A rather nice little snow shower was leaving a thin layer of fluffy whiteness on my porch when I got up this morning. Warmed up a cold morning with some baking. The pistachio cake from Julie's Cooking Studio became lemon cake. Replaced the club soda with sparkling lemonade soda and added lemon gelatin and lemon zest.
Ran The Care Bears Movie to brighten a cold morning while I baked. The Care Bears first prove to a pair of unhappy orphan twins that not every friend they have will leave them. They have less luck with another orphan, a boy living with a neglectful magician. The kid finds an old magic book that's possessed by an evil spirit. The spirit convinces him that no one wants to be his friend and gets him to cast spells that will end all caring in the world..and destroy Care-a-Lot in the process. A glitch on their new travel computer device lands several bears and the twins in the Forest of Feelings, home of the Care Bear Cousins (who are every animal but bears). Now the entire crew has to get down to Earth and convince the kid that the spirit is more trouble than it's worth, and there are easier ways to make friends than hurting them or forcing them.
For all the continuity problems and so-so songs, this is surprisingly dark for a Care Bears film. Kids who grew up with this movie recall that spirit as being one of the scariest villain of any 80's animated movie. While I still recommend this for young kids, they'll need a hand to hold during many of the spookier scenes.
The snow was slowing down when Jessa picked me up around 11. After stopping briefly at the Collingswood PNC Bank so I could deposit my Christmas money from Dad in the ATM machine, we headed off to the big Deptford Target. Probably thanks to the weather, they were busy, but not nearly to the degree that the Cherry Hill Target was earlier in the month. I finally picked up the DVDs for Wonder Woman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, along with Yogi Bear's All-Star Christmas Caper. Found the most adorable little stuffed reindeer in a knitted snowflake scarf for 75% off in the seasonal aisles. Also grabbed the two-pack of Secret deodorant that's relatively cheap there and a container of chocolate sprinkles. (I used up the last of mine on the Merry Christmas Molasses Cookies.)
Jessa and I had lunch at Don Pablo's, the Mexican restaurant in the Target parking lot. We sat next to their elegant fountain and enjoyed our tacos. I had slightly dry fish tacos with tons of shredded cabbage, rice, avocado slices, and yummy sweet spoonbread. (A cornmeal pudding. Mom used to make the best spoonbread.) Jessa was braver and tried the Buffalo Chicken Tacos.
Spent the next couple of hours in the Deptford Mall. Despite the snow having ended somewhere around 12:30 (it was gone by the time we got out of Don Pablo's), they were still pretty mobbed. I bought a new pair of flannel pajamas with a cute blue owl print, new work pants, and warm red Airsoles slippers at Boscov's. Bath and Body Works was having massive sales. Jess and I both picked up soap. I couldn't resist a scent called "Boardwalk." Browsed in The Disney Store, Spencer's, Game Stop, and Box Lunch (a pop culture knick-knacks store that's basically a more elegant Spencer's). Peeked at a Build-a-Bear booth and poked around a booth selling calendars. I bought a Susan Branch Calendar for the hallway to write down appointments and birthdays and a Star Wars: The Last Jedi calendar for my bedroom.
Since it was only about 3 when we got out and the clouds were starting to break up, we made one last final stop at Toys R' Us. They were busy, though not to the degree of the Deptford Mall. Unlike Target and the Disney Store, whose Star Wars sections had mostly been decimated, Toys 'R Us still had a pretty good selection. I ended up with a 12-inch Poe Dameron and Cassian Andor to go with my Rey and Jyn. (The Cassian doll, stiff as he is, is actually a pretty good likeness of Diego Luna. I'll likely keep him. The Poe doll, however, looks nothing like Oscar Issac. I'll only keep him until I can find something better.)
Toys 'R Us also sells American Girl items now, though only the Wellie Wishers and and modern dolls and their things. Didn't get anything today, but it's something to keep in mind if I ever do want anything from those lines.
It was actually sunny out by the time Jessa dropped me off at home. I spent the rest of the evening writing. As they head off, BB asks Maz why Sir Kylo Ren hates his uncle so much. Maz says Kylo Ren is upset because he was neglected as a child, and his uncle did some wrong things to him. BB can't believe that...but Maz points out that everyone makes mistakes, even the people we admire. It's what makes us human.
Didn't break for dinner until past 7. I had leftover Italian meatball soup, then made lemon buttercream icing for the lemon cake while watching Wakko's Wish. This Animaniacs movie takes us to the unfortunate village of Acme Falls, which has been taxed into poverty by the evil king Salazar and his tax collectors Von Plotz and his cop minion. Wakko Warner wants to earn money for his sister Dot's operation, but Von Plotz takes it. A fairy overhears his pleas and insists that he can make a wish on a fallen wishing star. Unfortunately, the Warner siblings tell the rest of the town, and now everyone in the entire massive Animaniacs cast is on their way to that star to make all their dreams come true.
Ended the night after a shower with this summer's Wonder Woman. Diana (Gail Gadot) was raised on the all-Amazon Paradise Island by her mother Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielson). Diana has never seen a man, only tough women like her mentor Antiope (Robin Wright). It comes as quite a shock when she rescues pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). She's never seen a man before. But with Steve's arrival comes the Germans to attack their island. The year is 1918, and the world is at war. Turns out Steve is a spy for the Allies who is trying to track down the German general Lundendorf (Danny Huston), whose chemist (Elena Anaya) is developing a more deadly mustard gas. Diana believes the god Ares is the cause of the war and is determined to stop him and end all the suffering. Steve's boss Sir Patrick (David Thewlis) insists that they stop the Germans before they release the mustard gas on the Western Front. Under the name Wonder Woman, Diana proves to Steve and to everyone that, male or female, we all have our own choices make, one that can effect those around us for good or for evil.
I absolutely loved this. I do wonder why it was pushed back to World War I, rather than the original World War II. (Maybe they just wanted to do something different.) Otherwise, this was incredible. I loved how strong all the women were in this film, even the ones who weren't fighting, like the very funny Etta Candy (Lucy Davis). I loved Diana more at home among the people on the Western Front than the snooty officials who thought they knew how a war should go and a woman should behave. I loved how it was her happy memories of Steve that effected her final decision.
If you're a fan of this character, the DC Universe, historical action films, or just a good superhero movie, you absolutely must see this. Highly recommended.
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