Sunday, February 14, 2016

A Riverside Valentine

Began a sunny, bitterly cold day with Collier's Book of Holidays. They only have one story for Valentine's Day, but it's the charming The Valentine's Box, about a shy little girl who makes friends after she helps a classmate round up her wayward valentines in the snow. I also did a couple of poems and the last two chapters of Changes for Samantha. Samantha Parkington learns about love and compassion when she helps her friend Nellie and her sisters escape from a nasty orphanage shortly before Valentine's Day.

When I finally got up, I moved onto the two Peanuts Valentine's specials. A Charlie Brown Valentine is a series of skits revolving around the kids' various attempts at courtship. Chuck is trying to get the Little Red Haired Girl's attention, but he ends up taking Peppermint Patty and Marcie to the dance instead. Sally and Lucy just wish their crushes would pay at least a little attention to them. Snoopy finds himself drafted to write love notes (bad ones) for the crew.

The earlier Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown is a less-lighthearted take on the perpetual Peanuts love affairs. Linus has a crush on his teacher Miss Othmar; Sally thinks he's bought that huge box of chocolate for her. Chuck is hoping against hope that he might get a briefcase full of valentines.

The Peanuts aren't the only animated characters from the 60's and 70's who had trouble on Valentine's Day. Pink at First Sight has The Pink Panther working as a singing delivery boy in order to raise money to impress a girl. Trouble is, very few people, from a jealous husband to a group of gangsters, appreciate his attempts to deliver their holiday gifts.

Darn it. I didn't have much more luck with breakfast than the Peanuts did chasing each other. My Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Pancakes fell apart, and I burned one. I couldn't finish them. Just as well - I barely had enough time to get ready and go to work as it was.

Work, thankfully, wasn't nearly as busy as last weekend. It didn't begin well. A manager took me aside and said a woman complained about me being rude to her yesterday. I totally don't remember. Ironically, about a half-hour before I left, I got a compliment from two customers who said they liked how I was always pleasant and have a smile on my face, even when I'm riding my bike (they were evidently from Oaklyn). My relief was right on time, giving me the chance to treat myself to a Lindt Strawberry Cheesecake-filled milk chocolate stick bar before I headed home.

Spent the next hour and a half writing. Kathleen tries to rush to Darren's side. Lady Sylvia doesn't like that at all. She considers Darren to be her personal property. She demonstrates her dark magic by knocking Kathleen across the room.

Finished out the night with an escarole and cheese omelet and a slice of banana-chocolate chip bread. Listened to my Hearbeat of the 80's K-Tel album while I ate. This is a collection of ballads from the early 80's, mainly duets like "Baby, Come to Me." The only one I don't recognize is Paco's "Shoot the Moon."

And while my Valentine's Day wasn't terribly exciting, I hope you had one that was a lot more fun and romantic!

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