Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Have a Matching New Year

Began the morning with early work. It wasn't bad when I came in. I rounded up carts, did the outside trash and recycling, and shelved candy. By the time I got to the candy, though, the crowds had increased. I did manage to do a quick training video, but after that and my break, I was outside for the rest of the day, getting the carts with another bagger. Fine by me. While windy, it was also a nice, normal mid-upper 40's, and the sun came out late in the afternoon.

I knew I should have gotten what I needed for New Year's yesterday. The lines were half-way across the store when I finished. Picked up whipping cream and the Acme's new generic sparkling white grape juice for Whipped Syllabub, plus pie crust to go with my dinner and bags of peppermint chocolate chips from the clearance shelves. It took me ten minutes longer than I should have when I got out of there.

There was a box waiting for me when I arrived. It was the first of my Target order, my new slippers. My old ones are so worn, the bottoms split. These are nice, simple brown moccasins. They're too big, but with slippers, that's not necessarily a bad thing. They're also very warm and comfortable.

Went into writing after I put everything away. Nipsey's the first up the ladder to check on the sleeping Della and Patti. He's so entranced by Della, he recites a poem on the spot and kisses her awake...or so he thinks. Actually, she's already awake. She and Patti never slept at all. There was something annoyingly lumpy under the mattresses, and it's keeping them awake.

Broke for dinner at quarter of 6. I have a little sauce, cheese, and turkey pepperoni leftover from my pizza the other night. I made them into mini-pizza pockets. When I ran out of sauce and cheese, they became cherry mini-pies with cherry preserves. Leftover dough was twisted, brushed with melted butter, and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Had them with green beans and almonds.

Watched a few half-hour programs while I ate. Laverne & Shirley are excited for Shirley's big New Year's party in the third season episode "New Year's Eve - 1960." Laverne nabbed a date with a handsome local, and Shirley's going with Carmine. Alas, Laverne's date walks out on her when his old girlfriend shows up at the party, and Shirley comes down with a cold. They're still able to watch Lenny drop Squiggy instead of the ball at midnight, though.

Charlie Brown's holiday isn't going much better in Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! He's supposed to write a book report on War & Peace over Christmas week, but there's too many distractions. Peppermint Patty is holding a New Year's Eve party. She's invited the whole gang, and she expects Chuck to be her date. Chuck would rather dance with the Little Red Haired Girl. Sally's hoping to catch Linus under the mistletoe. Lucy just wishes she could drag Schroder away from his piano.

Switched to Rudolph's Shiny New Year as I ate the last of the petits fours for dessert. I go further into the second Rankin-Bass/Rudolph special at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Rudolph's Shiny New Year

Did a couple of cartoons as I cleaned up from dinner and got organized. Angry when Olive turns him down, Bluto sabotages hers and Popeye's nightclub act in "Morning, Noon, and Nightclub," until they figure out how to turn the tables. Popeye gallantly takes Olive's grandmother out with them for New Year's in "Let's Celebrake." Spinach gives her enough pep to not only keep going until midnight, but win a dancing contest. Mickey and Minnie Mouse's "Whoopee Party" gets so wild, even the furniture dances along!

Finished the night online with Match Game. The guy who's been posting all of the episodes of the series little by little strung together all of the New Year's/Last Show of the Year episodes into one long marathon. The 70's Match Game celebrated New Year's with balloons, streamers, hats, noisemakers, and the changing of the sign at the very end (or beginning, in 1977) of the episode. Head boss Mark Goodson came out to praise the job they were doing in 1974; a giant paper mache eagle dropped a huge egg in '76.  New Year's came in the midst of Leave It To Beaver Week on Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour. No streamers or party hats, but comedian Gallagher did play around with some balloons. The 1990 Match Game got more elegant with tons of black, blue, and silver balloons and everyone in fancy dress. Charles was on hiatus that week, so Brad Garrett got to do a dead-on impression of him.

Here's the Marathon, for your own New Year's enjoyment!

Match Game New Year's Eve Marathon

As I switched to regular Match Game episodes and sipped my Whipped Syllabub, I heard booms over the creek. I gazed out my new windows and saw fireworks going on over the creek, gorgeous big fireworks of green and gold and bright pink. It was a fitting end to the 2010's...and a bright, wonderful beginning to a new decade. Here's hoping that your New Year's was equally bright and beautiful!

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