Once again began the day with work...and once again, it was utterly dead the entire morning. Never even got mildly steady. Everyone's in the malls right now. I gathered carts and shelved loose items in the morning and swept and did carts in the afternoon. At least it was a nice day for it. While very cold, in the 30's, it was also sunny and still, with a wonderfully warm sun.
Went straight home after I got out. After I changed and had a snack, I pulled out the bag and two Tupperware containers that hold the wrapping paper, gift bags, and other gift-wrapping items. I want to get Lauren's package out by Saturday at the latest and figured that, while I'm not entirely done with my shopping, I figured I might as well do what I can now. Lauren and Khai's gifts were wrapped in the green, gold, and red pine tree print "Noel" paper I bought last year. My little nieces got the new silver and blue paper from Dollar General for their coloring books and puzzle. I like that the paper was thicker than what I got from Dollar Tree, but those silver snowflakes did drop tiny flakes all over the living room rug.
Watched Arthur's Perfect Christmas while I worked. Aardvark kid Arthur Reed is ready for the best Christmas ever, with tons of tinsel on the tree, a big dinner, lots of snow, and just the right gift for his mother. Things go wrong right from the get-go. His pesky little sister DW wants that one ultra-popular toy no one can find, and his classmates have their own problems. Buster's mom keeps waking him up early for gifts and breakfast, making her son wish they could just relax for the holiday. Muffy, the richest girl in school, is upset when her best friend Francine opts to go to her family's Hanukkah party rather than her big Christmas blow-out. On Christmas Eve, clumsy Uncle Fred and his dog Rory turn up on their way to Florida, creating more chaos. In the end, Arthur and his friends finally learn the importance of what Uncle Fred tells him - "Sometimes, you don't get what you want. You get something even better."
Went online and worked on writing after I finished. Brett and her men arrive at Kingdom of Columbia Eye, where Nipsey happily greets them. He tells them Gene is in with his cousin, the queen of the land...and that he's encountered a woman he believes may be a legendary princess, even if his cousin doesn't.
Broke for dinner at 7. Had leftover hamburger casserole and sauteed onions and Brussels sprouts for dinner while watching the 1955 TV version of Babes In Toyland. I go further into this early TV "spectacular" at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.
Babes In Toyland (1955)
Finished the night with another 50's holiday favorite, the 1951 British A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sim. Other than an expanded past sequence that shows what happened to Scrooge's sister and how he went from a romantic young man to a miser, this is a pretty accurate retelling of the original novella. It even refers to details that many versions leave out, like the ragged Want and Ignorance children under the Ghost of Christmas Present's cloak and the ghouls Scrooge sees out the window when Marley's there. Sim's performance as the world's most famous miser is considered to be one of the best on record; he's especially good in the end, when Scrooge is enjoying his first really happy holidays in 20 years and is scaring the, well, Dickens out of his housemaid.
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
The Sun Came Back
I got incredibly lucky this morning. If it rained or snowed, it did it overnight. By the time I was heading to work, the very light rain was just ending. It was enough to scare off our customers. We were totally dead. Most people are probably in the malls right now and won't be thinking food until at least next week. I shelved candy, returned carts, and swept the store. The precipitation never returned. In fact, by the time I finished work, the sun had emerged.
As soon as I headed home, I changed, then spent the rest of the afternoon writing. After a week of Charles not getting any fatter, Malade insists she'll roast him anyway. Her trolls are getting impatient for their lunch. Brett tricks her into thinking she knows nothing about cooking and shoves her in the oven. She's able to free the men and her magic before Malade bursts out. The evil queen is raging angry that her beautiful face was half-burned. She attempts to strangle Brett with brightly colored ribbon, but Richard and Charles are able to get them off. They steal a carriage and head for the next kingdom over, where they'll meet the others.
Broke for dinner at 6. Had that, then made Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies while watching Scrooged. Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is the head of one of the top TV networks in the US. He's thrown himself into the network's big Christmas special, at the cost of the other people in his life. He derides his ex-girlfriend Clare's (Karen Allen) work at a homeless shelter as useless and won't let his overworked secretary (Afre Woodard) spend Christmas Eve with her family. He finally learns his lesson from a trio of unique ghosts, who teach him to "put a little love in his heart" and share what he has with his fellow man.
Dark comedy version of A Christmas Carol is enlivened by some really nifty makeup and special effects and Murray's performances as the egotistical executive. Fun for fans of his, people looking for a different type of Christmas Carol, or those who like their holiday comedies on the toasty side.
Finished the night with Men In Black: International. Molly (Tessa Thompson) has wanted to join Men In Black all her life, ever since she saw two agents talking to her parents as a child. She finally gets her chance when she discovers their headquarters in New York and convinces Agent O (Emma Thompson) to take her on. She gets probationary status and is assigned to London, where High T (Liam Neeson), the head of the English Men In Black, will teach her the ropes. She and party-hearty H (Chris Helmsworth) are supposed to be watching the member of an alien royal family, but he ends up getting killed by a pair of twins (Laurent and Larry Bourgeious) who can become pure energy. They convince High T to let them find out what the twins are after. They're joined by a little fellow M dubs "Pawny" (Kumail Nanjial) whose queen and group were killed by the twins. With the help of a strange crystal, the duo have to figure out what the twins want...and who the mole is at MIB.
This was...not bad, but not great, either. I suspect people wanted more out of this cast. Thompson and Helmsworth retain the charm and chemistry they showed in Thor: Ragnorok, and Thompson and Neeson aren't bad as the two heads of the agency. I also like the idea that this time, someone is actually seeking them out, rather than them bumping into a new agent. I just wish the story was stronger. The whole thing with the twins and the crystal is meandering and frankly, a bit dull. I'm also surprised there isn't more action - a lot of the emphasis is on talking and gags. It is a lot more interesting than Dark Phoenix, to give it some credit. It's still worth checking out at least once if you're a fan of the cast or the franchise.
As soon as I headed home, I changed, then spent the rest of the afternoon writing. After a week of Charles not getting any fatter, Malade insists she'll roast him anyway. Her trolls are getting impatient for their lunch. Brett tricks her into thinking she knows nothing about cooking and shoves her in the oven. She's able to free the men and her magic before Malade bursts out. The evil queen is raging angry that her beautiful face was half-burned. She attempts to strangle Brett with brightly colored ribbon, but Richard and Charles are able to get them off. They steal a carriage and head for the next kingdom over, where they'll meet the others.
Broke for dinner at 6. Had that, then made Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies while watching Scrooged. Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is the head of one of the top TV networks in the US. He's thrown himself into the network's big Christmas special, at the cost of the other people in his life. He derides his ex-girlfriend Clare's (Karen Allen) work at a homeless shelter as useless and won't let his overworked secretary (Afre Woodard) spend Christmas Eve with her family. He finally learns his lesson from a trio of unique ghosts, who teach him to "put a little love in his heart" and share what he has with his fellow man.
Dark comedy version of A Christmas Carol is enlivened by some really nifty makeup and special effects and Murray's performances as the egotistical executive. Fun for fans of his, people looking for a different type of Christmas Carol, or those who like their holiday comedies on the toasty side.
Finished the night with Men In Black: International. Molly (Tessa Thompson) has wanted to join Men In Black all her life, ever since she saw two agents talking to her parents as a child. She finally gets her chance when she discovers their headquarters in New York and convinces Agent O (Emma Thompson) to take her on. She gets probationary status and is assigned to London, where High T (Liam Neeson), the head of the English Men In Black, will teach her the ropes. She and party-hearty H (Chris Helmsworth) are supposed to be watching the member of an alien royal family, but he ends up getting killed by a pair of twins (Laurent and Larry Bourgeious) who can become pure energy. They convince High T to let them find out what the twins are after. They're joined by a little fellow M dubs "Pawny" (Kumail Nanjial) whose queen and group were killed by the twins. With the help of a strange crystal, the duo have to figure out what the twins want...and who the mole is at MIB.
This was...not bad, but not great, either. I suspect people wanted more out of this cast. Thompson and Helmsworth retain the charm and chemistry they showed in Thor: Ragnorok, and Thompson and Neeson aren't bad as the two heads of the agency. I also like the idea that this time, someone is actually seeking them out, rather than them bumping into a new agent. I just wish the story was stronger. The whole thing with the twins and the crystal is meandering and frankly, a bit dull. I'm also surprised there isn't more action - a lot of the emphasis is on talking and gags. It is a lot more interesting than Dark Phoenix, to give it some credit. It's still worth checking out at least once if you're a fan of the cast or the franchise.
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Writing In the Rain
I did not awaken to a very pretty morning. It was coming down like cats and dogs when I sat down to breakfast. The sober morning seemed appropriate for one of Rankin-Bass' quieter specials. The Little Drummer Boy is Aaron, a bitter orphan who is still angry over his parents being killed by bandits. He roams the desert with the remaining animals from his farm, dancing with them. They're captured by two traveling performers, one of whom sells the boy's camel to three kings following a star. The boy goes after them, only for his beloved lamb to be hurt. It's the kings who finally point out that there's someone greater out there who can help his pet...a certain tiny baby.
Worked on writing for a while after breakfast. Malade propositions Richard in the the cage. He has absolutely no interest in her, or any other woman. He's still in love with his wife, a lady who left him and returned overseas. Charles may be disappointed, but Malade is furious. Charles demands to see Brett. Malade has her dragged out, throws iron cuffs on her to suppress her magic, and orders her to make rich meals for her men. She intends to fatten Charles as supper for her trolls.
Broke for lunch at noon. Ran Sailor Moon S: Hearts In Ice while eating yogurt and making cranberry sauce. In this Sailor Moon movie, Usagi's cat Luna falls in love with a handsome scientist who rescues her from a car. He's discovered what he thinks is a comet...but is really the piece of a snow crystal owned by an evil snow witch, who desires to freeze the Earth and make it part of her collection. Usagi and the other girls figure out how to deal with this frosty menace, even as Luna deals with her feelings for a human.
I called Jodie for a ride earlier, but I never got her. Good thing the rain had slowed to a slight shower by the time I left. The rain was off and on for the rest of the afternoon, though never really heavily. I spent almost the entire afternoon alternating between gathering carts and sweeping the store. It wasn't that busy, and there were no major problems.
Went straight home as soon as I finished. Made a hamburger casserole with tomatoes, ground chicken, onions, celery, and sweet relish topped with cheddar for dinner. Watched The Little Drummer Boy, Book II while I ate. Aaron and his menagerie are recruited by one of the wise men to help rescue silver bells intended to announce the birth of baby Jesus from Roman soldiers who want to melt them into bricks. They do manage to get the bells, but the price is high for Aaron...
Did the 1954 A Christmas Carol when I went online. I go further into this early TV musical at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.
A Christmas Carol (1954)
And this is so funny, I must share it. Along with their Game Show Hosts Tournament, the original late 70's-early 80's Card Sharks did a Celebrity Tournament with folks who turned up in other Goodson-Tobman shows of the time in 1980. Among them were Bob Newhart Show regulars Bill Daily and Marcia Wallace. Bill switched a good card for a bad card and still managed to run the board, to the shock of host Jim Perry and Marcia's general disgust. The look on Marcia's face after Bill runs the cards is worth the entire tournament.
Card Sharks Celebrity Tournament Day 8
Worked on writing for a while after breakfast. Malade propositions Richard in the the cage. He has absolutely no interest in her, or any other woman. He's still in love with his wife, a lady who left him and returned overseas. Charles may be disappointed, but Malade is furious. Charles demands to see Brett. Malade has her dragged out, throws iron cuffs on her to suppress her magic, and orders her to make rich meals for her men. She intends to fatten Charles as supper for her trolls.
Broke for lunch at noon. Ran Sailor Moon S: Hearts In Ice while eating yogurt and making cranberry sauce. In this Sailor Moon movie, Usagi's cat Luna falls in love with a handsome scientist who rescues her from a car. He's discovered what he thinks is a comet...but is really the piece of a snow crystal owned by an evil snow witch, who desires to freeze the Earth and make it part of her collection. Usagi and the other girls figure out how to deal with this frosty menace, even as Luna deals with her feelings for a human.
I called Jodie for a ride earlier, but I never got her. Good thing the rain had slowed to a slight shower by the time I left. The rain was off and on for the rest of the afternoon, though never really heavily. I spent almost the entire afternoon alternating between gathering carts and sweeping the store. It wasn't that busy, and there were no major problems.
Went straight home as soon as I finished. Made a hamburger casserole with tomatoes, ground chicken, onions, celery, and sweet relish topped with cheddar for dinner. Watched The Little Drummer Boy, Book II while I ate. Aaron and his menagerie are recruited by one of the wise men to help rescue silver bells intended to announce the birth of baby Jesus from Roman soldiers who want to melt them into bricks. They do manage to get the bells, but the price is high for Aaron...
Did the 1954 A Christmas Carol when I went online. I go further into this early TV musical at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.
A Christmas Carol (1954)
And this is so funny, I must share it. Along with their Game Show Hosts Tournament, the original late 70's-early 80's Card Sharks did a Celebrity Tournament with folks who turned up in other Goodson-Tobman shows of the time in 1980. Among them were Bob Newhart Show regulars Bill Daily and Marcia Wallace. Bill switched a good card for a bad card and still managed to run the board, to the shock of host Jim Perry and Marcia's general disgust. The look on Marcia's face after Bill runs the cards is worth the entire tournament.
Card Sharks Celebrity Tournament Day 8
Monday, December 09, 2019
Rainy Holidays
Slept in this morning. I didn't mean to. I just opened my eyes at 10:30. Had breakfast while watching one of the two Christmas episodes of Laverne & Shirley. "Oh Hear the Angel Voices" from the second season has the cast putting on a show for the patients at a mental hospital. Shirley's terrified. She's heard a few too many stories about family members who ended up in mental hospitals. Laverne's too busy flirting with a wealthy patient to worry much.
Rain or no rain, I really didn't feel like sitting inside all day. Besides, I work the rest of the week. I wanted to get to the Oaklyn Library while I had the time. The weather must have scared everyone off. It was just the librarians, the Weather Channel bleating about snow in the Midwest, and me the entire half-hour I was there. I organized the DVDs on both sides, took a look at the picture and board books, and shelved young adult novels.
Since it's only a few blocks from the Library and the rain had slowed somewhat, I strolled over to WaWa for a holiday treat. Decided to try their Eggnog Cream Smoothie. It's not bad. It does taste like eggnog, but it's also a bit watery. I still enjoyed it as I strolled home in the rapidly increasing rain under my umbrella.
Had a quick lunch when I got home, then made my first batch of Christmas cookies of the year. Lauren requested Peanut Butter Cookies instead of chocolate chip in her Christmas box. That's fine by me. I used the same New Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies recipe I have since 2012. I'd just come off breaking my ankle earlier in the fall and had even less money than usual. The cake mix-based peanut butter cookie recipe I found on the Betty Crocker website was my way of cutting a few corners. The resulting cookie was so delicious, it's been my go-to peanut butter cookie recipe ever since.
Unfortunately, these didn't work out quite as well. They were wonderfully chewy and soft, but the first batch burned on the bottom. At least the second batch turned out all right. I kept the worst ones for myself and will send the rest to Lauren and her parents later this week.
Ran Christmas Eve On Sesame Street while I ate and started the cookies in honor of Caroll Spinney, the long-time voice and puppeteer for Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, who passed away yesterday. Big Bird is upset when Oscar asks him how Santa's able to get down all those skinny New York chimneys in one night and enlists Kermit, Snuffleupagus, and one of the kids to help him figure it out. Meanwhile, Ernie and Bert give up the things that mean the most of them to buy presents for each other, but it's Mr. Hooper who has the biggest surprise of all. Cookie Monster would love to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas, but he keeps eating the writing utensils.
Moved on to another PBS staple, The Cat In the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas, as I pulled out the cookies and started writing my Christmas cards. Nick and Sally are having fun at the Cat's big Christmas Eve party, but when it's time to go home, Ralph the Reindeer accidentally mistakes Sally's backyard for Freeze-Your-Knees Snowland and gets off at the wrong stop. The Cat, the fish, and the kids try to bring him home, but the Thing-a-Ma-Jigger keeps breaking down. As they make their way across the globe, they learn about the migration patterns of elephants, dolphins, red crabs, and reindeer, and how each group gets together with their families during the winter.
I was still finishing up the cards as The Cat ended and did a quick Rankin Bass special while I rounded up the last of them. The First Christmas Snow is the slightly melodramatic tale of a little shepherd named Lucas who is blinded in a lightning accident. He, his dog, and his sheep are taken in by the kindly nuns of a local parish, including Sister Theresa (Angela Landsbury). The fussy priest (Cyril Ritchard) wants to send him to an orphanage, but the nuns and the kids of the parish have become attached to him. His fondest wish is to at least feel snow on Christmas...and it isn't until the night of the parish Christmas play that he not only gets his wish, but the rest of the parish realize just how important he's become to them.
Worked on writing for several hours after I finished the cards. An old woman emerges from the gingerbread house, offering the trio of weary travelers dinner and a place to sleep for the night. The guys are all for it, but Brett can see that her house is made of black magic and doesn't trust her for an instant. She turns out to be right. She's really her evil stepmother, who locks up the two men in cages, then binds Brett with iron chains and forces her to work as a slave. She wants to fatten Charles for her trolls and marry Richard, but Brett has a plan...
Broke for dinner at quarter after 7. Ran two episodes of Good Eats on fruit often consumed during the Christmas season as I ate roasted broccoli and the last of the hot dogs and leftover Chinese rice for dinner. Cranberries were just beginning to be considered a nutritional powerhouse when these episodes came out in the mid-2000's. Alton shows how they can be turned into home-made cranberry sauce, granita, and Cosmopolitans. Oranges are a lot more than juice when he makes them into Orange Juilius drinks, marmalade, and sherbet.
Finished the night after a shower with X-Men: Dark Phoenix. It's the early 90's, and the X-Men are still riding high after having saved the world from Apocalypse. Jean Gray (Sophie Turner) accidentally absorbs the power from a sun flare while helping the others save astronauts from a stricken space shuttle. The blast amplifies her psychic powers, but it also makes them go out of control. Professor Xavier (James McAvoy) had put blocks on her powers to help her forget the trauma from a childhood accident, but they're released after her power is amplified, and it all comes roaring back.
After accidentally killing Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), she flees to the island of Genosha and seeks out Xavier's old partner Magneto (Michael Fassbinder), but he won't help her, either. She finally gets that help from the head of a race of aliens who reveals that she was possessed by a cosmic force...but that force intends to use her to snare both Magneto and Xavier's mutants and take over the Earth. Jean, however, has no desire to allow this to happen...even if she has to sacrifice herself to save those who have become her family.
This wasn't really bad, but it wasn't great either. McAvoy and Fassbinder are still excellent as the two heads of the different Mutant factions, but there wasn't enough of Lawrence's tough Mystique or Nicholas Holt as the intelligent Beast, and the bland Tucker wasn't really up to the task of portraying the possessed Gray. This is the second time 20th Century Fox struck out with this story on the big screen after the even-worse X-Men: The Last Stand. Maybe it's better off on the printed page, where you can imagine all of this happening in your mind with your own voices and special effects. At least those special effects are quite lovely, and it has a moving score by Hans Zimmer.
For the most part, yeah, I can understand why this was a major flop last summer. Ok if you're a fan of the second run of X-Man films or are a major superhero nut; not really necessary for anyone else.
And I'm glad I got in when I did. It's continued raining, sometimes heavily, for the rest of the day and into the evening.
Rain or no rain, I really didn't feel like sitting inside all day. Besides, I work the rest of the week. I wanted to get to the Oaklyn Library while I had the time. The weather must have scared everyone off. It was just the librarians, the Weather Channel bleating about snow in the Midwest, and me the entire half-hour I was there. I organized the DVDs on both sides, took a look at the picture and board books, and shelved young adult novels.
Since it's only a few blocks from the Library and the rain had slowed somewhat, I strolled over to WaWa for a holiday treat. Decided to try their Eggnog Cream Smoothie. It's not bad. It does taste like eggnog, but it's also a bit watery. I still enjoyed it as I strolled home in the rapidly increasing rain under my umbrella.
Had a quick lunch when I got home, then made my first batch of Christmas cookies of the year. Lauren requested Peanut Butter Cookies instead of chocolate chip in her Christmas box. That's fine by me. I used the same New Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies recipe I have since 2012. I'd just come off breaking my ankle earlier in the fall and had even less money than usual. The cake mix-based peanut butter cookie recipe I found on the Betty Crocker website was my way of cutting a few corners. The resulting cookie was so delicious, it's been my go-to peanut butter cookie recipe ever since.
Unfortunately, these didn't work out quite as well. They were wonderfully chewy and soft, but the first batch burned on the bottom. At least the second batch turned out all right. I kept the worst ones for myself and will send the rest to Lauren and her parents later this week.
Ran Christmas Eve On Sesame Street while I ate and started the cookies in honor of Caroll Spinney, the long-time voice and puppeteer for Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, who passed away yesterday. Big Bird is upset when Oscar asks him how Santa's able to get down all those skinny New York chimneys in one night and enlists Kermit, Snuffleupagus, and one of the kids to help him figure it out. Meanwhile, Ernie and Bert give up the things that mean the most of them to buy presents for each other, but it's Mr. Hooper who has the biggest surprise of all. Cookie Monster would love to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas, but he keeps eating the writing utensils.
Moved on to another PBS staple, The Cat In the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas, as I pulled out the cookies and started writing my Christmas cards. Nick and Sally are having fun at the Cat's big Christmas Eve party, but when it's time to go home, Ralph the Reindeer accidentally mistakes Sally's backyard for Freeze-Your-Knees Snowland and gets off at the wrong stop. The Cat, the fish, and the kids try to bring him home, but the Thing-a-Ma-Jigger keeps breaking down. As they make their way across the globe, they learn about the migration patterns of elephants, dolphins, red crabs, and reindeer, and how each group gets together with their families during the winter.
I was still finishing up the cards as The Cat ended and did a quick Rankin Bass special while I rounded up the last of them. The First Christmas Snow is the slightly melodramatic tale of a little shepherd named Lucas who is blinded in a lightning accident. He, his dog, and his sheep are taken in by the kindly nuns of a local parish, including Sister Theresa (Angela Landsbury). The fussy priest (Cyril Ritchard) wants to send him to an orphanage, but the nuns and the kids of the parish have become attached to him. His fondest wish is to at least feel snow on Christmas...and it isn't until the night of the parish Christmas play that he not only gets his wish, but the rest of the parish realize just how important he's become to them.
Worked on writing for several hours after I finished the cards. An old woman emerges from the gingerbread house, offering the trio of weary travelers dinner and a place to sleep for the night. The guys are all for it, but Brett can see that her house is made of black magic and doesn't trust her for an instant. She turns out to be right. She's really her evil stepmother, who locks up the two men in cages, then binds Brett with iron chains and forces her to work as a slave. She wants to fatten Charles for her trolls and marry Richard, but Brett has a plan...
Broke for dinner at quarter after 7. Ran two episodes of Good Eats on fruit often consumed during the Christmas season as I ate roasted broccoli and the last of the hot dogs and leftover Chinese rice for dinner. Cranberries were just beginning to be considered a nutritional powerhouse when these episodes came out in the mid-2000's. Alton shows how they can be turned into home-made cranberry sauce, granita, and Cosmopolitans. Oranges are a lot more than juice when he makes them into Orange Juilius drinks, marmalade, and sherbet.
Finished the night after a shower with X-Men: Dark Phoenix. It's the early 90's, and the X-Men are still riding high after having saved the world from Apocalypse. Jean Gray (Sophie Turner) accidentally absorbs the power from a sun flare while helping the others save astronauts from a stricken space shuttle. The blast amplifies her psychic powers, but it also makes them go out of control. Professor Xavier (James McAvoy) had put blocks on her powers to help her forget the trauma from a childhood accident, but they're released after her power is amplified, and it all comes roaring back.
After accidentally killing Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), she flees to the island of Genosha and seeks out Xavier's old partner Magneto (Michael Fassbinder), but he won't help her, either. She finally gets that help from the head of a race of aliens who reveals that she was possessed by a cosmic force...but that force intends to use her to snare both Magneto and Xavier's mutants and take over the Earth. Jean, however, has no desire to allow this to happen...even if she has to sacrifice herself to save those who have become her family.
This wasn't really bad, but it wasn't great either. McAvoy and Fassbinder are still excellent as the two heads of the different Mutant factions, but there wasn't enough of Lawrence's tough Mystique or Nicholas Holt as the intelligent Beast, and the bland Tucker wasn't really up to the task of portraying the possessed Gray. This is the second time 20th Century Fox struck out with this story on the big screen after the even-worse X-Men: The Last Stand. Maybe it's better off on the printed page, where you can imagine all of this happening in your mind with your own voices and special effects. At least those special effects are quite lovely, and it has a moving score by Hans Zimmer.
For the most part, yeah, I can understand why this was a major flop last summer. Ok if you're a fan of the second run of X-Man films or are a major superhero nut; not really necessary for anyone else.
And I'm glad I got in when I did. It's continued raining, sometimes heavily, for the rest of the day and into the evening.
Sunday, December 08, 2019
The Magic of Christmas
Celebrated a very rare Sunday off by staying up late with Lauren, then sleeping in this morning. It was almost 11 before I made my Butterscotch-Oatmeal Pancakes and tea. Listened to The Care Bears' Christmas Album while I ate. I found two children's holiday albums from the early 80's in a box of free records at a yard sale last month. The Care Bears await Santa, singing about what they'll ask him for. On side two, they try to cheer each other up when he seemingly doesn't come...then offers their services when he does. At the very least, it's mildly less annoying than my Meet the Care Bears picture album, with slightly better songs and an attempt at a plot.
Switched to another find from that free record box, Pac-Man Christmas Album. This one was a bit more of a surprise. Considering Pac-Man is the last character you'd likely associate with a holiday record, some of the songs were actually quite good. I loved the first two, Ms. Pac Man's "The Magic of Christmas" and the unique synthesizer duet "Snowflakes and Frozen Lakes." I kind of wish they could have actually tied the video game in a little bit more, as they did in the Pac-Man cartoon special released around the same time. We briefly hear from the ghosts on side two; their sudden conversion to Christmas cheer does prompt the sweet, if slightly sappy, "Friends Again."
Headed out after I finished the dishes. I'd put off the laundry for way too long. There was a huge load that needed to be done, including work clothes and towels. They were busy, but there were enough washers and dryers left for me to get two with no trouble. I forgot my pen, so I listened to the Philly news and holiday events on Channel 6 and read Country Living and DesignNJ magazines. Thank heavens by the time two large families arrived with noisy kids, I was just about done.
Went home and put everything away. Listened to The Spirit of Christmas while I worked. This early 60's JC Penney collection was another freebie from that same box. Most of the songs were from orchestras; the best of these was Percy Faith and his group's cute "Happy Holidays." Johnny Mathis also did a nice "Little Drummer Boy."
Jumped back on my bike as soon as the album ended its revolutions. Stopped at Phillies Phatties first for a really late lunch. I originally ordered a slice of cheese, a slice of mozzarella, tomato, and basil, and a can of Cherry Vanilla Pepsi. They must not have heard me mention the second slice. I got the cheese right away, but not the mozzarella-tomato-basil. I had to go ask about it; got the largest slice they had to make up for the confusion.
Watched the game between the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers as I ate. The Saints were up when I was watching, but the Niners were starting to catch up in a big way. Apparently, they would go on to just barely win the game 48-46.
Next up was a quick trip to Dollar General on the White Horse Pike. Finished my shopping for Lauren and picked up a couple of things to wrap gifts later this week, including tape and pretty wrapping paper with blue and silver snowflakes on a beige background. A clearly drunk man carrying a bottle of liquor somehow wandered into the store. The manager told him liquor wasn't allowed in the store. He tried to get angry with her before another man arrived to drag him out.
After that incident, I figured I'd be safer at home for the rest of the day. Worked on writing after I got in and got organized. Richard, Charles, and Brett flee into the scrub pine woods that grow along the coast. The fir trees in the sandy soil are much different than the older forests of towering oaks that Richard's used to, which is how they end up lost. It's getting dark as the trio make their way through the firs, and Charles and Brett are starting to get on each other's nerves. It's Charles who spots the gingerbread house in the clearing. He and Richard think they've found dinner and a place to rest, but Brett thinks there's something sinister about this seemingly sugar-coated dwelling...
Broke for dinner at 7. Had leftovers while listening to a couple more kids' albums. The original John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together special is difficult to find, but the soundtrack album is still very much with us and is a lot of fun. Favorites here include Denver's "Peace Carol" and "Noel: 1913," the hilarious version of "The 12 Days of Christmas" that opens the disc, and Piggy and the guys' "Christmas is Coming."
Christmas With the Chipmunks is best known for introducing "The Chipmunks' Christmas Song (Please Christmas Don't Be Late)," but there's some other great stuff here. Alvin has fun hamming it up with "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" and cheers up Dave when he wishes for a "White Christmas."
Finished the night on YouTube with another holiday special featuring John Denver. The Sound of Christmas featured Julie Andrews and was beautifully shot in Saltzburg, Austria, where the Oscar-winning Sound of Music was originally filmed. She's joined by Denver and Placido Dominigo with some lovely sequences, including one based around a waltzing ball with dance-themed songs ranging from "By Strauss" to "She Is Not Thinking of Me" and a skiing sequence with atheletes soaring over Denver as he sings. It's lovely, romantic, and actually quite a bit of fun to watch.
The Sound of Christmas (1987)
Switched to another find from that free record box, Pac-Man Christmas Album. This one was a bit more of a surprise. Considering Pac-Man is the last character you'd likely associate with a holiday record, some of the songs were actually quite good. I loved the first two, Ms. Pac Man's "The Magic of Christmas" and the unique synthesizer duet "Snowflakes and Frozen Lakes." I kind of wish they could have actually tied the video game in a little bit more, as they did in the Pac-Man cartoon special released around the same time. We briefly hear from the ghosts on side two; their sudden conversion to Christmas cheer does prompt the sweet, if slightly sappy, "Friends Again."
Headed out after I finished the dishes. I'd put off the laundry for way too long. There was a huge load that needed to be done, including work clothes and towels. They were busy, but there were enough washers and dryers left for me to get two with no trouble. I forgot my pen, so I listened to the Philly news and holiday events on Channel 6 and read Country Living and DesignNJ magazines. Thank heavens by the time two large families arrived with noisy kids, I was just about done.
Went home and put everything away. Listened to The Spirit of Christmas while I worked. This early 60's JC Penney collection was another freebie from that same box. Most of the songs were from orchestras; the best of these was Percy Faith and his group's cute "Happy Holidays." Johnny Mathis also did a nice "Little Drummer Boy."
Jumped back on my bike as soon as the album ended its revolutions. Stopped at Phillies Phatties first for a really late lunch. I originally ordered a slice of cheese, a slice of mozzarella, tomato, and basil, and a can of Cherry Vanilla Pepsi. They must not have heard me mention the second slice. I got the cheese right away, but not the mozzarella-tomato-basil. I had to go ask about it; got the largest slice they had to make up for the confusion.
Watched the game between the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers as I ate. The Saints were up when I was watching, but the Niners were starting to catch up in a big way. Apparently, they would go on to just barely win the game 48-46.
Next up was a quick trip to Dollar General on the White Horse Pike. Finished my shopping for Lauren and picked up a couple of things to wrap gifts later this week, including tape and pretty wrapping paper with blue and silver snowflakes on a beige background. A clearly drunk man carrying a bottle of liquor somehow wandered into the store. The manager told him liquor wasn't allowed in the store. He tried to get angry with her before another man arrived to drag him out.
After that incident, I figured I'd be safer at home for the rest of the day. Worked on writing after I got in and got organized. Richard, Charles, and Brett flee into the scrub pine woods that grow along the coast. The fir trees in the sandy soil are much different than the older forests of towering oaks that Richard's used to, which is how they end up lost. It's getting dark as the trio make their way through the firs, and Charles and Brett are starting to get on each other's nerves. It's Charles who spots the gingerbread house in the clearing. He and Richard think they've found dinner and a place to rest, but Brett thinks there's something sinister about this seemingly sugar-coated dwelling...
Broke for dinner at 7. Had leftovers while listening to a couple more kids' albums. The original John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together special is difficult to find, but the soundtrack album is still very much with us and is a lot of fun. Favorites here include Denver's "Peace Carol" and "Noel: 1913," the hilarious version of "The 12 Days of Christmas" that opens the disc, and Piggy and the guys' "Christmas is Coming."
Christmas With the Chipmunks is best known for introducing "The Chipmunks' Christmas Song (Please Christmas Don't Be Late)," but there's some other great stuff here. Alvin has fun hamming it up with "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" and cheers up Dave when he wishes for a "White Christmas."
Finished the night on YouTube with another holiday special featuring John Denver. The Sound of Christmas featured Julie Andrews and was beautifully shot in Saltzburg, Austria, where the Oscar-winning Sound of Music was originally filmed. She's joined by Denver and Placido Dominigo with some lovely sequences, including one based around a waltzing ball with dance-themed songs ranging from "By Strauss" to "She Is Not Thinking of Me" and a skiing sequence with atheletes soaring over Denver as he sings. It's lovely, romantic, and actually quite a bit of fun to watch.
The Sound of Christmas (1987)
Saturday, December 07, 2019
Ponies and Tigers and Holiday Celebrations
Awoke this morning to the sounds of Charlie cursing while raking leaves under a bright blue sky. Drowned him out with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Snowflake Day" is their big winter holiday. Daniel is thrilled to be able to take part in the big play at the Enchanted Garden, but first he gets stage fright, and then the spotlights go out. Everyone works together to help him remember his lines and give the kids enough light to finish their show.
"Thank You, Grandpere!" brings Daniel's beloved grandfather over for a visit. Daniel wishes he could stay longer and play, but he has to go work on his boat...but he does find a way to join them for the Thank You Day Picnic in the Enchanted Garden. Everyone decorates a tree with cards thanking the people in their lives during "Neighborhood Thank You Day." Daniel can't decide who to draw a card for, until Mr. McFeely rescues the cards when the wind scatters them.
Charlie had moved on to raking the dog's front yard enclosure by the time the cartoons finished, allowing me to head out...but I briefly went right back in. A package from my friend Linda Young was perched on top of the mailbox. I pulled out three Christmas presents for me and put them in the back room. I'll open them under the tree on Christmas Day.
Made it to the Oaklyn Library around 11:30. I'm not the only one who's been decorating for the holidays this week. The library is now ready for Christmas too, with a big tree tapestry hanging in the lounge area and stuffed bears in holly-print outfits on the shelves. Organized DVDs in the adult area and shelves loose children's books before moving on.
Peace and quiet still reigned supreme at the Acme when I arrived. I didn't need a lot, but there were a few expensive things I grabbed. Got limited-edition Christmas tea from Bigelow and Celestial Seasonings (and forgot to use my coupon for the latter). Had online coupons for chocolate chips, Berks beef hot dogs, and the premium Signature Reserve pint ice cream. Restocked pears, oranges, cranberries, milk, butter, yogurt, ground turkey, cereal (the generic Rice Chex is still on sale), tape, cake mix, and canned pineapple. Bought coloring books and a puzzle you can color for my nieces, with packs of crayons to go with them.
Switched to My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic when I arrived home. The Ponies' "Winter Wrap Up" has everyone cleaning up the last of the snow and waking up the animals on the final day of cold weather. Twilight Sparkle has no idea what group she should join...until she realizes how disorganized the groups are. Applejack and her family inadvertently become "Hearthbreakers" when they join Pinkie Pie and her austere Amish-type family for their Hearth's Warming celebrations. They're not used to how subdued their traditions are and try to teach them theirs, only to break a cherished family heirloom.
Worked on writing for a while after everything was put away. Gene saves the day by distracting the trolls with his magic...but it's still wonky and makes their noses and hair grow, rather than paralyzing them, like he wanted. Three of the more human-like demons help Richard, Brett, and Charles escape down a back alley...demons who closely resemble Sir Dick Gautier and his second lieutenant Sir Robert Walden, as well as one of Richard's men, Orson Bean. Gene, Nipsey, and Bill take off in the carriage in the opposite direction, telling them that they'll meet the others in the Kingdom of Columbia Eye.
Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Had hot dogs with leftover mashed potatoes and carrots for dinner while watching the third Friendship Is Magic winter holiday special, "A Hearth's Warming Tail." Twilight is shocked when Starlight Glimmer insists that she'll skip the Hearth's Warming festivities this year. The story that Twilight reads to her turns into a Pony version of A Christmas Carol, with Starlight as Scrooge, Rainbow Dash as Bob Cratchit, Applejack as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Pinkie as the Present, and Princess Luna as the Future.
Finished the night with Smallfoot. I go further into this icy story of another unusual friendship in my review on my Musical Dreams Movies blog.
Smallfoot
"Thank You, Grandpere!" brings Daniel's beloved grandfather over for a visit. Daniel wishes he could stay longer and play, but he has to go work on his boat...but he does find a way to join them for the Thank You Day Picnic in the Enchanted Garden. Everyone decorates a tree with cards thanking the people in their lives during "Neighborhood Thank You Day." Daniel can't decide who to draw a card for, until Mr. McFeely rescues the cards when the wind scatters them.
Charlie had moved on to raking the dog's front yard enclosure by the time the cartoons finished, allowing me to head out...but I briefly went right back in. A package from my friend Linda Young was perched on top of the mailbox. I pulled out three Christmas presents for me and put them in the back room. I'll open them under the tree on Christmas Day.
Made it to the Oaklyn Library around 11:30. I'm not the only one who's been decorating for the holidays this week. The library is now ready for Christmas too, with a big tree tapestry hanging in the lounge area and stuffed bears in holly-print outfits on the shelves. Organized DVDs in the adult area and shelves loose children's books before moving on.
Peace and quiet still reigned supreme at the Acme when I arrived. I didn't need a lot, but there were a few expensive things I grabbed. Got limited-edition Christmas tea from Bigelow and Celestial Seasonings (and forgot to use my coupon for the latter). Had online coupons for chocolate chips, Berks beef hot dogs, and the premium Signature Reserve pint ice cream. Restocked pears, oranges, cranberries, milk, butter, yogurt, ground turkey, cereal (the generic Rice Chex is still on sale), tape, cake mix, and canned pineapple. Bought coloring books and a puzzle you can color for my nieces, with packs of crayons to go with them.
Switched to My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic when I arrived home. The Ponies' "Winter Wrap Up" has everyone cleaning up the last of the snow and waking up the animals on the final day of cold weather. Twilight Sparkle has no idea what group she should join...until she realizes how disorganized the groups are. Applejack and her family inadvertently become "Hearthbreakers" when they join Pinkie Pie and her austere Amish-type family for their Hearth's Warming celebrations. They're not used to how subdued their traditions are and try to teach them theirs, only to break a cherished family heirloom.
Worked on writing for a while after everything was put away. Gene saves the day by distracting the trolls with his magic...but it's still wonky and makes their noses and hair grow, rather than paralyzing them, like he wanted. Three of the more human-like demons help Richard, Brett, and Charles escape down a back alley...demons who closely resemble Sir Dick Gautier and his second lieutenant Sir Robert Walden, as well as one of Richard's men, Orson Bean. Gene, Nipsey, and Bill take off in the carriage in the opposite direction, telling them that they'll meet the others in the Kingdom of Columbia Eye.
Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Had hot dogs with leftover mashed potatoes and carrots for dinner while watching the third Friendship Is Magic winter holiday special, "A Hearth's Warming Tail." Twilight is shocked when Starlight Glimmer insists that she'll skip the Hearth's Warming festivities this year. The story that Twilight reads to her turns into a Pony version of A Christmas Carol, with Starlight as Scrooge, Rainbow Dash as Bob Cratchit, Applejack as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Pinkie as the Present, and Princess Luna as the Future.
Finished the night with Smallfoot. I go further into this icy story of another unusual friendship in my review on my Musical Dreams Movies blog.
Smallfoot
Friday, December 06, 2019
The Story of Buddy the Elf
Began the morning with work. It was so quiet when I came in, I didn't need to gather carts until later. I shelved items and organized what little needed to be finished in the gift kiosk. It picked up a little bit later in the morning, but was never really busy. Swept the store and put cold items away later, but I mainly did those carts. Other than getting a little overwhelmed, no problems.
Got my schedule when I was there. In good news, I have the next three days off. That does mean I have to work the rest of the week, but only one day (Tuesday) is late. That will give me plenty of time to get Christmas stuff done, including cards and my remaining shopping.
Went straight home after work. Did a Match Game episode while having a quick lunch. Kirstie Alley of Cheers turned up as a rather unamused contestant in three syndicated episodes in 1979...but her first episode was one of the better ones from the syndicated run even before she arrived. Gene got so tired of waiting for a contestant to give an answer, he lay on the floor and pretended to take a nap! Later, Charles hams it up on a question involving his native New York, to the point where Betty White brings him tissues.
Headed out around 2:30. I wanted to get to the library. Newton River Park was surprisingly busy for a semi-cloudy, windy day in early December. It's very close to winter now. The recent gusts have taken the remaining leaves off the trees. The reeds on the river are empty black brush strokes against the glassy green ripples. I darted around kids on their way home from school and Canadian geese looking for a snack.
The Haddon Township Library wasn't too busy, but they did some major rearranging in there. The adult DVD shelves had been moved further back in the main room, and there were fewer new releases shelves. I actually did manage to get most of the titles put away this time.
Took out a pile of movies and cartoons. Grabbed the holiday sets for Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, and The Cat In the Hat Knows a Lot About That. I still haven't seen the recent Christmas comedy Elf in full and wanted to see Men In Black International and X-Men: Dark Phoenix despite them not doing well at the box office this summer.
Made it home by 4:30 and went straight on the computer for some writing. The trolls attack Charles, stealing his lute and easily throwing him aside. First Brett and her ability to manipulate plants, then Patti and her water abilities save him.
Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Had leftovers while watching Elf. Buddy (Will Ferrell) is an very, very tall elf who discovers he's actually a human being who was adopted by Santa's elves. Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) and Santa Claus (Ed Asner) send him to New York City to find his father. Turns out he's the son of Walter Hobbs (James Caan), a children's book executive who's been on the naughty list for years. Buddy is an excited goofball who thinks everyone is always on the nice list. Most New Yorkers would disagree, at least initially...but his kindness rallies others to his side, including a shy worker at a department store (Zoey Deschanel) he has a crush on, his new younger brother Michael (Daniel Tay), and his stepmother Emily (Mary Steenburgen). It may not be enough Christmas spirit to power Santa's sleigh when he crash lands in Central Park, but Buddy eventually teaches everyone - even Walter - that there's a little holiday spirit in everyone at this time of year, even jaded New Yorkers.
This was really cute. No wonder it's become one of the most popular holiday films of the new millennium. Ferrell gave one of his best and most famous performances as the elf-raised man who firmly believes in Christmas, Santa, and everything they stand for...even when everyone around him thinks he's off his nut. Caan's almost as good as his harried father who is more caught up in pleasing his boss than his family, until Buddy shows him what he's missing.
If you're a fan of Ferrell, or are just looking for a fun and different holiday comedy, you'll want to head to Central Park and see the Big Apple through the eyes of Buddy, too.
Finished the night with YouTube. I enjoyed the vintage Christmas specials I dug up last year so much, I went looking for even more. Unearthed The Perry Como Winter Show from 1973. Sally Struthers, Jack Burns, and Avery Schriber joined Como as he took them from sunny California to a wintry landscape and a house ready for the holidays. The group The Establishment provided background voices and joined in the dance routines. I loved all of them turning up in their pajamas for a couple of songs performed on Christmas eve, along with the hilarious Old Hollywood spoofs at the Club Igloo near the finale and Como taking Schriber to see Santa Claus.
If you're interested, here's the link for a little bit of retro holiday lunacy:
The Perry Como Winter Show (1973)
Got my schedule when I was there. In good news, I have the next three days off. That does mean I have to work the rest of the week, but only one day (Tuesday) is late. That will give me plenty of time to get Christmas stuff done, including cards and my remaining shopping.
Went straight home after work. Did a Match Game episode while having a quick lunch. Kirstie Alley of Cheers turned up as a rather unamused contestant in three syndicated episodes in 1979...but her first episode was one of the better ones from the syndicated run even before she arrived. Gene got so tired of waiting for a contestant to give an answer, he lay on the floor and pretended to take a nap! Later, Charles hams it up on a question involving his native New York, to the point where Betty White brings him tissues.
Headed out around 2:30. I wanted to get to the library. Newton River Park was surprisingly busy for a semi-cloudy, windy day in early December. It's very close to winter now. The recent gusts have taken the remaining leaves off the trees. The reeds on the river are empty black brush strokes against the glassy green ripples. I darted around kids on their way home from school and Canadian geese looking for a snack.
The Haddon Township Library wasn't too busy, but they did some major rearranging in there. The adult DVD shelves had been moved further back in the main room, and there were fewer new releases shelves. I actually did manage to get most of the titles put away this time.
Took out a pile of movies and cartoons. Grabbed the holiday sets for Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, and The Cat In the Hat Knows a Lot About That. I still haven't seen the recent Christmas comedy Elf in full and wanted to see Men In Black International and X-Men: Dark Phoenix despite them not doing well at the box office this summer.
Made it home by 4:30 and went straight on the computer for some writing. The trolls attack Charles, stealing his lute and easily throwing him aside. First Brett and her ability to manipulate plants, then Patti and her water abilities save him.
Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Had leftovers while watching Elf. Buddy (Will Ferrell) is an very, very tall elf who discovers he's actually a human being who was adopted by Santa's elves. Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) and Santa Claus (Ed Asner) send him to New York City to find his father. Turns out he's the son of Walter Hobbs (James Caan), a children's book executive who's been on the naughty list for years. Buddy is an excited goofball who thinks everyone is always on the nice list. Most New Yorkers would disagree, at least initially...but his kindness rallies others to his side, including a shy worker at a department store (Zoey Deschanel) he has a crush on, his new younger brother Michael (Daniel Tay), and his stepmother Emily (Mary Steenburgen). It may not be enough Christmas spirit to power Santa's sleigh when he crash lands in Central Park, but Buddy eventually teaches everyone - even Walter - that there's a little holiday spirit in everyone at this time of year, even jaded New Yorkers.
This was really cute. No wonder it's become one of the most popular holiday films of the new millennium. Ferrell gave one of his best and most famous performances as the elf-raised man who firmly believes in Christmas, Santa, and everything they stand for...even when everyone around him thinks he's off his nut. Caan's almost as good as his harried father who is more caught up in pleasing his boss than his family, until Buddy shows him what he's missing.
If you're a fan of Ferrell, or are just looking for a fun and different holiday comedy, you'll want to head to Central Park and see the Big Apple through the eyes of Buddy, too.
Finished the night with YouTube. I enjoyed the vintage Christmas specials I dug up last year so much, I went looking for even more. Unearthed The Perry Como Winter Show from 1973. Sally Struthers, Jack Burns, and Avery Schriber joined Como as he took them from sunny California to a wintry landscape and a house ready for the holidays. The group The Establishment provided background voices and joined in the dance routines. I loved all of them turning up in their pajamas for a couple of songs performed on Christmas eve, along with the hilarious Old Hollywood spoofs at the Club Igloo near the finale and Como taking Schriber to see Santa Claus.
If you're interested, here's the link for a little bit of retro holiday lunacy:
The Perry Como Winter Show (1973)
Thursday, December 05, 2019
Sharing the Holidays With Friends
Began a cloudy, blah morning with breakfast, then made my bed and sorted through the junk and mail on top of my printer. As soon as I finished that, I pulled out the Christmas tree. I wanted to get the actual tree up before Amanda arrived. Got the lights and gold tinsel garland on, too, though the lights took me a while. They tend to get tangled in the tree branches when I put them on.
Incidentally, my tree is fake. I had a very large, ancient heater in my living room when I lived in Wildwood in the early 2000's and didn't trust a real tree within a hundred miles of it. My current tree was an early Christmas present from Mom in 2002. Besides, not only could I not afford a new tree every year, but I could never get even a small real tree home on my bike.
Ran documentaries on Christmas history as I worked. Christmas Past discusses the holidays in England, via the stories of people who lived through it, including a genuine Downton Abbey-esque aristocrat, a woman who was evacuated to the country during World War II and her first nice Christmas there, and two Scots who celebrated their first holidays period in the 1950's. Christmas Unwrapped is more-or-less the same deal, with more emphasis on how the holiday began and holiday traditions in the US. TV Guide Looks at Christmas has Lea Thompson going into the history of how Christmas on TV has been represented over the years, from a Howdy Doody special to A Charlie Brown Christmas to Pee Wee Herman's 80's variety show.
Went out to wait for Amanda promptly at 11. She didn't arrive until 11:30. She claimed she ran into traffic and road work on the White Horse Pike. At the very least, that gave me the time to round up my trash can and bring the mail inside.
We had lunch in Collingswood at The Pop Shop. Unlike Jessa last month, Amanda was able to find a parking spot, right down an alley and across the street from their building. Despite it being noon, they were dead when we arrived, with only one other family with two adorable toddlers dining there. Amanda and I both had grilled cheese. She had the Everett with cheddar, portobello mushrooms, spinach, and onions. I had the Bettlewood, dripping with Swiss cheese, grilled chicken, scallions, and garlic mayo. We shared a big basket of tasty dark fries.
Amanda decided that it would be easier for her to pay for lunch, rather than figuring out how to split it. I offered to buy our tea and coffee at Common Grounds Coffee House around the corner from my place. She had a peppermint mocha coffee with a chocolate peanut butter cake pop. I had a chai latte with a red velvet cake pop. We enjoyed our treats in the back corner of the room, chatting in a quiet shop with only the barista and one other woman there.
Went back my apartment after we finished. As soon as we got in, we exchanged gifts. She gave me containers of pump soap, body lotion, bubble bath, as well as sleep socks from Bath and Body Works (where she works on occasional weekends), along with a plastic cane of Hershey's candies and a box of Swiss Miss peppermint hot chocolate. She loved the little Christmas-themed Hello Kitty clip I gave her.
After we put away the gifts, I showed Amanda episodes of Match Game. We kept them on in the background while we decorated the tree. I have so many ornaments, I really can't decorate it alone anymore. I have plain glass balls I bought at Family Dollar and fancy glass ornaments Mom bought from gift shops in Cape May. We hung a Lucy Ricardo ornament Mom gave me, an Older Force Awakens Han Solo I got from a half-price sale at a closing Hallmark, a Disney Cinderella and Yogi I picked up at after-Christmas sales, several resin bears, and all kinds of gingerbread and snow-themed pieces. There were clothespin soldiers Mom made, glittery and translucent icicles I bought from Family Dollar years ago, and dangling beaded ornaments my cousin Samantha put together one year.
We worked so well together, we had the tree fully decorated by 3. Since we had time, we dressed the bears and put them under the tree. Mom started this tradition when Dad gave her a big white teddy bear from K-Mart in 1987. She put him on her hope chest, then added several more stuffed animals and put them in old Christmas baby outfits and scarves and hats. She got tired of doing it by the 21st century and turned the remaining bears and their accessories over to me, and I have my own bears to go with them.
Finished the remaining decorating after Amanda headed out. I have a lot of holiday stuff for such a small place. Loaded Beanie Baby bears onto the DVD shelves, including my green bear angel Gift and white angel Herald. Mom's hand-made stuffed "gingerbread people" were organized around a garland on the TV stand. Holly the porcelain doll and the mini-Nutcracker guard the CDs and records next to the tree. Two cheerful porcelain bears in Santa suits stand watch over the CD player. The collectible Winter Cinderella doll in her gold and white gown went on top of the wardrobes with the other collector's toys. The big resin Santa statue, small porcelain bears, and roly-poly Clement and Rudy musical toys all went on those newly empty shelves in my bedroom. A small tree decorated with tiny (non-working) lights and garland went on the other bookshelf.
Watched Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as I was doing this. Rudy is an adorable baby reindeer with a big problem. His nose glows bright-red, something that's looked down as shameful at the extremely conformist North Pole. Good thing he makes friends with fellow misfit Hermie, an elf who wants to be a dentist, and miner Yukon Cornelius. They finally learn from their encounters with the Island of Misfit Toys and the Bumble Snow Monster that being a little different isn't such a terrible thing...and you never know when a disability might save someone's holiday season.
Did How the Grinch Stole Christmas as I ate a quick leftovers dinner. This is the original version of the tale of the Grinch, a nasty green fellow who lives over the Whos on Mount Crumpet, and the year he decides he's tired of their noise and steals their holiday goodies. Boris Karloff is the Grinch himself here, as well as the narrator. Thurl Ravenscroft of Tony the Tiger fame introduces "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch."
Headed out after dinner. I saw an advertisement for a holiday bazaar on West Clinton on the marquee at City Hall. The "bazaar" was on West Clinton, but it wasn't really much to look at. The block where Common Grounds and a few other restaurants and offices are hosted several tables of hand-made goodies and a cart with edible cookie dough. I saw nothing I absolutely needed and moved on.
I thought Oaklyn's Parade was supposed to be at 6:30. There was no one at City Hall when I arrived. I strolled down to WaWa and bought a Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate, then returned to City Hall...to discover when I looked it up online and checked out the digital sign at the Fire Department that our parade had been moved to 8 PM. Seems Gloucester Township's parade was at 6:30, and the Oaklyn Fire Department was due to be in that, too. I decided that was too late to be out on a cold, windy night and walked home instead.
Made Double Chocolate Chip Cookies from a fudge cookie mix while finishing Rick Steves' European Christmas, which I started during dinner, when I got home. It's a merry little Christmas all all across the continent that gave us some of our most cherished winter traditions. The British make mini-mince pies with their little ones, decorate trees with cookies, and watch the kids at their local school sing carols. The gorgeous Christkind angel welcomes visitors to the marketplace in Munich. Parisians skate on top of the Eiffel Tower and buy gifts at fancy department stores, while rural families in Burgundy enjoy a huge feast. Rural Italians enjoy a living nativity, while Austrians decorate their tree away from children's eyes. Bringing home and decorating the tree is a family affair in snowy Switzerland.
Finished the night after a shower with The Girl of the Golden West. I go further into this western vehicle for Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.
The Girl of the Golden West (1938)
Incidentally, my tree is fake. I had a very large, ancient heater in my living room when I lived in Wildwood in the early 2000's and didn't trust a real tree within a hundred miles of it. My current tree was an early Christmas present from Mom in 2002. Besides, not only could I not afford a new tree every year, but I could never get even a small real tree home on my bike.
Ran documentaries on Christmas history as I worked. Christmas Past discusses the holidays in England, via the stories of people who lived through it, including a genuine Downton Abbey-esque aristocrat, a woman who was evacuated to the country during World War II and her first nice Christmas there, and two Scots who celebrated their first holidays period in the 1950's. Christmas Unwrapped is more-or-less the same deal, with more emphasis on how the holiday began and holiday traditions in the US. TV Guide Looks at Christmas has Lea Thompson going into the history of how Christmas on TV has been represented over the years, from a Howdy Doody special to A Charlie Brown Christmas to Pee Wee Herman's 80's variety show.
Went out to wait for Amanda promptly at 11. She didn't arrive until 11:30. She claimed she ran into traffic and road work on the White Horse Pike. At the very least, that gave me the time to round up my trash can and bring the mail inside.
We had lunch in Collingswood at The Pop Shop. Unlike Jessa last month, Amanda was able to find a parking spot, right down an alley and across the street from their building. Despite it being noon, they were dead when we arrived, with only one other family with two adorable toddlers dining there. Amanda and I both had grilled cheese. She had the Everett with cheddar, portobello mushrooms, spinach, and onions. I had the Bettlewood, dripping with Swiss cheese, grilled chicken, scallions, and garlic mayo. We shared a big basket of tasty dark fries.
Amanda decided that it would be easier for her to pay for lunch, rather than figuring out how to split it. I offered to buy our tea and coffee at Common Grounds Coffee House around the corner from my place. She had a peppermint mocha coffee with a chocolate peanut butter cake pop. I had a chai latte with a red velvet cake pop. We enjoyed our treats in the back corner of the room, chatting in a quiet shop with only the barista and one other woman there.
Went back my apartment after we finished. As soon as we got in, we exchanged gifts. She gave me containers of pump soap, body lotion, bubble bath, as well as sleep socks from Bath and Body Works (where she works on occasional weekends), along with a plastic cane of Hershey's candies and a box of Swiss Miss peppermint hot chocolate. She loved the little Christmas-themed Hello Kitty clip I gave her.
After we put away the gifts, I showed Amanda episodes of Match Game. We kept them on in the background while we decorated the tree. I have so many ornaments, I really can't decorate it alone anymore. I have plain glass balls I bought at Family Dollar and fancy glass ornaments Mom bought from gift shops in Cape May. We hung a Lucy Ricardo ornament Mom gave me, an Older Force Awakens Han Solo I got from a half-price sale at a closing Hallmark, a Disney Cinderella and Yogi I picked up at after-Christmas sales, several resin bears, and all kinds of gingerbread and snow-themed pieces. There were clothespin soldiers Mom made, glittery and translucent icicles I bought from Family Dollar years ago, and dangling beaded ornaments my cousin Samantha put together one year.
We worked so well together, we had the tree fully decorated by 3. Since we had time, we dressed the bears and put them under the tree. Mom started this tradition when Dad gave her a big white teddy bear from K-Mart in 1987. She put him on her hope chest, then added several more stuffed animals and put them in old Christmas baby outfits and scarves and hats. She got tired of doing it by the 21st century and turned the remaining bears and their accessories over to me, and I have my own bears to go with them.
Finished the remaining decorating after Amanda headed out. I have a lot of holiday stuff for such a small place. Loaded Beanie Baby bears onto the DVD shelves, including my green bear angel Gift and white angel Herald. Mom's hand-made stuffed "gingerbread people" were organized around a garland on the TV stand. Holly the porcelain doll and the mini-Nutcracker guard the CDs and records next to the tree. Two cheerful porcelain bears in Santa suits stand watch over the CD player. The collectible Winter Cinderella doll in her gold and white gown went on top of the wardrobes with the other collector's toys. The big resin Santa statue, small porcelain bears, and roly-poly Clement and Rudy musical toys all went on those newly empty shelves in my bedroom. A small tree decorated with tiny (non-working) lights and garland went on the other bookshelf.
Watched Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as I was doing this. Rudy is an adorable baby reindeer with a big problem. His nose glows bright-red, something that's looked down as shameful at the extremely conformist North Pole. Good thing he makes friends with fellow misfit Hermie, an elf who wants to be a dentist, and miner Yukon Cornelius. They finally learn from their encounters with the Island of Misfit Toys and the Bumble Snow Monster that being a little different isn't such a terrible thing...and you never know when a disability might save someone's holiday season.
Did How the Grinch Stole Christmas as I ate a quick leftovers dinner. This is the original version of the tale of the Grinch, a nasty green fellow who lives over the Whos on Mount Crumpet, and the year he decides he's tired of their noise and steals their holiday goodies. Boris Karloff is the Grinch himself here, as well as the narrator. Thurl Ravenscroft of Tony the Tiger fame introduces "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch."
Headed out after dinner. I saw an advertisement for a holiday bazaar on West Clinton on the marquee at City Hall. The "bazaar" was on West Clinton, but it wasn't really much to look at. The block where Common Grounds and a few other restaurants and offices are hosted several tables of hand-made goodies and a cart with edible cookie dough. I saw nothing I absolutely needed and moved on.
I thought Oaklyn's Parade was supposed to be at 6:30. There was no one at City Hall when I arrived. I strolled down to WaWa and bought a Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate, then returned to City Hall...to discover when I looked it up online and checked out the digital sign at the Fire Department that our parade had been moved to 8 PM. Seems Gloucester Township's parade was at 6:30, and the Oaklyn Fire Department was due to be in that, too. I decided that was too late to be out on a cold, windy night and walked home instead.
Made Double Chocolate Chip Cookies from a fudge cookie mix while finishing Rick Steves' European Christmas, which I started during dinner, when I got home. It's a merry little Christmas all all across the continent that gave us some of our most cherished winter traditions. The British make mini-mince pies with their little ones, decorate trees with cookies, and watch the kids at their local school sing carols. The gorgeous Christkind angel welcomes visitors to the marketplace in Munich. Parisians skate on top of the Eiffel Tower and buy gifts at fancy department stores, while rural families in Burgundy enjoy a huge feast. Rural Italians enjoy a living nativity, while Austrians decorate their tree away from children's eyes. Bringing home and decorating the tree is a family affair in snowy Switzerland.
Finished the night after a shower with The Girl of the Golden West. I go further into this western vehicle for Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.
The Girl of the Golden West (1938)
Wednesday, December 04, 2019
A Christmas Decorating Story
Kicked off the morning with breakfast and Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales. This series of skits from the early 2000's may have been created to fill an hour with Charlie Brown Christmas, but it has some entertaining material in its own right. Favorite shorts include Sally writing "Samantha Claus" and her unusual way of getting a tree and Snoopy playing "Lady of Spain" on an accordion during his sidewalk Santa stint.
Work was even quieter than it was yesterday. Though it was cloudy and chilly, that's as far as it got. I spent the morning gathering carts and rounding up the outside recycling, and the afternoon sweeping the store and organizing gift cards. Other than getting called to do a few things when I was trying to do something else, there were no problems whatsoever.
Went straight home when I finished. Spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening dusting the apartment. Twice a year, right before Christmas and in the late spring, I move everything I can and dust under it. Considering how much stuff I have, it takes a while! It helped that I dusted the book shelf I got from Rose when Craig and Keefe brought it and under the self-help books on top of the desk before I put them back.
Ran The Bells of St. Mary's while I worked. Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby) has been reassigned to St. Mary's Parochial School, a run-down parish in the middle of a city that's on the verge of being condemned. He's supposed to decide whether the school should be closed, but the sisters who live there believe that grouchy old Mr. Bogardus (Henry Travers), who owns the fancy new office building next door, will give them their building. O'Malley and head nun Sister Mary Benedict (Ingrid Bergman) clash over everything from whether two boys should fight to allowing an eighth-grade girl who boards with them to graduate, but they do see eye to eye on the importance of St. Mary's to the community. When Sister Mary gets very sick, it's Father O'Malley who sees that she's transferred for her health. She thinks it's because of all their arguments, but O'Malley respects and appreciates her more than she'll ever know.
I like this a lot more than the too-sweet Going My Way. Ingrid Bergman's tough performance helps cut the sugar levels, the story is a tad less melodramatic, and the secondary romance isn't focused on as heavily. There's also the utterly adorable sequence with the parish 1st-graders rehearsing their Christmas play. It has nothing to do with the rest of the story, but it's still too cute for words. Way may have won the Oscar, but this is the one you really need to check out.
Did a little bit of writing when I finally finished the dusting. The trolls are ugly creatures who do their best to reduce the marketplace to splinters when they arrive. Patti runs off, and Bill's ready to, but the others stop him. They're going to try to fight the creatures off. Charles, however, is terrified of trolls...and may be too scared to help...
Moved on to A Christmas Story while eating dinner, and then while pulling out the first holiday decorations of the year. Yeah, I know it runs for 24 hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but I love it so much, I try to watch it at least once before then. All 9-year-old Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsly) wants for Christmas 1939 is a "Red Ryder BB Gun with a compass and a stock and this thing that tells time." His mother (Melinda Dillon) thinks it's a bad idea, and his father (Darren McGavin) is too busy yelling at the furnace and the neighbors' dogs to notice much else. Ralphie himself may not survive childhood pitfalls like bullies and essays long enough to make it to Christmas Day...and even then, the present of his dreams doesn't turn out quite as he expected.
I may have grown up in the 1980's rather than the late 30's, but there's still a lot here that I relate to. My stepfather was a Ford man and also treated breakdowns like races, my sisters hid under the sink when they were upset and were picky eaters, Dad used to negotiate for our Christmas tree too, and I had my own problems with bullies and cartoons that were barely-disguised commercials for toys. (One thing I can't relate to is that Major Award. Mom would have taken one look at that leg lamp and said "no." Or at least banished it to a back room or something.) This is one of the best holiday comedies of the last 40 years. If you can relate too, check it out - whether you opt to wait for the marathon or not.
Finished up with the rest of the Christmas decorations. I always pull out the miscellaneous stuff first - the poinsettia place mats, crocheted coasters, mistletoe, nativity, mini-feather tree and its decorations, and garlands. I wasn't able to put up the big garland on the dining area windows this year. I don't want to tack it on the new walls. I was able to put up the garland over the park-side window normally and drape the other garlands over furniture. Everything else is in its regular place. Tomorrow, my college friend Amanda will visit; we'll have lunch together and and put up the tree.
(Oh, and it did finally rain - while I was working on writing, well after I got home.)
Work was even quieter than it was yesterday. Though it was cloudy and chilly, that's as far as it got. I spent the morning gathering carts and rounding up the outside recycling, and the afternoon sweeping the store and organizing gift cards. Other than getting called to do a few things when I was trying to do something else, there were no problems whatsoever.
Went straight home when I finished. Spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening dusting the apartment. Twice a year, right before Christmas and in the late spring, I move everything I can and dust under it. Considering how much stuff I have, it takes a while! It helped that I dusted the book shelf I got from Rose when Craig and Keefe brought it and under the self-help books on top of the desk before I put them back.
Ran The Bells of St. Mary's while I worked. Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby) has been reassigned to St. Mary's Parochial School, a run-down parish in the middle of a city that's on the verge of being condemned. He's supposed to decide whether the school should be closed, but the sisters who live there believe that grouchy old Mr. Bogardus (Henry Travers), who owns the fancy new office building next door, will give them their building. O'Malley and head nun Sister Mary Benedict (Ingrid Bergman) clash over everything from whether two boys should fight to allowing an eighth-grade girl who boards with them to graduate, but they do see eye to eye on the importance of St. Mary's to the community. When Sister Mary gets very sick, it's Father O'Malley who sees that she's transferred for her health. She thinks it's because of all their arguments, but O'Malley respects and appreciates her more than she'll ever know.
I like this a lot more than the too-sweet Going My Way. Ingrid Bergman's tough performance helps cut the sugar levels, the story is a tad less melodramatic, and the secondary romance isn't focused on as heavily. There's also the utterly adorable sequence with the parish 1st-graders rehearsing their Christmas play. It has nothing to do with the rest of the story, but it's still too cute for words. Way may have won the Oscar, but this is the one you really need to check out.
Did a little bit of writing when I finally finished the dusting. The trolls are ugly creatures who do their best to reduce the marketplace to splinters when they arrive. Patti runs off, and Bill's ready to, but the others stop him. They're going to try to fight the creatures off. Charles, however, is terrified of trolls...and may be too scared to help...
Moved on to A Christmas Story while eating dinner, and then while pulling out the first holiday decorations of the year. Yeah, I know it runs for 24 hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but I love it so much, I try to watch it at least once before then. All 9-year-old Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsly) wants for Christmas 1939 is a "Red Ryder BB Gun with a compass and a stock and this thing that tells time." His mother (Melinda Dillon) thinks it's a bad idea, and his father (Darren McGavin) is too busy yelling at the furnace and the neighbors' dogs to notice much else. Ralphie himself may not survive childhood pitfalls like bullies and essays long enough to make it to Christmas Day...and even then, the present of his dreams doesn't turn out quite as he expected.
I may have grown up in the 1980's rather than the late 30's, but there's still a lot here that I relate to. My stepfather was a Ford man and also treated breakdowns like races, my sisters hid under the sink when they were upset and were picky eaters, Dad used to negotiate for our Christmas tree too, and I had my own problems with bullies and cartoons that were barely-disguised commercials for toys. (One thing I can't relate to is that Major Award. Mom would have taken one look at that leg lamp and said "no." Or at least banished it to a back room or something.) This is one of the best holiday comedies of the last 40 years. If you can relate too, check it out - whether you opt to wait for the marathon or not.
Finished up with the rest of the Christmas decorations. I always pull out the miscellaneous stuff first - the poinsettia place mats, crocheted coasters, mistletoe, nativity, mini-feather tree and its decorations, and garlands. I wasn't able to put up the big garland on the dining area windows this year. I don't want to tack it on the new walls. I was able to put up the garland over the park-side window normally and drape the other garlands over furniture. Everything else is in its regular place. Tomorrow, my college friend Amanda will visit; we'll have lunch together and and put up the tree.
(Oh, and it did finally rain - while I was working on writing, well after I got home.)
Tuesday, December 03, 2019
Once Upon a Christmastime
After the rain we've had the last two days, I was so happy to awaken to sunny skies! I celebrated the lovely day with breakfast, then took advantage of the nice weather to get more cleaning done. Put out my rag rug and the rug at the front door on the porch to be aired, then did the vacuuming. . I do heavy cleaning two times of the year, in late April and May before Lauren visits, and in late November-early December before Amanda visits and I start decorating for Christmas. Went under all the furniture I could move, around all the baseboards and behind everything against a wall.
Ran the 1986 TV version of Babes In Toyland while I worked. I went further into this campy version of the famous fantasy musical at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog last December.
Babes In Toyland (1986)
Switched to another lesser-known TV special as I washed the windows. Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus is the 1975 retelling of the real-life story of Virginia O'Hanlon, who wrote a letter to the New York Sun in the late 1800's asking them about the existence of Santa Claus. The touching answer by the Sun's editorial editor Francis Church was reprinted in the Sun until it closed in the 1950's and has turned up online and in holiday anthology books ever since. This special was done by a lot of the same folks who did the Peanuts cartoons, and it shows, from the sketchy animation to the familiar voice actors.
Headed out to work shortly after the cartoon ended. Work was dead the entire afternoon. It got mildly steady later in the day, but that was it. I spent the day alternating between rounding up carts and sweeping the store; also rounded up recycling and went through the huge boxes of cards in the gift card kiosk. It was too nice of a day for anyone to be in a store. Winds continued to rage, but they did so under a bright sun and sharp blue sky.
Had leftovers for dinner when I got home while watching a few Disney holiday shorts from my A Walt Disney Christmas collection I dubbed off video. "Once Upon a Wintertime" is a Currier and Ives lithograph come to life as a group of forest creatures help two lovers who run into trouble while skating. "Santa's Workshop" and "The Night Before Christmas" are Silly Symphonies about Santa's Christmas Eve at the North Pole, and what happens after he delivers the gifts. The Disney gang is "On Ice" as Mickey shows off for Minnie, Goofy attempts ice fishing, and Donald teases Pluto. Don doesn't have much more luck with his nephews in their snow war in "Donald's Snow Fight."
Worked on writing for a while after I ate. Patti's the first one to see a massive cloud of dragons and leathery demons flying over Hans-By-the-Sea. Bill's sure they want him, but Brett suspects they're after her and Patti. Now they really have to get out, before they all become dragon food!
Broke for a shower around 7:30. Finished the night with Slightly French. I go further into this 1949 musical with Dorothy Lamour and Don Ameche at Musical Dreams Movie Reviews.
Slightly French
Ran the 1986 TV version of Babes In Toyland while I worked. I went further into this campy version of the famous fantasy musical at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog last December.
Babes In Toyland (1986)
Switched to another lesser-known TV special as I washed the windows. Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus is the 1975 retelling of the real-life story of Virginia O'Hanlon, who wrote a letter to the New York Sun in the late 1800's asking them about the existence of Santa Claus. The touching answer by the Sun's editorial editor Francis Church was reprinted in the Sun until it closed in the 1950's and has turned up online and in holiday anthology books ever since. This special was done by a lot of the same folks who did the Peanuts cartoons, and it shows, from the sketchy animation to the familiar voice actors.
Headed out to work shortly after the cartoon ended. Work was dead the entire afternoon. It got mildly steady later in the day, but that was it. I spent the day alternating between rounding up carts and sweeping the store; also rounded up recycling and went through the huge boxes of cards in the gift card kiosk. It was too nice of a day for anyone to be in a store. Winds continued to rage, but they did so under a bright sun and sharp blue sky.
Had leftovers for dinner when I got home while watching a few Disney holiday shorts from my A Walt Disney Christmas collection I dubbed off video. "Once Upon a Wintertime" is a Currier and Ives lithograph come to life as a group of forest creatures help two lovers who run into trouble while skating. "Santa's Workshop" and "The Night Before Christmas" are Silly Symphonies about Santa's Christmas Eve at the North Pole, and what happens after he delivers the gifts. The Disney gang is "On Ice" as Mickey shows off for Minnie, Goofy attempts ice fishing, and Donald teases Pluto. Don doesn't have much more luck with his nephews in their snow war in "Donald's Snow Fight."
Worked on writing for a while after I ate. Patti's the first one to see a massive cloud of dragons and leathery demons flying over Hans-By-the-Sea. Bill's sure they want him, but Brett suspects they're after her and Patti. Now they really have to get out, before they all become dragon food!
Broke for a shower around 7:30. Finished the night with Slightly French. I go further into this 1949 musical with Dorothy Lamour and Don Ameche at Musical Dreams Movie Reviews.
Slightly French
Monday, December 02, 2019
Welcome to the Holidays, Charlie Brown
It was still raining when I got up this morning, but there was no snow mixed in. It was just wet. I had breakfast while kicking off my holiday season with A Charlie Brown Christmas. The Peanuts gang is gearing up for the holidays, but Chuck isn't feeling in the spirit of the season. Lucy invites him to direct their Christmas pageant. Chuck buys a little tree to set the mood and keep the other kids from turning it into a jazz concert, to the annoyance of the girls who wanted one of the pink aluminum monstrosities that were in style in the 60's. It takes a famous religious speech from Linus to remind all of the kids of what Christmas is really about.
Moved on to It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown and cleaning the bathroom after I finished eating. This later special from the early 90's is a series of skits about the Peanuts' holiday activities. Charlie Brown sells wreaths door-to-door to make money for a gift for the Little Red Haired Girl, Snoopy dresses as a sidewalk Santa, Peppermint Patty avoids homework, and Sally struggles to memorize her one line for the school play.
Ran Garfield's Christmas Special as I cleaned up from my pumpkin pancakes breakfast. Garfield's not happy about going to visit Jon's parents on their farm at first, until he meets Jon's sarcastic and rock-loving grandma. Grandma's feeling alone and missing her late husband, but Garfield runs into a special gift in the barn that makes her Christmas a little merrier.
Finished the kitchen while watching Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. This Rankin-Bass special gives us their version of the origins of Kris Kringle (Mickey Rooney), a young man raised by toy-making elves. He says he'll deliver their wares in Sombertown, but the Burgomeister Meister Burger (Paul Frees) just banned toys and playing, and the Winter Warlock (Keenan Wynn) may not let him over the mountain to bring them. Even when Kris manages to befriend the Warlock, he still has to figure out how to get around the Burgomeister's strict rules.
Headed out to work shortly after the cartoon ended. Thankfully, by the time I left, the rain was gone. We never got snow, or even sleet. It wasn't that busy, but I kept getting run ragged anyway. The head bagger went home sick earlier in the day. I didn't have any help until 3 and had to run between gathering carts, sweeping the store, and trying to put away all the cold returns. After the other bagger arrived, I focused on shelving items.
I needed money for the week, so I bought Amanda a Christmas gift on the way out. It was showering when I left, but not heavily. My coat was a little wet when I got in.
Spent the rest of the evening writing. Patti's remaining vision shows them how her legs separated and she managed to paddle her way to the surface. Donald doesn't care if she used to be part-antelope. He still likes her, and she's still crazy about him. Gene reminds them that they now have two Legendary Princesses and a third has been taken to safety...but they still need to find the remaining three...
Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had leftovers, then made Pineapple-Pumpkin Muffins while watching the first episode of Downton Abbey. I heard so much about this show, but haven't gotten around to watching it until Mom loaned me her complete series. We begin at a huge British manor in 1912. The Titanic just sank, taking Robert Crawley's (Hugh Bonneville) cousin and heir and his son with it. The only male left in the family who can inherit the earldom is Matthew Crawley (Dan Steves), a distant cousin who, to the horror of the rest of the aristocratic Crowley family, a normal middle-class lawyer. Mary (Michelle Dockery), the eldest daughter, thinks she's going to wed a handsome Duke (Charlie Cox), but it's not her she's interested in.
Finished the night with the second episode. Matthew Crawley arrives at Crawley House with his mother Isobel (Penelope Wilton) in tow. Isobel, a former nurse in the Second Boer War, volunteers at a local hospital, where she encourages the local doctor to try a controversial treatment on a local farmer with fluid in his heart. Mary and Robert's mother the Dowager Duchess Violet (Maggie Smith) object to these newcomers, especially after Violet finds out what's going on at the hospital. Downstairs, Carson (Jim Carter) is worried when he's blackmailed by his former music hall partner, but Lord Crawley knows how to deal with it.
Moved on to It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown and cleaning the bathroom after I finished eating. This later special from the early 90's is a series of skits about the Peanuts' holiday activities. Charlie Brown sells wreaths door-to-door to make money for a gift for the Little Red Haired Girl, Snoopy dresses as a sidewalk Santa, Peppermint Patty avoids homework, and Sally struggles to memorize her one line for the school play.
Ran Garfield's Christmas Special as I cleaned up from my pumpkin pancakes breakfast. Garfield's not happy about going to visit Jon's parents on their farm at first, until he meets Jon's sarcastic and rock-loving grandma. Grandma's feeling alone and missing her late husband, but Garfield runs into a special gift in the barn that makes her Christmas a little merrier.
Finished the kitchen while watching Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. This Rankin-Bass special gives us their version of the origins of Kris Kringle (Mickey Rooney), a young man raised by toy-making elves. He says he'll deliver their wares in Sombertown, but the Burgomeister Meister Burger (Paul Frees) just banned toys and playing, and the Winter Warlock (Keenan Wynn) may not let him over the mountain to bring them. Even when Kris manages to befriend the Warlock, he still has to figure out how to get around the Burgomeister's strict rules.
Headed out to work shortly after the cartoon ended. Thankfully, by the time I left, the rain was gone. We never got snow, or even sleet. It wasn't that busy, but I kept getting run ragged anyway. The head bagger went home sick earlier in the day. I didn't have any help until 3 and had to run between gathering carts, sweeping the store, and trying to put away all the cold returns. After the other bagger arrived, I focused on shelving items.
I needed money for the week, so I bought Amanda a Christmas gift on the way out. It was showering when I left, but not heavily. My coat was a little wet when I got in.
Spent the rest of the evening writing. Patti's remaining vision shows them how her legs separated and she managed to paddle her way to the surface. Donald doesn't care if she used to be part-antelope. He still likes her, and she's still crazy about him. Gene reminds them that they now have two Legendary Princesses and a third has been taken to safety...but they still need to find the remaining three...
Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had leftovers, then made Pineapple-Pumpkin Muffins while watching the first episode of Downton Abbey. I heard so much about this show, but haven't gotten around to watching it until Mom loaned me her complete series. We begin at a huge British manor in 1912. The Titanic just sank, taking Robert Crawley's (Hugh Bonneville) cousin and heir and his son with it. The only male left in the family who can inherit the earldom is Matthew Crawley (Dan Steves), a distant cousin who, to the horror of the rest of the aristocratic Crowley family, a normal middle-class lawyer. Mary (Michelle Dockery), the eldest daughter, thinks she's going to wed a handsome Duke (Charlie Cox), but it's not her she's interested in.
Finished the night with the second episode. Matthew Crawley arrives at Crawley House with his mother Isobel (Penelope Wilton) in tow. Isobel, a former nurse in the Second Boer War, volunteers at a local hospital, where she encourages the local doctor to try a controversial treatment on a local farmer with fluid in his heart. Mary and Robert's mother the Dowager Duchess Violet (Maggie Smith) object to these newcomers, especially after Violet finds out what's going on at the hospital. Downstairs, Carson (Jim Carter) is worried when he's blackmailed by his former music hall partner, but Lord Crawley knows how to deal with it.
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