Wednesday, December 07, 2022

Keep Christmas With You

Started the morning with breakfast, work at the computer, and Garfield's Christmas Special. Garfield's not happy about visiting Jon's parents on the farm, until he bonds with tough Grandma. Grandma misses her late husband badly, but Garfield finds a way to make her holidays a little merrier. 

Headed out to work shortly after I got off my laptop. Work went back-and-forth between insane with long lines and totally dead. Thankfully, most people were in decent moods, except for the one Door Dash delivery guy who threw a fit because he had to sign a tax removal form and buy his own bags. All of the delivery services have to buy their own bags and sign that form, so I don't know where he got the idea he didn't. And of course, my last customers were one of those big, noisy families with two carts who spend most of the time yelling at each other. Thank goodness they sent one of the teens in and he took over half-way through, or I would have been late getting out.

Stopped on my way out to pick up fudge-topped shortbread cookies, then headed home. Part of the reason for the off-and-on crowds may have been the off-and-on weather. It spit when I headed to work, but didn't rain hard. By the time I finished, a dense fog bank had settled over the area. I tried to be careful as possible heading home across Oaklyn.

When I got home, I changed and did a little writing. Gene appears at the top of the clock and says Debralee is the only one who can help the Nutcracker and the princess. How, she asks? She's bigger than any of them. Gene can fix that...

Broke at quarter of 7 to work on cards. Match Game '74 was already in progress when I started. Brett showed off a flowing pink batik dress a friend made for her, prompting Richard to joke about her going hang gliding. Meanwhile, Brett tries to help Charles with "Toll __" in the Head-to-Head, and Scoey Mitchilll admires the very elegant and pretty champion.

Had dinner with friends before coming back upstairs for Match Game '79. Gene's not too happy when Patti Deustch sneezes on him after he has to read a question to her alone. The others have their own opinions on the Audience Match "Do As I __."

Ended the night online honoring recently-passed TV actors Kirstie Alley and Bob McGrath. I was a bit young for Cheers during its heyday in the 80's-early 90's and didn't really get into it until I caught re-runs in college. Having grown up with one parent who worked as a cook in a bar and another who hung out in them, I was very familiar with grouchy waitresses, sage bartenders, and all manner of barflies. By the early 2000's, Cheers felt as much home to me as it did them. 

Alley took over as Rebecca, the new bar manager and love interest for Sam Malone (Ted Danson), in the sixth season after Diane (Shelley Long) left. "Christmas Cheers" has her keeping the crew late on Christmas Eve. Sam's angry he can't go out with his girlfriend, and then desperately tries to find Rebecca a gift. A pretty young stewardess provides the answer, but it's a bit much, even for Rebecca. Carla just wants to be home before midnight, Woody's more interested in the children's play going on in his native Indiana, Cliff's competing with another mailman to win a trip to Florida, and Norm's playing department store Santa.

Sam says "Love Me, Love My Car" when he convinces the widow of the man who bought his car (Dana Delaney) to sell it back to him during the show's last Christmas episode in season 11. He regrets it when he realizes that the woman feels betrayed and used. Rebecca's also going through an unlikely romance...with the pig Woody's parents sent for Christmas dinner. Her attempt to rescue her new porcine pal doesn't work out the way she hoped.

Bob McGrath was a fixture on Sesame Street from its inception in 1969 until just a few years ago, finally retiring in 2017. His warm presence is certainly felt on their first holiday special, Christmas Eve On Sesame Street from 1978. He introduces "Keep Christmas With You" with the help of kids signing for his deaf girlfriend. Big Bird just wants to find out how Santa gets down those skinny New York chimneys. Oscar told him if he can't figure it out, no one will get any presents! Mr. Hooper helps Ernie and Bert when they give up the things that mean the most to them to buy presents. Cookie Monster wants to contact Santa, but he keeps eating the writing utensils. 

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