Quiet Summer

Got a quick start this morning with breakfast and Bluey. Bandit needs a "Taxi" on a rainy afternoon, but with Bluey driving, Chili as the GPS system, and Bingo as a demanding passenger, it may be a while before he gets to the airport. Bluey discovers the solo delights of "The Beach" when she follows her mother for a walk and explores on her own.

It was so late, I called Uber. That might not have been a bad idea. The driver going there and home both took six minutes. No trouble getting there or back. I got to work just in time.

I could have been infinitely late. We were quiet the entire morning. Not only was there not much to do, but one of the college boys arrived around 11:30 to help me with the carts and took over sweeping for the last hour. The weather was gorgeous too, off-and-only cloudy and relatively cool for July, with an absolutely delicious wind. There was no trouble whatsoever, and I was in and out quickly.

Changed when I got home, then made buckwheat pancakes with cherries for lunch while watching He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Skeletor steals eggs from a mother dragon and accelerates their growth to create "The Dragon Invasion." He thinks this will distract He-Man while he and his minions invade Castle Greyskull and he uses the Dragon Pearl to imprison the Sorceress, but He-Man finds a way to get past Beast Man and gain the dragons' trust.

Listened to the Top TV Hits CD set I found at Abbie Road on vacation while reading the cozy mystery Midnight Snacks are Murder. This is an Entertainment Weekly release from 1995, when every company existing (no matter what else they normally did) released some kind of CD collection. As you can guess from the title, this is a two-disc collection of beloved theme songs from TV shows. Most of them are still recognizable today, like "Hey Hey, We're the Monkees," the "nananana" theme from the 60's Batman, the smash instrumental themes to Mission: Impossible and Hawaii 5-0, another hit from a superhero show "The Greatest American Hero," and Will Smith telling the hip-hop tale of "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air." 

Others are less well-remembered now. Andy Griffith whistled "The Fishin' Hole" from his own long-running Andy Griffith Show. The instrumental themes from Barney Miller, S.W.A.T, and Hill Street Blues are funky jazz and disco riffs that were hits at a time when vocal music was increasingly dominating the airwaves. "Welcome Back" from Welcome Back Kotter, "Without Us" from Family Ties, and "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" from Cheers are charming soft rock numbers from beloved sitcoms. (I would have preferred the original "Love Boat Theme" to the updated disco version they have here, though.) 

Two of the best songs came from shows that are practically unknown now. Square Pegs is now considered a cult classic teen comedy-drama, but barely lasted a season in 1983. It's certainly not the fault of its very modern New Wave Waitresses title song. The Heights, a drama about a wanna-be rock band, was a flop in 1992...but its theme song "How Do You Talk To an Angel" went to number one and still can be heard on classic rock stations to this day. 

After the CDs ended, I took a much-needed nap. I've been up too late and getting up earlier, and it's taking its toll on me. I was so tired, I went down at 3:30 and didn't get up until almost 6 PM.

Went straight into dinner and Match Game '76 after I rolled out of bed. The first two episodes finished out the week with Isobel Sanford and Marvin Hamlisch. Having created a song for the contestant with Charles earlier in the week, the duo went on to create one for Brett in the last episode. Brett couldn't resist tossing in her foghorn contralto. Elaine Joyce and Jimmie Walker were on the next week, along with lots of Jimmie's signature catchphrase "Dyn-o-mite!"

Finished the night at YouTube with the last three episodes of Daredevils of the Red Circle. I really give Republic credit here. While this lacks the familiar characters of something like Captain Marvel or Spy Smasher, it also has some of the best stunts of any serial, and one of the more creative plots. I also love who the Red Circle turned out to be. Animal fans will enjoy seeing that the Daredevils' collie Tuffie is just as heroic as his masters and is as much a part of the gang as the guys. I wish the same could be said for the black valet Snowflake, who is annoying comic relief at best, a dated stereotype at worst. Thankfully, he's not really on all that much. 

While it seems this is available on Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber, the entire 12-chapter serial can be easily found for free on YouTube. It's well worth your time if you love vintage serials or classic action. 

I've Still Got My Health

Got a quick start this morning with breakfast and Paw Patrol. "Rescue Knights: Pups Save a Tournament" from Claw's attempts to cheat when he competes against Sweetie and a "mystery knight." "Rescue Knights: Pups Save the Baby Dragons" from Claw and the Duke of Flappington attempting to kidnap them. The Pups have to rescue the little ones before their mother gets there and wrecks even more havoc.

After the cartoon ended, I called Uber. Not only was it getting late, but I didn't like the look of the weather. It was cloudy, cool, hazy, and heavily humid. No trouble getting there or home. The one going there came in 8 minutes. The one going home came in 5. 

Got to Riverwalk Dental at the Westmont Plaza with five minutes to spare. Thank heavens after I got that tooth pulled in late April, there was no trouble here. It was just a routine cleaning. I was in and out within a half-hour, and I won't be going back until early November. 

Went next-door to Target after my teeth were squeaky clean. I was hoping to find more heel gel inserts or dividers for my record collection, so I know which letter in which crate and genre, but...nope. I did pick up nectarines, cheaper anti-bacterial wipes than I've seen elsewhere, and more of those Nature's Valley wafer bars for a decent price.

Since it still wasn't raining, I walked down the hill, past the Haddon Township Library, and down to the Westmont for lunch. Tried their garden omelet, along with more of those cheesy grits and soft mulit-grain toast. The grits weren't bad, but the omelet was watery and tasteless without the vegetables. Having enjoyed their chocolate cake a while back, I gave their carrot cake a shot. (Good thing I did. The waitress said they were already out of the chocolate cake, and I was there around 1:30.) Yum! Huge (seven layers!), thick and so moist, filled with raisins and lots of cream cheese frosting. 

After I got home, I was so tired, I just spent the next few hours listening to music. Beaches, with Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey as close but unlikely best friends, was a huge hit melodrama in 1988. I remember how big it was during my late childhood. The inspirational ballad "The Wind Beneath My Wings" was everywhere on the radio all through the late 80's and early 90's. Though "Wind Beneath My Wings" is pretty, I prefer some of the more upbeat numbers. Midler has a lot of fun with "I've Still Got My Health" from the Cole Porter show Panama Hattie and two hilarious chorus number spoofs Midler wrote herself, "Otto Titsling" and "Oh Industry!" She also does well by Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," but the duet "I Know You By Heart" is so 80's it hurts. (Oh, and there was a stage musical version on Broadway earlier this spring, but it was said to be terrible and didn't last a month.)

Cole Porter Vol. III is one of the later releases in Ben Bagley's long-running Revisited series of little-known numbers by beloved songwriters. There's some really hilarious performances here. Elaine Stritch gets to tear into "Find Me a Primitive Man" and "When Love Beckoned." Lynn Redgrave does surprisingly well by "I Want to Be Raided By You" and a medley of marriage-themed songs from Let's Face It and the original Gay Divorce. Dolores Gray gets the ballads "You're Too Far Away" and "Who Would Have Dreamed," while I can't help but wonder if Bagley was right and sweet Georgia Engel didn't quite understand what was going on with "I Like Pretty Things."

Little Me is an even goofier satire. Hollywood star Belle Potrine (Nancy Andrews) recalls how, in her younger years (Virginia Martin), went from Belle Schlumpfert from the wrong side of the tracks who was determined to win wealthy Noble Eggleston (Sid Caesar) to a performer who had everything but her true love. Caesar played almost every man she pursued or married, from the aptly-named wealthy young man she adored to the miser whom she begged to save her family's home to a Maurice Chevalier-esque entertainer and a doomed flyer on his way to World War I. Wild though the satire is, the Cy Coleman-Carolyn Leigh score actually produced two standards. Caesar got to introduce the charming "Real Live Girl," while Sven Swenson, as a gambler who also loved Belle, pointed out "I've Got Your Number." Most of the other songs don't get close to those two, though Martin's "Poor Little Hollywood Star" and her "I want" song "The Other Side of the Tracks" are fun. 

(A revival with Victor Garber and James Coco in 1983 barely lasted a month and wasn't recorded. The second one from 1998 with Martin Short taking all the Caesar roles and Faith Prince as Belle didn't do much better run-wise, but both stars were said to have been excellent in the leads. Bruce Forsyth was an even bigger hit as Belle's lovers on the West End.)

Switched to Match Game '76 while making a quick dinner. The first hour finished out the week with Jody Donovan, including Dick Martin getting his first right answer. The first full week of 1976 brought in Isobel Sandford at the start of The Jeffersons' long run and songwriter Martin Hamlisch, just as A Chorus Line was starting its own long run on Broadway. Hamlisch brought along a small toy piano and spent the week creating songs on it, including one he called "Fog Cloud" after a nervous contestant's answer to the Head-to-Head Fog __.

Finished the night at PBS Kids with more Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Margaret and Jodie's little twin brothers are upset when their dads go to the Clock Factory while they take lessons from Music Man Stan. Stan, Daniel, and Jodie remind them that "Grown Ups Come Back to the Music Shop," especially to join a dance party! Katarina enjoys playing with O and eating X's soup, but she misses Henrietta when she goes out for the evening. The two owls do their best to cheer her up and remind her that "Katarina's Mommy Comes Back Home." 

Oh, and the storms didn't finally arrive until around 8 PM. They were coming down pretty good for a while, but they seem to be gone for the moment. 

Going Global Games

Began the morning with breakfast and Monchhihis. This is another Hanna-Barbara cartoon I watched as a kid, mostly during its later run on the USA Cartoon Express. I have no idea how they turned Japanese monkey dolls into little monkey-like creatures who live in trees and need Tickle Crystals to run their Happy Works, which makes them happy. The first episode, "Tickle Pickle," seems more like the half-hour specials for characters like Strawberry Shortcake. After the grump gray monkey-monsters the Grumplins attack their treetop kingdom and shatter the tickle crystals, five of the young Monchhihis take it on themselves to find more before the Grumplins do.

Headed out on the bike after the show ended. Ran some brief errands on the White Horse Pike first. My nephew Skylar's 22nd birthday is Friday. I picked up a card for him and a Propel at Dollar General. Neither they nor Family Dollar had much in the way of foot or heel aids. After the fuss in Dollar General the last time I went in there, at least a lady was nice enough to let me go on ahead.

There was no more putting it off. I rode up to Cooper Urgent Care in Audubon to finally get my heel looked at. I've had a bump on my right heel for weeks that's been fairly painful. I was hoping it would go away, but...it hasn't. Thankfully, unlike when I went there in early March, they only had three other people in the waiting area. After signing in and telling them about my heel, they brought me in within five minutes. 

After they took my blood pressure, I watched Lilo & Stich: The Series (a clumsy alien Lilo dubs "Whoops" wrecks havoc on Pleakley's Domino Rally game) and Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (Ladybug deals with her friend Kagumi's frustrations over her mother being strict with her and a pair of mud-flinging villains called "The Dirtifyers") on The Disney Channel before the doctor came in. I explained my problem. My heel has had that lump for weeks, and it gets worse when I use it for a long time or push it hard.

After she felt around my foot, a sweet young woman took me to the x-ray room. I sat on a table so they could take shots of my heel. Returned to the room and to watching Ladybug and her buddies until the doctor returned. Verdict - heel spur and Achilles tendinitis. I'm to get antibiotics, continue to wear the heel lifts in my shoes, and go to Cooper Bone and Joint next week for a follow-up appointment.

After I got out, I went next-door to WaWa. I had considered eating out, but I didn't like the look of the weather. It was sunny when I started, but by quarter of 2, clouds were gathering, and it was humid and much hazier. It's a good thing I did settle for buying a roast beef and provolone wrap, a bag of PopCorners (popped corn chips that taste like a cross between rice cakes and tortilla chips), and a matcha pineapple smoothie. It started showering lightly almost the moment I stepped out of WaWa. I was just heading down East Clinton when I arrived and the showers got heavier.

(Thankfully, they didn't last long after that. There would be some pretty noisy storms later around dinnertime, but they seem to have subsided for the moment.)

Watched rain-themed cartoon episodes during lunch. Minnie and Daisy are dismayed that there's no rain for their flowers in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Professor Ludvig Von Drake gives them the formulas to make clouds the right shape for their gardens that would rain on them, so they can have their flower show. Mickey, Pluto, and Goofy end up saving them when the Glove Balloon gets stranded on a cloud and they need help to create "Minnie and Daisy's Flower Shower."

Switched to PBS Kids for Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Katarina and O and their parents and uncle sleep over the Tiger Family's house when they're evacuated due to "A Storm In the Neighborhood." The loud rain and thunder scares the kids, but their parents assure them that they have a plan to keep them safe. "After the Neighborhood Storm" everyone pitches in to clean up, including the firefighters who help remove a tree from in front of the Clock Factory.

Listened to records while doing the laundry and resting my foot. The Broadway revival of The Boy Friend from 1970 was supposed to be headlined by Judy Carne of Laugh-In as sweet Polly Browne. Sandy Duncan was the one who got the lion's share of good notices as Maisie, the boldest of Polly's friends who sings "Won't You Charleston With Me?" and "Safety In Numbers." Jeanne Beauvais as the girls' teacher Madame Dubonnet also does well by "Fancy Forgetting" and "Poor Little Pirouette." 

Put the laundry in the dryer as I moved on to children's albums. Beryl Berney was apparently a journalist, artist, and puppeteer who worked on children's shows in the 1950's and 60's when she did a series of storytelling albums for kids-based Rocking Horse Records. Snow White and Dick Whittington are pretty much the traditional version of those stories, other than Snow White has a unique ending. The Wicked Queen turns so ugly, she destroys her mirrors when she looks into them, including the magic one. 

The Story of Robin Hood is a condensed retelling of the 1952 live-action Disney movie of the same name. The movie itself is good but not great, and that's reflected here. I do like the build up for Prince John and King Richard's mother Queen Eleanor as Maid Marion's boss, and some of Robin's men can be pretty funny. This is nice to hear if you love Robin Hood stories or Disney's 50's and 60's movies, but far from essential. Dal McKennon narrates here. 

Moved to Match Game '75 as The Story of Robin Hood ended. Richard Dawson's then-girlfriend Jody Donovan was such a doll during the week of New Year's, I wish she had come back, no matter who she was dating. New Year's Eve 1975 was celebrated with noisemakers, balloons dropping, and hats for everyone. (Jody's glittering headband and short hairstyle made her look like she'd just walked out of The Boy Friend.) Charles popped a Match Game '75 balloon to reveal '76...then popped that one to show '77, then showed '78 drawn on his thumb.

Finished the night with game shows from Richard Dawson's native England, starting with the two that have been running on Buzzr this month as part of their "Buzzr Goes Global" marathon. Freemantle, Buzzr's parent company, is British, and thus has no shortage of shows from that country. Going for Gold had seven contestants from across the UK and Europe answering questions and playing against each other to see who would continue in the tournament. The show ran for a decade as people tuned in to see who would be moving on to the next week. The episode I have here from 1990 includes a blind contestant and his seeing eye dog who is not only introduced in the opening, but does quite well, making it to the end of the show.

Small Talk is probably one the most hilariously adorable game shows to come out of Britain. Three adults guess how a panel of 9 kids will answer a certain question in this variation on Child's Play. No wonder this ran for two years on the BBC and Buzzr chose it for their marathon. The kids are a riot, and jovial host Ronnie Corbett is obviously having a ball watching them. 

Double Your Money goes way further back. This hit from 1955 was apparently based on The $64,000 Question, but more closely resembles an early form of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Couples answer questions for escalating amounts, leading to the "1,000 Pound Treasure Hunt." This was an early hit for ITV and is one of the earliest surviving TV game shows in England.

3-2-1, based on a Spanish format, may be one of the most unique game shows ever in England. The first half starts as a straight quiz, with couples answering questions. The second half looks something like a cross between Monty Python, Let's Make a Deal, and Beat the Clock. The winning couple does stunts based on the theme of the day (cartoons, in this case), then watch a series of wacky skits and give answers based on clues given by an actor from the skit, a prop they bring over, and what they can remember from them. The winners from that have to choose between a series of prizes. The bad prize on this show will land them "Dusty Bin," the show's robotic comic mascot and official "klunk." Maybe we ought to try mixing variety shows and game shows more often over here in the US, because this was really fun, especially that wacky second half.

Chain Letters is a far more traditional game show. In this 1987 series, three contestants change letters on a computerized word to make another word. The second round had them trying to predict what word one of the contestants would make. The third round had them changing certain letters from a word on the screen. The winner would see how many words they could form by changing one letter in 60 seconds. This was also lot of fun, and pretty challenging. It was enough of a hit for ITV to pull it out again for two series starting in 1995.

The British get far more into their comedy panel shows than we Americans do. Case in point, the irreverent and utterly hilarious Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Two panels of rock musicians guess what will happen in a music video, facts about other musicians, and try to remember the next line of a song. Celebrity guests will pop in to help answer questions and sing the first bars of a popular rock song. The real attraction was watching all of these musicians make jokes about their fellow performers and be delightfully witty. They had such a good time, this ran for almost two decades on the BBC from 1996 to 2015 and was revived successfully for four years starting in 2021. 

Take a summer trip across the Atlantic to make letter chains, dodge moving trash bins, double your money, and watch some of the funniest kids and musicians on either side of the pond.

Double Your Money (1955)

3-2-1 (1978)

Chain Letters (1987)

Going for Gold (1990)

Small Talk (1994)

Never Mind the Buzzcocks Premiere (1996)

Sunshine Matches

Started off the morning with breakfast and Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook. Having had success with songs performed by Rosemary Clooney, Midler moved on to the discography of an all-together different performer. Though Lee is probably best known today for performing and writing the songs from Lady and the Tramp, including "He's a Tramp," from the 50's through the 70's, she mostly sang languid ballads like "Is That All There Is?" and "Fever" or uptempo numbers from Broadway and movies like "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe." Midler has a charming duet with her long-time friend and pianist Barry Manilow on "I Love Being Here With You."

Headed out to work after the CD ended. It didn't start well when I ran straight into a slippery puddle of floral-smelling blue goo oozing out of the trash in the back employee room. Someone must have dumped a bottle of dish washing liquid in the trash. Not only did it take forever to clean up, but several large, half-full soda bottles had broken the bag, making it nearly impossible to get out of the container. The frozen food manager had to help me get it out, then put two more bags around it to keep it from leaking. I was not a happy camper after all that. 

Thankfully, I spent the majority of the rest of the day outside, pushing carts and enjoying another gorgeous day. It was once again sunny, though a bit warmer and more humid than yesterday. There were two other baggers helping me as well. At least I had more to do. It was off-and-on steady, a bit busier than earlier in the week, but not overwhelming. I had no problems later in the day.

Though I did have dinner and took a shower later, I mostly spent the rest of the day watching tonight's Match Game marathon. Richard continued wearing his infamous red jacket through about 1976. Probably the most famous episodes he could be seen wearing it that year were the ones featuring the blond beauty Darlene, who definitely had a crush on him. She called him "Dickie Doo" and "The Red Devil." Richard also wore it on the New Year's Eve 1975 episode, when his then-girlfriend Jodie Donovan was on the panel. 

Even after he finally gave it up, Gene came up the slack with a bright red jacket of his own. That jacket was a lot more conspicuous than Richard's. Joey Bishop and Mary Wickes quipped about him looking like a matador in one episode. Richard opened another by wondering if he'd just come from Disneyland. Gene had more luck with a red vest he wore occasionally, notably on the famous 1978 Christmas Day show where Charles dressed as Santa and Brett was a bratty girl on his knee and when he carried Gary Burghoff and Patti Deusch into the studio earlier in 1978 imitating their children. 

Gene and Richard weren't the only ones who wore red on the show. Elaine Joyce wore red outfits on episodes of the syndicated show that looked fabulous on her. She and Eva Gabor wore red, and Gene sported a coat in a more subdued shade of red, on the episode where a young artist showed off his gorgeous renditions of woodland birds and the ladies held them up for all to see.

One of the funniest episodes of the entire nighttime run had Gene showing off a pair of bright red suede shoes he was enormously proud of. Those shoes got tossed around a lot when Charles argued the answer for  "The Eyes of ___" on the Audience Match with him. He, Brett, and Richard Paul sang "The Eyes of Texas" while the contestant ended up in Jamie Lee Curtis' lap and an amused Steve Kanaly (of Dallas) looked on. 

Red is the color of the panel's wardrobes and some of Gene and Richard's most outrageous jackets in this wild marathon!

Match Game Sunday Classics - Richard and Gene's Red Coats & Vests

Sleepy Time Matches

Began the morning with breakfast and Paw Patrol. "Rescue Knights: Pups Break the Ice" after Claw gives Sparks blue marshmallows that allow him to breathe ice. He freezes the clock tower, then Skye's helicopter. The others keep Claw and the bratty Duke of Flapppington busy and defrost the Paw Patrol Castle while Skye finds some very special helpers. Chase thinks in "Rescue Knights: Pups Save Excalibark" that he's pulled a fabled bone from a stone and is now the Royal Knight. He wants to help the others when Claw attacks again, but he ends up being a bigger help than he could know when he's the one who discovers that the so-called magic bone is a scam.

Hurried out to work after that. Thankfully, I did get there on time. The older man who now works as a bagger will only push carts, and only a few at a time. He doesn't do inside work, so I swept the store and helped him with the carts and did returns and gathered the outside trash. I wasn't too happy when I came inside and didn't realize until the security guard kindly pointed out that the trash bag was leaking! At least I didn't get far into the store. She cleaned it up, and doubled the bags. At least the weather was nice for all the running around. It remains warm, sunny, and dry, probably in the mid-80's. 

As soon as I got home, I changed, brought the new sneakers I ordered for work from Amazon upstairs, and went into bed for a nap. I couldn't sleep for more than an hour this time, and it didn't really help. I was still tired when I rolled out of bed and went online to watch tonight's Match Game marathon.

Richard Dawson had several jackets he wore a lot, but he was especially fond of a bright red jacket. He wore this one a lot between 1973 and 1975. It first turned up in a 1973 episode that also featured Pat Harrington and a Naval officer as a contestant. He also wore it on Arte Johnson's first episode, one of the days on the only week to feature football star Rosy Greer, and the first day for one of the biggest winners of 1974, police officer C.B Farnsworth. 

It was most commonly seen in 1975. In fact, Rich wore it in some of the best episodes of the year, like when Gene said "Schnick Snack" instead of "blank" the way the original German version of the show did, or Dick Martin's first episode. He wore it when Gary Burghoff wore a shirt that looked like a tuxedo and when Ron Valenti, the handsome teacher Fannie Flagg seemed to have such a crush on, first appeared. There was also when ingenue Melinda O. Fee got her first right answer, when Brett gave "Racer" as an answer for "Speed __" and she was the only one who knew it was a beloved early anime (she probably watched it with her sons), or when funny older man Bill gave some really hilarious answers. 

He also wore it on nighttime shows, notably the episode where he and Charles wore wide-brimmed straw hats. They claimed they were part of "Your Basic Big Picture Hat Society." Those "basic big picture hats" came in handy when Gene and Richard used them to hid their kissing the winning contestant after the Head-to-Head!

The redcoats are coming...to Television City to kiss behind hats, match policemen, and show off the many lives of one "schnick snacking" bright coat!

Match Game Saturday Classics - The Red Coats of Richard Dawson are Coming!

Dreamers Under the Sun

Started off the morning with the last episode of Shirt Tales. It's "Mayhem On the Orient Express" when the Engineer and his fawning partner who steal trains take off with the engine of the most famous train of all, with Bogey and Kip onboard. The others have to rescue them and keep the passenger cars from falling back. They're in Switzerland for "The Cuckoo Count Caper." The Count De Minuit wants to hypnotize the Shirt Tales and use them to finish his massive cuckoo clocks! Kip catches wise, then breaks Pammy out. It's up to the girls to save their guy friends and stop the Count from turning them into clockwork mechanisms. 

And that's that. Unlike Pac-Man, which started strong in the first season but degenerated into a mass of bizarre stories and useless additional characters in its second, the second season of Shirt Tales mostly improves on the first. The first season isn't bad, but never seems to figure out what it wants the Shirt Tales to be, and there's a little too much focus on Dinkel and outside characters. The writing is sharper in the second season (Pammy in particular gets some hilarious lines), and cheerful Kip is a welcome addition. I genuinely regret that they ended the show by mid-way through the second season. It's not the greatest thing ever, and some episodes (like "Saturday Night Shirt Tales") were dated even when the show came out, but it's charming and funny enough to get a recommend from Hanna Barbara fans and kids who love animal stories. 

Hurried out to work after that. There were at least two other baggers working with me, including the head bagger. I thought she wasn't going into a register until 11, but they put her there early. I had no idea she hadn't swept the store. On the other hand, it was only slightly busier today than it had been on Wednesday. It's the end of a month without a lot going on after the 4th of July. Most people are probably on vacation, or were out enjoying the beautiful, sunny, breezy weather. It was so dead by the end of the morning, and I had so little to do, I spent the last half-hour putting away items people didn't need.

Got my schedule while I was at work. I have fewer hours, which I expected for the reasons I mentioned above. We're well between major holidays, there's not a lot going on besides Phillies games, and most people are on vacation. However, I go in early when I do work, and I have 7 hours for some reason next Saturday. 

Did my grocery shopping after I finished. Restocked granola, yogurt, oat milk, soda, tuna, cherries, and cookies. Blackberries and the Acme's generic small trash bags were buy one, get one. Bought two bagels for lunches at work this weekend and a turkey-cranberry sandwich for lunch today. They had the Sprite Zero + Tea here, too, so I got that and a Coke Cherry Zero. Found tea cakes, little turned-over cupcakes covered in icing, on the bakery clearance rack. 

Changed when I got home, then had lunch while watching Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Taking Turns at Show and Tell" is more complicated when O and Dan want to both use the same apron. Teacher Harriet suggests they take turns, with O using it to play restaurant, then Daniel using it for show and tell. The kids are restless, but they do have to wait their turn when show and tell beings. Daniel has to wait to use the bubbles when Miss Elania already has them. He learns about "Taking Turns at the Pool" when he has just as much fun playing with them as Elainia does blowing them. Likewise, Prince Wednesday has to wait to use a pool noodle. He pretends to be a fast fish with his mother Queen Sarah.

Went back out after the cartoon ended. Acme doesn't have the greatest selection of foot gel pads, and what they do have is overpriced. I've had a lump on the back of my right heel where the Achillies tendon is for weeks now. I hope the heel lifts and covering the back of my foot where the heel gets rubbed with callus cushions will help. 

I was home and finishing Mockingbird Court when the phone rang. It was Clarifi, calling to confirm my desire for housing counseling. On one hand, they're so booked, I won't be able to see them at Cherry Hill until noon on September 17th. That does give me more time to explore Cherry Hill and Voorhees and round up all the paperwork they required. 

Watched The Love Boat after I finished the book and put it away. The captain says "Take a Letter, Vicki" when he makes her his secretary after she complains she never gets to do anything useful. The others realize why when she's a little too good at her job, putting out endless memos and skipping meals to get it all done. A man (Jim Stafford) claims "The Joys of Celibacy" to defrost a frigid young woman (Carlene Watkins), but really ends up falling for her instead. The ladies of "The Floating Bridge Game" try to come between their fourth player (Nanette Fabray) and a charming dentist (Robert Alda), until they realize how much they love each other and play matchmaker instead.

The first half of Match Game '75 finished out the week with Rona Barrett and Clifton Davies and introduced a sweet, charming middle-aged lady named Dorothy. Dorothy, who sobbed whenever she won, became one of the bigger winners of the year. She continued into the week that introduced Ed Asner and brought in shy chanteuse Julie London. Gene gave Julie her welcome to the show kiss, while Brett got to kiss Ed.

Finished the night at Tubi with The Storyteller: Greek Myths. Jim Henson once again experimented with fantasy tales told by a human (in this case, Michael Gambon) to a Muppet dog. Only four were made before Henson's death, one of which was "Perseus and the Gorgon." Perseus (Jeremy Gilley) wants to stop mean King Polydectes (John McEnery) from marrying his mother Danae (Kate Buffery) and travels to find Medusa (Frances Barber) and cut off her head. On his way, he gives an eye to the Graeae to make them give him directions and tells Atlas, who holds up the world, that he'll find a way to make his burden easier. The King doesn't think this boy can do it, but Perseus is nothing if not determined, especially after he finds a way to keep Medusa from turning him to stone. 

Night of the Summertime Ride

Started off the late morning with breakfast and Shirt Tales. "T.J's Visit" wrecks havoc when Tyg's little nephew turns up and causes trouble. He does bond with Kip and convinces her to join him on a hot air balloon. The others go after them when they have no idea how to bring it back. "The Big Set-Up" is the Shirt Tales' attempt to sign Dinkel up for a pen pal dating service. Dinkel is nervous when the lady he's been writing sends a photo of a gorgeous blonde and wants to meet him. He sent her a picture of a handsome movie star. The Shirt Tales try to tone him up and show him how to be more romantic, but it turns out his girlfriend has been doing some fibbing of her own.

Let Tubi continue with the Shirt Tales as I got organized. "Kip's Toy Caper" gets her and Bogey into a heap of trouble after they discover toy shops have been robbed. She follows a remote control teddy bear and finds a robber intends to make them all robots who will steal money and priceless relics for him. The other Shirt Tales try to follow Bogey's broken signal and rescue them. "Dinkel's Gift" is a briefcase the Shirt Tales bought for his surprise birthday party. When the briefcase gets switched with one that holds a top-secret formula, the others have to switch it back while Digger keeps Dinkel busy.

Headed out after the second episode ended. Dropped a few books at the kiosks down the block, then made my way down to Collingswood. Grabbed a Bodyarmor drink at Haddon Culinary before heading across Collingswood to Cooper River Park, then over the bridge to Route 70, or Marlton Pike. It was too nice of a day to drop my bag of donations at the Audubon Goodwill and ride home again. The weather was stunning for mid-July, breezy, sunny, warm but not too hot, slightly humid but nothing overwhelming. There wasn't a cloud to be seen in the soft blue sky that beamed over the waving green Cooper River waters. Lots of people out on bikes or walking their dogs, too, including a lady in a wheelchair. Besides, I hadn't taken my bike over here since the last time I went to this Goodwill in April 2024. 

This time, I rode through the parking lot for the luxury apartments 202 Park before heading across the Marlton Pike to the Goodwill. After I dropped my bag in one of the boxes outside, I took a look around the main store. It's twice the size of the Goodwill in Audubon, but not even as slightly organized as that one. The books, CDs, and DVDs are all lined up or thrown every which way in a wooden bin as you enter. 

I didn't see any clothes I liked this time, but I did pick up a CD, the DVD for the Alfred Hitchcock comedy thriller Family Plot, and a Squishmallow. I've been wanting a stuffed shark since I started working at Thomas Sharp. Their mascot is a shark. Gordon the Shark is apparently one of the original Squishmallows released in 2019 (though the version I found has a 2021 tag). Ironically, Gordon's tag said he's a friendly fellow who loves to help others and wants to start his own nonprofit. So that's what he was doing at Goodwill. He was doing market research!

Oh, and the CD is:

Diana Krall - Quiet Nights

After that, I figured it was time for lunch. I originally rode a few blocks down to Kaighns Avenue. Not only was there not a whole lot there other than a florist and a liquor store, but I didn't feel like dodging traffic further down looking for the Cherry Hill Mall. Went back to the Marlton Pike and rode two blocks in the other direction, finally coming across a small, slightly dilapidated shopping center. Had enormous slices of cheese and Hawaiian (pineapple-ham) pizza at Gaetano's while watching The George Lopez Show. (George's teen daughter ran away with her boyfriend to San Francisco, and he was having nightmares about what she was doing there.) Gaetano's was a pretty typical hole-in-the-wall with Formica tables and counters, but the guy who worked there was really nice, and the pizza delicious, with giant slices and soft crusts.

Continued riding down to WaWa, until I realized that the highways crossed here and I could go no further on my bike. I just turned around, crossed at Goodwill, and headed past 202 Park and back over the bridge to Collingswood. I got turned around in the back roads of Collingswood, but I finally came out at the small park next to Grooveground. They still haven't finished remodeling (I would love to know what's the hold-up there - they started in April 2025), so I ended up at the Candy Jar after I used the library's bathroom. Bought a small bag of mini fruit slices (I usually get them at Peanut World in Atlantic City, which burned down last year) and a cup of Cherry amaretto gelato. Yum! Sweet, refreshing, and very cherry. Returned briefly to Haddon Culinary for a Diet Coke this time before I finally made my way back to Oaklyn.

Rested while watching Enchantment when I got in. This lovely 1948 romance starts with American ambulance driver Grizel Dane (Evelyn Keyes) coming to live with her great-uncle Rollo (David Niven). She falls in love with a handsome pilot (Farley Granger), but waffles on getting closer when he receives his orders and she worries about losing him. Rollo tells her not to give up on love so easily. Flashbacks reveal how he had fallen in love with his sweet cousin Lark (Teresa Wright) 50 years before, only to lose her when his manipulative and spoiled sister Selina (Jayne Meadows) lies about him taking a position overseas and she ends up marrying a Marchese (Sheppherd Strudwick) instead. Rollo never saw her again, and he wouldn't return home while Selina was there. He encourages Grizel to find her love, before she loses him the way he lost Lark. 

This is such a lovely, sweet movie. Though Niven, Keyes, and Wright are all good as the star-crossed lovers and the ambulance driver dealing with her own romance, Meadows steals the movie as the nasty sister who doesn't want to share her power over the household and her brothers with anyone. If you only know Meadows from her work on TV and cartoons, this will certainly be a revelation. Highly recommended for fans of doomed romances and the other fantasy-oriented romances from the mid-40's like The Enchanted Cottage and Portrait of Jennie. 

Switched to Match Game '75 during dinner. The entire two-hour stretch covered the week with Rona Barrett and Clifton Davies. Sweet single middle-aged aunt Dorothy was the big winner that week. Richard and Charles brought her tissues the first time she won. She also got to hear some of the hilarious answers to whom Richard Dawson wouldn't be happy to marry.

Finished the night with The Wild, Wild West. "The Night of the Watery Death" has James West investigating a "dragon" that somehow managed to blow up the ship he was on, and the mermaid at the bar (Jocelyn Lane) who led him there. Artie is pretty much the only person who believes him. Turns out it's a plot by a crazed sea-loving French nobleman (John van Dreelen) to destroy the US Navy and create his own country under the Pacific Ocean. 

Oh, and here's the review of the live-action Moana that I saw on Tuesday!

Moana

Hot In the Summer

Got a quick start today with breakfast and Little Bear. He and his friends play "Follow the Leader" to get to Hop-Frog Pond, with each of them coming up with a different place they pass through. He becomes "Little Scarecrow Bear" with No Feet's help to scare the crows away, until he decides crows need to eat, too. Mother Bear is taking care of a baby raccoon. "Little Bear and the Baby" play with each other, and Little Bear reads stories...until they both end up taking naps.

Hurried out the door after Little Bear ended. I didn't hurry fast enough. I was one minute late, and had to help the dairy manager mop up a leaky orange juice cooler the moment I arrived. Fortunately, that was by far the worst thing that happened today. Not only were we dead again, but I had an older man helping me out with the sweeping and the carts later in the day. He didn't push many carts, and he only checked to see if the store needed to be swept, but he was still there. Neither of us really wanted to be inside on a decent day anyway. It was sunny, hot, and humid, but probably in the upper 80's, nothing like it has been of late. I did end up cleaning another leaky spot, this time by the bowls of sliced and cubed fruit, before I left.

Soon as I got home, I changed, made lunch, checked a few things on my phone, and watched Paw Patrol. In "Rescue Knights: Quest for the Dragon's Tooth," we return to Barkingburg as Marshall guards a very special Dragon's Tooth that will allow anyone who wears it to control a dragon. Ex-knight dog Claw wants to control a dragon and show what a wonderful knight he is, so he steals it. While Ryder and the others fortify Barkingburg castle from dragon attack, Marshall takes it on himself to retrieve the Dragon's Tooth and stop Claw.

After the show ended, I signed up at Clarifi - Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Philadelphia and Delaware Valley. They also serve South Jersey - they have an office in Cherry Hill - and they're probably the closest to my needs. If I don't hear from them by the end of the week, I'll call them.

After I signed up at their website, I went down for a nap. I had early work today, and I was still tired. I passed out around 3:30, got up at quarter of 6, and felt a little better.

Made a delicious dinner of cheesy grits with plums after I rolled out of bed. Watched Match Game '75 while I ate. This week was unique in several respects. For one thing, it was the only one during the entire 1973 - 1982 run to be announced by someone besides Johnny Olsen. Bern Bennett announced for Johnny while he was on vacation. It was also the only week to feature bass-voiced comedian Joe Silver and warm Good Times matriarch Esther Rolle. 

Finished the night, or tried to, with more Mystery Science Theater 3000. Munchie is one of the last relics from the "small ugly-cute creature either frightens kids or helps them out" genre of 80's and 90's family movies that began with E.T. In this 1992 comedy, Munchie (voice of Dom DeLouise) is supposed to be this hilarious monster-like creature who helps Gage (Jamie McEnnan) combat bullies, impress the girl he likes (Jennifer Love Hewitt), and show his mother (Loni Anderson) that the guy she's dating (Andrew Stevens) is a creep. Trouble is, Munchie is not only more annoying and obnoxious than lovable - even Gage calls him out on his antics wrecking havoc - but his design is flat-out hideous, and even terrifying. The evil Gremlins were cuter and less-scary than Munchie. Arte Johnson has some mild fun as Gage's mentor, but he's defeated by his material and lack of screen time. Honestly, don't come within five miles of here unless you're a true lover of bad 80's and 90's cheese and can really handle heavy camp. 

Rushing In the Rain

Got a quick start this morning with breakfast and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. "Collossor Awakes" when Skeletor creates a ship that can turn people into stone...or bring stone to life. While Teela and Battle Cat protect Castle Greyskull and He-Man figures out how to reverse the spell, Skeletor animates a massive one-eyed stone creature to do his bidding and capture the castle.

It had looked cloudy since I got up this morning...and of course, the moment I left the house, it started showering. It didn't last long, disappearing even as I crossed the White Horse Pike to pick up the bus. The bus arrived on time, and I had no trouble getting off at the office next to Amy's Omelette House in Somerdale.

The former diner with the seaside decor (Amy's started at the North Jersey Shore town Long Branch) surprisingly wasn't that busy for 11:30 in the morning. I was able to eat my bacon and aptly-named Peanut Butter Bliss pancakes in peace. One of the "Lite Bites," this was two chocolate chip pancakes spread with peanut butter and topped with bananas, caramel, and more chocolate chips. Yum! Nice and fluffy and just the right size. 

Ate them quickly, then dashed out the door to the Cinemark. It remained cloudy, humid, and relatively cool as I headed down the White Horse Pike, but the rain held off. I rushed to the Dollar Tree next to the theater to pick up a small bag of popcorn and a Pepsi Zero. I saw wooden crates there for $10. I'd go back for that later. I'd never get away with hauling that around in a theater.

As it turned out, I was too late. I thought Moana was at 12:35. Nope, it was at 12:10. The next regular showing was 2:35. By the time I got in, they would have been a quarter of the way through the movie. Darn it. I'd have to come back.

Strolled up to Walmart on the hill overlooking the Cinemark shopping center instead. Found last year's Superman movie on DVD for $9.99. They're one of the only places around here I can find Junkless granola bars. Got the strawberry flavor. It's also the only place I've ever seen the Sprite + Tea in a 20 ounce Zero version. (Which was...ok. It tasted like Sprite Zero and bottled tea, anyway.)

Even when I headed back down the hill to the theater, I still had a half-hour left. I just bought my ticket, used the bathroom, found a bench, and watched all the summer camp pre-teens running around. I heard them arguing over whether to see Minions & Monsters or Moana. The boys all wanted the Minions and the girls all wanted Moana. (Considering the summer camp kids who did end up seeing Moana barely made a peep the entire time, I'm presuming the boys mostly won out.) Even with all that, I was still in the theater 15 minutes early.

There's still a lot of interesting family movies coming out late this year and early next year. Illumination's next big movie Not Alone, about two NASA workers who fall for each other and help really goofy aliens get home, looks really sweet (especially for them). Disney's Thanksgiving movie Hexed, about a young witch learning to use her powers, also looks really interesting. I'm far less interested in another Ice Age film. Didn't they exhaust that particular franchise over a decade ago? The Cat In the Hat in November could be really cute...or really annoying really fast. (At least it looks a heck of a lot better than the Mike Myers live-action film, starting with being in more appropriate animation.) Forgotten Island is coming out when I'll be on vacation with Lauren, and unless I can talk her into it, I'll probably have to wait for that one on streaming. I'm still not all that eager to see Paw Patrol on the big screen, especially since I haven't seen the other films on Paramount Plus yet. 

As for Moana, I'll go further into that on Thursday at my Musical Dreams blog.

The clouds were getting thicker and thicker by the second, and the wind was blowing fiercely. I went back to Dollar Tree, got a crate for my bulging holiday records, and went back to the movie theater. I initially called Uber, due to concerns about the weather...but the prices were so high, I hurried to Taco Bell at the White Horse Pike instead. 

I made it there just as the storm finally began. It was really coming down as I ate my (yummy) taco, my (spicy and so-so) quesadilla, and quickly drank sugar-free Gatorade. I was originally going to take the bus home, but the weather now made that impossible. There's no bus shelter at the Taco Bell stop. I just spent the money and called Uber. The driver arrived in 15 minutes and thankfully had no trouble getting me home despite the flooding alerts that popped up when we were going through Lawnside. (It must have been in Cherry Hill. I didn't see any flooding on the White Horse Pike.)

Organized my records and the bears sitting on the crates when I got home, then watched Match Game '75. Tonight finished up the week with William Shatner and Julie Harris. Early on, a young woman was so excited, her bouncing around supposedly put a crack in the floor! In a later show, a young woman with a wide, gleaming toothpaste smile was so pleased when she gave a sexually-charged answer, the panelists couldn't help joking about it. In the last episode, Fannie Flagg was enamored with a handsome young man who was perfectly happy being single.

Finished the night at Tubi with Jinx Money. Sach and Slip think they've found the answer to all their money woes when thousands of dollar turns up in a rolled-up newspaper on the street. To the guys' consternation, the original owner was a gangster who won the money at an illicit poker game and was killed before he could enjoy it. Every gangster who follows him and tries to get the dough from the Boys ends up dead, poisoned or stabbed by a man carrying an umbrella whom only Sach keeps seeing. Slip sets himself up as bait when one too many gamblers die on their doorstep, but for once, it's Sach who turns out to really be right about who's doing the killing. 

A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood

Started off the day with one of the new Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood episodes currently at PBS Kids. Daniel's excited when "Grandpere Sleeps Over," until he learns that Grandpere will sleep in his trolley bed. His father reminds him that he has to remember other people's needs, too. Likewise, when it's too dark in Margaret's room where he's sleeping, Grandpere finds a way to shed a little light on him. Daniel attends a "Tea Party at the Castle" with Chrissie and Prince Wednesday. They find a friend for him when they make it a stuffed animal tea party and he helps them clean up when they're done.

Listened to the soundtrack from the live-action version of Moana that's currently in theaters as I rounded up clothes to be donated. Other than a different Moana, most of this is pretty identical to the original animated film. They even have Dwayne Johnson singing "You're Welcome." There is one genuinely good new song, "Along the Way," and some of the chorus songs are expanded from the animated version. Otherwise, if you have the soundtrack from the animated version, you're probably fine just looking for "Along the Way" separately. 

I headed out to run errands after the episode ended. My first stop was the book kiosk down the block to drop off something I just finished. Found an interesting Halloween cozy mystery, 15 Minutes of Flame by Christin Breecher. I was originally going to buy a birthday card for a friend and hydration mix at Dollar General after I dropped off the bag of clothes in the back, but the line was so long after someone threw a fit over not being able to use a coupon, I left with nothing. I got a better card, a gift card, and hair clips and used the bathroom at CVS. 

It was a gorgeous day in the neighborhood. Though it was slightly warmer and more humid than yesterday, it still wasn't anything like last week! It was sunny, breezy, and perfectly clear. The haze had vanished with the storms on Saturday night. Couldn't have been more perfect for a long walk down the White Horse Pike. I had lunch at Dunkin' Donuts to finish up the gift card I got from one of the kids. Had a bacon and egg sandwich on a multi-grain bagel, very yummy mini hash-browns, a cream donut, and a "SunCloud Lemonade." Basically, this was lemonade with marshmallow topping, and it was sweet but not bad. 

Made a very short stop at Family Dollar after I finished lunch. I was hoping to find that hydration drink mix. Nope, they were out. I once again walked out with nothing and just went home.

After I got home and took the laundry downstairs, I spent the next few hours looking up housing counselors online. I'm going to need help to figure out what I can afford, what condos are right for me, and how I can get them. I narrowed it down to two companies, Clarifi and NJ Citizen Action. I'll decide which one to use and contact them on Wednesday after work. 

Listened to the Stage Door Canteen 4-disc record set as I worked and put the laundry in the dryer. I have no idea why the first three albums in this set were made by Heartland Records and the fourth was an RCA Special Products release. They're all the same idea, though - hit songs from the World War II years. Some of them, like the Andrews Sisters' "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Rum and Coca Cola," "It's Been a Long, Long Time," "I've Got Spurs that Jingle Jangle Jingle," and Frank Sinatra's version of "Saturday Night" remain iconic today. Others are definitely of their era, like "Mairzy Doats," "Pistol Packin' Mama," "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition," "Chickety Chick," and "I Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen." 

Match Game '75 was starting as the last record in the set was ending and I brought the laundry upstairs. Most of tonight featured the hilarious week with Dick Gautier in his blonde wig for the Mel Brooks Robin Hood spoof When Things Were Rotten, ingenue Melinda O. Fee, and Betty White. Melinda got a standing ovation from the crowd when she finally gave a right answer! The ingenue in the next week was The Belle of Amherst herself, Broadway star Julie Harris. Harris was a close friend of Charles Nelson Reilly, and she was too sensible to deal with Gene Rayburn's amorous "new kid on the block" shenanigans or William Shatner panting over her.

Finished the night celebrating the 60th anniversary of Chuck Barris' first hit show, The Newlywed Game. Host Bob Eubanks asks four just-married couples questions to see how well they knew each other. It got a head start on the competition when CBS preempted Password to show a politician's news conference, but it ran as planned. The spicy innuendo between the couples and the questions about "makin' whoopee" made the show a hit right out of the gate. It was such a success, it even had a nighttime series that ran from 1967 through 1971. 

By the early 70's, daytime standards had begun to loosen considerably. Suddenly, "makin' whoopee" wasn't quite the big deal it had been a few years before. Not to mention, it had stiff competition from the NBC soap Days of Our Lives. ABC ended the daytime version in 1974. The show had more luck in syndication, where it ran from 1977 until Chuck Barris overstepped his bounds with the controversial 3's a Crowd and all of his shows were ended in 1980. 

The Newlywed Game returned as a series of specials on ABC in 1984, hosted by Jim Lange. To date, this is the last time the show has run on the regular networks. It returned to syndication in 1985 as The New Newlywed Game. Eubanks hosted until 1988, when he was replaced by Paul Rodriguez. Saturday Night Live comedian Garry Kroeger hosted a heavily revamped version of the show once again on syndication in 1996 that had the couples answering questions via videos. When the new format proved to be a bust, Eubanks returned with a more professional set and the original format until 1999. 

Carnie Wilson hosted the first season of the Game Show Network revival in 2009. Sherri Shepherd took over in August 2010, and would continue to host until the show ended in 2013. The Game Show Network version was based heavily on the original, with more of a modern neon set and the three couples from the syndicated show.

Make a little whoopee of your own watching some of the funniest newly married couples to ever grace a game show in these wacky, romantic episodes!

The Newlywed Game (1967)

The Newlywed Game Syndication (1979)

The New Newlywed Game (1984)

The New Newlywed Game (1985)

The Newlywed Game Syndication (1996)

The Newlywed Game (2010) 

Pride Lands and Matches

Started off the morning with breakfast and Rhythm of the Pride Lands. Originally an independent project by Lebo M, Disney came on board after The Lion King was a massive success. "He Lives In You" would later be reworked as the opening number for The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and "Lea Halalea (Holy Land)" and "Lala" would be rewritten as "Shadowlands" and "Endless Night" in the stage Lion King. "Warthog Rhapsody" had been intended to introduce Timon and Pumba before being replaced with "Hakuna Matata" and would be given new lyrics for Lion King II 1/2 as "That's All I Need." 

As funny as "Warthog Rhapsody" and Lebo M's charming version of "Hakuta Matata" is, my favorite numbers here are ones that haven't shown up in other projects. The stirring "It's Time" and chorus number "One By One" give you a real sense of African rhythms that Elton John and Tim Rice's more rock-ish music from Lion King lacks. I used to love this album when Mom gave it to me for my birthday in 1995. Honestly, if you have Lion King fans around or love world music, this album is worth tracking down.

I didn't even have time to finish the album before rushing off to work. I did get there on time...but I probably could have been indefinitely late. Not only were we dead the entire day, but one of the college boys came in an hour after I did and took over the indoor sweeping chores. There wasn't really much for me to do besides dodge the men upgrading the lighting in aisles 3 and 4 and enjoy the absolutely stunning weather. This was probably the nicest weather we'd had in a week. It was breezy, sunny, and warm without being boiling hot, probably in the lower 80's. The humidity and smoke had likely disappeared with yesterday's storms. 

After work ended, I went straight home, changed...and took a nap. I've had a long couple of weeks, and I really needed sleep badly. I passed out for two hours and was still tired when I rolled out of bed around 5:30.

The Match Game marathon had already started by the time I got up. Character actor and singer Charles Nelson Reilly started on the show early in 1973, on the same week as his friends Bert Convy, Brett Somers and Betty White. His busy schedule meant he was the last of the three regulars to join the show permanently...but he quickly became one of its cornerstones. He was often the funniest thing about it. You never knew what he'd do, like the time he drummed up suspense for a Head-to-Head answer that would make sweet Janet Finn the show's all-time champ in 1974 (and got beat up by half the panel for being such a ham), or changed places with Scoey Mitchelll in 1976, claiming they'd had the world's first "race change" operation. He saw Gene Rayburn pull the strings off Elaine Joyce's halter top in '74 and his boss and one of the show's producers Mark Goodson sit in for him when he was "getting his hair nailed on." 

He went to Broadway from late '74 through mid '75 to direct what would be the hit one-woman show The Belle of Amherst. When he came back, he made one of the most unique entrances in TV history, via wires and a stuffed bird he dubbed Harry, whom he claimed had flown him there. He worked best with Brett Somers, his long-time drinking buddy, like the time they dressed as cowpokes and sang back-up for Bill Anderson when he performed his own song for Debralee Scott in 1976. He even had fun in the nighttime shows, like the one from 1981 where he offered his own toupee to a balding but charming and personable young man. 

It only takes a moment to enjoy the antics of one of the most beloved stars on the entire show! 

Match Game Sunday Classics - Charles Nelson Reilly - Best Episodes on Match Game