Headed out around quarter after 11. I had a few stops to make before my eye exam. Dropped a bag of clothes I no longer wanted in the bins behind Dollar General, then walked into Collingswood. Picked up four bagels at Kismet Bagels to have for lunch or dinner the rest of the week, as they wouldn't be open on my way back from Kresloff Eye Associates.
Had lunch at Cafe Antonio's about two blocks down from Kismet Bagels. They were relatively busy, but I ate up front, near the drink coolers. I had a slice of broccoli and tomato and a slice of chicken tomato basil. The latter was so thick, I couldn't finish it. Washed it down with a Diet Coke.
Kreslof Eye Associates is another two blocks down Haddon Avenue from Cafe Antonio's. For once, I was actually there over 15 minutes early. I had plenty of time to check my e-mail...and got a major disappointment when I did. The after-school program hadn't approved of my request for time off from September 22nd through the 26th for vacation! I figured they'd be ok with it because the school was closed one of those days for Rosh Hashanah, but they apparently want everyone there all month to settle the kids in. I was horrified. Lauren and I planned this for months. I had no idea how to tell her.
My eye exam itself went fairly well after all that. My left eye is slightly worse, but not bad enough to really worry about. My glasses themselves, however, needed to be replaced. The lenses are pretty scratched by now. They didn't have thinner wire frames I liked, so I ended up with thicker frames in a nifty blue-red swirl. With the extra-thick lenses, however, they cost $429...and that was with a heavy discount from my insurance! I paid it, but I wasn't happy.
There's a reason I walked there instead of taking the bike. My eyes were blurry and sensitive to light after being given eye drops to help them with my exam. I did manage to stop at The Candy Shop in Collingswood to try their gelato. Had the coffee chocolate chip. Yum. Crumbly, but cold and sweet, and more coffee than chip.
The other reason I walked was the weather remains too gorgeous for rushing. It was sunny, bright, and blue, in the mid-80's without a hint of humidity. The shady green leaves in the park were especially nice and cool as I headed for the stone steps that led up to Clinton Avenue.
Put on Summer Holiday as soon as I got home. I go further into this charming 1963 British musical with then-popular rock star Cliff Richard at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.
Worked on Hilary and the Beasts while the movie was on. Hilary, Mackie, and her siblings gather two hours before midnight on New Year's Eve to make plans. C.J got another record from KDKA to record Pavla, while Maple intends to grab that last record from Eagle's office they hadn't heard yet. Betty comes downstairs, reading the book Bear gave her for Christmas. She knows who Bear is now, and that the stories they wrote were his way of telling her he was still in there. Maple realizes who Eagle is now, too...and Hilary's had a good idea all along who Troll was. She just never wanted to admit it to herself. Mackie insists on going along, even though he's terrified and is still recovering from the flu.
Watched Match Game Syndicated while eating dinner. Fred Travalena and his many (occasionally annoying) voices were spotlighted this week. Also joining in were gruff and deadpan Robert Donner, goofy and slightly ditzy Betty Kennedy (I have no problems believing she did Cheech and Chong movies), and Fannie Flagg.
Finished the night with the cast albums for two musicals that were either set in or played in jolly old England. I have no idea where The Prince and the Pauper came from or where it played, but it does have some nice music. This charming 1963 adaptation of the Mark Twain novel apparently gave John Davidson one of his earliest roles as the roguish Miles Hendon. It's the Prince (Carol Blodgett) and Pauper (Joan Shepherd) who get the most memorable songs, including "Garbage Court Round" in the opening, "Why Don't We Switch?", and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" with Davidson.
Pickwick, based on The Pickwick Papers, was a far bigger and better-known hit in London that same year. Comedian Harry Secombe became best-known for playing the wealthy businessman Samuel Pickwick who gets into major trouble around Christmas when he inadvertently makes his landlady believe she's married to him. Pickwick's declaration of what he'd do "If I Ruled the World" was the major hit here. Other good songs include the charming ensemble number "That's What I'd Like for Christmas" and lovely "Look Into Your Heart." Too bad this doesn't seem to have done nearly as well on this side of the pond, despite the tour introducing Davy Jones to American audiences.
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