Harts In the Sunshine

Began the morning with breakfast and The Busy World of Richard Scarry. The Busytown kids take part in the "Fun Time Riddle Race" that has them running all over, looking for clues. Huckle and Billy Dog are neck and neck, until Huckle misinterprets a clue and ends up at the observatory. "The First Balloon" is created in France, at the behest of a curious sheep girl who wants to see how her paper-making father can get his wares to fly. "Billy Dog's Space Rock" gets lost when he brings it for show and tell. He, Huckle, and Lowly borrow Mr. Fixit's new magnet invention to find it.

Headed to work soon as the cartoon was over. Other than having to put away a few cold items, work was no trouble whatsoever. It's the middle of the week and the quietest month of the year. There just isn't much going on right now besides college kids going back to school. It was also just plain too nice for shopping. The weather couldn't have been more perfect, sunny, cool, breezy, and not humid at all, barely in the 70's. Pushing the few carts that needed to be put away was a pleasure.

West Clinton under the train bridge was in the midst of being repaved when I went to work this morning, and Nicholson is also still being repaired. I took the back entrance out of Audubon Crossings and cut across Audubon, past boys playing soccer at the field across from the mall. Rode down the hill, past the Kove and into Oaklyn, dodging traffic and more road repairs.

Put on The Monkees when I got home. Desperate for work, the "Monkees On the Line" take jobs at an answering service when the owner goes on vacation. Mike ends up trying to help a young woman he thinks wants to end it all. Davy brings a message to a Mr. Smith, but he and his wife don't appreciate it one bit. Peter gets into the most trouble when he accidentally mixes up the bets two gamblers place on a horse race...and they attack the guys when they realize they've lost.

Spent the rest of the afternoon adding to the inventory, when I wasn't nodding off. Put in Bloomer Girl, the Broadway cast of The Boy Friend with Julie Andrews, Brigadoon, the revue Bubbling Brown Sugar, By Jupiter, Bye Bye Birdie, the original cast of Camelot, Carnival, and the 1974 revival of Candide. I haven't had most of these for nearly as long as some of my rock and soundtrack records. Camelot goes back the furthest of this batch. I found it at Russakoff's Used Books and Records on New Year's Eve 2008.

Watched Match Game Syndicated during dinner. Betty Kennedy and comedian Freeman King joined in for these episodes. Betty did really well for her first time on the episode I saw, getting every answer right. Gene spends at least five minutes trying to explain elevator shoes to a contestant...who then admitted that she knew what they were, she was just trying to stall for time.

Finished the night online with TV shows at Tubi and Roku after my shower. It's "Murder In Paradise" on Hart to Hart when a friend in Hawaii who was literally stabbed in the back leaves a cryptic clue with Jonathan. While he and Jennifer deal with two agents from MI6 and the CIA who may or may not be the real thing, Max romances a series of ladies who say they'll teach him the hula.

Scooby Dum joins in for "Vampire Bats and Scaredy Cats" on The Scooby Doo Show. He, Scooby, and Mystery Inc are staying with a friend of Daphne's who will own a large hotel on a remote island. Her uncle reveals the story about their grandfather, who could turn into a vampire. Shaggy and Scooby are worried that he's right, but Velma has a more plausible explanation.