Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Dolls and Sisters

Started off a cloudy morning with scrambled eggs and tomatoes for breakfast and Blockbusters. A sweet teacher beat all comers, easily defeating a sister pair in the first half and holding her own against two sisters-in-law in the second. In between, she only missed one question on the Gold Run and won the money in record time. 

Dressed the dolls for September and back to school after I did the dishes. Molly wear's the original blue and white Kit's School Outfit and oxfords. I love Samantha in her current meet outfit, the pink Swiss-dotted dress with the big lace collar, burgundy velvet sash, and black strap shoes. Added the straw boater from her Hair-Styling Kit to complete the look. Ariel wears the pale blue Swiss lace mini-dress she came in with the crocheted vest and Springfield Collection espadrilles. Whitney is the picture of a nifty 50's girl in the purple and pink gingham Sweet Memories Our Generation Retro dress and magenta shrug. Felicity's in her lavender Traveling Gown (also known as her second meet outfit). Jessa's a lot simpler in a pair of jean shorts from a craft show, the magenta t-shirt from an early AG modern meet outfit, and striped socks and turquoise and white sneakers from a later "meet" outfit. Josefina wears her orange and red-striped Summer Dress with the ruffles on the bottom. 

Switched to Match Game '75 while having a quick Banana-Coffee Smoothie for lunch. Host Gene Rayburn jumped off the pedestal he enters in the opening, making it look like he would be making a far less smooth landing! Bond girl Lana Wood and goofy comic Avery Schreiber had a far less scary time helping a lovely contestant with "Mel ___" in the Audience Match. This is another one where everyone got really into celebrating a win, too, as Gene grabbed Lana for a smooch! Loved Joyce Bulifant's answer to who could fill a hot air balloon, too.

Headed out to run errands even before the show ended. First stop of the day was the Oaklyn Library; I had a book overdue. Went with the next Maisie Dobbs book after the one Linda Young gave me for Christmas, The American Agent

Strolled down the White Horse Pike, enjoying weather that was cloudy and humid, but also much cooler than it has been, barely in the 80's. Wanted cheaper chocolate chips at Dollar General. Grabbed lemon extract and trash bags, too. 

I put everything away when I got home, then made the bed while Hogan's Heroes went on in the background. Carter creates "The Purchasing Plan" when London demands that Hogan and his guys keep ammunition crucial to the German underground at the camp. Seems Stalag 13 is low on funds...and Carter's ideas may make Klink and Hogan happy.

Jessa arrived with her fluffy black dog Midnight in tow at 2:30. We had no idea where we wanted to go for lunch. After spending ten minutes driving around the area, trying to figure out what to do, we ended up at Sonic to eat in the car. And of course, it turns out they're only doing drive-in at the moment. We ordered a chili dog for her and a burger for me and ate them on the porch at home instead.

Turns out there's a reason I haven't seen much of Jessa recently. She apparently took a second job (though she wouldn't say what). Jodie apparently told her she'd already put the house on the market, which is why she called me. No, it isn't going up until the 14th.

There was a crowd in the pool when we finished eating. Jessa chatted with Rose, while I joined Reilly, Chloe, Finley, and Khai in the pool. Cider, Rose's big pup, chased Midnight for a while before he and Jessa headed out. I enjoyed floating on the warm water, while the kids pretended to be cats and dogs and splashed each other. 

When they got bored with swimming, they dashed down the block to see what our neighbors were up to. Sandy and her kids and some kids in the neighborhood were having mini-races on bikes and motorized scooters. One of the dads helped a little girl riding a tricycle attempt to keep up with the other two. We cheered them on briefly before I went back inside to dry off.

Worked on writing for a while after I changed into dry clothes. The Mock Turtle (Avery Schreiber) is a weepy creature who sobs about taking classes under the sea and being a real turtle. Brett's amused that he's so into it; her sons would rather play on the beach.

Did laundry between paragraphs. Rose and the next-door neighbors confirmed that Jodie is out of town again, likely until at least Friday. I took advantage of this to not only get my regular load done, but wash blankets as well. She didn't tell me she was leaving, let alone not to go on her side of the house.

Finished the night making a Rosemary-Lemon Cake while watching Three Little Girls In Blue. I go further into this tale of three sisters looking to catch wealthy husbands in turn of the 20th century Atlantic City at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Monday, August 30, 2021

Mr. Grant Has Left the Building

Began the morning with breakfast and Body Language. Jo Ann Worley was a marvel today. She guessed every single word her lady acted out on the second puzzle and had a wonderful time acting out her words. They easily beat Patrick Wayne and his contestant, who only got one puzzle. Had an even easier time with the bonus round, getting 8 out of 10 words, then winning the money with time to spare. 

Worked on writing for a bit after breakfast. Marcia and a babbling Bill the White Rabbit lead Brett and her sons down to the beach. Brett's more concerned about the Knave eating all the tarts while Richard's helping his men...until she sees the sobbing creature on the beach...

Hurried out to work fifteen minutes after I got off the computer. We were on and off busy today, probably thanks to nice weather and this being the end of the month. I did have to deal with a few nasty customers, including one woman towards the end of my shift who complained about there not being enough help and us not hiring people when I couldn't bag her groceries fast enough or well enough. Obviously, she didn't see the huge "now hiring" sign in our front entrance.  Thank goodness it slowed down enough by 6 for me to rush out with no relief.

Went straight home after work and into crab cakes and salad for dinner and Match Game '76. The sunny and enthusiastic contestant ended her run when she just missed after a tie. The panelists try to help the young bearded man who defeated her with the Audience Match "Switch __." 

Tonight's Match Game PM jumped back to 1977. We get southern-fried as Polly Holiday of Alice and Fannie Flagg join the regulars in welcoming future Super Bowl-winning Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick. Unfortunately, Billick proved to be a much better coach than Match Game player. He never got a single answer right. The others helped the lady who won with the Audience Match "Madam __."

Slid Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins in the oven while watching more fourth season Hogan's Heroes. They want to "Watch the Trains Go By" when London demands they blow up an important supply train, but Klink's beefed up security in honor of General Buckhalter's visit. Hogan invites his sister Gertrude (Alice Ghostley) in the hope she'll distract him long enough for them to get out. 

Went online after a shower to finish the night. I continued to honor the late Ed Asner, starting with episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Lou Grant, the hard-bitten newsroom manager he played on the show, is "The 45-Year-Old Man" in the first season finale when a younger man with big ideas fires him. Mary appeals to the station's eccentric Texas owner (Slim Pickens) in order to get his job back.

"The Lou and Edie Story" in the fourth season has Lou upset that he and his wife Edie (Pricilla Morrill) are having trouble in their marriage. A marriage counselor suggested a trial separation, but he's not sure about it. She's sure, though. She wants someone who'll take her less for granted.

By the time of "Lou Douses an Old Flame" in the sixth season, Lou was a free man. He's both excited and frustrated when an old girlfriend from World War II wants to have dinner with him. She sent him a note and left him high and dry to get married, but he's not sure if he wants revenge or a relationship. Meanwhile, the others hold a post-wedding "bachelor" party for just-married Ted and Georgette Baxter.

Finished up at YouTube, which seems to be the only place you can find Lou Grant online at the moment. Lou became the first comic character to be spun off in a drama as the hard-bitten TV newsroom manager became a hard-bitten newspaper editor in LA. Went with the first episode of the series, "Cophouse." Lou wants to publish a story his cocky young reporter Joe Rossi (Robert Walden) wrote about corruption in the police force. First of all, the Tribune's woman owner (Nancy Marchand) doesn't approve of the muckraking, and second, an old friend of Lou's who is now an informant may be trying to cover up the scandal. 

Sunday, August 29, 2021

Secrets, Squares, and Matches

Started off a cloudy morning with banana chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and Steel Pier. This 1997 Kander & Ebb show was set in 1932 Atlantic City, as a marathon dancer does one last show on the famous pier of the title. She's eventually partnered by a mysterious, handsome pilot who is a lot more than he seems, especially when he can enter her dreams and stop time. Her sleazy promoter husband wants them to be married in a stunt, but the pilot only has enough time left to remind her the importance of following your dreams. There's some good songs here, especially her introductory number "Willing to Ride" and the rowdy comic song "Everybody's Girl," but the plot is way too complicated and hard to follow. For fans of Kander & Ebb and their work only. 

Headed out shortly after the CD ended. Work was on-and-off steady for most of the afternoon. It was busy when I arrived, then died so much, I spent almost an hour doing returns before they called me back for cashiering. Thankfully, by the time I finished, it quieted down again. I was able to leave with no relief and no need for one. No major problems whatsoever.

Went straight into dinner when I got home and changed. Had leftovers while listening to another flop 90's stage musical set during the summer, State Fair. Producer David Merrick's last stage show was this down-home adaptation of the 1945 and 1962 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical about a typical farm family's adventures at the 1946 Iowa State Fair. It uses songs from other shows by the duo, along with the 1962 number "More Than Just a Friend," which the farmers sing to their pigs. Other good ones include two numbers for the Frake parents, "When I Go Out Walking With My Baby" and "Boys and Girls Like You and Me" that were cut from Oklahoma!, Margie's wistful "The Next Time It Happens" and Pat's "The Man I Used to Be" from the failure Pipe Dream, and the lovely "So Far" for Wayne and Emily from Allegro.

Worked on writing for a while after I finished eating. Marcia insists on taking Brett and her boys to see the Mock Turtle while Richard tries to release his men from the dungeon. He knows Betty won't really hurt anyone...but he's not sure about the Red King. Brett notices the Knave leaning over the tarts as she follows Marcia down the path to the beach.

Finished the night on YouTube with some of the more popular celebrity panel games of the past 60 years. Panel games were among the most common and beloved shows of the first 20 years of television broadcasting. I've Got a Secret, for instance, ran almost 15 years, from 1952 to 1967. I went with a show from later in the run in 1965, when Steve Allen took over hosting. We see a man who lost more than 800 pounds and another who sailed the Atlantic in a tiny boat. Carol Burnett read news casts with wrong words; the panel had to guess what was the right word. 

John Carson Daly was the host of the more erudite It's News to Me from 1952. Here, the panel has to guess who the newsmaker is and what he's involved in. I especially found the gentleman who witnessed the Hindenburg's destruction to have a really interesting story.

What's My Line? was another long-running favorite with a celebrity panel. It was so popular, after its demise in 1967, it came right back in 1969 on syndication. For some reason, Buzzr only runs episodes from 1972 with Larry Blyden as the host. I did a 1969 episode with Wally Bruner. Original Line host Bud Collyer, in one of his last television appearances, was the Mystery Guest. Soupy Sales guessed him almost immediately. 

Panel games got a lot more ribald in the 1970's. Daytime shows had looser standards, allowing for a lot more that could get past the censors. One of the first game shows to push that envelope was Hollywood Squares. Paul Lynde presides over the center square in the 1972 episode I went with. Other folks giving rowdy bluffs to questions include Rose Marie, Wally Cox, Janet Leigh, Suzanne Pleshette, Carl Reiner, Buddy Hackett, and Shecky Greene. Host Peter Marshall shows off his strange pink "cake layer" tuxedo.

Match Game started again in 1973 after the original show was canceled in 1969. This simple parlor game of contestants matching six celebrities became a lot wilder when the questions were simply set-ups for randy innuendo. It was an even bigger hit than Squares, racking up record-breaking daytime ratings that wouldn't be seen again until the Luke and Laura storyline on General Hospital. In honor of Ed Asner, who passed away today, I went with an episode from 1976 showing how he, Richard Dawson, and host Gene Rayburn handled an especially annoying and goofy male contestant named Lyle.

The runaway success of Match Game was bound to spawn imitations. You Don't Say!, originally a clone of Password, was reconfigured in 1975 as an imitation of Match Game. I went with the syndicated version from 1978 with Jim Peck hosting. Here, four celebrity panelists describe a word or a phrase by using other words, sort of a Match Game-Password hybrid. 

The Pyramid franchise also began in 1973. By the time I was a kid in the mid-late 80's, it was known as $100,000 Pyramid. Dick Clark still hosted contestants guessing clues to six categories arranged in a pyramid. The winners went on to the Winner's Circle; if they guessed all the categories, they'd win big money. The episode I chose came from that year's Tournament of Champion, encouraging celebrities Crystal Bernard and Tom Villard to be especially on their game.

See the history of celebrities on TV, from guessing the news to throwing out innuendo that challenged standards for daytime TV. (And watch out for the original commercials on I've Got a Secret and You Don't Say!)

Saturday, August 28, 2021

Rainy Daze

Kicked off a quick morning with breakfast and another brand-new episode of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Daniel and Miss Elaina Bake Pretzels" with Baker Aker, but first Daniel nudges in Elaina's work area, then Jodi gets too close to both of them to see their work. Baker Aker reminds them that it's good to give people the space they need. "O Gives Daniel Space" when he and Daniel play library. O wants to see Daniel's book, but he wants to read it, too, and then Katarina dances too close when they play outside.

Headed out to work shortly after the episode ended. The Acme wasn't bad when I got in, but it picked up when the rain arrived around 10:30, and didn't slow down until right before I finished. Dealt with a few annoying customers, including a fussy older pair right before I left, but there were otherwise no problems. I shelved candy between customers.

Did my grocery shopping after I got off. Had online coupons for peanut butter, eggs, and brown sugar. Found crab cakes with manager's coupons and huge chicken legs that were really cheap; a stuffed flounder fillet wasn't that expensive. Grabbed summer-themed sugar wafers off the clearance racks and apples on a really good sale. Restocked bananas, milk, and yogurt. 

The rain was down to a light shower as I walked out the door and disappeared while riding home. To my knowledge, it hasn't returned since. It's just been cloudy, damp, and unusually cool for late August.

Threw on the newest Muppet Babies episode while putting everything away. Jill the Frog loves the new dollhouse Miss Nanny set up in the Nursery and really wants to decorate it like she wants to, but the others keep adding their own silly ideas. She poses as the "Phantom of the Dollhouse" to scare them off. Animal loves Tarzan stories so much, he becomes "Tarzanimal" when the kids play in the jungle...but he runs too fast and plays too rough with them. It takes meeting Tarzan himself (actually Sweetums) to make Animal see that no one wants to hang around with someone who plays too hard. 

Worked on writing and other things online for a while. Bill the White Rabbit is scared to death of going anywhere. He doesn't want the Red King to take his "muchness" and turn him into a toy, like he has so many others. It takes Brett and Duchess Marcia to get him moving.

I got so caught up reading, it was past quarter after 7 when I broke for dinner. Hogan's worried that "Klink's Old Flame" may still be in love with him, and Klink's even more scared. She's now engaged to a Gestopo general. Hogan does everything he can to make Klink look like a bounder in her eyes. Hogan is "My Favorite Prisoner" when Schultz arranges for him to romance a beautiful Baroness. Hogan makes use of him and Klink listening in to get false information to a contact under Hochstetter's nose.

Finished the night on Disney Plus with the very strange fantasy jukebox musical Strange Magic. I go further into this literal fairy tale at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Friday, August 27, 2021

Changes On the Horizon

Spent the night tossing and turning. Even when I wrote last night's entry, I wasn't feeling well. I had a horrible stomach ache, and I was dead tired. I just couldn't get to sleep, even after taking ibuprofen and antacid chews. I finally gave up and called out of work around quarter of 7, then went back to sleep. 

Opened my eyes around 11. Read and wrote in my journal, then watched Match Game '75 while attempting a small bowl of oatmeal. Handsome Robert Urich, later of Vega$ and Spencer for Hire, and sweet soap star Jaime Lynn Bauer were around for these two episodes. Gary Burghoff and Gene Rayburn drool over an attractive contestant who proudly declares herself single and available in the first episode; Gene's dark orange suit makes him blend into the set and prompts some rust jokes from Gary in the second. Gene also does an interesting pose to demonstrate "winged victory" on the hood of a car.

Did some research online after the show ended. Of all the times I'd need to look for housing, this is possibly the worst. Everyone else is trying to do the same thing, and there's nothing available, not even for a single like me. The pandemic made everyone want more room, but more room isn't to be found. I really don't know what to do. 

I also checked my work schedule for next week at this point. Fewer hours, but not so much that my paycheck will be horrible, and the only day with long or very early hours is the head bagger's day off. Tuesday and next Saturday off. 

Settled down to watch TV and cuddle under my green afghan on the futon for a while around 2:30. The second season two-parter "A Tiger Hunt In Paris" was one of two multi-part episodes on Hogan's Heroes. Hogan and LeBeau hitch a ride with Schultz and Klink into Paris to rescue lovely and strong-willed French Underground agent Tiger from the Gestopo. While Hogan convinces the Germans he's a black marketeer, LeBeau falls for gorgeous Russian fortune teller Marya who has a few wild plans of her own.

Long-married Gene and Helen Rayburn and SWAT star Steve Forest and his wife Cris were the big winners on Tattletales today, over Nancy Sinatra and her stoic businessman hubby Hugh Lambert. Made a banana smoothie as Press Your Luck began. The two ladies battled it out today, after the one guy kept hitting Whammies with few spins. The one lady made the mistake of handing her spins over to the champ, who proceeded to win more money with only one Whammy.

Finley knocked on the door as I was cleaning up from dinner. Apparently, she, Khai, and Rose were over helping Jodie go through the tons and tons of junk Dad and Uncle Ken left in the basement. (Jodie's Aunt Colleen was over earlier.) They wanted to know if I'd like some holiday decorations and wanted to order Chinese. Sure to both! I put in for a simple shrimp and vegetable dish. 

Rose ended up taking most of the Halloween decorations. A lot of Dad's Halloween items made noise or move. I don't like decorations that make noise, but Rose's kids love them. Finley particularly adored a cute mummy who danced to "Thriller" Dad bought her when she was a baby. I also claimed a box of Easter bunny statues, along with some paper decorations and a few things I put aside for Jessa. (Jess will be over on Tuesday afternoon.)

Jodie enjoyed meaty spare ribs along with sesame chicken. My stomach wasn't up to ribs, but I did share dumplings, a little bit of egg drop soup, and egg rolls with her and Rose. The kids shared their mother's dinner. 

Went to talk to Rose while the kids swam in the pool. Rose and Jodie say they know how difficult the housing market is right now. Jodie says she'll talk to her realtor and try to find someone who'll let me stay for a year or two, until the market settles down and I have a better idea of what to do next. I was rather surprised when she and Jodie suggest I look into buying a house. I know housing is especially expensive in New Jersey, but it might be better over the long run to invest my money into that instead of constantly renting. I also finally remembered to put the Goodwill stuff out in the garage for Rose to eventually take with her own piles of donations.

Went into Match Game '76 after they left and Jodie returned to the den. Tonight's episode was one of the funniest from that year. First of all, it started with Gene shoving his entrance door open. Then they teased poor cue card boy Roger Dobowitz over not changing his cards. After that, an especially wild contestant was so thrilled she won, she grabbed Gene for a hug and wouldn't let go. He hid behind the set to get away from her. When she won her Audience Match, Richard wouldn't let her go! Roz Kelly grabbed Gene for a huge kiss of her own, while Betty White grabbed announcer Johnny Olsen.

Match Game PM seemed tame by comparison. Charles teases Brett about wearing a black-and-white outfit in color, then joins Gene on the steps to chat over a question. Brett is more nervous about doing "__ Advice" in the head-to-head.

Finished the night at TCM with the bizarre 7 Faces of Dr. Lao. Dr. Lao (Tony Randall) is a mysterious Chinese circus owner who rides into the western town of Abalone to advertise his bizarre attractions. The town's owner Stark (Arthur O'Connell) wants to sell out to the railroad, but newspaper reporter Cunningham (John Ericson) encourages the townspeople to hold out. Lao, who switches between stereotypical broken English and speaking regular English in Randall's own voice, befriends the spunky son (Kevin Tate) of the widowed librarian Angela Benedict (Barbara Eden). There's more than one shock in store for the locals when they come to the circus and realize that his side show, from a stately fortune teller who only reveals the truth to a Medusa who can really turn people to stone and a fish who transforms into a monster out of water, is more than just a collection of oddities. It's a window into their souls, revealing their true desires...and what will happen if they give up on their home so easily.

This would be the last movie directed by George Pal; his involvement is pretty obvious from the use of stop-motion effects, including the sea monster. William Tuttle deserved his honorary Oscar for his makeup work on Randall, who effectively plays everything from a satyr to a snake to Merlin the Magician. If you're a fan of him, Eden, or want to check out a truly bizarre fantasy, you'll want to join the townspeople and take a peek at Lao's circus of wonders, too. 

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Hot Day at Home

Started off a sunny, bright morning with breakfast and To Tell the Truth. Jean-Louis was one of the great costume designers of the Golden Age of Hollywood. He created the famous slinky dress and gloves worn by Rita Hayworth in Gilda, among others. Peggy Cass and Bert Convy dropped out of the voting; they'd both worked with him. Bill Cullen and I said #1; Kitty Carlisle went with #2. Turns out the well-dressed lady was right. They had more luck with an older woman who started the Gray Panthers organization to help with the rights of older people.

What's My Line didn't do as well with their first contestant. No one came close to guessing that a pretty young woman in a miniskirt was a union carpenter. They did better demonstrating their skills with a hammer and nails. Turns out Jim Backus is great at hammering. He and Arlene Francis weren't as fast as Soupy Sales and Melba Moore, but theirs were straighter. Moore proved to be a whiz at the guess-the-occupations mini-game, getting them all right on the first try. The didn't do much better with a guy who sold touchdown poles for football fields, but Soupy Sales hit that the Mystery Guest was football star and actor Jim Brown on his first try.

I was making the bed when I saw the photographer arrive with their equipment. I settled down to read for a while as I waited for them to take photos of my side of the house. And waited. And waited. And waited some more. I heard them inside, but they never came to the apartment. After an hour, I gave up on waiting and went for a walk, leaving them taking pictures of the pool.

My first stop was the library...but as it turns out, they're only open on Monday evenings and Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Needed to use the bathroom, so I went to Dunkin' Donuts next. Since I was there, I treated myself to my favorite toasted coconut donut. Strolled a few blocks down to Dollar General for sponges, a box of raspberry fig newtons, cheese and tortilla chips for dinner, and a "Lymonade" Sprite.

Put on Hogan's Heroes when I got in. Russian spy Marya (Nita Talbot) has told a German general quite a bit about Hogan's suspected activities, enough to make  him suspicious. He takes Hogan as "The Hostage" and keeps him in an oil refinery...one that the boys were ordered to blow to smithereens. 

Switched to Match Game '75 while having a smoothie for lunch. Goofy comic Avery Schriber and future TV villainess Joan Collins took part in one of the funniest episodes of that year. Charles gave the answer "bisexual" on the Audience Match "Bi __," and looked quite satisfied when it came in second. Later, Gene climbs over the audience to attack the camera when it won't do what he wants it to do.

Heard Jodie in her place and called her to find out where the photographer went. Turns out, first of all, she never intended to photograph my side of the house, only the main house and pool. Second, the house will absolutely be going on the market September 14th...so now I really need to find a place to live.

I was so worn out, I took a nap after finishing the dishes. I had no other plans for today, and it was still too hot to do anything else outside. Despite the noise from the kids playing next-door, I went down at quarter of 1 and slept until almost 3.

Went outside for a short but refreshing dip in the pool after my nap. To my surprise, no one else was around, not even Jodie. I had the pool all to myself. I swam lazily back and forth, occasionally floating on my back or stretching by the steps on the shallow end. Dried off on a patio chair, enjoying the warm but dry sunlight.

Went on the computer to look around for realtors and apartments after my swim. The realtor down the street on West Clinton didn't have the best reviews, but the ones in Collingswood and Haddonfield did. No luck with an apartment, though. Some sites said buildings were unavailable; others said "ask for availability." 

Worked on writing for a while after that. The Queen suggests that Duchess Marcia and Bill the White Rabbit take Brett and her boys to see the Mock Turtle, a wise (if anguish-prone) creature. Meanwhile, Richard's hoping to get his men out of the dungeon...but that means the tarts are unguarded...

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Made nachos with cheese, green peppers, onions, and tomatoes while watching Match Game '76. Match Game PM got a bit wilder at David Doyle tried to help a young man win money with "__ Stadium" on the Head-to-Head.

Finished the night after a shower with The Love Parade on Watch TCM. I go further into this sexy operetta that was the film debut of Jeanette MacDonald the movie that made Maurice Chevalier an international star at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

In the Heat of the Morning

Started off a quick morning with breakfast and Hogan's Heroes. The boys become involved in a little "Monkey Business" when the Dusseldorf Zoo is bombed and animal-loving Carter brings a stray chimpanzee to camp. They adopt him as their mascot and call him Freddy...and are a bit reluctant to let him go when it turns out he's the only one who can deliver an important message.

Work wasn't that busy...but we're still really short on help, especially in the morning. Two of the four morning and afternoon baggers quit, and the head bagger had off today. I mopped up the leaky frozen vegetable cooler and put sandbags down. Cleaned up a soda leak from a broken 12-pack. Went in for one of the afternoon cashiers' breaks. And all that with sweeping the store and gathering the carts. Plus, the weather was the same as yesterday - not humid, but very hot, sunny, and breezy. Thankfully, I did have some help later in the afternoon, though the afternoon bagger kept getting pulled to help the online shoppers.

Went straight home after work and into writing. Marcia seeks out the White Rabbit. He knows everything that goes on in Wonderland...and she likes him. Turns out he, the boys, the Queen and King, Red King, Knave, and Sir Richard are the only ones left. The Queen sent everyone else playing to the dungeon (though she does plan to release them the moment her temper cools down). Brett's hoping to find someone who'll help her and her sons get home...though she does notice the Red King and the Knave near the tarts...

Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Ran Match Game '76 while having leftovers and a green salad for dinner. Gene fields some very strange answers from goofy Avery Schriber and dry-witted Nancy Culp on what the mad scientist got stuck in a test tube and where all the rats are in America. Meanwhile, Charles gets to help a grateful contestant with "Secondhand __" on the Head-to-Head. 

Put on Match Game PM while doing the dishes and vacuuming and dust mopping. Eva Gabor was thrilled when she got her first answer right...but she didn't understand why "Declaration of Independence" didn't match "Constitution." Bill Daily didn't have much more luck with  "__ to Earth" on the Head-to-Head.

Finished out the third season of Hogan's Heroes as I quickly ran a dust cloth over everything. "Drums Along the Dusseldorf" reveals that Carter, the sweet and clumsy demolitions expert and chemist, is part-Native American. The others tease him about it, but Hogan thinks his newly-discovered archery skills may come in handy to get rid of a truck carrying an important jet fuel.

Ended the night online with more vintage TV episodes. The fifth season Charlie's Angels episode "Angel On the Line" gets a bit bizarre for this series. Bosley and the trio join The Hotline Club, a singles bar with phones on the tables. One of the customers got a menacing phone call and died soon after. Kelly is more than a little unnerved when she receives a similar call and becomes the killer's next target.

It's a cold, cold winter at the 4077th on the sixth season of MASH. Charles Winchester deals with "The Light That Failed" when they have no lightbulbs and he gives his patient the wrong medicine by candlelight. The candles provide more dramatic lighting for the murder mystery Hunnicutt's loaning to everyone at the camp. When the last page goes missing, they all have an idea of who done it. 

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Heroes and Heartthrobs

I was working on my journal in bed when I heard my cell phone go off...twice. I figured it was an especially pesky telemarketer and continued writing. Someone knocked frantically on my door a few minutes later. I was more than a little surprised to see Khai and Finley on my welcome mat, dripping in their bathing suits. Rose brought them over for a morning swim while she cleaned up the pool. Unfortunately, she couldn't get a hold of Jodie to open her side of the house; she may have been cleaning upstairs. I let Finley in, closed the bathroom door so she could have some privacy, and let her and her brother out. 

After that, I spent the rest of the morning watching season three Hogan's Heroes episodes and having whole wheat pancakes and a smoothie for brunch. The guys wonder what "LeBeau and the Little Old Lady" are doing together when he's supposed to be contacting her. Turns out she's really a beautiful Allied agent who is wanted by the Gestopo. LeBeau and the guys have to deflect the suspicion off of her, before the Germans get their hands on the information she holds. 

Hogan's ready to show "How to Escape From Prison Camp Without Really Trying" when the Gestopo take over. Their changes, including questioning everyone and beefing up security, don't make the guys happy...but it does keep 10,000 German soldiers in the area. 

"The Collector General" (Gavin McLeod) brags to Klink about his collection of stolen artworks, which he keeps in a mine. LeBeau is livid over this display of excess and how the Germans ravaged his beloved France. Hogan and the other guys decide to steal the artworks back and make sure they all go to museums where they belong.

Hurried out after "The Collector General" ended. We were busy when I got in at noon, but it slowed down after that, and wasn't really bad for the rest of the day. I still had a hard time keeping up with the carts and outside trash and recycling. The girl who was supposed to help was assigned to online shopping instead, and the head bagger kept ending up in a register. Thankfully, I had more help after they released her and the evening and night baggers arrived, allowing me to focus on the carts and rounding up the trash and overflowing recycling. 

At least it was a beautiful day to push carts. While sunny and hot, it was also pleasantly breezy, and not nearly as humid as it's been the past week. Still went inside on occasion for a drink of water or to cool off.

Had leftovers for dinner while resuming Hogan's. Klink thinks Schultz is "The Ultimate Weapon" when Hogan makes him believe Schultz can predict when the Allies will strike. Hogan's more interested in the attractive woman general who came to camp in order to find out if Schultz really is a genius.

Finished the night with Devil-May-Care after a shower. I go further into this romantic and dashing early talkie operetta and Ramon Novarro's sound debut at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Monday, August 23, 2021

Rain and Trouble Go Away

Started off the morning with breakfast and Blockbusters. Came in as two ladies took on a younger gentlemen. I'm not sure anyone was able to win anything before the show ended. 

(Incidentally, it sounds like Buzzr is moving the 1986 Card Sharks to 10:30 and Whew! to 4:30, leaving Blockbusters for the late nights. Honestly, despite my fond memories, I think they ought to lose the 1986 Card Sharks. They never seem to run more than the first year, and the 1978 version is in prime-time. Whew! and Blockbusters are a lot more unique.)

Switched to the second season of Hogan's Heroes as I made the bed and washed and dried the dishes. "The Tower" is a radio tower the guys need to destroy, but they can't get out of camp, due to General Burkhalter increasing security in the area. Hogan convinces one of the female underground episodes to seduce Burkhalter and Klink, then send incriminating pictures in order to get him to pull the extra guards.

Went back to Buzzr for Match Game '75 as I vacuumed and pushed the Swifter. Started off with Richard bringing tissues to a happy contestant after he helped her with "Grave __" on the Head-to-Head. They skipped the remainder of that week and the first two episodes of the next and moved on to New Year's Eve. Richard's then-girlfriend Jody Donovan gets to show off her gorgeous black pantsuit, while the others await the arrival of balloons and streamers and Charles prepares to pop the big 1975 balloon.

Ran into Jodie while bringing the empty boxes in the living room down to the basement. Turns out, first of all, she doesn't want the boxes down there after all. Rose is clearing out the basement and needs room. Second, the photographers won't be around until Thursday. They didn't want to take pictures during bad weather. 

She couldn't have told me this earlier in the weekend? I would have gotten my laundry done a lot sooner. And I thought she wanted me to help her organize everything. I wish she'd make up her mind. I know, I know, she's having a rough time. She lost her father and her husband last year. Rose does this to me, too. I'm tired of people either suddenly changing their minds and not telling me until the last minute or telling me at all. I have a life too, you know. 

Decided to calm down with a trip to the library...but the library doesn't open until 3 on Mondays. I dropped A Dangerous Engagement in the return box and went for a ride in the neighborhood instead. I hoped to see an apartment building with rooms open or a small house for rent. No luck. The only houses I saw with signs out front were for sale, not rent, and they were all huge old Victorian and Edwardian buildings. I did ride past one apartment building near the hill that goes into Audubon, but there were no signs indicating anything was available there, either. 

Waved to Jodie's son Jesse on the way in. He was mowing the lawn and weeding the garden. Jodie met me when I came in and moved the boxes to the former office/living room area. The photographers will be here at 9 AM. I don't know why she doesn't take the photos herself or get one of her family members to do it and save time and money, but she insisted they had to be taken by professionals. 

Returned to Hogan's while making a Banana-Nectarine Smoothie for lunch. "Colonel Klink's Secret Weapon" is a new guard and efficiency expert who arrives after the inspector general gives Stalag 13 his worst possible grade. He's also making it very hard for Hogan and the guys to do their work. They make use of Klink's cowardice to get rid of him. 

Counseling was at 2 on Zoom again. On one hand, the party for Dad mostly went well, I fully paid off my college loans, and even without my inheritance, I have more money than I've seen in at least five years. The trouble is, first of all, those crazy hours at work and the lack of help have left me exhausted, mentally and physically. I still have no idea where I'm going to go when Jodie does sell the house. All of my friends live far away with their parents. I can't exactly run elsewhere to check out houses and apartment buildings, either. I still like the idea of heading to the Hammonton area, even if I don't live next to Rose. There's also other area towns, like Deptford, Mt. Ephram, and Cumberland, that might prove cheaper than family-oriented Oaklyn. 

She said to continue to research the housing options in those towns. I actually did look seriously into Deptford and Mt. Ephram to move there...two years ago, when I was broke. I have the money for a decent place now.

Headed out to the laundromat around quarter of 4, despite the dark clouds building on the horizon again. Picked up sugar, Tums, cornstarch, and a bottle of Coke at a busy Family Dollar. Spent the time the laundry was in the dryer working on story notes. It was a good day for it. The weather and late hour must have scared everyone off. They were quiet the entire time I was there. I think I saw three people the whole hour or so.

Rain came down lightly as I rushed down Manheim, pushing hard as my legs would allow. I made it just in time. It started raining harder as I put the laundry away. By the time I'd moved to writing, the rain was gone. To my knowledge, it hasn't returned since. It's just very hot and humid again.

Ran Hogan's Heroes while I worked. "The Top Secret Top Coat" was owned by an agent who had important information...but Klink accidentally picks up the coat with the papers. Hogan has to figure out how to get those papers without Klink catching on. 

Worked on writing for a while. Marcia's eager to discuss moral and her opinions on everyone in Wonderland with Brett. She doesn't trust the Red King and thinks the Queen is a bit pushy. When Brett asks her if she knows anyone who can get her home, she suggests they talk to her dear friend Bill the White Rabbit, who knows a lot more people than her.

Broke for dinner at quarter of 6. Had a jelly omelet and salad while watching Match Game '76. After a long series of tiebreakers, the group is just happy when a lady finally wins...though Didi Conn does try to hide when he answer doesn't match. They do better with the Audience Matches "Bit __" and "Let's Make a __." 

Match Game PM was even more fun. We meet a charming gentleman named Leroy who is proud to be from Brooklyn. (He even joked that he wanted to return the Dodgers there!) Marcia Wallace gets to help him win 20,000 with "Twilight __."

Finished out season 2 of Hogan's Heroes as I cleaned up from dinner and took out the recycling. Klink is "The Reluctant Target" when he's shot at after taking a spy prisoner. He eventually changes uniforms with Hogan to deflect suspicion off him.

Finished the night on Paramount Plus with Captain Scarlett. The Captain (Richard Greene) is a nobleman in France, right after Napoleon fled. He fights off highwaymen who attack Princess Maria's (Leonora Amar) carriage, but gets no compensation from her rich fiancé Count Villiers (Eduardo Noriega). Learning that Villiers' is terrorizing the countryside and has taken his own estate, he frees the highwayman and joins him. Scarlett rescues Maria and does away with Villiers during a duel on the road. That's fine by Maria. She wants to join them, too. Even Scarlett's treacherous friend Etienne (Carlos Muziquz) and the Duke's men can't stop this trio from delivering justice for all of France.

Interesting B swashbuckler from United Artists. Amar is the real winner as the strong Spanish lady who'd rather fight with the guys than face another marriage. I like that she's just as tough as they are, and helps get herself out of trouble when Scarlett comes for her in the end. Too bad she retired young; this was her last movie. Gorgeous sets and costumes that manage to recreate early 19th century France in Mexico, too. 

Sunday, August 22, 2021

Bet On Rain

Not for the first time recently, I awoke to the patter of rain on the roof. It would have been more soothing if I didn't have early work at 8 AM. Thankfully, by the time I ran out, the rain gentled down to a tiny shower. Even that vanished as I made my way across the parking lot and into the Acme.

Despite - or maybe because of - the weather, we were busy the entire afternoon. I was technically cashiering, and I'd had some annoying customers. One of my first customers of the day wasn't happy when she read a sign wrong and bought the wrong bags of shrimp. She then took twenty minutes to get another bag and held up a long line. 

By 2:30, we had plenty of cashiers and not enough people elsewhere. The manager pulled me to help the weekend bagger with the carts while he cleaned the bathroom, and again a half-hour before I finished so he could gather the outside trash and recycling. Either way, I was happy to do it. The sun came out, and while it remained humid, it was breezy and not really that hot.

The clouds rolled in again as I rode home. Listened to The Desert Song while I changed and had a snack.  This is the 1950's British Angel version, which includes two comedy songs and a ballad that are often cut from other recordings. June Bronhill and Edmund Hockeridge handle the ballads, while future game show host Bruce Forsyth handles the rarely-recorded comedy numbers "It" and "One Good Boy Gone Wrong."

Worked on writing for a while as the album finished. Duchess Marcia explains how she ended up in the dungeon. She yanked on Betty's ears ("boxed them'), to Brett's amusement. She also says that the Queen has no desire to harm anyone...but she's not sure about the Red King...

Broke for dinner at almost 7. Listened to my Golden Treasures oldies record collection as I ate leftovers and made Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Among my favorites on the third of this three-disc record set are "Five O'Clock World," "Windy," "Judy In Disguise," "Young Girl," "The Boy From New York City," and the lovely "Jean" from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie with Maggie Smith. 

Finished the night online with more casino and gambling-themed game shows. I have fond memories of watching the 1987 syndicated High Rollers when I was a kid, I believe on WPHL 17. Wink Martindale asks questions and plays a series of mini-games with two contestants. If the numbers they roll add up to the numbers in a column, they get the prizes in that package. I really wish this and the original Alex Trebek versions lasted longer. They're both a lot of fun to watch.

High Low from 1957 is one of the oldest game shows involving gambling. This is basically Twenty One with celebrities asking questions and making bets on the contestant. It's a bit slow-moving, and while it was apparently never investigated, I wouldn't be surprised if this one was rigged too. Jack Barry is also the host here. 

The poker-themed Pay Cards was revived as Super Pay Cards! in Canada in 1981. This one is played pretty similar to the original game, only with two contestants and no celebrities. It actually moves a bit faster and makes things slightly more interesting. Art James returns as host. 

I loved the 1986 Card Sharks, but I had no idea there was a syndicated version with Bill Rafferty hosting that ran from 1986 through late '87 until recently. Same deal, only here, the contestants can win prizes like trips on the regular card board along with money. It's almost like Classic Concentration with cards instead of rebuses. Many people like Rafferty better than Bob Eubanks and wish he hosted the daytime show. I don't know about that, but I do know he's very funny here, including reacting to the female contestant getting one of the questions exactly right!

Wink Martindale returns for Las Vegas Gambit, a 1980 revival of the original Gambit filmed at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. Went with an early episode that retains the original blackjack-based bonus round. You have to be quick to catch this one - Wink spits out rapid-fire questions, and the contestants answer likewise. Look for the gag in the beginning with Wink and the ten-gallon cowboy hat!

Bet on these rarities to provide entertainment for storm-bound families and gambling fans! (Look for the original commercials on High Rollers...and a bad tape on Las Vegas Gambit. Too bad that show hasn't been seen anywhere but YouTube in years.) 

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Harvests and Crafts

Started off a cloudy morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Prince Tuesday Goes to College," and Daniel and his brother Prince Wednesday will miss him badly. Queen Sarah and King Friday encourage the boys to draw him pictures and give him a special rock to show him how they feel. "Daniel Misses Grandpere" after he has to go home, too. Mrs. Tiger helps Daniel make a care package for him, and Prince Wednesday make one for his brother.

(I suspect my brother Keefe would know how Prince Wednesday felt. He watched two of  his sisters go away to college and another move out with her son. Mom did send me care packages, cards, and e-mails at school, especially around Halloween and Christmas. I still have some of the decorations from those packages to this day.) 

Ran into Rose and her tribe cleaning the pool as I went to the garage to collect my bike. They were cleaning up the pool area...except Finley, who swam in the pool. I told Rose Jodie was out of town; she mentioned she'd be home soon.

Headed off to Collingswood for the farm market next. Cucumbers and blueberries are gone, but almost every other summer produce continues to flourish. Saw local grapes and ornamental squash for the first time this week. Got to sample sweet melons and grapes from a man selling grapes and melons exclusively. Elbowed through huge crowds long enough to pick up a long slender lavender eggplant, a red pepper, Chinese beans, feta with herbs, nectarines, zucchini, an ear of corn, tomatoes, and the aforementioned grapes and melon.

Stopped in at WaWa for a drink. Looks like they just put out the fall flavors. I tried the Maple Pumpkin Spice Smoothie. Very sweet maple syrup, but you don't really taste much pumpkin.

No wonder the Farm Market was so busy. Collingswood held its annual Craft Festival this weekend just a block from the Farm Market. Booths hung with leather goods, jewelry, art work of local landmarks, hand-made headbands and hair supplies, stuffed toys, clothes, bird houses, and furniture lined Haddon Avenue. Normally, I don't have the money to buy most of it, but I found a booth selling adorable knitted stuffed animals made by a sweet young woman. I bought a bright red koala for myself, and something else for Lauren when she visits next month.

Waved "hi" to Jodie, who had indeed arrived home, then headed in my apartment to put everything away. Watched Match Game '74 while I worked. Came just in time for the episode where the show's producer Mark Goodson sat in for a late Charles. Charles comes in for ribbing later in the episode too when one of the questions asked what he'd dress up as for Halloween, prompting some ribald answers from those who knew him well. 

Put on The Cheetah Girls: One World as I made lunch, and then as I cleaned the bathroom. I go further into the last "Cheetah-licious" story of the remaining three Girls visiting India at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 


Listened to the Eddie and the Cruisers soundtrack as I finished the bathroom. I grew up listening to these songs about a Jersey Shore bar band on the cusp of fame who lost their lead singer and songwriter in a car accident and the reporter who wants to learn more. "On the Dark Side" and "Tender Years" were the hit singles, but my favorite song is "Boardwalk Angel," which reminds me so much of sultry summer nights walking the boardwalk in Wildwood. 

Switched to the second season of Hogan's Heroes when I started the kitchen and quickly dusted the apartment. The guys find themselves on "The Swing Shift" when they take job at a local factories to sabotage the cannons. They actually enjoy their work, until Newkirk gets drafted into the German Army and is almost hired by Klink to be a guard. Hogan says "Heil Klink" when he convinces the Kommandant that Hitler wants to promote him in order to get a banker who looks like Schultz out of the country. "Everyone Has a Brother-In-Law," including Burkhalter. His proves to be so competent as Klink's assistant, the guys decide they have to get rid of him. 

Moved into writing after I finished the dusting. As it turns out, Duchess Marcia isn't needed to figure out what to do about the Cheshire Catwoman. She disappears in a huff once Richard leaves. Marcia's more than happy to chat with Brett about everything going on in Wonderland instead.

It was nearly quarter of 7 before I broke for dinner. Made fish and chips - roasted potatoes with maple salmon - and Chinese beans for dinner while continuing with Hogan's. "Reverend Kommandant Klink" has to marry a French prisoner and his beloved fiancée under the nose of the Gestopo and Major Hochstetter, who think it's all a show. Stalag 13 is "The Most Escape-Proof Camp I've Ever Escaped From" when Hogan and the guys try to convince a British performer who is escaping every camp to make a name for himself to stay put. 

Did the dishes during more new Daniel Tiger. Figured "Tiger Family Lunch" was appropriate for after a meal. Daniel, Dan Sr, and Margaret surprise Mrs. Tiger with a picnic during her lunch hour. Daniel is distracted by a dandelion puff, but his father reminds them that they're there for a family meal. "Dinnertime at Jodi's" features "Pan-Pans" (dumplings with vegetable filling) and Jodi and Daniel setting the table together...but the twins' new electronic toy easily distracts Jodi and Daniel. Dr. Platt is the one who calls them back this time. 

(Oh, and thankfully, despite it being cloudy and killer humid all day, it didn't rain until around 8-8:30. It looks like the storm will mostly miss us; we're just supposed to get rain, not lashing winds or heavy storms.) 

Friday, August 20, 2021

A Little More Goofy

Rain pitter-pattered on my roof as my eyes fluttered open this morning. Made me so happy to be able to curl up in my blankets and lay in bed for a while longer, then linger over breakfast. It was so wonderfully relaxing and calm, even after I put on the remaining Goofy shorts. 

"Hello, Aloha" takes Goofy to tropical paradise, as he enjoys the slower pace of Hawaii and spoofs the popularity of Tiki culture in the 50's and early 60's. "Two Weeks Vacation" has Goofy trying for a solo road trip, only to encounter noisy hotels and a road-hogging trailer. He's wondering "For Whom the Bulls Toil" when his trip to Mexico lands him in the ring dodging an angry bull while stereotyped Mexican peasants cheer him on.

He didn't do much better at home with the family. "Father's Weekend" is so packed with chores and trips to the beach and boardwalk with Junior, he looks forward longingly to the work week. "Man's Best Friend" is not a non-anamorphic dog when the huge beast Goofy brings home destroys his house and loves everyone but him. "Father's Day Off" has him trying to take care of Junior and do chores around the house while his wife's away. He thinks it'll be a piece of cake, but the day ends with the police thinking the soap opera they overhead is a real murder, the iron burning a hole through the floor, and Goofy wondering why all the delivery guys keep kissing him.

"Two Gun Goofy" and "How to Be a Detective" returns to genre satire. "Two Gun Goofy" makes fun of Lone Ranger-style westerns. Goofy manages to put Pete the bandit in jail, without realizing he's even doing it. The shadowy world of film noir comes in for a ribbing with "Detective," as a lady in a veil sends Goofy on the trail of a guy named Al.

"How to Dance" and "How to Sleep" are the last of the "How to" shorts for more than 50 years. "Dance" covers the history of dancing through the years, and shows how Goofy attempts to learn the latest steps. "Sleep" shows the many ways of getting a good night's rest, from positions to ways of actually sleeping.

"Aquamania" is the last short on the set. We're back in "Motor Mania" territory as Goofy becomes obsessed with his new boat. He tries to teach Junior water skiing, only to inadvertently end up entered in a water skiing contest with a very nervous octopus! If this one looks a little different and rougher than the other shorts, it was animated with Disney's then-recent Xerox process that would later be used for 70's animated movies like Robin Hood and The Rescuers. (It's also not the final Goofy short. Those would be the educational cartoons "Freewaymania" and "Goofy's Freeway Trouble." No clue why they weren't included. The Disney Channel showed them a lot between movies in the late 80's - early 90's.) 

Quickly got the printer organized while the cartoons ran. Put away the papers for my bank accounts and the book for the insurance money I have in a trust and all the receipts and paperwork from my recent dental appointments. Found one last Garfield folder and put that aside for Khai.

Stepped out to head off to work, just as a car drove up in front of the house. The lady just dropped a bag of new bedding and a few small items Jodie ordered off Walmart's website. She went to visit friends for the weekend and asked me to put them in her side of the house. I did so and dashed off shortly after. Thankfully, the rain ended just in time for me to get to work dry, though it remained cloudy and killer humid. (In fact, the sun came out later.)

And that may have been the most exciting thing that happened all day. We were dead almost the entire four hours I was behind a register. It picked up a little bit around 3, and then around 4:30, but that was the only time it got really bad. No problems anywhere.

Not really happy with my schedule for next week, though. In good news, Monday and Thursday off, the former for counseling. My hours are really long and often early, including a very early day Sunday. I would give anything for a consistent schedule!

Had more luck with grocery shopping. Two one-pound bags of King Arthur unbleached white flour were less expensive than a large bag of Acme unbleached white flour. Had good online coupons for cereal, and yogurt, and Talenti ice cream, as well as a reward for free eggs. Found a dented can of diced tomatoes on the clearance rack and two salmon fillets with manager's coupons. Restocked deodorant, bananas, butter, yeast, and milk.

Put everything away when I got home, then went into writing. Queen Betty admits she sent Duchess Marcia to the dungeon when she got on her nerves. King Allen hastily sends the White Rabbit to release her.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Ate baked herbed chicken legs with roasted potatoes and green salad while watching Match Game '76. Patti Deustch actually did very well in this episode, matching the first contestant twice. Later on, Charles draws a beauty mark on his cheek to illustrate "Beauty __" in the Audience Match, and we get a question asking who on the phone would disappoint Richard Dawson.

Made Blueberry Crumble Bars as Match Game PM began. This one was notorious for them having to run their sudden death tie breaker three times before one of the contestants finally won. We also get some jokes as to what picture someone has on bouncy checks. 

Switched to PBS Kids for one of the latest Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood episodes. "Daniel Goes to the Hospital" to get his blocked ears checked out, and he's understandably nervous about it. He's helped by a very sweet nurse who shows him around and alleviates his fears, and a doctor who explains what he needs to do and what will happen to him. 

Finished the night at the Watch TCM on demand website with the silent 1922 version of The Prisoner of Zenda. Lewis Stone, best known to most old movie fans today as Andy Hardy's dad in the 30's and 40's, is Rudof Rassendyl, the man who takes over for the drugged king of Ruritania. It was Mexican heartthrob Ramon Novarro who walked off with the notices and stardom as roguish guard Rupert of Hentzau. I especially appreciate that this version sticks to the book a little bit more than the later sound movies, even including the prologue with Rupert and his sister in England before he leaves for Ruritania. 

Thursday, August 19, 2021

Sunny Summer Days

Started off the morning with breakfast and more Goofy shorts. The cartoons of this era often felt something like an early run for Goof Troop. Goofy reminds us that "Fathers are People" when he and his (unseen) wife share the duties of raising their son. The kid may drive him crazy, but in the end, he is his little boy. Goofy tries to take Junior camping, only to run headlong into "Father's Lion" who would rather they went home. 

Not all of the shorts from this era have dated well. The depiction of Goofy's attempt to go cold turkey in "No Smoking" (and the fact that it doesn't work) is more disturbing than funny today. Likewise, his students' behavior in "Teachers are People," including nearly blowing up the school, is a lot less cute in light of real-life shooting and terrorist incidents.

Headed off to work shortly after I ate. I cashiered today. Thankfully, other than I'm tired and got mad at myself for making mistakes a few times, there were no major problems. We were on-and-off steady; by 5, it died so hard, I was able to close with no relief and no need for one. 

Jodie rolled in the driveway at the same time I did. After I got in and changed, she knocked on the door and handed me a Styrofoam container. She went out to dinner and couldn't finish half of her cheesesteak and fries, so I did it for her.

Since they were still warm, I ate right away and watched Match Game '74 at 5:30. Richard Dawson makes a rare misstep in the Head-to-Head with his answer to "__ Canyon." (In Richard's defense, he was from England.) Meanwhile, Gene and Brett makes jokes about Charles' colorful floral fisherman's hat. 

Did the dishes during Match Game '76. Charles and Brett have a great time teasing each other and Bill Daily in the beginning as Charles continues to claim he's a taxi driver. Towards the end of the episode, Gene tries to say good bye to the outgoing contestant, only for the revolving stage to sweep her away while he's still talking. He jumps on the stage and continues to chat with her anyway!

Worked on writing for a while after I finished the dishes. Brett finally takes the boys back to where the Cheshire Catwoman's head still floats over the croquet guests. Queen Betty wants Richard to chop off her head, but there's no neck to chop it off of. Brett points out that the cat technically belongs to Duchess Marcia (Wallace) and they should ask her how to deal with it.

Finished the night with Dangerous When Wet at Watch TCM. I go further into this cute Esther Williams vehicle that includes an animated number featuring Tom & Jerry at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Goofy Is the Word

Began the morning with a quick breakfast and more Goofy. "Double Dribble" is another world of Goofy sports short, this one for basketball. The run of P.U wants to play, but the coach won't let him in until every alternate is exhausted. Turns out that size doesn't matter when you're determined to get the ball in the net! Goofy has no more luck catching ducks in "Foul Hunting" than he did going after exotic game overseas. He has an easier time bagging his decoy than a living animal.  "They're Off!" returns to sports, this time as the Goofy world shows us the "sport of kings," horse racing. (Skipped "The Big Wash." It's cute, but I have it elsewhere.)

Work wound up being a bit of a pain. I ended up in the register twice for people going on break or home. I suspect the only reason I wasn't in the register longer was I had no help. The kid who was supposed to help me later kept getting pulled to work with the online shopping manager on orders. I spent most of the afternoon running all over, trying to keep up with everything. 

Rushed straight home after work. I didn't like the look of the heavy black clouds building up on the horizon at all. Hurried in the apartment and straight into writing. Brett's fed up with the Red King ordering everyone around. She's also realized by this point that the croquet game is done. The cards walked away, her hedgehog and the queen's are fighting by the rose bushes, and the flamingos wandered off to eat lunch in a fish pond. She figures she'll take the boys back to find out how the Queen is doing with Lee the Cheshire Catwoman instead...but she does notice Ira the Knave of Hearts talking to the Red King by the tarts...

Broke for leftovers at 6:30. Match Game '76 started off with Betty White rolling down Gene's pant legs again while he talked to Charles on the upper tier. Lee Merriweather scooted out to fix his pants...and Bill Daily crawled downstairs to make a grab for her. Later, Charles figures out "Good and __" for the Head-to-Head and claims he's running a taxi service.

Once again settled down with Goofy and my afghan after I did the dishes. The first couple of cartoons on the second disc took us from the "world of Goofy" into Goofy's everyman phase. "Goofy Gymnastics" and "Tennis Racquet" are the last of the sports shorts. "Gymnastics" is in the the same vein as the "How Tos." Goofy buys gym equipment to improve his strength and destroys his apartment in the process. "Racquet" gets back into "Hockey Homicide" turf as we see just how wild a tennis game can get. "Home Made Home" is also similar to the "How Tos." Goofy tries to make his own home during the postwar housing shortage, but everything from the sprayer to the blueprints seem determined to fight him. 

"Motor Mania" was the first short to present Goofy as the suburban father he'd be for most of the remainder of his theatrical solo career. Mr. Walker is the sweetest guy around, until he gets into his car and becomes crazy road hogging Mr. Wheeler. He tries to tell a bear to "Hold That Pose" for his new photography hobby. It's a "Cold War" when Goofy comes down with a cold and has to go home from work. When his wife gets in, she has many, many remedies to get him back on his feet again. He tries a variety of ways to "Get Rich Quick" by gambling...but even when he wins, he loses. (Skipped "Lion Down," which I also have elsewhere.)

Jodie came in just as "Get Rich Quick" ended. She told me I needed to have everything cleaned up and put away by Monday. The house is finally going on the market, and she wants to take pictures. I don't have a problem with the "cleaned up" part, but I need to figure out where I can put the boxes I've accumulated for moving and to get Rose and Craig to pick up the bags I wanted Goodwill to have. 

(Oh, and she mentioned that even if she does manage to find a buyer for the house anytime soon, she won't be foreclosing on it until late October. She also revealed I'm the only one of my sisters who didn't spend her inheritance on a new car. Not only do I not drive, but I used my own money for the bike and the cell phone, and part of the money for the TV and printer came from gift cards. All the DVDs and CDs and dental work and new clothes for me and the dolls I've bought in the past year? Paid for with my money. The only time I dipped into my inheritance money was to pay off my school loans, and it wasn't even that bad. My needs are small, and I prefer it that way.)

Finished the night online after a shower, watching Murder She Wrote on Peacock. I'm surprised to find this ran 12 seasons. I do remember when it was on, but as fond as I've always been of Angela Landsbury, when I was a kid, the show was basically considered for old people. Thought I'd give it another shot now. It's "Murder In the Afternoon" when mystery author Jessica Fletcher's (Landsbury) niece Nita (Alice Krige) is accused of killing the author and producer of a popular soap opera (Jessica Walter). Turns out the woman killed off half the characters on the show and kept pushing away her husband (William Atherton), making her a lot of enemies. The cop in charge of the case (Robert Walden) is convinced it's Nita, but Jessica thinks he's better off looking at the cast instead...

(Oh, and while we're hearing thunder right now, it still hasn't rained. It's just been cloudy and windy for most of the night.)

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Little August Showers

Started off a quick morning with breakfast and more Goofy shorts. "How to Fish" takes Goofy on a pier and on the lake as he tries to show how to get the perfect whopper. "Victory Vehicles" is one of two World War II propaganda shorts featuring Goofy. Goofy shows off various forms of transportation besides cars as everyone tries to figure out how to get around with rationing and low speed limits. 

Hurried off to work right after the short ended. Other than getting stuck in a register briefly to go in for someone's break, work could have been a lot worse. While I was on my own until mid-way through my shift, it also wasn't that busy. Also got stuck cleaning the men's bathroom, which wasn't fun. Clouds moved in as early as late morning; by 2, it started showering, but light enough to still push carts and only be a bit damp. Even that vanished by the time I rode home.

Took out the trash when I got home, then went into writing. Brett's fed up with the Red King's trying to force everyone to play by his rules. Maybe she will become queen somehow, and join Sir Richard in getting rid of him. The Red King, however, has his own plans for Sir Richard...

Broke for leftovers and fried potatoes at 6:30. Match Game '76 featured several jokes for the Audience Match "Lion __." Meanwhile, Brett offers Fannie's phone number to the single male contestant, Bill Daily claims he wants to go home, and there's a joke in the end about what animal-loving Betty gives a fly drowning in her soup. 

Returned to Goofy for the next hour while curled up under my old green afghan on the futon. I'm with Leonard Maltin. My favorite cartoon by far on this disc - and in fact, my favorite Goofy short - is "Hockey Homicide." The violence in this short puts a Flyers-Rangers game to shame. The star players keep ending up in the penalty box (including before the game begins), the players constantly check and smash each other, and the fans behave worse. It ends in a wild melee that manages to squeeze in a few random sequences from other Disney movies, too.

But then, Goofy always did have fun with sports shorts. "How to Play Golf" ends up almost as crazy when the stick figure representing Goofy steps out of the short to give him tips, and they end up getting chased by a bull. "How to Play Football" is pretty similar to "Hockey Homicide," only this time, the coach has to revive his star player and get him on the field pronto! "How to Be a Sailor" is the second World War II short. It starts off like a typical "How to" short, with Goofy explaining the history of sailing, but ends with him shooting down Japanese battleships. "Tiger Trouble" and "African Diary" show off Goofy's difficulties with hunting in exotic locations. 

The disc ends with two genre parodies featuring Goofy. "Californy or Bust" has Goofy fighting spoofs of your typical Natives from movies of the time. He becomes "A Knight for a Day" when he accidentally knocks out the handsome Goof he's supposed to be squiring for. He's the one who goes up against the wicked Sir Cumference for the hand of the fair Princess Esmerelda. 

Finished off the night on TCM with Easy to Love. I go further into this Esther Williams romantic comedy capped by a Busby Berkeley water skiing extravaganza at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Monday, August 16, 2021

Of Dogs, Harts, and Heroes

Began a late morning with blackberry pancakes and Hogan's Heroes. Hogan convinces "Killer Klink" that Schultz is really a tired old man in the body of a pudgy middle-aged man. Klink denied Schultz the right to take leave after he lost his weekend pass. Hogan wants Schultz to make a delivery, and will do anything to get him out of town.

Switched to Match Game '75 as I cleaned up from breakfast and got ready to run to the laundromat. Gossip queen Rona Barrett and R&B singer Clifton Davies joins in for two hilarious episodes. The second ended with an especially funny question asking whom Richard Dawson would marry. Rona said then-popular busty star Raquel Welch, but the others all said Brett or Charles...which is hilarious if you know the show. Richard and Brett apparently didn't get along, probably because they didn't like sharing the spotlight (and Richard didn't drink). I have no idea how Charles felt about Richard, but I do know Charles was gay and Richard was very straight. 

Clouds built up on the horizon, even as I rode to the laundromat. By the time I bundled my small load into the dryer, it was dark as evening. Oddly enough, though it remained dark for the rest of the afternoon, it never rained. No storms. Not even a rumble of thunder. I spent my time at the laundromat catching up on writing down the story notes I took at work. I got so caught up in organizing my thoughts, I didn't get out until past 2:30.

Threw on Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood after I put the clothes away. He loves "Daniel's Tiger-tastic Car" which he brings to the playground to show the others. He's not as eager to let Prince Wednesday play with it, until his father reminds him that it makes friends happy when we share. Generous Miss Elaina is more than happy to let him play with her noisy pink truck instead. "Katerina Shares Her Tutu" when she needs it to play a flower and Daniel wants it for his lion costume, so they can do a jungle dance for Katerina's mother Henrietta.

Switched to new Muppet Babies while making lunch and baking chocolate butter cookies. It's a "Rootin' Tootin' Sheriff Showdown" when Piggy and Gonzo both want to be sheriff. They spend so much time competing with each other, they let the Snack Time Bandits (the chickens) steal the milk and cookies! It's up to them to save their snack and learn to work together. Animal learns "The Trouble With Chickies" when he sneaks an alien chicken from the planet Koozebane on board Piggy's starship. The chicken turns into whatever it eats, and it's eating half the ship. Animal is the one who has to drive them back to Koozebane to return his new friend, and discover why it's best to leave wild animals in the wild.

Moved on to Press Your Luck next. Whammies abounded in this episode...but even they couldn't stop the champ. He got slammed with a Whammy in the second round, but still came back to win a trip to Denver for him and his fiancée. 

Worked on writing for a while after the show. Brett has absolutely no difficulty flat-out confronting the Red King about his strict rules. He sees her as a threat, especially after Queen Betty half-jokingly suggests that she could be a queen in Looking Glass Land. He finally does take a hike after Brett tells him to leave the boys alone, but she's also made an enemy out of him...

Returned to Match Game '76 as I had scrambled eggs and tomato-cucumber salad for dinner. We had a classic episode tonight, starting with Gene making his entrance sitting in a chair and looking out at the audience through hand goggles. Richard made up for asking a pretty contestant a rather tacky question about what she made a year with making some good jokes about playing "Hard Ball" and getting a very tough Head-to-Head on "Stewed __." (He also does a cute Jerry Lewis impression about mid-way through the episode.)

While I was writing, Jodie brought in my latest eBay acquisition. I finally found The Complete Goofy Walt Disney Treasures set for a good price. Goofy is my second-favorite regular Disney character after Donald, and I've wanted more of his shorts for years. 

Started off with "Goofy and Wilbur." Wilbur is Goofy's pet grasshopper, who helps him lure fish into his barrel. Goofy's more than a little terrified when Wilbur's attacked by hungry fish, but his friend knows how to get out of sticky situations!

Skipped "Baggage Buster" and "The Art of Skiing," which I have in full elsewhere. Most of the remaining shorts on this disc were Goofy spoofs of sports or "how to" shorts, with a stuffy narrator providing instruction that's the exact opposite of what Goofy does on screen. "How to Play Baseball" gives us a world of Goofys, who turn the World Series into a noisy brawl. Wish I thought of running "The Olympic Champ" while the Olympics were on. It's basically "How to Do Track Events," with Goofy attempting to demonstrate several major running and throwing games. "The Art of Self-Defense" is actually "The Art of Boxing," as even Goofy's shadow has an easier time throwing a punch than he does.

Tried a new recipe today. Those chocolate butter cookies were put together with vanilla buttercream frosting I made tonight for my own home-made Oreos. The recipe originally called for self-rising flour. I don't do self-rising flour. I used baking soda instead...and the cookies got too fat. Otherwise, the cookies came out well and were fairly easy to make. I think next time, I'll use baking powder and try another filling, like jam or peanut butter.

Finished the night with Hart to Hart on The Roku Channel after a shower. "Murder Is a Man's Best Friend" when Max reluctantly allows the Harts' mutt Freeway to appear in a dog food commercial. Turns out the creators have a special formula that makes the dogs addicted to the food, then rabid when they withdraw...and they'll kill anyone to keep the secret from being discovered. 

The most recent Goofy short is "How to Stay at Home" on Disney Plus. It's actually a series of three shorts done in the style of the original "How To..." series. Goofy demonstrates how one puts on a mask (especially when one has a long dog nose and buck teeth), how to cook when there's almost nothing in the fridge, and how to properly binge-watch your favorite streaming shows. 

Sunday, August 15, 2021

We are Family

Started off the morning with breakfast and the soundtrack from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. My family loved this movie so much in the 80's, it was the first feature-length movie we rented on video after Dad bought a VCR. My favorite song's always been "I've Got a Golden Ticket," Charlie and Grandpa Joe's number when they celebrate finding the all-important gold paper.

Hurried out to work after that. Work was very busy and very tiring. Cashiering takes a lot out of me. I never know what to say to people, even when they say I'm doing fine. My register suddenly stopped ringing items two hours before I finished, too. It wouldn't even weigh produce. I moved to another register after I finished one order. Thank heavens it died by 3:30, allowing me to hurry off with no relief.

Took the long way home down Nicholson Road. The weather was too beautiful not to. Sun warmed my back as I made my way around the traffic near the opening of the Audubon Crossings Shopping Center, but the air wasn't smothering, nor was it burning hot. It was the right kind of hot for mid-August. Recent storms really helped the plant life here. Gardens abound with late summer flowers; emerald green leaves waved in the breezes.

Arrived home to a full driveway and a fuller pool. Our cousin Amber - the daughter of Uncle Ken's son Mark - and her pre-teen daughters Ella and Lilly and toddler son Timmy joined Jodie and Rose and her tribe. My next-door neighbor brought around her new Great Dane puppy later, to the delight of the kids who ran out of the pool to pet him. I changed into my bathing suit, then played "mama and baby dolphin" with Finley for a while. By the time I got out, the older kids jumped in. I relaxed on lawn chairs and laughed at their antics.

Tried writing when I got in, but I was too tired. Opted for another cast album while I ate leftovers for dinner and made Cinnamon Roll Cake instead. Carnival! is the full musical stage version of the sweetly whimsical semi-musical film Lili. The story remains the same - a waif (Anna Maria Albergheti) is taken in by the circus when she interacts with the puppet show, thinking they're real. The bitter puppeteer Paul (Jerry Orbach) loves her but doesn't know how to say it, but Lili has a crush on the handsome magician Marco (James Mitchell). Charming and gentle, and a huge favorite of mine. I'm especially fond of Lili's "Beautiful Candy" and "Love Makes the World Go 'Round" with the puppets and Paul's ballads, "She's My Love" and "I've Got to Find a Reason."

Finished the night on YouTube, watching flop game shows in honor of Whew! debuting on Buzzr next month. I've featured Whew! a few times on this blog. It's about as peculiar of a game show as you can get, and probably one of the most complicated games out there. One player has to figure out what's the wrong word in a statement. If they get it right, they charge on to the next level. The other player can place blocks on a question to hold them back for a few seconds. If they win, they run "The Gauntlet," answering more questions listed on 10 "villain" figures designed by Hanna-Barbara. It's as strange as it sounds, but a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

I discussed the 1983 Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour when the owner of the Match Game Productions channel started posting the episodes two weeks ago. The show was a surprise hit for Buzzr despite its hour run time and notorious reputation. The celebrities are frequently from NBC shows of the early 80's no one heard of then, let alone now. Jon Bauman is a hilarious panelist, but he has neither the drive nor the authority to keep the celebrities in line during Hollywood Squares. And truth be told, the shows are two entirely different beasts and really don't work together. That said, the Match Game half is still funny, and we do get a showcase for comedians like Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall, and Howie Mandel who appeared on no other version of either show.

Hollywood Connection from 1977 has similar problems. It's a pretty obvious Match Game clone, right down to the orange set and drunk celebrities answering innuendo-laden questions. Amiable Jim Lange is a fine host, but he lacks Gene Rayburn's charisma and hammy acting ability. 

Most short-lived game shows from the 50's and 60's were erased...but we do have an episode of Missing Links. A distinguished person reads a story with a blank at the end. Three celebrities have to guess the blank. No wonder it didn't last. It's deadly dull. Dick Clark tries to jazz up the proceedings. 

Couch Potatoes is a syndicated variation on Remote Control from 1989. Same idea - people guess TV trivia in someone's basement - but this time, it's male vs female teams rather than three separate contestants. We also occasionally get a guest who explains a question. Marc Summers handles the far less messy proceedings.

The most recent show I covered is 1 Vs 100. Bob Saget hosted the original 2008 network version of this Who Wants to Be a Millionaire clone. In this case, the contestant isn't going up against just tough questions. They also have to deal with 100 experts answering the same question. If they can stump so many experts, they win money. Slow-moving but suspenseful, I can understand why Game Show Network attempted a short-lived revival a few years later. 

While you wait for the arrival of Whew!, check out more of the most unusual flop games to ever grace the small screen. (Missing Links comes with its original commercials; Hollywood Connection has the commercials from its Game Show Network run. And warning about Missing Links - the copy is in terrible shape, complete with numbers running on the bottom. Considering the show's age, we're lucky to have it at all.)

Saturday, August 14, 2021

August Heat

Kicked off a sunny morning with breakfast and Hogan's Heroes. "War Takes a Holiday" when Hogan and the boys convince the Nazis that the war is over and the Germans lost. Of course, the guys are really trying to rescue several underground leaders the Gestopo's questioning. 

Dashed off to work after the episode ended. No trouble here, other than a few grumpy customers. I cashiered all day. We were busy almost the entire afternoon, but by the time I finished at 5, it died so fast, I was able to shut down without a relief or the need for one.

Went straight into grocery shopping after I finished. The Acme just completely revamped their online reward program. I picked up a few good coupons off the app, including for grapes, peanut butter, ice cream, and a free coconut milk yogurt. Grabbed chai tea off the clearance rack. The peaches I bought from the Acme last week were terrible, so I tried their plums instead. Restocked whole wheat flour, mouthwash, ground turkey, milk, pens, and bananas. 

There was a party going on at the pool and down the street when I came home...but I was way too tired for swimming. Besides, it continues to be hot and humid (though thankfully not to the degree of earlier in the week). I settled for putting everything away, having leftovers for dinner, and watching more Hogan's instead. Hogan and Kinch asks "Is General Hammerschag Burning" when they follow the Nazi official to Paris in order to get a look at his plans for the defense of the city. First, though, Kinch has to convince his lovely girlfriend from high school (Barbara McNair) to play along.

Cuddled up on the couch to watch The Cheetah Girls 2. I go further into the sequel to Disney's girl-power hit at my Musical Dream Movie Reviews blog.


(Oh, and Jodie popped in with pepperoni pizza just as Cheetah Girls ended. I already ate and brushed my teeth by that point. I'll have it for breakfast tomorrow.) 

Finished out the night after a shower on The Roku Channel for Charlie's Angels. As Kris points out, a plastic surgeon (Louis Jordan) is doing more than a few "Nips and Tucks" when Charlie learns he's being forced to redo the face of a criminal. Kris poses as a pushy socialite who wants her husband's face redone; a reluctant Bosley is her hubby. Tiffany poses as a nurse and befriends a nervous teenage girl who just had a scar repaired but isn't sure it's completely gone. 

Friday, August 13, 2021

Burning Love on Friday the 13th

Started off the morning with breakfast and Hogan's Heroes. The others are pretty sure Hogan's losing his marbles when he insists they take up tent-making, basket-weaving, and kite-flying while they're under lock down. As it turns out, their new skills are a way for the crew to get an agent out of the camp under the Gestopo's noses.

Headed off to work as the episode ended. Spent most of a murderously hot and humid day that go up to nearly 100 degrees gathering carts and rounding up trash and recycling. Yes, I went inside for frequent drinks and to cool off. Had help from two of the teen boys later in the day. I did get stuck in a register for 20 minutes or so around 3:30 when a cashier went on break (two cashiers called out), but there were otherwise no problems.

Mixed feelings on next week's schedule. Monday and next Saturday off, which means I'll be able to get to the farm market, and only a four hour day next Friday. However, I also work two 8 and 1/2 hour days in a row. At least it's supposed to be much nicer and cooler next week. 

Rode straight home and into writing after work ended. The Red King considers Brett a distraction to the Queen of Hearts and thinks she might be trying to sway her into keeping her kingdom. Brett doesn't appreciate him forcing his rules on everyone else...and her 18-year-old son Adam doesn't appreciate him constantly calling him a child when he's practically a man.

Broke for leftovers at 6:30. Gene has trouble with the pop-up thing that gives him his questions on Match Game '76. (It would help if he didn't bang on the button that brings it up again!) Meanwhile, Richard has his own difficulties connecting to the contestant on the Head-to-Head with "__ and Cream."

Did the dishes as Match Game PM began. Fred Grandy's got himself quite a few fans when he announces that there's college kids from UCLA in the audience celebrating a football victory. Supposedly, he's so popular, Charles brings a huge trash can filled with "mail!"

Organized recent DVD purchases during Sale of the Century. The champ dominated full-stop today, buying two out of three Instant Bargains and one Fame Game and dominating the Speed Round. He picked up a painting on the Match the Prizes board.

Finished the night on YouTube celebrating Friday the 13th with a movie I remember seeing fairly often as a kid in the late 80's, Love at Stake. In 1692, Miles Campbell (Patrick Cassidy) returns to Salem, Massachusetts from Harvard Divinity School and becomes the assistant to meek local preacher Parson Babcock (Bud Cort). Greedy Judge Samuel John (Stuart Patikin) and Mayor Upton (David Thomas) want to buy up all the real estate in town and start rumors that there's witches in Salem. 

There is a witch in Salem, but not the people they're accusing. Faith Stewart (Barbara Carrera) is about the most obvious witch in the world, but she mostly uses her magic to mess with the townspeople. When handsome Miles spurns her for his sweetheart Sara Lee (Kelly Preston), she accuses the girl of witchcraft. Now Miles and Babcock have to figure out what's going on and how to keep Sara from being burned at the stake...and reveal the witch for what she is.

They were trying for goofy joke-a-minute comedy ala Airplane or Mel Brooks' History of the World Part I, but it doesn't really work with the story they're telling. Doesn't help that the performances are either too broad (Cort, Patikin) or fade into the woodwork (the lovers). Only Carrera as the actual witch causing the trouble leaves any impression. I remember this turning up a lot on cable in the late 80's and early 90's, but nowadays, I'd say it's for extreme fans of 80's comedies or the cast only.  

Thursday, August 12, 2021

How to Avoid the Heat

Slept in this morning and got so caught up reading The Only Woman In the Room, a novel about 30's-40's movie star and scientist Hedy Lamarr, I didn't get to breakfast until nearly noon. Watched Match Game '75 while eating fried eggs and strawberries. Charles and Brett had a great time in the first episode, especially Charles' joke about what football players passed around in the huddle. Richard's given a dummy resembling him from an audience member in the second and treats it as well as he did his own beloved sons.

Spent the next hour or so making more DVD covers. The booklet that came with the first season Muppet Show set worked fine as a cover for that, but the other two seasons needed covers. All three seasons of the 1970's Wonder Woman needed covers and to be moved to the 4-disc DVD boxes. Typing up the Wonder Woman sets proved to be especially complicated, thanks to the discs being flippers, with three episodes on each side. I did a lot of maneuvering to make room for it all.

Broke for lunch at quarter after 2. Checked out Going Places at the Watch TCM app while having a Banana-Coffee Smoothie. I go further into this horse racing comedy featuring Dick Powell and Louis Armstrong at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 


Snuggled under the green afghan on the futon by the time I'd switched to Tattletales. This time, Mitzi McCall and Charlie Brill and Deidre and James Brown were the winners, just barely beating George and Alania Hamilton. The two men battled it out on Press Your Luck. One of the guys got three Whammies...then came back to pick up a car, among other prizes.

Made a quick English Muffin batter, then worked on writing. The Red King comes over, supposedly to talk to Brett, but really to threaten her. He doesn't like how Brett seems to be buttering up the Queen and distracting her from his attempt to combine their worlds. Brett flat out tells him she has no intention of letting him get close to the Queen.

Broke to attempt the English Muffins at 6:30. The dough didn't really rise enough, so they ended up not cooking right. Match Game '76 went better. We hear funky new theme music as Gene makes jokes about kissing Richard and the others try to figure out what a chef tossed into a tossed salad. 

Went out for a walk around 7. As I mentioned yesterday, I'm tired of sitting inside and eating in front of the TV. It was sunny and blue, but also incredibly humid and still very hot. I still strolled down to West Clinton for a slice of cheese and a slice of supreme (sausage, pepperoni, red onions, sweet peppers, and mushrooms) and a can of Mango Pepsi from Phillies Phatties. Ate it at a picnic table on a quiet, rapidly-darkening West Clinton. Most businesses were closed or closing; only the occasional bursts from the brewery at the end of the block broke the silence.

Finished the night doing dishes and watching more Hogan's Heroes. "Axis Annie" is the German head of propaganda, who wants to record interviews with prisoners for her radio show. Hogan, LeBeau, and Newkirk agree to join her, Hoschetter, and Klink for the interviews in order for Hogan to deliver a message to an underground member.