Autumn Blue and Gold

Got a quick start this morning with breakfast and Paw Patrol. "Pups Save a Ghost" that's been roaming around at night, playing video games and snitching snacks. Rubble thinks they're really haunted, but Ryder knows there's a more likely explanation. "Pups Save a Show" when the set for their "King Arthur" play collapses on Cap'n Turnbot. Marshall's not happy at all when he has to take over as King Arthur from a sick Chase. He takes a while to warm up, but he does finally realize he's worthy to wear King Arthur's crown.

Headed out to do grocery shopping next. I won't have time for it tomorrow! I headed through Newton Lake Park, admiring the just-barely-turning leaves on the still-green trees and the sparkling bottle green waters as I dodged that continuing road work on Cuthbert. I started at the Westmont Acme. Restocked soda (Bloom Pop was buy two, get one free), yogurt, grapes, apples, granola, cookies (got the limited-edition maple leaf sandwich cookies and mini maple shortbread cookies), Swiss cheese slices, and shredded chicken. They didn't have oat milk, so I made a quick stop at Sprouts on the way home for that and one of those kids' lunch bags.

Put everything away when I got home, then had a quick almond butter and grape jelly lunch while watching the first episode of The Monkees in honor of their 60th anniversary. Davy Jones rescues his first of many maidens when he saves a princess from drowning in "Royal Flush." He convinces the other three to help out when they realize her uncle and his chauffeur intend to kill her so her uncle can ascend the throne.

Hurried out to Thomas Sharp School next. Even with a slightly later start, I got there in plenty of time. We once again had 18 kids to start, and they're still pretty wound up from the book fair and them being on a half-day tomorrow. They were especially crazy once we got outside. The boys kept hitting each other and the girls. One of the girls thought her insults were funny. I quickly reminded her that people do have feelings and don't always appreciate the jokes. There was a ton of squabbling over the swings. The kids want to go on before they go home, but their friends don't always want to share. Even after the numbers dwindled, the older boys argued over who would swing with whom. It's probably just as well that the last five kids went inside just as I left. 

At least the weather was still gorgeous. I chased the kids in glorious, blue and gold sunshine. It was a bit warmer, in the lower 70's, a tad more humid, and very windy. Nothing really outrageous for the start of fall. 

Went straight home after all that. The Price Is Right was just going into the Showcases. The generic showcase had kitchen appliances, carpet, and lots of furniture. The story Showcase took Holly on a safari, seeking out wild prizes, including a sports car! It got really close, but in the end, one of the ladies was shocked and delighted to get that car (and just barely miss getting both showcases).

Match Game '77 had even more fun. Patty Duke ended the first week reading a question so Gene could answer it. She had so much fun and was so pleased with herself, I'm surprised Gene never let her read one again. The rest of the night was devoted to the next week with Roz Kelly, Craig Morris, and Joyce Bulifant. At the end of the last episode, Roz kissed a guy in the audience and claimed he was "much better than Fonzie!"

Finished the night at Tubi with Bright Lights. I go further into this creative backstage thriller from the early talkie era with former Ziegfeld dancer Dorothy Mackaill at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Bright Lights

Oh What a Beautiful Day

Began the morning with breakfast and He-Man. It's the "Dawn of Dragoon" when pretty Dree Ella begs Orko to return to his home planet of Trolla to help stop the Dragoon from stealing the life energy of every being. On Trolla, everything is backwards, and Orko's magic actually works...but Prince Adam's doesn't. Still, Orko is going to need more help than he thinks to stop the Dragoon from destroying his newfound lady love. 

It was such a gorgeous morning, I took the bike today, even though I had both jobs, and I got to both jobs on time. The Acme wasn't that busy, anyway. Most people are likely waiting for the holiday weekend to do their shopping, and it's too nice to be inside. I did have to stop and put away a pile of cold returns, but it was so dead, it didn't put me that far behind on the carts. Other than that, I was in and out with no trouble.

Dodged road work going into Oaklyn for lunch. I hadn't eaten at Common Grounds Coffee House for a while. Surprisingly for 1:30, they weren't that busy. I had a slice of tomato-onion quiche, an apple cider scone, and an "apple cider chai-der." The last-named turned out to be an apple cider tea drink, and it was amazing. Chai and apple cider blend really well.

Decided I deserved a treat. The Blu Bear Bakery just opened in what used to be the pudding shop two doors down from Common Grounds a few weeks ago. They sell gluten-free and allergen-free baked goods. Their wares are kind of expensive, but I wanted to try something. Since I was still feeling fall, I ended up with a small apple cider cupcake. Enjoyed it at the park next to where I had my bike. Oh yuuum! Very moist and just sweet enough, and the caramel icing was so thick and sweet! It was also 7 dollars, so this isn't something I'll be getting all the time, but I didn't mind trying it once.

I still had tons of time before the after-school program started. Rode my bike around West Collingswood to enjoy the weather, including taking a look at the Champion School on Collings Avenue. This one-room school house was the predecessor to Thomas Sharp in West Collingswood and was preserved in the early 90's. I wish I could see inside! It's a charming little building.

Even with the stop for history, I was still early arriving at Thomas Sharp. Only one other teacher was there before me. As it turned out, it could have been a lot worse. We had 18 kids to start, and several of them left right after snack time. They're all pretty wound up about the book fair, though. We kept trying to tell them to put away their new books and toys until they got home, but they were too excited about them! I told one boy three times not to pull out his new Lego Bionicle figure, but he did anyway...and spent almost ten minutes crying when he lost the wing from the figure. He even pulled his mother back in later on to help him look for it. 

It was so late when we finally got them outside, they didn't wait for long to hit the swings. Besides, there weren't that many left by that point. I did have to comfort two girls. One had been insulted by another girl. I gave her hugs and told her sometimes people say things they don't mean and they hurt our feelings. The other girl had an argument with her best friend over who would play which member of Huntrix from KPop Demon Hunters. I assured her that all friends argue sometimes. I've even argued with Lauren. 

There was some fussing on the swings, mainly over who would swing with whom again. They want to swing with their friends, but other kids get in line ahead of them, and there's the ones who want to get on before they go home. At least the numbers dwindled more rapidly after we hit the playground. There was one younger girl and four older kids left by 5 PM. In fact, I ended up leaving slightly early when they took her inside.

Went straight home and into The Price Is Right after that. Got there just in time to see a lady strike out at the Now and Then Game. She didn't do so well on the Showcase Showdown, either. Neither did the old man with the dear wrinkled face and beautiful white hair (Bob said he was jealous of his hair). The lady who made it saw living room furniture and a "night on the town"-themed story Showcase. The lady doing the story showcase went way over. The other lady got her furniture and hot tub.

Continued on to Match Game '77 during dinner. Dick Martin was proud to get his first right answer of the year in the 6 PM episode. Fannie Flagg explained the history of hush puppies and their name in a later show.

Checked out something different on YouTube next. The hour-long Cinderella from 1990 is a relatively straightforward retelling of the Charles Perrault version of the story. Cinderella's father is alive and keeps trying to push her out with her stepsisters, only to be rebuffed by his nagging wife. The sketchy animation is nothing to write home about and there's a weird subplot with mice playing cowboys and Indians in the background that doesn't really have much to do with anything. On the other hand, the fairy godmother has a few funny moments, as do the stepsisters when they attempt foreign languages to impress the prince...only for him to remind them that he speaks English just fine.

Mystery of the 13th Guest goes back much further to 1943. Marie Morgan (Helen Parrish) returns to her grandfather's house after 13 years to read the contents of his will. Not only is it not what she expected, just "13-13-13," but she seemingly ends up dead. She eventually turns up alive. It was a decoy meant to gain the will who was killed. There were 12 family members in attendance at the dinner where Grandfather Morgan (Lloyd Ingraham) was killed. The 13th seat next to him wasn't filled. Lieutenant Burke (Tim Ryan) and private detective Johnny Smith (Dick Purcell) have to figure out who is killing off the guests at that dinner, before Marie and her brother Bud (Johnny Duncan) become their next victims. 

Dolls and the Perfect Fall

Began the morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Daniel and his friends are excited about "The Neighborhood Fall Festival," especially the decorations around Music Man Stan's store. When the wind knocks them down, they try to put them up the way Stan did, but find it difficult. Mrs. Tiger finally tells them to do their best. Likewise, Daniel does his best to jump leaves and kick a soccer ball through two pumpkins during a "Field Day at School." 

Spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon dressing the dolls for fall and the cooler weather we're having now. Samantha wears her blue windowpane check Play Dress with the white pinafore and black and white boots. Jessa and Molly are also ready to play after school, Jessa in the original 1995 Mix and Match Meet Outfit, Molly in her red hula costume sweater, khakis, and the collar from her meet outfit. Felicity's original "meet" outfit with the orange and red rose print is perfect for fall. Kit's also in her original meet outfit, the lavender floral skirt and twin-set sweater and cardigan. 

Ariel and Barbara Jean get Our Generation Retro outfits. Ariel goes for the 70's schoolgirl look in a white satin blouse with a pink necktie, salmon knit vest, and brown plaid skirt. Barbara Jean is pure mid-late 60's in a chevron-print mini dress with a white top and huge orange collar and cuffs. Josefina is in her blue, yellow, and red print BeForever "meet" skirt and camisa. Whitney's outfit is a hand-made purple floral dress with black lace I found at the Barrington Antique Center about three or four years ago.

Listened to solo albums from two very different Broadway divas as I worked. Take Me to the World presents Sutton Foster in a slightly quieter mode than usual for her, maybe because she'd given birth during the recording of this album. That accounts for her lovely version of "A Quiet Thing" from Flora the Red Menace paired with "Hush Little Baby." The title song is from the odd Stephen Sondheim TV musical Evening Primrose; it's paired with the title song of the Maltby-Shire revue "Starting Here, Starting Now." There's a lot of Cole Porter here, too, including "Give Him the Ooh-La-La" from DuBarry Was a Lady, "C'est Magnifique" from Can-Can, and a chorus "Every Time We Say Goodbye" from Seven Lively Arts. She even gets off Broadway with two similar Paul Simon songs, "Old Friends" and "Bookends."

Julie Andrews dove into the music of a different Broadway composer in the early 90's. The Music of Richard Rodgers is mostly split between his work with Lorenz Hart and his work with Oscar Hammerstein. We do get one solo song, "Nobody Told Me" from No Strings, and his one attempt to work with Stephen Sondheim, the title song of "Do I Hear a Waltz?" That's part of a medley with other waltzes like "The Carousel Waltz," "It's a Grand Night for Singing" from State Fair, "A Wonderful Guy" from South Pacific, and "Out of My Dreams" and "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'" from Oklahoma. Hart is represented by "It Never Entered My Mind" from Higher and Higher and the title song of Spring Is Here, "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" from Pal Joey, "I Wish I Were In Love Again," "Where Or When," and "My Funny Valentine" from Babes In Arms, and "This Can't Be Love" from The Boys from Syracuse and "Thou Swell" from A Connecticut Yankee. 

Switched to the Oklahoma! 1998 London cast album while eating a quick lunch. This was one of the first attempts to go in for a grittier tone with this show. Hugh Jackman won raves as Curly, the cowboy courting a slightly tougher Laurey (Josefina Gabrielle). Their "People Will Say We're In Love" is especially charming. Maureen Lipman had too much fun as Aunt Eller, while Shuley Hensley really tears into "Lonely Room." (It's even more fun if you can dig up the recording of the full show, which I think is pretty easily found online.)

Didn't even finish the CD before I hurried out to the Thomas Sharp School. We started out in pretty much the same way, with the kids in the hall due to the music class running over. All 20 kids went straight into snack time when we made it into the cafeteria. Once again, they played with magnetic tiles and drew for a little while, but we got them outside by quarter of 4. 

And once again, it was too nice for anyone to be inside for long! The weather was even nicer, a little cooler but still breezy, with the gold and blue haze the best fall days seem to have. There was some squabbling over the swings. Kids want to swing with their friends, or they want to get on the swings before they leave, but the kids already on there won't move. At the very least, once again, most of the kids who wanted a ride got one, and most got two or three before we went back inside around 5 PM. I had just enough time to see them start to work on threading beaded necklaces and bracelets before I headed out.

Took out the trash, then had dinner while watching Match Game '77. The Friday episode may have been one of the most important of the entire series. The contestant answered "school" to where Dumb Dora takes her cultured pearls to. Judge and producer Ira Skutch passed Brett and Ed's "college," but Charles had to beg for "scuba diving school," and Debralee and Richard's "finishing school" and Patti's "night school" were flat-out buzzed. Gene tried to keep order, but Debralee and Richard protested loudly and the contestant got the audience riled. Charles and Brett tried to calm things down by having Charles appear as "the first victim of the school riot" on Gene's entrance stairs, but the damage was done. The lower tier kept its answers up in protest for the remainder of the episode.

Finished the night at Tubi with Hawk the Slayer. Hawk (John Terry) is a warrior who is called on by Ranulf (W. Morgan Sheppard) to rescue a local abbess (Annette Crosbie) from the evil Voltan (Jack Palance). That Voltan is Hawk's brother who killed his wife (Catronia MacColl) in a fit of jealousy is probably one of the least-cheesy things about this movie. Hawk calls on three friends, a fight-loving giant (Bernard Bresslaw), a serious-minded elf (Ray Charleston), and a comic dwarf (Peter O'Farrell), then does nothing with them. Palance and Crosbie are more interesting as the scenery-chewing villain and the hopeful nun who truly believes the heavens are with her. Though this was a hit in England and eventually did well on cable in the US when it finally made it over here (the production company went bankrupt as they were making the movie), it's extreme 80's cheese of most overripe sort. If you're a fan of 80's action or medieval fantasy, it's worth checking out once for some decent scenery-chewing. 

Come On Down With the Kids

I was so tired, I slept until 10 AM! Finally got started around 11:30 with breakfast and Richie Rich. I have fond memories of the Hanna-Barbara show, which re-ran constantly throughout the 80's. Each episode was separated into four segments. The "Riches" short is "Piggy Bank Prank." Richie's rival Reggie Van Dough plays jokes on Richie, but he and his friend Gloria turn the tables. "Treasure Chest" is a three-minute gag short. Richie's dog dollar tries to impress a pretty poodle on "Muscle Beach." The "Gems" are 30-second blackout sketches based on the original comics. Richie gets a middle-of-the night call from Dollar. "Zillion Dollar Adventures" are the longer action episodes. "The Robotnappers" are thieves who steal Richie's robot maid Irona and make clones of her. Richie and Gloria have to figure out which one is the real Irona.

Headed out to the Collingswood Library after breakfast. To tell the truth, there really isn't much more to see here. Like most of the libraries in the smaller towns near Camden, the Collingswood Library isn't that big. Their adult fiction section is so small, it's not even separated into genres. It's just fiction. Most of their adult non-fiction date to the time of the early 80's American Musical Theater: A Chronicle by Gerald Boardman or further. I took another look at American Musical Theater, but I finally decided there were other things I needed to do before work and moved on around 1:30. 

Sabrina's Cafe is one of the few restaurants in Collingswood open on a Monday. Despite that, they were surprisingly quiet for them. I had their Pumpkin Harvest Pancakes, turkey sausage, and iced tea. I didn't really taste the apple and cranberry compote. It was drowning in salted caramel frosting. Not bad, but a little sweet and much too big! I didn't finish them.

The reason I was in Collingswood was to hit the bank. I went in PNC, used the ATM machine in the front lobby, and headed back out. Hurried down Collings Avenue, stopping briefly at Speedy Mart in West Collingswood to get a Berry Propel before rushing down to the Thomas Sharp School.

I was so glad to see the kids again, and they were glad to see me! Two of the ones from my table gave my leg a big hug. One gave me her artwork. All of the kids are going to be in the cafeteria this week. The library is being used for their Book Fair. I loved hearing about the books and toys they bought at the Book Fair. I'm just glad they still have book fairs. They were always one of my favorite times of the year when I was in grade school.

None of the kids were inside for very long. They colored and played with magnetic tiles for a few minutes after snack time, but the moment they all finished, we got them outside. It was too nice for anyone to be inside for very long! The weather was stunning today. Blue sky, bright sunshine, perfect warm lower 70's temperatures, a little windy but nothing crazy. No trouble on the swings today. There was a little fussing over who shared the swings with whom, but everyone who wanted a turn got on at least once. Most of the kids got two or three turns. The weather was so beautiful, and the kids were having so much fun, they were only just taking the last five inside when I left at 5:15.

Brought the laundry downstairs after I got home, then took out my winter clothes. It's supposed to get into the 70's for most of this week, but that's not going to last forever. It'll drop into the 40's at night. Time for heavy jeans, turtlenecks, and long-sleeved shirts. Most of the short-sleeved shirts ended up being put away. Capris stay out year-round. So do the two long-sleeved nightgowns I picked up from the Vermont Country Store. Their fabric is light enough for spring and fall.

Watched Match Game '77 as I got things organized, then as I ate a quick dinner. Fidgety Bill Daily, crusty Mary Wickes, and sweet soap star Trish Stewart helped out a young woman with really nifty butterfly-shaped glasses. For the last episode, they moved on to the week with Debralee Scott, Ed Asner, and Patti Deusch. While the first episode was relatively subdued, this is a rather infamous week for a reason...

Finished the night honoring the first of three game show anniversaries we'll be doing in a row this month. The original Price Is Right debuted in November 1956, with genial Bill Cullen hosting. The premise was simple. Four people bid on prizes. Some were small, but many were huge bordering on outlandish, like submarines and full homes. Though the premiere episode is currently lost, the second is available. 

When Bob Barker took over the heavily revamped show in 1972, he appeared on the syndicated I've Got a Secret to advertise it and show how it worked. Here, contestants bid on items belonging to the panelists, like Richard Dawson's mailbox. Audience members who get closest to the actual retail value of the item got the item. This was honestly one of the funniest episodes of that short-lived revival. Pat Carroll's reaction to what she has up for sale and how much people bid on it were especially funny.

Most of the first week of The New Price Is Right from 1972 was shown on The Barker Era channel and has turned up elsewhere. The exception is the extremely rare episode four. It's the only first-week episode to have a fur coat as a prize. Bob the heavy animal activist would later ban fur coats as prizes from the show, and older episodes with them remain banned to this day.

By 1975, the show was faltering in the ratings. CBS debuted a series of hour-long specials in September in an attempt to give them a boost. The Showcase wheel turns up here, but it looks more like a carnival wheel and less like the Big Wheel people know today. This proved so successful, they became the first game show to jump to an hour permanently in November.

There were three attempts at a half-hour syndicated nighttime Price over the years. The longest-running went from 1972 to 1980. Dennis James hosted it until Bob Barker took over in 1977. Neither of the other attempts ran anywhere as long. Tom Kennedy was well-received as the host of the second Price PM in 1985, but it debuted in a market overcrowded with game shows and only lasted 8 months. The 1994 version with Doug Davidson had even more trouble, barely lasting four months. I have an episode of the barely-remembered Tom Kennedy run here.

The Davidson series was the show's last attempt at a permanent syndicated series, but it wasn't the last time Price would appear at night. The Price Is Right has done prime time specials since a series of episodes with military personnel playing in 2002. I have an episode of The $1,000,000 Spectacular from 2008. These attempts to join the big money game show fad of the early 2000's showed off far bigger prizes than usual, including one Showcase with double everything. The episode I have shows off one of the few million-dollar winners.

Gameshow Marathon also took Price into prime time. This 2006 special based on a similar concept from England had six celebrities playing popular CBS game shows for charity. Home viewers got the big prizes. Kathy Najimy, Paige Davis, and Brande Roderick of Baywatch wound up being the big winners here. Roderick would go on to be one of the finalists. Hostess Ricki Lake did very well, even ending with Bob Barker's signature "spayed or neutered" line. 

Come on down and explore the history of one of the most beloved game shows in the world with these rare episodes!

The Price Is Right (1956)
I've Got a Secret (1972)

The New Price Is Right (1972)

The Price Is Right Anniversary Week Special (1975)

The Price Is Right Syndicated (1985)

Gameshow Marathon (2006)

Price Is Right: The $1,000,000 Spectacular (2008)

Somewhere Out There

Started off early with one last trip through the upstate New York countryside. It was a little cloudy, but neither rainy nor even that cold. We had one last breakfast at a fairly quiet Denny's. We made our own slams again. I replaced the turkey bacon with original bacon. Lauren replaced her sausage with fruit. Yum! They were still good, even if I couldn't finish the pancakes. 

Denny's and Cracker Barrel are less than 5 minutes from the Albany-Renesslaur Train Station. We sat on chairs by the closed for Sunday post office until my train started lining up. I gave Lauren a hug before getting into line. I didn't buy food this time, since I was getting on earlier. I told Lauren to give her parents and Rico and Elliott my love. I really did have a good time! Lauren's my best friend, and I'll miss her, even if we can talk online.

(Oh, and Lauren spent the rest of the day doing her own grocery shopping and stuff at home with her parents. And apparently, she'll be seeing Rico again on Wednesday.)

Thankfully, this time I had no trouble for the rest of the day. Every train arrived on time. They were also full to bursting. I spent the ride to New York wedged next to an older woman who mainly read. I admired the stunning views of sail boats bobbing on choppy silver waters past ancient, crumbling castles on tiny islands, smoke-belching factories, and sprawling hotels and mansions. 

Unlike the train going to New York, the one coming from Albany goes straight into Moynihan Train Hall. They were full to bursting, too! People lounged on their luggage in every corner and crevice, waiting for their train. The lines for the downstairs bathrooms were so long, I ended up lugging my bags upstairs to use the quiet bathrooms there. 

Had lunch at the Food Hall downstairs. This is a more lavish version of a typical mall food court. Given I was in New York and the only time we had pizza this week was at the Colonie Center Sbarro's, I had to get a slice of mushroom and a slice of cheese. Yum! Real mushrooms with just the right crust. I barely managed to find a seat near the Irish bar, but I did find a place to eat. Tried a banana bread latte afterwards at Starbucks. Yum! Sweet, but it really did taste like liquid banana bread.

The train to Philadelphia was actually a commuter train to Harrisburg, and it might have been even busier than the one to New York. It was so full, I just dropped my stuff in the last seat on the car where I didn't have to put my suitcase in a rack. A young woman, probably college age, settled next to me with her own bags. She spent the trip to Philly reading her phone. I spent it watching the rain fall on Newark arenas, New Jersey suburbs, and graffiti-laden factories outside of Philly

Instead of calling Uber right away when I arrived at 30th Street Station, I bought a ticket for the NJ Transit train. It wasn't leaving for over an hour, but it was quarter of 5 when I got in. I had so much trouble picking up Uber at the train station the past few years, I figured it was worth the wait. I bought a tuna and cucumber hoagie and ranch sweet potato chips from the food booth (they still haven't finished remodeling their own food hall) and had dinner, then went to the bathroom and read One Poison Pie until they announced the NJ Transit train had arrived.

Unlike the other two trains, the Transit wasn't remotely full. The only other people riding in the car with me were two curly-haired college age boys in Eagles sweaters. For once, it actually left the station on time. The only trouble we had were the lights going out and having to fix them briefly in Pennsauken. Otherwise, they ran on time too. It finally pulled into the Cherry Hill Pavilion around quarter of 7.

I picked up Uber at the big Shop Rite in front of the Pavilion. It's easier (and cheaper) to get a ride closer to home and at a place where the driver might actually see me. No trouble here, either. The driver arrived in seven minutes and got me back in a little over 10. Considering how wet everything in Camden County was, it must have rained pretty hard earlier. Now I'm glad I spent most of the day on the train. 

Finished the night after a shower and putting everything away with the Sunday Match Game marathon. Given the entire run of the show spanned most of the Sexual Revolution, there was an awful lot of sex talk on this show. If Orson Bean wasn't joking about stripper's chests coming off, Richard Dawson and Gene Rayburn were panting over barely-adult contestants. 

One of the most famous episodes of the syndicated run got very into sexual matters. Betty White turned up in a short red dress borrowed from Sharon Farrell. As Sharon said, she did look fabulous, and she knew it. Later, McLean's answer to what a farmer thought should be an Olympic sport somehow ended with Sharon Farrell on top of Richard Paul. There was also the guy who claimed he started his children's day with laughter...but his wild, Joker-like cackling sent McLean running to Gene's door instead. 

It's all about the birds, bees, and the changing attitudes about what goes on between romantic partners in this hilarious and provocative marathon!

Match Game Sunday Classics - Sex Party Marathon

Oh, and I got my schedule yesterday. In good news, I don't work at the Acme again until Wednesday. Unfortunately, I also got an extra day on Friday, and for some reason, an 8 hour day on Saturday. Head bagger must be taking the day off again. 

You're My Best Friend

Thank heavens we started out into sparkling sunshine, blue skies, and perfect 65-degrees weather. Even if it's just one day, I'll take it. We started off at the massive Lanesborough WalMart about 15 minutes from Lauren's house. We both used the bathroom. I just bought food for my trip home tomorrow. Lauren found Avia sneakers in pink, white, and lavender that she loved. 

We went down the road next to the North Adams Goodwill. It's much smaller than the ones in Pittsfield and Audubon, but it does have a fair-sized media selection. Lauren came up with several shirts. I just found:

Rupert Holmes - Partners In Crime

Next up, we stopped at two different variations on the Ollie's "odd lots of stuff in one location" formula. I found Merino wool socks at Ocean State Job Lots. Lauren's Label Shopper, a local, more clothes-oriented version of Ocean State, moved into the North Adams Peebles after that chain went out of business. They're honestly not that much different from Peebles...but neither of us found anything there. 

Lauren doubled back to Lanesborough for lunch at Pedrin Dairy Bar. This is a local ice cream and sandwich drive-up restaurant with tons of outdoor seating. I forgot about it being cash-only and had to get more at the Mountain One Bank next-door. Lauren had a huge chicken club grinder with amazing, crunchy onion rings and a Diet Coke. I had a Chicken Parmesan grinder with a coffee milkshake. Oh yum! It was really windy, but otherwise, it was a perfect day to eat outside. The sun was warm on our backs as we enjoyed our lunch.

After Lauren drove us back to North Adams, she went to Jack's Hot Dogs to get dinner for her parents, and I made my way into the Berkshire Emporium & Antiques. And everything else, from the looks of the place. They're so huge, they have twenty rooms filled with every possible thing existing, from antique tools to new DVDs. There's so much stuff, they have books for sale in the coffee shop next-door. They're even more full than the Barrington Antique Center. I have to agree with the college kids who searched through the records, cassettes, and CDs in the basement with me. It was like ten families just dumped everything they didn't want in 20 rooms. Along with a pack of 40 Pokemon cards for a Christmas present, I ended up with two CDs:

Manheim Steamroller - Christmasville

The 1995 Broadway cast album for the Pal Joey revival with Peter Gallagher and Patti LuPone

I met Lauren outside, and we strolled back to her car. This time, Lauren drove us back into Vermont. We missed the Bennington Goodwill yesterday. They're not a whole lot bigger than the one in North Adams. I didn't find anything. Lauren found a striped shirt for work and a really pretty purple and maroon sweater with glittery threads.

In fact, I had no more luck for the rest of the day. Lauren got more shirts and another sweater at the Marshalls down the road. Neither of us found anything at the Vermont Label Shopper either. The only thing either of us bought from their Super WalMart was my Cherry Coke Zero. (And it must be a requirement for very large WalMarts to have stunning views. The WalMarts in Lanesborough and Bennington are positioned where one can have a terrific view of the mountains in the area. The Somerdale WalMart is on a hill that allows you to see the Cinemark and everything around it.)

We had dinner at The Avocado Pit in downtown Bennington. Lauren had a hard time finding a place to park, but it was worth it. The Avocado Pit is a hole-in-the-wall that specializes in tacos and their perfect home-made limeade. I had the taco special on soft flour tortillas with chicken. Lauren had hard shell tacos with beef...and loved those so much, she got a larger fish taco, too. We shared their cinnamon strips, fried tortilla strips dusted with cinnamon sugar that were delightfully flaky. The young guys at the counter were really nice and funny, too.

Lauren had trouble driving home. She got caught between two drivers going way too slow on the highway. Needless to say, she wasn't too happy about that, especially since one guy was weaving and didn't seem to be driving that well. I couldn't help laughing at some of her grumbling.

Finished the night with today's Match Game YouTube marathon after we showed Mr. and Mrs. Miller our finds. Hugging and kissing were as common on this show as weird answers from drunk panelists. If Gene wasn't kissing "the new kid on the block" ingenue, Richard was smooching with the contestant he'd just helped win money. Richard wasn't the only one, either. Sometimes, the contestants were the ones who did it, like the guy who dipped a smitten Marcia Wallace before giving her a huge kiss, or the one who kept chasing Fannie and Brett around. 

There are hugs and kisses all around with Gene and his wacky weirdos in this very loving marathon!

Match Game Saturday Classics - Hugs and Kisses Marathon

Country Roads

This time, we started out at quarter after 9 with a trip to Vermont. Lauren needed to get gas, so we stopped at the Shell station down the street from her house. She got her gas and a croissant at the Dunkin' Donuts in the convenience store there. I got a "Franki" Matcha Latte (topped with purple foam) and a maple frosted donut. 

Vermont is beautiful country! I love our drives up there. It was sunny when we left, but even with dark clouds moving in on the horizon, the gold and orange trees glowed in the rustling wind. The emerald green farmland was laden with huge round pumpkins and golden corn. Cows grazed in fields of pastel wildflowers. Those green mountains seemed to literally touch the sky, thanks to the thick fog at their tops. Villages that go back to the Revolutionary War crowded around narrow highways, clapboard churches, and quaint antique shops with wrap around porches.

Lauren pulled into the gravel parking lot of the Vermont Country Store at Weston around 11:30. This is a vintage red farm house that sells everything from retro toys and games to old-fashioned candy and kitchen items to pastel milled soaps, herbal tonics, Vermont cheeses, maple syrups, and sausages, and lacy nightgowns. They have nifty vintage holiday decorations and all kinds of Peanuts items too, books, stuffed Snoopys and Woodstocks, sheets, games.

Trouble is, they may be practical and hard-to-find, but most of their wares are also expensive above the norm, especially their clothes. Soon as I could find it, I hurried upstairs to their sale area in the attic. Made some of my best finds here. I've only just begun to see those scratch-and-sniff stickers that were common as prizes in schools during the 80's again. There was a basket with four remaining. We're supposed to make a special Halloween theme with prizes for our tables on the day before Halloween. I hope the kids love them as much as we did! I also found a gorgeous maroon nightgown with a lace collar. Downstairs, I dug up jute coasters with a leaf and a pumpkin motif that weren't that expensive. Thought I'd try Fruit Jelly Stackers, which seem similar to fruit slices in a layered square rather than a half-moon shape.

I had just gone outside to wait for Lauren to finish her own shopping when I saw Mom had left a message on my cell phone. Turns out yes, they got the birthday card for Aurora in time for her birthday yesterday, and yes, Aurora loved the Disney gift card. She's a big Elsa fan! Mom and Keefe's wife Julia handled her birthday party. Keefe had to work on a new ship. 

After Lauren came out with two bags of clothes for her and her parents and socks for her dad, we put everything in her car, then headed to Mildred's Table. The sit-down restaurant at the Vermont Country Store has been through several names and owners of late - last year, it was Mildred's Grill - but it's back in the Orton family at the moment. This is more industrial-rustic, with plain wooden beams on the ceiling and local artwork depicting Vermont scenes on the walls. Lauren had a massive grilled cheese and bacon sandwich on thick sourdough bread and a huge bowl of butternut squash bisque. I went for a simpler chicken salad wrap with lots of nuts and dried cranberries.

Mildred's Dairy Bar and Grill is attached to the back of Mildred's Table. It's basically the take-out version of Mildred's Table, with local ice cream and treats along with basic sandwiches and hot dogs. Lauren had a cup of black raspberry ice cream. I had a vanilla maple "Creamee" swirl in a cup with chocolate sprinkles. Yum! They know ice cream in Vermont. It was sweet and just maple enough. 

It showered hard while we were in Mildred's, but the rain took a temporary leave of absence as we went across the street to the Christmas Shop. This old wooden house isn't as big as Winterwood in Rio Grande, but it's just as jammed full of every possible Christmas ornament that ever existed. I even saw soda can and peanut butter jar ornaments! Lauren got gifts for her parents and Rico. I didn't see anything I could carry home. Not to mention, my tree is jammed full as it is! 

The Weston Village Store is next-door. It used to be Weston's town hall, but now it sells local souvenirs, Vermont-made cheeses and fudge, and novelty toys. Lauren bought Skittles-themed socks for Rico and Vermont sweatshirts for her and her parents. I just bought a small bottle of maple syrup, which is cheaper there than at the Vermont Country Store.

It was still just cloudy and windy as Lauren drove us down into Manchester. Pasttime Pinball at the Outlet Mall there is under new ownership, but it hasn't changed the experience. It's still rows of pinball history, from Humpty Dumpty, the first machine with flippers from 1947, to a lavish Elton John machine with a flashing LCD screen from three years ago. There's quite a few rarities there. I saw machines themed around Elvira, Happy Days (the original Eight Ball), Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings, Terminator 2, the first Addams Family film, Ghostbusters, Labyrinth, the first Toby Maguire Spider Man movie, The Wizard of Oz, and the 1994 action flop The Shadow. In addition to the recent Elton John machine, there was one from 1976 based on his Tommy character. They had Pin-Bot, Bride of Pin-Bot, Centaur, Diner, Ice Revue, Fish Tales, Paratrooper, and Space Shuttle. 

Pinball can be a lot of fun, and I loved learning about the history behind the consoles, but after an hour, my hand got tired from pulling all those levers to get the ball going. I left Lauren playing every game there and went across the street to the Northshire Bookstore, dodging more heavy showers as I did. The Northshire Bookstore is in a charming old inn, but it's also a bit of a maze. I kept running into alcoves and more alcoves filled with new books, records, and stationary...but I was looking for the old books. I finally asked for directions to the used book room. It's right next to their cafe (which was closed by the time I got there). Thankfully, the used book room is much brighter and more open than the rest of the store. I finally came up with:

Shades of Earl Grey by Laura Childs (I don't often see the older Tea Shop Mysteries out in the wild.)

Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher (Christmas-set British Victorian fantasy)

They had two American Girl Williams-Sonoma cookbooks, Baking and Breakfast & Brunch. I have a ton of baking cookbooks, so I went with Breakfast & Brunch. 

Thankfully, the rain had stopped again by the time we were ready for dinner. Lauren drove us over to the small shopping center where the cozy little Japanese restaurant Sushi Boat is located. When we arrived, though...they were closed. They weren't supposed to be closed. They're normally open for dinner on Fridays.

We ended up across the street at the more elegant Thai Basil by default. They were a little pricey, but their food was good and their servings were massive. Lauren's bowl of beef pho was big enough to pass as a swimming pool. My chicken stir fry was served in a hollowed-out pineapple! Oh yum. Thai food tends to be spicy, but pineapple or no pineapple, my stir-fry was just the right melding of flavors. I had sticky white rice, too. I ate all but about half my rice. Lauren ate three quarters of that lake-sized bowl of pho.

Went straight in the shower when I got home, then watched Million Dollar Kid on Tubi. I went back a little further to the East Side Kids, when Leo Gorcey's name was Muggs, and he led a group of slightly younger hooligans that included Glimpy (Huntz Hall) and his decidedly not-kid cousin Herbie (Al Stone). They find a wallet that belongs to millionaire John Cortland (Herbert Heyes), who takes a shine to them and lets them use his son's gym. They end up helping out his family, including heading off a phony Frenchman (Stanley Brown) who is after his daughter Louise's (Louise Currie) money and getting his younger son Roy (Johnny Duncan) back on the straight and narrow.

Finished the night at YouTube with a rare animated fairy tale from Canada. The Admiral and the Princess apparently debuted there in 1990. A grandmother reads her grandson the story of a brave admiral who loved a spirited princess. They couldn't wed because she had to remain on land and prepare for her duty as queen. The king's evil advisor try to hypnotize the admiral to kill the king, but he couldn't do it. The King didn't want to kill him, so advisor punished him by turning him into a blue heron. When the king travels to a neighboring kingdom with his armada, the advisor intends to create a storm and destroy them. The princess' nurse is a sorceress and is able to turn her into an egret, so she and the Admiral can lead her father from danger. The Admiral does eventually defeat the advisor, but at the cost of his humanity. It's faithful nurse Renee who finds a way for the two star-crossed lovers to be together.

This was surprisingly sweet and even sad. The bittersweet ending and the advisor's gristly and fairly graphic demise after his blood crystal is destroyed are fairly rare in 90's animated fairy tales. Apparently, this disappeared for years before someone posted it on YouTube six years ago. The animation isn't the greatest, but it's still recommended if you love original fairy tales like I do. 

The Admiral and the Princess

Runnin' Down a Dream

We started out on a gray, cloudy morning, this time heading past Lee to the Mass Pike. There was a little traffic near Springfield due to road repairs, but it was fine once we got off the highway. We finally pulled into the Holyoke Commons Shopping Center around quarter after 10.

I love the Barnes and Noble here! It's two stories and probably the largest I've ever seen. I did have a hard time finding the smaller paperback mysteries. Once I did, I couldn't decide on a book. I finally just bought One Poison Pie by Lynn Calhoon. Went downstairs next to their massive DVD and music section. Only half of it actually sold media, but I found two greatest hits CDs on reasonable sales:

Rick Astley - The Best of Me 

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers  - The Best of Everything ($10 off a 2-disc set)

Lauren didn't find anything and was already outside when I was done. We went two doors down to Red Robin for lunch. They were surprisingly busy for a late Thursday morning when they'd just opened. The waitress chatted with an older man in a corner while Lauren ate a chicken Caesar wrap and I had a California chicken sandwich with avocado, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. I had fries and a coconut soda (Coke with coconut flavoring and topped with cream and foam). She had broccoli and a berry lemonade.

After a brief stop at TJ Maxx across the parking lot, we drove further down to the Holyoke Mall. Lauren parked near a light fixture that, for some reason, was surrounded by large spotted brown and red flying bugs. I later discovered they're spotted lantern flies. Holyoke is apparently having problems with the invasive pest right now. Fortunately, they seemed more interested in the blacktop than Lauren's car. At least the weather improved here. It was almost sunny and much warmer, in the lower 70's.

Our first stop was Round 1 on the other side of the mall. On one hand, they were a bit of a mess. They must have been remodeling or adding new machines. I saw lots of dark machines and closed-off areas. To my dismay, their prize area was closed, too. I'll have to save my points for the next time I'm at the Deptford Mall. On the other hand, there were still a lot of other machines working. I was able to run from skee ball to Bust a Move to giant Pac Man and Spaced Invaders for an hour. Crusin' Blast was among the games that were offline, but I had no trouble with Mario Kart Deluxe. Played Pac Man on the Splash Circuit; came in 2nd behind Luigi. Did better on the Hot Wheels race game this time, coming in first with my red car.

Lauren and I did better in the mall proper. Round 1 is the only amusement at Holyoke besides a kids' playground area, but that gave us more time to shop. Our first stop was Lane Bryant. I didn't get to check out the one at Crossgates yesterday! I didn't find more Care Bears shirts, but I did get a bra for $25 and a pretty mottled blue shirt for $13, the latter on clearance.

While I was exploring Lane Bryant, Lauren was across the way at a store that sold "exotic" snacks, mainly from Japan. I loved their nifty collection of Japanese sodas! I went with what looked like a clear peach Fanta. Research later revealed it was White Peach. Oh, yum! No wonder it's apparently popular in Japan. It's just sweet and tart enough and only 20 calories. Lauren had Pepsi Raspberry Ripple. She found unique Oreo flavors, and we both got Hershey's Exotic Dark Chocolates with raspberry goji middles.

We were in and out of stores for the next few hours. Lauren found a cute stuffed purple Snoopy at Toys R' Us. Neither of us found anything at Macy's, BoxLunch, Old Navy, MiniSo, or the toy-oriented Sports Zone downstairs. Lauren didn't pick up anything at Sportsline Video Games or FYE, either. I did better at FYE. Their selection isn't as good as it has been the past few years, but they still have more used stock than most stores do nowadays. I ended up with:

Seasons 1 - 3 of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Wish DreamWorks would get around to releasing the last 2 seasons on disc now that the show isn't on Netflix anymore.) 

Rod McKuen - Rod McKuen's Greatest Hits Vol. 2

Sutton Foster - Take Me to the World

1998 London cast of Oklahoma! with Hugh Jackman

There are at least four Sports Zone stores scattered throughout the Holyoke Mall. They do sell sports jerseys, but they mostly sell...everything else. Collectibles, toys, books, DVDs, games, action figures, stuffed animals. You name the junk, and they probably have it. I was looking for a Flyers Jersey, but I found two used DVDs upstairs for a decent price, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and the relatively recent Looney Tunes: Rabbit Run. 

Made one last stop at JC Penney before we left. Once again, Lauren didn't get anything. I found a red short-sleeved t-shirt on clearance for $5.99. My old JC Penney red t-shirt is stretched from many wearings, especially around the collar. 

Normally, we have dinner at Holyoke's food court when we're there...but they had a major fire earlier in the summer and are still rebuilding. We considered 110 Grill before Lauren found something even cheaper just a few minutes away. JP's Restaurant is elegant but simple, with a lively bar and terrific prices for what you get. They also have terrific food. Lauren's Cajun burger was massive. It was covered in cheese and sauce and must have weighed a pound or more. She said it was the best burger she'd ever tasted. My steak and cheese wrap was really good, too, dripping with sauteed onions, mushrooms, and peppers. She had a blueberry-lemon cheesecake for dessert. I had an amazingly decadent Snickers Pie. 

We had more trouble getting home. The traffic caused by the road work had backed up significantly. At least there was a lovely pink sunset to admire while we waited. Thankfully, the traffic finally moved after about 20 minutes, and we got home within a half-hour after that.

Finished the night watching the Bowery Boys movie Smuggler's Cove on Tubi. Terrance "Slip" Mahoney (Leo Gorcey) and his best friend Sach (Huntz Hall) think they're in the money when Slip's given papers that indicate he's inherited a mansion. Turns out it's not only rundown, it's the home of European jewel thieves who are smuggling diamonds and scientists out of the country. Not only that, but it's not really Slip's inheritance. Another, far more prominent businessman named Terrance Mahoney (Paul Harvey) and his daughter Teresa (Amelita Ward) really inherited the house, and they've come for a vacation. Slip's reporter friend Gabe Moreno (Gabe Dell) smells a story and follows him there as well. Now the boys have to figure out what the smugglers are up to and help Mr. Mahoney get them out of his house, before everyone ends up in real trouble.

With a Little Help From My Friends

Started out heading back to Albany on a gray, cool morning. It showered lightly as we made our way through the small, lovely upstate New York towns to Cracker Barrel near the Albany train station. Thank goodness the clouds were starting to break up as we pulled into their parking lot. In fact, that was the last rain we saw all day.

Cracker Barrel goes for southern-fried rustic instead of generic 60's diner. Lauren and I sat under framed artwork of patterns for dresses from the 40's. I could see skis and older snowshoes over one table, 45's and their covers at another. The blazing fire in the huge fireplace felt good on that slightly chilly morning! Lauren had a hash brown casserole with two fluffy biscuits. I had thin but tasty pancakes topped with caramel, sweet cream, and fried apples. (Those fried apples taste much better on top of pancakes than they do as a side.) I thought it would be busier at quarter after 10, but it wasn't that bad.

We of course stopped in Cracker Barrel's gift shop on the way out. Cracker Barrel's country theme extends to their old-style candy, CDs of country stars, and for some reason, a lot of Peanuts merchandise. I just ended up with a cute, fluffy little stuffed cow I named Hoodsie and a pecan log. Lauren got a stuffed Eeyore for her mom and shirts for her.

By the time Lauren pulled into the parking lot of Crossgates Mall about 20 minutes away, the clouds were rapidly vanishing. She couldn't find a good space near JC Penney, so we entered at Primark. I'm not a fan of them. I can never find my size there. Lauren normally does well there, but finally admitted she couldn't find anything either when she joined me in the main mall.

There were small neon gold and white cranes scattered throughout the mall. They pretty much looked like gold and white versions of the Prince UFO Catchers at Colonie Center. Lauren didn't have any luck with them, even when we found a store with rows of them called Kiddleton. I got a cute little round knitted white duck and a butterfly-like creature with beautiful orange, black, gray, and green markings. She had a Godzilla tag. (I later discovered that her name is Mothra, and at least in the current film series, she's a goddess and a good guy.)

Our next stop was Dave & Buster's. The one at Crossgates doesn't have skee ball, but they have plenty of everything else. I spent over an hour and a half going from the pirate wheel (won over 200 on one try there!) to Monopoly to giant Space Invaders to giant Pac Man to ring toss. Got Mario on Mario Kart Deluxe; came in 1st on the Kingdom Way round. Didn't have as much luck with Crusin' Blast, despite my sweet cherry-red Cadillac. I came in 3rd on the Madagascar race with the dinosaurs. Got two cards for extra points out of the SpongeBob and Minions token machines. I had over 4,200 when it was all done. Got a really cute fluffy, floppy mottled brown-and-white teddy bear I named Honeycomb.

I peeked at FYE next. They moved and didn't have the selection they used to, but I came up with enough to do their buy 3 used items for $15 sale:

The Essential Collections - Deanna Durbin (Apparently an import, but I almost never see anything for her, not even on LP.)

Great Women of Jazz - Astrid Gilberto

The soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou?

The third season of Supergirl (This wasn't part of the sale, but it wasn't a bad price.)

Next stop was Macy's. Lauren looked around, but all I did was use the bathroom. After that, we went upstairs and headed to The Arcade House. This is one large room with smaller machines and cranes with better toys than Dave & Buster's. Alas, neither of us had any luck there. They had a row of older games in the back. I played Burger Time and at least got through most of the first round, but I'm still no good at Defender. 

After we couldn't get anything out of the cranes at Kiddleton, we briefly moved on to JC Penney. It was getting late by that point, though, and we also wanted to get mini golf in. There's an indoor black light mini golf course across from Dave & Buster's downstairs. The theme is space. You navigate your neon balls around Venus fly traps, aliens, glowing "rock formations," and astronauts in neon green playing golf. Lauren won by a few points, but I got the only hole in one of the day.

We made a brief stop outside of Primark to use the bathroom before we finally headed out. At least the rain seems to have taken a temporary leave of absence. In fact, the weather was gorgeous when we drove past Albany and down to Mass Pike. It was sunny, breezy, and much warmer. If the dry roads were any indication, it hadn't so much as sprinkled in hours.

Lauren pulled in at Rico's house near Great Barrington around 6:30. Rico was letting his baked chicken brine when we arrived. He and his boyfriend Elliott were absolutely hilarious. It was funny just watching them together, and Lauren was hilarious with them, too. We chatted, then ate Rico's delicious, moist baked chicken with corn boiled in salted water. 

We were going to have dessert at an ice cream bar nearby, but apparently, it closed early tonight. No matter. I had cookies and Lauren had a popcicle while the guys chatted and laughed and drank rum. We tried to play the Train-themed card game Lauren picked up, but I don't think the guys quite got it. We ended up singing along to Garth Brooks (Rico is a big country fan) instead. We did much better with Golden Girls Against Humanity, which ended up being a riot. Elliott won by a wide margin. He had 7 to Rico and Lauren's 6 cards each and my 3. We had so much fun, it was late before we finally got home. 

Good Vibrations

We started out at another shopping center near Pittsfield. Rico wasn't going to be ready to leave for the Eastern States Exposition until noon, so we did some shopping first. Lauren picked up shirts at Burlington and TJ Maxx, lounging shorts at Five Below, and comics at the small Barnes and Noble. I just got a huge Snickers Pecan bar from Five Below and Murder In an Irish Pub by Carlene O'Connor from Barnes and Noble. 

Since we weren't going to have lunch until later, we got breakfast sandwiches at Barnes and Noble's cafe. She had a sausage patty, egg, and cheese on a croissant. I had tomato caprese (tomato, pesto, and so much mozzarella, there was enough to fill three pizzas) on crusty bread. 

We drove up to Lee next to pick up Rico, who was visiting his family's home there, and wave to his darling little niece. Rico's a sweet guy, but he's had a lot of trouble lately. He had to have some really rough surgery on his hand and has been off work for months. Apparently, his knees are bothering him as well. He needs this probably even more than we do. He got to choose the music (70's rock and classic country) as Lauren took us down the Mass Pike to West Springfield. She parked in a lot behind a shopping center that's only a five-minute walk from the Big E and is a lot cheaper.

The Big E is the enormous, sprawling state fair for the entire New England region. We did have to wait for Lauren when she was turned away by fair officials at first. Turns out she was carrying too much stuff in her backpack! After she came back, we went in...and were assaulted with huge tents selling spas and booths touting every single thing that can possibly be fried (and some that can be but probably shouldn't, like Kool-Aid). Lauren and Rico were happier buying wine slushes (which Rico claimed contained very little wine) from the rustic, dark-wood paneled Eastern States Farmers Market and Wine Cafe.

Our first stop was the cavernous Better Living Building. They touted everything from pianos people could really play to collectible (and overpriced) hand-made pins and magnets. The only thing we ended up getting there were free samples of really tasty maple ice cream.

We eventually had lunch at the Yankee Boy seafood and unique meat booth just outside of the Better Living Building. Lauren and Rico were more adventurous and had macaroni and cheese with alligator meat (Lauren said it tasted like sausage). Rico also had fried scallops and French fries. I'm not quite that brave. I just had a slightly flat cheeseburger with surprisingly tasty fries. I saw a Slush Factory booth across the street and got my own non-alcoholic orange cream slush. (And appreciated something else that Lauren pointed out. The cool, cloudy day and still-strong wind kept the bugs and bees that plagued the fair last year at bay and made walking around the fairgrounds a lot more tolerable.)

Next up, we strolled down the path to the Midway. Rico can't really ride anything with his hand, and Lauren gets motion sickness easily. Not to mention, I have to agree with Rico that the rides are really overpriced as well. We settled for getting stuffed animals out of cranes. Rico had no luck. Lauren got a pale blue Yoshi. I got a cute little Bulbasaur.

After that, we ducked back around to the Young Building. This is basically a smaller version of the Better Living Building and sells most of the same mix of local crafts and businesses touting huge wares. Lauren and I made a beeline for the Alpaca booth. This year, we both got small teddy bears. Lauren's had fluffy fuchsia fur. Mine had brown fur and an unusually long nose. 

At this point, Rico declared he needed a rest. He relaxed on a bench outside of the Massachusetts building while Lauren and I explored the States Buildings. These are recreations of each state's government building that touts that state's wares. Mohegan Sun and the upcoming National Coast Guard Museum were prominent in Connecticut. There were lines around the building for baked potatoes from Maine. Massachusetts boasted Boston sports memorabilia and its many farms. Vermont had maple syrup and honey booths and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. New Hampshire had candy and beautiful stone jewelry.

The crowds were thin enough that I was finally able to try something I've wanted to for years. My older friend Linda Young grew up in Rhode Island in the 50's and 60's. Her essays on being raised in the Ocean State extensively mention Del's Lemonade. I got a small cup of Del's Frozen Lemonade. Oh yum! Just sweet enough, with big lemon pieces. No wonder Linda has such fond memories of it. 

Since Rico was still relaxing after we finished with the State Buildings, we rode the train on our own as well. The train is a cute little motorized train with a big yellow smiling face. It's supposed to be for families, but it's pretty much the only ride Lauren will get on. It's a lot of fun! People and store-owners at the shopping booths wave to you when you pass by them. It's like a parade. 

Once we got off the train, we'd decided we had enough. It was past 6 PM, and the crowds were getting much thicker. Lauren says they sell half-price tickets after 6 PM, probably to draw more families in. Lauren and Rico stopped at the Farmers Market to refill their wine slushes, then we headed back to Lauren's car.

Lauren and I always have dinner after the Big E at the Chipolte less than a block away. We all got bowls. I had brown rice, spicy chicken, black beans, corn salsa, cheese, and lettuce. Lauren had white rice, black beans, shredded pork, cheese, and tomato salsa. I'm not sure what Rico had, but I did see his was topped with tons of guacamole. The bowls were so huge, even Rico couldn't finish his. We'll eat ours later in the week.

Rico was dropped off first at his parents' home after we got back in the Berkshires. He gave us huge hugs and promised to make a big chicken dinner for us tomorrow. We'll go there after we hit up the Crossgates Mall in Albany.

When we got into Lauren's house, we showed our finds to her parents, then went downstairs. I finished the night watching Zorro the Fox. This Italian production from 1968 definitely shows the influence of the time. It's much darker than most American versions of Zorro, with far more violence. While it does end on a happy note, there are several deaths and a lot of gunplay along with sword fighting. Very blonde George Ardisson makes a dull Don Diego, but Giocomo Rossi Stuart is a commanding Don Pedro, and Femi Benussi is fine and fiery as the daughter of the local alcada who ends up dead when Don Pedro takes over the town. 

Have You Ever Seen the Rain?

Started off the morning heading across the rain-spattered landscape of upstate New York. Even with the gritty gray skies and heavy showers, western Massachusetts and upstate New York remained beautifully pastoral. The leaves here are just starting to turn glowing shades of gold, rust, and flaming orange. They hung over huge red barns, charming little villages, lovely Victorian hotels and libraries, and sturdy farmhouses. Thankfully, the traffic was non-existent as we headed down the highway past Schoendack to the Denny's on the hill next-door to Cracker Barrel.

It wasn't raining when we pulled into their parking lot. They weren't even that busy, despite it being 10 AM and prime breakfast time. She ordered a strawberry lemonade for a drink. I got hot tea...and of course, I spilled it on myself when I tried to pour it. Ouch! I've been a real klutz lately. I ran it under cold water right away. Thankfully, though it was a little sore later, it never blistered. I ran cold water on it whenever I could throughout the day, which seems to have helped.

Our breakfast went much better after that. We made our own slams. Lauren went simpler with sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast that was so heavily buttered, it was practically French toast. I had two delicious and fluffy pancakes, turkey bacon, scrambled egg whites, and a huge plate of grapes and sliced bananas and strawberries. Oh yum! Very tasty, especially those pancakes. We ate every bit.

Our next stop was the Colonie Center, the smaller, older mall on Wolf Road. On one hand, heavy remodeling a decade ago made it modern inside and out. It's also had more trouble with losing anchors than its larger neighbor down the street Crossgates Mall. On the other hand, it also has stores that Crossgates doesn't, including the one we started at. I love L.L Bean's travel accessories, but as Lauren pointed out, their clothes are expensive even on sale. We didn't spend much time here.

We did a little better at Go! Calendars and Toys. I looked at stuffed animals, but didn't see anything I wanted. Lauren did better. She found a cute mint-colored Snoopy key clip and a ball with a surprise toy. 

After we left Go!, we split up. Lauren went to Boscov's and LA 7. I started at Barnes and Noble. I wasn't that impressed with their mystery section. I just went with A Trip With Trouble: The Mountain Lodge Mysteries by Diane Kelly and the soundtrack from Toy Story 5. Headed across the way to Boscov's after that. I replaced the Easy Spirits with white Hi-Tecs. I looked at Avia, but they were too tight, even in wide sizes. The Hi-Tecs are slightly tight, but better than the Avias. 

Met Lauren out in the main hall while tying on my new sneakers. Our next stop was something different. Colonie just added the first all-crane machine arcade I've ever seen. It's small, and interestingly, like Tyler St. Arcade, it uses tokens. The pink and white neon machines did have some larger prizes, but most of them were cards or keychain toys. I kept trying for a Bulbasaur keychain with no luck. I did pick up a Flareon (fire version of Eevee) and a tiny stuffed pretzel with a cat's face. 

Went a little further down to Macy's after we finished at Prince UFO. I left Lauren to wander around, but I rarely do well here anymore. I ultimately just used the bathroom and met Lauren out in the mall. When she revealed she'd had no luck either, we headed a few doors down to Spencer's. I didn't get anything at the weird, edgy novelty store, but Lauren found a goofy shirt for her guy friend Rico.

Our plans got their first check of the day after Spencer's. We were going to spend an hour at the Pier Arcade next, but...they were closed. I could see the games wrapped in cellophane and netting through the bars. Looks like they're gone for good. That's disappointing. They were small, but they had enough in there to kill an hour. Wonder what happened? I can't imagine they had trouble competing with the cranes, which are really a different type of amusement. 

Our next stop wound up being K & A Thrift Shop by default. They were generally well-organized for a thrift shop, and other than some nice furniture, kind of sparse. I did see some cute stuffed animals and the clothes weren't bad, but there was nothing I absolutely needed. We moved on fairly quickly. I browsed in Hallmark after that while Lauren went back to Spencer's for Rico's shirt.

After Lauren got out of Spencer's, we had lunch at the food court. We both ended up getting stromboli from Sbarro's. I went with a spinach stromboli. Lauren got a pepperoni stromboli and added a salad and a soda. Yum! I don't know why Sbarro's has such a bad reputation. Their stromboli are slightly dark but far from bad. Ours disappeared pretty fast. 

There isn't much else upstairs, so we headed back down to the first floor after lunch. We poked around the Gift Emporium and a tiny toy store, but found nothing but Beanie Babies, imitation stuffed animals, and junky statues. Five Below proved to be far more interesting. Lauren bought lounging pants. I found the cutest little leopard Squishmallow dressed as a vampire. Her tag says her name is Xiomara, and she's a chemistry teacher who loves showing her little Mallows how to make slime and bath bombs. 

Thankfully, the rain died down again as we made our way back out to Wolf Road. This time, we headed left to Trader Joe's. Good thing we could actually park in the parking lot this time. They took over vacant buildings next door and are expanding the store and the lot. That doesn't seem to have impacted the store itself. It was busy, but I was able to buy coconut strips, sweetened dried orange slices, fruit bars, and oatmeal coconut cookies with no trouble. Lauren got her favorite ginger slices. 

It was way too early for dinner, so Lauren drove us a few doors down to a small big box shopping center. Once again, I didn't find anything in Burlington, and all I did in Marshalls was use the bathroom. Lauren did better, picking up shirts for her parents and pants for her. The Target was huge! I looked through the Our Generation clothes, but ultimately just had time to grab The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst on a good sale. 

The rain slowed again as Lauren drove us further down busy Wolf Road to Ted's Fish Fry for dinner. This popular local franchise specializes in massive fried fish sticks on tiny hot dog buns that can't close to contain them. Lauren bought a fish fry for her, two for her parents, and fish tacos for a snack later. I had a fish fry, slightly bland French fries, and very tasty and not-too-sweet Cole slaw. 

By the time Lauren was driving us past the glittering night silhouette of Albany, the rain was down to light showers. They'd continue during pretty much the entire ride home. Lauren cranked up the music and the heat, and we sang to 60's and 80's hits and country favorites as she got off the highway and passed through small towns and down dark highways.

When we got in, we showed our loot to Lauren's parents, and then I took a shower. Finished the night with more vintage music after I got out. Music-based game shows go way back on TV, here and in England. Juke Box Jury actually started in the US, but the long-running British version from the late 50's and 60's is better-known today. Celebrity panelists - Carmen MacRae is among them in the episode I have - would rate songs and try to figure out if they'd be a hit or not. Sounds simple, but the show was popular enough to attract some of the biggest groups of the day as panelists, including the Beatles. Alas, little of the show survives, with only audio from one of the Beatles' shows.

Juke Box Jury was far from the last time young people would get involved with musical game shows. The MTV show Lip Service from 1992 has college kids singing along to popular hits of the early-mid 90's. Whichever group can do it better wins a big trip. Weird as the premise is, the kids really do get into their miming - check out the girls in the opening acts!

Musical Chairs from 1975 also went for the hip youth crowd. Singer Adam Wade made history as the first African-American man to host a game show. He'd introduce regular singers Mary Stuart and Donna Ceillini, plus a guest star - in this case, R&B group the Spinners. The singers would start performing a song, and the contestants would guess the next lyrics. It was too complicated and expensive with the guest starts to last longer than a year, but I'm glad most of the show has been found. For all the weird game play, there's some great music on display here.

I loved watching The $100,000 Name That Tune on USA when I was a kid! In this revival of the popular 50's show, Jim Lange is the one who leads contestants through a series of mini-games to the Golden Medley. Contestants dare each other to see who can name a song in the least notes possible. It's exciting to see how well they do on the Golden Medley, especially one of the rare folks who go all the way, as they do here.

It's a cavalcade of music styles from four decades of musical and game show history in these tuneful episodes!

Juke Box Jury (1960)

Musical Chairs (1975)

The $100,000 Name That Tune (1984)

Lip Service (1992)