Saturday, May 03, 2014

A Little Bit of Rest

Started out a partly cloudy, cool morning with this week's American Top 40. I was 4 in late April 1983, when pop, New Wave, hard rock, and country were at the top of the charts, and I remember many of these songs well. Hits that spring included "Even Now" by Bob Seeger and the Silver Bullet Band, "Solitaire" by Laura Branigan, "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, "Let's Dance" by David Bowie, "I Won't Hold You Back" by Toto, "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners, and two numbers about the 80s' obsession with technology, "Mr. Roboto" by Styx and "She Blinded Me With Science" by Thomas Dolby.

Michael Jackson's album Thriller was the hottest-selling album in years. At least three numbers from that LP were rocketing up the charts that week, including "Billie Jean" and that week's number one (and the number one for the two weeks afterwards), "Beat It."

Today was the opening of the Collingswood Farm Market. They were packed like sardines, despite the blustery and semi-cloudy weather and the lack of produce. The weather over the winter and last week's rain took it's toll on the farmers' wares. Most tables were selling plants, flowers, or crafts. There was enough food around that I did get some vegetables - carrots, radishes, spinach, and asparagus.

I spent most of the morning riding around to a couple of yard sales in Oaklyn, Collingswood, and Haddon Township. The only one with anything interesting was on the White Horse Pike in Oaklyn, between the former Taco Bell and Little Bear Daycare. I picked up a couple of decent records:

Rod Stewart - Blonds Have More Fun

Dolly Pardon - Greatest Hits

Johnny Mathis - Love Story

Gold Rush '79 (One of those K-Tel random hits collections I keep finding everywhere, this one a two-disc set.)

Since I was out and about, I swung by the Acme on my way home to pick up my schedule and get some callus remover. The calluses I got from my last pair of work sneakers are still pretty sore. I got lucky - the Acme's callus removal pads and a couple of varieties of Dr. Scholl's were on the clearance rack, the Acme's for 49 cents each! Grabbed more clearance sponges, too.

My schedule for next week is actually pretty decent. I start much later than I have been, at 2 or 3 every work day, and end between 7 and 9. Only Monday is longer than 6 hours. Tuesday and Thursday are my off days (Tuesday for counseling). I have slightly fewer hours and absolutely no problems with it. I wanted to concentrate on starting spring cleaning and finishing my communications course this week anyway.

When I got home, I put all my finds away, then had chicken soup and Apple-Strawberry Muffins for lunch while watching more Backyardigans. "Sinbad Sails Alone" in one of the best episodes of the second season. Tyrone is Sinbad, who is determined to make it to the end of the rainbow all by himself. Pablo wants to help, but he does nothing but get them into trouble and lose their water and food. Both boys will have to visit Siren Uniqua and Medusa Tasha and win at their games if they want to complete their mission!

Headed out to the laundromat as soon as I was done with lunch. I didn't have a really big load...but for once, I wished I did. The other people there were the manager and a mom, a little boy, and the little boy's tiny, adorable puppy. She was an adorable little critter with curly black fur, just two weeks old. She squirmed in anyone's arms but the little boy's. Boy and puppy were just so cute to watch.

I put away my laundry the moment I got home. After that, I just took a nap. I was up late last night, got up early this morning, and didn't have any other major plans for today. I feel like I've been going non-stop since late January. I've barely had the time to think, much less rest. I went to bed at 3:30, opened my eyes briefly around 4:15, then slept until 20 after 5.

I read the Nora Roberts book Hot Ice in bed for a little while (one of the only books of hers I ever liked), then made dinner while listening to that Gold Rush set. I brushed butter on flounder fillets and asparagus. Sprinkled cheap imitation Old Bay on the flounder and dried herbs on the asparagus and baked both. Sauteed spinach and mushrooms in home-made chicken stock while everything else was cooking. Oh, yum yum. It all came out great, very moist and flavorful. The farm market asparagus was delicious and tender.

By quarter of 7, the earlier clouds were at bay, the sun was out, the sky was blue, and the wind had died down. It had turned into such a nice day, I had to go for a walk to celebrate it. I wasn't the only one. There were tons of people out enjoying themselves, playing in their front lawns with their children, riding bikes, walking dogs, pushing strollers, or on a stroll of their own. It's beautiful here. It's gotten so green. The daffodils are gone, but the tulips are up, and the irises are on their way.

There was a huge crowd in the parking lot outside of the Oaklyn Manor Bar. They mostly just seemed to be talking and drinking beer. I had no idea what was going on until I walked further down Manor and saw a co-worker, Diane, on her front lawn with her dog and two daughters. According to her, the crowds were celebrating Derby Day. I totally forgot today was the Kentucky Derby - I'm not really into horses or horse races.

I bought a Peanut Butter Cup Milkshake at WaWa, then headed back home. Got right into the shower when I made it in, ignoring the crowds at the VFW coming from a Derby party. The clouds I saw on the horizon earlier didn't make it here until about an hour ago, when we had a massive thunderstorm. Doesn't seem to have lasted, though. It's quiet now, just planes overhead.

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