The New Doctor Is In

Began the morning with Shirt Tales. The "Nearsighted Bear" is a circus performer who refuses to wear his glasses...until the Shirt Tales rescue him when he tries to run away and bounces all over town. The mysterious villain the Hand has stolen all of the money from popular rock group the Patriots' charity tour. Big fan Rick is excited to lead "The Magical Musical Caper" to recover the money and find the Hand.

I thought I was just on time when I hurried out to my doctor's appointment...but I forgot it was at 10:20, not 10:30. I was five minutes late. They took me almost as soon as I came in. After I got my blood pressure checked (slightly high, but I hadn't taken my medicine - I needed to eat first), I talked to Dr. Lauren, my new physician. She turned out to be a round younger woman who sort of looked like my best friend Lauren. 

She checked all of the usual places, like eyes and ears, then asked me for my history. I told her about everything that had gone on this year and all of the stress I was under between the two jobs, the arthritic knee, and trying to find a condo. Yes, I can now admit to myself that I am under a lot of stress. I'm trying to do a lot, and I'm doing it on my own. She suggested therapy, but...I think I've had enough therapy. I need action and real connection, not just talk. They were busy and I had to wait a while, but they did do my blood work and confirm that I was able to work with children. After they took the needle out of my arm, I was all set to go.

I treated myself to brunch at the Westmont. I hadn't been over there for a while. I had chocolate chip pancakes with a bowl of fruit. They were very quiet, especially for lunch hour, with only one or two other pairs of friends chatting in booths. The pancakes were excellent, even if the chocolate chips were on top of the pancakes, rather than in them. The fruit was sliced pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, and strawberries in a bowl, and as such wasn't bad. Had real unsweetened iced tea to wash it all down.

Went straight home and into The Rockford Files. Rockford is hired by a snobbish young millionaire (James Woods) to find out who killed his father in "The Kirkoff Case." The police think the young man did it. So does the father's gold-digging mistress (Julie Sommars). Even Rockford's beginning to wonder after the head of the local mob (Abe Vigoda) claims he did it, too.

Switched to something different while I ate a quick lunch. I found a channel on YouTube devoted to Hungarian Folk Tales, short fairy tales animated to resemble Hungarian art. They're simple but charming, and I started with one story I know from other cultures - "One Eyed, Two Eyed, Three Eyed." This is a Cinderella variant with a good sister with two eyes. Her one-eyed and three-eyed sisters are ignored by suitors, which makes them jealous. She has a goat that gives her food. When they order the goat killed, she buries the bones. She's the only one who can pick the golden apples on the tree that grows in their place, catching the eye of a handsome prince.

Headed to Thomas Sharp after the cartoon ended. I'm not the only one diving into fairy tales today. Many of the kids were dressed as kings, queens, princesses, and princes themselves. One little boy wore a full king costume, including a crown and plastic scepter. A little miss was a lovely queen in a tiara and a fluffy white and blue dress. There were two little Rapunzels, a mini Elsa in an ice-blue dress, a girl in a sundress with huge poofy sleeves, and one who just settled for a Disney Princess shirt. Some of the boys wore golden paper crowns.

Thank heavens things went much better than they did at the end of last week. For one thing, not only was the head teacher back, but one of the teachers for the older kids who was in a car accident and had been out since spring break had fully recovered, too. We had 22 kids, 11 at my table. I read a Sesame Street board book, a Cars Golden book about Mater and Lightning McQueen, and Emma In Charge, a very cute story about a bossy brown bear cub playing teacher for her toys, to a few of the kids after snack time. 

There were a few problems when we got outside. The two Rapunzels would not let one of the other girls who was dressed normally play with them. The young miss was so disappointed, I turned her towards two of the other girls instead. One of the Rapunzels fibbed about her parents coming to try to get on the swings sooner. Another girl refused to put her shoes back on, then threw a fit when I wouldn't let her have a second ride on the swings until she did. Oh, and having them line up when it's time to swing is working out just fine. I just need to keep the line from getting too close to the kids doing the swinging.

At least the weather was great for all the running around. In fact, it was perfect. Golden sunshine with a soft blue sky and a wonderfully cool breeze. Couldn't be nicer for early June. 

Took out the recycling, took the laundry downstairs, then watched Match Game '74 while eating dinner. Most of tonight finished off the week with Gary Burghoff and Elaine Joyce. The second hour picked up with the first week for Richard Deacon, Nipsey Russell's only appearance in the third seat next to Brett, and Petticoat Junction sister Gunilla Hutton in her first and only time on the show.

Returned to YouTube next for more Hungarian Folk Tales after the laundry was done. "The Fox Princess" is a wily female fox who poses as a princess so a kind young prince can marry the real bride. "Brave Prince Nick" defeats dragons with many heads to restore the sun, moon, and stars to the sky. "The Water Fairy" steals a young man she'd been promised before he was born. His grieving wife brushes her hair and spins until the fairy releases him...and even then, they end up on the opposite sides of the world before they meet again. "The Two Princes With Hair of Gold" are killed by a treacherous witch who wants her daughter to marry the king, but they return to their father in a most unexpected way. "The Hedgehog" is adopted by a poor man and his wife after he helps them, a king, and a merchant out of the woods. The merchant's daughter won't marry him, but the king's kind daughter will. He repays her gentleness by showing his true form.

Here's the channel, so you can see these lovely short fairy tales from Eastern Europe yourself!

Hungarian Folk Tales

Finished the night back at Tubi for Storybook International. "The Blind Beauty" is the daughter of a merchant in Indonesia who had let go of a kind, hard-working young man when his jealous foreman accuses him of stealing. It's the foreman who causes the trouble, scaring away all the merchant's customers, until the merchant has nothing, and his daughter has gone blind. Meanwhile, the young man has made a good name for himself, working for his uncle. He's now ready to help the girl and her father, and she doesn't need eyes to know what true kindness and hard work is. 

Of Feuds, Matches, and Musicals

Got a quick start today with breakfast and one of the records I bought yesterday. Here at Last...Bee Gees...Live was a recording of their December 1976 show in LA. It was their first live album - a double set, in fact - and it features their best songs from "Jive Talkin'" down to 60's hits like "I Started a Joke" and "I've Gotta Get a Message to You." No wonder this was a hit at the time. There's some marvelous performances here, especially the medley on Disc 1 of early hits like "Started a Joke," "Massachusetts," "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," and "To Love Somebody."

Had a really quick lunch before calling Uber. I was tired, it was warm and windy, and my heel has been sore. Unfortunately, I called too late. They took 15 minutes to arrive, and I was over 10 minutes late. Surprisingly, they only took 8 minutes to pick me up at the height of rush hour.

The Acme was a mess today. There were long lines, even with three registers open. I couldn't even sweep. I kept dodging people. I couldn't keep up with the carts, either. They kept vanishing. There was no one to help me. The Acme heavily cut back hours. It was all they could do just to have enough people inside. At least the weather could have been worse. It was mostly sunny, windy, and slightly cloudy, though it did spit slightly just as I finished at 5. 

As soon as I got home, I changed, finished the Bee Gees album, and put on today's marathon. Match Game wasn't the only game show Richard Dawson appeared on. Even before he hosted Family Feud, he was a ubiquitous presence in shows as far apart as Celebrity Bowling and The Gong Show. He got some of his earliest game show exposure as part of the panel of the hilarious 1972 syndicated version of I've Got a Secret. In fact, Goodson and Todman were so impressed with him in that show, it led to his stint on Match Game. The episode that introduced the Bob Barker version of The Price Is Right is included here. Audience members bid on items belonging to the panelists - in Richard's case, his mailbox - and whomever got the closest to what it actually cost won.

Richard was likely the most popular panelist on Match Game from it's beginning in 1973 until he got fed up and left around mid-June 1978. His antics figured into some of the funniest episodes. He played Brett Somers, who sat over him, not once, but twice. Betty White was his Charles Nelson Reilly in the 1977 nighttime episode. Fannie Flagg played him in the day show from earlier that year. Gene Rayburn also remembered to never bet against Richard when he wagered that his answer to "Admiral ___" wouldn't be on the Audience Match, and..well, Richard was very rarely wrong.

He and Betty were two of the four "grandmasters" who made it to the finale of the 1975 Password All-Stars tournament (the only episode of that run available today). Bill Bixby of My Favorite Martian and The Incredible Hulk and Hal Linden of Barney Miller were the other two. They all played really well (especially with their hilarious descriptions of "Halleujah!"), but in the end, even Betty couldn't beat Richard. He won money for his charity and a beautiful golden plate. 

Feud had its own share of memorable moments once that started in 1976. There was the lady who answered "September" when Richard asked at what month does a pregnancy start to show. He laughed so hard, he nearly ended up on the floor. It didn't help when her sister came out a few minutes later and said "cuckoo" when he asked to name a noisy bird. Every year, his older son Mark (and later, Mark's wife Cathy) would celebrate Richard's birthday with a cake for the cast. One year, Richard got mobbed by the audience after the cake came out. Another year, they took so long bringing the cake out and introducing Richard's younger boy Gary (who had been living with his mother in England at that point), they played a few questions, then let both families play Fast Money and return to play a legitimate game. 

Celebrate the life and times of one of the funniest Match Game panelists and the first Master of the Feud with these hilarious episodes!

Match Game Sunday Classics - Celebrating Richard Dawson - Featuring Top Match Game, Password, Family Feud, and I've Got a Secret

Oh, and I switched back and forth between the marathon and the Tonys on Paramount Plus for a while. I think I'll need to get the cast albums for Schmigadoon! and Two People Carrying a Cake Across New York the moment they come out on vinyl. Not as interested in The Lost Boys - I'm not a fan of the movie, either. Ragtime is one of my favorite musicals and I'm so glad it won Best Musical Revival, but I'm fine with my original cast album that I bought when it came out in 1998. I really thought Cats: The Jelllicoe Ball would win, based on all the yellow fans in the audience. Loved the lady who was the Narrator for Rocky Horror Show. She was just the right kind of adorably creepy. My sister Anny was always a bigger fan of Pink than me, but I did think her performance of "All That Jazz" from Chicago (the revival is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year) was fabulous. (Incidentally, Death of a Salesman won Best Play Revival, Liberation, on the women's lib movement of the 70's, won Best Play, and Schmigadoon! won Best Musical.) 

A Walk In Cherry Hill

Began the morning with breakfast and The Pirates of Dark Water. "The Game Players of Undaar" capture the Wraith and the Maelstrom, forcing Ren and Bloth to work together in order to defeat their warriors and win their twisted game. Meanwhile, Ioz and Tula try to rescue them, while Bloth's men are more interested in betting with the Game Players on the outcome.

Rushed to the Acme after the cartoon ended...and thanks to the traffic surrounding Oaklyn's Town-Wide Yard Sale, I was still late. Fortunately, that was the worst thing that happened all day. The Acme was really busy, to the point where I had a hard time keeping up with the carts early-on. I did have to put a few cold returns away and help mop up a flower spill in the floral department. I only just got caught up with the carts when I finally finished and headed out.

Since the Town-Wide Yard Sale had an hour to go when I got out, I thought I'd ride around and see what was left. Other than a bottle of water on Newton and lemonade on Kendall, the only things I found were three records from a sale on Eden. Most of it was classical (and one Huey Lewis album I already had), but I did find these:

The Bee Gees - Here At Last...Bee Gees...Live (2-Disc set) 

Astrud Gilberto and Stanley Turrentine - Gilberto With Turrentine

The Johnny Smith Quartet and Stan Getz - Moonlight In Vermont

Soon as I got home, I put the records away, changed, and called Uber to get me to Cherry Hill. No problems here, rather surprising for a Saturday afternoon. The one going to Cherry Hill came in 10 minutes. The one that picked me up at the Cherry Hill Library arrived in 8. 

Started off at Honeygrow. I figured a nice, sensible lunch would counter all the junk and fast food I've been eating lately. I made my own noodle bowl, with spinach, shrimp, whole wheat noodles, sesame seeds, 

spring peas, tomatoes, and a little bit of garlic butter sauce. Yum! It came out nicely, and the bowl was even just big enough for a good, solid lunch.

Headed down King's Highway to the Cherry Hill Library next. I just wanted to walk around in there a bit and see what their adult books and media collections look like. They look huge. They have three times as many CDs and mysteries as anyone else in the area, and they're the first library I've seen rent records since I was about 10. They were wonderfully quiet at 3:30, with it mainly being old people and working folks doing research. The families were all upstairs in the kids' area. 

After I left the library, I strolled two blocks down to a near-by shopping center to get a white grape Powerade at CVS, then went for a stroll. I saw two large buildings in the area behind the Library and I wanted to check them out. Turns out they were The Premiere, formerly (and still listed on signage as) the Windsor Towers. Alas, they were rental apartments, not condos. There was another building across from the library, the Sussex House. That one is mainly apartments but apparently does occasionally have condos for sale. I might check out around that side of the street next week. 

I learned my lesson getting lost in Barclay last week. I always kept landmarks like the Premiere in sight, and I didn't wander too far from King's Highway. Passed townhouses on my way back to the library, but they were "luxury" and too expensive. I picked up Uber at the library, just as it was closing. Watched a family tumble around the realistic statues of two kids reading before the driver arrived.

When I got home, I took a shower and had dinner while watching Sudan. Queen Nailia of the Egyptian kingdom of Khemis (Maria Montez) loves to walk among her people, but she has more purpose than just seeing how the other side lives when her father is killed by a rebel arrow. She is told to seek the rebel leader Herua (Turhan Bey), but is captured by slavers. She's rescued by two roguish horse sellers (Jon Hall and Andy Devine), who help her get home. There was a reason for her capture, though. Her vizier Horadef (George Zucco) will do anything to get the throne for himself. She falls for Herua, but he walks out when he realizes she's a queen. Horadef tosses them all in the dungeon...but it'll take the combined work of rebels and royalty to save her.

Finished off with tonight's YouTube marathon. Family Feud was so wildly popular in the late 70's and early 80's, ABC had a series of all-star specials that pit casts from the biggest hit shows of the time against one another. Love Boat and Eight Is Enough were on almost every one...and I think they won maybe three times between them. Susan Richardson was so happy when she finally won Fast Money, she scooted across the floor! Fred Grandy couldn't keep his eyes off Loni Anderson's, um, assets when they faced off against one another. John Ritter was adorably nervous even on a game show. 

The specials were even funnier when ABC invited shows from the other networks to compete, too. Quinn Cummings of Family was totally shocked when her quickly tossed-off answer turned up on the board. Charlene Tilton protested playing against adorable Missy Gold and her "big blue eyes." (Not that Charlene was one to talk. She wasn't much taller than Missy!) Debralee Scott of Angie was pretty shocked herself when, despite being even more nervous than John, she became only the fourth person in the history of the show to win a Fast Money all on her own. The cast of Dallas won for funniest opening when they showed up behind the cameo oval holding Larry Hagman (J.R Ewing)...and then unceremoniously dropped him.

See what the networks had to offer in prime time in the late 70's and early 80's with these hilarious prime time Feuds!

Saturday Classics - All-Star Family Feud Specials (1978-1981)

When Things Go Wrong

Began the morning with breakfast and Little Bear. "Little Bear Meets No Feet" the snake while helping Mother Bear in her garden. He tries to find a bed for him inside, then comes to the conclusion that some animals just belong outdoors. Grandfather Bear sets up a sheet tent in the yard, so he and Little Bear can go on "The Camp Out" and learn a goofy camping song. Little Bear can't send "Emily's Balloon" from Hen's birthday party in the mail, but it finds its way to her just the same.

Rushed out to the Acme to do this week's grocery shopping, cutting across the Newton Lake Park...and of course, when I arrived there, I realized I had forgotten my wallet. At least I figured it out before I went in the store and did actual shopping, but it was still embarrassing. I wouldn't have time to go back out. I'd have to do it after I finished at Thomas Sharp.

So I just rode back home, had lunch, and cheered myself up with an episode of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. This was the first episode of the sixth and final season, and it opens with cheerleaders introducing the newcomers on the show, among them eventual Match Game semi-regulars Sarah Kennedy and Patti Deusch. We kick off with a pretty darn decent Frank Sinatra imitator carrying off the lamppost he leans on, Patti's infamous Howard Cosell's mother imitation, Kent McCord and Martin Milner parodying their characters on the cop show Adam-12, and Willie Tyler and Lester spoofing All In the Family's theme song. John Wayne's a lot less happy when he's stuck in a goofy blue furry suit and has to give evidence to Dan Rowan.

I left a little bit early so I could get a free donut at Dunkin' Donuts for Free Donut Day. I think I should have left a lot earlier. I got the Pepsi Zero, but there was such a long line at the drive-in, I ran out of time to wait for my jelly donut and never did get it. All that made me late for work on a really hot day.

Which was absolutely not a good thing. Though we only had 21 kids, 8 at my table, they were all absolutely insane today. First of all, the head teacher called out. Second, though the older kids did go out on the blacktop for a while, it was too hot to take the pre-schoolers outside. (Especially since a lot of them were wearing long-sleeved flannel pajamas for Pajama Day.) We stayed in the cafeteria the entire afternoon. None of them would sit down. They ran around, shrieked, climbed under tables, ran into the music teacher's office that's blocked by heavy velvet curtains for a reason, argued loudly over the magnetic tiles (and broke them), and ripped the paper we taped down for them to draw on so badly, we cut word search papers in half for them to draw on instead. 

They were really a pain in the rear in the bathrooms. Two of the girls took 10 minutes to stop giggling, whispering, and climbing under each other's stalls. I felt sorry for the poor girl who went like a normal person and had to wait for them to finish. I spent ten minutes yelling at them before they finally got out. I did figure out how to keep one of the older boys from wandering in the halls during bathroom breaks. I told him to be the line leader, which seemed to focus him, at least enough for him to help me get the others together.

I hadn't originally planned on eating dinner out, but I wasn't up to digging out something at home after all that. I just had a slice of vegetable and a slice of pepperoni at Crust N' Cravings on Collings Avenue. The pizza was good, as it always is, but I felt a little nervous there. They're across from the notoriously troubled Parkview Apartments on the White Horse Pike, and their clientele in the evenings and at night tend to be sketchy. I ate, watched Action News on Channel 6, and hurried out.

At least it was a nice day by then for the long ride back to the Westmont Acme. There's a lot of repairs and remodeling going on in Newton Lake Park right now. I think they're redoing the pavement on the back path, so I stuck to the front path, going past the playgrounds and pavilion, over the footbridge, and around a group of Canadian geese and their growing goslings looking for dinner. The weather was still pretty warm when I arrived in Westmont, sunny, hot, dry, and in the lower 90's.

Thank heavens the Acme wasn't busy when I arrived. I needed a lot. Restocked sliced chicken, yogurt, soda, granola, strawberries, granola bars, coconut milk, and cookies. I had an online coupon for a free Acme brand peanut butter, and another for the large container of blueberries. Found slices of lemon cake roll for really cheap in the bakery. 

Had the cake rolls for dessert while watching the last episode this week of Match Game '74 when I got home. By the time I got in, they were starting the week with Broadway star Robert Morse and TV favorite Adrienne Barbeau. This was also the week where a diminutive red-headed contestant kept chasing Fannie and Brett every time he won, to the point where Richard and Charles had to stand up and defend their ladies' honor.

(Got my schedule at this point, too. In good news, next Saturday off. I'll be able to hit the farm market and explore another neighborhood in Cherry Hill. Bad news, not nearly enough hours. The head bagger must be back to her normal working hours, and given they're cutting hours, they probably don't want people working multiple jobs.) 

Finished the night at YouTube for the Universal action movie Gypsy Wildcat. Gypsy dancer Carla (Maria Montez) intercepts a message from Michael, one of the King's men (Jon Hall) and a wicked Baron (Douglas Dumbrille) who is persecuting the gypsies. He knows a secret about Carla, one that he hopes will allow him to marry Carla and steal her fortune. Michael helps young Tonio (Peter Coe) rescue the gypsies from the dungeon and save Carla from a fate worse than death. I love all of the Montez-Hall action films I've seen, and while this isn't the greatest of them, it's still a lot of fun. If you love historical action with an Eastern European flair, you'll really get a kick out of this one. 

Night of the Springtime Dolls

Began the morning with breakfast and Shirt Tales. They help a "Hapless Hound" with a cold who can't smell find a new owner after he wanders into the park and Dinkel says he can't stay. Two jewel thieves trick Dinkel into thinking they're from a park magazine, when they're really looking for "The Very Buried Treasure." The Shirt Tales make sure the jewels fall into the right hands.

Spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon dressing the dolls. Samantha looks so grown-up in Rebecca's lovely white and pink Lace Dress. Molly's Birthday Pinafore with the rickrack trim is thin and more appropriate for summer than her birthday in April. Whitney is trying on a hand-made purple gingham dress with smocking and flowers on the blouse. Felicity wears a white gown with huge blue roses I bought from a doll clothes booth at the Deptford Mall more than 15 years ago. Jess is going to Girl Scouts in the original 90's Girl Scouts vest, shorts, and loafers. It's paired with a gray 90's American Girl t-shirt, since the shirt that goes with that outfit is a turtleneck.

Kit's ready to chase scoops around Cincinnati in her turquoise and pink flowered sundress from the "BeForever" revamp a decade ago. Josefina's in one of my favorites of her outfits, the lovely tan and burgundy Weaving Outfit with the lace-trimmed skirt. Ariel's dressed for Pride Month in Ivy's Rainbow Terrycloth Jumper and roller skates. Barbara Jean wears the purple Paisley mini-dress she came in, net stockings (the ones she came in are ripped beyond use), and her own white strap shoes. 

Listened to the last of the records I bought last week as I worked. Probably the best-known song from Major League is the cover of "Wild Thing" heard near the end when they defeat the Yankees. I actually bought this for the last song, the wistful, nostalgic ballad "Most of All You" by Bill Medley. Other good songs here include "Cryin' Shame" by Lyle Lovett, "How Can the Girl Refuse?" by Beckett, and "Burn On" by Randy Newman.

The House at Pooh Corner/Now We are Six are simple retellings of those two Winnie the Pooh stories. House is narrated by Ian Carmichael and Dick Bentley. Bentley alone does Now We are Six, which also includes a few charming songs taken directly from the source material.

Switched to The Wild Wild West while I put everything away and had a really quick lunch. It's "The Night of the Jack O'Diamonds" when Artemis and James attempt to deliver a beautiful horse to the president of Mexico, only to have it stolen by bandits. They attempt to join the bandits and get it back, but it's not going to be as easy as they think.

Rushed out the moment the show ended. I thought I had enough time to take the bike, but...not only did I leave late, but I ran over a bump crossing Collings Avenue and my basket flew off! I had to gather everything before the cars ran me over, which meant I was a few minutes late arriving at the Thomas Sharp School.

Not a good thing, since we were really busy today. Though we only had 21 kids, 8 at my table, they're all wound up from various end of the year events. None of them would sit down in the cafeteria, and they were even worse outside. They kept begging and begging to go on the swings, especially when their friends whose parents had arrived were allowed to go on. They did get into line once they were allowed to swing, but...I tried to get one girl off who had already been on so another girl who had to go home could get on. The girl would not get off, no matter how much everyone pointed out that there were only two swings, and she had to share. I had to drag her off, and she just sat in front of it while her friend tried to swing, which meant her friend hit her and made her more upset. I finally just told all of the kids to get off, and they weren't going to be allowed on for the remaining time we were outside. Fortunately, they were only outside for another 10 minutes anyway. I helped take the last 4 kids inside, then went home.

Put on The Price Is Right when I got in, then Match Game '74. The Scoey Mitchelll-Elaine Joyce week ended with Charles Nelson Reilly announcing that he would leave soon to direct a Broadway play, The Belle of Amherst. Character actor Richard Lang made his only appearance the next week.

Finished up with Viennese Nights on YouTube. I go further into this charming Technicolor operetta from the early 30's at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Cult Flops - Viennese Nights

Adventures In the Sunshine

Began the day with breakfast and a quick episode of Bluey. While out "Camping" with her family, Bluey befriends a French black lab named Jean-Luc. He doesn't speak English, but they figure out how to communicate well enough to build a shelter of their own and capture the "wild pig" Bandit. 

Hurried off to work soon as the cartoon ended. The Acme was unusually busy for Wednesday morning. Between the crowds and the people working on inventory, I had a hard time keeping up with the carts. There were at least two times I was pulled to return cold items or took too long sweeping and could barely get out to them. Needless to say, I wasn't too unhappy when I finished. I changed, grabbed a container with three pretzel roll roast beef sliders, a small bag of potato chips, oatmeal cookies, and those 70 cent bottles of Mas electrolyte drinks (just went with the lemon-lime this time) and a box of pads on clearance and headed out. 

It was too nice to eat in a restaurant today. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for early June. It was sunny and slightly breezy, with a searingly blue sky and just enough humidity to make it comfortable. Since my picnic at the War Memorial Park in Oaklyn went so well on Sunday, I decided to do it again for lunch. This time, I was the only one eating. The only sounds were the children chasing each other in the playgrounds at the Oaklyn School to my left and the men on ladders painting what will be the Blu Bear Bakery in a few weeks to my right. Stopped at Common Grounds Coffee House for a coconut matcha latte to cool off before moving on.

It was such a nice day, I left for the Thomas Sharp School a bit early and got to explore West Collingswood. I first stopped at the small park on the other side of the railroad tracks. It has a small clubhouse-type building, a playground, and swings. I tried to get on the swings, but they were way too high! I could barely climb on. The local kids would probably need help from their parents, even some of the older ones. 

I next went across the street to read about the Champion School. This tiny 1821 one-room schoolhouse was one of the very first public schools in Camden County. It was a Quaker school, which meant all kids, regardless of race or class, could go there. I didn't look inside, but I did read the sign outside. Apparently, it was in use until 1906, likely until Thomas Sharp was built. I couldn't help wondering what the kids would think of being crammed into that little school! I thought about that as I headed over the tracks and down to Thomas Sharp. I just got there a little early and sat on the swings in the shade until the older kids came out and it was time for me to go in.

It got pretty wild even in the (slightly) newer school today. We had 25 kids, 10 at my table. My group wasn't bad in the bathrooms, but I had a harder time with the groups I took later. The girls end up giggling with each other and not doing what they need to, one of the boys won't stay in the hall, and some of the others kept blocking the door. On the other hand, I did get to read a really cute book about a poor mole who deals with some very noisy supernatural neighbors to two of the boys in the cafeteria.

We're still having trouble with the swings. The kids start begging the moment we get out, despite us saying that we'll tell them when it's ok. We let kids swing before they go home, but they have to be careful because of all the kids running around. One little girl fibbed right to me when she said her mother was there and she wasn't. Ironically, her mother arrived right then...and the kid still wouldn't get off. Her mother had to argue her off, pointing out that the others wanted a turn, too. 

Things went better once I managed to get them all in line. In fact, they were hilarious. Two of them lay on their stomachs and held hands. They were so funny, the head teacher took pictures of them, and two more kids ended up doing it. I hadn't laughed so much in ages. Those who didn't swing or race cars down the slide danced to "I'm Still Standing," "Zoo" from Zootopia 2, "The Best of Both Worlds" from Hannah Montana, the themes from PJ Masks, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and songs from Sing and Trolls. 

Watched the Drew Carey Price Is Right when I got home. Alas, I came in just to see losses at the Check Out Game and the Balance Game. The Showcase Showdown went better. Not only did a lady get the dollar, but she got her nature-themed Showcase, too, including camping gear, a trip to San Diego, and an African safari.

Let it run into Match Game '74 while I figured out what to do about dinner. Tonight finished out the week with Charlie Brill. There was a lot of happy kissing when Richard Dawson helped the contestant with the Head-to-Head, including Gene grabbing Joyce Bulifant for a kiss! Scoey Michelll and Elaine Joyce were slightly more subdued the next week.

It took me a while to decide what to watch, but I finally finished the night at YouTube with Dr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh. I'm so glad someone posted the original 2 1/2 hour miniseries from Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color! The Walt Disney Treasures sets and Disney Movie Club DVD releases are so expensive on eBay. Dr. Syn (Patrick McGoohan) is a vicar in colonial England by day who is beloved by his parish. At night, he and a band of local men and boys are the terrifying Scarecrow and his band of outlaws, smugglers who rob King George's men and give the money and food to the poor. 

I love a good Scarlet Pimpernel/Robin Hood story, and this is one of the most unique. The final chapter, with Dr. Syn rescuing the son of the local squire (Michael Hordern), is by far the most interesting. The second chapter that revolves around the Scarecrow dealing with a traitor in their midst feels like padding, which is likely why it was cut out when it was released as a movie in Europe. Whether you go for the original miniseries or the 90 minute theatrical version, this is a slightly slow-moving but still fascinating historical adventure story. 

Dr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh

Swinging Harts

Began the morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Dan gets into a "Circle Time Squabble" when he and Miss Elania want to be waiters for Chrissy, and then they both want to sit next to her during their circle time. Teacher Harriet helps calm them down and show that no matter how angry they got, there are better ways to work out their problems than hitting. "It's Not Okay to Hurt Someone," especially when that someone is your little sister. Dan gets angry when Margaret crawls through his block farm entrance, and his mom isn't happy when he washes his animals instead of coming to dinner. They both discuss that it's not right to hurt someone and how to calm down before you lash out.

Spent the rest of the late morning and early afternoon vacuuming, Swiftering, and dusting my rooms. Listened to Mean Mothers: Independent Women's Blues, Volume 1 while I worked. These aren't the depressing laments most people think of when they discuss rhythm and blues. These sassy ladies of the 20's, 30's, and 40's were tough women at a time when women were only just starting to fight for their rights and their dignity. Songs like Bessie Brown's "Ain't Much Good In the Best of Men Nowadays," Bernice Edwards' "Long Tall Mama," and Blue Lou Barker's "I Don't Dig You Jack" dig into the bawdy world of strong women who don't put up with foolishness from anyone, let alone their men. We even have two standards, "Why Don't You Do Right?" by Lil Green and "Baby Get Lost" by Billie Holiday.

Switched to the 2001 Nero Wolfe while eating a quick lunch. This stylish A&E series adapted the famous series of mysteries from the 40's and 50's, with Maury Chaykin as the corpulent, orchid-loving private eye of the title and Timothy Hutton as his assistant (and the show's narrator) Archie Goodwin. Kicked off with the series opener "The Doorbell Rang." Wealthy Mrs. Rachel Bruner (Debra Monk) turns to Nero and Archie to get the FBI to stop following her. Turns out there's something more sinister going on than government agents following a rich lady around town when Archie discovers connections to the murder of a journalist investigating illegal FBI practices.

Hurried off to school even before the show ended. I was slightly late...which may have been a moot point. The kids were sitting in the hall when I arrived. This was the music class day, and the library is still being used by the school art show. Not a good thing, since we had 26 kids today, 10 in my group, and they were all wound up. We couldn't get any of them to sit down in the cafeteria. All they did was run around. 

They were wound up outside, too. Two of the boys jumped on the swings before we told them they were allowed to. I had to fight to get them off, and then to get them all in line when we did let them on. I'm tired of them all running at me once with "Me first!" and "Can I go on next?" They need to learn to wait their turn. If they get out of line to run with the others, they lose their turn and go to the back of the line. The other kids danced to "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" from Lilo and Stitch, "The Best of Both Worlds" from Hannah Montana, "Try Everything" from Zootopia, "Zoo" from Zootopia 2, and songs from Encanto, Moana, Moana 2, and KPop Demon Hunters. 

We finally took the remaining 3 kids back to the blacktop with the older kids around 5 PM. I sat with the one remaining girl inside. She's a bit shy, and I think she was hot after running around in the playground. I stayed with her until the head teacher came in to wipe down tables and said she'd stay with her. I headed out after that, making a quick stop at the Speedy Mart on the way home for a Propel and a treat.

After I got in, I took the trash outside, took a shower, made dinner, and went upstairs. Finished Nero Wolfe, then watched Match Game '74. Charlie Brill, slender husband of Mitzi McCall, made his first of two appearances on the show. He was joined by the delightfully daffy Joyce Bulifant and the delightfully sassy Marcia Wallace.

Finished the night with Hart to Hart. Annoyed that his new suit was switched with a larger one belonging to a mysterious Mr. Sole, Jonathan decides to make the switch himself. The last thing he and Jennifer expect to find in Mr. Sole's room is a dead man in the closet. Turns out the man doesn't exist. He was part of a CIA sting to flush out a member selling information to the highest bidder. It becomes a lot more than "Hart and Sole" when Jonathan offers to help out, and the man ends up kidnapping Jennifer.

Celebrating Games

Began the morning with breakfast and Paw Patrol. "Mighty Pups, Super Paws: Pups Meet the Mighty Twins" introduces Ladybird, an obnoxious thief who is addicted to all things shiny. When she snitches a bracelet with a bit of meteor from a gold chicken statue downtown, she gains flight and super-strength. Twin golden retrievers Tuck and Ella try to hold her off, then turn to the Paw Patrol to help. When Ryder sees how well they're working with the others, he gives them super powers too...ones that prove very useful in infiltrating Ladybird's steel nest and rescuing Mayor Goodway!

Headed out after that. My first stop was PNC Bank to get rent money. I couldn't get it outside, so I went inside. Couldn't get it there, either...until I realized I was using my credit card. Oops. That did it. Once I used the right card, I took out money with no trouble.

Had lunch at Sabrina's Cafe, partially because it's one of the few restaurants in Collingswood that's open on Monday. As such, they were fairly busy when I sat down at one of the thick blonde wood tables. I tried their sour-sweet hibiscus iced tea, turkey bacon, and Banana Chocolate Chip Pudding Pancakes. The turkey bacon was limp, slightly greasy, and not that great. The pancakes were huge, dripping with banana pudding and whipped cream, and while there weren't a ton of chocolate chips, they were a pretty good size. They were yummy, but proved too big to finish.

I rushed home to turn over the rent money and watch The Pirates of Dark Water. "The Dagron Master" is a little greenish fellow who claims he can help Ren and Niddler find one of the treasures after they wash up on his island during a storm. He gives Ren armor to protect him from the dragon-like dagrons...armor that turns him into one of them. Niddler has to help him remember his humanity, before the Dagron Master sells him to Blarth.

Hurried out to Thomas Sharp School even before the cartoon ended. It was honestly busier than I expected, considering we're now on the last three weeks of the school year. Apparently, from all of the boys in tropical-print shirts and the girls in fabric leis and bright flowered sundresses, today was their Hawaiian Day. We had 26 excited kids all together, 11 at my table counting one from another table who had to use the bathroom right away. 

I'm glad we got them outside when we did. It was way too nice for anyone to be inside for long! Though it clouded over a little while we were on the playground, it was mostly sunny, bright blue, and windy. They're still arguing over the swings. I got so fed up with all the squabbling, I finally told them to make a line next to the swing set. The first two in line would get to use the swings, then the next two. If you get out of line and go run around, you lose your turn and have to get in the back. That worked well enough for most of the kids to get on. At one point, two of the girls were swinging in perfect unison! By the time two boys were seeing who could swing on their stomachs the fastest (and were utterly hilarious doing so), we were down to 6 kids. Two went home just as the head teacher let me off slightly early and took the others around to the blacktop to play with the older kids.

Made a quick stop on the way home. I needed soap and thought it would be cheaper at Dollar General. Bought a new kind of all-natural soap and a Bodyarmor drink. Unfortunately, the line was so long, it had to be split in two. Took me a little while to get out of there.

Watched Match Game '74 after I took out the recycling, took the laundry downstairs, and got dinner. Tonight's episodes let Patti Deusch play on the same panel as her equally wacky comedy writer husband Donald Ross for the first and only time and introduced sweet Janet Finn, the adorable mother of 9 children who eventually went home with over $14,000. Patti was in the middle of controversy when producer and judge Ira Skutch wouldn't match "spot" with "puddle," but matched "stain" and "little yellow spot," claiming they were more specific. 

Continued with more vintage game shows at YouTube after I brought the laundry upstairs. Today begins Buzzr's big Game Show Month marathon celebration. Buzzr started in 2015 as a channel to show vintage game shows after Game Show Network dropped most of them. Match Game was on almost from the beginning (the only re-run they share with GSN). They've shown the Richard Dawson and Ray Combs Family Feud off and on; currently, the Dawson version runs early in the morning. The four existing versions of Password, from the 60's original through Million Dollar Password, have all been on the line-up at one time or another. Currently, Password Plus is a prime-time staple, while the later color episodes of the original 60's Password mainly run late at night.  

They've also run rarer shows, as part of their regular line-up and as filler in marathons. Child's Play, with adults having to guess words from kids' descriptions, and Trivia Trap, a quiz show pitting three "seniors" against younger players, were huge flops in the early-mid 80's that were parts of their early line-up and can still be occasionally seen on the channel (including this month). Black-and-white shows like What's My Line used to be early-morning staples, but they're now mostly seen in marathons. 

Buzzr really loves their shopping shows. The 70's and 80's versions of Let's Make a Deal have been on the schedule off and on (mostly recently earlier this year). They had the Wayne Brady Deal on just a few months ago....for about four weeks before they unceremoniously yanked it from the schedule. Bob Barker Price Is Right episodes from the 1980's and Drew Carey episodes from the late 2000's seem to be far more popular, despite both having separate channels dedicated to them. 

They adore Concentration, too. Classic Concentration with Alex Trebek is one of their most-run shows. The Jack Narz syndicated Concentration from the 70's has been run on the station sporadically. Currently, it's another late-night show. 

Celebrate National Game Show Month and Buzzr's 16th birthday with the best the station has had to offer!

What's My Line (1965)

Concentration (1976)

Match Game (1978)

Family Feud (1981)

Password Plus (1982)

Child's Play (1983)

Trivia Trap (1984)

Let's Make a Deal (1986)

Super Password (1987)

The Price Is Right (1988) 

Sunshine Matches

Began the morning with breakfast and the soundtrack from The Prince of Egypt. The hit here was "When You Believe," performed by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. It wound up being one of the biggest songs of 1998 and won the Best Song Oscar that year. My favorite is the gorgeous "Through Heaven's Eyes," the stirring number that introduces Moses to the Israelites performed by Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell. "Playing With the Big Boys," the priest's too-goofy number, doesn't fit in any better here than it does in the film. The sweet "River Lullaby" performed by Amy Grant is far more affecting.

Thank heavens I got to work on time. We were off and on busy. The carts kept vanishing, and it was just me. The regular Sunday morning bagger took the day off. At least there were no problems. It was too gorgeous for anyone to be in a bad mood. Sunny, breezy, and in the upper 70's. Couldn't have had nicer weather.

I needed to buy strawberries anyway, so I grabbed two turkey and ham pretzel roll sliders and rode my bike into Oaklyn. I ate my lunch at the small park around the War Memorial and the parking lot, watching a family with a little boy running around. It was too nice to eat inside! They were setting up for...something...in the parking lot. There was a Camden County trailer there, and they were putting out blocks on the lot. I wonder if they were leftover from Final Friday, or there was something going on with Tonewood Brewery. 

When I got home, I changed, finished The Prince of Egypt, and went down for a much-needed nap. I walked for two and a half hours yesterday, not counting the half-hour ramble though the woods behind the Barclay Homestead, and I've been up way too late recently. I went down at 2:30 and didn't roll out of bed until quarter after 5.

Messed around online and had dinner while listening to Great Ladies of Rock and Roll: The 60's. There's a lot of really great numbers here, from Aretha Franklin's iconic demand for "Respect" to Petuala Clark singing about how much fun it is "Downtown." Lesser-known titles include Barbara Lewis' "Hello Stranger," Patty and the Emblems declaring they're a "Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl," The Toys and their "A Lover's Concerto," The Chiffons saying "He's So Fine," Claudine Clark's "Party Lights," and the Murmaids comparing love to "Popsicles and Icicles." 

Finished the night with dinner, a shower, and tonight's Match Game YouTube marathon. Comedian and character actor Bart Braverman started out as a child actor in the 50's. By the time he made his first appearance on Match Game in late 1978, he had just started appearing in the hit action show Vega$ with Robert Urich and Greg Morris. Bart could get really annoying at times, like when he and Fred Grandy brought cowbells and kazoos and kept playing them all week, or when Gene let him briefly host the show and he sounded more like a race track huckster than a game show host. When he wasn't tossing out quips, he was flirting with every pretty female contestant who appeared on the show.

Debralee Scott wasn't as amused with his idea of flirting. He spent the entire week he sat in Charles' seat throwing cards at her head and picking on her. She finally got fed up with it and stomped up to his chair to give him a good pounding. He responded by grabbing her for a kiss...and she added that she loved it when they made up!

Bart appeared on Match Game from 1978 through 1981. He would be one of the only men to sit in all three of male-designated seats and do equally well at all three of them. Brett usually loved flirting with him, when he wasn't getting on her nerves and acting too goofy. His last time on Match Game would be on the Too Close For Comfort week of Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour in 1984. He and Arsenio Hall joined the cast of that classic sitcom to hear JM Bullock make fun of Gene Rayburn's propensity for long, dull explanations or his constantly making fun of Lydia Cornell. 

Blow a kazoo and ring a cow bell for the wildest detective in Sin City with these wacky and hilarious episodes!

Match Game Sunday Classics - Best of Bart Braverman

Farmstead Matches

Began the morning with breakfast and Shirt Tales. The Shirt Tales must "Save the Park" from a miserly old man who wants to build a skyscraper there. It turns into a non-holiday Christmas Carol when they show him his past, the present at the park, and his future if he doesn't leave the park alone. Pammy opens "Pam-Dora's Box" when she visits a fellow panda at the zoo who turns out to be a cyborg sent by a foreign government to send secret information. The other Shirt Tales save her when he locks her up at the zoo, then each other after he captures them as well.

Hurried out to the Collingswood Farm Market after the cartoon ended, but I lingered too long. By the time I got there, they had apples, but I couldn't find any strawberries. All of the food booths were starting to close, too. I had hoped to buy a sandwich or empanada, but there weren't any to be found. By 11:30, they'd all stopped cooking. The damage to the spring crops shows in a few of them being missing. They have radishes, asparagus, onions, and hearty greens, but the apples were the only fruit. 

I thought I'd get a sandwich and strawberries in Collingswood, but no luck. Every sandwich shop in town, from Haddon Culinary to Kismet Bagels, had a long line. It took me long enough to find Sara's Produce. They moved to the small building in the back of the new pocket park that used to be a garage. Their only strawberries were moldy and mealy. The lady at the counter said they'd get more around 1 PM, but I wasn't waiting that long. I stopped at A&A Pretzels on the White Horse Pike and got two regular pretzels and a cheesesteak-stuffed pretzel instead.

Had lunch at home while watching Paw Patrol. The pups have found a meteor that gives them super powers...but Mayor Humdinger's bratty nephew Harold Humdinger dug up a fragment of it. Not only does he get the power to create anything, but the Kitty Catastrophe Crew receive their own superpowers. They wreck havoc in Adventure Bay in "Mighty Pups, Super Paws: When Super Kitties Attack." It's a distraction from Harold's real plan - to cut Adventure Bay into his own island for him to rule! The Pups have to use their own powers to stop Harold and distract the kitties, before he cuts Adventure Bay into bits.

Called Uber after lunch. The driver going to Barclay Farmstead took 15 minutes to arrive and cost a bundle. The one going home took 13 minutes and cost slightly less. There was a little traffic going there, but nothing horrible going home.

I read about the Barclay Farmstead Museum online this winter, but I couldn't get to the park area around it until now. The the old brick 1810's-era house is only open for tours on Wednesdays and the first Sunday of every month, but it's surrounded by woodland trails, a large playground, and gardens farmed by local residents. I read about the history of the farm on signs around the perimeter of the house, then strolled through the woods. I first went closer to the main road, past a murky pond and river. I felt like Alice In Wonderland in the dark green woods. I half-expected to see a white rabbit wailing about being late and a mad tea party, or the Queen of Hearts playing croquet on the Barclay Farmstead lawn. It was lovely and peaceful. 

Since I had to go to the bathroom, I strolled out of the park and down less historic suburban streets to Aqua Road. I saw cheery red and white umbrellas and a bit of a bright blue pool peeking out behind the woods when I was walking the trails. Yes, it was the Barclay Farms area's swim club. Thankfully, they didn't mind me using their restrooms. 

I wanted to either see if I could find condos or the Barclay Farms Shopping Center next, but...I couldn't find much of anything. I kept getting lost and turned around. I did stroll over a charming little covered bridge, but that was about the only interesting thing I saw for the next hour and a half. Everything else was typical 60's tract houses with smooth emerald lawns, kids riding bikes, and old folks pushing grandchildren in strollers. I had to look up where I was online, and I still got turned around. I left the Swim Club around 3, and it was past 4:30 when I finally made it to the Barclay Farms Shopping Center.

To be honest, I probably could have picked up Uber somewhere in Barclay Farms, but...not only would I be easier to find on the Marlton Pike, I needed a drink badly. It had been cloudy this morning in Collingswood, but by 4:30, it was sunny, warm, and very windy. Manhattan Bagel was closed by then, but there was a Dollar Tree on the other side of the shopping center. I got more of the puffcorn I had at the movies last month, a bottle of Diet Pepsi, a fan printed with the US flag on it, and 4th of July cardboard cut-outs.

(Ironically, I finally saw condo buildings rising up across the Pike from the shopping center when I made it there, but...wherever I end up in Cherry Hill, it won't be Barclay Farms. The Farmstead is lovely, but the surrounding area is too twisty, confusing, and not really oriented towards singles looking for a condo.) 

Watched Snow White and Rose Red when I got home. This 1955 version of one of my favorite fairy tales comes from West Germany, which seems to have been a great place to make fairy tale films in the mid-20th century. It's honestly a pretty accurate adaptation of the story, only Snow White and Rose Red are older, probably in their 20's, the dwarf is a bit wilder-looking than he usually is in this story, and the princes are accompanied by their loyal knight Knitwit who claims to be a great bear hunter but is really terrified of them. Other than the rather bad bear costume, this one was really sweet and adorable.

Stayed at YouTube to finish the night with today's Match Game marathon. Character actress Mary Wickes was in movies and on TV from the 40's through the early 90's, and is probably best known today for playing the tart-tongued housekeeper in White Christmas and the nun who led the choir before Whoopi Goldberg took over in Sister Act. She was playing a nurse on the short-lived drama Doc when she first turned up on Match Game in 1976. 

Mary appeared sporadically on the show through 1978, always in the 4th or 6th seats. She was always ready with a funny line or quip, as with her assessment of one of Gene's infamous plaid coats - "Somewhere a horse is mighty chilly." There was also the day the Star Wheel debuted. It stopped on Richard Dawson the first time it was spun...when it had been designed to give other celebrities besides Richard a chance to play the Head-to-Head. The entire panel but Scoey Mitchelll walked off (including Richard himself). "Do you know how much that thing cost us?" Mary grumped when the panelists came back. "And it's right back to Richard!" There was also the time she and Joyce Bulifant welcomed new kid on the block Gary Crosby with some very big kisses, or when she gave Gene a strong "new kid on the block" kiss on her first day. 

She had one last blaze of glory on a week in 1990, by which time she was a regular on The Father Dowling Mysteries. Mary was just as dry and funny dealing with Ross Schafer as she was with Tom Bosley or Gene Rayburn. She especially had a field day making jokes about Jimmie Walker's crush on a very pretty young female contestant.

Match wits with one of the coolest old ladies around in this hilarious marathon that you won't want to walk away from.

Match Game Saturday Classics - Mary Wickes (Showcase of Match Game episodes - 70's and 90's)

Perfectly Spring

Began the morning with breakfast and Paw Patrol. "Pups Save a Melon Festival" when Mayor Humdinger's giant striped ball (which he insists is a huge melon) ends up bouncing all over town. Rocky's the one who finally finds a way to stop it. "Pups Save a Cow" after two farmers with a sick cow coming back from a county fair are stuck on a jammed drawbridge. Rocky fixes the gears on the bridge, while Marshall and Chase stabilize the bridge and Skye saves the cow when she becomes too agitated. 

Switched to Classic Concentration as I got organized and made my grocery list. At one point, Alex Trebek said "now for the Daily Double" instead of "open the boxes." He laughed when he realized the mistake he made, but he must have been tired as heck at that point. I'm pretty sure the episode was from at least the late 80's. He would have been doing Jeopardy then, too. At least the lady made up with it for winning two difficult puzzles and uncovering a car. Supermarket Sweep just started as I headed out. 

It was a gorgeous day to hit the grocery stores. Started at Sprouts. I mainly needed coconut milk here. Most of the prebiotic sodas were buy one, get one 50 percent off. I bought two of the Olipops, including the seasonal flavor Raspberry Sherbet. Found peanut butter cookies on clearance in the bakery. The seasonal lemon and citrus-flavored products were also buy one, get one 50 percent off. Tried the bags of pink lemonade-flavored dried mango slices.

Hurried down Cuthbert to the Westmont Acme next. Needed to restock soda, sliced chicken, sliced cheese, yogurt, granola bars, granola, and whole wheat wraps. Got a slice of strawberry cake for a treat, and I did find Fresca in the coolers. Picked up a snack pack with grapes, provolone cheese cubes, green grapes, and crackers for lunch. I loved the cheesy grits I had at the Westmont so much last weekend, I bought grits to make my own this week. Both stores were a little busy, though far from overwhelming. It was too nice to be grocery shopping!

Took the long way home across Newton Lake Park. It's really spring now. That rain we had last weekend may have washed out Memorial Day festivities, but it really helped the local flora. The trees are so green now, and the leaves are huge. The grass is getting greener, too. It was sunny and breezy, as perfectly spring as one could wish. I saw two Canadian geese pushing a huge herd of goslings in the lake while others lounged nearby. Perhaps Canadian geese have teachers too, and those two were showing the little ones to swim or find lunch while their parents looked for their own meal. 

I was able to walk the bike over the hill this time. It was cool and calm and quiet there...and very, very green. It also wasn't that damp. That's how starved we are for rain. The ground there was relatively dry.

I got home with just enough time to put everything away, eat the snack pack, and watch Little Bear. "Little Bear's Trip to the Stars" his his dream of flying among the stars in the night sky while he's visiting his father on his boat. "Little Bear's Surprise" is something special for Mother Bear he's making from leftover boards. His friends all help him out, but he's the one who finally figures out what the "surprise" actually is. "Little Bear and the North Pole" takes him and Duck on a journey through the snow up north, with the help of a friendly moose. 

Left after the cartoon ended. Got to Thomas Sharp School just in time. We had 22 kids today, 7 at my table. They were all so cute in their pajamas for Pajama Day! I saw girls in Elsa and Anna nightgowns and flowered shorts and shirts and boys in Spider Man and Paw Patrol flannels. They weren't that bad in the bathrooms, but once again, they got noisy in the cafeteria during and after snack time. The coloring table always gets so crowded! One of the girls kept drawing on one of the boys' space, despite his tears and all attempts to move her. She and her friend have been annoying that poor boy for a while now. When we did get outside, I talked to all three of them separately about being a good friend and giving friends their space.

They were really crazy outside, too. They kept pestering and pestering about riding the swings...and when they did get on the swings, all any of them did was argue. I got overwhelmed. One of the little girls wouldn't get off, even when her mother told her to. One of the older girls also stayed on longer than she was supposed to, despite having to go home. One of the older boys kept twisting and throwing mulch when he was told not to. The other kids all danced to "The Pink Tiger Hunt," "I'm the Bravest Star," "Pink Pony Club," the theme songs from Bluey and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, "Pup Pup Boogie" from Paw Patrol, and songs from Sing, Moana, Tangled, Aladdin, and KPop Demon Hunters. Thankfully, they were down to 4 kids by the time I left and they took them over to the blacktop, and two of them went home when I did.

I first stopped at CVS on the way home. I needed to use the bathroom, and there were a few things I hadn't picked up earlier. I couldn't find the mouthwash I use (and I forgot soap), but I did get suntan lotion for a good price. Grabbed a Powerade Zero for the ride home.

Glad I saw Final Friday mentioned on the digital sign outside of Oaklyn's City Hall. I almost forgot today was the first Final Friday block party of the year on West Clinton. Oaklyn's shopping district holds a huge block party on the last Friday of every month from May through September. There's music, inflatable basketball and bean bag games for the kids, booths with freebies from local services like the Oaklyn Civic Association, and tons of food trucks and carts. There were also tons of crowds, mainly families enjoying the gorgeous weather and older couples out with their friends. It was too crowded for me! I bought a key lime cream pop from the Bubba's Creamery cart and went home.

Had a quick dinner while watching Match Game '74. The first hour was devoted to two episodes from Anson Williams' first appearance on the show. Brett spent the week flirting with him, and Charles spent the week making fun of her about it. The rest of the week exists, so I'm not sure why they skipped ahead in the second hour to the week with Alejandro Rey and Juliet Mills.

Finally got my schedule at this point, too. In good news, just as many hours, only one double shift this time. My only complaint is that they're all early shifts. I'm guessing the Sunday bagger took that day off and the head bagger either took next Saturday off or is cashiering or helping in the floral department. 

Finished the night after a shower with Murder She Wrote. "The Way to Dusty Death" is through a hot tub when a tyrannical businessman (Cornel Wilde) is found electrocuted in his just hours after telling his board of directors he has no intention of stepping down. Jessica is a member of the board and finds herself up to her ears in suspects when it seems every man either wanted to be chairman or to sell him out to a competitor, and every woman would literally kill to either succeed him or make sure her husband took his place.