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. 

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