Messed around on the computer for a while, then headed to PNC Bank in Collingswood. Mom sent me a check for a new Eagles jersey as an early Christmas present. I wanted to deposit it at the inside ATM, but there was already someone using it. I ended up at one of the outside machines instead. Fed it into the machine and moved on.
It was a gorgeous day for a bike ride. I took the longer way across the back roads of Collingswood, avoiding Cuthtbert Boulevard so I could enjoy it. Sunny, breezy, and much warmer than I figured it would be, into the upper 50's. Fall is just starting to subside here. Though the gale-force winds this weekend left many trees bare, others are still blazing in brilliant shades of scarlet and gold.
Ended up at the Westmont Diner for lunch. I've had pancakes the last couple of times I ate at a diner, so I had an omelet this time. Their Power Omelet - real turkey, mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and spinach in egg whites - is always delicious. I had it with home fries, whole wheat toast, and iced tea. Listened to a mom and her little son enjoy their lunch, then admired the nifty pumpkins and squash someone painted on their windows. I even picked up a plastic container of these incredible little honey and nut cookies. I think they might have been made from corn and ground nuts. They had a unique grainy feel, but they were soooo good!
The traffic still wasn't great on Cuthbert, so I once again took the back roads until I got back into Oaklyn. Stopped at WaWa on the White Horse Pike for a drink. I intended to bake for most of the afternoon, so I opted for a sugar-free raspberry lemon Propel instead of soda or smoothies.
Put on The Monkees when I got home. "The Monkees In Texas" is their third dive into western cliches. Mike brings the guys to visit his Aunt Kate (Jacqueline deWit), only to find her farm under siege by bandits. He tries to figure out what the bandits are after, while Micky and Peter get in with the bandits...and regret it when they end up being hostages.
"Fairy Tale" goes the unique route of being a fantasy spoof. Peter is a peasant who is so in love with Princess Gwen (Mike in drag) that he can't hold a job. The other guys are both the peasants who help Peter rescue Gwen from her dastardly fiancee Harold (Murray Roman) and the fairy tale characters they meet on the way.
Spent the next few hours doing the laundry and baking. I heard from Rose, and yes, she is having Thanksgiving dinner at her house this year. I wanted to bring her something different. I found a recipe for Apple Cider Pound Cake online last week and thought I'd try it. That's why I bought the apple cider from the farm market on Saturday and the eggs, butter, and loaf tins yesterday. The batter came together well enough, but it called for putting parchment paper on the bottom of the tin to make it come out easier. It may have come out easier, but it took over an hour and a half to cook when it should have taken 50 minutes. It's too brown on the outside, but the inside seems edible, and it sure smelled good in the oven!
My cranberry sauce didn't go much better. I always add too much water and not enough sugar. It's soupy and a bit on the tart side, but I can still eat it.
Listened to records while I worked. The Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood is another mid-60's fairy tale satire. Liza Minnelli is the impossibly sweet title character, Cyril Ritchard is the fussy wolf who's chasing her, and Vic Damone is the woodsman who might be a prince. Bob Merrill and Jules Styne's score isn't quite up to their previous animated holiday extravaganza Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, but it does have a few interesting songs. The movie begins and ends with the fun "We Wish the World a Happy Yule," Minnelli admits "I'm Naive," and she and Ritchard have a blast with "Ding-a-Ling."
Here's Love is a Broadway adaptation of Miracle On 34th Street, with music by Meredith Wilson of Music Man fame. It's not his best score by a long shot, and I believe it was a flop when it debuted in 1963. I hear it's done better in regional theaters under its original title. "Pine Cones and Holly Berries" and his already-existing holiday standard "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" are the best numbers here, and I like the charming "My Wish" for Susan (Valerie Lee) and Fred Gailey (Craig Stevens).
Went upstairs next to dress the dolls for the holiday season after bringing the laundry upstairs. Barbara Jean wears the purple paisley brocade minidress that was Julie's previous Christmas outfit with white tights, heeled shoes borrowed from the flapper costume, and Samantha's white lace headband with the pink and magenta fabric flower. Samantha's in her Cranberry Christmas Dress with the red bow-trimmed shoes from her green spring dress. Molly wears her Evergreen Christmas Dress with black strap shoes borrowed from Samantha. Josefina is pretty as a Mexican princess in her yellow and black striped Empire-waist gown and black mantilla.
Ariel is also in a Julie Christmas outfit, in this case her original wine velvet jumper with the ruffled bow blouse and white tights and shoes. Felicity will be the belle of the Christmas dance in her blue taffeta ball gown with the lace stomacher. Kit's in her red Christmas dress with the white collar and her own white t-straps. Jessa gets the 1996 Chinese New Year Outfit with the scarlet brocade jacket and trousers and mules borrowed from Josefina. Lauren found Whitney's blue-violet Snowflake Ball Gown at a yard sale. It was such a pretty outfit, I had to let someone wear it, even though it's not historically accurate for her.
Half-listened to Match Game Syndicated while I worked. They're continuing with the game show host week. Peter Marshall laments that the Star Wheel lands on him three times in a row, but Bill Cullen does better with "__ Cactus" when it ends up on him. Betty White spends the week dashing to the studio, perpetually out of breath due to her car having broken down.
Finished the night with dinner and YouTube after a shower. Match Game Productions will be honoring game show host Chuck Woolery, who passed over the weekend, with marathons of his most famous shows every day but Thanksgiving. He was the original host of Wheel of Fortune, back when it was a daytime show on NBC. He was in charge of the pilot Shopper's Bazaar with an upright wheel and continued on when the show was picked up for a regular series. Alas, very little of his version survives today. Even his last day only has the first minute or so and the last few minutes with him saying good bye available. The actual game is audio only.
Finished the night with the Thanksgiving episodes of other vintage game shows. Match Game didn't technically do a Thanksgiving episode, but they did mention the holiday on the day before Thanksgiving 1977. Orson Bean also mentioned the new special he was appearing in, The Hobbit.
Sale of the Century and High Rollers got more into the holiday in the mid-80's. In 1985, Sale offered a big Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, a wicker rocker, and a beautiful dining room. Rollers did Thanksgiving-themed prize packages for its big winners. The syndicated late 80's Family Feud asked everyone questions relating to the holiday and even had a turkey dinner for the families in the end.
The Price Is Right goes way back with Thanksgiving episodes. They did two Thanksgiving Showcases in 1975, the first year they were an hour. The first had Anitra Ford and Janice Pennington as mountain climbers. The second brought in Native Chief Johnny Olsen to teach the Pilgrim models the ways of the New World. He may have the dishwasher and microwave, but the girls have the better transportation - their speed boat is no canoe!
Honor Thanksgiving and Woolery and be thankful for games with these enjoyable episodes!
No comments:
Post a Comment