Laughter In the Winter

I began a cloudy morning with a quick breakfast before going into today's chores. The kitchen needed to be scrubbed rather badly. I spent a lot of time there last month, due to all the baking and candy-making for Christmas. I also vacuumed the apartment and aired out my rag rug in the bedroom and the welcome mat in the kitchen. After I finished the cleaning, I made Coconut Muffins for lunch at work for the next few days.

The gloomy weather made it the perfect time to break out some comedy; went with the first two movies in the Police Academy series. Police Academy introduces the original premise - the new woman mayor abolishes all requirements for becoming a cop and opens the force to anyone who wants to join. The initial recruits include massive florist Hightower (Bubba Smith), timid Laverne Hooks (Marion Ramsey), gung-ho gun nut Tackleberry (David Graf), clumsy Fackler (Bruce Mahler), noise-spouting Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow), gorgeous rich girl Karen Thompson (Kim Cattrall), and shy Leslie Barbara (Donovan Scott). Laid-back Mahoney (Steve Gutenberg) only joined to avoid jail and keeps trying to get himself thrown out, but nasty Captain Harris (G.W Bailey) won't let him leave. They all manage to pass Harris' rigorous tests (despite some pranks on the obnoxious officer), but Hightower and Mahoney are expelled after Harris picks on Hooks during a driving test. Everyone, including Hightower and Mahoney, get a chance to show their stuff when Fackler accidentally starts a riot that spreads through the city.

Most of the recruits are transferred to an even more troubled district in Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment. Commandant Lassard's (George Gaynes) brother Pete (Howard Hesseman) begs his older sibling for some new recruits to help him stop an obnoxious gang that's causing trouble in his district. Mahoney, Jones, Tackleberry, Fackler, and Hightower are paired with veteran cops who know the precinct. Hooks is less happy that she's stuck behind a desk as the radio operator. Each of the new recruits are paired with veterans from the force. Mahoney makes friends with the slobbish Vinnie (Peter Van Norden) and his dog Duke, while Tackleberry falls head over heels for sexy and equally gun-addicted Kathleen Kirkland (Colleen Camp). This time, it's obnoxious Sargent Mauser (Art Metrano) and his toady Proctor (Lance Kinsey) who wants to see the recruits fail, even going so far as to drop the group's arrest and expel Mahoney. He, Vinnie, and Lassard finally infiltrate the gang to meet the head man, goofy nutball Zed (Bobcat Golthwait) and end the crime spree for good.

Maybe it's because I grew up watching these movies constantly on cable, but I have a soft spot for the entire Police Academy series. The first one is actually pretty good, and is likely the best of the series. Bailey and Gutenberg in particular do well playing off each other, something that's very much missed in Their First Assignment. The second one isn't bad, but Metrano is no replacement for Bailey (and wouldn't be in the third movie, either).

This is one series that, if you love one, you'll probably love them all. If you're a fan of raunchy comedy or the slobs-vs-snobs movies of the 1980's, this is one police raid you're going to want to be in on.

Made a quick Banana-Peanut Butter Smoothie lunch while watching a winter-themed first season episode of Sailor Moon. "The Snow, the Mountains, Friendship, and Monsters" is pretty much what it says on the tin. Usagi convinces the girls to hit a ski resort so she and Rei can join a skiing contest and be crowned the Moon Princess. They hit a lot more than a rough course when it turns out that the Negaverse is behind the contest.

Made a quick run to the Haddon Township Library around 1:30. It was cloudy and damp at that point, but not rainy. The porch was a little wet earlier, so I'm going to assume it rained early in the morning or overnight, but I was fine going to the library. There wasn't even any traffic on Cuthbert.

Not much going on at the Haddon Township Library, either. I just shelved DVDs. They were quiet as can be. I took longer taking out movies and books than shelving them. Grabbed Neptune's Daughter with Esther Williams for tonight's musical review, along with more Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Caught up on movies from last year I'd wanted to see with I Feel Pretty, Ready Player One, and Teen Titans Go to the Movies.

Went straight home after that and finished The Snow Queen. Queen Frostra arrives just as Han, Leia, and Luke finish the puzzle and Luke cries the sliver of enchanted glass out of his eye. Frostra tells Luke that he's free to go, and that it was the trolls who caused the trouble. She talked to both her sisters, and not only does she promise to join the Rebel Alliance, but she and Zoma are going to try to work out their differences and spend more time with their people and less in their own worlds. Frostra sends her own guards to arrest the robbers, then returns with the others and blows the trolls so far away from the mountain, they'll never bother any humans ever again.

I'm actually pretty happy with how this one turned out. This is the fastest I've gotten a chapter story done in a long time, especially given this is one of my older ideas. Next up - an Original Trilogy version of Robin Hood, with Han as the famous outlaw and the members of the Rebel Alliance as his Merry Rebels.

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I took so long to finish and post everything, it was past 7 by the time I broke for dinner. First, I called Mom, which I meant to do yesterday but forgot. Mom's just trying to figure out how she can handle the situation with her house. She wants to sell it, but isn't sure how to go about it with Dad's IRS problems. She's hoping to find a lawyer to help her unload it and figure out where to go next.

She also confirmed my suspicions about Cape May County - housing is even more expensive and hard to find than it is here. She's hoping to get on the waiting list for at least two relatively inexpensive senior centers in the Lower Township area, including one in Cape May, but both have long waiting lists.

Had that ham hoagie Jodie gave me on Sunday for dinner with shredded vegetables from the stir-fry bag while watching Neptune's Daughter. I go further into this vehicle for swimmer Esther Williams at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Neptune's Daughter