Dolls On a Rainy Afternoon

Kicked off the morning with breakfast and a quick Hogan's Heroes episode. "The Scientist" is a French chemist being forced to work for the Nazis. The guys manage to get him and his daughter out of the country and replace him with his fellow Frenchman LeBeau. LeBeau's more than a little nervous when he and his "assistant" Newkirk try to convince two German officers they're on the level. (And I don't know if it was intentional, but LeBeau in his scientist jacket and glasses looks a lot like Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor.)

It was still sunny, hot, and humid when I rode to work this morning. The rain didn't arrive until around 11:30. The steady off-and-on showers didn't really do more than make me damp and cool the temperatures down. I spent the entire day sweeping the store and gathering carts with no real problems. 

By the time I finished, clouds scuttled in again, and the wind picked up considerably. Raced the weather home. I just made it. Thunderstorms, sometimes noisy ones, started about an hour after I got in and have continued off and on since.

Between the weather this weekend and everything I want to do Saturday, I have no time to get the laundry done. I finally dumped my small load into Jodie's washer. She didn't say I could use the washer and dryer on her side of the house while she's out of town...but she didn't specifically say I couldn't, either. What she doesn't know won't hurt her.

While the laundry got done, I dressed the dolls for the 4th of July and hotter weather. Ariel's in a patriotic-print peasant blouse Lauren sent, a pair of jean shorts I bought from a craft show years ago, and a pair of Springfield Collection espadrilles. Jessa gets the red t-shirt from the original 1996 Blue Jean Basics outfit, the late 90's Earth Day shortalls, and purple jelly sandals. Samantha wears one of the original outfits I got for her back in the early 90's, the Sailor Middy and Tam, with her original black ribbed stockings and the white and black boots from her Flower-Picking Dress. Put Josefina in her "school" outfit, the Indigo Skirt and Camisa. Finally found Felicity's white Summer Dress with the wide blue and white flowered sash for a half-way decent price on eBay earlier in the year. Whitney hopes there will be a parade this year so she can show off her white red and blue sequin-trimmed AG Dance Outfit and sparkly red tap shoes. 

Listened to Ragtime while I dressed the dolls. I've loved this musical version of the E.L Doctorow novel since I first bought the two-disc cast CD in 1998. Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra Ann McDonald are riveting as the courting African-American lovers whose hopes and dreams are shattered by a simple act of prejudice; Marin Mazzie is also excellent as sensible, kind-hearted Mother, who has enough warmth to take Sarah and her child in, no matter what their skin color is. The music is fabulous, too. My favorite is the title song that deftly introduces the time period and the entire enormous cast, but every song is a delight. If you can find the full two-disc set off or online, it's very much recommended. 

After I switched my clothes to the dryer, I worked on writing for a while. Brett and the boys find themselves back in the hall with the doors. They also discover they can't go out the way they came. The rabbit hole vanished. Brett finally decides the only way they're getting out is through the small gate. She and the boys nibble at the mushrooms from Nipsey the Caterpillar long enough to bring them down to the right size. This time, she remembers the key to open the gate and get them in.

Broke for dinner at quarter of 7 after retrieving my laundry and delivering the rent. Checked out one of the funniest Match Game '76 episodes while eating leftovers and spinach with mushrooms for dinner. We kick off with Gene wearing a scarlet coat that was so bright, Mary Wickes warned him to stay away from bulls. Later, the panel walked out when the contestant got the top answer in the Audience Match, prompting Gene to pull Earl, the guy who moves the Audience Match answers into place, out to help her with answers. 

Match Game PM got almost as wild. A pretty blonde contestant turned heads, including that of Bill Daily, while the others marveled over the other contestant coming from a family with 16 kids. Joe Santos is more worried about helping that sweet girl contestant with "National __ League" in the Head-to-Head.

Sale of the Century started close, but the male champ quickly pulled away from the pack. He bought one Instant Bargain, won a Fame Game, and blew everyone away at the Speed Round. He once again decided to return for better prizes down the road.

Finished the night online with Pin Up Girl. I go a little further into this ultra-patriotic vehicle for Betty Grable at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Pin Up Girl