Slept in this morning. When I finally got out of bed, rain pattered on the roof in a heavy shower. Opted to cheer things up instead with Silly Symphony shorts set around summertime as I ate breakfast. "Summertime" and "Night" are variations on the "animals sing and dance and eat each other in time to classical music" theme that was popular in the early Symphonies. "Playful Pan" plays music that makes the forest dance, but he's less helpful when gyrating clouds unleash lightning that sets off a fire in the forest.
"Bugs In Love" was the last black-and-white Silly Symphony. An insect community comes to the aid of two ladybug lovers when a crow tries to eat the female. Disney's first color short "Flowers and Trees" is a similar story. Here, though, the lovers are two young trees threatened by an old hollow log, and he's the one who sets the forest on fire.
Spent the next hour doing research on the NJ Transit River Line. It apparently travels from Camden to Trenton, stopping at small towns along the Delaware River. Some of those small towns, like Riverton, Riverside, Edgewater Park, Palmyra, Burlington, and Cinnaminson, have shops and tree-lined avenues that might be worth exploring. If nothing else, it would be a quicker summer trip than taking two trains and a bus ride to get down to the Shore.
By 1:30, the rain had finally ended. I was bored out of my skull and needed to get out of the house and do something. Headed out for a bike ride. Cut through Newton Lake Park on my way to Westmont. It's so green there now. The leaves on the trees are big and bright now; flowers and thick rushes grow along the lake's edge. Even on a gloomy, gray, cool day, people went for strolls and took their dogs for a walk.
First stop was something for lunch. There's a whole row of restaurants (and a spa and Hair Cuttery) in a shopping center across from the Westmont Theater gym. I chose Que Ricas, one of the smallest spaces in the mall. This colorful, tropical-themed space sells real Venezuelan street food. I went with the scrambled egg, cotija cheese, and vegetable "arepas," a type of soft cornbread roll and a can of Diet Pepsi. Oh, yum! All of the flavors melded together so beautifully, and I loved the soft cheese tucked into the bottom. Not a bad price, either. Very tasty.
Headed a couple of blocks down to Phidelity Records after lunch. Did very well here. For some reason, Paramount doesn't have every episode from the original Odd Couple online. I picked up the fourth and fifth seasons, plus Police Squad and the second series of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. Records included:
George Shearing Quintet - Black Satin
The soundtrack from the Lucille Ball Mame
Jack and the Beanstalk Peter Pan children's record
Went across the street after that to check out Samaritan Thrift. Alas, I spent a little too much time in Phidelity Records. It would seem they close at 3, and I went over at 3:30. Peeked at McMillian's Bakery, but by this point, it was rush hour. Traffic on Haddon and Cuthbert was getting worse, too, and big black clouds were beginning to gather again.
I thought of stopping at the CVS on Cuthbert to pick up conditioner, but...there was no CVS. The building was empty, and the sign was gone. I swear it was there the last time I rode down Cuthbert! Either I didn't notice it closed, or they just closed in the last week or two. I finally just headed home the way I came.
Went into looking at local houses for sale and apartments for rent when I got in. Had an early dinner and watched Match Game '79 while I ate. Charles announces it's Save Your Vision week and how important it is to take care of your eyes while eating on the air. Debralee Scott is more nervous about helping the contestant with "__ Talks" in the Head-to-Head.
Worked on writing for a while after I finished. Humpty-Deacon wants to stay on the subject of words and discuss how he makes up his own. Brett complains that this makes no sense, rather like the poem about the Jabberwock she'd read in the Alice book in her backyard. Deacon tells her it's mainly talking about all the monsters in Limbo and how slimy and terrible they are.
Finished the night after a shower with Stars and Stripes Forever. I go into further detail on this 1952 biography of John Phillips Sousa at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.
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