Friday, June 14, 2019

A Windy Day In June

Kicked off the morning after breakfast doing chores around the apartment. First up was changing the sheets. Today was cool, barely in the 70's, but it's supposed to get into the 90's by early next week. It's time to put the lightweight white summer sheets on. I also changed my two Cabbage Patch Kids dolls into summer outfits. Dulcie gets a white strawberry-print sundress; Carrie is a tomboy who sports a blue sailor jumpsuit. (She has such short yellow curls, Mom tied a ribbon in one of them to make her look more girlish.)

When I finished with that, I pulled out the summer and patriotic decorations. Like I said, we're close enough to summer. Besides, today's Flag Day. This is a good day to put up the patriotic stuff. I have a big cardboard flag, large and small fabric flags on sticks, a red, white, and blue bow and bell hanger for the front door, two tiny flag-themed Beanie Baby bears, a Care Bear with a flag-themed tummy, a tall tube-shaped rustic Uncle Sam container, and a folk-art angel trio on navy blocks that say "USA."

Ran The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again as I worked. Amos (Tim Conway) and Theodore (Don Knotts) are ready to start over. They ride into a boom town to deposit money, but when the bank's robbed, a feisty old lady (Ruth Buzzi) accuses them of the crime. Marshall "Wooly" Bill Hickock (Kenneth Mars) agrees with her, especially after they accidentally get him badly injured twice. Dodging him, they hide in a carriage that ends up at the local fort for the US Calvary. They join the regiment, but they aren't any better as Calvary members than they were thieves. Another encounter with the now-loony Hitchcock during a military ball ends with the fort burning to the ground and Major Gaskill's (Harry Morgan) daughter Millie (Alyssa Davalos) being grabbed by cowardly Calvary officer Private Jeff Reed (Tim Matheson).

Theodore and Amos end up in military prison, which turns out to be a front for a bank robbery group headed by Big Mack (Jack Elam). They manage to escape him and warn the nearest authority...but Hitchcock is still on their train. Meanwhile, Jeff's let Millie go. She's ready to go home with her father, but Jeff isn't who he claims he is...

To my surprise, I really enjoyed this. It was cute. In some ways, I liked it better than the original. The gags were sharper, Mars was a great addition as the crazy lawman, and there were no cutsey kids around. The main problem is the subplot involving Millie and Jeff. Matheson and Davalos aren't nearly as much fun as Bill Bixby and Susan Clark in similar roles. His taking off with her like that was more creepy than romantic, no matter what the old blind woman in the cabin thought. There's no build-up to what his real job turns out to be. It just comes out of nowhere, and it doesn't really fit with what we see in the rest of the movie.

I'm going to say, if you're a fan of Conway, Knotts, or western comedies, you're probably going to want both of these. They're both equally fun comedies with great turns by both Apple Dumpling members.

Headed out to run errands as soon as the movie ended. My first stop was The Square Meal on West Clinton for lunch. Despite it being noon, they were totally quiet when I arrived. Their specialty is healthy menu items made from sustainable local ingredients. I had half of a chicken sandwich with spinach and cheese and a Spent Berry Salad - cracked wheat berries with carrots, basically - and a molasses crinkle. All three were absolutely delicious, especially that yummy sandwich. I ate them at the big main table while watching the few folks on West Clinton go by.

Next stop was the Oaklyn Library. There were a few people reading on the couches, but otherwise, there wasn't much going on. I organized DVDs and looked over picture books. Took out The Blues Brothers and the original 1984 Footloose to review next week. Also admired the new, young librarian's gorgeous artwork for "scary Disney princesses" that she intended to give a friend. She was really good; the Creature of the Black Lagoon Ariel looked like the real thing.

Went to the Acme after lunch to get my schedule and do grocery shopping. I really didn't need that much. I finally got to the clearance carts and shelves; grabbed more Kashi granola bars, All Bran cereal, a small bag of mini Yorks, and a bottle of Inkos Strawberry Iced Tea. Restocked ground turkey, sausages, yogurt, skim milk, bananas, pasta, pancake mix, peanut butter, and batteries,

My schedule next week is very strange. I work at noon across the board, but while I get off at 4 for most of the week, I'm done at 2:30 on Thursday. I have no idea why I'm only there two and a half hours that day. Sunday and Tuesday off.

Went straight home and put everything away, then made Blueberry Whole Wheat Muffins while watching Daffy Duck cartoons. Most of these were from the 40s and 50's, when Daffy was in his zenith as Warners' most lovable miser. Favorites included "The Iceman Ducketh," "Tick Tock Tuckered," "Design for Leaving," and the early TV spoofs "This Is a Life?", "People are Bunny," and "Person to Bunny."

Worked on writing for a while after I took the muffins out of the oven. Luke follows Mara to a former ice cream warehouse in the Bespin district. Neither of them can figure out how to get in after Fettman's van enters. Mara has her broadcast soon, and Luke relies on the sun for his powers, so both withdraw for the moment. Luke tells Harris that he sees something he wants to check out...but he may not survive the trip...

Broke for dinner at 6. Had beef hot dogs and a spinach salad while watching a She-Ra episode for Father's Day later this weekend. "King Miro's Journey" brings Prince Adam and his grandfather to Eternia to visit Adora. They end up helping her and Madam Razz defend the Whispering Woods when Hordak and an inspector sent by his boss Horde Prime try to cover it in a force shield.

It was such a nice day, I opted to go for a walk after dinner. Stopped for a vanilla Yum Yum (creamy, gritty water ice) at Phillies Yummies, which I enjoyed at the picnic tables on the sidewalk outside the storefronts. Watched groups of girls go to dance class at Ovations next door and groups of boys take off on their bikes and get money off each other for more pizza.

It was cool and cloudy earlier, but by 7:30, the clouds had scuttled away. It was still windy and chilly, but the sun felt nice on my back. There couldn't have been a nicer day in early June. Other people walked around the neighborhoods as well, walking their dogs, talking to their neighbors, and admiring the gorgeous gardens.

Went into Lego Pirates of the Caribbean when I got home. After "London Town" glitched and made noise early in the round, I only had time left for one more. Thankfully, I got through "Queen Anne's Revenge" with no trouble. Picked up three more pieces and True Pirate (and just missed the last point on Jack's compass).

Finished the night on YouTube. Since The Girls In the Picture involves silent star Mary Pickford and makes extensive references to her movies, I thought it was time I gave some of them a shot. I chose Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Despite being in her 20's, Pickford believably plays Rebecca as a spunky 12-year-old tomboy who will beat up on anyone who insults her and her friends, including nasty bully Nellie Smellie. She turns to a handsome and wealthy bachelor named Alan Ladd to sell soap to. He buys the soap and provisions for a poor family to have a lovely lamp for their house. Rebecca adores him and claims she'll marry him. Her stern aunts send her away soon after to boarding school. She grows into a lovely young woman...and Ladd finally comes to see her as more than just the cute little girl who brought him so much pleasure.

Though it has the basic idea in common, Rebecca herself is very different from in the books. Here, she's tough, feisty, and prone to pranks and crazy ideas, like the time she sets up a circus to help a poor family and gets caught by her aunts. In the book, Rebecca is more introspective and better-read. Even so, this was still a lot of fun to watch. Pickford may not have had much of a childhood, but her instincts of how to play one were solid. I especially loved the circus that gets her into trouble and her ongoing fights with the obnoxious Nellie.

If you're a fan of Pickford or silent movies, this might not be a bad introduction to both.

Here it is on YouTube:

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

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