Walking On Sunshine

Slept in this morning and started things off with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Dan's frustrated when he plays bean bag toss with his friend Jodi and can't get it in the basket. Jodi and his mother encourage him to keep trying until he gets close. Likewise, "Jodi Tries Ballet," and isn't nearly as good at it as her friends. Henrietta helps her get better. "Daniel Tries Something New With Grandpere," a game where he uses a magnet tied to a fishing pole to catch stars on metal paper clips. He has a hard time with it at first, but he eventually gets the hang of it. 

Did a few chores around the rooms while I worked. I knew I had a couple of Kit's outfits around. Molly had her original blue School Outfit and her cheery yellow Floral Print Dress. She originally had her lavender "Meet" outfit, but I gave it to Barbara Jean. Whitney originally wore her pink Candy Making Dress for Easter, but I like her better in the pastel polka-dot dress I found on eBay. Whitney never wears Rebecca's School Outfit with the blue and black cardigan anymore either, so I gave that to Kit as a cold-weather school outfit. 

After I'd dug out Kit's things, I went back into the other closet for the box of spring decorations. It was time to take down the St. Patrick's Day things and put up most of what I have for Easter. I did manage to find a place for a few cardboard hangings. The vintage-looking artwork of the duck and bunny with the eggs and ribbons and the bunny in front of the house watering her garden went on my bedroom door. The more modern Easter bunny and chick are on the window. 

Flora the rolly-polly toy bunny and Freddy the frog went on one of the long IKEA shelves. The other has a stuffed Build-a-Bear chick, the nifty Sees Chocolates box my mother sent for Easter in 2020, a toy chick with long legs, and a lop-eared calico bunny I found at a yard sale. The Easter Beanie Babies, plush Peeps, and dark chocolate-scented bunny went on shelves in the living room. The only garland that went up was the one with the bright-painted eggs tied to raffia Mom made in the 90's; one of the Mylar garlands surrounds the TV. The porcelain bunny figures flank the TV set.

Watched game shows on Buzzr while I worked. Dorothy was finally defeated on Match Game '75 by a cheerful young man with sunglasses and a wide white smile. Richard was delighted to give him the best answer on "Hook __" in the Audience Match, but had less luck with "Virginia __" on the Head-to-Head. The challenger didn't do as well figuring out what a doctor brings home and leaves on his wife's pillow. 

The second episode brought in a sweet but super-nervous contestant who kept drumming her platform-heeled feet on the shag carpeting and crying. Poor thing cried so much, she could barely answer her questions. Everyone did their best to joke with her and make her feel better.

Let it move onto Tattletales as I put the bins with the decorations away. This time, we had gossip queen Rona Barrett and her husband Bill Trowbridge, Pat Harrington and his very sensible wife Marge, and Adrienne Barbeau and her then-boyfriend Michael Malone. While everyone missed several questions, it was the unmarried couple who did the best. Adrienne and Michael got a big question in the end that let them pull ahead and win the game for the red section.

Headed out shortly after the show ended. I wanted to test my ankle with a few small errands in the neighborhood. First stop was the book kiosk near the Lutheran Church to drop off two novels I didn't want. After that, I made a quick run to Dollar General for electrolyte drink mix and cards for Mom's birthday on Monday and Rose's on April 7th. I forgot the gift card for Mom at home, so I went back, got her card together, dropped off the drink mix, and then went down the street to drop her card in the mail box. 

Had lunch two blocks down at Amato Bros. This combination bar, deli, and Italian restaurant is on a busy section of the White Horse Pike across from Family Dollar and Aunt Berta's and next to Dunkin' Donuts. Despite it being past quarter of 3, they were pretty busy when I arrived. I've had their "Cousin Angelo's Chicken Steak" before. It's chopped chicken with bruchetta, sauteed broccoli rabe, and sharp provolone on a hoagie roll. Yum! Messy - I ended up eating the first half with a fork - and huge, but very tasty. The basket of wavy fries she brought was huge, too. I couldn't eat the other half of the sandwich and took it home with me.

Headed to Dunkin's next to honor their official re-opening. Tried their Frozen Matcha Latte. It's what it sounds like - frozen matcha tea with milk. As such, it's not bad. It's much less sweet than a Coolatta, with an earthy flavor.

I really went out today because it was too nice to stay inside. Though it was windy, it was also fairly warm, in the lower 50's. The sun peeked behind fluffy white clouds, and the air felt fresh and clear with the scent of daffodils and new grass.

Tried to work on writing when I got home, but I really got caught up in reading research. Richard's very nervous when he hears coyotes on the mesa...and so does his mare Esmerelda. She bolts, taking him down to the mines, where a little shack leans precariously against a desert cliffside...

Broke for dinner at 7. Finished the night with leftovers and My Little Pony: The Movie. I go further into the original 1986 version of this beloved franchise at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Animation Celebration Sunday - My Little Pony: The Movie (1987)