Getting Things Done

Got a late start this morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Jodi is "A New Friend at School" on her first day. Daniel is disappointed when Prince Wednesday would rather play pigs with her than race cars with him. Teacher Harriett finally reminds him that even if a friend plays with someone else, you're still friends. Likewise, he gets upset when Miss Elainia plays splatball with Jodi instead of him. Lady Elaine reminds Daniel that "A New Friend at the Playground" will include him in their fun.

Had just enough time before my job counseling appointment for a quick errand at Target. I needed shaving gel. Got that and a Hint apple water, too. To my surprise, the Westmont Plaza was mobbed with teenagers when I arrived. They must have just gotten out of school, because none of them were up front. There were no lines anywhere but Starbucks. Hurried to the library quick enough to take out the intriguing-looking mystery A Midnight Puzzle by Gig Pandian and Job Therapy by Tessa West. 

I had just finished checking out the books and was going to see if Dawn had arrived when she walked right in. We had a fairly productive hour. I applied for a part-time copy writer at Sagpixel in Cherry Hill, a Marketing Coordinator for something called Corporate Synergies in Camden, an editor for the Patch newspapers, and a secretary for CarVision in Maple Shade. Truth be told, the Patch is the only one I'm all that interested in, and I'm not sure I'm really qualified for any of them. I haven't worked with Microsoft Word or PowerPoint or anything fancy since college. I really need to find a way to upgrade that.

I still felt better when I doubled back to the Westmont Plaza. Thankfully, though there were lots of chattering teenagers at Starbucks, the line wasn't long. I had an egg and pesto sandwich on chewy ciabatta bread and the most amazing Apple Crisp Non-Dairy Foam Chai Latte that really did taste like the fall dessert. Unlike the pumpkin latte in Audubon yesterday, it wasn't too sweet or spicy, just right.

Sprouts was even quieter. There's nothing there to interest teenagers, no seasonal or toy aisles. In addition to coconut milk, breakfast cookie sandwiches, and Poppi soda, I thought I'd try something different. Sprouts has bins where you can buy everything from staples like flour and salt to candy, nuts, and dried fruit in bulk. I scooped a small bag of dried pineapple and another of coconut macaroon almonds, just to try them. Not only were the almonds delicious, but the pineapple came to 39 cents and the almonds to $1.30. I will absolutely be doing that again with sweet nuts and dried fruit. 

Headed down the hill and past Haddon Township High School to the Westmont Acme next. They were even less busy. I mainly needed to restock yogurt and granola bars. Apple butter is a decent price for a good-sized jar, and it's less sweet than jelly or jam. I discovered the hard way last night when I had an upset stomach that I needed to refill the Lifesavers jar I use for Starlight mints. Poppi soda is still three for $6 here, and bakery cookies were on sale, too.

Rode across Newton Lake Park going home, then over the path on the hill next to the Haddon Township Environmental Center. The weather remains gorgeous here. It's slightly more humid, but otherwise beautiful, sunny, breezy, and in the lower 80's. The park is still pretty gorgeous, too. The water rippled and sparkled under the new fountains. Emerald leaves over my head waved in that sweet-smelling breeze.

When I got home, I watched PAW Patrol while getting organized and putting my groceries away. "Pups Save the Bookmobile" when its owner's raccoon accidentally lets go of the breaks and it goes flying down a mountain. The pups have to make sure that neither the books nor the bookmobile's owner get hurt. Mayor Humdinger has a desire to carve his and the Kitty Catastrophe Crew's faces on the side of a cliff, but the "Pups Save Heady Humdinger" when the head breaks off and rolls through Adventure Bay.

Switched to The Price Is Right while taking down the summer decorations and putting up the ones I have for fall. I know, it's early, but first of all, it's been really hot one day since mid-August. Second, by the time fall actually does start, I'll be on vacation. The Sees candy tin and candles shaped like candy corn go on the shelf with my Beanie Babies and my old teddy TJ. Set up baskets of fall foliage on three different shelves and two scarecrows on the media center and one of the book shelves. The orange owl with glasses reading a book sits with my collectible teddies on top of the record crates. I can't find the fall wreath, so I hung the dangling wooden leaves and acorns on my door instead.

Worked on the inventory next. Added On the Twentieth Century, the 1983 revival of On Your Toes, Once Upon a Mattress with Carol Burnett, and the original stage Paint Your Wagon, The Pajama Game, and Peter Pan. All but Once Upon a Mattress were bought from record stores within the last six years. In fact, Once and Twentieth Century are the only ones that didn't come from Phidelity Records in Westmont, and Twentieth Century came from Long In the Tooth Records in Philly.

Watched Pigskin Parade while I worked. I go further into this cute college football romp that was Judy Garland's first feature-length film at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Back to School Again - Pigskin Parade

Watched Match Game '79 as I worked. They were up to the adorable week featuring vintage TV puppets Kukla and Ollie. Brett spent the week flirting with Ollie the Dragon, while Eva Gabor spent it explaining her strange answers. Kukla and Ollie's puppeteer and creator Burr Tilstrom popped out to show how he worked the duo in the end.

Finished the night with rock records while I worked on the Pigskin Parade review. Thankfully, Beggars Banquet did have the right record. One of the Stones' best albums of the 60's featured the dark hits "Sympathy for the Devil" and one of my favorites of their songs, "Street Fighting Man." I also like "Factory Girl" and "Salt of the Earth."

I didn't cry at "The Old School" on Rupert Holmes' Pursuit of Happiness, but it and "Town Square" are lovely, sad songs about memories. They were especially meaningful to me. There is an old school in Cape May, the Franklin Street School, that was Cape May's black school before New Jersey integrated all schools in 1948. It's been the town rec center since my childhood. I remember taking dance and gymnastics classes in the auditorium when I was very young. Unlike the Old School, it was recently remodeled and is now the Cape May City Library. 

I've been hearing Dan Fogleberg's songs on the radio since I was trying to tumble in those gymnastic classes. They always seemed a little sadder and more melancholy than most of the songs on the radio in the 80's. The tribute "Leader of the Band" and sorrowful take of "Same Old Lang Syne" were the hits. "Hard to Say" and "Missing You" are also good.