Monday, January 26, 2015

Whither the Snow?

It was, indeed, snowing when I got up this morning, but not hard. When I peeked out my bedroom window, I noticed that the streets were wet, but otherwise normal. There was no snow on the streets at all. I decided to take advantage of the lack of precipitation to do the chores I originally planned for today, and even a few I was going to do tomorrow.

Watched my second Valentine's Day special of the season while eating breakfast. Bugs Bunny's Cupid Capers is one of the Looney Tunes half-hour specials from the 70s and 80s made up of bits and pieces of shorts with new linking material. This one was only slightly more substantial than the Halloween show. Bugs watches the work of a rather Elmer Fudd-like Cupid, despite insisting that he's meddling. Bugs dodges a plump European rabbit with a crush on him, Daffy the private eye is pursued by an amorous dame, Pepe Le Pew enters the Foreign Legion and chases its mascot cat, and Bugs finds the Tasmanian Devil the perfect mate.

Started out my errands with the laundry. I was originally going to do it tomorrow. I don't work until 2. The snow is supposed to be at its worst tomorrow morning, though, and the last thing I wanted was to be out in it. It was snowing when I arrived at the laundromat. The weather cleared them out. Two guys were in and out; otherwise, it was me and the news, blaring snow reports of anything from 6 to 12 inches. (The National Weather Service has since downgraded us to 4 to 8 inches.) The mayor of Philadelphia was insisting people keep their cars off the streets, so they could be plowed.

After I finished, I went straight home and put the laundry away, then headed back out. The snow had stopped while I was on my way back, but it started again as I headed out. I made my way down to Cuthbert and the Westmont Plaza. Had a nice, quiet lunch at Friendly's. I was planning on tacos for dinner, so I had a nice, warm Turkey Tips Avocado Salad for lunch. It was 1:30. They weren't too busy. There were just a few couples (and one family with a very fresh young boy who was quite rude to his parents because they wouldn't let him use the claw machine).

Stopped at Tuesday Morning next. They did have more Ever After High dolls - that last Cupid, more Legacy Day (fancy dress) Raven and Apple, some Getting Fairest (pajamas) Maddie and Briar. Nope, nope, I not only had those girls, I'm only interested in their basic versions. I finally found some really cute socks and a stuffed elephant for my new little niece Lilah instead.

The Haddon Township Library was quite busy when I arrived. Not only did most of the local schools let out early (before the roads get bad), but the Library itself was closing at 4. I arrived at quarter of 3, which gave me just enough time to get the DVDs shelved and organized and take out some DVDs for myself. I was delighted to find that Escape From Catrina, one of the two original My Little Pony specials from the 80s (the other being Rescue From Nightmare Castle, which I have), is finally on DVD in its original form. I also grabbed On an Island With You, the dark superhero movie The Spirit, the Johnny Depp Lone Ranger from a few years ago that was such a huge flop (after enjoying John Carter, I'm willing to give it a chance), and the 1939 Wizard of Oz.

I made a quick stop at Thriftway on the way home. Much to my surprise, they were actually fairly quiet. There were lines, but they weren't half-way across the store. I expected to barely be able to get in the door! I guess everyone did their panicking yesterday and this morning. I bought I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, grits, and Chuckles (I love those and haven't seen them in a single pack for years) and hurried out.

By 4 PM, the snow was gone. It was cloudy, windy, and cold, but not snowing. I went right home and did some more organizing. My sweaters and my one good pair of winter pants went in the sweater hanger. Rolls of wrapping paper, boxes, and odds and ends were loaded into the long bag. One sweater bag holds large doll clothes for my Cabbage Patch Kids girls. The other has winter accessories.

I now had two extra, empty small baskets after moving the doll clothes and accessories. I decided to organize my junk drawers. The top drawer holds bike tools and repair items, art supplies, tape of all kinds, my glasses repair kit, menus for local restaurants, and my extra pair of glasses and extra glasses case. The baskets didn't fit there, but I was able to get everything in fairly good shape without them.

The bottom drawer was a mess. That's where I keep things that would normally go in a shed or garage - string, tools, nails, nuts and bolts, batteries, three-pronged plugs, my flashlight, every kind of wire for an electronic device ever invented. There was white stuff cracked all along the bottom. I couldn't figure out what it was...until I remembered just how old those big D batteries I'd never used were. Ugh! I cleaned everything out, trashed the leaking batteries, and dumped the white stuff out of the drawer. The wires I didn't put in the donation bags went in one basket. The tools went in the other.

I kept dinner simple. Used some of that ground chicken I bought a while back to make soft chicken tacos. I added fresh spinach, shredded Colby cheese, and sliced grape tomatoes. It was quite delicious and all I needed after that big salad this afternoon.

Ran On an Island With You while I made dinner. Peter Lawford is a Naval officer who desperately wants a dance with a lovely movie star (Esther Williams) he once did a skit with during World War II. She kissed him at the end of that skit...and he fell for her. He's hoping she'll reciprocate, but she already has a fiancee, her co-star on her newest picture (Ricardo Montalban). He has an admirer, too, the dancer who is appearing in the same movie (Cyd Charisse). Lawford runs off with Williams to a tropical island while doing a stunt for the movie, hoping to win her over. She's annoyed and scared at first...until she realizes just how much she means to him. Meanwhile, the film's assistant director (Jimmy Durante) is just trying to keep all the romances straight.

The cast saves this tropical variation on Williams' romantic comedy semi-revues. The movie/island setting means there's a lot more water ballets than usual, including a dream sequence where Lawford imagines Williams among the island flora. Montalban and Charisse have two excellent dance sequences (including a rather passionate one towards the end), but otherwise don't have much to do. Durante is better as the assistant who's been in show business longer than anyone and has seen it all twice. Xaviar Cugat is around for background numbers and to push his chihuahua on a befuddled Durante. Nice if you like the cast or Williams' other musicals, or run into it on TCM on a lazy day.

And at press time...still no snow that I can see. The National Weather Service still says 4 to 8 inches for here. It's supposed to be much worse up north - Lauren may get up to two feet in Pittsfield. We'll see how things look tomorrow morning.

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