Matches Before the Storm

Began the morning with a quick breakfast and the soundtrack from the Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney Girl Crazy. Their last full film together may be their best, thanks to terrific Gershwin music and a good supporting cast. On one hand, Rooney's comedy routine with him imitating radio announcers is annoying and doesn't really work on a record. On the other hand, we get all of the songs, including a chorus number, "Bronco Busters," that was cut before release.

Hurried out the door as fast as I could. I wanted to ride my bike to work because I've been taking Uber so much lately, but maybe that wasn't the greatest idea on a day when the wind was going 40 miles an hour. It took me so long to get through that wind (and I was so late getting moving), I ended up being slightly late to work.

That was the worst thing that happened all afternoon. I spent the rest of the day pushing carts. They didn't even need me to sweep this time. The Sunday morning bagger and afternoon bagger took care of that. I dodged the heavy wind, chasing carts that blew out in the middle of the parking lot. The weather continued to be the same - cloudy, gale-force windy, and unusually warm and humid for this time of year. Once again, no trouble whatsoever, and I was in and out.

Finished Girl Crazy when I got home, then listened to Donnybrook! This 1961 musical is a retelling of The Quiet Man, with Art Lund as the former prizefighter looking to find peace in Ireland and Eddie Foy Jr. as the local matchmaker. The best songs are the opening chorus number "Sez I," and two charming ballads for the second couple Foy and Susan Johnson, "I Wouldn't Bet One Penny" and "Dee-lightful Is the Word." (Incidentally, Donnybrook! isn't currently on CD in the US, but you can get the vinyl pretty cheaply on Amazon and eBay.)

Finished the night on YouTube with today's Match Game marathon. Animal jokes abounded on this show, especially when animal lover and activist Betty White appeared. Along with all the cracks about what small children do to animals, two real dogs did appear on the syndicated run of the show. Blind contestant Glenn had a service dog named Princess whose beauty and devotion to her master charmed everyone on the panel. Betty did scold the writers for having a question that involved animal abuse when Princess was there!

Later in the syndicated run (and on a PM episode with Alan Oppenheimer), Gene brought along his daughter Lynne's dog Trotter. Trotter was a dear old mutt who was smarter and better behaved than most of the panelists. Charles complained about having a dog on the show, but Betty White was in total love and took good care of Trotter. Gene even tied red and dotted bandannas around her neck so she could match her grandpa. 

Have fun on the farm and meet two of the sweetest dogs around in this adorable and very funny marathon!

Match Game Sunday Classics - Animal Farm Marathon

It had threatened rain all day long. It still hadn't rained at 5, when the weather reports said it would. The rain wouldn't finally start until almost midnight...and when it rained, it monsooned. It's still pouring at press time (though we haven't yet gotten the thunder storm that was also predicted for tonight.)