Friday, September 09, 2022

Who's Minding the Mall?

Slept until 11 this morning and didn't really get going until past noon. It was almost 12:30 before I had breakfast. Watched Match Game '74 while I ate. Orson Bean took over for Charles Nelson Reilly while he directed a play in New York. Richard admires a flower a lady in the audience gave him...and Louisa Moritz's rabbit fur halter top and how well she filled it out. Meanwhile, Gene is still getting people tangled in his microphone wires. Richard dodges them this time.

Checked my phone briefly after the show while I figured out what I wanted to do today. I originally planned on hitting Target, but I ended up doing that Tuesday. I hadn't intended to hit up a mall before I went on vacation...but I really needed new work pants. One of my pairs just got holes in them. I figured I'd be fine if I went for an hour or two and focused on the department and clothing stores. 

Since getting to Deptford would require a bus and a long bike ride, I opted for Uber. The driver arrived within three minutes. She turned out to be a very pleasant, chatty woman about my age. We discussed our families and pets and the gorgeous, sunny day all the way to Deptford. 

Got off at Macy's. I have a coupon for them...but although I searched their plus size section twice, I didn't see anything that would work. Macy's is currently in the midst of remodeling, and many sections were smaller than usual or in disarray. I eventually moved on. 

Did much better elsewhere. Found a pair of khaki shorts on the clearance rack for $10 at JC Penney. They too are remodeling, though it mainly seemed to be near the mall entrance and upstairs. Looked at the shoes, hoping to find sneakers for work, but didn't see anything. 

Had a quick lunch at Pizza Zeppoli in the food court. They had huge slices of my favorite Tomato-Basil-Mozzarella. They were so big, one slice and a small Diet Pepsi more than filled up my stomach. 

I went to Deptford instead of the closer Cherry Hill because I far prefer Boscov's to Nordstrom as an anchor. Indeed, they didn't let me down. I picked up a pair of khaki jeans for $34 and a red umbrella (I left my old one in an Uber car) for $6.99. It took me longer to find an open register with no line than it did to find what I wanted. I considered looking at their shoes, but the area was crawling with people and had a crazy line to boot. The woman in the register by the accessories had to deal with an older lady returning a mountain of clothes and flat-out said she'd take too long for a line. I ended up at one of the jewelry counters.

Finally got out the main entrance around quarter after 4. With it being rush hour, it took me a little longer to get a ride, though 8 minutes could have been a lot worse. The girl mainly blasted hip-hop the whole ride...but she did give me a scare when she darted in and out of an exit with backed-up traffic. She took me home via Collings Avenue in West Collingswood instead.

Mom called while I was at the mall. I got her back after I put everything away. She's doing just fine, other than adjusting to how they do things in Virginia. Evidently, they don't recycle in Virginia, which I think sounds terribly wasteful, and she does have to figure out the drama with my brother's wife and her family. On the other hand, she's happy to have people to talk to, and her family lives near-by as well. She always did get along better with my brother than with me or my sisters.

And yes, we're both still disgusted and disappointed with Rose. She did bring her family to Keefe's baby shower...for all of ten minutes during a trip they otherwise spent camping in a rented RV. Mom said she barely talked to her, but they spoke long enough for her to get a sense that she got overwhelmed last winter and reacted badly. She feels like everyone threw too much on her shoulders, and doesn't like how the neighbors did everything for me during the move. 

I've had it up to here with all of this. This is not how a family is supposed to behave. Jodie did nothing but whine and complain behind my back last winter, and Anny and Rose's way of dealing with trouble has always been to shut out everyone and everything that didn't meet their expectations. The neighbors helped me twice - once with moving, and once with getting things out of storage. And they held that birthday party for me. Everything else I've done since February, including all those health appointments in the spring, I did myself. 

And ROSE offered to get me the extra two months. I did not ask her to do that. In fact, while I appreciate her help, I seriously regret having let her be my legal counsel. I should have asked if she had any friends who could help me straight out when things started getting bad in November, rather than letting her continue. In fact, I probably need to look for a lawyer who isn't in the family, especially if I do intend to get some kind of a home. 

(Incidentally...I do want a home of my own, but I'm starting to think a traditional house might not be the way to go. Even the ones that look small are too big for me. Vanessa suggested mobile homes. A friend who's a realtor suggested condos. Both might be worth looking into. I need to discuss it with PNC Bank, too. I don't want to rush into moving or end up in a place I'll have to leave again before I'm ready.)

Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Ate while watching Let's Make a Deal. Caught a repeat of one of the episodes that showed up during their marathon in July. Eve in a peach leotard and flower crown traded in a grandfather clock and a stereo in the end for workout clothes and exercise equipment that cost slightly more. A couple in garbage bags and leaves got the Big Deal of the Day, a gorgeous mink wrap that looked stunning on the lady. 

Had dessert during Match Game '75. The lovely contestant here is very pregnant...and she's making everyone a bit nervous. Richard does manage to help her out with "Hour __" in the Head-to-Head, while Gene worries about the audience yelling at and agitating her. 

Finished the night on Pluto TV with Who's Minding the Store? They have a whole collection of Jerry Lewis vehicles on demand right now. Mrs. Phoebe Tuttle (Agnes Moorehead) is angry that her daughter Barbara (Jill St. John) is in love with clumsy dog walker Norman Phiffer (Lewis), whom she thinks is beneath her. She insists on hiring Norman in the family's department store and has him do a series of increasingly difficult and outlandish tasks. 

Instead of quitting, Norman manages to see each and every one through, even when they accidentally wreck havoc on store manager Mr. Quimby (Ray Walston). Quimby, however, eventually comes to admire Norman, as does Mrs. Tuttle's frustrated husband John (John McGiver). Norman finally gets fed up when he realizes who Barbara is...but they finally prove to him that they're willing to see things from his point of view. 

Typical of Lewis' vehicles and the early 60's. The ladies here aren't seen in a very flattering light - Norman is utterly convinced he has to support Barbara - and the entire set-up is basically just as a set piece for Lewis' shenanigans. He does have some decent gags, including great huntress Nancy Kulp demanding he get her an elephant gun and him dealing with a lady wrestler in the shoe department, but this is otherwise for people who love slapstick or his brand of mayhem. 

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