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. 

1 comment:

Linda said...

I love that film! I have the DVD but still watched it last night.