Getting Better

Kicked off a sunny, warm morning with three Mickey Mouse birthday shorts while I had a quick breakfast. "The Birthday Party" is the black and white one. Minnie invites Mickey over to her house for a surprise birthday shindig. They do an adorable duet of "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" on dueling pianos, then Mickey has a hard time dealing with a moving xylophone. The color one is "Mickey's Birthday Party." Donald and Clara Cluck join the fun this time, as Mickey dances to his new organ and Goofy attempts to make a cake. "Pluto's Party" from the 50's has Mick hosting Pluto's big day. Pluto would rather he didn't have to share it with Morty, Ferdie, and 30 of their rambunctious friends.

Switched to a short from The Yogi Bear Show as I cleaned up and got organized. Chopper the dog is in a "Happy Birthdaze" when his buddy Yakky Doodle brings him the biggest bone he can find. Trouble is, it's a rare dinosaur bone. Yakky thought he bought it from the museum, but an Irish security guard is convinced he stole it.

It was getting hotter by the minute. I was fine in shorts and a short-sleeved blouse as I made my way to the Oaklyn Library. Needless to say on such a nice day, they weren't busy. It was just me, the librarian, and Cartoon Network. I made a pit stop, organized the DVDs, and moved on.

Headed to the Audubon Crossings Shopping Center next. I locked my bike at the Acme and walked in back to look around. I did find Broadcast News and the second season of Smallville (the latter still in it's original plastic!) at Goodwill, but had no luck anywhere else. There were no good sneaker sales at Marshalls or The Shoe Depot. Our Payless is in the midst of closing with the rest of the chain. I set the alarm off going in and out of Marshalls and decided not to chance Ross.

Did better at the Acme. Bought cake mix and coconut to make myself a Lemon-Coconut Cake for my birthday. Found the Acme's generic blue corn chip version of Fritos on clearance and thought I'd try them. Asparagus was on sale. Was hoping an online coupon for the Acme's "natural" eggs would work on the cage-free ones; alas, they did not. Turkey hot dogs were the cheapest meat I could find. Restocked cereal, skim milk, pears, floss, bananas, strawberries (buy one, get one), yogurt, mouthwash, Belvita cookies (coconut this time), brown sugar, canned pineapple, mandarin orange cups, and chocolate chips.

My schedule this week is...actually pretty odd. On one hand, I don't work again until Wednesday. I'll be able to devote tomorrow to my birthday and save laundry and errands for Monday and Tuesday. It actually makes sense that they want me to work later in the week, given we're coming up on Easter. I even have all afternoon and evening hours, nothing too early. I just wish I hadn't lost hours. You'd think I'd gain a few, given that once again, we're coming up on a major holiday. (Two, actually. Passover starts next week as well.)

Went straight home. Finished one more Yogi Bear short while I put everything away. Ranger Smith's birthday is soon. Yogi assures that he'll have a "Slap Happy Birthday" when he tries to find ways to make a party without him finding out...and he assumes that Yogi's up to his old tricks.

Did an episode of Smallville while making a Banana-Strawberry Smoothie for lunch. The "Spirit" of a spoiled popular girl who died in a car crash on a kryptonite-filled ravine enters first Mrs. Kent, then Lana, then Lois, in the hope of netting Clark as her "perfect" prom date. She gets a major eye-opener when not only does Chloe win the title of prom queen, but it turns out that neither Clark nor anyone else in school were as fond of her as she was of herself.

Tried taking a nap around 3:30, but it only lasted for 40 minutes. My head's still a little achy and I'm still sniffling and coughing a bit, but it's nowhere near to the degree that it was earlier in the week. I felt up to doing some writing. Luke's thrilled that he's doing better with his training...but his delight doesn't last long. He and Ben both feel dozens of people being killed. Harris points out a green laser being aimed right in the direction they're heading for...and that Aldera Hills is on fire...

Broke for leftovers for dinner around 6:30. I made the Lemon Coconut Cake from yellow cake mix with lemon juice instead of lemon cake mix (which was more expensive). Added orange marmalade for the filling and frosted it with home-made coconut buttercream icing. I'm saving the first piece for tomorrow, but the icing mostly came out pretty well, rich and very sweet.

Finished the night with Here Comes Peter Cottontail and The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town before and after a shower and I frosted the cake. I go into more detail on two of the Rankin-Bass Easter specials at my Musical Dreams Reviews blog.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail & The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town