How to Beat the Heat

Began a late morning with breakfast and Shirt Tales. "The Outer Space Connection" sends Dinkel, Kip, and Bogey into orbit when they're accidentally trapped in a rocket that takes off. The other Shirt Tales follow in their super-sonic vehicle that can turn into anything. They end up on "The Forbidden Island" when they help a parrot figure out why the "Fire God" is scaring people away from his jungle home.

Worked on my grocery list while watching Supermarket Sweep. This later show (Dave wears a weird tie) is another one where one team, in this case the Team One college ladies, dominated the proceedings. They got the most time and had twice the grocery haul as the other teams. Their youth may have prevented them from figuring out what Good Start is in the bonus round run, though...

Oh, and I got my schedule at this point, too. I do work on Sunday, 9 to 3. Lauren won't arrive until 10 PM. I got the rest of the week off for vacation. Not a moment too soon, either, since it's supposed to rain the first two days anyhow. We can just hit up malls until the weather subsides. 

Called Uber after the show ended. I already decided to cut my shopping down to just the Westmont Acme this week. I'll do Sprouts with Lauren next week when she visits. It's too hot for a lot of running around, and I don't really need much as Sprouts anyway. To my shock, the first driver arrived in less than a minute! She was a really nice lady, too. The second one came in a more normal 9 minutes. No trouble anywhere, not even Cuthbert.

I probably could have done my grocery shopping tomorrow, since I do have work, but I know better than to do major shopping on a holiday. Despite the ongoing heat, it was still really busy. I had to duck around a lot of people to stock up on yogurt, blueberries, apples, cherries (I won't have the time for the farm market tomorrow), chocolate chip bakery cookies, prebiotic soda, Swiss cheese, granola, and Clorox travel-pack wipes for my mini-backpack. Had a good coupon for Tresemme Curls Conditioner. Thought I'd try the strawberry cake roll slices, then forgot I had them. (Oh well, 4th of July dessert tomorrow!) Grabbed a pack with tuna salad, crackers, muenster cheese, and green grapes for lunch. 

Put everything away when I got home, then napped, read, and rested while watching Yankee Doodle Dandy and the 1962 version of The Music Man. I went further into these classic 4th of July favorites at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog in June and 4th of July 2019.

Happy 4th of July - Yankee Doodle Dandy

The Music Man

The moment The Music Man ended, I headed out. Even at quarter of 7, it was still hazy-blue, sunny, and steamy. I think it was even hotter than yesterday, into the lower 100's. Surprisingly, WaWa was almost as busy as the Acme had been earlier. I guess I wasn't the only one who decided she'd rather have a hoagie and a mocha mint smoothie than actually cook anything. I used the last of my gift card from one of the kids and their family on the smoothie and a small turkey hoagie on a whole-wheat roll.

Ate dinner while watching the final Match Game '75 episodes of the day. Soap star Brenda Dickson joined Gary Burgoff and Patti Deusch. To be honest, she wasn't really much more than a pretty face and didn't play very well. Even Patti got more creative than she did. 

Finished the night with the eighth and final episode of The Swamp Fox. Marion insists his new recruits deliver those "Horses for Greene" mentioned at the end of the previous episode. The mountain man brothers Mary picked up on the ship would rather be dancing with pretty senoritas at a local inn leftover from Zorro, until they end up in a trap. Marion has to install some discipline into them and make sure those horses get to the right place. 

I ended up really enjoying this. I know Davy Crockett was a bigger hit, but this one is just as much fun in its own right. I loved the emphasis on Mary, including a whole episode, "A Woman's Courage." Shame she suddenly vanishes in the last show. The mountain men are funny but no substitute. The earlier episodes tend to be darker going, especially the death of Francis' nephew in "Tory Vengeance." If you're a fan of American Revolution history or Nielson's days as an action star, or want to check out a different side of history from Disney, this miniseries is well worth your time. 

The Room Where It Happens

Began the morning with breakfast and Little Bear. Mother Bear helps her son plant sunflowers in "Little Bear's Garden." He imagines that the sunflowers grow so big, they lift him and No Feet to the clouds. He's delighted by the vegetables that grow so big there, until they start getting a little too big and crowding him and No Feet out! In order to become "Prince Little Bear" and marry Princess Emily, King Owl declares that he must defeat a dragon...but when he helps his friends instead, he learns that kindness is its own reward. Little Bear makes "A Painting for Emily" of her beloved doll Lucy while he watches her and Emily's dog Tutu. Tutu, however, does everything she can to get in on the painting, too.

Worked a little online, then spent the rest of the afternoon vacuuming and deep-cleaning the attic rooms. I dusted under the books...and spent a little too much time reading them, especially the ones on musicals. I'll dust under the 4th of July decorations on Sunday, after the holiday. The back room was especially bad. I don't know why the bedroom always gets so dusty! Maybe it's because the one and only window is there. It was killer hot up there, too. The air conditioner was full-blast, and it was still hot. The fans did nothing but move hot air around.

Watched 1776 as I worked. I went further into this classic 1972 musical on the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog back in July 2019. 

1776

Had a very quick and belated lunch while watching Hamilton on Disney Plus. (I would finish it much later in the evening.) This could almost be called the flip side of 1776 as we switch our focus from firebrand John Adams to non-stop author and politician Alexander Hamilton. "The ten dollar Founding Father without a father" (Lin-Manuel Miranda) grows up in the Caribbean, but takes a slow boat to New York. He joins other firebrands in pushing for the American Revolution, becomes "Right Hand Man" to General George Washington (Christopher Jackson), and marries sweet and lovely Eliza Schuyler (Phillipa Soo). Her sister Angelica (Renee Elsie Goldsberry) loves him, too, but marries another man for her sister's sake. 

Hamilton continues pushing and writing after the war, eventually clashing with the more conservative Thomas Jefferson (Daveed Diggs). He runs into trouble when he has an affair and a furious Eliza burns his letters. The death of their son Phillip (Anthony Ramos) in a duel brings them back together after news of Hamilton's affair goes public. Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom Jr.) is furious with him for backing Jefferson for the presidency and challenges him to his own duel...one that Hamilton won't recover from. It's Eliza, however, who ends up preserving his legacy for generations to come.

First of all, you're probably wondering why I'm not reviewing this for the musical blog. Like Disney's London version of Frozen, this is a recording of a stage show, and it really falls under different strictures. That said, I can see why this is still running on Broadway at press time. The music is incredible (even if you're like me and aren't a fan of rap), the performers are dynamic, the dancing is fabulous. If you know anything about Hamilton and American history, you also know that this is a fairly dark show. The second half gets mired in its endless "Cabinet Battles" and moves about as fast as 1776 at times. Still, if you love Miranda or want to see a more modern take on American history, this is worth checking out for families with older kids and teens and stage aficionados. 

I got so tired of that endless second act of Hamilton, I cut it off early around 6:30 and went out to run errands. (I finished it later in the evening.) Stopped at Dollar Tree first. I mainly needed pads, but given the extreme heat, I picked up a bottle of Propel water, too. They were surprisingly busy for dinner time with mothers and families on their way home from work picking up their own little things.

Headed two blocks down to Crown Chicken and Gyro next for a quick dinner. They too were quiet for 7 PM on a hot day. I guess everyone stayed home in the air conditioning to eat. I enjoyed my tilapia sandwich, fries, and Diet Pepsi listening to classical music and watching glorious images of a green and glowing Canada on the TV over the dining area.

Walked further down to La Mortense Plus to get something sweet to cool off. Despite it being past 7:30, they weren't busy, either. I had no difficulty ordering a chocolate banana milkshake. Slurped it as I headed home. Even that late in the day, it was still sunny, hazy, killer humid, and hot as heck, in the lower 100's-upper 90's. The milkshake could only do so much. I was sweating bullets when I got home.

Which is why I relaxed a little bit, then went right in a much-needed shower. After I got out, I finished the night watching The Fleet's In on YouTube. I go further into this classic Navy musical with William Holden and Dorothy Lamour that introduced "I Remember You" and "Tangerine" at musical blog. 

Happy 4th of July! - The Fleet's In

We're Having a Heat Wave

I overslept and had just enough time to write in my journal, have breakfast, and call Uber...and of course, it took forever to get a ride this morning. It was too hot to ride my bike, even at quarter of 9. The one going to work took 13 minutes, and yes, I was late. The one going home took 9 minutes. No trouble on the road, no traffic anywhere.

The Acme was surprisingly busy this morning. I figured the heat would scare everyone off, but it's the beginning of the month and four days before the biggest holiday of the summer. I spent most of the time sweeping and rounding up carts, but I did have to gather a full outside trash can at one point. And yes, I did carts in the heat. They had to be done. They kept disappearing. I know to go inside and get water when necessary, and I have to go inside every hour on the hour to sweep anyway.

And yes, it was that hot. It was sunny and windless all morning, with a sharp, cloudless pale blue sky and nary a breeze in sight. It was killer hot and humid even by the time I finished at 1 PM. 

When I got home, I changed, then had lunch. To make up for my hasty breakfast, I made buckwheat pancakes. Had them topped with peanut butter and honey, along with cherries for fruit. Oh yum! They came out so perfectly and were great with oat milk and cinnamon.

Watched The Scooby Doo Show on Tubi while I ate. Mystery Inc find themselves stranded in the Smithsonian after hours when they're in Washington DC for the big Bicentennial celebrations. They end up dodging "The Spirits of '76," the ghosts of three notorious traitors who supposedly haunt the museum. Scooby ends up using one of the most famous vehicle exhibits at the Smithsonian to catch those patriotic crooks.

After that, I went down for a much-needed nap. I was up too late last night and was extraordinarily tired this morning. I slept from 2:30 until after 5 PM, and I was still tired when I rolled out of bed. I read the first chapter of Johnny Tremain before I finally got up. 

Watched Match Game '75 during dinner. The first episode finished out the week with Bert Convy and Jo Ann Pflug. Kate Jackson made her first of two appearances on the show when she was still a nurse in the cop show The Rookies the next week. She was joined by wacky Avery Schriberer of the thick mustache and wild curls and Fannie Flagg in a sweater with sequined hands in strategic places. 

Finished the night watching Uncle Sam Magoo on YouTube. I went further into this stirring special featuring Mr. Magoo exploring 200 years of American history at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog in July 2023.

Animation Celebration - Uncle Sam Magoo

Dolls On a Hot Summer Day

Began the morning with breakfast and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. I grew up on the original version of this show, which was one of the hottest things going during my own pre-school years. In honor of the new movie in theaters, and since the entire series is now on Tubi, I thought I'd check it out starting with "Diamond Ray of Disappearance." Skeletor finds a diamond that can make anyone who looks at it vanish into another dimension. His goofy men lure Teela and her guards away from the castle so Skeletor can make the king, queen, Sorceress, and Teela's father Man-at-Arms vanish. Prince Adam, who turns into He-Man thanks to a powerful sword, goes to Castle Grayskull to figure out how to save them.

Headed out after the cartoon ended. I had errands to run, starting with dropping two books at the kiosk down the street. After that, I rode to the Collingswood PNC to get money. I was originally going to use the outside ATM, but a card pulled up. I ended up inside. 

Had brunch at a busy Sabrina's Cafe. Thought I'd try their 1776 Matcha Almond Pancake Stack. Turns out this was two enormous plate-sized pancakes smothered with matcha cream, white chocolate drizzle, whipped topping, almonds, blackberries, and strawberries. Tasty, and I ate most of it...but also way too much cream and drizzle. They always overdo the sauce on their specials. The hibiscus iced tea didn't taste like much besides sugar. 

Strolled down Haddon Avenue next. I was hoping Grooveground finally opened. It hasn't. It's been closed for remodeling since last spring. I did see the door at Collingswood Music open. I wasn't planning on visiting them next week when I'm on vacation. They don't sell CDs, only vinyl, and Lauren can't take records home in her luggage. For a spur-of-the-moment trip, I did really, really well. I dug five albums out of the 2 dollar bin and found a soundtrack and two kids' albums, one of them fairly unique.

Artie Shaw and His Orchestra - Frensesi: Artie Shaw's Greatest Hits

Songs from The Jungle Book and Other Jungle Favorites

The soundtrack from the 1988 Bette Midler melodrama Beaches

The Jack Sheldon Quintet - Hollywood Heroes

Radio Active, a K-Tel collection from 1982

Lena Horne - The Exciting Lena Horne

A Musical Soundtrack to America On Parade is by far my best find today. It's a gorgeous picture disc version with the music from "America On Parade," the Bicentennial parade for Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I suspect this may only have been sold in the parks, and probably only in 1975-1976. Here's the link to a page from Yesterland that goes into further detail on "America On Parade" and the doll-like figures seen on the picture disc.

Yesterland: America On Parade

Incidentally, the weather wasn't bad today. It was hot, sunny, and windless, but not hot or as humid to the degree it's supposed to be starting tomorrow. Even so, I was still sweating bullets when I got home, to the point where I needed to towel myself off.

Dressed the dolls for July and Independence Day next. Samantha is in her Middy Dress, tam, and black and white boots. Josefina wears her Indigo Skirt and Camisa. Whitney is ready to dance in Oaklyn's 4th of July Parade in the white American Girl dance dress with the red and blue sequins and ruffled sleeves. She's borrowing Molly's tap shoes. The ones that came with the dress fell apart. Kit wears her original Reporter Dress with the red, blue, and yellow flowers and red shoes with the white stitching. 

Molly's ready for outdoor fun in her Camp Gowanigan uniform and saddle shoes. Ariel celebrates the Bicentennial in the patchwork red, white, and blue peasant blouse Lauren sent a while back and red satin shorts from Julie's original Roller Skating outfit. Felicity is airy and cool in her white Summer Gown with the wide blue and pink flowered sash. Jessa's red t-shirt, shortalls, and splotchy high top sneakers are a bit simpler. Barbara Jean is the only one old enough to pull off the pink, white, and blue terrycloth romper with the brief tube top. 

Listened to records while I worked. Jo Anne Castle and Her Ragtime Piano is actually a combination of two earlier Castle albums, Tiger Rag and Lawrence Welk's Ragtime Gal. Ironically, Tiger Rag has the actual ragtime, including the title song, "Dill Pickle Rag," and "I Want a Girl." Ragtime Gal features slightly newer numbers like "Goofus," "Canadian Sunset," and "Humoresque."

Raggedy Ann & Andy Birthday Party starts out a bit like the odd movie Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure. Ann, Andy, and the dolls in the playroom see Marcella having a birthday party in the garden. The Camel With the Wrinkled Knees doesn't know when his birthday is. As in the film, he wanders outside and dreams of his friends giving him a party. When Ann follows him and finds out, she encourages the others to give him the party he so badly desires. 

Despite the title and being put out by Disney itself, Songs from The Jungle Book is actually covers of songs from that film. The Beatles-esque "Bare Necessities" and goofy comic "I Want to Be Like You" aren't bad, but the real stand-outs are the lesser-known material. "That's What Friends are For," a number for a pack of Beatles-imitating vultures in the movie, becomes a charming and adorable Beach Party-esque chorus routine here. The brief "My Own Home" is slower and almost slinky, performed by a smoky-voiced lady who sounds a bit like Julie London. The "other jungle favorites" are a slightly re-written "Abba Dabba Honeymoon" and a really cute "Civilization," with a deep voices singing the "I don't want to leave the jungle"part who sounds a bit like Larry Hooper from Lawrence Welk.

Artie Shaw had his biggest hits in the late 30's and 40's, and that's reflected in Frensni: Artie Shaw's Greatest Hits. His biggest was the title song, but there were others that are still associated with him and his orchestra. He seemed to favor slower, more romantic or robust songs like "Indian Love Call," "Softly As In a Morning Sunrise," "Nightmare," and "Begin the Beguine."

Switched to The Time of Their Lives after I finished with the dolls and got everything put away. Poor tinker Horatio Primm (Lou Costello) wants to buy his sweetheart Nora (Ann Gillis) out of indentured servitude. He even has a letter from General Washington claiming he can get more work. Meanwhile, Tom Danbury (Jess Barker) is engaged to lovely Melody Allen (Marjorie Reynolds), but she overhears him plotting with Benedict Arnold against Washington. She and Horatio ride off to warn Washington, but the American soldiers turn up and, thinking they're the traitors, kill them, dump their bodies in a well, and curse them to never leave the house's grounds. 

Almost two centuries later, Melody and Horatio are still ghosts in the house when they realize how the place has changed. It's been rebuilt, with all the original furniture returned. The new owner is playwright Sheldon Gage (John Shelton), his fiancee June Prescott (Lynn Baggett) and her very sarcastic Aunt Millie (Binnie Barnes). They're eventually joined by Sheldon's therapist, Dr. Ralph Greenway (Bud Abbott)...who happens to be the ancestor of Cuthbert Greenway, the man who had been his rival for Nora. Melody and Horatio are more than happy to drive Greenway crazy, until Sheldon's housekeeper Emily (Gale Sondergaard) holds a seance, and they finally figure out a way to find the proof that they aren't traitors and get their unearthly rewards.

This was...surprisingly sweet, even touching in spots. On one hand, it's not your typical vehicle for these two. They do appear together a few times, but don't really do any routines. Apparently, they'd been having problems at this point. On the other hand, it may be not only their most unique vehicle, but one of the most unique classic comedies I've ever seen. Reynolds makes a spirited Melody, Barnes has more fun than she should as the sarcastic aunt, and the special effects are pretty decent even now. If you like Abbott and Costello and are willing to go down a different path with them, try this one on for size. 

Put on Match Game '75 after I had a quick and small dinner. They're now on the week with Bert Convy, Joyce Bulifant, and a pregnant - and rather testy - Jo Ann Pflug. The end of the week featured one of the most infamous Audience Match answers of the entire run. Richard Dawson, pressed to come up with something for "Trench __," blurted out "trench hand." He joked about getting "trench hand" for the rest of the episode, and there would be references to it again throughout the years. 

Finished the night after a shower with more of The Swamp Fox. "A Woman's Courage" switches the focus almost entirely to Francis Marion's sweetheart Mary Videux. She boards a prison ship filled with rebel prisoners coming from Charleston, including the captain who was captured there. She poses as the sister of four of them, then helps them all escape. Francis, who is considering turning in his commission if he can't get more men, is more than happy for the help. 

Walks and Games

Got a quick start today with breakfast and Shirt Tales. "Taj Mahal Tyg" is kept as a pet by a maharajah and his son while the others search for the prince's real pet tiger. They find a bigger tiger, but it turns out he's known to the maharajah, too. The Shirt Tales head to China in search of the best Chinese food around. After they mistake a magician's home for a restaurant, Bogey ends up insulting the magician. He turns him into "Brass Bogey" while the others figure out how to escape the magician's illusions.

Called Uber after the episode ended. The one going to Cherry Hill took 13 minutes and got me to Cooper Bone and Joint with fifteen minutes to spare. The first one I called to take me to the Chestnut Place Condos (which isn't that close to Cooper) canceled. The second picked me up in 3 minutes. There was a little traffic on Cuthbert Road going to Cooper. Otherwise, no trouble.

Soon as I got to Cooper, I went right upstairs and signed in briefly. I did most of the checking in online, so I didn't talk to the lady for very long. The waiting room was pretty full, but I only had to wait about 10 minutes for them to see me. The kindly Asian doctor checked my knee...and declared it fine. I think it was mostly that super-cold winter that caused the trouble. It gets a little stiff sometimes, but nothing like in January and February. I was in and out in less than 20 minutes. 

Went next-door to Dunkin' Donuts for a treat. I still have that gift card I got from one of the kids. Dodged what looked like remodeling on the back window area to order a cream donut and limeade. Yum! The cream donut was bursting with frosting. The limeade was nicely tart. I enjoyed them and the silence - thankfully, no one was working on the window remodeling at that point.

The Chestnut Place Condos are next on my list of Cherry Hill buildings currently listed as having a condo available. This 60's-era building looks pretty identical to Sussex House, but twice its size and in far better shape on the outside. Nothing but patio furniture on the balconies, too. Like Playa Del Sol, they had a pool (which was quiet at 10:30), along with a small picnic pavilion, and is surrounded by a quiet neighborhood with regular 50's-60's tract homes and what looks like a brand-new Jewish temple. 

Two big red flags on this one, though. There seem to be no sidewalks in the neighborhood. That doesn't make it very walkable. The other is its location. Though the neighborhood itself is peaceful and largely residential, it's just off Kaighns Avenue. That's one of the busiest streets in Cherry Hill, and difficult to cross. I'd have a hard time getting to Wegman's or Shop Rite and the library from there. 

On the other hand, it's not even a five-minute walk from the Hillview Shopping Center. Used the bathroom at Target, then bought popcorn and Coke Zero for the movies. This was also the first time I'd ever seen the new Nature Valley Wafer Bars on sale. Usually, they're expensive and not included in most sales. I had to try strawberry and honey vanilla. 

Had lunch at the Silver Diner next. This chrome eatery perches on the edge of the hill and gives you a splendid view of the Cherry Hill Mall and Cherry Hill Plaza. They specialize in comfort food made with healthy ingredients, like my half of a turkey bacon club sandwich on sourdough and Caesar salad. The club was made with real sliced turkey, crunch bacon, and fresh mozzarella. I ordered a plate of Old Bay fries, too. They were tasty, but a plate of anything covered in eye-watering spices is a little too much for me! The refreshing watermelon-mint lemonade, with its sprig of mint on top and cucumber slices, went a long way towards cooling me off.

Strolled over to Kohl's to kill some time before I went to the movies. Looked for underwear, but I didn't like anything they had. I'll save major shopping for when Lauren visits next week. Ducked around the long line at Customer Service to check out Looney Tunes stuffed animals and kids' books.

It was still pretty early when I went to AMC Cherry Hill 24, which is a bit down the hill from Kohl's and the Silver Diner, next to what used to be T.G.I Friday's. I had no intention of buying food here this time, so I thought I'd try a crane instead...but the crane's money box was so full of tokens, I couldn't get more in! I just found the theater for Supergirl early. 

I was there so early, it was 15 minutes before they even started the commercials. I had almost the whole small theater to myself, too. There was only one other person way in back. Good. That meant I could sit in the row intended for wheelchairs and had plenty of room to spread out. The seats at AMC Cherry Hill are cramped and not that comfortable.

There's some interesting movies coming out during the second half of the year. The Invite is supposed to be a comedy, but the ad made what appears to be the story of a couple who invites another couple who won't leave look more like horror. The End of Oak Street, a horror movie about a family whose street is separated and attacked by what looks like giant dinosaurs, is a bit too dark for my taste. Forgotten Island would be of more interest if it wasn't coming out right when I'm likely going to be on my second vacation in late September. Unless I can talk Lauren into it, I'll probably wait for it to come out on streaming. Despite having played the game as a teen, I have no interest in Street Fighter whatsoever. I could also care less about more Hunger Games. I thought the first three were more than enough. Klara and the Sun looks much sweeter and quieter. That or the stop-motion animated Wildwood might be worth checking out in late October if I have the time the week before Halloween. 

I'm not going to go into heavy details because of spoilers, but I did enjoy Supergirl. Like Super Mario Galaxy Movie earlier in the year, I don't think the critics are giving it a fair shake. It's not what I expected, but it's far from horrible. Milly Alcock is a sassy, sozzled delight as the tough title character, and Jason Momoa makes an even better Lobo than he did Aquaman (even if he doesn't have that much screen time). Also, I give it credit for the brief running time. Most superhero epics tend to push two hours or longer. This one clocks in at a little over an hour and a half. There's no unnecessary padding, and the exposition showing Kara's backstory in Argo City is spread out throughout the film, rather than being lumped in the beginning like the 1978 Superman. 

I think most people were expecting it to be more like the upbeat Superman film from last year and less like a 90's anti-hero comic book movie. This is not a colorful romp. Everything is dusty grays and browns until Kara turns up in her super suit late in the film. For all of Kara's wisecracks, this movie is pretty dark. On the other hand, it has some amazing creature work. I could spend half the movie just checking out all the weird aliens they meet on that interstellar bus. DC really did get creative with the special effects on this one.

In the end, this is highly recommended for older fans of the Woman of Steel or Lobo if they can handle the violence and some heavy themes and aren't expecting this to imitate Superman.

Quickly headed for the pedestrian walkway to the Cherry Hill Mall after the movie ended. I stopped at Old Navy to make change and buy a Diet Coke, then ducked around remodeling on the front entrance to wait for the 4:20 NJ Transit bus to Camden. For once, it was exactly on time. No trouble getting home, not even on Cuthbert. Got off at the right street and walked the rest of the way. At least it had clouded over by then. It had been sunny, humid, and hot for most of the day, though probably neither as hot or as humid as it's supposed to be starting Wednesday.

After I got home, I put on an episode of Justice League Unlimited featuring Supergirl. It's "Fearful Symmetry" when Kara begins having disturbing dreams of destroying a lab, feeling like she was there. The Green Arrow just wants to pound whomever is doing this to the kid, but conspiracy-minded The Question knows there's more going on here than seen on the surface. Kara's shocked to find that the real reason she's having those dreams hits closer to home than she could imagine.

Switched to Match Game '75 during dinner. For some reason, they skipped ahead to the week with Jack Cassidy, Betty White, and Conny Van Dyke. Gene and Richard throw Conny around, while Betty White is disappointed when handsome Ron Valenti finally loses. And speaking of Superman, Jack Cassidy and Charles Nelson Reilly mention Cassidy's role as the villain in the original Broadway cast of It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman. (And may I add that the creators of that show missed a marvelous opportunity there? Jack would have made a great Lex Luthor.) 

Finished the night honoring Pride Month at YouTube. Charles Nelson Reilly was told early in his career that a gay man would never work on television. Ironically, he's now best-known for his TV appearances, especially on Match Game. He and his drinking buddy Brett Somers really made the show with their banter and wisecracks. In the episode here, they get to witness the arrival of the new Star Wheel...and join everyone else in walking off when it lands on Richard Dawson, when it was created to give other panelists a chance to play.

What's My Line was never afraid to feature guests of all types. Liberace was still wildly popular when he appeared as the Mystery Guest on this 1962 episode. Buddy Hackett was the one who guessed him easily here. 

Merrill Heater was so enamored with his show Battlestars, he gave it a try twice. The episode we have here is the premiere of the later version from 1983. Jim J. Bullock, then appearing on Too Close for Comfort, is usually subdued on this Hollywood Squares variation that puts all of the panelists in triangles...until Debbie Reynolds practically jumps on him. Alex Trebek was the mildly amused host of both versions.

The 90's-early 2000's Hollywood Squares also had no trouble featuring a wide variety of celebrities. Writer and actor Bruce Villanch was a regular in the late 90's, and one of my favorite regulars on the show. Look for Rosie O'Donnell as well near center square Whoopi Goldberg in the show's premiere episode.

Robert Reed did one of the more interesting episodes of the 1972 syndicated I've Got a Secret. It starts with four young ladies who were caretakers for baby animals at a local safari park. They even brought some with them, and if the baby iguana was not the most adorable, the sweet little leopardess and the tiny baby lioness who roared into the microphone were dolls. Reed helped a courtroom artist show how then-modern technology could make creating artwork of a criminal much faster.

The current version of $100,000 Pyramid also cast a wide net for their contestants. Here, it's a battle of the hosts as Ken Jennings of Jeopardy goes against (and beats the pants off of) Ross Matthews of RuPal's Drag Race, while RuPaul himself battled Carson Kressley of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Carson was the winner there as both groups helped a set of twins win big money. 

Celebrate Pride Month with some of the funniest and most brilliant people around in these hilarious and thought-provoking episodes!

What's My Line (1962)

I've Got a Secret (1972)

Match Game (1978)

The New Battlestars Premiere (1983)

Hollywood Squares Premiere (1998)

$100,000 Pyramid (2023) 

Matching With the Cartoon Stars

Started the morning with breakfast and Yankee Doodle Mickey. This is the original version of Disney's patriotic music collection. A very young Molly Ringwauld leads the children's chorus in "This Is My Country" and "God Bless America." The Disneyland Glee Club has almost as much fun with the rousing "Liberty Tree" from their film version of Johnny Tremain. My favorite number is the Armed Services Medley, with Mickey representing the Air Force and the Marines, Goofy singing for the Army, and Donald, of course, for the Navy.

Ran Moonlight In Vermont as I got ready for work. Finished it when I got home. Stan Getz joins the Johnny Smith Quartet for some lovely, soft jazz standards, like "Stars Fell On Alabama," "Tenderly," "Where or When," and the title song. The piano on "Yesterdays" was especially dreamy and beautiful.

Called Uber to work again. They were talking possible storms later, and it was killer humid. I think I made the right choice. The one going to work got there in 10 minutes. I called him early enough that I arrived in plenty of time. The first one going home didn't take a minute; when he canceled, his replacement took 3 minutes. No trouble either way.

Work was more of a pain. For one thing, the Acme was busy for a lot of the afternoon. They had to pull one of the boys cashiering to help me with the carts. The floor in the back employee area tends to leak when it's really humid. I had to help a security guard clean up the mess during my break when she slipped on it and almost hurt herself. Had to take back a pile of cold items, too. I was very glad when the evening bagger turned up a little early and I could go home on time.

Went straight in the shower when I got home, then made dinner and put on tonight's Match Game marathon. Cartoons were just starting to climb out of the kids' ghetto they'd been in for two decades when the revival began in 1973. In addition to the classic Disney and Warners shorts that turned up in prime-time and on Saturdays, there were scores of new and old characters populating Saturday morning. Bugs Bunny probably got mentioned the most, including a question about what kind of punch Elmer Fudd would serve at Bugs' birthday party. There were jokes about him and Daffy Duck, too. A contestant missed the obvious answer to "__ Gonzalez" in a PM episode Head to Head with Jimmie Walker. 

Other characters turned up in jokes along the line. Felix the Cat in his "Magic Bag of Tricks" mode was mentioned several times, notably on the hilarious 1977 episode where Richard Dawson, Jo Ann Pflug, and Fannie Flagg played Brett Somers, Dick Gautier, and Charles Nelson Reilly respectively. Most of the jokes about Popeye either played on his relationship with Olive Oyl, his love of spinach, or how he really got those famous muscles. Fannie Flagg wore cartoon characters on her famous sequined T-shirts, including a Spider Man shirt. Hanna-Barbara was at the height of its success in syndication and on Saturday mornings. Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, and the Flintstones all tuned up frequently in questions or on the Audience Match. 

Match with your favorite cartoon characters of the 70's and 80's in this hilarious marathon! 

Match Game Sunday Classics - Looney Tunes, Popeye, Yogi Bear, and Other Characters

(Oh, and as far as I can tell, it still hasn't rained.) 

Rainy Day Matches

Started the day with breakfast and finishing off The Pirates of Dark Water. The crew of the Wraith finally returns to treasure hunting when Ren's compass gives them the next location...but it keeps moving. They follow it to an island inhabited by Amazons and a rather cute little blue creature. Tula notes that the Amazons aren't at all friendly to her menfolk or the creature and joins them. Niddler, meanwhile, had ended up on a boat filled with minga melons. When the boat is attacked, he flees to the island and isn't too happy to discover the creature also loves his favorite treat. Tula knows there's more to "The Living Treasure" than a big appetite, and she and Nibbler have to rescue it and the guys too.

And that is that. It's a shame this may have been too complicated for an era that preferred endless imitations of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The show was abruptly canceled in spring 1993. The crew of the Wraith would have to wait for comic books to find the remaining treasures and restore Octopon. 

Hanna-Barbara didn't often stretch themselves like this. There's a great cast, with Hector Elizondo, George Newburn, and Brock Peters the stand-outs as roguish Ioz, determined prince Ren, and evil pirate Bloth. Some decent animation for a TV show at the time too, including gorgeous watercolor backgrounds. My major complaint is the second season goes off on some strange tangents. "The Living Treasure" is one of the only times we see them looking for treasure. Even with the truncated second season and lack of an ending, this is still worth watching for fans of fantasy and swashbucklers like me. 

Switched to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the second Go-Getters episode as I got ready for work. "Goofy's Gone," but he's really playing hide-and-seek. Detective Minnie, Captain Clarabelle, and Super Spy Daisy go looking for him. Buzz-Buzz the Bee and Big Pete think they saw a monster, but the Go-Getters know there's a more logical explanation for the huge duck-like footprints and strangely-dressed figure they saw.

It had been showering off and on all day. I called Uber. Thankfully, no trouble getting to work either way. The one going to the Acme arrived in 12 minutes. The one going home took 10 minutes. No traffic anywhere.

Work was surprisingly quiet. The head bagger did the sweeping during the first hour, but after that, she took over for a cashier. I pushed carts and did the sweeping for the rest of my shift. The rain must have scared everyone off. We were a little busy around 4 PM, but after that, it died out again. The worst thing that happened was it showered, sometimes heavily, the entire time I was at work and I kept getting wet. Of course, the rain stopped the moment I finished. Picked up peaches and batteries on the way out. (At least we never got the advertised thunderstorms.) 

Watched a few Hungarian Folk Tales when I got home and changed. "The Prince Who Turned Into Stone" and "Cereruska" feature siblings who end up rescuing each other. "The Prince" must rescue his beloved royal brother from a witch who turned him and his animal companions into stone. "Cereruska" is a variation on "Brother and Sister," with a sister who is turned into a deer instead of a brother. 

Finished the night at YouTube with the Saturday Match Game marathon. British comedienne Dolly Martin may have been past her days as a Playboy centerfold in 1975, but she was still a delight when she debuted on the same week Allen Ludden and Betty White played together. She didn't return to the show until 1979, but she became a semi-regular throughout the entire syndicated run, with and without her husband Dick Martin. 

In fact, she and Dick appeared in some of the most memorable episodes of the late 70's and early 80's. They were there when the excited contestant grabbed Gene's arm and practically dragged him around. Dolly had to answer her Head-to-Head while Gene hid behind the question holder. Nipsey Russell preferred giving her a big squeeze! She saw a contestant teach Gene how to tap dance and another do a noisy hog call that just about blew the roof off the studio. McLean and Gene worked on her Bristol accent (and parodied My Fair Lady) after an English butler with a far more posh way of speaking appeared on the show. 

Dick and Dolly appeared together for the last time in the 1990-1991 version of the show. Dolly saw how a young man who looked a lot like Jimmie Walker dominated his week. She got to join Pam Stone making jokes when Charles and Jo Anne Worley talked about having appeared in The Mikado together and heard Brad Garrett and Fred Travalena's hilarious impersonations. 

Dolly had even more fun in the nighttime episodes. She tried to play matchmaker when it became apparent that Debralee Scott had a crush on a handsome contestant. They got so into their kissing when he thanked her for a Super Match answer that Bill Daily hid them behind his coat. In another episode, Dick joked about her being his "brother" and saw Dick help a young redheaded man with a really big $20,000 Head-to-Head.

This model Brit proves she's no dumb bunny in these hilarious episodes!

Match Game Saturday Classics - Featuring Dolly and Dick Martin

Before the Storms

Began the morning with Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Daniel and Margaret Visit the Farm," and Daniel rides Peaches the horse for the first time. He's nervous, but his father holds his hand. Daniel does the same for Margaret when she's too scared to feed the ducks. Daniel's parents take him and Margaret on a 4th of July picnic to watch the "Fireworks and Fireflies." The fireflies make Margaret nervous, so Daniel holds her hand again until she's chasing them...and they both need their parents' hands when the loud fireworks frighten them.

Switched to Super Password briefly while I finished making my grocery list, then headed out. First stop of the day was the Westmont Plaza. My niece Finley will be turning 9 next Friday. I got her a card at Dollar Tree (along with soap) and a gift at Target. I also grabbed more of that tasty, fruity Iced Blue Coconut Matcha Latte from the Target Starbucks. 

Strolled further down the Westmont Plaza to Sprouts next. They were having a buy one, get one half-off sale on their bakery cookies. I loved the oatmeal-cranberry-walnut I got last week, so I went with those and snickerdoodle. The Annie's Homegrown chocolate chip granola bars are still on clearance, and those little bins of dried berries and pineapple are still 99 cents. I got one of the former and two of the latter. Grabbed oat milk and found strawberry fruit spread that was also on clearance. 

Rode down the hill next, past the library and high school and Burger King and McDonald's to the Westmont Acme. The weather isn't supposed to be appropriate for running to the farm market tomorrow, so I got my cherries and blueberries today. Restocked microwavable popcorn, yogurt, Swiss cheese, soda, granola bars (Nature's Valley were buy 2, get them for $1.99 each), low-salt tuna, and granola. Every store I hit up today was busy. It's close to the beginning of the month and a week from the biggest holiday of the summer season. 

Cut across Newton Lake Park going home. Considering it was hot (probably in the mid-upper 80's), thickly humid, and cloudy, the park was busy too when I was there. It's beautiful there now, with the emerald green trees waving in the breeze. I pushed my bike up the path over the hill, enjoying the earthy scents and ducking under a low-hanging branch.

Ran more cartoons when I got home as I put everything away, starting with Shirt Tales. "Kip's Dragon" was fired by a puppet show owner when he couldn't act like a dragon. Kip and the Shirt Tales try to teach Sparky to act like a dragon...but when his former boss captures his new friends and intends to make them the act, Sparky has find the dragon in himself. It's "Double Exposure" when a crooked photographer (who looks amusingly like a taller Gargamel) takes photos that can really capture a subject, including money and jewels. Pammy gets her camera mixed up with his and goes after it. He captures them, but it's Kip who figures out how to really get this guy exposed for good. 

Moved to Paw Patrol during lunch. Cheetah is an equally whiny cousin of Mayor Humdinger's who is still angry that Marshall won a driving trophy instead of her. She steals the PAW Patroller bus, hoping to ram down trees and the Monkey Temple and build her own jungle race track. "Pups Stop the Cheetah" from wrecking more havoc with the help of the new, improved PAW Patroller bus Ryder built.

Watched Meatballs online after I ate. Camp North Star in eastern Canada is shaping up for it's wildest summer on record. Tripper Harrison (Bill Murray), the head counselor who lives to break rules, befriends lonely camper Rudy Gerner (Chris Makepeace) the first day. He also has no trouble chasing the no-nonsense head female counselor Roxanne (Kate Lynch) or encouraging the randy CITs to play pranks on camp owner Morty Melneck (Harvey Atkin). There's also snobbish Camp Mohawk, the camp for wealthy kids across the lake, to contend with. Camp Mohawk has won (or cheated into winning) every Olympiad between the two camps. The kids think they're going to lose again, until Tripper reminds them that it just doesn't matter, and it's only games, after all. Rudy has a chance to redeem himself with the four-mile marathon, if he can get past Camp Mohawk's best runner.

Murray and Makepeace steal the movie wholesale as the wacky head counselor and the camper he ends up mentoring. They had so much chemistry and they worked so well together, more scenes were added of them playing carts to beef up the relationship. Not all of this movie has dated terribly well. Some of the treatment of the ladies, especially Tripper harassing and attacking Roxanne in several scenes, can be uncomfortable to watch nowadays. For the most part, though, this remains a lot of fun to watch if you're a fan of other "slobs vs snobs" comedies of the 70's and 80's.

Oh, and I got my schedule at this point. In good news, pretty much the same hours next week...except for the 4th of July, when I work 11 to 5. Maybe it's just as well. I can just make Oaklyn's parade and will have no trouble seeing the fireworks. I didn't really have a whole lot planned for in between them, and it's supposed to be crazy-hot anyway. 

Walked down to West Clinton Avenue after the movie ended. As I started off, I saw a gaggle of 13-year-old kids on bikes sitting in the middle of the road. One had just dropped his bike and was running in front of two dogs behind fences, trying to make them bark. A neighbor finally came out to tell them they were behaving like obnoxious twits and needed to leave the dog alone and get their bikes out of the street, before they were run over. 

Final Friday wasn't elbow-to-elbow crazy like it would be later in the night, but it was still pretty noisy when I got there. It was mostly families and old couples sitting at Oaklyn Manor Bar and Tonewood Brewery, or on benches and blankets and towels on the street next to the Brewery. There were tons of food trucks, and three different inflatable games for the kids - a ring toss, a basketball throw, and an "ax" toss. I did get to check out Inkwood Books' new Bookmobile and bought a yummy root beer float frozen bar from the Bubba Creamery cart, but there wasn't a whole lot more of interest there. I ultimately just headed home after a half-hour. 

Match Game '75 was just starting when I came up with dinner. This one was all about the week with Avery Schriberer, Gary Burghoff, Trish Stewart, and a radiant Patti Deusch. Patti was pregnant at that point, and it seemed to agree with her. I think she even got more answers right.

Moved to YouTube after a shower for The Swamp Fox. It's "A Case of Treason" when Colonel Tarleton (John Sutton) finally figures out what Mary Videaux and her parents are up to with all those parties. He catches her with Francis after one of those balls and arrests both of them. He escapes and follows her with his men in a hay wagon to Charleston. Not only do they free Mary there and send her to New Orleans, but they get more rebels out of prison, too.

Finished the night with three more Hungarian Folk Tales. "The King Who Did Not Want His Daughter to Marry" loves her so much, he turns her into three different animals so she won't wed the prince she loves. The prince finally figures out how to change her back...but even then, the princess still loves her father and is willing to forgive him. 

The "Dyer's Apprentice" is a variation on the story of a boy who won't tell his dream for anything, not to his master, not to the king, not to the princess he loves. It's not until he helps defeat an army that he finally tells the princess his secret. 

"The Jackdaw Girls" is basically a gender-reversed "The Wild Swans" without the prince and nettles subplot. The young boy must find his sisters, whom his mother accidentally turned into jackdaws when he got tired of their squabbling. He's helped by three ancient old women who call all the animals of the world to find out where his sisters went. 

On the Right Track

Began the morning with breakfast and Little Bear. "Little Bear's Tooth" is loose! His friends try every method they can think of to get it out, but it turns out the simplest solution is at dinner. Emily's Granny tells Little Bear, Emily, and their friends "Little Red Riding Hood" when they're stuck inside of a rainy day. Emily is Red, Cat is the wolf, Hen is Red's mother, Granny is Red's grandmother, Little Bear and Owl of the huntsmen, and Duck is supposed to be guarding Granny. Little Bear and Emily are upset when their cupcakes bake hard as rocks and hide them from Mother Bear. She reminds "Little Bear and the Cupcakes" that sometimes, even just adding one ingredient can make a difference...and so can telling the truth.

Threw on a bit of Super Password, the week with Marsha Warfield and Tom Poston from 1987, as I went through most of my remaining records to see if I wanted to get rid of any more. I then split everything into two bags and added the Bissell vacuum I no longer needed. I took the vacuum sections apart so I could fit them in the car.

I had no choice about calling Uber, despite the nice day. There was no way I'd fit those two full and heavy bags on my bike. At least the lady who picked me up 10 minutes later was really nice. She had no trouble driving me around the back of the building so I could drop the bags right off at the Goodwill donations pick-up area.

Goodwill was surprisingly busy for a random June Thursday. I didn't have a ton of luck, but I did find a few interesting things. My best find was a new pair of rolled-cuff jean shorts. My old pair is starting to fray at the rolled-up part. I also picked up a CD:

Julie Andrews - The Best of Julie Andrews (the first and only solo album I've seen for her) 

and a children's record:

Raggedy Ann & Andy's Birthday Party

Made a quick stop at Five Below for a drink before heading out again. This time, I strolled into Audubon on foot. It was too nice to call for a ride again. Though it was a bit warmer and more humid, it also remains sunny, and the wind was enough to keep it from feeling too nasty. I had lunch at a busy Legacy Diner. Their broccoli and cheddar omelet was a bit on the watery side, but I did enjoy my fruit cup with melon and pineapple slices and red grapes. I've never seen apple butter at a diner, either. I love apple butter. It may be my favorite type of fruit spread. It and orange marmalade were wonderful on whole-wheat toast.

Backtracked to Market Street for a treat at Desserts By Design. I had a yummy coconut-frosted cupcake while the lady behind the counter helped a kindly older couple decide what they wanted for their son's birthday. When they left, I told her about exploring Cherry Hill and waiting until after Lauren visits in mid-July to do further house-hunting. She pleasantly said I was on the right track. I feel like I'm on the right track. At least I'm actually doing something after spending so much time in the winter and early spring stuck at home due to the weather. 

Started home after I finished my cupcake...but I couldn't resist a stop at the Calico Cat Cafe on the White Horse Pike. This charming little nook has a room that sells cat art, crafts, and hand-knit beds, along with sodas, baked goods, and for some odd reason, ramen. They're also the first place I've seen make "dirty sodas" - that is, soda with cream and flavoring. I had a Dr. Pepper Zero with brown sugar flavoring and French vanilla cream. The brown sugar wasn't bad, but the French vanilla overpowered the Dr. Pepper. Next time, I'll try it with regular cream. I admired several cats sunning themselves in the big picture windows as I walked past them.

Relaxed at home while watching The Nifty Nineties. I go further into the Abbot and Costello vehicle best-known for introducing the extended version of "Who's On First" to movie audiences at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

The Nifty Nineties

Put on an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse after the movie ended. Detective Minnie, Super Spy Daisy, and Captain Clarabelle are "The Go-Getters" who must round up a trio of giant baby chicks and remove the egg shells they hatched from that are blocking a river. Captain Clarabelle is more than happy to rescue Pete from them, too...but it's Pete who ends up being the biggest help when he's the one who finally gets them in the corral.

Switched to Match Game '75 next. Gary Burghoff was terribly embarrassed in the first episode when they had to redo the Super Match because he blurted an answer. Marcia Wallace received a standing ovation in the second show after she finally got her first right answer. After that, they moved to the next week, with Avery Schiriber, Trish Stewart, and a radiantly pregnant Patti Deusch. 

Finished the night with another classic Republic serial at YouTube. This time, I jumped to before the war for Daredevils of the Red Circle from 1939.  This one may have one of the more unique plots in serials. The title Dardevils are acrobats Gene Towley (Charles Quigley), "Tiny" Dawson (Herman Brix), and Bert Knowles (ace stuntman David Sharpe). The trio volunteer as detectives when Gene's younger brother is killed in a fire at an amusement park where they're performing. The fires all target properties belonging to Horace Granville (Miles Mander) because escaped convict Harry Crowe (Charles Middleton) wanted revenge on him for turning him in. He traps the old man in a recreation of his prison cell in his mansion and poses as him. His granddaughter Blanche (Carole Landis) knows something is up, especially when she becomes one of the next targets. The Daredevils protect her and Granville's properties with the help of a mysterious figure known only as "The Red Circle." 

Walking In History

Began the day with breakfast and The Pirates of Dark Water. Bloth becomes "The Soul Stealer" when a soothsayer claims Ren is the only one who is destined to find the treasures. Morpho creates a potion that'll trade Bloth's soul and that of his first mate for Ren and Niddler's. Bloth thinks he's pulled it off...until the man Ioz stole the Wraith from decides he wants it back, and Niddler wants to fly again...

Got to work right on time, and that was probably the most exciting thing that happened all morning. It got a little busy around 10:30-11 PM, but was otherwise dead quiet. I didn't even have that many carts to gather. For one thing, it was too nice to be shopping. I pushed carts in strong, cool wind, bright blue skies, and warm sunshine. It was probably in the lower 80's, hot, but not overly so for mid-June. I was in and out with no trouble whatsoever.

Soon as I got home, I changed and went downstairs to make lunch. This time, the buckwheat pancake mix just made plain pancakes. I topped them with peanut butter, orange marmalade, and honey. Oh yum! They came out perfectly, and the marmalade and peanut butter complimented them well. 

Watched Paw Patrol while I ate lunch. Mayor Humdinger is beside himself - many times over - when "Mighty Pups, Charged Up: Pups Stop a Humdinger Horde." Humdinger wants his Kitty Catastrophe Crew to have a professional bath, but Katie's animal salon is full. After he accidentally walks into Harold's cloning machine, the Humdingers steal Katie and her animal salon! For once, Harold is more than happy to help the pups stop his wayward uncle...er, uncles...from wrecking more havoc. Harold is still determined to be mayor of somewhere. After he finds another piece of meteor, he insists on being mayor of the moon, and turns the lighthouse into a rocket ship to get him there. He doesn't realize Cap'n Turbot is inside, or that the Patrol is on his tail in "Mighty Pups, Charged Up: Pups Stop a Mighty Lighthouse." 

Called Uber after the cartoon ended and I cleaned up lunch. Not only will I not have the time to explore Cherry Hill on Saturday this week, but the weather is supposed to be lousy that day. I decided to check out the Cherry Parke Condos and Waterford Apartments today and take advantage of that gorgeous weather. The driver going to Cherry Parke and home were both there in 10 minutes. There was a little traffic in Haddonfield, but otherwise no trouble.

Cherry Parke and Waterford, despite one being condos and one being apartments, look pretty much the same. They're two-story brick Colonial-style buildings from the early 50's, with yellow shutters and quaint details like the curving trim and red doors. Both complexes surround green areas connected by sidewalks with common trash areas. Honestly, the place was showing its age. Shutters were missing from some buildings, and the paint was faded on others. There was a lot of old furniture piled up in the back parking lot area, including a vintage organ. I saw dog excrescence on the green, even though people weren't supposed to walk their dogs there. Tons of kids' bikes locked on racks indicated a lot of families living here. I suspect most of the residents are families and health care workers priced out of expensive Haddonfield and east Cherry Hill who needed inexpensive homes to buy or rent. 

On the other hand, the buildings are quite charming, certainly more than the very 60's Playa Del Sol and Sussex House or the high rise across from the Dollar Tree on the Marlton Pike, and they're surrounded by wide green lawns. There's also the lovely Wallworth Park across the street. As I headed down King's Highway, I walked down steep stone steps and stepped into a smooth emerald field. I followed the sound of gurgling and rushing to the stream, where I saw a man fishing next to a small spillway. Apparently, this powered mills, hundreds of years ago. 

I continued down King's Highway to see how long it would take me to make it into Haddonfield. It took about 10 minutes. I passed by many historic buildings, from a gorgeous, sprawling yellow Victorian (which apparently is in danger of being demolished - they'd better not, that building was beautiful), to a red brick Colonial that was in the midst of exterior remodeling. I stopped and read about an older building that's now used as offices but had been a prison house during the American Revolution. 

By the time I made it to the corner of Haddon Avenue and King's Highway, I was hot as heck. I stopped at Starbucks for a treat. The strawberry matcha loaf was amazing, deliciously moist with swirls of green tea and strawberry. I would have liked the Butterfly Drink better if it didn't have those weird gel bubbles at the bottom. They were fruity and very sweet, but I prefer nothing in my drink but my drink and a little ice. 

Continued down Haddon Avenue to Haddonfield's Acme. Haddonfield has the most unique Acme building in the entire chain. Unlike the Acme at Cape May, which was built in the 70's and remodeled to fit in with the rest of the town in the 2000's, the Haddonfield Acme is genuinely old. It was built as a Quaker meetinghouse in the 1851, and rather than knock down history, Acme just built around it. The Haddonfield Acme is tiny, as you can guess from being in a small meetinghouse. I think it was pretty recently remodeled, but that doesn't make it any bigger. I did manage to get pocked-sized suntan lotion (I couldn't find the tube I keep in my backpack purse), a drink, and more Persil before that sale ends. I thought it would be easier to pick up Uber here than on busy King's Highway, too.

Put on The Price Is Right when I got home. I arrived in time for the Showcases. One was a pretty normal no-frills display that ended with a trip to Austria. The other was a lot goofier, and ended with a cherry-red sports car. Though both of the ladies got relatively close, the one who bid on the sports car was, to her delight, closer. 

Watched Match Game '75 while eating dinner. The first hour finished out the week with Bert Convy, Joyce Bulifant, and Betty White. I don't know what got into everyone in those last two episodes. Everyone was jumping on everyone else, from Gene grabbing Mary Ann for kisses to Bert chasing the contestant to the winning contestant ending up in Richard Dawson's lap. The next week, with Dwayne Hickman of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and Broadway star Carol Lawrence, was more subdued by comparison. 

Took a much-needed shower, then finished the night with the rest of Spy Smasher. I like that this serial took chances. At least one hero doesn't make it out alive, which is rare for serials. Other than Spy Smasher picking up a twin brother, it also seems to be relatively accurate to the comic books as well, especially for this era. There were some incredible action set pieces, especially the flaming harbor in the final episode. You might call this the less-florid Batman to Republic's earlier Captain Marvel serial, a hero who relies on his wits and human strength rather than any magical powers. If you're a Batman fan, love the original Spy Smasher comics, or are a serial enthusiast, this is roundly considered to be one of the best. 

Walk In the Rain

Began a gloomy, rainy morning with breakfast and the Shirt Tales. "Digger's Three Wishes" has him dreaming that his new lamp can produce a genie who grants him all the wealth he wants. He, Tyg, and Bogey are delighted, but Pammy and Kip think there's something up with these sudden riches. Turns out they're right when the genie swipes the money and the girls. Digger has even more trouble when he goes out of town and "Digger's Double," a rat who has been stealing cheese, impersonates him. The others figure it out when the rat is a little to eager to go out on assignment with Tyg and Bogey.

Switched to the Bowery Boys while working on yesterday's blog entry. Slip (Leo Gorcey) is In Fast Company when Father Donovan (Charles D. Brown) guilt trips him into helping an independent cab company after its owner is run off the road by Steve Trent (Douglas Fowley) of Red Circle Cab. Slip would mind helping less if it didn't mean he constantly has to break dates with his girl Mabel (Judy Clark) or explain what's going on to her uncle Louie (Bernard Gorcey) who owns the ice cream shop where they all congregate. When his friend Chuck (David Gorcey) is hurt by Trent and his goons while on duty, Slip and the others take it on themselves to tell the company's owner Mr. McCormick (Paul Harvey) what's going on.

By quarter of 2, I was bored and tired of sitting inside, and the showers were slowing down. They weren't slow enough for me to walk around in Cherry Hill like I originally planned, but I could run a few errands in Oaklyn. I grabbed my umbrella and headed out for a walk...then went right back inside and got my raincoat when I realized how cold it was! It wasn't even in the 70's. I think it might have been mid-60's. No wonder it felt so nice in my rooms.

My first stop was Family Dollar. I think they might be in the middle of remodeling. The baby items were all in bins instead of shelves. Good. That place is a mess. It could stand with a redo. I picked up trash bags and more of the cheap Pure Kick hydrate mix packs (in Arctic Wave this time), then moved on.

Since it's the closest restaurant that was actually open on a Tuesday, I went to Jalapeno's Mexican Bar and Grill for lunch. Needless to say, they were dead quiet at 2:30. The only other people there were two women chatting in a booth. I had delicious, full, and messy fish tacos and watched the Poland Vs. Uzbekistan World Cup soccer game on their TV in peace. (Later research revealed that Poland won, 5-0.)

I wanted to treat myself to WaWa in honor of the end of the school year yesterday, but I took Uber to and from the school and didn't want to run into storms afterwards. I ended up with a soft pretzel and a tasty Raspberry Chip Smoothie made with real raspberry puree. Watched cats play with volunteers at the Calico Cat Cafe a block down as I passed by them.

Took out the trash and brought it down to the curb when I got home, then went straight into bed for a nap. I was so tired. I stayed up too early Sunday night and couldn't sleep the next morning, and then there was all the craziness at Thomas Sharp. I went down at quarter of 4, got up at 6, and was still tired.

Put on Buzzr after I got up...only to find something called Buzzr's Top 10 instead of Match Game. This seems to be a special featuring big moments from the shows Freemantle owns that has shown up randomly all month. Incidentally, #2 is the introduction of Plinko on The Price Is Right. The top great moment is so infamous, a movie was released about it last year, Michael Larson amassing over $100,000 on Press Your Luck.

Watched Match Game '75 while I ate dinner after that finally started. Bert Convy, Mary Ann Mobley, and Betty White returned for the last episodes taped in 1974. Bert was amused by a question that asked what he did with the ladies, while everyone teased Brett over another question that joked about her wigs.

(Oh, and Buzzr has two big announcements for next month. First of all, their next marathon will be "Buzzr Goes Global," featuring two Freemantle shows from England and Family Feud Canada. Their other new show, Family Feud Moments, is less welcome. This just looks like it's "best segments from the current Steve Harvey Feud." It's probably in honor of Feud's 50th anniversary this year, but while I have no problems with Steve Harvey or his show, it doesn't really fit on Buzzr.) 

Moved to YouTube after Match Game ended. Did two Hungarian Folk Tales first. "The Giant Beanstalk" is "Jack and the Beanstalk" with the Giant playing a hurdy-gurdy instead of a singing harp. The mother also doesn't throw the beans out the window. Jack just plants them. "The Princess Three Pigs and Three Birthmarks" gets a little ribald when a young pig herder who can make his porcine charges dance agrees to let the Princess have them, if she'll lift her skirt for him. Turns out he has his reasons for this when the king announces that the man who marries her daughter will be the one who knows where her birthmarks are.

Finished the night with more of The Swamp Fox. Marion and his men have been wrecking havoc on the road, including capturing Mary Videux's father and sending him to prison. Colonel Horry's "Redcoat Strategy" is to have two of his men infiltrate Marion's group and learn the location of his hideout. Marion, as usual, is two steps ahead of them, including rescuing Mary, her maid Delia (Louise Beavers), and his friend Oscar (Smoki Whitfield).