Hot for Halloween

Began the morning with the Colliers Harvest of Holidays anthology. In addition to a few spooky poems, the book has two sweet comic pieces featuring very modern witches. "The Blue-Nosed Witch" is a scatterbrained miss who is forever late for her coven meetings. She sets her clock so far back on Halloween, she ends up joining the trick-or-treaters. Another young witch is annoyed when she conjures "The Water Nixie" for the local kids. She was hoping for a fairy. She has more luck hurrying to school on her broom after her disapproving witch mother falls asleep.

Switched to The Woody Woodpecker Show during breakfast. The only cartoon on the show made directly for television was the Halloween-themed "Spook-a-nanny." Woody spends most of the episode between cartoons blowing up balloons for his boss Walter Lanz. The rest of Lanz's creations try to keep him out of their Halloween party. He eventually gets in by following a ghost rock band, but forgets he can't walk through walls like they can.

Headed out for Halloween brunch next. It was so dead at the Pop Shop when I got in, I think I was the first one there. My pumpkin cheesecake "Bettys" consisted of two regular pancakes topped with two huge scoops of pumpkin cheesecake filling. Not bad, but so huge and rich, I couldn't finish them. Watched parents come in with their younger kids in costume as I ate, including a ghoulish princess in a fancy blue dress and scary make-up and two boys with their faces made up.

After a very quick stop at PNC Bank for the rent, I dodged noon traffic down Cuthbert to the Westmont Acme. I didn't really need much here anyway. Mainly wanted to restock yogurt. Also picked up shampoo and conditioner on a good sale and the Kind kids' bars with online coupons and more Olipop soda. They were relatively busy, but no more than usual for a Thursday during lunch hour, and I was in and out.

Next up was job counseling with Dawn at the Haddon Township Library. I did apply for a receptionist and office assistant job at a cheesecake bakery Dawn said was right down the street from her in Burlington, but Dawn's main interest was applying for government positions. I don't know. I don't have my driver's licence, don't know if I could handle the stress at the post office, and it just seems so complicated to apply for them.

Rushed to Sprouts next. They were having a buy-one, get-one sale on cookies. I tried the seasonal flavors pumpkin chocolate chip and ginger molasses. Also grabbed more of the Nixie soda with the dollar coupon, a bag of black grapes, and lemon raspberry dried mango pieces.

Went straight into getting my costume together when I got home. I was originally going to be a cat this year, but I saw lacy bat's ears and a "wings" cape at Walmart last week and changed it to being a bat. Alas, those makeup "crayons" I bought from Dollar General proved to be worthless. The black one broke after I'd colored in my nose and done two whiskers. I finished the rest with regular makeup. Uses the purple jack o'lantern candy bucket to give out treats and carried my cutie-pie stuffed bat Bela. 

Watched Halloween Is Grinch Night while I got organized. I went further into this bizarre Dr. Seuss special at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog in 2018 (along with Garfield's Halloween Adventure). 

Halloween Short Subject Special - Halloween Is Grinch Night

I was sitting outside and reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by 3, but the kids didn't really start coming around until 4:30. And when they came, they came in droves. It was too gorgeous to not do something outside for Halloween! The weather was sunny and ridiculously warm for Halloween, in the lower 80's, but the strong wind was deliciously cool. In fact, I'd never seen so many adults sitting outside on their stoops or driveways to give out candy, including our next-door neighbor.

Saw some terrific costumes this year. And for once, I actually got to see all of them. The warm weather meant there was no need to cover costumes with coats or heavy sweaters this year! There were lovely girl ghouls and pretty witches in lacy mini-dresses. Saw three ninjas in red, black, and blue, Beetlejuice, an Oompa Loompa, Rubble from PAW Patrol, a tiny female Incredible Hulk, and parents in Incredibles suits with a girl monster. A mom Elphaba and dad Fiyero pushed a tiny Glinda in a stroller. At least five Ghostbusters, Dorothy, a mom in her nurse's uniform, another mom dressed as Mrs. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus in a planet-print dress, three Army soldiers in fatigues, and the little girl with the short hair from Stranger Things came later in the afternoon. Another family toted a small and adorable Buzz Lightyear, while another chased a boy in an inflatable dinosaur costume. Older boys wandered around in leisure suits and ugly wigs. 

The Mystery Bags vanished in less than a half-hour. Good thing I bought more candy at the Acme to go with what I already had and a friend brought out a box of mini-Pringles containers. In fact, the Pringles were probably the biggest hit of the afternoon. All of the kids loved them and kept asking for more, especially the teenagers who weren't all that into candy.

By 6 PM, I was down to half a bag of Sour Patch gummies and Swedish Fish. Not to mention, it was time for dinner and to head down to West Clinton for the parade. I went inside and ate really quick, then used the bathroom, left the remaining candy with my friend for her kids, dropped my wallet and Bela in the purple pumpkin, and went on my way again.

To my delight and surprise, I ran into Rose, Finley, and Craig with Cider at Tonewood Brewery's outdoor patio. I was able to give Rose Fin and Khai's Mystery Bags in person. Craig took Cider home and Khai was out with friends, but I was able to chat with Rose. Rose went 80's in a slouchy blue shirt and tight shorts. Finley was a dark fairy and a sleeveless purple dress, a flower crown, beige ballet flats, "vines" drawn on her legs, arms, and face with glitter makeup, and actual fairy ear tips kept on with latex glue. She played with mini dinosaur toys while her mother and I talked and the other parents there broke out pizza for dinner.

The costumes at the parade were even cooler. One little girl went as a peacock, complete with genuine peacock feather tail. There was a dad in a construction outfit pulling his son in a wagon made to look like a bulldozer. A Little Mermaid family had a truly adorable Ariel and toddler Flounder, while a sweet Anna chased her little Olaf brother. Another boy wore a lavish steampunk suit, jacket, and top hat. There was a teen group with Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet whose high spirits were remarkable considering how hot their costumes must have been. Two pretty princesses sported poofy pink and purple gowns. Saw another Beetlejuice and three more Ghostbusters. Finley's best friend was Barbie in her pink flared western costume from mid-way through the movie. Parents went as Frankenstein and his bride, gangsters, and a mom Chucky and dad Tiffany. 

Thankfully, the parade was only slightly late this year. As the group started down West Clinton, I couldn't help noticing that it was more than twice the size it usually is. Everyone must have decided to come out and enjoy the still-warm evening. Even Finley and her friends rushed out to join me as we hiked past Tonewood. 

With all those great costumes, neither Finley nor I won anything. I suspect Finley was more disappointed than I was. She and Rose vanished right after the elementary school kids were judged. I hung around to get candy and two balsa wood gliders for a friend's kids. 

Got yet another surprise after I got home, washed my makeup off, and put my costume pieces away. The owner of the Match Game Productions channel ran a previously-unmentioned Halloween game show marathon. I came in to see Vincent Price as the Mystery Guest on a 50's episode of What's My Line? In addition to repeating the Match Game '90 Halloween episode, we had two Family Feud episodes from the 90's (one with Ray Combs dressed as Robin Hood, the other with Richard Dawson and lavish Halloween decorations), two Super Password episodes with trick and treat bags, a mid-70's Halloween Squares episode with Paul Lynde as Frankenstein in the center square, and a Price Is Right episode from the mid-2000's with an older Bob Barker and two spooky witch-based Showcases. 

Play this marathon at your spooky parties this weekend and see who plays along!

Trick or Treat Game Show Spooktacular Marathon 2024

Finished the night with The Midnight Hour. I go further into this TV teen horror comedy from 1985 at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Happy Halloween! - The Midnight Hour

Autumn Was Warm

Began the morning with breakfast and The Muppet Show. Vincent Price appeared in the first season amid spooky skits and bizarre happenings. Kermit gets eaten by a very hungry Muppet monster, Fozzie and Gonzo have Price and Uncle Deadly as their guests at a haunted house on a very special night, Kermit and Price discuss the fine art of acting, the Muppet Newscaster announces a story about living furniture, and Price sings "You've Got a Friend" with the Muppet Monsters.

Hurried off to work after that. Between stunning weather and it being the end of the month and the day before a major holiday that doesn't involve big meals, we were dead almost the entire afternoon. It picked up a little bit around the last hour...just as the managers kept calling me to put cold items away and I spilled soapy water in the back area when I was taking it to the drains and had to mop it all up. Thanks to all that, I barely had 15 minutes to do carts before I went home. 

Went straight upstairs and into Ghostbusters when I got home. Paranormal scientists Egon Spangler (Harold Ramis), Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), and Ray Stantz (Dan Acroyd) go into business as ghost-catchers after they're fired by Columbia University. Venkman is more interested in flirting with their first customer, pretty and intelligent musician Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver), then taking her claim that she saw a ghost in her refrigerator seriously. He begins to wonder if she might really be onto something when their business triples after they catch a little green ghost roaming around a swanky hotel. They're so busy, they have to hire a fourth man, Winston Zeddmore (Ernie Hudson) to help them deal with the volume.

Their secretary Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts) is convinced that something terrible is going to happen...and it turns out she's right. They're arrested when a man from the Environmental Protection Agency (William Atherton) shuts down their containment unit and literally blows the top off their headquarters. Turns out the apartment building where Dana and her nerdy neighbor Louis Tully (Rick Moranis) live is actually the conduit for Gozer, a spirit who could bring about the apocalypse. It's up to the Ghostbusters to stop Gozer and the Stay-Puft Man from turning New York into the world's largest charred marshmallow!

I've loved the original version of this movie since it came out in 1984. The sequel was the first movie my sisters and I saw in a theater without parental supervision. I don't think the first sequel is that bad, am still convinced that the 2016 remake gets a bum rap, and haven't gotten around to the recent sequels. Frankly, the original is probably the only Ghostbusters movie most casual viewers need. 

Watched The Halloween Tree during dinner. Four kids dressed as a skeleton, a witch, a mummy, and a monster are alarmed when their leader and best friend Pip doesn't turn up for trick or treat. Halloween is Pip's favorite night of the year! They follow what they think is him to a spooky old house and a tree filled with Jack o'lanterns. The house and the tree are owned by Moundshround (Leonard Nimoy), a spooky old man. Pip takes off with a pumpkin carved to look like him, prompting Moundshround and the kids to go after him. Moundshround tells the kids that if they can keep up with Pip - and learn about 4,000 years of Halloween history in the process - he'll let him go. Even when the kids do manage to follow him and learn about the death customs of Ancient Egypt, the Celtic Druids, medieval Europe, and modern Mexico, the old man may not be ready to keep his promise, until the kids make the ultimate sacrifice.

Ray Bradbury narrates the story, based on his own book of the same name. It's interesting to learn about how Halloween came around, especially since its customs and origins aren't as widely-discussed as those for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Sweet and spooky, with decent animation for a TV special in 1993, this is very much recommended for pre-teens looking for something different to watch before trick-or-treat and adults who are interested in learning more about the holiday.

Put on Match Game '77 before taking a shower. They're finally down to New Year's week. Fannie Flagg took over from Brett Somers, who was out doing a play, in the character actress seat. She's joined by Richard Deacon and sweet but slightly bizarre Joyce Bulifant. 

Switched to vintage Disney holiday specials next, starting with Halloween Hall of Fame. Jonathan Winters plays a Disney security guard who is working at the studio Halloween night when he finds a Jack o'lantern (Winters) in a crystal ball. Jack claims he's hiding at Disney because the holiday just isn't scary enough for him anymore. Winters points to the Donald Duck short "Trick Or Treat," the truly scary "Pluto's Judgement Day," and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" to prove otherwise. 

Disney's Halloween Treat debuted in 1982 in syndication, but we saw it when it ran yearly on The Disney Channel. A talking pumpkin is the main narrator as he introduces spooky shorts like "Donald and the Gorilla" and "The Old Mill," along with the Wizard's Duel sequence from The Sword In the Stone and a short piece on the cat's contribution to horror mythology. Hans Conried as the Magic Mirror takes over to introduce some of Disney's most beloved villains, including the one he voiced, Captain Hook. The special ends with what's likely their most famous spooky shorts, Micky, Donald, and Goofy being their own ghost catchers in "Lonesome Ghosts" and "Trick or Treat."

Moved to YouTube for "Jack O'Lantern." This episode Rankin Bass's Festival of Family Classics TV show is the closest they got to a Halloween special. Jack is a leprechaun living inside a carved pumpkin who makes a scarecrow come alive to battle a witch and a warlock and help two kids save their father's farm.

Returned to Disney Plus for more Muppet Show. Alice Cooper was one of the earliest "shock jocks," and his appearance in the third season was controversial, to say the least. Henson played on his ghoulish reputation by having him try to buy the souls of various Muppets...but Gonzo is the only taker. Meanwhile, teeth complain of a toothache, ghosts sing about their "Once a Year Day," the crew of the Swine Trek try to figure out what to do when a space virus turns them all invisible, and Robin sings a lovely "Over the Rainbow."

Finished the night back at YouTube with the short "Betty's Halloween Party" from 1933. Betty Boop has fun on Halloween with her friends, until a gorilla breaks up the party and tries to grab Betty. He gets a real scare when she turns off the light, and he's attacked by ghosts, ghoulies, and the witch and black cat decorations. 

And here's even more vintage Halloween specials to enjoy before trick or treat tomorrow!

Fat Albert Halloween Special

The Wickedest Witch

The Last Halloween

Casper's Halloween Special

Looney Tunes: Broomstick Bunny

The Trouble With Miss Switch

Miss Switch to the Rescue

The Great Bear Scare

Buttons and Rusty In Which Witch is Which

Once Upon a Midnight Scary

A Pumpkin Full of Nonsense

Disney's Haunted Halloween (Educational Short)

DTV Monster Hits

Spooky Tales On a Sunny Day

Began the morning with breakfast and The Scooby Doo Show. The members of Mystery Inc are enjoying a Halloween party at Crane Manor, on the invitation of their friend Beth. They all get a shock when the party is crashed by none other "The Headless Horseman of Halloween" and Legend of Sleepy Hollow fame. Beth's cousin Elwood explains that Ichabod was their ancestor, and her aunt's diamond necklace is cursed. He's seemingly attacked by the Horseman, but Velma thinks there's something more devious going on than history repeating itself.

Ran out to run a few errands behind the Acme next. I had one last bag of items I wanted to deliver at the back of Goodwill, including my old snow boots. Went around front after that and checked out the main store. I found a bag with the most adorable little folk-ish ghost and cute smiling jack o'lantern candle and four CDs. Two will go to Lauren and her parents. The other two are for me:

Elton John - The One

Walt Disney Christmas Favorites Vol. 2 (I bought this mainly for the original songs "It Won't Be Long 'Till Christmas" and "Santa's Rap" and the rarely covered "Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella.")

My throat was so dry, I needed to go next door to Five Below for a Coke Oreo Zero. Found a few cute Hello Kitty items that Amanda will love for Christmas, too. They must have been training new cashiers. There were at least five young women standing behind the counter, and they were all perfectly pleasant.

Rode up to Market Street in Audubon for lunch. Had a turkey and bacon croissant sandwich and pumpkin spice chai latte outside at the Brown Dog Cafe. The latte wasn't all that different from the one at Common Grounds, just slightly less sweet. The sandwich was amazing, warm deli turkey housed between thick bacon slices and avocado spread in a flaky croissant. I enjoyed my meal while watching cars and dog walkers go by.

The traffic had picked up considerably  by the time I started home. Not only were the kids out of school, but the township was doing electrical work on Nicholson and had the tunnel under the train bridge blocked off. Cars were probably using the bridge as a detour. I went past the Kove Restaurant and down Atlantic instead, enjoying sunshine and perfectly warm weather.

Put on Sheriff Callie's Wild West while getting organized when I got home. Bandits commit "The Great Halloween Robbery" when they steal a giant jack o'lantern full of treats from the whole town. Callie, Toby, and Peck have a hard time finding them and the candy, thanks to Farmer Stinky's corn maze. Peck's tale of "The Ghost of Scary Prairie" is fictional, but his mule Clementine and Toby take it as real and run off. Callie goes after them...and when she ends up scaring them, everyone in town learns a lesson about letting their imaginations run away with them.

Switched to Voyage of the Rock Aliens at Tubi after the cartoon ended. I go further into this extremely 80's B sci-fi musical spoof at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Cult Flops - Voyage of the Rock Aliens

Worked on the inventory next. Added Legally Blonde: The Musical, the stage version of The Lion King, Li'L Abner, and a collection with two off-Broadway revivals of antique hits, Leave It to Jane and Oh Kay! Jane/Kay came from the FYE in Moorestown, and the other two were yard sale finds. I've had Li'l Abner for so long, I have no idea where it came from now. I think I picked it up from the Borders near the Hamilton Mall in college.

Watched Young Frankenstein while working in honor of Teri Garr, who passed away today. Dr. Fredrick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) isn't proud of his family's ghoulish legacy, until he inherits his grandfather's castle. After discovering his grandfather's private library, he decides that maybe his grandfather wasn't that crazy after all and the dead could be brought back to life. He and Igor (Marty Feldman) do find the appropriate enormous body, but Igor brings him an abnormal brain. Now the monster is running loose and the Inspector (Kenneth Mars) and townspeople are calling for both their heads. Not to mention, his fiancee Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn) turns up when he's courting his assistant Inga (Garr). 

Classic horror comedy is an all-time favorite, thanks to the delightful cast and Mel Brooks' alternately spooky and silly black-and-white atmosphere. The cast loved making it so much, they added extra scenes just to keep going, and many audiences may understand why. 

Put on Match Game '77 while eating a quick dinner. They're near the end of the year now, with many references to Christmas. Elaine Joyce, Ron Pallilo, and Fannie Flagg joined in as Richard tucked Gene's tie into his pants in the opening of the episode I saw.

Finished the night working on my musical review while listening to the Halloween music and sound effects I've acquired in the last few years. While it didn't have a huge hit like "Christmastime Is Here," the score for It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown has many pleasures. "The Great Pumpkin Waltz" is probably the best-known, but the "Graveyard Theme" when the kids are trick or treating and the little number when Snoopy blows leaves around are worth hearing. 

Nightmare Before Christmas is very nearly an operetta, with little dialogue and a lot of great music. "What's This," "This Is Halloween," and "Jack's Lament" are probably the best-known numbers from the score now. I also like Catherine O'Hara's gentle "Sally's Song" and "Making Christmas."

Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of The Haunted House is actually many different types of scary sounds, not just ones associated with haunted houses. Side one features mini stories to introduce terrifying dog, cat, and bird noises along with an alien crunching, a squeaking bridge, and even dripping water for Chinese water torture. Side two features more traditional sound-effect scares like crashes, screams, and creaks. Research reveals that I have the re-release from 1973 with the orange cover. It would be revised in 1979 with even more scary sounds.

I'm with Disney on not recommending this one to younger children. The mini-stories on the first side alone will definitely make them uneasy, if not give them nightmares. Older kids and pre-teens who can get past this being a Disney release and are horror fans may find Haunted House to be a worthy venture into the world of pure spooky sound.

Witchcraft...! is the closest I've come to finding a Halloween jazz release. It's instrumental versions of songs related to witches, black magic, or the supernatural like "Old Devil Moon," "That Old Black Magic," "Kiss of Fire," and "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered." Ray Martin and His Orchestra gives them the appropriate soft eerie fantasy quality.

Disney's Halloween Sounds and Songs uses some of those additional sound effects created for the 1979 album. The first half are mildly spooky comic numbers mostly sung by Micky and the gang like "Which Witch Is Which?" We do get a genuinely catchy song in the rock number "Shake Your Bones," along with two Winnie the Pooh songs, the original "Heffalumps and Woozels" and Tigger's "I Want to Scare Myself" from the special Boo To You, Winnie the Pooh. The second half after "Scare Myself" are the sounds...and they're genuinely scary and loud. In fact, they're really too scary to work with the kid-oriented music before them. 

Frightening Harts

Began the day with breakfast and Doc McStuffins. Sebastian is the new toy ghost who is supposed to pop out of a pumpkin, but first he gets stuck, then the decorations in the living room scare him. Doc and the others say "Boo-Hoo To You!" and show him that things that look frightening aren't always what they seem. Donnie says "It's Glow Time!" when he pulls his glow-in-the-dark monster Glo-Bo out of the toy box. Doc can't figure out why he's tired and won't glow, until the others get him out in the sun and realizes he's been in the dark for too long.

Switched to Buzzr while finishing up and getting organized. Press Your Luck gets spooky in its second half when a lady in glasses and a young man are so close, it's scary...but it's the lady who manages to pull ahead and win two trips and a ton of cash. Peter Tomarken finishes by reciting a viewer poem parodying Edgar Allen Poe.

Went for a walk to Dollar General next. I wanted to buy more things to give the trick-or-treaters. Considering the weather is supposed to be gorgeous all week and we've run out before 5:30 - 6 o'clock the last two years, I figured we're going to need more than even the Mystery Bags. Wanted something different, though, from the usual mini-chocolate bars. Ended up with bags of Fruit By the Foot, Fruit Roll-Ups, Sour Patch gummies, and apple-caramel lollipops. Saw a pretty black lace mask with red sequins that I thought would work with my bat costume.

Headed down the White Horse Pike to Newton Lake Park next. I'm guessing Camden County's been doing a lot of work over there since the 4th of July. Even with the recent lack of rain, the field next to the parking lot looks full and lush, and there's a small plot of flowers in one corner. I got an even bigger surprise when I strolled down the path and saw nothing bordering the water. The playground and picnic tables that used to be there were gone. There was nothing left but churned dirt. 

(Several articles online said they were supposed to have broken ground in August and taken 90 days to complete. Uh...they'd better get cracking, because I didn't see any playground equipment at either spot. All I saw were dirt and wood chips.)

It was a gorgeous day for a walk. It remains sunny and dry here, cool and breezy but not overly so for this time of year. It couldn't have been a more perfect day in late October. I'm surprised I didn't see more people out and about. There were a few talking at a truck on the curb and a few people out walking dogs, but that was it. Even the stairs leading up to West Clinton had a newly-repaired sidewalk leading to it. 

Took the laundry downstairs, then had lunch and went through the closet where I keep my toiletries and medicines, making sure none of them were expired and tossing those that were. Watched sitcom horror episodes as I worked, starting with The Monkees. Davy thinks he's going out with an exotic lady in black, but he quickly discovers she's actually a vampire out to create a "Monstrous Monkee Mash" with her uncle. The others go after him, but first Micky gets turned into a werewolf, then Frankenstein's monster grabs Peter to use his brain. It's up to snarky team leader Mike to save his friends and find out what the monsters have in mind.

Laverne and Shirley are having an equally spooky time at the condemned Ramsdale Manor. Shirley's convinced it's a "Haunted House" with a monster that'll take off your head. Laverne thinks a house is a house, and they need a couch. After Squiggy and Lenny disappear, Laverne starts to wonder if her friend might be right, until Shirley discovers the real reason behind the scary goings-on.

Put the laundry in the dryer, then came back upstairs to continue my sitcom marathon. Richie Cunningham is also worried about a "Haunted" house in the second season of Happy Days, especially after Joanie claims that anyone who'll go in it will lose their head. Richie finally goes to Ralph's big Halloween bash anyway after Fonzie points out that there's nothing to fear but fear itself...and the party being raided by a local gang out to play some nasty tricks.

Vincent Price turned up on F-Troop in its second season for "V is for Vampire." He's a pale-skinned man in the traditional black and red Dracula tux whose courtly ways turn Wrangler Jane's head and baffle the Natives. Agarn, Parameter, and O'Rourke are convinced he's a vampire, until they learn that just because something looks obvious doesn't mean it actually is that obvious. 

Jimmy Olsen is visiting his Aunt Louisa and cousin Chris on the real-life Moose Island, Maine in The Adventures of Superman. She keeps warning him away from "The Haunted Lighthouse," but her deaf-mute housekeeper Alice keeps trying to point him there. He calls Clark Kent to help him figure out what's really going on...and Superman to stop the people who are hiding out there.

Early 1800's scientist Emilia and secret agent Jack are shocked when tombs are desecrated in the name of his alter ego the Daring Dragoon on Jack of All Trades. Emilia takes a concoction that makes her appear to be dead, so they can get in the tomb and investigate. They're lucky to escape being creamated when Croquey thinks she's really dead. Jack uses her "death" to his advantage to try to draw the real thief out of hiding.

Moved to The Roku Channel for Hart to Hart after I brought the laundry upstairs and put it away. Jonathan and Jennifer don't have a clue when they run across "Night Terrors" at a supposedly "haunted" mansion recently purchased by two eccentric friends of theirs. The party turns into a treasure hunt when they learn that the previous owner may have buried priceless jewels on the premises, but things get ugly when one of the guests dies after stealing what appears to be part of it. 

Since Silver Spoons is at The Roku Channel right now as well, I next watched its Halloween episode "A Dark and Stormy Night." Edward encourages Ricky and his friends Alfonso and Freddy to make up their own round-robin ghost story when the power goes out on Halloween night. They concoct the wild story of three brave lads who try to rescue a pretty lady (Kate) from a Dr. Jeckyl-like mad scientist (Edward) and his very unlikely Frankenstein monster (Dexter).

Watched Match Game '77 during dinner. They're now on the week near the end of the year with Tom Poston and Mary Ann Mobley. The first episode began with Bertha, the dear old woman who won big in the previous episode. They had technical problems in the second. The lights on the sign didn't work, while Brett wails about looking as slovenly as she claimed Charles did and Gene scolded Charles for yelling too loudly into his microphone. 

Finished the night with a shower, then vintage game show episodes revolving around horror icons or that actually aired around Halloween. Vincent Price was at his zenith as a horror star when he appeared on the panel of What's My Line in 1958 and as the special guest on I've Got a Secret in 1959. The latter proved to be one of the funniest episodes of that series when Price joined Gary Moore to add humorous captions to art works that predate memes by more than 50 years.

Monty Hall may not have been thrilled to be hosting Beat the Clock in 1979, but he still got to lead two married couples through stunts involving tossing rings on witch hats and flinging slimy space aliens at astronaut helmets. Peter Marshall had far more fun with a "Storybook Squares" episode of Hollywood Squares from 1976. Look for Roddy McDowell as Pinocchio, Charro as Lady Godiva, Doc Severinson as the Pied Piper, William Shatner in costume as Captain Kirk, Bonnie Franklin as Goldilocks, Rip Taylor as General Custer, and Joan Rivers as a hilarious Old Woman Who Lives In the Shoe.

Families had their own fun dressing up in 80's game shows. Family Feud did its first Halloween episode in 1989. Host Ray Combs was a very unlikely Batman with his son as Robin as they asked families in wizard, Mickey Mouse, clown, and Lady Liberty outfits which Halloween candy was the most popular and and what people are afraid of.

Whammies had their own fun dressing up on the episode of Press Your Luck that aired the day after the one I saw earlier. Spooky noises accompanied money-grabbing Whammies, while the lady once again just barely got past an older man. Peter Tomarken did a really goofy dance at the end in a Frankenstein mask and passed out when he was done!

NBC did a week-long "Trick or Treat" Halloween event with all of its game shows of the time in 1988. A recently-unearthed episode of Super Password with Rebecca Arthur and Pat Sajak had contestants receiving little gifts called "treats" (like a cassette tape of showtunes) or "tricks" (elephant ears and a trunk or a pull-back skeleton) when they lost. Sale of the Century gave away a trip to Transylvania, a silver punch bowl, and a beautiful red upright piano, among other spooky prizes.

Let's Make a Deal celebrated the holiday in 2010 with ladies dressed as Snow White, pigs, fairies, suns, farm girls in gingham pinafores, and cheetahs in tight jumpsuits. They carved pumpkins, pulled Zonks out of witches' cauldrons, and watched a brief filmed parody of Thriller with Wayne Brady and one of the models. The pig went for the Big Deal of the Day. She missed the Big Deal, but she did get some very nice 60's-style living room furniture that was almost the same price as the game room she gave up. 

Celebrate the spookiest season of the year game show style with a scary marathon of your own! 

What's My Line (1958)

I've Got a Secret (1959)

Hollywood Squares (1976)

Beat the Clock (1979)

Press Your Luck (1984) 

Sale of the Century (1988)

Super Password (1988)

Family Feud (1989)

Let's Make a Deal (2010)

The Eagles Steamroll the Bengals

Began the morning with a quick breakfast and that original cast album CD for the 1966 Annie Get Your Gun Lincoln Center revival. Original star Ethel Merman joins Bruce Yarnell as Frank Butler and Jerry Orbach as Buffalo Bill's manager Charlie here. It loses the two numbers for the ingenues in the original and 1999 revival, but keeps "Indian Too" and adds what would be the last new Irving Berlin song heard on a stage. Frank wants "An Old-Fashioned Wedding," but Annie basically says to go big with the ceremony, or go home. It's Berlin's last attempt at two songs performed in counterpoint to each other, and it's absolutely hilarious.

Hurried out to work after that. It was basically a repeat of yesterday - quiet in the morning, picking up to become much steadier by early afternoon. It remained busy even after the Eagles - Bengals game started. Once again, I got so caught up doing other things in the last hour, I barely had the chance to do carts. This time, they wanted me to put away a cart full of cold items. Which put me behind on gathering the carts. I never did get to the ones at the main entrance.

At least I did get to see Rose and Finley doing their own grocery shopping today. They'd just come from the small Walmart in Audubon Crossings. Finley had a unique black metallic stuffed balloon-style dog. They'll be doing trick-or-treating and the Oaklyn Halloween Parade, and otherwise seem to be doing just fine. (Oh, and Finley is going to be an evil fairy for Halloween.)

Rushed straight home after work and into the Eagles - Bengals game on Paramount Plus. Fortunately, they were on halftime when I arrived. The Eagles were up 17-10 when I got home and dominated the game from then on. The Bengals tried, but kept getting steamrolled. It was a glorious game, played on no less than the Bengals' home turf. The Eagles eventually beat the tight pants off the Bengals, 37 - 17.

Went from the Eagles game right into dinner and tonight's Match Game marathon. This one was themed around Halloween, either having episodes that were filmed or debuted at Halloween or mentioned Dracula and Frankenstein in some way. The closest the 70's-80's show got to having a Halloween episode was the time Charles Nelson Reilly was late and head Boss Mark Goodson briefly filled in for him. Later in the episode, there was a question about what Charles' Halloween costume would be. There was also the syndicated show where Gene wore a white wig and called himself Old Man Periwinkle, and another when he had his head wrapped mummy-style. 

Match Game wouldn't attempt an actual Halloween episode until 1990. This one went all out, with decorations and costumes for the contestants and the entire panel. Host Ross Schafer was Dracula. Charles went as Superman, complete with inflatable muscles. Brett was a little girl with a big pink bow. The two soap opera actors that week were a wizard and Miss Liberty. Vicki was Little Red Riding Hood in a scandalously short dress. It was ventriloquist Ronn Lucas and his dragon friend Scorch, though, who managed to come up with the scariest costume of all.

Celebrate Halloween the Match Game way with these spooktacuarly hilarious episodes!

Match Game Sunday Night Classics - Match Game Halloween Costume Party

Crooner's Matches

Got such a fast start this morning, I barely had enough time to gulp my breakfast and hurry to work! Work went fine during the morning, when it was less busy. I was able to focus on sweeping and pushing carts...until it started to pick up around noon. I had to clean up a broken bottle of non-alcoholic red wine, which put me way behind on carts. I had to rush around and get all of the carts up front done in 10 minutes, and I never did get to the ones in the back.

Needless to say, I rushed straight home after that. Watched the 1966 version of The Canterville Ghost while I changed and had a snack. I go further into this surprisingly good TV retelling of the Oscar Wilde short story at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Musicals On TV - The Canterville Ghost (1966)

Finished the night with a shower, dinner and a very long marathon on YouTube. Singer Jack Jones, who passed away yesterday, had a long association with game shows. He did at least two What's My Line episodes in the early 60's as a Mystery Guest and another later in the decade on the panel. His first appearance on the original 60's Password was early in the series with Carol Lynley; he would do a color week later in the 60's with none other than Joan Fontaine. In both cases, he played very well, easily getting his contestants through the Lightning Round.

He turned up in Password Plus with Audrey Meadows late in its run when Tom Kennedy was the host. (Tom mentions Allen Ludden recovering and returning. Sadly, Allen died before that could happen.) He did even better on a wild week of Super Password in 1984 with Jo Ann Worley. Host Bert Convy took a rather big pratfall coming out at one point, while Jo Ann easily flew through two Super Password bonus rounds and almost got another. His only appearance on Hollywood Squares was late in its run, when it was being filmed at the Riviera in Las Vegas. Paul Lynde, Steve Kanaly, George Gobel, Foster Brooks, and Pearl Bailey are among the celebrities joining him.

By far the most unique show on this stream was the one of two remaining episodes of the 1979 Goodson-Todman flop Mindreaders. Two teams of men and women read a celebrity captain's mind via yes and no questions. The bonus round has them trying to guess how ten people in the audience will answer a certain question. Dick Martin is a charming host, but the format is ridiculous. The "guess how ten people in the audience will react" thing would work better in the 1986 Card Sharks. No wonder the show only lasted five months in late 1979-early 1980. 

Jack appeared in some of the most memorable weeks of Match Game in 1979. His first week was actually in late 1978. In fact, he would be around to see Charles, Gene, and Brett christen the new sign with screw-in numbers on New Year's Eve and Gene turn up covered in streamers and stumbling around on New Year's Day. He was on the week later in 1979 where Gene auctioned off Loni Anderson's bathing suit poster (and Charles won it) and Joyce Bulifant and a contestant showed off their sterling jitterbug skills. 

By the time he returned near the end of 1979, the show had moved to syndication. Cheeky Alfie White and Patty Duke joined up just in time to see Charles finally do some emoting for Oscar-winner Patty. Patty got help with her bruised knee from an attractive physical therapist, leading Jack to run out and try to do the same. Jack also turned up in one of the most memorable later nighttime episodes. Charles got so frustrated after a contestant didn't choose him, he tore his name off the Star Wheel and tried to leave.

Let's make another run with some lollipops and roses and honor this beloved ship-shape crooner!

Match Game Saturday Night Classics - Jack Jones Tribute

Monkee-ing Around

Began the morning with breakfast and Alice's Wonderland Bakery. Alice and all her friends are excited about the haunted maze set up in the Rose Garden...except for nervous Fergie the White Rabbit. He pushes himself into the maze when his friends want to go, but learns that it's ok to be scared...and to not do what your friends do - when he's nearly scared to death. "Fergie Turns the Tide" when they accidentally bring baby oysters home from the beach, just as they're holding a fancy tea party for the Queen of Hearts. Fergie's trumpet songs are the only things that can make them behave...and then they have to take them back to the beach when it turns out they're the only thing keeping storms at bay.

Dawn picked me up around quarter after 9. It was too early. There was no traffic out, or much of anything. We pulled into the parking lot at Elkins Chevrolet a block or so down the highway from the big TJ Maxx/Michaels' shopping center in Marlton around 9:30. Sat in the car and looked stuff up on our phone until we were ready to go in.

As it turned out, the Chevrolet dealership was a family car sales lot housed in a very modern steel-and-glass building. The sweet lady who gave the interview said I would be working as a receptionist, doing light account work and using their new AI equipment to handle calls, and that they'd be willing to train. Apparently, it was a small business owned by three brothers who had inherited from their father. They have a casual atmosphere and pride themselves on being a cheery place to work. I wouldn't get a huge salary to start, but there would be chances for advancement. I'd even have a regular Friday and Sunday off. 

There's only one big problem. The hours are mostly late, 12 to 8, and as I know from my trips to Marlton, the highway is in the middle of nowhere. I'd need to take two buses (one coming from Camden) or an expensive Uber ride every night to get there. 

Even if I don't get the job, I now have a better idea of what kind of a job I'd like to look for. I want something like Elkins Chevrolet or the small bank chain where Lauren works in Pittsfield - family-owned businesses or small local chains with a friendlier atmosphere, more time to focus on my work, somewhat less stress, and a chance for advancement. I also need businesses that are more willing to train and take a chance on someone looking to do something new.

Put on The Monkees when I got home and made my grocery lists. For once, it's tough Texan Mike Nesmith who gets conned in "I've Got a Little Song Here." He hocks his beloved blonde guitar to get money for a devious agent who claims he'll sell his song to a star, only to find that the star has no idea what he's talking about. Micky, who knows Hollywood like the back of his hand, poses as a big-shot movie producer to get back at the guy with a con of his own.

Headed out to run errands around 11:30. Stopped at Geneva Pizza for a quick lunch first. The small pizzeria on Cuthbert Road was quiet when I stepped in, though a guy did come in later. I ate a slice of sausage, a slice of square-shaped cheese and basil, and had a water while listening to ESPN talk about last night's game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings (Rams won, BTW, 30-20.)

Rode down Cuthbert, dodging noon rush hour traffic to the Westmont Plaza next. Sprouts was much busier. People must have been shopping on their lunch breaks. I found Nixie sodas with a coupon on them and filled a small bag with dried pineapple pieces. Cascadian Farms granola bars were on sale, as were red grapes. Restocked my coconut milk, too, and dug up vegan oatmeal raisin cookies on clearance.

The lunch traffic was thankfully winding down by the time I left Sprouts and made my way past the Haddon Township Library and High School to the Acme. Mostly needed to restock my yogurt and get bagels for lunch this week. Had online coupons for Too Good yogurt, Breeeze apples, Poppi soda, and Kind granola bars. I earned enough Rewards points to get a freebie. Thought I'd try the pop-can cinnamon rolls for dessert this evening.

Took the long way home through Newton Lake Park. Though it remains sunny and too dry, it's at least cooler here. I don't think it made it out of the 60's. I dodged a few people walking their dogs as I passed the sparkling fountains and glowing gold and scarlet trees. Pushed my bike up the hill, under the golden bowers to the Haddon Township Environmental Center. 

Returned to The Monkees as I put everything away. Sweet bassist Peter Tork is "One Man Shy" when he falls for pretty and smart debutante Valerie whose party the guys are going to play at. Her current suitor Ronnie (playwright George Firth) doesn't like that one bit and tries to sabotage the guys' efforts to bring them together. Not only that, Peter really is very shy and doesn't know what to say. Valerie understands that Peter is at his best when he's being himself.

Got my schedule for next week. An early day on Sunday, and a seven-hour day on Wednesday. Slightly more hours. Otherwise, same days off, including Halloween. I might try to do something for Halloween before the kids come around, since it's supposed to be beautiful that day. Maybe I'll ride up to Barrington if I don't oversleep. 

Took a long nap after I got off the laptop. I barely got three hours' sleep last night. Went down at 3, got up at 5:30, and felt a little better afterwards.

Worked on the inventory next. Added Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Kitty's Kisses, and the Julie Andrews studio version of The King and I. I just found Kitty in Philly this year, but King and I and Joseph were Abbie Road finds years ago. (King and I goes back to 2007!) 

Watched Match Game '77 while eating dinner. Richard was more than happy to help a comely young lady named Chris who had once been a centerfold with "Portland __" on the Audience Match. The others, including David Lansburg and Lee Merriweather, tease Marcia Wallace about her curly mop. In the next episode, Richard and Marcia protest an Ugly Edna question, wondering when they'll hear about Ugly Ed.

Finished the night with Halloween and horror comedies at YouTube. Dracula: Dead and Loving It is Mel Brooks' last parody film to date. It actually follows the plot of Dracula pretty well, with Leslie Nielson as the accident-prone vampire, Amy Yasbeck as his would-be victim, and Harvey Korman as her concerned father. Brooks himself plays a very unlikely Van Helsing. This is far from Brooks' best work, but it does have some fun bits, notably Mina and Dracula dancing in the finale in front of a mirror that reveals that Dracula's not all there. Peter MacNichol puts in one of his best performances as Dracula's groveling slave Renfield. 

Garfield's Halloween Adventure is almost as frightening. I went further into this special and Halloween Is Grinch Night at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog on Halloween 2018.

Garfield's Halloween Adventure

The Paul Lynde Halloween Special is the most 1976 holiday programming in existence. Tired of being annoyed by the Osmonds and their friends on Halloween night, Lynde joins his housekeeper Margaret (Hamilton) at her sister's quiet country home. Of course, her sister is Billie "Witchiepoo" Hayes, their home is a decrepit mansion, and they're both witches. Paul jumps on their offer for three wishes to become a trucker (with Roz Kelly as his girl and Tim Conway as a rival trucker), a sheikh (Florence Henderson is his conquest, Conway is a member of the Foreign Legion), and for the house to become a disco. Betty White turns up at one point as Miss Halloween. KISS plays some of their biggest hits between skits, including "King of the Night Time World," "Beth," and "Detroit Rock City." 

Ride In the Golden Afternoon

I was so tired and slept so late, it was almost noon by the time I had breakfast and watched the 2018 Muppet Babies. Kermit is so impatient for his tiny pumpkin to grow faster, he borrows Bunsen and Beaker's grow-in-ator to make it bigger. Trouble is, it also comes to life, and the kids are all saying "Oh My Gourd" when it wants all of them to play with it. Kermit learns that good things come to those who wait when he has to let the grow-in-ator recharge so he can shrink it again. Animal eats an entire bowl of candy before his lunch, unleashing "The Curse of the Wereanimal" and turning him into a sugar-fueled monster with a stomachache. The kids try to get Animal out of their haunted house and prove to him that it's better to eat food that's good for you before you start in on the sweet stuff.

Headed out for a nice ride around 12:30. It's been a long time since I went for a long ride to Westmont and Haddonfield. Stopped at WaWa first for money and a drink. I was hoping for Propel, but they were out. I picked up a Cherry Coke Zero. Couldn't resist going next-door to McMillan's Bakery and trying one of their famous donuts. Considered their amazing cream, but I ultimately went with the pumpkin. Yum. Doughy and spicy and just sweet enough.

Next stop was Samaritan Thrift, the reason I took out money in the first place. They don't accept cards of any kind. Didn't see any good records, but I did find a clothes gift for Lauren and two CDs for me:

The original cast of the 1966 revival of Annie Get Your Gun

Jimmy Buffett - Christmas Island

Crossed Haddon and headed into the back roads of Haddonfield after I got out. Many of the beautiful old houses in Haddonfield go as far back as the American Revolution. The weather was gorgeous and the trees were more so, all gold and scarlet and yellow as they waved over stone and wooden houses decorated with skeletons, pumpkins, graveyards, and mums.

Had lunch at the Bistro, my favorite restaurant in Haddonfield. That was really the reason I went up there in the first place. I hadn't eaten at the Bistro in ages. Enjoyed an enormous turkey and bacon sandwich and thick, delicious truffle-salted fries outside under their awning, watching the traffic on King's Highway go by.

Explored Haddonfield after lunch. Most of their stores are over-priced clothing boutiques, but there are a few of genuine interest. The biggest is Inkwood Books, the largest independent book store in the area. They have shelves filled with new releases and some older classic literature. Anything I saw that interested me I could pick up cheaper elsewhere or would get after the holidays, but I did get a really cool dollhouse pop-up book as a Christmas gift for Finley. I also peeked at two tea shops, the second of which sold spices, too, and a country-themed home store. I loved the quilts at the latter, but there was no way I could afford them or carry them home.

Picked up a drink at Starbucks on the corner of Haddon and King's Highway. The local kids had been out of school long enough at that point for the line to be tolerable. I tried an Apple Crisp Cream Chai. Very sweet, but it did really taste like apples and spices, with a bit of cinnamon on the top.

My last plan got a check even before I got to it. I looked up RAM Arcade on my phone to see when their hours were...and Yelp listed it as permanently closed. Going past the store confirmed this. It must have closed really recently. The awning and painted sign were still up, but the room inside was empty. I wonder what happened there? On one hand, their machines were frequently broken, and expensive Haddonfield always seemed like an odd place for an arcade anyway. Their website indicated they had big plans, though, with at least three vintage machines being restored. 

Went straight into The Monkees when I got home. "Here Comes the Monkees" is the show's pilot, and it's about as straightforward of a teen sitcom as you can imagine. The guys are hired to play at Vanessa Russell's sweet sixteen party, but their job may be on the line when Vanessa is dreaming so much about her new British sweetheart, she can't concentrates and does poorly on a big test. Davy and the others help out, then sneak in when Vanessa's dad initially fires them. We also get a glimpse into Davy and Mike's real-life cheeky and snarky personalities via their original audition tapes. (Incidentally, Peter and Micky's exist as well and can be found on the show's limited-edition Blu-Ray release and online.)

Switched to Murder at the Vanities after the show ended. I go further into this wild and barely-clad whodunnit at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Cult Flops - Murder at the Vanities

Watched Match Game '77 while eating a quick dinner. Copious fly jokes abounded in this episode. Orson referred to the 1931 Dracula film and how Renfield would eat flies after a question about what a Venus fly trap does before it eats if it's almost human. Later, we had the obvious answer to a question about how Betty White would try to save a fly. 

Finished the night with the two Santana records I picked up a few months ago. Festival and Inner Secrets debuted in the late 70's, during the tail end of the group's initial popularity. That doesn't mean they're without merit. Festival features "Let the Children Play" and "Let the Music Set You Free." Inner Secrets is more flat-out rock than Latin, but it still has their covers of "Well All Right" and "Stormy."  

Daydreamers In the Fall

Began the morning with breakfast and PAW Patrol. The "Pups Save Trick-or-Treaters" when Mayor Humdinger dons a mechanical spider costume to steal all of the kids' candy. He's stopped in his tracks when he gets stuck in a sticky web, then a hungry eagle thinks a giant spider would be a great snack. "Pups Save an Out-of-Control Mini Patrol" when Alex borrows Daring Danny's turbo-charged motorcycle to deliver cow shampoo for Katie and ends up going crazy all over town with it. 

Headed out after that. Work started all right, but I ended up having to mop the men and women's bathrooms three times each. The disinfectant I used was concentrated and made the floor sticky, which I didn't realize until I was angry and already well on my way home. Someone must have forgotten to turn on the water. Otherwise, there were no problems. Between the ongoing warm weather and us being between holidays, the grocery store remains quiet.

Took the long way home down Nicholson Road to enjoy that beautiful day. Nicholson Road was quiet, but Newton Avenue was blocked by trucks working on the electrical wires. Ended up riding down the White Horse Pike instead.

Soon as I got home, I changed, then went straight back out again. I hadn't really brought much for lunch, and I was hungry. The pretzel shop around the corner is open from Wednesday through Sunday mornings. Picked up a stuffed cheese steak pretzel, two regular soft Philly pretzels, and a can of Diet Pepsi.

Watched The Monkees when I got back, beginning with "A Coffin Too Frequent" from the second season. The guys find themselves stuck in a weird seance when a nice, if forceful, older lady (Ruth Buzzi) claims her nephew (George Firth) is going to return her husband Elmer from the dead. Micky's the one who finally comes up with a way to trick him into revealing his real plans. This one ends with the classic video for my favorite Monkees song, "Daydream Believer," with the guys goofing off and Peter playing the piano while Davy dances in his red velvet 8-button shirt.

Jumped back to the first season for the more typical "Don't Look a Gift Horse In the Mouth." In the very first filmed episode, Davy ends up taking care of a horse when a little boy leaves his beloved friend with him on the beach. He takes him home, but their landlord Mr. Babbitt (Henry Corden) doesn't allow pets of any shape or size. They try to earn the money for his care, but they're all city boys and are hopeless as farm hands. Davy ends up racing him with a local farmer in order to win the money.

"The Chaperone" continues the wacky sitcom antics. This time, Davy desperately wants to date pretty Leslie (Sherry Alberoni), but her father General Vandenburg (Arch Johnson) is extremely strict and will only allow her to attend chaperoned parties. They initially recruit their drunk cleaning lady Mrs. Weefers (Diana Chesney) as the chaperone, but she passes out before the party. Micky winds up being the one who dons the dress, and is quite embarrassed when the General and Mr. Babbitt find him very attractive. 

Switched to working on the inventory, watching The Price Is Right, and looking up stuff online after that. Added It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman, In the Heights, Jersey Boys, and Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. I've had all of these for a long time. Most of them were yard sale or thrift shop finds, except for Superman, which I picked up on Amazon in 2007. 

Broke for dinner and Match Game '77. They're up to the week with Alabama southern belles Polly Holiday of Alice and Flo and Fannie Flagg. Polly's microphone suddenly dies in the first episode, leading Richard to give it a hilarious eulogy. He and Gene manage to resurrect it in the second, with Fannie's help.

Finished the night at Tubi with the horror drama Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? In this case, vaudeville sensation "Baby" Jane Hudson (Bette Davis) grew up to be a raving lunatic obsessed with her past fame. She's far from the only one in the Hudson family resting on her laurels. Her sister Blanche (Joan Crawford) lives with her in their family home. Blanche once had a major movie career, until she was crippled in a car accident that Jane may have caused. 

Blanche tries to sell the house and get Jane committed, but Jane is having none of that. She locks Blanche in with no outside contact and fires their housekeeper Elvira (Maidie Norman), then hires a pianist (Victor Buono) to help her recreate her old act. Elvira catches on and tries to find out what's going on, but Jane takes her out. Jane thinks she has to run away with Blanche, but Blanche has her own secrets...including what really happened on the night of the car accident that derailed her career.

I saw the similar Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte as a teen while babysitting, but I never got around to this one until tonight. Davis in particular gives a bravura performance as the aging former child star descending into madness. Buono was so well-received as her portly suitor, he became a popular character actor in the 60's and 70's. Davis and Buono were nominated for Oscars - the gorgeous costumes, with terrific gowns for Crawford and floaty little girl dresses for Davis, won. This is scary enough to be not for kids, but adult fans of vintage horror and the leading ladies will find much to enjoy here. 

Afternoon at the Movies

Started off a gorgeous day with a small, fast breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Dan and Miss Elaina are delighted to admire Music Man Stan's decorations for "The Neighborhood Fall Festival." They try to help put them back up after the wind knocks them down, but Stan and Mrs. Tiger encourage them to do their best and do it in their own way. Likewise, Daniel and the other kids do their best with the pumpkin and leaf-themed activities during "Field Day at School." 

I had originally planned on taking the bus to Somerdale, but since it was getting late, I called Uber. They arrived in less than three minutes, and other than a little bit of traffic on the White Horse Pike, had no trouble whatsoever. The pleasant gentleman eventually pulled into the parking lot of Amy's Omelette House around quarter after 12. 

Thank heavens Amy's finally opened after being delayed from the spring. Not only were they ready for the public, but they were busy as heck. They used to be a diner, and that's still reflected in the long stucco setting and basic vinyl tables and booths. Most of the pancake dishes seemed way too big ala that stuffed French toast dish at Sabrina's Cafe two weeks ago. I went with the Tropical Fruit "light bite," two fluffy silver dollar pancakes with strawberries, topped with strawberries, blueberries, slivered almonds, and a coconut-strawberry sauce. Oh, yum! The fruity flavors were incredible, and it being two small pancakes meant it wasn't too much to eat in one sitting.

Took a quick stroll down the White Horse Pike down to the Cooper Towne Center. Stopped briefly at the big WaWa a block from Amy's for a Mountain Dew Baja Blast Zero and soft pretzels for the movie. It was a stunning day for a walk, sunny and actually too warm for October, into the upper 70's-lower 80's. 

Hurried into the Cinemark 16 about ten minutes late, but that was still enough to catch a few commercials. None of the horror movies held any interest, but I am absolutely dying to see Wicked. Been waiting for this movie to come out for over 20 years. Looks like it's going to be incredible, too. If nothing else, the costumes and special effects look awesome and Oz-worthy.

As for Joker: Foile a Deux, I go further into that at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Joker: Foile a Deux

Hiked up the hill to Walmart after I finally got out of that long movie. I was going to be a black cat for Halloween, but I saw bat ears and wings and decided I would retain the black clothes, but be a bat instead. I do have that collection of cute stuffed bats! Speaking of adorable stuffed animals, I also ran across the most darling little black dragon with purple embroidered eyes and the cutest little fangs. Not only was she a cutie, but she was also only 3 dollars. I may keep her out year-round. Also finally picked up the soundtrack from The Nightmare Before Christmas in a picture disc vinyl version, which was the cheapest I'd seen it anywhere.

It was almost 5 PM when I went down the hill to pick up the bus at Taco Bell. The traffic was steady and they were more than 10 minutes late, but it could have been worse at rush hour. The bus surprisingly was neither full, nor made a lot of stops. I got off at the dentist's office on the White Horse Pike in Oaklyn around 5:30.

Put everything away and took out the trash, which left me for just enough time to work on the inventory. Added the Pearl Bailey and Bette Midler revivals of Hello Dolly, Hamilton, and Irene with Debbie Reynolds. Irene and the Pearl Bailey Dolly go back the furthest. I picked them both up when I discovered a now-defunct collectibles shop in Audubon called Act Two way back in the summer of 2007. 

Watched Match Game '77 during dinner. Bob Barker and Eva Gabor joined in this week. In the first episode, a man in the audience claimed he'd give $100 if he could kiss Eva. He didn't, but he still got his kiss. The second had Brett getting a card from the writers to soothe her after all the joking questions they'd written about her.

Finished the night with two of the Elton John records I've picked up recently. Tumbleweed Connection is the older of the two from 1970, and in fact is his third album. Though the album produced no hits at the time, John would continue to occasionally perform the musically ambitious "Burn Down the Mission" until his retirement. Caribou from 1974 was an even bigger hit, and this time produced blockbuster singles in "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" and "The Bitch Is Back." 

A Fair Day for Games

Began the morning with Charlie and Lola. Lola laments that "Everything Is Different and Not the Same" as fall begins. She has a new teacher she's not used to, new tights that sag, her favorite tree is losing its leaves, and even the school smells different. She and Lotta want to hibernate until next fall when they ruin the leaf picture they were making for class, but Charlie convinces them to come out and see that change isn't such a bad thing after all.

Dawn picked me up around 8:15. This time, she had two more people with her as we headed in the opposite direction towards the Burlington County Social Services building. It also took a little bit longer, including her stopping at Costco for gas. Fortunately, there was no traffic on the road whatsoever. We pulled into Westampton around 9 AM.

I got quite a surprise when I realized how much harder it was to get into this job fair. There was a lot more security than at Rowan, with security guards checking bags and a metal detector you have to walk through like at an airport. And as it turned out...it wasn't worth the fuss. The small, sunny room was mainly filled with either companies like Abilities Solutions that help the disabled find jobs or government booths for Burlington County and New Jersey. I did see Goodwill, Cooper Hospital, and Virtua Health, but that was it. It was also packed elbow-to-elbow and stuffy as heck. I kept walking out to get some air, hoping to find a soda vending machine like at Rowan (and having no luck). They didn't even have any refreshments. 

I got a phone call just as we were ready to leave. It was a local Chevrolet dealership that Dawn and I applied for. They wanted an interview! Frankly, I was kind of iffy. They were offering health insurance but not much in the way of money, and I know nothing about cars. It's still an interview, though.

It took even longer to get home. Dawn dropped off the other two in Cherry Hill and Pennsauken first. The young man lived near a series of industrial buildings and factories in Pennsauken, including several local food companies and the Pepsi bottling facility. I read that they existed here, but had never seen them before. That's why South Jersey is frequently used as a test market for new Pepsi products or ones that often don't reach the wider public (like that coffee-flavored Kona Pepsi my mother fell in love with during the late 90's). 

Took the laundry downstairs after I got in, then had lunch while watching The Monkees. Davy's been telling his grandfather (Ben Wright) in England that he's a "Success Story" and is famous. Grandfather's visit prompts his friends to try to cobble together a dinner and uniforms in order to make Davy appear wealthy. After their subterfuge fails, they try to make sure that Grandfather and Davy don't board that plane for England!

"Monkees In a Ghost Town" strands the four in the desert in their first of many encounters with gangsters. In this case, they accidentally run across two mobsters (Len Lesser and Lon Chaney Jr.) after the Monkeemobile breaks down in an abandoned village. They're captured and are about to be killed when their boss The Big Man (Rose Marie) turns up and happens to be an old vaudevillian who has no trouble doing numbers with the guys...which gives them the chance to call the police.

Put the laundry in the dryer after the episode ended, then went out to run errands. Stopped at the post office for stamps, then at Dollar General for the Child's Play Tootsie Roll candy that I use in the Mystery Bags. I got the boxes of Moon Pies (including one of blueberry Moon Pies!) at Family Dollar. Went across the street to WaWa and treated myself to a pumpkin cookies and cream smoothie. Yum. Sweet, but it did taste like pumpkin spice and crushed Oreos.

At least the weather remains beautiful. On one hand, we desperately need rain. Lawns and gardens are looking more than a little dry. On the other hand, the sunny, breezy weather and 80 degree temperatures did make for a lovely stroll down the White Horse Pike. No traffic here, either. None of the stores were busy, not even the Post Office or Dollar General.

Brought the laundry upstairs after I got home, then put on Airplaine II: The Sequel while I put the Mystery Bags together. Sometime in the future, people have now set up colonies on the moon. The Mayflower One is being rushed as the inaugural flight, but it's far from ready and hasn't met safety regulations. Elaine Dickenson (Julie Hagarty) is now the ship's computer officer. 

Her ex Ted Striker (Robert Hays) was committed to a mental institution after he crashed a shuttle during a test flight, but breaks out when he realized he was silenced to not reveal the flaws in the shuttle. Elaine doesn't believe him, until the computer keeps overriding her orders and the crew ends up dead. Now Ted has to figure out how to fly a space ship and defuse a bomber (Sonny Bono), before they all become either fried to a crisp in the sun or a little too up-close-and-personal with the surface of the moon. 

This wasn't bad, but it screams "rehash" at the top of its lungs. There's some fun gags and cameos (look for Pat Sajak as a weatherman and the ET joke in the opening), but by and large, this is more of the same. If you're a fan of the first one, you'll at least want to check this one out once. If the first one isn't your cup of black coffee, stay very far away from this one.

Worked on the inventory next. Did the off-Broadway cast of Hadestown and the original casts of Hair and Hairspray, then had dinner while watching Match Game '77. A smart and pretty contestant named Marcy turned a lot of heads on a week that included Patty Duke, Betty White, and Nipsey Russell on the panel...but it's an older lady who gets the best joke with her reaction to Gene asking her if she cubes or grinds her beef for chili.

Finished the night at YouTube looking at the career of announcer Gene Wood, whose birthday was Sunday. Wood began in 1966 as a substitute on the original Supermarket Sweep, but he's better known for being an announcing fixture on Goodson-Todman shows. If you didn't hear Johnny Olson's voice on their shows, you probably heard his. 

Bert Convy praised the good work he did on Tattletales in 1974 and Super Password a decade later. He announced the first two versions of Family Feud and was good friends with Richard Dawson. Richard got him a wheelchair when he had to do his job on a badly cut foot after an accident with a chainsaw and proudly announced when he returned on crutches. I don't know how he talked him into letting him slice an apple on top of a copy of the Feud home game on his stomach, though! He had even more fun announcing the first two versions of Card Sharks, including taking part in a gag with Jim Perry to celebrate his 3,000 episode hosting. 

Wood did get a shot at hosting. He took over the Canadian-produced early 70's version of Beat the Clock when Jack Narz couldn't handle the commute, and honestly didn't do bad at it. It's pretty much the same stunts as the 50's version, with celebrities helping out on some of the more elaborate ones. Giselle McKenzie and Arlene Dahl appear in the episodes I have here. The flop Anything You Can Do is very similar, only here, it's men competing against women to see who can do stunts that are supposed to revolve around the opposite sex (pulling panty hose on for women; tying ties for guys). 

That wouldn't be Wood's last time playing on a game show. He had a great time on one of the better weeks of Match Game '74, appearing with Amanda Blake and Joyce Bulifant. The whole week was funny, but we do get some jokes here about Richard Dawson's scraggly beard (which he apparently grew for a movie role that never materialized). 

Beat the clock and have wild Feuds with one of the most beloved announcers in the Goodson-Todman stable! (Anything You Can Do is in bad shape and two parts, but it seems to be the only episode of that show currently available online.) 

Anything You Can Do (1971)

Beat the Clock (1972)

Beat the Clock (1973)

Match Game (1974)

Tattletales (1976)

Card Sharks (1980)

Family Feud Syndicated (1981)

Family Feud Syndicated (1983)

Super Password (1985) 

Musical Matches

Got a quick start this morning with breakfast and the soundtrack from the Disney Pocahontas. This is one of Disney's more underrated scores of its 90's "renaissance" era. The movie itself has gorgeous animation but is otherwise marred by historical inaccuracies and so-so casting. The music, however, is a real selling point. "Colors of the Wind" won an Oscar, but I prefer the title character's "I want" song "Just Around the River Bend" and the chorus numbers "Mine, Mine, Mine" and "Savages." 

Hurried out to work even before the CD ended. It was the same deal as yesterday. We were dead before and after the Eagles game. There were two guys sweeping and doing carts even as I arrived; another girl came in to sweep after I left. I mostly pushed carts, though I also mopped the bathrooms at one point and put cold items away. Frankly, I got very bored. There just wasn't a whole lot to do. 

It was such a lovely day, I took the long way home down Nicholson Road. They weren't busy, either, not even around the Audubon Crossings shopping center entrance. Not only was it too sunny and warm for shopping, but the Eagles were playing their local rivals the Giants. Not a bit of traffic anywhere. 

(And no wonder it was so quiet. I checked my phone before I left and discovered that the Eagles were mauling the Giants. They went on to win big-time at the Met 28 to 3.) 

Put on the original cast CDs of the Hugh Jackman Music Man revival from two years ago when I got home. Jackman had apparently wanted to play this role for years, and his instincts were solid. He was a terrific and delightfully persuasive Harold Hill. He seemed to especially get into "Marian the Librarian" and "The Sadder-but-Wiser Girl." Sutton Foster, who usually plays Merman-type belters or goofy tomboys like Millie and Jo, was miscast as the daintier Marian, and there were some weird re-writes to the innocuous "Shipoopi." Otherwise, this was honestly an enjoyable show, especially if you're already a fan of Music Man like me. 

Switched to The Monkees Present next. I've been listening to those three Rhino Handmade sets I picked up a decade ago that are super-rare now. This is my favorite of the two albums Mike, Micky, and Davy did as a trio after Peter left. In fact, I think it's one of their most underrated albums. It features by far my favorite song Mike did for the group, the anthem "Listen to the Band." Micky digs into his Native heritage with "Mommy and Daddy" and finishes out the album with the charming "Pillow Time," written by his own mother Janelle. Davy's best song is the rollicking "Looking for the Good Times." 

Finished the night at YouTube with dinner and tonight's Match Game marathon. (I took a shower a bit later.) The channel's owner celebrated hitting 75,000 subscribers with episodes he considered to be underrated or not as often discussed. My favorite came from 1974, the time that Allen Ludden was on the show. Gene grabbed a bad answer of his and handed it to Betty White in the audience to tear up...and then Fannie Flagg gave Betty her bad answer, too! There was also the time in 1975 when a poor young woman was so nervous, she couldn't stop tapping her feet and crying. Gene took her hand to help her feel better and focus. The one from 1976 had Gene and the contestant stepping into the wings when the panelists kept complaining they couldn't see the Audience Match board.

The classic moment for 1978 was when Gene auctioned off a poster of Loni Anderson in a bathing suit, and Charles won it. One of my favorite syndicated shows from 1980 had Bob Barker's chair sinking below the desk. Betty White also sank down in her seat in solidarity before they found Bob a new chair that was much too high. Needless to say, Bob wasn't happy about any of this. 1981 saw the panel celebrating Charles' birthday onstage, complete with a very pretty little cake. 

Nighttime episodes had their own classic moments. Cranky Joey Bishop figured into two of the earliest, complaining in a 1976 episode that a contestant said she wanted to win money to go home when she lived in Burbank. Armed Forces soldiers won big in the nighttime in 1977, 1980, and 1981. Poor Eva Gabor lost her toenail when an overly enthusiastic young Air Force officer accidentally kicked her foot in 1980. Betty had more luck in the Head-to-Head with a sweet Naval officer in 1981. 

Celebrate some lesser-known but still delightful Match Game episodes in this hilarious marathon!

Match Game Sunday Night Classics - 75,000 Subscribers Celebration

Indian Summer Matches

Began the morning with breakfast and The Scooby Doo Show. Mystery Inc visits Daphne's friend Arlene, who just inherited the family home in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween. The locals are riled when a witch suddenly appears in a graveyard who is a dead ringer for Arlene. When the caretaker tries to convince Arlene to leave town, Scooby and Shaggy go trick-or-treating and the others try to figure out what that witch is really after in "To Switch a Witch."

Hurried off to work after that. Work was absolutely no trouble. I did have to sweep and do bathrooms for the first hour or so. After a new bagger in training arrived, I left her to learn about the sweeping and bathrooms and spent the rest of the day pushing carts. I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. The weather is even more gorgeous, sunny, warm, and breezy, into the lower 70's. No wonder we weren't busy at all. Not only are we between holidays, but it's way too nice for shopping. 

Went straight into Scooby Doo and the Goblin King when I got home and changed. I go further into this unique Scooby Doo direct-to-home-media movie at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Animation Celebration Saturday - Scooby Doo and the Goblin King

Finished the night with dinner and the Match Game Saturday Night Classics marathon. Three cast members of The Love Boat made prominent appearances on Match Game from 1978 through Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour in 1984. Bernie Koppel was around for the last week of the original set in 1978 and would turn up again during the syndicated era. Ted Lange first appeared on an episode in 1980 where he turned up and told Fred Grandy he wanted his white suit back. Fred proceeded to give it back to him right on the stage, stripping down to his shorts and t-shirt. Gene gave him his vest to look somewhat professional. He also tried to help McLean look more formal in a fancy white suit and cowboy hat, though he frankly looked more like he got lost on the way to the set of Dallas.

Future politician Fred Grandy turned up by far the most of the show. He made goat jokes on one PM episode and saw a gentleman from Brooklyn claim he wanted to bring the Dodgers back to the East Coast in another. He and Bart Braverman spent one week playing kazoos (and getting really annoying with them). Everyone had to put up with an audience full of drunk and riled UCLA students on another syndicated week. He was on the crazy episode of Match Game-Hollywood Squares where McLean kept complaining about getting marker on his pants. Gene gave him pants that were much too big, leading him to eventually show far more than anyone ever wanted to see of him to the camera!

Excitement is waiting for you as you set sail with the crew of the Pacific Princess in this ship-shape marathon!

Match Game Saturday Night Classics - Love Boat Stars On Match Game

Oh, and happy birthday to Lauren! She went back to Crossgates Mall with Rico and apparently had a great time running around in the two arcades with him. 

Sunny Day Angels

I was up way too late last night. It took me so long to finally finish my review, it was past 11:30 when I finally got going. Watched PAW Patrol as I had breakfast. When all of the pups come down with colds in "Pups Save a Sniffle," it's up to Rubble to help Ryder round up Farmer Yumi's runaway pigs and for medic Marshall to take care of his sick friends. Rubble gets freaked out when he and Rocky hear noises while repairing an old mining cabin. "Pups Save a Ghost Cabin" and find out what's really making those noises and who ate Rubble's lunch.

Let Super Password run briefly while I checked my schedule. In good news, four days off again. In bad news, even fewer hours. Dawn suggested another job fair on Tuesday, this one in Burlington. I hope it really can help this time. At the very least, my hours should increase once we get to next month and people start thinking Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

Hurried out to do grocery shopping after I got off the laptop. My main interest at Sprouts was coconut milk for cheaper than the Acme has it. Decided to try dried mango slices from the bins, red grapes, and a box of ginger molasses cookies on sale. Grabbed two cans of Nixie soda in root beer and cola.

Headed past the Haddon Township Library and high school to the Westmont Acme next. Mainly needed to restock yogurt, popcorn, and soda. Olipop had the cutest cola can with friendly yeti on it. Had to get more of their Crisp Apple, too. Found a container of Italian cookies - biscotti, sesame seed, and S-shaped butter - on clearance. Had online coupons for Honeycrisp apples and Lemon Perfect hydration water. 

Took the long way back across Newton Lake Park. Grocery shopping barely took an hour. It wasn't even 2:30 as I rode down the path. There wasn't anyone around, barely even an animal. I admired the sparkling fountains before pushing my bike up that now very dry gold and green  hill to the Environmental and Historical Center. 

Stopped at the pretzel shop for lunch. I was glad to see they had those cheesesteak-stuffed ones I love. Bought two regular pretzels along with them. 

Had lunch while watching The Monkees. Mike's skeptical when the scuzzy manager for a nasty band in a local band competition claims he wants to help them get publicity, too. He has every right to be when the guy hires "Your Friendly Neighborhood Kidnappers" to keep them from the contest. 

"The Spy Who Came In From the Cool" is the first and my personal favorite of the four spy caper parodies the Monkees did during the show. Two Russian spies accidentally give Davy red maracas containing sensitive microfilm. The CIS recruits the understandably nervous guys to help them round up the duo and keep the microfilm out of enemy hands. 

Got so caught up working on yesterday's blog entry, I didn't break for dinner until quarter after 7. Watched Match Game '77 while I ate. The episode began with an obscure answer to "Natalie __" on the Audience Match that no one but old movie buffs like Dick Martin and me would recognize. Speaking of Dick, he got into trouble later in the episode when his answer joking about a certain celebrity's nose was censored. There was also the married contestant in a skimpy outfit I'm extremely surprised managed to get past censors.

Finished the night after a shower with a spooky episode of Charlie's Angels. Tiffany reveals some psychic powers in "Of Ghosts and Angels" when she has repeated dreams about a woman at a costume party being thrown downstairs. She, Kris, and Kelly visit a friend of Tiffany's at her new husband's creepy Victorian home. After Tiffany encounters ghostly happenings like windows blowing open and furniture moving on its own and her friend is almost run down by a car moving on its own, the other two Angels do research and discover that the young lady's husband is in big trouble with mobsters...which is why his last two wives have died prematurely... 

Ghosts of Autumn Past

Began the morning with breakfast and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. "Mickey's Treat" is a Halloween party at Big Pete's Trick or Treat Tower. After getting Goofy one last accessory for his knight costume, Micky and the gang make their way over the Candy Corn Fields and through the Foggy Woods so they can make it to the party before the moon is full and the gates lock!

Watched a little bit of Super Password, then called Uber. It only took them six minutes to pull up by the curb. A pleasant older gentleman dodged noon rush hour traffic as he took the back roads into Woodbury Heights. It was past 12:30 when he finally pulled up at the Woodbury Goodwill.

They were surprisingly busy for a Thursday afternoon. I guess a lot of people were shopping on their lunch break. My main interest here was finding a black sweater for my cat costume, in case it's cold on Halloween. I found that, two children's records, and a CD. The CD the original soundtrack for the Disney Pocahontas. The records were:

The Donald Duck-themed Disney kids' album Going Quackers! 

Reading of six Christmas Golden Books. We had three, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Night Before Christmas, and Jingle Bells, as kids in the 1980's. 

It was too lovely of a day to not walk down Broad Street to downtown Woodbury. The area around Goodwill is all car dealerships, fast-food restaurants, and drug dispensaries, but it's not a long walk, only about ten minutes or so. I was a little disappointed to note that the Spirit Halloween that was in the abandoned drug store last year hadn't returned. I guess they didn't do well enough in that location.

My second stop of the day was On the Record, a small record store two blocks from the abandoned pharmacy building. Unlike the record stores in Camden County, they have a big collection of CDs and concert DVDs along with the albums. Trouble is, their wares tend to be more expensive than the stores in Camden County, too, with no dollar or two dollar bins. I mostly picked up CDs for Lauren and her parents, but I did get one CD and two records for myself. The one CD I got for myself is: 

The Platters - Christmas With the Platters

The two records were: 

The Moody Blues - To Our Children's Children Children

Oh Kay!, a collection of songs from the 1926 Gershwin-Gertrude Lawrence show cobbled together by the Smithsonian to be the closest thing to an original cast album it ever got. 

After I left the record store, I went right next door to the big thrift shop. It's a rabbit warren of rooms, rooms, and more rooms filled with everything from old china to recent clothes and DVDs. No records here, but I did find a CD for Lauren's parents, a vintage blank notebook covered in a pretty yellow, red, and purple flower fabric, two small but beautifully detailed resin pilgrim figures, and a soft girl pilgrim and native for Thanksgiving. 

Next up was Woodbury Antiques across the street. It's basically the same idea, but with far fancier and more expensive wares. After I dug up a gift for Lauren near the desk, I knew exactly where else to go, right in the back where all the records are. Trouble is, like with On the Record, their albums tend to be expensive above the norm for a local store. I wanted five records, but I only ended up with three and a CD. The CD was: 

Chicago - The Very Best of Chicago: Only the Beginning

The three records (two of them two-disc sets) were: 

The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks: The Rolling Stones '64-'71 and More Hot Rocks (Big Hits and Fazed Cookies) 

Elton John - Jump Up!

It was late by then, past 3:30, and I hadn't had lunch yet. Ended up on the next block over from Woodbury Antiques at LC's Family Style Restaurant. They were a pretty basic series of rooms with vinyl booths and a counter that showed off their wares, but at least they were impeccably clean. They claimed to sell Dominican food, but it seemed to be more of a mix of Hispanic and the usual pasta and burgers. I ended up with a salmon sandwich, fries, and a very sweet green tea (that I believe came from an Arizona can). The sandwich was amazing, two huge slabs of salmon perfectly seasoned with greens and chipolte mayo. It was such a mess, and they slathered on so much mayo, I ended up eating half of it off the bun. The wavy fries were perfectly crispy and salty.

(I do wish the service had been a bit better. They were nice, but exceedingly slow. I suspect this is a family business in more than name. The kid who served me couldn't have been out of high school, and I know I saw at least one young boy there playing video games. The owners and chefs may have been watching their children out of school and were trying to focus on that and cooking.)

Went for a much longer stroll down Broad Street, past beautiful old buildings dating to the American Revolution and tip-toeing daintily around the closed sidewalk over the river. It was an absolutely perfect day for a long walk. The sun was out, the sky was a searing cerulean, and it was windy and cool but not too cold, in the mid-60's. 

I wanted to check out their huge CVS in the lot behind the McDonald's. Last year, I saw bags of Halloween toys and games intended for trick-or-treaters. I knew they'd be perfect for the Mystery Bags, but I already had plenty for them then. I grabbed two bags of random small toys like tops and rubber spiders, a bag of mini-Slinkys, and a Cherry Coke Zero.

Continued down Broad Street, stopping to read the headstones I could see at an ancient cemetery. There were tombstones with engravings that went as far back as the 1820's. Too bad the cemetery was fenced off. I would have loved to read the rest.

The other reason I kept going was to find a better place to pick up Uber. The CVS isn't visible enough from the street for drivers to find me. I ultimately called them next to the parking lot at the Town Market. Not only did they take 20 minutes to arrive, but for some reason, they ended up parking in the dentist's lot next to the Town Market. At least I found them, and we got home with no trouble besides some traffic on the highway.

Went straight into Daydream Believers: The Monkees Story after I got home and put everything away. I go further into this VH1 biopic on the famous boy band who broke free of their TV handlers and became a band for real at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Musicals On TV - Daydream Believers: The Monkees Story

Switched to Match Game '77 while eating a late dinner, then finished the night with more new record acquisitions. The Dave Clark Five were considered serious rivals to the Beatles in 1965, but despite Clark being an ambitious songwriter and producer not far removed from Mike Nesmith, they faded out at least three years before the Beatles did. They did produce some still fairly well-remembered hits, including "Catch Us If You Can," "Glad All Over," "Because," and "Bits and Pieces."

The Moody Blues were a far different animal. Far from Dave Clark's typical pop, they produced dreamy rock pieces that often revolved around a theme. On To Our Children's Children Children, it's space and galactic exploration, inspired by the 1969 moon landing happening around the time this album was developed. "Higher and Higher" and the moody "Eyes of a Child" are my favorites of this dreamy, often overly elaborate album.

Jefferson Airplane had reformed into Jefferson Starship by the time of Red October in 1975. It would be by far their biggest hit under this banner, with their biggest single, "Miracles." "Play On Love" was the other big single. I also like "Sweeter Than Honey" and "I Want to See Another World."