Rainy Daze

Began another hot, sunny morning with breakfast and The Cat In the Hat Knows a Lot About That. He and the kids go on a "Stripey Safari" to find which stripes are right for him. They chat with a chipmunk, a bee, zebras, and a coral snake, but the Cat eventually decides that the stripes on his hat are the best of all. Nick needs "Wool" to learn to knit a scarf like Sally. The Cat takes them to their friend Finola's farm to show them how wool is spun from sheep.

Went into writing for the next hour or so. Princess Della and Nipsey are accompanied by Richard's cohort Donald (Ross) and Princess Patti (Deustch), who used to be a mermaid. She uses her water magic to douse Malade's trolls, but Malade herself reminds her that it's getting close to midnight...and at midnight, her magic increases and Gene and the fairies' magic fades...

Watched the tail end of Blockbusters as I got ready to head for work. A father-daughter pair played a young woman. They'd just started the next game as I shut it off and went out the door.

Work was on-and-off busy for most of the day. People were likely dodging the weather. The sun was out when I went to work, but the clouds moved in around noon. By 4:30, it was dark and pouring. That cleared us out pretty fast. We were dead when I shut down a little early to sign into our computer system and take an employee survey. It took me a few minutes to get onto the right page for the survey, but at least I was able to update my personal information like my address.

My schedule next week isn't quite as good as this week's was, but it's far from horrible. Slightly fewer hours, Monday and Friday off this time. With my rent due, all I had planned for the week was working on writing and doing things at home. I need to figure out where to go next and how to do it.

It continued to shower as I headed out. Those dark, gloomy gray clouds weren't going to stop any time soon, and indeed, it would continue for another few hours. I just rode home and got wet.

Put on Match Game as soon as I got in. I arrived in time to see the last episode of Orson Bean and Dr. Joyce Brothers' run. Dr. Joyce had a lot to take notes on when Richard and Betty got very into their kissing after Betty gave Janet the right answer in the Audience Match! I made a jelly and cheese omelet and a salad as we switched out for kooky married pair Donald Ross and Patti Deustch. Brett kept complaining about Donald's very bright pink matching shirt and tie, which Donald claimed his wife chose for him.

For some reason, Sale of the Century skipped way ahead to Christmas 1988. I worked on a list of everything I need to do next month while I watched. All of the skits, questions, and prizes were Christmas-themed, Summer Bartholomew and the models wore holiday colors, and the studio was decorated with real wreaths and tree. The young man champion was just barely unseated in the Speed Round by a lady who came back after missing a question to win the Bonus Round money.

Finished the night with the classic 1952 pirate tale Against All Flags, which is currently free on Amazon Prime with a subscription. Brian Hawke (Errol Flynn) of the British Navy volunteers to infiltrate a pirate gang in Madagascar. He tells pirate captain Roc Brasilliano (Anthony Quinn), the head of the Coast Captains, that he's a deserter . Brasilliano doesn't buy it and pits him against one of his largest men with a pike. He defeats the pirate and catches the eye of Spitfire Stevens (Maureen O'Hara), the only female captain in the group. She wants Hawke with her, but he ends up joining Brasilliano's crew. Spitfire and Roc are suspicious when Hawke saves the Mogul Princess Patma (Alice Kelley) and her nurse Molivina MacGregor (Mildred Natwick). Now Spitfire is jealous and Roc angry, as he wants the ladies for himself. Hawke has to figure out how he can disarm the cannons in the harbor and let a British Royal Navy ship in safely, without giving himself away to the pirates...or losing Spitfire's trust.

Dashing and enjoyable pirate romp was a return to form for Errol Flynn after too many years of debauchery and a chance for Maureen O'Hara that she could be as good of a swashbuckler as any of the guys. Anthony Quinn makes an equally roguish villain amid the color and spectacle of Madagascar in the early 1700's, when it was one of the biggest pirate ports in the world. Highly recommended for fans of the stars, swashbucklers, or pirate yarns.