Sunshine and Shadows

Started off the day at work. I ended up getting two extra hours. One of the cashiers called out. We weren't really that busy, but the manager insisted that I stay "just in case." I did end up in the register for an hour, but I mostly bagged, did the trash and recycling, and gathered carts. At least the weather was decent to be outside for a couple of hours. It was hot and humid, but not as bad as it was yesterday, and on-and-off cloudy. I thought it might rain again, but it never did.

Mixed feelings on my schedule next week. On one hand, three days off, morning and afternoon hours. On the other hand, I still don't have enough of them, although this week and next week's paychecks should make up for that somewhat.

I was hungry when I got off work. As soon as I changed, I headed to Sonic in the back. It was past 3 PM at that point, and the patio was empty. I had a basic cheeseburger, tater tots, and tried the cranberry limeade Lauren had when she visited. It was really good, a little tart but not too much. I enjoyed a nice, peaceful late lunch on my own.

Went back to the Acme to do my grocery shopping after I ate. There's a "buy 4 mix and match" sale on General Mills products. I went with two Multi-Grain Cheerios, a box of almond butter sandwich breakfast cookies, and a box of blueberry breakfast cookies. Found tiny little peaches, along with blueberries, mini-cucumbers, and a big container of strawberries. The Acme's generic ice cream was also on a good sale, and the organic tea is still buy-one-get-one. Restocked buttermilk, lemon juice, cooking oil, bananas, yogurt, butter, and yellow cake mix. (Oh, and a donut, one of the few left on the shelves. Today was National Donut Day. I had a cruller.)

Put everything away when I got home. Cheered myself up with some more Mickey and the Roadster Racers. The girls are in charge of "The Hot Diggety Dog Show," grooming the dogs to make them stand out. Champ is the top dog who has won the show several years in a row. When a cat gets into the stadium, Cukoo Loca has to get rid of her, while Daisy deals with Champ.

Did some writing after I finished. I re-wrote the beginning to bring Mara in more effectively. She's being held over a vat of boiling coolant chemicals after interfering in the theft. The others not only have to stop Fettson and keep them from taking the chemicals, but rescue her.

Broke at 7 to play some Lego Pirates of the Caribbean. Got 7 pieces on "Tortuga," the second round of Curse of the Black Pearl. Considering I didn't get any pieces on that one the first time around, I think I did pretty well. Didn't get as much on Isla Cruses, just finding two pieces and getting True Pirate. I did pick up two more characters and the Treasure Magnet red hat extra later.

Finished the night with the remaining "Happy Helpers" episodes. Minnie and Daisy are supposed to lead "The Hiking Honeybees" on a test to get their hiking merit badges. Daisy never became a full Honeybee, because she has a hard time following directions and reading the manual. She eventually figures out that sometimes, it pays to follow directions when she and the kids get lost and she has to remember their way back.

It's "Grandpa vs. Grandpa" when it turns out that Grandpa Beagle and Grandpa Kai are rival surfers with very different styles. The two men have to learn how to work together when they and the Happy Helpers are stranded on an island after a waterspout capsizes them.

Hilda the hippo is "Thrilla Hilda" when she asks the Helpers to find her a new extreme sport to try. Nothing seems quite right, until she settles on a big obstacle course. Trouble is, Pete's cousin Pineapple Patty is the reigning champ, and she's not about to give up her trophy!

Mayor McBeagle, the head of Hot Dog Hills, hires the Happy Helpers to fill in for him when he's going to be away for the day. The girls encounter Pete on the way. He's worried that he won't be able to impress his mother; he told her that he has an important job. The girls groom "My Fair Pete" to be mayor, but he makes quite a few mistakes.

It's "A Doozy Night of Mystery" when the Helpers, Pete, and the rest of the gang are visiting Mr. Doozy's bed and breakfast for a dinner party and his raven statue disappears during a blackout. Minnie and Daisy leap to the rescue to put the clues together and figure out who stole the raven.

"Cukoo In Paris" has Cukoo Loca meeting her cousins at Cuckoo La-La's studio while Minnie and Daisy explore the town. When they get an urgent call from Clarabelle back in Hot Dog Hills, they insist on going home. Cukoo Loca wants to stay with her family...but she misses her friends too much to remain away for long.

The girls are "Teed Off!" when they agree to caddy for a golf tournament. Minnie has to handle Pete and his ego, while Daisy tries to get her boyfriend Donald calmed down and remind him that it's only a game. Cuckoo Loca plays Bill Murray and chases a groundhog all over the field.

(And...I still wish Disney would release the episodes in their original forms, with both the Racers and Happy Helpers shorts together. Honestly, while not the best thing they ever did, the show is generally pretty cute. Look for references to The Maltese Falcon and Caddyshack in the mystery and golf shorts!)

(Oh, and by the way, Alex Trebek ended up winning that Card Sharks game show host tournament, followed by Bill Cullen, whom I recall most fondly as the host of the mid-80's Joker's Wild revival.)