Friday, April 02, 2021

In Spring, the Easter Bunny Never Sleeps

Got a fast start with breakfast and The Bernstein Bears' Easter Surprise on YouTube. Young Brother Bear is looking forward to Easter treats and a big surprise Mama Bear says is coming in the spring. Winter, however, is lingering way too long, making Papa Bear believe that the seasons got stuck. Turns out Boss Bunny, the head Easter Bunny, got tired of dealing with workers' demands and his aches and pains and quit. Papa first tries to be the Easter Bunny himself, but that turns into a disaster. Brother Bear finally takes it on himself and his friend Bill Bunny to remind Boss how important spring and the rebirth of life are. 

Tried to sign up for immunizations at work after the cartoon ended. They're open for employees only at the moment. I thought I went on the right site, but it said "no" and that everything was filled. At 10 in the morning? I finally gave up and decided I'd ask what was going on at work.

Broke for a quick banana-strawberry smoothie lunch at 11. In honor of the start of baseball season yesterday, I put on Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown. Chuck wants his drop-prone right fielder off the team. He tries to trade her with Peppermint Patty, but she wants Snoopy. Even after he does manage to make the trade, he ends up with Marcie. She's a sweet girl who is also a terrible baseball player. She's only on the team because her best friend manages it.

Headed off shortly after the cartoon ended. We were a mess all afternoon. It's Easter Weekend and the beginning of the month. Many families just got their state and government money; others may be spending stimulus checks. The lines literally went down the aisles. We didn't have nearly enough help to deal with it all. I was barely able to shut down and get off on time. 

Had some grocery shopping of my own to do. Found a bowl of shrimp with a good price for dinner, since it was now too late to order takeout. I don't desperately need butter, asparagus, or Cool Whip, but they were on really good sales. Had online coupons for honey and Celestial Seasonings tea. Bought small containers of bubble solution and wands for Finley and Khai for Easter and a gift card for Rose's birthday on Wednesday. Restocked bananas, apples, milk, yogurt, white flour, and strawberries.

Mixed feelings on my schedule next week. In good news, three days off, including Easter, and bagging all week. Trouble is, that also means I have 8 1/2 hours on the days when I do work. The head bagger always takes the week after major holidays off. With her gone and the other morning bagger still on medical leave, I'm the only one who can work in the mornings. 

Hurried straight home after I got out. Made it in the door just in time for the last 10 minutes of Match Game PM. They were already on the Audience Match by that point. Everyone made their jokes about what she chose for Duncan __. Bill Daily didn't have as much luck with "__ to Earth" in the Head-to-Head.

The game started out closer in Sale of the Century. The champ did buy an Instant Bargain early-on, but she also hit two money cards on the Fame Game. Those cards put her over the top to win the Speed Round. This time, she had no trouble with the Bonus Round, either.

Switched to more Peanuts while finishing my shrimp and celery with hummus dinner. Charlie Brown's All-Stars are tired of playing. They've never won a game in the 999 times they've tried. Chuck coaxes them back with the promise of uniforms, only to discover the league won't allow a team with girls and a dog on. They're angry at first, until Linus tells them how Charlie went to bat for them. 

Finished off the night watching something a little different on YouTube. I enjoyed the vintage Disney parade I watched last 4th of July so much, I thought I'd check out one for another holiday. Jumped ahead to Easter 1990. I don't remember this specific parade, but many of the characters and shows mentioned brought back a ton of memories. The Mousketeers from The Disney Channel version of The Mickey Mouse Club performed the Janet Jackson hit "Escapade" at the parade and did a number running around then-new Typhoon Lagoon. My sisters and I absolutely loved the 90's Mickey Mouse Club and never missed it. Rose even had the cassette of the group a few members of the show formed, The Party.

The Disney Afternoon had two prominent floats late in the parade. We were big on DuckTales, Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers, and the Gummi Bears, and would be equally fond of Tale Spin when it debuted that fall. Host Alan Thicke did an old-Hollywood style dance routine with performers in tuxes and white gowns at another new park, what's now known as Disney's Hollywood Studios. Howie Mandel wandered around Disney's Hollywood too, doing on-the-spot random goofiness and checking out the original, now long-gone Backstage Tour. The Little Mermaid smashed records the fall before, and it was THE big Disney thing that spring. Of course, there was a Little Mermaid float, complete with Ariel, a huge Sebastian, and "Under the Sea." 

Found an earlier Disney World parade from 1986 that paired it with New York's big Easter Parade on Fifth Avenue. No wonder they apparently dropped the New York segments in later years. Other than seeing the incredibly creative Easter bonnets and wild mid-80's fashions, they were deadly dull. Definitely no match for the dancing chickens and butterflies and ladies in huge pastel gowns at Disney World. (Ironically, Robby Benson, who would later voice Belle's Beast in the animated version, is one of the hosts of the Disney segments...and says he'd never want to be a cartoon character...)

Here's both parades, so you can enjoy some vintage Disney springtime magic (with a little New York flair tossed in for good measure)!

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