Slept in and read in bed this morning. Buzzr was on the end of Supermarket Sweep by the time I got to the rest of the veggie pizza for breakfast. Arrived just in time for the winners to look for the 5,000. Alas, they got so close, but they missed the final question at the last second.
Let it go into Match Game '74 while I ate and did the dishes. Gunilla Hutton of Petticoat Junction showed off her jeans that said "skoal" on the rear, predating the fad of women wearing messages on their rears in the early 2000's by nearly 40 years. She was joined by Richard Deacon on his first week, Nipsey Russell (sitting in for Charles), and goofy Mitzi McCall.
Spent the next few hours online, checking for apartments and printing paperwork for the three I was seeing today. I didn't see a whole lot, but I'll keep an eye out. The owner of the apartment in Collingswood e-mailed me last night. I can't see the place tomorrow, but I could see it tonight at 5:30.
Broke to make a quick orange-banana smoothie and watch an episode of Doc McStuffins. Sir Kirby hopes that "Sir Kirby's Derby" will be an easy win on his stuffed "steed" Bonnie Blue. Bonnie cracks a wheel after a bad jump, but Kirby's so determined to win, he keeps on going. He gets his wish, but feels guilty when Bonnie's crack gets worse. Doc explains that everyone makes mistakes, but he does need to keep a better eye on his horse and make sure she gets treatment at the first signs of trouble. Lenny the Fire Truck becomes a "Ticklish Truck" after a pillow fight. There's something stuck in him that makes him laugh and squirt water uncontrollably. Doc and the others try to figure out what, then get it out.
Dashed off to my first apartment viewing of the day right after the episode ended. I was two minutes late, but apparently Mary Johnson the realtor only arrived a minute or so ahead of me. The owner wasn't able to clear out one of the two apartments, so I could only see A today.
It's in a small brick duplex on the White Horse Pike in Audubon, across from the wicker store and a block or so from the WaWa and Cooper Medical office. I loved all the closet space, including a small walk-in closet in my bedroom, and there's a nice new carpet and a remodeled bathroom. The rest of the house didn't look as new. The white cabinets with the light wood trim in the narrow kitchen reminded me of the ones at our late 60's split-level house in North Cape May in the 90's, though at least the sink was new and the appliances were updated. The bathroom was even tinier than my old one on Manor. There was also no place to put my bike around back and no laundry room, though there is a laundromat in the block of storefronts behind the WaWa.
Since I was in Audubon anyway, I rode to the Acme after I finished looking at the apartment. Ran into a lot of great sales. There's still some ice cream left on clearance. Found pints of Acme's generic natural brand and the coconut milk ice cream for 90 cents each! Dug up packs of chicken legs and thighs for less than $1.50 in a few cases. Found yogurt cups with 50 cent coupons that rendered them free. Picked up a card for my niece Lilah's seventh birthday next week. Grabbed clementines, celery, and tomatoes on sale. Found stuffed clams in the seafood section. Restocked bananas, milk, butter, lettuce (actually, escarole), pears, canned tomato sauce, mandarin oranges, and a can of tropical fruit salad.
Mixed feelings on my schedule next week. Fewer hours, though not enough to wreck havoc on my paycheck. I'm also cashiering all week, and my only long days are Sunday and Thursday. Trouble is, three days in a row are until 7. I'll be riding home in the dark. I do have Monday and Tuesday off, Tuesday for counseling...but then I work the rest of the week, and lord knows when I'll get another day off. When will I be able to do my grocery shopping?
Mom called as I put everything away at home. She mainly wanted to see how my apartment hunting was coming. Happily told her I saw one apartment and would be seeing another. And yes, I've explained to Mary Johnson and everyone else about my situation with my finances and Jodie. I'm not the only person in that situation. People say they want nice, quiet tenants, but they go with the ones that'll pay them...and I just don't make enough money.
Watched Whew! while I talked. Another young man barely got a tiebreaker round as I pushed the backpack in the hall closet. He, too, had trouble with the Gauntlet, although I think he made it to the sixth villain before time ran out.
The apartment in Collingswood is on a street I'm not familiar with, and dark was rapidly advancing. I took an Uber driver. She showed up in good time, but took forever to get where she was going. I wish more drivers came from South Jersey! She took the long way around, down the White Horse Pike and past the Collingswood Diner. I barely got there on time.
Knocked on the door of the small 1910's house on the quiet, dark residential street, but no one answered. Went up the high, narrow wooden stairs, but no one answered there, either. I finally found the owner in the back with what I presumed to be two neighbors or other tenants. I hadn't realized she got home at 5:15. No harm done, she said, and proceeded to show me the big garage where I could keep my bike. The laundry room holds washers and dryers for each tenant and cabinets to hold their detergent. She was a sprightly little woman who reminded me a lot of Lauren, up to and including her hoodie sweater and the fact that she didn't have to duck down when we went to see the laundry room.
The apartment was really lovely. It too is small, but unlike the one in Audubon, the entire space was remodeled. The huge kitchen showed signs of still being worked on, with tools laying on the breakfast bar. It had been the home of a mother and 8-year-old daughter, but when the two-bedroom apartment next to it opened, they took that. The bedroom was tiny, but it too had new carpet, and the living room was a good size and had new laminate floors and a brand-new air conditioner. In fact, my only complaints are it being somewhat off the main road and there being less closet space than in the Audubon duplex. The lady was even nice enough to drive me home after I explained my financial situation and all the trouble with Jodie and Rose.
I'm still having trouble getting into the apartment. Got my neighbor to try to help. For some reason, the key opened a lock above the one on the knob. Whatever. It got me in.
Went straight into Match Game '78 on Buzzr while heating up burgers and Brussels sprouts for dinner. Richard Dawson had a bad eye infection that caused him to wear dark glasses on his last two weeks of Match Game (and Family Feud as well). They made him even harder to decipher than usual. Not a good thing, as he was in a foul mood by this point and barely playin. The others, including Richard Paul, Jo Ann Harris, and a lady who let out a weird random laugh, had a lot more fun.
Rose called as I slid the pan into the oven. I was just about to text her anyway and keep her up to date about my apartment hunt. She's debating whether or not to text Jodie's cousin lawyer. At this point, I don't care what she does, as long as it gets me a place and calms Jodie down. I'm fed up with her ranting. It's not like I haven't been looking for a place! I've spent the last four and a half months trying to find an apartment. We're in the middle of a pandemic and living in an area that's expensive under normal circumstances.
Finished the night with more Betty White on Match Game PM. Unlike the daytime version, the syndicated nighttime show continued to be popular through late 1979. In fact, it was still such a hit, it encouraged the producers to bring it back in daytime syndication. Classic episodes from this round included the time that Gene and Richard nearly yanked a poor lady's arms out of her sockets when Gene tried to drag her way after Rich kissed her, the one with the male contestant from Brooklyn and the female contestant with the beautiful braids I mentioned a few weeks ago, the last episode on the original set with Bernie Koppel that had contestants who were so bad Charles was the only one who matched them, Jon "Bowzer" Bauman donning a giant red polka dot clown tie in an attempt to "dress up" for the nighttime show, the PM episode from the Jack/Brett week in 1978 that continued their feuding, Gene donning Guich Koch's huge cowboy hat, and him and Betty doing a mock strip tease when a contestant admitted she was a student of the human anatomy.
Do more matching in the nighttime with Betty! And come back tomorrow at 7 for Betty finishing out the PM show's run in 1980 and 1981.
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