Discovering Games

Began the morning reading about Columbus Day. The big piece in Colliers Harvest of Holidays is a surprisingly honest biography from 1944 that points out he took natives from their island homes, never found the Asian riches he was searching for, and died a broken man. Two poems were funnier, but they still discussed his lack of sailing and leadership abilities and his crew's near-mutiny.

Since I got up so late and the weather was so beautiful, I decided to go out for brunch instead of sitting in front of cartoons at home. Rode up to the Legacy Diner, just dodging a group of girls who just came out. They were so busy, I ended up sitting at the counter. I still enjoyed my broccoli and cheddar omelet, home fries, and whole wheat toast. I spent so much time staring at the desserts in the displays up front, I had to try their pumpkin cheesecake. Ooh, spicy and decadent and very earthy-pumpkin!

Cut across Audubon and past the baseball fields at Green Wave Park, which is directly across from the back of Goodwill. I delivered a bag of donations, then went around to the front store. My best find today was a  bright red Issac Mizrahi sweater with lovely scalloped edges. It was sunny and warm today, but the wind was chilly. I ended up wearing the sweater home. Good thing it's soft and incredibly comfortable. I also picked up a cute rounded stuffed fox decoration made with woven fall-colored plaid fabric I named Locksley, the 1962 Disney version of Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates on DVD, and the two-disc This Is America record from the Longines Symphony for patriotic holidays. (While the Audubon Goodwill has heavily expanded their DVD collection, I was disappointed to see they barely had any CDs left, and not that many records, either.)

Hit up a few more stores after finishing at Goodwill. Found bags of mini-books for trick-or-treaters at Five Below that would be perfect for the Mystery Bags, along with an adorable Squishmallow cat named Cam with bat wings. I wanted to start my Christmas shopping at Marshalls, but they were too busy! I just replaced my curl brush and comb. The fluffy bear ears headband was supposed to be for spa days, but I thought it would be perfect for a bear costume. 

The other reason I was at Audubon Crossings was to get my hair done. There's a Great Clips across the parking lot from Marshalls and Ross. Considering how busy the stores and the Legacy Diner were, they were empty. They were able to seat me right away. That blunt cut that I got in early April didn't really end up looking right or working with my curls. They look more attractive and are more manageable cut chin-length and layered. They felt so much better and bouncier when I headed out!

Stopped at Common Grounds Coffee House on the way home for another delicious Rosemary Apple Cider Chai-der. Had a banana chip muffin for lunch, too. They were also surprisingly quiet. Most people must still be on vacation or are focusing on shopping. 

Once I got home, I relaxed while watching the 1952 version of Ivanhoe on Tubi. Robert Taylor is the title character, who returns home from the Crusades to discover Richard the Lionhearted (Norman Woodland) is being held prisoner by the king of Austria, who demands a huge ransom for his release. Richard's brother John (Guy Rolfe) would rather rule England in his stead and pit Saxons and Normans against one another. Passing himself off as a minstrel, Ivanhoe brings Norman soldiers Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert (George Sanders) and Sir Hugh De Bracey (Robert Douglas) to the home of his father Cedric (Finlay Currie). Cedric wants nothing to do with any Norman, not even Richard, but his ward Rowena (Joan Fontaine) is in love with Ivanhoe and is more supportive. 

Ivanhoe realizes Saxons aren't the only race being persecuted in England when he helps his father's jester Wamba (Emlyn Williams) rescue kindly old rabbi Issac (Felix Aylmer) from soldiers. His daughter Rebecca (Elizabeth Taylor) gives up her jewels so Ivanhoe can win a jousting tournament. He does win, but is injured while doing so. None other than Robin Hood (Harold Warrender) brings him to Rebecca to be healed. It's Robin Hood and his Merry Men to the rescue when Cedric is captured and Ivanhoe goes to rescue him, only to be taken as well. When Rebecca is branded a witch and may be burned at the stake, Ivanhoe rushes to King John's castle to stop her trial and prove who the real greatest knight in England is.

Honestly, Robert Taylor's kind of stiff (and a bit overage) as the valiant knight. It's the ladies and villains who walk off with this one. Fontaine and especially Elizabeth Taylor are so luminous, you can understand why Ivanhoe has a hard time choosing between them for a while. Sanders has more fun playing a slightly less sneering villain than he normally did. There's also the gorgeous Technicolor production, with England and some enormous sets blazing across the screen. I also appreciate that the anti-prejudice story is treated with some sensitivity, especially for the time. If you're looking for a good, stirring swashbuckler with slightly more to say than most in the genre, you can't go wrong with two of the loveliest ladies ever in an MGM England.

Switched to Match Game '77 during dinner. The first hour skipped past several weeks that are missing episodes to the tail end of the week with Hans Conried and Sarah Kennedy. Hans seemed a bit dazed, which is likely why this would be his only appearance on the show. Conny Van Dyke and Dick Martin had more fun the next week, especially when Conny complained about not getting a new-kid-on-the-block kiss (despite having been on the show at least twice before).

Finished the night with a salute to Double Dare. This Nickelodeon staple celebrates its 40th anniversary this month. This would be Nick's first foray into game shows. Two teams with two kids answer trivia questions from host Marc Summers. If they don't know the answer, they can toss a dare at the other kids. If those kids don't know, they can throw dares back. Third dare gets a "physical challenge," a messy stunt. Winner goes on to the Obstacle Course, 8 unique slime-filled stunts. Grabbing an orange flag at the end of a stunt nets a prize. Get all 8, and you got the grand prize, which in the 80's was usually a trip to Disney World or Space Camp. 

Double Dare meant a little more to kids like my sisters and me who grew up in the Philadelphia and South Jersey area in the mid-late 80's. From 1986 until they moved to Nickelodeon Studios in 1989, they filmed at WHYY Studios, the PBS station in downtown Philadelphia. You would frequently see kids from Philly, its suburbs, and South Jersey on the show and in the audience. The show's announcer Harvey was even a popular Philly disc jockey at the time.

The show was so popular, it had spin-offs almost immediately. Super Sloppy Double Dare was the weekend edition that debuted in 1987. Double Dare entered syndication, mainly on Fox stations, in 1988. Family Double Dare originally debuted in 1988 as well, but didn't last long in syndication. It did better on Nick from 1990 to 1992.

Double Dare proved so popular in re-runs, it returned to Nick in 2000 as Double Dare 2000. Pretty much the same deal, but the host was now Jason Harris, the contestants remained families, and they added a third Triple Dare Challenge. It didn't really help the show. Double Dare 2000 never found an audience and was gone within 10 months. 

The show's last version to date was in 2018. It pretty much returned to its original format, with more variety in the contestants. Now you never knew who would be playing. It might be just kids, as in the episode I have here from Paramount Plus, or kids and adult guardians, or kids and celebrities, or just celebrities. TV and radio personality Lisa Dishy had a blast hosting, and Marc Summers took over Harvey and Doc Holliday's duties as announcer. While it was never the runaway success that the original was, it did manage a decent two years. 

Celebrate 40 years of the messiest, silliest, wildest stunts on cable and syndicated TV with these delightfully gak-filled episodes! 

Double Dare Premiere (1986)

Double Dare Syndicated (1988)

Family Double Dare (1990)

Double Dare 2000 (2000)

Double Dare (2018)

Sailing Into Matches

Began a gloomy morning with breakfast and more Let's Pretend cassettes. "Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp" is generally a straightforward rendition of the original Arabian Nights story. While it does use the genie in the ring that many versions tend to drop, it also just had the evil Wizard order the genie to steal the princess, rather than the entire castle. Aladdin ends up using the ring to rescue her and poisoning the wizard.

"The Donkey, the Table, and the Stick" is less well-known today. This version of the Grimm's tale has a young man named Jack working for two older people who give him a donkey that drops coins from its ears and a table that magically makes food appear. He makes the mistake of boasting about them to the head of the inn where he stays and his daughter. They steal them, then claim to Jack's father that he never had them to begin with. It's the third magical item that finally gets the duplicitous trio to confess, so Jack can marry his sweetheart.

Despite the ongoing downpour, I had no trouble with Uber today. The one arriving came in 7 minutes. Good thing, as I wanted to get there early enough to buy a plastic container of turkey cubes, mozzarella cubes, crackers, and grapes for lunch. The one going home came in 6 minutes.

I did do carts for the first hour, when the rain wasn't so bad...but once the downpour picked up around 10 AM, I had no desire to be out in it. I spent the rest of the day sweeping the store and putting unwanted items away. One of the college boys took over the carts after he arrived later. Just as well that I didn't see the Eagles game. They dropped a heartbreaker to the Jaguars in London, just barely losing 19-17. 

Finally got around to putting up the Halloween decorations when I got home. Xiomara the Squishmallow Leopard is far from my only Halloween decoration! I'm not a fan of horror, so most of my decorations are funny or cute, like the Trick-or-Sweet Bear stand-up (yes, there is a Halloween Care Bear) I found at Marshalls a few years ago, the cartoony black cat and skeleton wooden stand-ups I found at Goodwill, the stuffed witch I got from Jodie when Dad died, and the various Halloween Happy Meal toys Mom gave me when she cleared out her Halloween decorations in the late 2000's. I also collect cute stuffed bats - I have Boo the WebKinz Bat, Ophelia the Beanie Baby Bat, Scarem, a much smaller Beanie Baby bat, the adorable Belfry I found at a candy store in 2021, and a bat from the Eckards holiday Beanie Baby-type stuffed toy collection from the late 90's.

Listened to Halloween stories and music while I worked, and later as I went online. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow comes with two stories. The title story is a condensed version of the Ichabod Crane segment from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Rip Van Winkle is more interesting. It sticks to the original story up until Rip wakes up...to discover that he's slept not through 20 years of his life, but 220. He awakens in a typical small upstate New York town of the early 60's to discover that the more things change...the more kids love to hear his stories. 

Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House is honestly a bit scary for Disney. Even they admit this album isn't for young children. The stories on Side A alone lean heavily into spooky horror, even just using sound effects and a few lines of dialogue. The screechy sound effects on side B are just slightly less spooky. 

Autumn is one of George Winston's most relaxing albums. The first song "Colors/Dance" is my favorite from side one, "September." "October" gets appropriately moodier, with "Road," "Sea," and "Stars." 

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown probably has the second best-regarded soundtrack of the Peanuts specials after the one for the first Christmas show. I have the second version, released after they found the master tapes for the special in 2020. "The Great Pumpkin Waltz" is probably the best-known new-to-this-special song here, but I also like the charming "Snoopy and the Leaf" and spooky "Graveyard Theme."

Finished the night with today's Match Game YouTube marathon. Jokes about Christopher Columbus abounded on this show, especially as it became better-known that he was, frankly, a lousy sailor and a worse explorer. They generally either covered what he missed at sea, why his men thought he was crazy, or what his love life was like. (And I have no idea why Gene kept giving him an Italian accent. He was Portuguese.) 

There was a Christopher Columbus reference on the episode where a charming and funny old man who ran a junk yard won the game, and another on the PM episode that had Gene and Brett showing off their dueling push-ups. Lee Meredith of the original 1967 The Producers had a Christopher Columbus question on her first day, and Alejandro Rey on his last. There was one during the week with a very fussy Don Adams, too, and the one where Gene announced that Richard would be hosting a new show called Family Feud in the fall. Charles Nelson Reilly was an avid sailor who counted a captain's hat among his many chapeau worn on the show. 

Discover some truly hilarious episodes with Gene and his wacky panelists! 

Match Game Sunday Classics - Ships Ahoy & Columbus Day Marathon

(And yes, it has continued to rain, sometimes heavily, for the entire day.) 

End of Summer Matches

Began the morning with breakfast and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. "Mickey's Treat" is a big Halloween party at Pete's Trick-or-Treat Tower. Mickey and the gang have to get there before the moon is full, or the gates will lock! They have to get over giant candy corns and around hopping frogs to get to the Tower.

Called Uber after the cartoon ended. I was working 8 hours today. I was not going to be up for a bike ride. The one in the morning arrived in 7 minutes. I had slightly more trouble getting one going home at rush hour, but they did come in 10 minutes. No traffic or trouble either way, and I got to work in plenty of time.

I am so tired. Other than the 20 minutes I spent putting cold items away this morning, I swept the store and pushed carts for the entire rest of the day. They were so busy, the head bagger ended up in a register, and they pulled another college-boy cashier to help me with the carts! After he left at 4:30, I had more trouble keeping up with them. I'd only just gotten about half of them done when I finally finished at 5:30.

Once I got home, I went straight into a much-needed shower, then made dinner. Finished up with tonight's YouTube Match Game marathon. Some memorable episodes took place after Match Game returned from a summer break or extended hiatus. One of my favorites was Richard Dawson and Gene Rayburn playing tic-tac-toe on the shoulder of an unamused Marcia Wallace after she accidentally got marker on her bare shoulder. There was also the Monday episode from 1975 when Gene not only got to kiss female newcomer Jamie Lynn Bower, Brett happily smooched Robert Urich, too. There was also the PM episode where one of the contestants was a very blase young man who didn't like his life, didn't seem to enjoy playing the game much, and was cheerfully honest about all of it. 

Let's end the summer season with hilarious hi-jinks featuring Gene and his wacky weirdos!

Match Game Saturday Classics - Welcome Back from Summer and Long Breaks In Taping

Love From the Children

Started the morning with breakfast and Little Bear. Little Bear chases "Father Bear's Nightshirt" when the wind blows it off the clothes line. He follows it to the river, where he picks up a nice surprise with it, too. Little Bear learns "How to Scare Ghosts" when he discovers a trio of raccoons making music outside. His parents are the ones whose presence frightens them away. Little Bear, Duck, and Cat corral a reluctant groundhog to help them "Search for Spring."

Hurried to work on the bike after the cartoon ended and just barely got there in time. Thankfully, that was the worst thing that happened all day. The Acme was pin-drop quiet almost the entire morning. In fact, I spent the morning outside, pushing carts and dodging repairs on the roof. The head bagger took over the sweeping and indoor chores. I was in and out with no trouble whatsoever.

Oh, and I got my schedule for next week at work. It's perfectly normal. I do have six-hour days on the weekends, Sunday early due to the morning bagger taking off that day. Wednesday is the only other day, and it's a normal four-hour shift. I'll be able to enjoy a full day off on Monday (the schools are closed that day) and will have plenty of time to put up Halloween decorations and do research on low-income housing options. 

Since I had to get to Thomas Sharp fast as possible, I took the Black Horse Pike. That might not have been the greatest idea. It did get me there in about 20 minutes by bike, but the traffic was iffy and the sidewalks were narrow and filled with obstacles. I was just glad to turn off into West Collingswood, and then onto Collings Avenue.

The moment I walked through the back door into the cafeteria, four of the girls squealed my name and ran right over to give me (or my legs) huge hugs! I never had such a lovely greeting or felt more appreciated. The kids don't know how happy I felt when they hugged me. 

Today was a half-day at Thomas Sharp. They were just finishing lunch when I arrived. I ate my lunch with the few remaining kids who hadn't finished theirs, either. After I ate and the girls put their lunch bags in their backpacks, we got everyone outside. Since there were only 12 kids today, I let them on the swings the moment we hit the playground. There was some arguing, mainly over who would swing with whom, but most of the kids finally got tired of waiting. By the time we went inside at 3, the two remaining girls were playing on the patio with one of the boys, while the other three boys were chasing each other around the slides.

At least it was a gorgeous day for all the running around. It's still sunny, breezy, and warm, probably in the lower-mid 70's. Couldn't be nicer.

When we got them back inside, half of the kids made more bead necklaces. The others settled down to color copier fall pictures with me. I found a picture of a spider and autumn leaves one kid started coloring, then abandoned. That little spider was too adorable to leave with one black leg, so I finished the picture. Other kids colored in beautiful butterflies or scenes of fall flowers and pumpkins, or back-to-school apple artwork. By 4 PM, there were only 3 little boys and 7 older kids left and plenty of help. They let me and another teacher go early.

Stopped at Dollar General on the way home. Healthy Kids is having a Halloween party for our students on the 30th. Each teacher is supposed to decorate their table and provide containers of treats for the kids. I've already decided that I'll give my kids their own Mystery Bags, since I already make them for trick-or-treaters. Bought the bags and vampire teeth.

Went straight into vacuuming and dusting when I got home. Watched The Price Is Right on Buzzr while I worked. The first episode pit a lady against a very big and quiet gentleman. The "story" Showcase was country vs city living, including a truck. The generic showcase had bedroom furniture, luggage, and a trip to Acapulco. The lady didn't bid high enough on that truck. The gentleman ended up getting a beautiful new bed and the trip to Mexico.

Let it continue into the 5 PM Price while I dusted. There were quite a few big winners here. One college-age male flight attendant was thrilled when he became one of the few people I've seen get all four honks on One Away and walk away with the car. An older woman had no trouble with Hit Me, either. Alas, a young woman had far more trouble with Three Strikes, getting all of the numbers but one before she got that final strike. Two men, the flight attendant and a sweet older gentleman who looked like Ernest Borganine, made it to the Showcases. Two stories this time. Janice became "Sherlock Soames," finding clues leading to a trip to Venice. Holly and Dian kept fighting over who was top Girl Scout as they revealed prizes leading to a camper. The older man went over on the Venice trip. The kid got his camper.

Had dinner while watching Match Game '77. The first hour finished out the week with Craig Morris, Roz Kelly, and Joyce Bulifant. Brett was more than happy to pant over Anson Williams during the second hour. Richard was probably questioning a lot of his life choices when he found himself caught between comic southern belles Mary Ann Mobley and Fannie Flagg.

Finished the night back at Paramount Plus with The Love Boat. Who else but Vincent Price would star in the second-season Halloween episode "Ship of Ghouls?" He's a mentalist whose work has gathered quite a few aging groupies, to the annoyance of his fiancee (Joan Blondell), who ends up spending the night in the Captain's cabin. Two parents who recently got back together (Gary Collins and Mary Ann Mobley) have trouble keeping their young son (Charlie Aiken) from lying to everyone he meets. His lies end up saving a model (Barbara Anderson) and friend of Julie's whose face was scarred in an accident. The boy's attention and Gopher and Doc competing for her make her feel beautiful again. 

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