It was pouring when I got up this morning, but it was just rain. No snow, no sleet. The rain continued as I had oatmeal for breakfast, then as I made pumpkin bread while watching Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Neil Page (Steve Martin) thinks he's just catching a plane to Chicago two days before Thanksgiving. His trip turns into a real odyssey when he encounters overly chatty salesman Del Griffith (John Candy) in the airport. The two keep running into each other as they make their way across the frozen Midwestern landscape from Wichita to Chicago. As Neil gets to know Del better, he finally learns a lesson in charity and being grateful for what he has. John Hughes' most adult film is buoyed by the performances of its two marvelous leads, even when it gets a little too sentimental towards the end.
Switched to two snow-themed Backyardigans episodes from the first season as I gave the kitchen a much-needed cleaning. Pablo and Tyrone are guarding "The Snow Fort" from invaders who might want to steal their huge snowball! Uniqua and Tasha are ski patrolers who think the boys need rescuing. They keep trying to get in...while the boys keep them out! Uniqua is convinced that the tracks they see in the snow is "The Yeti" of the frozen north. Tasha thinks she's nuts. Really, it's just Pablo being cute, and he leads the two girls and Tyrone on a merry chase across the snowy landscape.
Ironically, the rain began to mix with sleet and snow as I packed for tomorrow and put on Frozen. Disney's biggest hit in years gives us two sisters, Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristin Bell) living in a small Norwegian kingdom. Elsa has snow powers she's kept hidden from her sister for her safety. Her powers are accidentally unleashed after she forbids Anna from rashly marrying a man she's just met and the girls fight. Elsa runs off, leaving Arendelle in an eternal winter. Anna goes after her. As she makes her way to the mountain where Elsa is hiding, she meets Kristoff and his reindeer Sven, as well as Olaf, a snowman obsessed with summer. It'll take a frozen heart and a betrayal to make the two women understand that there's more than one kind of true love in the world...and that the only real frozen heart is one that closes to love and friendship.
No wonder this has been such a hit, especially with girls. This is the touching tale of sisterhood, friendship, and discovering that there's more than one type of true love in the world. The music in particular is fabulous.
Moved to less elaborate winter-themed animation as I made Brussels sprouts, leftover chicken burgers, and the last of the Cranberry Flummery for lunch. Frosty's Winter Wonderland is Rankin-Bass' second Frosty tale. This time, Andy Griffith narrates the story of how Frosty (Jackie Vernon) gained a wife (Shelly Winters) and an enemy in Jack Frost.
Did two black-and-white Mickey Mouse shorts as I got ready for work. Mickey's "The Grocery Boy" who brings Minnie her deliveries. It's all fun and dance routines in the kitchen, until naughty Pluto steals the turkey! One of my favorite Mickey cartoons is the sweet "Mickey's Good Deed." The Depression has hit Mick and Pluto hard - they find themselves playing a cello for nickels. When Mickey sees a mother who is even poorer, he sells the one thing that means most to him to be able to help her...but he gets a special surprise in the end!
It was still coming down at quarter of 2, though no longer mixed with snow. Dad drove me to and from work. It wasn't that busy when I got in, probably because it was still raining. The moment the rain stopped, the people came. We were swamped by rush hour. It did slow down long enough by 8 for me to leave without a relief. Other than a few annoying customers, there were no major problems. It was raining lightly when Dad picked me up - the rain was getting heavier as we went home, but it sounds like it's lighter or gone now.
And for those of you who won't be online tomorrow, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
No comments:
Post a Comment