely get them jail time in real-life, something fans have called the show on for years. "Sorcerer Snacks Scare" briefly revives the idea of bribing Scooby and Shaggy with Scooby Snacks...and points out how annoying the constant bribery got after a while in the original series. (Despite Fred saying they had something there, they never do it again after that episode.) My favorite episode was "I Scooby Dooby Do," which was surprisingly touching and sweet. And there's some interesting callbacks to other Scooby series, such as Velma's fear of clowns and some of the designs of the monsters resembling earlier shows.

While the show does follow the spirit of the better Scooby entries, it still has problems with tone. It's the opposite of Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated, which tried way too hard to be dark and edgy. This one is trying way too hard to be snarky and goofy, like a kid-oriented version of Family Guy and The Simpsons. Neither tone really suits this franchise. I can kind of understand why it barely made two seasons. They do get Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby right, but Fred comes off as obnoxious and Daphne as much too silly.

If you're already a fan of the Scooby franchise, Be Cool is worth checking out. Younger kids and newcomers will want to try the original Scooby Doo, Where are You? or What's New, Scooby Doo? before they get anywhere near here.

Worked on writing for a few hours after I finished dusting the living room. Sir Wedge Antilles and his fellow guards lead Ahsoka, Leia, and the others to the palatial home of Counselor Mon Mothma. Wedge and his men were once the queen's personal guards, but when she died, Palpatine reassigned them elsewhere. Despite the town being in mourning for the lost royal Solo family, the activities of the Mid-Summer Festival are going to continue...including those revolving around the Great Confluence...

Moved onto Badlands while making tacos and steamed asparagus for dinner. Holly Sargis (Sissy Spacek) is a 15-year-old in a small South Dakota town in 1959 who is tired of her dead-end life and her estranged relationship with her crusty father (Warren Oates). She finds excitement and acceptance when she falls for Kit (Martin Sheen), a young garbage man who is ten years her senior and as charismatic as her favorite actor James Dean. Her father disapproves of her running around with a guy from the wrong side of the tracks...and after Kit learns that the man killed her dog, he shoots him. They burn the house down and go on the run. Their tree house home in Montana provides Holly with a relationship to nature she's never known before, but it ends when they're discovered by bounty hunters, whom Kit kills. A visit with a friend of Kit's named Cato (Ramon Bieri) also ends with Cato and two others dead. The duo take off across Montana, stopping at a rich man's home to gather supplies and steal the man's car. Holly is not only tired of being on the run by this point, she's starting to realize that she no longer has the same feelings about Kit that she once did. He's looking less exciting and more like a sociopath. She wants to give up...but he's ready to keep running for that ever-distant mountain somewhere.

I think I ended up enjoying this one a lot more than Bonnie and Clyde, and not because it's a tad less blood-soaked. There's a gentle, gritty realism to this film that the slicker, slightly more glamorous 60's movie lacks. It was director Terrence Malick's first movie, and he hit it out of the park. The cinematography is beautiful, highlighting the contrast between the spectacle of nature and the down-home darkness of the troubled lovers. Sheen and Spacek have a wonderfully odd tenderness about them that makes it all the harder when their relationship begins to deteriorate towards the end.

This wasn't a hit with audiences or critics when it came out in 1973. Most critics have warmed up to it since then, with many calling it a masterpiece. If you love crime movies, Malick's work, or Sheen and Spacek, the Criterion DVD is absolutely worth looking around for.

Ended my night on a much lighter note with Hot Shots! Part Deux. This one goes for parodying the Rambo movies and other bloody action films of the 80's and early 90's. Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen) is called back into action when several platoons of men go missing in the Persian Gulf, including his old sergeant (Richard Crenna). He finds himself pulled back into the war, and into a relationship with Ramada (Valeria Gollino) who left him after the first movie, despite her being married to a prisoner of war (Rowan Atkinson). Their group has to rescue the hostages and find out who's behind the sabotage on the first missions.

I actually like this one much better than the first movie. The gags are even funnier, and Lloyd Bridges has more fun as the now-President Tug Benson, continuing with his "lost a body part in every major war" gags from the first movie. Some of the cracks at the ridiculously bloody war movies of the 80's are especially funny. (And I loved Sheen family reference to Apocalypse Now.) If you liked the first one, you may enjoy this one even more.

Mysteries and Meddling Kids

Began a gorgeous morning with breakfast and episodes of Be Cool, Scooby Doo. Skipped the Christmas episode in favor of "If You Can't Scooby Doo the Time, Don't Scooby Doo the Crime." The kids find themselves at an old prison that's haunted by a prisoner who died trying to escape...but Velma believes he may not be as gone as everyone thinks..

"Gremlins on a Plane" is likely a parody of Snakes on a Plane, as well as Airport and other disaster movies that revolve around travel. Mystery Inc has been invited on the maiden voyage of the Air Gigantica, the largest and most luxurious plane in the world. Things head south almost immediately, thanks to a gremlin that's sabotaging the plane. While the others try to figure out what he really wants, Daphne takes over for the heights-phobic pilot.

Work was pretty quiet for most of my eight and a half hour shift. For one thing, a lot of people may be waiting for the weekend to do their Mother's Day shopping. For another, the weather today couldn't have been more perfect - upper 70's, breezy, and dry. This was no day to be in a grocery store. While I did get stuck in the register briefly around 3 and I spent a lot of the morning trying to do six different things at once, the rest of the day was no problem. I shelved loose items, organized candy, gathered carts, and cleaned the bathrooms.

As soon as I got home, I made hummus to spread on a wrap for a quick dinner. Watched more Scooby Doo as I ate. Shaggy and Scooby find themselves in a "Sorcerer Snacks Scare" when a sorcerer who doesn't like that the company switched from a puppet to an animated mascot threatens to shut the factory down. Fred figures out that Scooby and Shaggy will do anything for the treats and keeps using them to get the duo to look for clues.

"Saga of the Swamp Beast" takes the gang to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. While Daphne dresses as a vampire to get into the Big Easy's Gothic vibe, the others investigate the story of a swamp monster who has taken residence in the bayou.

Started "Be Cold, Scooby Doo" after getting out of the shower. Mystery Inc is on a snowboarding vacation to a local ski lodge when they have a close encounter with a nasty snowman with some serious shredding moves! Velma translates the snowboarders as Daphne continues a snowball fight she and Fred had three years ago.

Finished out the night and the disc with a few "Giant Problems." A giant cyclops is terrorizing a castle that belongs to Daphne's family. Mystery Inc is on the case...but Fred insists on wearing armor to stay in character, and Daphne's sudden Irish accent annoys the heck out of Velma. Meanwhile, Shaggy and Scooby discover that there's some food even they won't eat when a local restaurateur tries to force them to eat his strange vittles.

Busy, Busy Spring

I had a lot to do on a busy morning, starting with making a new collage after breakfast. Up until last year, I used to make a collage out of old catalogs once a season, usually once every two or three months. I haven't been shopping as often as I used to...and haven't been getting as many catalogs as I used to, either. Finally got enough (including a few I've had around for as long as five years) to make one.

Ran an episode of Wonder Woman as I clipped and glued pictures. "Skateboard Whiz" takes Diana Prince to a small town in southern California for what she hopes will be a relaxing vacation. Turns out the town is being threatened by a gangster who has already set up an illegal gambling den behind a local arcade. When the daughter of one of her friends accidentally sees the casino and their plans, they go after the kid...and Wonder Woman springs into action and goes after them.

Put on my ABBA Greatest Hits CD as I moved on to more vigorous chores. First on the list was scrubbing the trash canisters and my bike. While I normally do this twice a year, in May after it gets warm and October before it gets cold, I think I'd like to start washing the bike a little more often. I'll see if I can pull off once a month. Charlie didn't have the hose hooked up in the back yard yet. I settled for washing them with water in a bucket.

When the canisters were drying on the porch, I went into heavy vacuuming, at least as much as I could with my sprained thumb. I couldn't lift a lot of furniture one-handed, but I could run the attachment around the baseboards. This is another twice-a-year chore. The apartment doesn't get that dirty very often.

After I vacuumed, I did a little bit of organizing in the back room. I first found a box to unload my recycling in. I'd wanted to clear out Christmas books, but I mostly got rid of holiday picture books. I really don't need the books for little kids.

Broke for lunch around 1. Did a couple of cartoons featuring Mickey, Minnie, and their pets while I ate yogurt, a banana, and blueberry Breakfast Bars. "The Nifty Nineties" is one of my favorite Mickey/Minnie shorts. Mickey and Minnie show us what life was like in the 1890's as they stroll through the park, take in a vaudeville show, and encounter other Disney characters during a wild car ride.

It's "Bath Day" for Figaro. He's embarrassed by Minnie washing him and putting a bow on his neck. He fights with a bunch of alley cats to prove how tough he is, to Minnie's dismay.

Mortimer, a thinner, slicker mouse, is "Mickey's Rival" in a classic late 30's short. Mortimer invades Mickey and Minnie's picnic, showing off for her in a way that makes Mickey and his little jalopy look like a fool. Mortimer is the one feeling foolish when he unleashes a bull and flees...but it's Mickey and his car who end up saving the day.

Headed out around quarter of 2. First stop on the agenda was Dollar Tree. I needed a Mother's Day card for Mom and a friendship/thanks for coming card for Lauren. I also found a nifty striped notebook. My journal is almost done - time to replace it. It was the quietest in there I'd ever seen it, with no line.

The Haddon Township Library was much busier. They had tons of movies - kids, adults, and TV show sets - to shelve and organize. Big stack of audio books, too. I did end up taking out a few films. Thought Legend of Tarzan sounded like good B movie fun. Continued exploring the films of the 60's and 70's with Dog Day Afternoon and Badlands. Warners finally put out the second half of the first season of Be Cool, Scooby Doo! a few months ago. I wasn't that crazy about the first half, but I figured I might as well finish out the season. (Especially since it sounds like it wasn't terribly successful; Warners recently indicated that its truncated second season will be its last.)

Headed home across Newton Lake Park. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for early May in Southern New Jersey. The sky was a brilliant blue. The air was cool and fresh, but not cold. The sun was just warm enough on my back and sparkled like gold dust on the green velvet ribbon of the lake. The breeze whistled through my hair. I wasn't the only one out and about, either. The park was teeming with kids off of school, joggers, dog walkers, fisher-folk, boaters, and sun bathers. I pushed my bike up the path on the hill past the Haddon Township Environmental Center and Museum to avoid them. (Someone cleaned up the path since I last went that way, putting down wood chips on the end that comes out by the Museum and marking the beginning of the path with two large rubber tubes.)

Did some writing when I got in. Ahsoka finally admits to Leia that his killing children and other Jedi was the reason Anakin was always so soft on his own children. He regretted his part in Palpatine's reign of terror for the rest of his life. It was part of the reason he fled Coruscant and the remnants of the Jedi Order.

The group finally arrives at the gate surrounding Coruscant City a few hours later. The head of the guards, Sir Wedge Antilles, is a supporter of Mon Mothma, who runs the Rebel Underground. He also recognizes Ahsoka and Hera and her family and is more than willing to let them in. Luke can't stop eyeing him, even as a unicorn...

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had leftovers, then made Strawberry-Almond Muffins for work tomorrow. Ran The Sound of Music as I worked on the muffins, then went online. How do you solve a problem like Maria (Julie Andrews), a nun who is too spirited for her Austrian order? Send her to be the governess for Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) and his eight children. The kids have driven away other governesses, but they take a shine to Maria after she sings to them to calm them during a storm. The Captain banned music after the death of his wife. Maria thinks that's ridiculous and uses her own methods to teach the kids to sing. They do it so well, they soften both their father's views and that of his fiancee the Baroness Elsa (Eleanor Parker) towards music. Their father, however, still refuses to allow them to sing in public...and it's becoming clear that he's falling for Maria. She returns to the convent at first, but her Mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) finally sends her back. Things fall apart quickly after the wedding. It's 1939, and the Germans want Von Trapp in their army. He's against the Nazis and won't work for them. His family finally flees Austria instead, after they give a stirring performance at the Saltzburg Music Festival.

This movie has the reputation for being syrupy and too sweet. I can understand where people got that impression, what with songs like "The Lonely Goatheard" and the holiday standard "My Favorite Things," not to mention all those kids. It's pretty much a romantic drama until the sudden left turn into dark Nazi territory in the last half-hour or so. It's also way beyond too long, almost three hours long, in fact.

Sweet or not, it still holds up as one of the best musicals ever made. As Rick Steves pointed out in his episode on Saltzburg, that's the real Austria the family's singing in. It gives the movie a feel of immediacy that many studio-bound musicals lack. The glowing countryside becomes almost as important of a character as the humans dancing across it. The cinematography was Oscar-nominated; the movie itself, director Robert Wise, and the music, sound, and editing won. Andrews and Wood were also nominated for their fine performances. I like Plummer as the stern father (even if his singing had to be dubbed). He gets my favorite song from this show, the lovely ballad "Edelweiss." Other good songs here include "Sixteen Going On Seventeen" for oldest daughter Lisel and her sweetheart Rolf and "Climb Every Mountain" for Wood.

This is one of the great American film musicals. If you love Andrews, musicals, or composers Rodgers and Hammerstein and have a lot of time on your hands, this one is a must-see.

All the Kingsmen's Horses

Began a beautiful, sunny morning with a couple of black-and-white shorts based around horse racing. "Porky and Teabiscuit" has the porcine farmer stuck with a skinny nag after he inadvertently buys him at an auction. He races him to get his father's money back, but it takes really loud noises to get this pony moving.

Mickey Mouse has a somewhat similar problem in "The Steeplechase"...but here, the horse is drunk rather than lame, and the last dollar of Minnie and an older friend is riding on their participation. Unfortunately, this one is marred by a few stereotypes, including what Mickey ultimately enters in the race.

Worked on writing after breakfast. Leia asks Yoda and Ahsoka about her father and how he ended up joining Palpatine. The Chancellor promised to help him save his wife from dying during his pregnancy...but Anakin finally realized after he killed Jedi counselor Mace Windu that he had no intention of doing so. Palpatine scarred his face and thought he'd killed him, but Anakin managed to escape. Obi-Wan was so angry that he wouldn't speak to his friend for months, but Padme proved to be more forgiving. They all ended up fleeing Palpatine's influence with Yoda and Bail and Breha Organa's help.

Broke at noon to do a few things around the apartment. First on the list was sweeping the porch. The fuzzy seed pods have finally started falling and making their usual yellow-green dusty mess. Swept them up as best I could, including climbing onto the blocked part around my bedroom and bathroom window that's sagging.

Had lunch, then made Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ran a few more racing-themed items while I worked. The Three Stooges are "Playing the Ponies" when they trade their restaurant for another non-starting nag. This time, what gets the horse moving is Curly's hot chili pepperinos!

Emilia and Jack learn a lesson about gambling in "A Horse of a Different Color," the first episode of the second season of Jack of All Trades. While they're making use of Jack's supposed "system" at the island's new track, Russian empress Caroline the Great threatens to blow them all sky-high if they don't find her prize race horse. Jack and Emilia do find it...but in the meantime, they've lost all their money. The duo finally enter it into the race themselves to get their own money back and expose the criminals.

The Monkees learn "Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth" in an early first season episode. A little boy leaves his beloved horse with the guys. Not only does their landlord not allow animals, but former jockey Davy is the only one who really knows how to take care of it. Working for the farmer to earn the money for its keep only makes things worse. They finally agree to a race with another farmer to win the cash they need.

Put on a quick Pink Panther short as I got ready for work. "Pinto Pink" has him trying to grab a horse for a ride north. As with the similarly stubborn equine in "Yankee Doodle Pink," this horse just does not want Pink riding him, no matter how much he ties himself on.

Work was actually pretty quiet when I came in...but that changed quickly during rush hour. I got stuck in the register for almost an hour. We're still really short on help, especially in the morning and afternoons. Matters improved after my break. I spent the rest of my shift doing returns or rounding up carts outside.

Returned to sitcoms when I got home and had leftovers for dinner. Larry Appleton buys a racehorse cheap in "A Horse is a Horse," from the early sixth season of Perfect Strangers. Turns out there's a reason he got it a such a good price - it's dying. Balki hopes one of his Myposian concoctions will get it back on its feet.

Took a nice, soothing bath after dinner. Given how crazy things have been lately, especially at work, I really needed this. Kicked back, read that book of affirmations I bought a while back, and listened to 20's and 30's jazz.

Ended the night with Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Eggsy Unwin (Taran Egerton) is enjoying his new role as the head man of Kingsman, a British secret service agency, as well as his relationship with Princess Tilde of Sweden (Hanna Alstrom). His happiness is short-lived after he's attacked by Charlie (Edward Holcroft), who lost an arm and his voice in the previous film. He's not the only member of Kingsman being targeted. Every agent they have, along with their headquarters, are blown to smithereens except tech support man Merlin (Mark Strong) and Eggsy. Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore), the head of the world's biggest drug ring the Golden Circle, has infected all her drugs with a powder that makes one break out in a blue rash, then become paralyzed before death. Eggsy and Merlin track down their American counterparts the Statesmen to help. Their first partner, Tequila (Channing Tatum), is effected by the bad drugs and is replaced by the tougher Whiskey (Pedro Pascal). The Statesmen have also been able to revive Eggsy's dead mentor Harry (Colin Firth), but not his memory. After Tilde reveals that she's also effected by the drug, Eggsy has to work fast to revive his mentor's mind and find out where Poppy's keeping the antidote, before more lives are lost.

While most critics weren't that impressed, I thought this one was even better than the first movie. Moore's Poppy is a far more interesting and creative villain, and I like the idea of the Statesmen, cowboys who's front is a bourbon distillery, as the counterparts to the more refined Kingsmen. I'm not the only one who enjoyed it - this was a fairly big hit in early fall last year.

If you loved the first movie, this one is just as much fun...but do keep in mind that the body count and violence is even heavier and more stylized, with far more mayhem and creative ways of killing people. Definitely not for kids, but teens on up who love comic book mayhem or spy spoofs will really get a kick out of this series.

Back to Musicals Again

Began a quick, cloudy morning with one of my Disney collection CDs as I had breakfast. Chopped up some of the strawberries I picked up from the Acme yesterday and added them to the pancake mix for Strawberry Pancakes. Oh, yum. Best pancakes I've made in a while. They were perfectly fluffy and chewy.

Work, thankfully, wasn't nearly as crazy as it has been the past few days. In fact, it was mostly fairly quiet for a Sunday. I alternated between doing two carts filled with returns and gathering carts outside the entire day. The weather wasn't encouraging; it remained gloomy and damp until it finally started raining around 7:30.

As soon as I got home, I changed, then went to bed. I was up way too late with Lauren last night. I needed a nap. I was out for two hours, despite the noise Charlie and his men and friends were making working on the porch downstairs.

When I did emerge, I did a little bit of writing. The group is heading out to Coruscant, posing as gypsies. Leia takes advantage of the down time to ask Ahsoka about her father working for Palpatine. Yes, he did, Ahsoka explains, at least until Padme announced her pregnancy. He changed his mind to stay with his family. Palpatine did not take it well...which was part of the reason Anakin and Padme were forced to flee Coruscant, well before Palpatine's purge of the Jedi order.

Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Continued my "flop musicals" theme from last week with the soundtrack from Grease 2 as ate leftovers for dinner. This is another cheese-fest from my early childhood that I still have some fond memories of. "Cool Rider" is by far my favorite number. Mom used to go around the house singing that song (probably because my father rides motorcycles). I also like the "Girls for All Seasons," "Score Tonight," and hilarious "Reproduction" ensemble numbers and the dynamic opening "Back to School Again."

Others don't fare as well. The female half of "Let's Do It for Our Country" didn't make it to the recording session, and the song isn't as fun without her responses. The ballads "Love Will Turn Back the Hands of Time" and "Charade" are drippy and overwrought (and the latter is hurt by Maxwell Caulifield's lack of singing pipes). My sisters and mother and I used to make jokes about how bad the lyrics on "Who's That Guy?" and "We'll Be Together" were.

Honestly, if you love the movie, look for the soundtrack, too. Otherwise, unless you're a huge fan of the cast, it's completely unnecessary.

Made the first Strawberry Flummery of the season while skipping ahead a decade to Newsies. Despite being a far better film than Grease 2 with an excellent score, this flopped in 1991. It's success on the stage over two decades later proved that this show was just ahead of it's time. My personal favorite number is "King of New York," the energetic number for the Newsies after they get a picture of their strike in the paper; I also like "The World Will Know" and "High Times, Hard Times."

Finished out the night with Curtains while going online. This was one of Kander and Ebb's final shows, with an assist from Rupert Holmes. The star of a 50's Robin Hood-in-the-wild-west musical has been murdered. She wasn't very good, and everyone is actually pretty happy she's gone...which means everyone has a motive. David Hyde Pierce is the show business-besotted detective who has to sort through the suspects, including the woman producer who just cares about the bottom line, the dancer who is desperate for a solo, and the formerly married lyricist and composer who are still very much in love with each other.

Once again, I wish we had more of the actual mystery and less of the show business here - I had to look up who was the culprit online. (No, I'm not going to spoil that here.) What is here isn't terrible. Hyde Pierce's touching "Coffee Shop Nights" and fun "A Tough Act to Follow" with Jill Paice were especially good; I also liked "It's a Business" for cynical producer Carmen (Deborah Monk). While it was nominated for eight Tonys in 2006-2007, Hyde Pierce was the only winner (for Leading Actor), and it only lasted a few months. If you're a fan of his or the songwriters and author, it's worth a listen.

Spring Harvest Dolls

Began a sunny, busy morning with Speedy Gonzales shorts in honor of Cinco Del Mayo. "Speedy Gonzales" debuted the character as he's usually seen today and won the Academy Award in 1955. Speedy has to bring cheese to his village from a factory over the border that's guarded by Sylvester. In "Tabasco Road," he has to save two drunk buddies who keep picking a fight with an alley cat. Sylvester is "The Pied Piper of Guadeloupe" who can charm any mouse into a bottle...except for Speedy.  Sylvester encounters some "Chili Weather" while guarding a chili processing plant from Speedy and his friends.

Headed out around 10 to run errands. Checked out a yard sale on Kendall, then headed to WaWa to take out money. In between, I rode past a small fair on the block of West Clinton between the school and the main downtown district. Considering all the beer for sale, it seemed to be an expanded version of the beer-making block party they held there last fall. Rode down East Clinton to look at their street-wide yard sale, but didn't see anything interesting.

The Collingswood Farm Market opened for the season this morning. They were already packed when I arrived around quarter after 10. The crowds were elbow-to-elbow, despite most of the booths only selling seedlings and flowers at this time of year. No fruit yet, but I did see spinach, asparagus, greens, carrots, mushrooms, onions, and hot-house tomatoes. The orchard booth was selling firewood. I ended up just buying the asparagus and spinach and moved on.

Stopped at the Oaklyn Library on the way back for this week's volunteering session. Needless to say on a decent day in the lower 70's, they were totally empty. It was just me and the librarian. Too bad. Today was apparently Free Comics Day. Thin magazines were stacked on a table in the kids' area. I grabbed DC Superhero Girls and Star Wars Adventures (the latter is promoting Solo: A Star Wars Story) for me and another title for Lauren.

Headed home after that. Made Peanut Butter Frosting for the chocolate cupcakes I made last night while watching more Speedy Gonzales. Speedy's buddies are feeling "Cannery Woe" when they're caught by Sylvester. Speedy goes after them. He has to get a "Message to Gracias" past the vigilante cat. Speedy saves his cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez from two hungry cats in "Mexican Shmoes" and Sylvester in "Mexican Borders." He goes "West of the Pesos" to once again rescue his buddies, this time from being experiments in a laboratory guarded by Sylvester. A crow chases him in "Tortilla Flaps."

The Acme was holding it's Spring Fling Employee Luncheon today to celebrate the Kentucky Derby, Cinco Del Mayo, and the Sixers' current playoff run. The only other dessert around were mini cookies n' cream cheesecakes, but there was plenty of other food! Along with a fruit tray, I saw soft pretzel bits, deviled eggs, sausage, buffalo chicken dip, two types of pasta salad, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, baked ziti, shredded chicken, and meatballs. I settled for the ziti, the macaroni salad (the other one had olives in it - I don't like olives), a cheesecake, fruit, two deviled eggs, and a meatball sandwich.

Had a lot of shopping to do today. Grabbed peanut butter, mayonnaise, Yoplait and Choboni yogurt, ground turkey, butter, turkey bacon, tortillas, Bryers' new pint ice creams, and a big container of strawberries on good sales. Had an online coupon for Crest toothpaste. They had at least two that were specifically made to target gums; I went with the larger, slightly less expensive one. Restocked chocolate pudding mix, brown and powdered sugar, honey, grapefruit, and bananas. Quaker items were still on sale; thought I'd try their "Breakfast Flats" bars.

When I got home, I put everything away, then made my way to the back room to start getting the 18-inch dolls dressed for the current warmer weather. According to Samantha's books, her birthday is in May. She gets to wear her pink striped Birthday Dress and lace-trimmed pinafore. Molly is in a hand-made version of her hard-to-find Victory Garden Dress. Went 90's with Jessa, who got the tie dye "Earth Day" t-shirt and shortalls from the original mid-90's modern collection. Whitney and Ariel both wear OG outfits. Whitney gets a purple floral retro dress with a net petticoat and shiny purple shoes. Ariel is one of my only dolls who can fit into the purple sundress with the hot-pink pineapple print. Josefina sports her Dress and Vest with the lovely red-print skirt and black velvet vest. (Left Felicity in her pink birthday dress. I don't have that much to change her into.)

Ran the Donald Duck in South America movies as I worked. Saludos Amigos is a series of shorts based around the Disney animators' trip to South America and the local color they soaked up there. Most of the segments (Goofy as a gaucho, Donald at Lake Titicaca, the tale of a baby plane delivering mail over the Andes) are pretty typical, but the last one does introduce smooth-talking parrot Jose Carioca.

All bets are off with The Three Caballeros. After a few more shorts in the first 20 minutes (including one about a penguin who sails northward to get warmer and a boy and a flying donkey), we get Donald dancing in live action with a pretty cookie seller...and go into some seriously weird turf once Mexican rooster Panchito shows up and introduces Donald to his home country. After he chases pretty girls at Acapulco, Donald's libido lands him in some of the most surreal animation to ever grace the silver screen.

While I prefer the more creative Caballeros, Amigos might be better for families with younger children who will enjoy the mail plane story and the more familiar faces. Either way, both are a lot of fun for fans of Donald, the anthology movies Disney put out in the 40's, or our neighbors south of of the border.

Worked on writing for a little while after Caballeros ended. Han confronts Palpatine after his mother dies. He knows he had something to do with her death and how frail she looked beforehand. Palpatine did, indeed, drain her so thoroughly, she looked like an old woman. He indicates that he may have been involved with the death of King Josiah as well. When Han threatens to have him arrested, he snares the young man with his magic and drags him to a pedestal, insisting that Sultan Du Hutt wanted him as a "decoration."

Leia's vision ends after that. She jumps up, upset and shocked at what she saw. Ahsoka agrees that they have to get to Coruscant to rescue Henry and stop the Mid-Summer Festival. They finally all say they'll go as a gypsy troupe when Kanan pops in, telling Leia that her new hand is ready.

I didn't break for dinner until quarter of 7. Made Spinach Salad with Turkey Bacon and yogurt dressing while watching two 60's sitcoms with Mexican-themed episodes. Max and 99 aren't exactly saying "Viva Smart" in a third season Get Smart episode when they pose as flamenco dancers in a corrupt South American country and end up in jail. The Monkees don't have much better luck in their second season opener "It's a Nice Place to Visit." They find themselves having to rescue Davy after he eyes the girlfriend of a bandit by posing as bandits themselves, then taking part in a showdown to save the town.

Went for a short walk after dinner. It was chilly but pleasant, with a stiff wind blowing around Veteran's Park next-door. It was too late to do anything but explore around back there. I noticed tents set up at a house across the river - a Kentucky Derby party, perhaps?

Put on The Three Amigos after I got in. Three former silent movie stars (Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short) find themselves in a real version of one of their "Robin Hood in Mexico" films when they're called on to save a small town from bandits. They not only have to learn to be real heroes, but teach the town how to call on their own talents to drive the bandits off.

Underrated 80's comedy benefits from hilarious performances by all three leads and some really funny gags involving western and Mexican cliches. I also love the three songs by Randy Newman. Rose and Anny used to love imitating the "My Little Buttercup" number, up to and including them landing on each other's backs.

Ended the night with the Marx Brothers movie A Day at the Races in honor of the Kentucky Derby today. Judy (Maureen O'Sullivan) faces losing her sanitarium if rich Mrs. Upjohn (Margaret Dumont) leaves. She brings in Dr. Hugo Hackenbush (Groucho) to keep her happy. Sanitarium employee Tony (Chico) and jockey Stuffy (Harpo) discover that Hackenbush is far from what he claims - he's really an animal doctor. They ultimately pin all their hopes on the horse that belongs to singer Gil (Allan Jones) winning the steeplechase. Morgan (Douglas Dumbrile) is after the sanitarium and will do anything to get it, including keep the horse from the track. Now the Marxes have to stall the race...and then make sure the right horse comes in first.

While not quite as funny as the previous Marx film A Night at the Opera, this movie still has its share of classic bits - Groucho and Chico's "Tootsie Frootsie Ice Cream," them trying to hide a woman in Groucho's room, and the finale at the race among them. Unfortunately, the musical numbers aren't nearly as successful. A ballet mid-way through the film stops it cold, and while the "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" number features some truly amazing jitterbugging, it's also awash in stereotypes. (Including the Marxes ending up in blackface.)

Fine for fans of the Marxes, or even just those who want to give their brand of lunacy a try if they can get around the dull and dated songs.