One Summer Night

It was still beautiful outside when I rolled out of bed this morning. Celebrated the first weekend of the season with breakfast and Nat King Cole. The song and the album Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer came out in 1963, just as surf music, sun tans, and beach party movies were gaining popularity. Most of the songs are covers of summer songs of the turn of the 20th century, but the title number was written for the album, and it's a cute ode to the fun people have during the summertime.

Work was even quieter than it was yesterday. It got mildly busy around 11, but otherwise wasn't anywhere near as crazy as it usually is on a Sunday. Everyone must have gone out of town for the weekend. I rounded up carts and did recycling until another bagger arrived and took over the outside duties. Returned items for the rest of the morning.

Took the long way home down Nicholson Road. It was too beautiful not to! The weather isn't going to stay this nice. It's supposed to get killer hot by Wednesday. There was almost no traffic, not even around the Audubon Crossings entrance or the Hispanic church. Tiger lilies and creamy calla lilies waved in the breeze as I went by.

Changed and made tasty strawberry pancakes for lunch when I got in. Listened to two of my WFIL record collections as I ate. WFIL was one of Philly's top rock radio stations from the 60's through the early 70's. Non-Stop Music is a later LP from about 1970 from the line-up. I'd never heard "Together" by the Intruders or "Mind, Body, and Soul" by the Flaming Embers before; they ended up being really catchy. Other favorites here include "Cherry Cherry" by Neil Diamond, "Build Me Up Buttercup" by the Foundations, "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam, and "Didn't I" by the Delfonics.

Went back out as soon as I finished lunch and the album ended. It was so nice, I decided to take advantage of my early day and run a few errands. Dollar General was out of sugar. I did better at CVS. That cheap dry erase boards I bought at Five Below never erased properly, got scratched too easily, and got pushed out of their casing every time I wrote on them. I finally splurged and bought another good magnetic board, along with dishwashing liquid.

Since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped at Dad and Jodie's on the way home. Dad wasn't feeling well, but Jodie and Dana were chatting by the pool. Rose arrived with Finley shortly Mafter I came. Finley's getting so tall! Her feet can almost touch the bottom of the pool now. She swims so well. No wonder she prefers to do without her mother's help. I didn't bring my bathing suit and just stuck my legs in, but Jodie and Dana joined them.

Jodie says she and Dad will be doing a Fourth of July party, but it'll just be for the family. (So she claims.) Rose and Craig are going to bring the meat. Jodie will provide the salads. I'll bring that icebox cake I made last year. It came out pretty well.

Oh, and Rose gave me news from the Cape May side of the family. Mom did find a house...the tiny bungalow Anny and her family used to rent in the Villas. Good. That wasn't a bad little house, but it was way too small for a family of five. It'll work just fine for one older woman. (And apparently, she and Anny are feuding again. I'm with Rose. I'd rather stay out of it. Let those two work it out on their own.) Rose is talking about going down next month after the 4th of July to pick up some of Mom's furniture that she can't fit into her new home. (I'll have to ask her if she has a spare dresser. Mine came with the house, and it's a cheap plywood piece that's falling apart and has been for years.)

When I got home, I set up the dry erase board and wrote down this week's schedule. Switched to another WFIL collection, History of Rock: The Fifties, Vol 1, while I worked. This is what it says on the tin - one of the disc jockeys ("boss jocks," as they were apparently called) narrates the history of rock and roll, via hits like "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers and "Sweet Little Sixteen" by Chuck Barry. Other favorites here include "Come Go With Me" by the Del Vikings, "Little Darlin'" by the Diamonds, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" by Jerry Lee Lewis, "Sixteen Candles" by the Crests, and the original version of "One Summer Night" by the Danleers.

Went into writing as soon as the new schedule was on the refrigerator. Leia contacts her mother Padme about losing Bob Fettman and his gang. The White Queen is still happy that they found out where their hideout is...and she's still trying to play matchmaker with her daughter and Harris, whom she finds charming. Leia's not sure she agrees. Before she can argue the point further, Charlie comes upstairs and tells her that Luke is missing out in the cold...

Broke for dinner around 6. Had scrambled eggs with yellow squash, mushrooms, onions, tomato, and cheddar cheese while listening to the second History of Rock record. Worked on Lego Pirates of the Caribbean after I ate. Picked up more pieces on "White Cap Bay," "Queen Anne's Revenge," and "A Spanish Legacy," but didn't complete any of them. Couldn't find any more extras, either. I looked up how to get them online - I'll pick up the last two tomorrow.

Finished the night with more music. No, No, Nanette is one of the archetypal musicals of the 1920's. I have the cast album for the hit 1971 Broadway revival, with Susan Watson as the vivacious young lady who runs off to Atlantic City when her guardian Jimmy (Jack Gilford) gives her money. She's ultimately followed by Jimmy, his wife Sue (Ruby Keeler), her friend Lucille (Helen Gallagher), Lucille's lawyer husband Billy (Bobby Van), and her less-than-amused boyfriend Tom. Jimmy's also got three women he's supporting on the side, strictly for their careers, of course.

The music is the thing here. The score includes iconic 20's chestnuts like "Tea for Two," "I Want to Be Happy," "I've Confessed to the Breeze," and the title song. While you can't see the apparently spectacular sets, costumes, and tap dancing that won raves and Tonys, you can hear some great performances. Gallagher sounds terrific on "Too Many Rings Around Rosie" and is having a blast doing "You Can Dance With Any Girl at All" with Van.

My favorite number from Nanette was actually written for the revival. It was dropped before the show opened, but thankfully, they did record it. Keeler and Gilford reminisce on their past in a bygone New York - and why nostalgia means so much to so many people  - in the charming "Only a Moment Ago."

Rita Hayworth was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood when she appeared in You Were Never Lovelier with Fred Astaire in 1942 and Cover Girl with Gene Kelly in 1944. I'm afraid I haven't seen Cover Girl yet, but I have seen Lovelier. Once again, it's the music that stands out. Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin turned out the gorgeous ballad "Long Ago and Far Away" and the peppy "Make Way for Tomorrow" (with an assist from E.Y Harburg on the latter) for Cover Girl. Johnny Mercer joined Kern to produce "Dearly Beloved" and "I'm Old Fashioned." "Beloved" and "Long Ago" got Oscar nominations. I actually prefer "I'm Old Fashioned," a dreamy dance number for Astaire and Hayworth that sounds oh-so-romantic on the recording.