Light Up the Neighborhood

Began the morning with breakfast and It's a Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special. Buster is directing the Toons' big holiday show, but nothing is going right. Montana Max, who is stuck in a wheelchair after a skiing accident, sabotages the show, and Babs gets jealous of Cher when she sees Buster whispering in her ear. Upset after Monty is giving the directing job, Buster is literally ready to jump out of the film. He's stopped by a large white bunny with a familiar laid-back accent who shows him what life in Acme Acres and for his friends would be like if he was never on Tiny Toons.

Watched Card Sharks while getting organized to make my last batch of cookies. Looked like Christmas 1978 or 1979, from the men's hair and suits. We had two guys with accents playing, a young Hispanic man and a somewhat older British man. The Brit won the round and did all right on the Money Cards.

I spent the rest of the morning working on the Cherry Coconut Bars. These are basically lemon bars with a cherry-coconut custard filling instead of lemon. They're rich, super-sweet, but oh-so tasty. This may have been the best they came out in years. The cookie base baked perfectly and smelled terrific. The custard came out just right. (And at least I didn't almost forget the coconut this time, like I did last year.) 

Watched Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol while I ate lunch and packed up the bar cookies. I went further into this classic TV animated special at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog back in 2019.

Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol

Hurried out after the show ended. I arrived at the Thomas Sharp School just in time. Once again, we were busy, with 20 pre-schoolers and kindergartners who hadn't been outside at home or school in almost a week. The blacktop was clear enough for the older kids to go out and play a ball game, but the younger ones still had to stay inside. Once again, they were incredibly rowdy until we got them settled down with toys, coloring, and books. I spent most of the evening working with the kids at the table with the magnetic tiles. I helped one boy build a space station, admired the geometric shapes another made, and shook my head as two more built a tall tower they kept knocking over, screaming with delight, before they'd build it back up again. One of the little girls wandered in and out. Another little girl and her family even gave me a gift card to Dunkin' Donuts and two Christmas shortbread cookies.

Had dinner at Crust n' Cravings on Collings after I left the kids. They were quiet except for the two guys making pizza and vacuuming and Action News. I ate a slice of chicken bacon ranch and a slice of broccoli tomato while half-listening to Channel 6. A mother and her grown daughter were just settling down with cheese steaks when I left.

Spent the next hour riding around, looking at lights displays in West Collingswood and Oaklyn. I traditionally do this about a week before Christmas, on a night after I've spent the day baking cookies on a hot stove. Since I was already out on the bike, I stayed on the bike instead of walking. I love how festive the local towns get at this time of year! I saw houses with electric candles in the window, with just the roof outlined, with the entire house wrapped in lights Clark Grizwauld-style. My favorites of the inflatables were the two Santas riding dinosaurs (Finley and the kids in the after-school program would love those) and a pig in a Santa hat. 

When I got home, I took a shower, then watched This Christmas. I go further into this R&B musical about a black family gathering for a memorable and melodramatic holiday season at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

This Christmas

Finished the night with two more holiday variety specials on YouTube. The Perry Como Winter Show is a more general holiday special from 1973 (complete with commercials that include recipes using Kraft products). Perry takes Sally Struthers, Jack Burns, and Avery Schriberer from the Metromedia Studios in sunny Califoria to wintry Vermont. Struthers, Burns, and Schriberer play broken toys who admit that they're glad they have each other. Schriberer insists that Como take him to sit on Santa's (Burns) knee. Como and Struthers have a romantic moment in the kitchen late at night over a sandwich. The group the Establishment perform chorus numbers and join in for a very peculiar tribute to vintage Hollywood. Struthers does Mae West, while the Establishment parodys Astaire and Rodgers and MacDonald and Eddy.

The 1966 Andy Williams Christmas Show is far more homey. Though we do have a very strange Osmond Brothers number "Whistle While You Work" with them as elves and a comic opening to "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," most of the show revolves around either Williams singing "Winter Weather" with his brothers, or Williams, his huge family, and his French then-wife Claudine Longet. He and Claudine get to sing a very sweet "Love In a Home" from Lil' Abner together. Williams finishes with a simple "Silent Night" on a bare stage.

Wrapping In the Rain

Began a gloomy morning with breakfast and the 2018 Muppet Babies. Bunsen's latest invention is an Elf-Bot, which can turn their art supplies into any gift they want, in "It's a Wonderful Elf-Bot." They're supposed to be making a present for Statler and Waldorf, but end up making presents for them instead...until the Elf-Bot gets overloaded and they run out of supplies. Bunsen thinks he can launch all of his unwanted shrimp milk boxes into outer space in "A Merry Little Christmas," but he ends up making a mess on Planet Gonzo. The other Muppets join him to clean up the planet.

It wasn't raining hard when I went to work, but it was supposed to rain all day. This was no day for riding the bike. I called Uber. The drivers going to and from work picked me up in 7 minutes. I even had the one going home before. I got there and back within five minutes and had no trouble whatsoever. 

No trouble at work, either. Between the rain and this being the middle of the week and the middle of the month, we were dead all morning. It was so quiet, at one point, I did returns because the carts were full. And no wonder. It was gloomy, gray, and too warm for this time of year, probably in the 60's. The rain wasn't bad at work, but it did shower off and on for the entire morning. I was in and out with no trouble whatsoever.

(Thankfully, the rain wouldn't pick up until about a half-hour after I got home. It's been raining off and on, sometimes heavily, since then.)

Had lunch while watching PAW Patrol. "The Pups Save Christmas" when they have to rescue Santa after he has a crash-landing during a storm. Rocky and Rubble repair the sleigh. Chase rounds up the reindeer and helps Santa find the magical Christmas Star that allows them to fly. The others deliver the gifts around Adventure Bay. 

Spent the next four hours wrapping gifts and boxing them. I want to send out any boxes that need to be mailed first thing tomorrow. There is one present left I need to pick up, but it's not something that's going in the mail. I'm hoping to find it in Collingswood tomorrow. At the least, I was right to buy another roll of wrapping paper. I did use up most of the gold reindeer paper.

Watched It's a Wonderful Life as I started the wrapping. George Bailey (James Stewart) has spent his whole life working for his family's building and loan in a small New York State town. He loves his wife Mary (Donna Reed) and their kids, but envies his brother Harry (Todd Karns), who had so many opportunities he was forced to give up in order to keep their business out of the hands of miserly Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore). He's horrified when Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) loses the money they're supposed to deposit in the bank and is ready to commit suicide, until he's stopped by sweetly eccentric Clarence (Henry Travers). Clarence is an angel who has watched George his whole life. When George makes a passing remark about how everyone would be better off without him, Clarence gives him a chance to see what those he loves would be like if he'd never been born...and learns why he truly has a wonderful life.

This has been one of my favorite movies for years, if for no other reason than it features one of the greatest collections of character actors in any Hollywood movie, from Lillian Randolph as Annie, the Baileys' hilarious housekeeper, to Beulah Bondi as George and Harry's mother, to Ward Bond and Frank Faylen as George's buddies Bert and Ernie. It's not for those who don't agree with director Frank Capra's pro-small town sentiment, but if you're a fan of Stewart or any of the cast, you'll absolutely want to check this out.

"It's a Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special" is a pitch-perfect spoof of Wonderful Life, down to Buster attempting to jump out of the film when Montana Max takes over directing the Toons' holiday show. A certain very tall rabbit named Harvey shows Buster what it would have been like if he'd never been on the show...and it's not much prettier than what happened with George.

Stayed with the Looney Tunes as I packed the presents for Anny and her kids, Lauren and her parents, and the family in Virginia in boxes to be shipped out tomorrow. Bugs Bunny's Christmas Tales is an anthology of three original holiday shorts made directly for TV. The first is a version of Christmas Carol with Yosemite Sam as Scrooge, Porky as Cratchit, and Bugs as Nephew Fred and the ghosts. The second takes Wil E. Coyote and Road Runner out of the desert and into the snowy mountains for some fun with ice. Bugs has to defend his home against a hungry Taz wearing a Santa suit in the third.

Had just enough time to add the first three Goodyear Great Songs of Christmas albums to the Seasonal inventory, then had dinner while watching Match Game '75. Carol continues her winning ways in the first episode, though she doesn't have as much luck with Brett in the head-to-head this time. She finally loses during the first day of the next week with Sheldon Leonard and Louisa Moritz. Bob Barker turned up again in the last episode from 1977 with Eva Gabor.

Finished the night after a shower with more family favorites. March of the Wooden Soldiers is the Laurel and Hardy version of Babes In Toyland. I went further into this film in a Musical Dreams Movie Reviews entry from late November 2018.

March of the Wooden Soldiers

Inspired by Linda Young's comment on yesterday's blog, I looked up the original Raccoons specials on YouTube. The Christmas Raccoons introduces us to Ralph, Melissa, and Bert, who lose their fir tree home after Cyril goes on a sawing spree and destroys half of the Evergreen Forest. The human children and their sheepdog Schaeffer (Carl Banas) take it home to be their Christmas tree. Schaeffer chases them when they try to get back to it, but helps them out when they explain what happened and what Cyril is doing.

The Raccoons On Ice is pretty much what it is on the record, with the addition of a few low-key songs by Rita Coolidge (who voices Melissa in these first two specials) and Leo Sayer (who took over for Rupert Holmes here) as background. It's even funnier when you can see everyone's expressions, including the big hockey game in the end. 

Of Angels and Toons

I overslept this morning, more than I wanted. Had barely enough time to read the first chapter of A Christmas Carol, write in my journal, grab breakfast, and rush out. At least I had no trouble with Uber. Picked up a ride to work in 6 minutes and a ride home in four. There was no traffic either way.

Work wasn't really a problem, either, other than having to dodge the crane repairing the lights in the parking lot. We were mildly steady for most of the morning. It started picking up a little around noon, but it still wasn't crazy. Maybe it was the nice day. It was a sunny, breezy, brisk early 40's, a perfectly normal day for mid-December. I spent the entire day pushing carts and sweeping with no problems.

Once I got home, I changed, then went downstairs. It took a little while to slice the dense chocolate fudge and put the boxes for them together. I keep finding cute Christmas cookie and candy boxes everywhere, including online, but they require a lot of patience to push the flaps in that I often don't have. At least I did get them done. 

The Peanut Butter Fudge took a while, too. I used brown sugar when I probably should have used more powdered, and I almost forgot the butter. The batter was still sticky when I finally poured it into the prepared pan, but as of around 5 PM, it seems to be firming up a bit. Hopefully, it'll be better tomorrow.

Went upstairs to watch It's a Wonderful Life. George Bailey (James Stewart) is not having the best Christmas Eve. His Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) misplaced the money he needs to keep his Building and Loan business open. George loves his wife Mary (Donna Reed) and their children, but he's full of regrets. He never got to see the world or go to college. George spent most of his life after his father's death trying to keep mean old miser Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) from taking over Bedford Falls.

When Potter puts out a warrant for his arrest, George almost commits suicide. He's saved by Clarence (Henry Travers), a kindly older man who claims to be an angel. George doesn't believe him, until Clarence acts on a chance comment by George about wishing he was never born. Bedford Falls without George is a very scary place, enough to finally show George that he truly does have a wonderful life after all.

This is an old favorite of mine, but it's not for everyone. If you don't agree with director Frank Capra's pro-small-town sentiment, this won't be your cup of Christmas tea. At any rate, Stewart and Reed are absolutely delightful. They're backed by some of the finest character actors in Hollywood, including Beluah Bondi as George's mother, HB Warmer as drugstore owner Mr. Gower, and Gloria Grahame as Violet, who has been chasing George since childhood. 

Naturally, I had to follow that up with the series finale of the original Tiny Toons Adventures. Buster doesn't think "It's a Wonderful Tiny Toons Special," either. His attempt to make a holiday show with the Toons goes so badly, he almost jumps out of the film. It takes a familiar rabbit to make Buster understand how important he is to the show and his friends.

Worked a little bit on writing after that. Snow Queen Betty and her husband King Allen are searching for the Sugar Plum Fairy (Brett) and her cavalier (Charles). They're the only ones who know how to find the nut that can save Princess Clara-Marie.

Broke for dinner at 7 PM. Watched Match Game Syndicated while I ate a quick roast beef sandwich. Gene has to explain why the opening was so slow. Tim Conway apparently taped a show in the same studio and they had to rearrange everything quickly. He even shows a cue card that reveals what went on in the show. They're joined by Dawn Jefferies of General Hospital, Rita Moreno, and Fred Grandy. David Doyle takes Charles' place. 

Finished the night with TV holiday specials from the 1980's. Rugby Tiger (voice of Dave Golez) thinks he's going to be The Christmas Toy for little Jamie again this year. He sneaks out to climb into the package and is followed by Mew (Steve Whitmire), a cat toy who is worried he'll be seen by humans and frozen forever. When the other toys realize they're gone, doll Apple (Kathryn Mullen), nervous ride-on horse Belmont (Richard Hunt), and laid-back cab driving Little Person Cruiser (Brian Henson) go after him. It's not until he sees another toy in the box and almost loses Mew that Rugby finally understands that friendship is a lot more important than being in the holiday spotlight.

Rugby's not the only orange striped cat who had a busy holiday in the mid-80's. Garfield's Christmas Special has Jon taking Odie and a reluctant Garfield to his parents' farm on Christmas Eve. Garfield finally ends up bonding with Jon's sassy Grandma. She's badly missing her husband, but he finds a way to make her Christmas a little bit merrier.

Even the action shows from Filmation got in on the holiday cheer. Yes, The She-Ra He-Man Christmas Special is a thing. Orko accidentally stows away in an experimental rocket, then brings two Earth children to Eternia after She-Ra, He-Man, and their friends finally get the crystal to create the portal to bring them there. Horde Prime doesn't like the children's talk of a happy, peaceful holiday and demands that Hordak and Skeletor bring them to him. Skeletor gets them first, but he learns a surprisingly lesson in the Christmas spirit when he ends up defending them against Horde Prime. 

It's a Beautiful Day

Started off the morning with breakfast and the first season of Sailor Moon. "Usagi Vs. Rei: Nightmare In Dreamland" takes the Guardians to a local amusement park where people have been disappearing. Rei wishes Usagi would stop trying to get on the rides and play with the animatronic animals and pay attention to their mission. Usagi wishes Rei would calm down and enjoy herself. They learn to work together when Ami is among the people put to sleep in the Candy Castle by the animatronic princess, who is a lot more sinister than Usagi suspects.

Switched to Tiny Toon Adventures as I pulled out my suitcase and dusted it off. "Bugs and Babs Go Hawaiian" has Babs and Buster Bunny (no relation) heading off to the title island. Buster would be happier if they didn't go there by plane. He's terrified of flying. Things don't get any better when they arrive at first. Dizzy eats their luggage, and they lose their money. Babs pulls out a credit card and insists they make the best of things, but even she starts to worry when there's a volcano about to go off. (Oh, and this episode was the one written by three thirteen-year-old girls as part of a contest. I think they did a terrific job. It's one of the funnier episodes of the second season. They even appear early-on in caricatured version of their real selves.)

Went through my suitcase while the cartoon was on to see if I needed to replace or restock anything before I left. My shampoo and conditioner bottles were almost empty, and I finished off the body wash the last time. I'd pick up some today, along with snacks for the trip and this weekend. 

Put on Match Game '77 as I got organized, then headed out. First stop on my long list was the bank for vacation money. I pulled up to one of the outside ATMs, but that was probably a mistake. I had to rush getting the money when a car pulled up to the driveway.

Headed down Atlantic and across to Westmont for lunch. I love Que Ricas, a little Venezuelan restaurant in the shopping center across from the Westmont Theater Gym. They sell arepas, cornmeal bread with various fillings. I had "curvy queen," a chicken salad with shredded Gouda, guacamole, and grilled plantains, along with a can of Diet Coke. Oh, yum! The plantains added a just-sweet-enough touch to the salty chicken salad. It was amazing. 

Was in and out of several stores over the next hour. Picked up yogurt and a salad for the train from the Westmont Acme. Rode up to the Westmont Plaza and hit Sprouts for granola bars and coconut milk. Got the toiletries at Target, along with a new toothbrush cover and two bags of nuts. Thought I'd try gummy multi-vitamins that were slightly cheaper (and probably better-tasting). 

No wonder everywhere I went today was quiet. Only Target had a line, and there was barely anyone in Sprouts. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. Upper 70's, breezy, and sunny as can be. Couldn't have been a more perfect day for an errand run. It was just too nice for most people to be shopping.

Went straight home after I left Target. Put everything away, then enjoyed popcorn while watching Road to Bali. I go further into the sixth Road movie and the only one in color at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Road to Bali

Looked up jobs next. When I had no luck there, I went into writing. Joyce heads down the road with Charles the Scarecrow and Rover, wondering about Queen Bretta and what happened to her court. Charles admits he might know something, but doesn't really remember it. Joyce wonders how a scarecrow came to be in the queen's employ.

Broke at 7 for dinner and more Match Game '77. Richard's the only one who gives a decent answer for "__ Practice." He also gets to help out with "Divide __" in the Head-to-Head. Don Sutton is more than happy to show off his strong pitcher's arm and part of his chest later in the episode. Gene's not as happy when Brett tries it!

Finished the night online with The New Scooby Doo Movies. The gang is stranded in the small town of Winona, Missouri after they accidentally run the Mystery Machine into a truck. They encounter fellow Hanna-Barbara mystery solver Speed Buggy and his human pals, who are trying to figure out what "The Weird Wind of Winona" is and why it's causing the town's population to decline. 

Went to the Eagles-Vikings game after that. Once again, the Eagles started strong, but faltered in the second half. Thankfully, they did play better than on Sunday, finally running past the Vikings 34-28. 

'Twas the Day After Christmas

Spent the first day of my actual vacation (I just took yesterday off) sleeping in. It was past 12:30 before I really got moving. Watched Match Game '75 while eating brunch. Ed Asner and singer Julie London joins in to help sweet, sobbing Dorothy figure out "Better __" in the Audience Match...but she does pretty well on her own. Charles is delighted when he comes up with the top answer, milking the audience's reaction for all it's worth. Richard has a harder time with "__ Test" in the Head-to-Head.

Switched to Charlie & Lola while making my bed and doing a few little things around my rooms. Lola's excited about her first sleepover at Lotta's, until she sees how different her nightly routine is from the one she has, and she realizes she misses Charlie. She says "I Slightly Want to Go Home," until she plays a nighttime game with Lotta that she usually does with her brother that helps relieve her homesickness.

I considered going for a walk today, since it was only cloudy. It's still cold, though, and I'd really rather save my money for trips later in the week. I puttered around online and played a few games at the Buzzr website.

Ate lunch, then rested while watching A Christmas Story. All Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsly) wants for Christmas 1940 is a Red Ryder BB gun "with a compass and a stock and this thing which tells time," but the universe seemingly conspires against him receiving this perfect gift. His mother (Melinda Dillon) thinks it's a bad idea. His father (Darren McGavin) seems to be too caught up in his feuds with the furnace and the next door neighbors' dogs and with his "major award" to notice anything else. Ralphie and his little brother Randy (Ian Petrella) may not survive typical childhood pitfalls like getting into fights with local bullies and their visit with an overworked Santa (Jeff Gillen) long enough to make it to Christmas Day...and even then, the holiday doesn't turn out at all like Ralphie expects.

Here's the other Christmas comedy from my childhood that's still a favorite of mine. My family played the copy we taped off HBO constantly during the holiday season long before TNT started running it during Christmas Day. There's so much I can relate to here, from parents swearing where their kids can hear to the bullying to siblings who won't eat and hide under the sink when they're upset. The Parker parents are the hilarious stand-outs, but everyone's a delight. 

Roused myself long enough to write when the movie ended. The Mouse King does manage to get Gene down after he's beset by his men. The Nutcracker will defend him, but Debralee worries it may be too much...

Broke for dinner at quarter after 7. Ate while watching Match Game '79. Gene and Bob Barker spend the first episode drooling over Brianne Leary in her newsboys cap and outfit. They're absolutely thrilled to be referred to as sex symbols! Jon "Bowser" Bauman's more interested in the poem he recites in the beginning. In the second episode, Bob mentions The Price Is Right intended to build a Showcase around Match Game, complete with Gene, Charles, and Brett. I wonder if they ever did?

Finished out the night after a shower online. Started with It's a Wonderful Life. George Bailey (James Stewart) thinks life has passed him by. He runs a savings and loan in his small town that's provided housing for half his neighbors, yet he and his wife Mary (Donna Reed) live in a ramshackle house with a big family and no money. Every opportunity he had to leave, he ended up having to stay to help someone in need, or keep the Building and Loan going, if only to keep the town from falling into the hands of nasty Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore). He's about to take his life when he thinks he's lost the money he needs to keep his business going, but he's saved by Clarence (Henry Travers), a friendly angel. Clarence finally comes up with the idea of showing George what the world would be like if he'd never been born...and it's not a pretty picture.

Your mileage may vary, depending on how you feel about director Frank Capra's pro-small town politics, but I mostly love this movie. Actually, my favorite thing about this is the host of beloved character actors having a great time with their roles, from Beluah Bondi as George's warm mother to Thomas Mitchell as forgetful Uncle Billy and Gloria Grahame as the town flirt with an unrequited crush on George. Highly recommended for fans of Reed, Stewart, or the actors involved, or those who agree with Capra's sentiments about small towns at the holiday season.

The series finale of Tiny Toon Adventures was their full-out spoof "It's a Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special." Frustrated over a series of mishaps besetting their big holiday extravaganza, Buster Bunny attempts to leap from the actual film. He's stopped by a tall white rabbit with a familiar drawl named Harvey, who shows him what Tiny Toons would have been like if he wasn't on it. (There's even a joking reference to Quantam Leap here!) 

How I Spent My Summer Day Off

Started off a nice, quiet morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Dan learns that slow and steady is the way to go when "Daniel Takes His Time" to tape up a drawing for his Grandpere and help him mix his favorite raisin bread. "Sometimes It's Good to Go Slow"...like when you're on a nature walk with your class. Miss Elaina rushes around so much, she misses seeing the butterfly she so much wanted to admire, plus the many other animals and plants around her. 

Switched to Match Game '75 while finishing breakfast and making my grocery list. The first episode was from the same week as the infamous "Admiral color television" PM incident. A sweet but extremely pregnant contestant has everyone a little on edge, even as Richard helps her with "Hour __" on the Head-to-Head. The second one began the week with William Shatner and Broadway star Julie Harris. Gene walks straight into the camera for an extreme (and kind of scary!) close-up, while he and Richard attempt to flirt with Julie.

Headed out to run errands after Match Game ended. I needed groceries and to get my schedule, so I could call Vanessa later. I did manage to buy most of what I needed. Had digital coupons for pads and yogurt. Grabbed salt-free almonds and found a good sale on Purex laundry detergent. Got Caress soap for half-price off the clearance racks; picked up a few bakery items with manager's coupons. 

I kept waiting around for my schedule to be ready. And waiting. And waiting. It was supposed to have been up at noon, but it still hadn't been posted by almost 2. When I finally got into line, the older man behind me started to make jokes about me and hit on me. I didn't think he was funny at all. I thought he was obnoxious and rude. I dashed out of the store as fast as I could. 

I couldn't help myself. I started crying when I got outside. I wish that damn health insurance wasn't so important! If it wasn't for the free health insurance, I would have left this job ages ago. It's nothing but a pain. People are rude, and I'm tired of schedules that have me working 40 hours one week, 20 hours the next. 

And when they finally did give me my schedule...yeah, it's still bad. Three days off in a row, from Monday through Wednesday, will be a big help to my well being. It won't be a help to my wallet, though. And when I do work, it's early. I would give anything for either a consistent schedule, or one I had more control over! 

Ducked through Oaklyn on my way home. The revamped Phillies Palace (formerly Phillies Yummies) was finally open when I was there, so I thought I'd try it. Originally wanted chocolate chip water ice, but they were out, so I went with a medium strawberry lemonade. Ooh, very cold and fruity, but also way too sweet. The medium was bigger than I thought it would be, too. I enjoyed most of it while watching two teenage girls and their beautiful husky enjoy a treat, then two boys try to decide what ice cream they wanted. (I loved how the boys, who were around 9 or 10, gave a younger boy who was about 6 a high-five.)

Called Vanessa the moment I got home. To my frustration, she assumed I'd be getting my schedule for the next two weeks. I finally made an appointment with her on the 26th. I know I have that day off, because I have counseling with Mrs. Stahl later that day. 

Rested and had a snack while Tattletales was on. Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller have become one of my favorite couples on the show. They're just so funny! They came in second to Darren McGaven and Kathie Browne. (Who knew each other so well, they were married until Kathie's death in 2003.) Press Your Luck got really wild in the second half, when the ladies kept passing turns. One of the ladies got slammed with Whammies twice in a row, which allowed the one guy to sneak in and win with trips to London and Rome.

Worked on editing my story for a while after that. Got so into it, I didn't break for dinner until 7. Watched my last weekday Match Game PM on Buzzr for a while after I ate. It started with some funny moments, including Dick Martin, Brett Somers, and Charles Nelson Reilly playing "cards" (with their blue writing cards) when they were out of a question. Richard ran into trouble when he misheard Gene's "Pall __" in the Head-to-Head as "Paul __," and answers have to be an exact match. He didn't look too happy after that...

Finished out the night after a shower with Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Summer Vacation at Hulu. Buster and Babs spend their vacation riding a raft on the river, dodging rabbit-eating southern possums and alligators while having an epic water fight. Plucky begs Hampton to join his family on their trip to major theme park Happy World Land, then seriously regrets it when it turns out they're the type of smiley-happy family who would give the Osmonds cavities. Fifi is desperate to meet her favorite skunk star, but he's an egotistical jerk who would rather use her. Shirley wishes she left Fowlmouth at home when he takes her to the movies and annoys everyone in the theater with his chatter. Elmyra terrorizes the animals at the local safari park.

My sisters and I were huge Tiny Toons fans, and we used to rent this one a lot in the early 90's, especially during our actual summer vacation. Plucky's vacation from hell is probably the funniest segment, but Fowmouth's bad behavior at the theater and Buster and Babs downriver also have their moments. If you're also a fan of the show (and understand or don't mind some of the topical jokes), this is highly recommended warm-weather viewing. 

Three Cheers for Earth Day!

Awoke to an absolutely glorious morning. The Earth couldn't have been more beautiful to celebrate it's big day. It was sunny and bright, a bit breezy, but not the gale-force winds we had earlier in the week. Ate a very quick breakfast before dashing off and getting to work just in time.

Which was a good thing. Work was mobbed, with lines winding half-way down the store for a lot of the day. Between people on vacation and people calling out, we didn't have anything resembling enough help to deal with them all. Didn't help that there were a couple of people not in great moods or happy over the long lines. 

There was some excitement around noon, though. Acme is one of the sponsors of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Audubon store was among those that got a visit from the Eagles' mascot Swoop and the Eagles cheerleaders this afternoon. Customers could bring in plastic bags to trade for heavy cloth ones and take photos with the ladies and their friend. 

Later, the cheerleaders not only brought extras to give away for free, but they helped me bag at my line, too. I chuckled at them helping the customers and tried to avoid the photographer taking copious pictures of them. (And yes, I snagged two bags for myself.)

Not happy with my schedule next week at all. Only one day off, Tuesday, for counseling and my eye exam. The hours for the rest of the week range all over the map, from late on Thursday to very early next Saturday. People are still using the last of their vacation time before it starts over May 1st...leaving us still really short on help. 

Went straight home and upstairs after work. Changed and had dinner while watching Match Game '77. Richard's delighted to chat with a young woman who remembers him signing her balloon six years before. He does better with "Secretary of __" than "Thumbs __" on two Head-to-Heads.

I was so wiped out, I nearly passed out during Match Game PM. Too bad, as it was the nighttime episode from the week in 1977 with Bill Cullen and Debralee Scott. Gene gets a bit tongue-tied on a question at one point, but maybe that's because he was admiring the pretty saleswoman contestant. He and Richard were certainly ready to take orders from her!

Managed to wake up long enough to switch to The Lorax special for Earth Day. The Once-ler chops down the beautiful Truffula trees to make his faddish Thneeds. The Lorax is a forest spirit who speaks for the trees and the animals the Once-ler's factory displaces, but he ignores him in the face of growing profits. The Once-ler builds and builds up his factory and the town surrounding it, thinking he'll be able to just keep making money forever. Nothing, however, lasts forever, and when the last tree is cut down, he and the Lorax learn a sad lesson about the damage unchecked "progress" can do.

Finished the night on Hulu with two 90's cartoons with ecological-themed episodes. Sailor Moon did one in the second half of the first season. "Usagi's Panic: Rei's First Date" has Usagi following Mamoru and Rei as they go on a date at a local park and bringing nerdy Umino along as a cover. Ami and Luna are more concerned about Ami's older friend, a gardener who is upset that the park will be torn down and built over. He's been acting very strangely lately. Turns out it was a plot by Nephrite to steal the not only the man's energy, but all the animals in the park, too. The Guardians not only have to fight off a plant-based monster, but animals attacking them as well.

The Tiny Toons have slightly less harrowing adventures taking care of the Earth as they come up with three "Pollution Solutions" in the first season of Tiny Toon Adventures. "The No Deposit, No Return of the Trash Bag Dispenser" has Plucky turning superhero to teach Elmyra about recycling. It's a "Jungle Bungle" when Buster and Babs try to stop a corrupt executive (with a familiar name) from destroying the jungle to build a front lawn. Go-Go the Dodo is "Waist Deep In Wackyland" when Montana Max sends the pollution from his factory into Go-Go's home. He puts Monty on trial and sends him out to clean the mess slapstick style.

From All of Us to All of You

Started off Christmas Eve by feeding the cats and fish breakfast, then myself. Watched The Little Drummer Boy while Lynx, Mr. Fish, and I ate. I went further into this classic Rankin-Bass religious special at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog last Christmas Eve. 

Christmas Eve Double Feature - The Little Drummer Boy & The Little Drummer Boy Book II

Finally caught a little bit of The Newlywed Game on Buzzr while getting ready for work. It must have been streaming on accident, since it's only supposed to be restricted to cable. In the second season of the late 90's revival, Bob Eubanks leads four couples through questions about their love lives and life at home. The husband in one couple was extremely Scottish, wearing a kilt and a tuxedo top. I left another couple arguing over whether or not she did anything to start an argument as I headed off to work.

As you can guess on Christmas Eve, work was insanely busy from the moment I began at 8 AM until almost 3. I think it actually has more to do with this being a weekend. Normally, most people shopping on Christmas Eve are just picking up perishables or milk or bread, but I saw a lot of really huge orders. People probably just got their paychecks and are doing their regular shopping. One lady was a bit rude and riled up other women in line; otherwise, there were no major problems.

At least I didn't go hungry. The store had a lot of food in the employee break room. There were two trays of cookies, a big container of cupcakes, cans of soda, bottles of water, Hershey's Kisses, Butterfinger bells, and later on, Little Caesar's pizza and boxes of soft pretzels. I had everything but the pizza. I intended to have far better pizza for dinner later. 

Texted Jessa during my breaks, inviting her to Christmas dinner. She finally replied in the affirmative later in the evening. Thanked Mom for giving me a larger-than-expected Amazon card for Christmas, too. 

It slowed down enough by 4:30 for me to leave without a break. Went straight home, changed, put out food for the cats, cleaned out their litter boxes, and went right back out. The neighbor I asked if he'd seen Toothless the other night was on the porch with his wife and son. They put a very sweet note in the mailbox yesterday saying to call them if I needed any help. I greeted them and thanked them for the note.

By 5:30, Phillies Phatties was mostly down to bored older boys and their buddies looking for a snack and something to do away from family get-togethers. I kept it simple and ordered two slices of cheese and a festive Mountain Dew Code Red while watching Univision's Spanish-language programming. 

I was home by 6, pouring over Rose's old Southern Living cookbooks for dessert ideas while watching Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas. The Disney gang figure into three holiday shorts, two of them based after popular Christmas short stories. "Donald Duck: Stuck On Christmas" is supposed to be based after Christmas Every Day, but owes a lot more to Groundhog Day. Huey, Dewey, and Louie wish it was Christmas every day, then regret it when they quickly become tired of the festivities repeating ad nauseum. Goofy sets out to prove to a skeptical Max that Santa is real in "A Very Goofy Christmas." "Minnie and Mickey's Gift of the Magi" has the mouse duo trading the things that mean the most for them for gifts.

Switched to A Disney Channel Christmas next. I've watched this special every year since Mom first recorded it in 1988. Jiminy Cricket hosts a combination of two earlier Disney holiday specials, Jiminy Cricket's Christmas and A Disney Christmas Gift. The former is mostly represented by shorts like "Donald's Snow Fight," "Pluto's Christmas Tree," and "The Art of Skiing," along with the romantic "Once Upon a Wintertime." The latter features sequences from older Disney animated movies showing parties, magic, of gift-giving, including Cinderella, Bambi, and Pinocchio, along with the Donald Duck short "The Clock Watcher," the lovely black and white "Mickey's Good Deed," and the Christmas Past sequence from Mickey's Christmas Carol. (Which was so new when this special debuted, Jiminy says it's "now in theaters.") 

Moved into Khai's room for It's a Wonderful Life. George Bailey (James Stewart) is convinced life has passed him by. He's spent most of his life working at his father's saving and loan, trying to keep his small town out from under the thumb of miserly Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore). When his Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) loses the money he needs to keep them afloat on Christmas Eve, he contemplates suicide. He's saved by a little old man named Clarence (Henry Travers) who claims to be his guardian angel. Clarence finally shows George what it would have been like if he hadn't been born...and proves to him that he really has a wonderful life with some truly special friends and family.

Of course, I had to go straight into "It's a Wonderful Tiny Toon Christmas Special" on Hulu afterwards. Yes, this is a direct parody of Wonderful Life. Buster Bunny is so despondent after he screws up the Tiny Toons' big holiday show, he tries to jump out of the negative. This time, it's a white bunny named Harvey with Stewart's voice who shows Buster what it would have been like if he wasn't on the show, and remind him that "no man (or rabbit) is a failure who has friends."

Moved to Disney Plus for The Small One. This returns us to the more religious side of the holiday. A little boy takes his beloved old donkey to town to be sold. He's first sent to a tanner, then a haughty auctioneer, but no one wants him. It isn't until he meets a kindly man who needs a gentle donkey to take his wife to Bethlehem that he finds the perfect new owners for Small One. 

Mickey's Christmas Carol is also at Disney Plus, so I went with that one next. Uncle Scrooge is actually the star of this delightful retelling of the beloved story. Mickey's Bob Cratchit, Donald is Nephew Fred, Minnie is Mrs. Cratchit, Goofy is a very funny Jacob Marley, and Big Pete has one of his scariest roles as the Ghost of Christmas Future. 

Ended the night on YouTube with two lesser-known but enjoyable specials. Raggedy Ann & Andy and The Great Santa Claus Caper is the first of two holiday cartoons done by Chuck Jones that featured the famous rag dolls. Comet the Reindeer calls on Ann, Andy, and their dog Arthur to stop the Big Bad Wolf from covering Santa's toys in an unbreakable substance he calls Gloopstik. If children can't handle their gifts, they'll have to buy them from him. Ann and Andy prove to him that their love of Christmas, Arthur, and each other is stronger than any Gloopstik. 

Ziggy's Gift is a very sweet special done almost entirely in pantomime. Ziggy, the famous comic strip character, takes a job as a sidewalk Santa to make extra money and help the needy during the holidays. Turns out not only is the job a scam, but there's another thief who is after the money Ziggy's collected...and a cop who wants to drag them both to the precinct. It takes a lost cat and a group of orphans to remind the trio of what the holidays are really about.

And as Jiminy Cricket observed at the end of A Disney Channel Christmas, from all of us to all of you, Merry Christmas! I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow, no matter what you celebrate or whom you celebrate with. 

The Tooth Will Out

Started my day with finally having tasty Blueberry Pancakes for breakfast while watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. "Minnie's Picnic" will be at the new Mickey Park Picnic Grounds. It'll be a huge party with all their friends...if they can figure out how to get the food, plates, and blankets there, and then how to fit 12 friends and deal with the high winds.

Switched to Hogan's Heroes as I got ready to head out. "The Crittendon Plan" is the first episode of the third season. Hogan and his boys get word from London that they need to break the infamous Colonel Crittendon (Bernard Fox) out of Stalag 16, as it's his plan that's being used to sabotage a bridge. The boys are reluctant, given how ridiculous he acted last time, but they eventually do it...and then London says they had the wrong Crittendon...

Made it to my dentist appointment appointment with no time to spare. They were ready for me the moment I arrived, and it took no time to get me into the doctor's. The root canal really wasn't a problem. There were so many plastic sheets pushed around my tooth and so many needles, I didn't feel a thing. Once again, they filled the tooth in after they finished. They'll put a crown on in early August. (I just hope they can save it. The doctor isn't sure they'll be able to. I don't want another tooth yanked.)

Went a couple doors down to Target after my appointment finished. There were a few things I needed that were cheaper there, like brown sugar, honey, small plastic bags, and Liquid Plumber. Grabbed a Powerade for the ride home. It remained sunny, hazy, humid, and killer hot, likely into the mid-90's, which is likely why I only dodged cars on Cuthbert and a few bikes. No one else wanted to be out in that withering heat.

Put on Match Game '79 while making a Banana-Chocolate Smoothie for lunch. Grumpy Richard Deacon really wasn't happy when the lights on his desk seemed to be out. He did better helping a handsome contestant later with "__ the Dog." 

Switched to The Bride Came C.O.D on the Watch TCM app as I gave the bathroom a much-needed scrubbing. This 1941 screwball romance is one of the last of the "runaway heiress" comedies of the Depression era. The heiress in question is oil tycoon's daughter Joan Winfield (Bette Davis) who wants to marry bandleader Alan Brice (Jack Carson). They initially hire cash-strapped pilot Steve Collins (James Cagney) to fly them to Las Vegas...but Steve calls her father Lucius Winfield (Eugene Pallatte) and tells him he'll bring her back for a price. 

"Bringing her back" involves kidnapping her at the airport, to her frustration. She tries to bail out, only to bring them down in a ghost town in California. The one resident (Harry Davenport) really thinks he's kidnapped her and helps her detail him, then hide in the abandoned mine. Steve tries to make both of them understand, only for them to end up stuck in the mine and fall for each other. Meanwhile, Alan is coming their way with a preacher, and he'll have his bride whether she bails out or not...

Warners mostly specialized in gangster films, action movies, tough comedies, and message dramas at this point. They didn't really do romantic comedy that often, and it shows in a strange and overly-complicated plot. Davis in particular is miscast as the flighty rich girl; Cagney only looks slightly better as the pilot who falls for her. Cute if you're a fan of the leading stars or the screwball comedies of the 30's and early 40's.

Moved to Tattletales while cleaning the kitchen. The big winners today were long-married newcomers Pat and Bill Daily, over another long-married comic pair Patty Duke and John Astin and gay buddies Fannie Flagg and Dick Sergeant. By the time Press Your Luck came on, I was on the vacuuming and Swiftering. Whammies really flew thick today, taking out one of the two ladies all together in the second round. The other woman barely defeated a military man, winning a trip to Dallas, among other prizes.

Worked on writing for a while after I finished with the Swifter. Yes, the Queen and King of Hearts are none other than Betty White and Allen Ludden in elaborate Victorian dress. Betty asks Brett and the boys if they know why the cards painted her roses red. Brett claims they haven't a clue...but she doesn't like it when the Queen threatens to take the Guards' heads off for damaging her precious roses...

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Finally had that shrimp with potato salad and cucumber-tomato salad while watching Match Game '76. A contestant gave Gary Burghoff an adorable teddy bear, knowing how much his character Radar on MASH loves his bear. Later on, everyone tried to figure out what kind of a test Dumb Dora thought she had to take.

Finished out dinner during Match Game PM. Debralee Scott is intrigued by another good-looking horse-racing contestant who claims to be "happily single." Meanwhile, Charles teases Gene about his huge tie. Jimmie Walker shows off his stylish suit, then has to help that gentleman try to win 10,000 on "__ Gonzales."

Sale of the Century once again started close. The other man started to pull ahead during the second half, but the champ bought two out of three Instant Bargains and killed at the Speed Round. He picked up another shopping spree, this one more general, on the Match the Prizes Board.

Finished the night on Hulu with Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Summer Vacation. Babs and Buster kick off their two months off with an epic water fight that ends with them riding through the Deep South. Fifi the skunk pursues male skunk star, only to be stung when he uses her. Shirley the Loon regrets it when Fowlmouth takes her through the movie and ends up talking over it and driving the audience crazy. Elmyra terrorizes the animals in a safari park. Plucky Duck begs his best pal Hampton Pig to take him on vacation with them to Happy World Land, only to find that Hampton and his parents (Johnathan Winters and Edie McClurg) are a smiley-happy type of family who would give the Osmonds cavities. 

Wacky ode to time off is fun if you're a fan of the original Tiny Toon Adventures show or love other movies about summer trips that didn't go as planned. 

Hazy Shade of Winter

Began another bright and sunny morning with breakfast and Bugs Bunny's Cupid Capers.  Bugs encounters a Cupid who bears an uncanny resemblance to Elmer Fudd and keeps shooting his arrows to bring various Toons together. Bugs insists that he's meddling. It's not much, but it does tie together some fairly amusing bits of shorts, including most of Pepe Le Pew's venture into the Foreign Legion, Bugs marrying off the Tasmanian Devil, and Bugs trying to outrun a Hungarian female rabbit with romance on her mind.

Worked on writing for a little bit after I ate. Went back and added that Dolly released her husband and was very happy to see him, to the amusement of the others. Richard holds a knife on Goodson and tries to get him to tell the others to let Charles and Gene stand trial, but he has his own ideas of how to get loose...

Broke with enough time to change, pack a lunch and my backpack for grocery shopping later, and call Uber. The driver may have sped down the Black Horse Pike like a maniac, but he did get me to work on time.

Good thing, too. We were mobbed all day. I heard two deli workers in the back room say they had long lines at 6 AM. Between the Super Bowl, a big 3-day sale on meat and snacks, and another round of snow, probably 3 to 7 inches at press time, people were going crazy. Once again, I couldn't keep the carts stocked. I had help later in the day from three more baggers, and we still couldn't bring the carts to the door fast enough. Most of the time, people took the carts out of our hands while we were still in the parking lot! It was a mess. It didn't help that the sun was already disappearing behind silver clouds even as I arrived at work, and the wind picked up considerably. 

It had slowed down somewhat by the time I did my own grocery shopping. Bought shredded cheddar cheese and blue corn chips for a recipe I intend to make for dinner tomorrow. Had an online coupon for a free "Craisins Craveology," the new Craisins trail mix containers; went with Vanilla Chai. Found more of the fruit bars and natural oatmeal sandwich bars on the clearance shelves. Restocked milk, butter, yogurt, celery, oranges, bananas, canned mandarin oranges, low-salt diced tomatoes, cereal, peanut butter, and canola oil. 

Another crazy schedule next week. All 12 to 7, except for the one 8:30 to 4 day on Wednesday. Tuesday and Friday off. I'm putting serious consideration into calling out tomorrow if the weather really does get that bad. I've had a hard enough time getting rides from Uber with the snow that's around now, and I don't want to go through what I did on Sunday with asking for rides again. 

In fact, it took me 15 minutes to finally find an Uber driver to take me home. Thankfully, he arrived about 13 minutes after I got through to him. He missed a turn on Nicholson Road...but in his defense, the turn-off onto Atlantic Avenue is hard to see in the dark thanks to it being obscured by the train bridge, and there's many other ways to get to Oaklyn. 

Put everything away when I got home, then had leftovers for dinner while watching Tiny Toon Adventures. Acme Looniversity plays Perfecto Prep in "The Acme Bowl." They haven't won a game all season, but they're hoping new quarterback Buster Bunny will give them the push they need to win...if Plucky Duck's attempt to defect doesn't set them all up for a fumble. 

Mickey Mouse is the world's least-likely Patrick Mahomes in the 1931 black and white short "Touchdown Mickey," but he still manages to make big plays with Minnie and Clarabelle in the stands. Goofy's an even less-likely sports announcer!

The Three Stooges are mistaken for The Three Horsemen, a trio of college football stars, in "Three Little Pigskins." Gangsters and their molls (including a blonde Lucille Ball) want them to win the big game for them. They know nothing about football and proceed to fumble the ball at every turn, to the frustration of the gangsters!

Finished the night online after a shower with Let It Shine on Disney Plus. I go further into this hip-hop retelling of Cyrano De Bergerac at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Family Fun Saturday - Let It Shine

Windy Wonderland

Got a quick start to the morning with breakfast and Frosty's Winter Wonderland, the actual Rankin-Bass follow-up to Frosty the Snowman. Frosty returns to enjoy winter with the kids, but he's lonely when they go home. The kids create a "snow wife" to keep him company, but she's not all-livin' like he is. Meanwhile, Jack Frost is jealous that Frosty gets more attention than him and will do anything to keep Frosty from becoming even more popular.

Did a little bit of writing after I ate. The Golden Medley pulls up alongside the SS Todman, decorated with cobwebs and tatters to resemble a ghost ship. Everyone ducks down to avoid being seen. Gene insists on leading the first group to find his crew.

Broke around 11 to quickly get ready for work. No trouble with Uber going to or from Audubon today. They were both on time, and the rides were smooth sailing. The morning driver was a gentleman who was a bit chattier than the lady on in the evening.

Once again, spent most of the workday outside. I did gather the trash and recycling at one point and switched off sweeping with the other bagger, and I ended up in a register for about five minutes early-on. It was cloudy and gale-force windy, but I still preferred being outside with the carts to inside with the crowds. By the end of the night, we had as many as three baggers outside. I ended up doing returns.

When I got home, I went straight into leftovers. Watched It's a Wonderful Life while putting away the Cream Cheese Mints and making the cranberry bread. George Bailey (James Stewart) thinks life has passed him by. He wanted badly to see the world when he was younger, but ended up staying in the town of his birth, taking care of his wife Mary (Donna Reed) and their family and running his father's loan company. He didn't want the company to fall into the hands of Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), the richest man in town, who already owns everything else. After his forgetful Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) loses 8,000 on Christmas Eve, George is in such despair that he considers committing suicide. He's saved by an angel named Clarence (Henry Travers) who claims he's trying to earn his wings. He eventually gives George his wish to see what life would be like if he was never born...and reminds him why he really had a wonderful life and some truly magnificent friends.

I mainly love this one for the outstanding performances by Stewart and a cast of Hollywood's best character actors, including Ward Bond and Frank Faylen as George's buddies Bert the cop and Ernie the cab driver, Beluah Bondi as George's mother, HB Warner as the drug store owner Mr. Gower, and Sheldon Leonard as a skeptical bartender. One of my favorite Christmas movies if you love Stewart, the cast, or are down with director Frank Capra's pro-small-town sentiment.

Took a shower, then went online and watched The Mistle Tones. I go further into this Freeform 25 Days of Christmas romantic comedy at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

The Mistle-Tones

Finished the night on Hulu with It's a Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special. Buster Bunny's so crushed after he loses his directing assignment on the Toons' big holiday special to Montana Max, he almost jumps right out of the film. A familiar-sounding rabbit named Harvey shows him what life in Acme Acres would be like if he were never on Tiny Toons. 

Puttin' On the Monster

Began a cloudy, windy morning with breakfast and the Tiny Toon Adventures horror-themed episode "Horror of Slumber Party Mountain" from the third season. Elmyra parodies Elvira as she shows a short spoof of the type of schlocky camp fests the real Elvira joked about on her show. Buster, Hampton, and Plucky dress as frightening local legend "One Eyed Jack" to bring a few scares to Babs, Shirley, and Fifi's slumber party. Things get much scarier than any of the kids anticipated when the monster turns out to be real...and picks them off one by one!

Dashed off to work shortly after the show ended. Though it wasn't bad when I got in, it picked up as early as 10:30 and stayed busy for the rest of the day. Though the Eagles played on Thursday (and won), there were other local games going on and the weather wasn't really appropriate for much else. Though I was tired and often not up to the long line, the crowds did make the time go faster. We had plenty of help this time, too. The crowds slowed enough by 3:30 that I was able to leave slightly early without a relief.

Took the long way home down Nicholson Road. Despite the chilly wind and gloomy gray skies, I wanted some time outside. I work too late to do this the rest of the week. Everyone must have been at home, watching football. There was almost no traffic on the road, not even around the mall and the Hispanic church on Nicholson. At least it really felt like fall. Most of the trees are finally starting to turn colors here; gardens overflow with mums, asters, and late roses. 

Changed, had a snack, and went into writing as soon as I got home. Richard snidely suggests that Gene appear on Family Feud and be under his command for once, which Gene refuses to do. Joyce Bulifant asks Brett about how her divorce from Jack Klugman went, since her children go to school with Brett's boys. Don't ask, the older woman snaps. She's ready to run to Alaska to get away from it all. (In real-life, the divorce - or separation, or whatever it was - supposedly wound up being painful for all parties.) Gene's about to go to his dressing room when a page calls him, saying Mr. Goodman wants to discuss the declining ratings on Match Game...

Broke at quarter after 6 to have leftover chicken cutlets with pasta and roasted Brussels sprouts for dinner. Ate while watching Young Frankenstein. Fredrick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder), the grandson of the original Dr. Frankenstein, inherits his grandfather's castle, laboratory, and books in Transylvania. He's a sensible surgeon who is absolutely adamant about not following in his grandfather's footsteps...until he finds his diary and wonders if there might have been something to his relative's experiments with reanimating the dead after all. Thanks to a mistake with brains made by his humpbacked assistant Igor (Marty Feldman), Fredrick finds himself dealing with a monstrous creation with an abnormal brain (Peter Boyle) who terrifies the local townspeople. The trio have to prove that the monster isn't so scary, even as they fend off suspicious Inspector Kemp (Kenneth Mars) and Fredrick's prim fiancee Elizabeth (Madeline Khan). 

I've loved this movie since I was a kid. I'm not the only one. Apparently, the cast enjoyed making it so much, they added extra scenes just to keep going! I can't say I blame them. This is a delightful bit of comic horror with a surprising dark side for Mel Brooks, especially towards the end, when the Creature is finally able to admit how grateful he is to Fredrick for giving him a chance. Using the real sets from the original 1932 Frankenstein adds considerably to the spooky atmosphere. If you love any of the cast, horror comedy, other versions of Frankenstein, or Brooks' other work, you'll want to scare up this one.

Finished up the night on YouTube with vintage Halloween game show episodes. I never heard of the 1990 version of Match Game, which is a shame. Its Halloween episode is a riot! Charles Nelson Reilly appeared as Superman, Brett Somers as a little girl, and Vicki Lawrence as Little Red Riding Hood, but a ventriloquist with a wisecracking dragon puppet who may have the scariest costume of all. 

Celebrities got dressed up for the holiday on the late 90's-early 2000's Hollywood Squares, too. I used to love watching this show in college. I'd flip back and forth between this one and Jeopardy before sticking to ABC for Wheel of Fortune. Opted for the shows from 2000 and 2001. Whoopi Goldberg, Jeffery Tambour, and Gilbert Gottfried were the only celebrities who remained the same in both. Goldberg was a mouse, Tambour was Shakespeare, and Gottfried a not-bad Dracula in 2000. (Host Tom Bergenon claimed he was Bob Barker, but the white wig made him look more like George Washington.) Goldberg and Bergenon didn't dress in 2001, but Gottfried was an even-more appropriate werewolf and Tambour was Julius Caesar. Other panelists in 2000 included Caroline Rhea as Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz and Bruce Vilanch as the Cowardly Lion; panelists in 2001 included Anthony Stewart Head as Robin Hood, Martin Mull as Sherlock Holmes, and Viveca A. Fox as a gorgeous Cleopatra.

People dressed up in games that didn't involve celebrities, too. Alex Trebek was as an extremely unlikely matador and openly ogled a young can-can girl in a 1988 episode of Classic Concentration. A Filipino girl dressed as a clown beat a young man in a weird blue wig on Scrabble, while a lady in a feathered mask had more trouble with a man in a king's crown.

Of course, Halloween involves a lot more than dressing the part. No costumes on Super Password in 1988, but all winners got something from a bag of "treats," while losers chose from a bag of "tricks." In both cases, the prizes were small toys or novelty items, like a squeaky dog you make jump with a button for the treat and a light-up skeleton head for the trick. Trick-or-treating Whammies took a lot of loot in the second half of the Halloween 1984 episode of Press Your Luck. Host Peter Tomarken hid from the mayhem under a Frankenstein mask and did an odd dance to the theme song at the end.

Halloween lunacy can be more fun with loved ones aboard. Couples competed to see who could drop balls off witch's hats into spittoons and throw plastic suction-cup aliens onto astronaut masks on the 1979 Monty Hall Beat the Clock. Two dressed-up families answered mostly holiday-related questions on Family Feud. You could easily tell this one was from 1989. Host Ray Combs was the Tim Burton Batman, complete with his son as Robin! 

Hope you enjoy all these spooky games on YouTube this Halloween week! (Note that most episodes come complete with either the original commercials or the commercials and hosted openings from their Game Show Network broadcasts in the late 90's-early 2000's.)

Beat the Clock (1979)

Press Your Luck (1984)

Classic Concentration (1988)

Super Password (1988)

Scrabble (1988)

Family Feud (Syndication) (1989)

Match Game (1990)

Hollywood Squares (2000)

Hollywood Squares (2001)

The Room Where It Happens

Began the morning with breakfast and Blockbusters. The mother/daughter pair are unstoppable. I came in just as they went into another Gold Rush bonus round. The daughter only missed two questions, getting the rest in plenty of time. They were on the first round with another solo lady as the show finished.

Switched to PBS Kids for Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood while cleaning up from breakfast. "Daniel and Margaret Visit the Farm" with their parents. Daniel is nervous about riding a horse until his father agrees to hold his hand. He has to hold Margaret's hand when she feeds the ducks for the first time. They celebrate the 4th of July with a picnic and "Fireflies and Fireworks." Margaret is scared of the fireflies. Dan holds her hand until she's used to them. Their parents have to hold both their hands until the noisy fireworks pass.

Did Schoolhouse Rock while taping up some boxes. America Rock was created for the Bicentennial in 1975 and 1976 to teach the kids about US history. "The Shot Heard 'Round the World," "Fireworks," and "No More Kings" cover the arrival of the first colonists to the US, the writing of the Declaration of Independence, and the American Revolution. "Elbow Room" discusses the Louisiana Purchase and westward expansion. "Mother Necessity" and "The Great American Melting Pot" reveals how the Industrial Revolution of the late 19th and early 20th centuries brought immigrants who created new inventions that changed everyone's lives for better or for worse. "Sufferin' 'Til Suffrage" discusses one hundred years of women fighting for the vote. "The Preamble," "Three Ring Government," and "I'm Just a Bill" detail aspects of the US Government, how it was created, how it works now, and how a bill becomes law. "Tyrannosaurus Debt" from Money Rock is a pointed commentary on the US national debt and how it keeps growing.

Put on Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Summer Vacation after the shorts ended. Buster, Babs, and Myron the dog celebrate the start of summer with an epic water fight that ends with them downriver, dodging several swamp critters who think they're on the menu. Plucky begs to join his best friend Hamton as they take a summer-long trip to major theme park Happy World Land, only to discover they're a smiley-happy type of family who would give the Osmonds cavities. Shirley the Loon tries to avoid Fowlmouth's attempts to take her to a movie, while Fifi LaFume tries to get an autograph from her favorite star and Elmyra terrorizes the animals in a safari park.

Worked on packing as the movie ran. I went through the medicine cabinet after I got a bad sore throat last September and got rid of most of the expired medicines then. The only thing I had to ditch was a dicey-looking bottle of Pepto Bismol. Everything else went into three of the remaining small boxes, including the first aid items in the back room. From now on, bathroom toiletries and linens go in the bathroom, and kitchen things go in the kitchen. I also packed jeans and capris I won't need into my soft-sided turquoise suitcase.

Did Recess: School's Out while scrubbing the bathroom. T.J Detwiler is badly disappointed when all his friends at the Third Street School go to camp for the summer, leaving him with nothing to do. He ends up with more excitement than he bargained for when he sees a laser beam shoot out of the school's roof. He tries to show a skeptical Principal Prickley, only for him to vaporize before his eyes! Now he has to round up the rest of the kids at Third Street and bring them back to stop a rogue teacher from ending summer vacation and prove just how important time off and making memories are.

Relaxed with crocheting while watching Tattletales and Press Your Luck. Adorable comic couple Mitzi McCall and Charlie Brill were the big winners on Tattletales today, getting every question right. The sweet older woman from yesterday on Press Your Luck was defeated by a young man who only got hit with one Whammy and got the Hawaiian vacation he'd hoped for.

Rose called as I was finishing with the crocheting. She wanted to invite me to 4th of July at her house tomorrow at 4. She's just having me, Jodie, and Craig's parents. That's fine by me. Regardless of what's going on, I'm not a big fan of huge parties anyway.

Worked on writing for a while. Malade's about to burn Charles and the unconscious Brett to a crisp when someone throws water on her, and a frog's tongue yanks her to the ground. Betty and her frog friend came back to retrieve Charles and Brett, hoping to head off Malade. Malade tells them that only an act of caring and compassion can free Brett...and her true love is still a statue.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had leftovers while watching Match Game. Country star Mel Tillis joins the regulars, Bonnie Franklin, and Fannie Flagg as they make jokes about a notorious Southern California car salesman and try to help the contestant with a "Link" question in the Audience Match, only to see her strike out on her own. The young woman champ also struck out on Sale of the Century. She seemed nervous and kept jumping in on questions way too fast. Another woman got past her in the speed round and won, though she didn't do nearly as well in the bonus round.

Went for a walk around 7:30 in the hope that the heat would be gone by then. Nope. It remained hot and humid, even as the sun went down. Dodged a big group of boys eating ice cream and pizza on West Clinton Avenue and treated myself to a butter pecan cone at Phillies Yummies. That may not have been the best thing to buy today. It tasted great, but it melted fast and kept dripping and making a mess.

Finished the night with Hamilton on Disney Plus. Most of you were probably expecting this review to turn up at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. I considered it, but as popular as it is, this is really a stage show. The theater is a different medium from movies.

That said, it was nice to finally catch this one after having bought the cast album about four years ago. Alexander Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda) comes from Jamaica to New York and becomes embroiled in the American Revolution. He eventually marries sweet Eliza (Phillipa Soo), one of the wealthy Schuylar sisters. Her older sister Angelica (Renee Elise Goldberry) favored him, but eventually decided to marry a rich man and turned Alexander over to her sister, who also loved him. Alexander becomes the right-hand man to George Washington (Christopher Jackson) during the war, but has a more difficult time afterwards. Despite his becoming the Secretary of the Treasury and writing volumes of papers, he has a hard time getting richer Thomas Jefferson (Daveed Digs) to listen...and then his son Phillip (Anthony Ramos) dies in a duel. Hamilton too finds himself in a duel with rival Aaron Burr (Leslie Odam Jr.), too Eliza's horror. It's one that Hamilton may not make it out of live...but Eliza knows how to make his legacy live on...

Yes, this is a stage show, but it's dynamic and well-sung, with some fine performances. It was originally filmed in 2016, at the height of the show's popularity, and it captures all the vigor and energy of one of the biggest stage hits of the last 10 years. If you love Miranda's music or early American history and can handle the language and some mild sexuality, you'll want to give this one your best shot.

Rainy Day Matches

Began the morning with breakfast and Tiny Toon Adventures. Fairy Babs prepares for "Springtime In Acme Acres" with three shorts about the Toons' warm-weather activities. "Love Among the Toons" has the Elmer Fudd-like Cupid giving his bow and arrow to Conrad the Buzzard so he can take a vacation. He returns to discover Conrad's made all kinds of mix-up matches, including Babs and Montana Max. "Elmyra's Spring Cleaning" proves to be hazardous to the health of several of her pets, including a fish whose bowl she sucks into her vacuum cleaner. "That's Incredibly Stupid" is a spoof of the kids' stunt shows that were popular in the late 80's-early 90's. Plucky continually makes Dizzy do increasingly difficult stunts, but he's the one in trouble when one stunt has him judging a muscle woman beauty pageant!

Spent most of the day at work. I cleaned the bathroom and wiped down credit card machines and freezer doors for the entire 7 hours. I kind of wish I could have switched off with someone else, but I guess the head manager likes how I do it. In the last hour, I also cleaned and dusted a shelf in the front of the frozen food area that was mostly empty.

Maybe it's just as well. It rained all day here. I went to work and got wet, and I went home and got wet. I was soaked when I came in the door.

As soon as I got in, I changed into dry clothes and went online. Today was the second half of that Richard Dawson-focused marathon on YouTube. I missed a lot of good episodes, including the infamous "School Riot," but I did come around in time to catch a few. The "school riot" was not the last time Richard argued with the judges over an answer. In one of his last episodes from 1978, he insisted that his and Susan Richardson's answer of "toes" matched "feet," which Ira Skutch, the judge and the show's producer, didn't agree with. He's not the only one who insisted his answer was right, either. In an earlier episode, Betty White insisted her "hips" answer matched "buns." Gene and Richard were more than happy to use her own hips and buns for a demonstration.

Here's the marathon in its entirety if you'd like to check out the rest of Richard Dawson's run on the show!

Best of Richard Dawson on Match Game Marathon - 1976-1978

And tune in tomorrow, folks! It looks like Charles will be the next regular to get a day-long marathon devoted to them.

A Foggy Morning In Oaklyn Town

When I awoke this morning, I thought I was in San Francisco for a minute. A heavy white fog swallowed the backyard. I could barely see the trees. It mostly burned off by the time I rolled out of bed and had breakfast, but would remain cloudy and chilly for the rest of the day.

Ran Split Second as I ate. The champ on the first episode won four times in a row in previous episodes; five times, and he'd get the car outright. Two young woman put up more than a good fight and were neck-in-neck with him for the entire episode. In fact, he barely pulled ahead and won in the speed round. I have to agree with Monty Hall that it was likely the most exiting episode of the show I'd ever seen. The second one wasn't quite as exciting. The one lady dominated most of the show and went on to the bonus round, though she didn't get the car.

Watched Tiny Toon Adventures as I began making snickerdoodles. "The Acme Bowl" has the football squad from Acme Looniversity taking on the cheaters at Perfecto Prep. New quarterback Buster claims he has some great moves that could win them the game, but Plucky's defection to Perfecto may set them up for a fumble.

Switched to The Three Stooges while rolling the cookie dough in cinnamon sugar. "Three Little Pigskins" is one of their earliest shorts. Gangsters who want to place a bet on a big game mistake them for the trio of football stars they've convinced to go pro. Their girlfriends, including a sarcastic Lucille Ball, think they're the football players, but they don't know anything about the game.

Switched to shorts while pulling the cookies out of the oven. The Fleischer Brothers did two football shorts with Popeye in two years. "You Gotta Be a Football Hero" is the earlier one. Popeye's frustrated when Olive pays more attention to quarterback Bluto than to him and eventually ends up playing the whole game against Bluto's team himself. He tells Swee' Pea the story of how he became "The Football Toucher Downer" by consuming spinach in order to win a game.

Mickey Mouse is "Touchdown Mickey" in one of his black-and-white shorts. He may not exactly be your typical Patrick Mahomes material, but that doesn't stop him from making plays and showing off for Minnie and Clarabelle on the sidelines. An overly enthusiastic Goofy is an even less-likely Howard Cosell in the radio booth.

Watched a little bit of Match Game before finally heading out. The Oaklyn Library's been rearranging their DVDs again. The adult titles were shifted from shelves in the center of the main room to the ones on the side that used to hold books. I have no idea where they intend to put the books that were there, though. Did more in the kids' area, organizing DVDs and the picture books.

Part of the reason I wanted to do my grocery shopping today was to bring my cookies to the Acme's annual employee Chili Cook-Off. They always hold this the day before the Super Bowl. I had tasty peppers and sausage, the same baked ziti I ate at Christmas, macaroni salad, a hot turkey sandwich, spinach dip that was so rich, I ate it with a fork, brownies, and soft bakery peanut butter and oatmeal cookies. I also saw roast beef, the last of what had been macaroni and cheese, meatballs in sauce, a "zesty sausage and cheese" soup, Buffalo chicken dip, a yellow cake from the bakery with white icing, and an empty plate that looked like it held cheesecake.

I would have come to the store under any circumstances. I needed to get my schedule and do a little grocery shopping. Grabbed two boxes of Bigalow black tea off the discontinued shelves. Decided I'd try a brand of low-fat premium ice cream, Steve's, that also seems to be discontinued; went with their blackberry crumble. Tangerines were on sale, too. Restocked cranberries, bananas, vanilla, canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, butter, milk, cheese, and yogurt.

My schedule next week is an improvement over the past month or so. Same amount of hours, but I have Tuesday off along with Friday and Saturday and a later day on Sunday. Seems the head bagger wanted Monday off, but that's ok. I'll work longer hours if it means my days off are more spread out.

Got home, put everything away while watching Let's Make a Deal, then went into writing. At the end of the dinner, Bill the wolf proposes to Marcia. She tells him that she thinks he's very sweet, but she's in love with someone else - the man who wrote the letters. Bill's heartbroken, but the others encourage him to keep trying.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Ate yogurt and cranberry sauce while watching two football-related Peanuts specials. It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown when he's tapped to escort Heather, the Little Red Haired Girl and Homecoming Queen, to the big homecoming dance and kiss her. He's a lot more interested in being her escort than in trying to keep Lucy from pulling the ball away from him during the big game.

Chuck and Linus are the ones in love in You're In the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown. They fall for a little girl named Melody who watches them practicing for the Punt and Pass Contest during their local football game. The prize is a bike and a trip to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Snoopy coaches his Woodstock Eagles past three teams of animals larger than them to victory.

Finished the night after a shower with Jack Frost. I go into more detail on this bittersweet Rankin-Bass Groundhog's Day fairy tale at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Happy Groundhog's Day! - Jack Frost

Sunny Autumn

Began my morning with breakfast and Tiny Toon Adventures. Montana Max gets a chance in the spotlight in "Citizen Max." In an attempt to find out why he said "Acme," Hampton interviews Buster, Plucky, and Elmyra about the recent school election. Monty had gone up against Buster and had him expelled, prompting Plucky and the rabbits to get even.

My first of two early work days in a row was blissfully quiet after all the trouble on Sunday and Monday. While I swept and rounded up the trash, I was mostly outside with the carts. It was too nice to be inside! It was sunny and breezy, chilly, but not too cold, probably in the upper 50's-lower 60's.

It was so nice, I took the long way home down Nicholson Road. They weren't busy, either. I ran into more cars in Oaklyn than I did down by the shopping center. Everyone was probably out enjoying the weather or at work.

Had a quick lunch when I got in, then did chores. I'm going to put off the heavy dusting until later in the month, but the kitchen and the bathroom needed to be done. The kitchen, sink and tub, were really grungy. I was home a lot last month. The sink in the kitchen was bad, too.

Watched The Sea Hawk while I worked. This Errol Flynn adventure has him as Geoffrey Thorpe, is a pirate and a member of Queen Elizabeth's privateers, "Sea Hawks." They stop a Spanish ship en route to England. It's none other than the vessel for Don Alverez (Claude Rains), the ambassador of Spain and his lovely niece Dona Maria (Brenda Marshall). Queen Elizabeth I (Flora Robson) is aware that Spain is up to something with its armada, but she's reluctant to create one of her own in the fear of overtaxing her people. She does allow Thorpe to seize a Spanish ship filled with gold. Lord Worthington (Henry Daniell), a collaborator with the Spanish, traps Thorpe and his men in Panama, driving them across the Isthmus before bringing them to Spain and arresting them. Thorpe and his men have to escape a Spanish galley and get back to England, before King Phillip's armada blows them out of the water.

Rousing action tale with some magnificently shot fight scenes on huge real ships built right on the lot. Marshall is dull as the love interest, but Robeson makes a tough Queen Elizabeth and Flynn's having a great time as the swashbuckling pirate. If you can handle that it has nothing in common with the Raphael Sabatini novel it's supposedly based on, you'll want to sign on with Captain Thorpe and his "Sea Hawks," too.

I finished the kitchen just as the movie ended. Did some writing after I put everything away. Queen Betty comes out to greet the others. Brett hugs her like a friend, but the others drop to their knees before her. She thanks the men for bringing Brett and Gene to her, then asks Gene about the whereabouts of her husband Allen. Gene and the guards have tried, but they can't find him anywhere in the castle. Gene's also worried about his own family. His daughter and wife are being used as servants in Malade's kitchen.

Made scrambled eggs with tomatoes, cheese, and mushrooms and roasted potatoes for dinner. Watched The American President while I ate. Andrew Shepard (Michael Douglas) is working towards re-election. His best friend and Chief of Staff AJ MacIrney (Martin Sheen) is pushing a crime bill that will raise his ratings, but both parties consider it to be kind of weak. Andrew is as surprised as anyone when he falls for liberal lobbyist Sydney Wade (Annette Benning) after taking her to a White House party for the President of France. With the approval of his teen daughter Lucy (Shawna Waldron), the two attempt a romantic relationship. Not only is he constantly having to take off or call off dates, but their dating is frowned on by the American public and is being used for fuel by his Republican rival Rumson (Richard Dreyfus) to claim he has no family values. Andrew has to decide what he really stands for...and whether he wants to put duty in front of love.

My stepfather used to love this movie in the mid-90's. For the most part, it still holds up pretty well. Benning and Douglas are fine as the lovers who discover how hard it can be to mix romance, politics, and jobs that are constantly in the public eye. Look for Michael J. Fox as Andrew's nervous assistant and Samantha Mathis as his sensible personal aide. Lovely score by Marc Shaiman, too. If you're a fan of the cast or romantic comedies, you'll want to take a trip to the White House for this one.

Brazzle Dazzle Day

Began a sunny day with breakfast and Tiny Toon Adventures. It's a "Hare Raising Night" when Buster is assigned to stop the mad scientist Dr. Splicer from throwing together animals in strange mutated experiments. He drags along the others to help, claiming that he's taking them to the Emmys. Plucky keeps insisting that he's going to the winner's circle, while Babs tries to avoid the advances of a love-sick mutant creature.

Had just enough time to dash off to the Collingswood Farm Market. The Farm Market is starting to wind down for the season. They only have about a month left. Several food booths have already been replaced by craft tables selling ornaments and bird houses. There was enough left for me to pick up apples, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, and two small eggplants.

I also bought this year's pumpkin. I always buy a pumpkin for my apartment and keep it out until Thanksgiving or it went bad, whichever comes first. I normally buy it in late September, but after both the pumpkins I bought last year went bad before Halloween, I decided to wait. It's a nice little dark orange orb with a very, very long and thick stem.

As soon as I got home, put everything away and had lunch while watching more spooky Tiny Toons. Buster and Babs introduce three segments about "Stuff That Goes Bump In the Night." Montana Max is a "Home Wrecker" when he builds his new summer house over Buster's hole. Buster's ghost returns to get even. Elmyra is saying "Fang You Very Much" when she gets what she thinks is a cute bat, but is really a vampire who thinks she's lunch. A mosquito is an "Easy Biter" who thinks Hamton is the perfect midnight meal.

I ordered a new bike seat from Amazon a few days ago. It arrived promptly today. I did manage to get it on, but even after I did, it still came loose. Not to mention, I'd raised the seat too high. I didn't really realize this until I was already on my way to work. Oh well. I'd fix the seat later.

Work was steady for most of the afternoon, not quite as busy as I figured it would be. It was probably too nice for most people to be in grocery stores. I did very briefly end up in a register and put away a little candy, but I mostly shelved items, cleaned the bathrooms, swept the store, and gathered carts. No really major problems.

As soon as I got home, I adjusted the seat again, then went upstairs to do some writing. Gary offers to take Little Sarah Riding Hood to her Granny Mary's house in their carriage. When they arrive, they see the door wide open. Sarah goes to find her granny upstairs, while the others check the ground. Charles and Gary dash upstairs when they hear her scream, only to find a wolf trying to snatch her basket. The not-so-big-or-bad canine has no interest in her. He's not even really a wolf. He just wanted lunch. His voice gets caught in his throat momentarily when he tries to say his name, until he finally spits out Bill (Daily).

Finished the night after dinner baking a Cinnamon Swirl Cake (which came out beautifully) and watching Pete's Dragon. I go into more details on the original version of an old favorite of mine at the Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Pete's Dragon (1977)

(Oh, and happy birthday to my very best friend Lauren! And the cookies did arrive on time, by the way, and she says she enjoyed them.)

Writer's Day

Began a stunning, sunny morning with breakfast and a very strange Dr. Seuss special, Halloween Is Grinch Night. The Whos flee into their homes when a sour-sweet wind rouses the local animal population, whose noise sends the Grinch a' prowlin'. He's on his way to Whoville with his "paraphernalia wagon" filled with crazy psychedelic scares. When a young Who gets lost in the mountains and encounters the Grinch, he takes it on himself to make sure that this green menace never makes it to town.

Spent the rest of the morning trying to work on that game show essay. I did get a little further on it, but it's still not finished. I don't know why I have such a hard time concentrating. I know this is important. It's supposed to be one of three essays I'm writing to eventually post online, so professionals will see my work. I need to figure out how I can focus better and maybe feel a little more confident about getting things done.

Had a quick lunch around 1:30. Ran an even more unusual episode of Tiny Toon Adventures while I ate and got organized. "The Return of the Acme Acres Zone" brings three more strange horror and sci-fi spoofs. "Real Kids Don't Eat Broccoli" turns into a spoof of Blade Runner, with beautiful lady Babs asking cyber-detective Buster to find her runaway robots. A ghost tries to scare Plucky and Hamton out of his ancient hotel in "Boo Ha Ha." Plucky is "Duck Dodgers Jr." as he helps Daffy stop Marvin the Martian and his protege Marsha from sucking the universe into building blocks.

Headed out to run errands around quarter after 2. It was a glorious day for a ride through the park...and I wasn't the only one who thought so. I dodged joggers, other bikers, people out for a stroll, dog walkers, and Canadian geese poking around for a late snack. I really wish the trees would start turning colors! There isn't much here. The leaves are just falling, and it's not very pretty. At least the sunlight sparkled on the bottle green lake.

The Haddon Township Library was equally busy when I arrived. There was a lot to return, and once again, half of it didn't fit on the DVD shelves. At least I got more on the kids' shelves this time. Took out The Corpse Bride, Aquaman, and for review later this week, All That Jazz and the original 1977 Pete's Dragon.

Made a quick run to Dollar Tree when I got out. Lauren's birthday is at the end of the week. I bought a tin and a card for her. Needed sponges, too. There was a long line, but they opened a second while I was waiting.

Went straight into other writing when I got home. Brett has her reasons for wanting to go after the evil queen right away. Her children are in the dungeon at Malade's castle, and her (still) husband was turned to stone. She has nowhere else to go. Touched by her loss, Charles and the Merry Men convince Richard to at least let her stay the night.

Broke for dinner around 7. Had leftovers for dinner, then made a tasty apple-pear crisp from my new Susan Branch cookbook while watching Ziegfeld Follies. I go into more detail on this massive MGM revue from the 1940's at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Ziegfeld Follies (1946)

Dolls on Library Day

Began my day with breakfast and Tiny Toon Adventures. Plucky brings Hamton, Buster, and Babs on a tour of "Europe In 30 Minutes." The too-fast tour is a bust, until the quartet end up at Buckingham Palace and have to rescue Princess Diana and Prince Charles from a kidnapping plot.

Moved on to dressing the dolls for the start of the school year after breakfast. Samantha is in her blue windowpane check Play Dress and Pinafore, with white Springfield Collection socks and the black strap shoes from her current "meet" outfit. Whitney wears a yellow and orange floral dress with a big white ruffled collar from Queen's Treasures. Molly is in Kit's original blue School Outfit with the brown oxfords and knee-high socks. Ariel sports a pink and yellow tie-dye t-shirt with a purple flower outline, wide-legged jeans, and Springfield Collection socks and sneakers. Put Josefina in her orange and yellow Summer Dress with the fake leather vest and boots. Jessa is in her "meet" high-necked striped blouse, jean short-alls, yellow socks, and white and turquoise velcro sneakers. Left Felicity in her lavender Traveling Dress. I don't really have much to change her into.

Finished in time to have a quick lunch around 12:30. Watched a travel-themed episode of Danger Mouse as I ate. In "Danger Mouse on the Orient Express," Baron Greenback gets a piece of paper that allows him to build anywhere in Europe, DM and Penfold pursue him on the infamous train. They have to dodge the convention of criminals that's also on the train and retrieve the document when Penfold loses it.

Headed out around one. I had a few things I wanted to do today, starting with volunteering at the Oaklyn Library. Not a whole lot going on there. The library was empty except for the librarian. I organized DVDs and kids' books and moved on.

Took the long way down Newton Lake Park. It was humid, but not really that hot, and a decent breeze rustled the dry green leaves. I dodged many people on bikes or out for a stroll, and even a guy sunning himself on a bench.

Hit the Haddon Township Library next. They were a bit busier with kids just getting out of school. The DVD racks were overflowing. I couldn't begin to fit the kids' titles in, but I did manage to get al the adult discs put away. Didn't take anything out. I won't have the chance to watch or return it before vacation.

Made a few quick stops on the way home. Hit Target for travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and wipes. Picked up sponges, tissues, and cards to thank Lauren and her parents for having me from Dollar Tree. Bought a much-needed (and too sweet) Pumpkin Maple Smoothie from WaWa.

Went into writing when I got home. Bill explains over a cup of water that he saw men dragging Richard and Gene towards the studios, but it was too dark to tell which one. The group goes over the clue Ira gave them earlier. Charles finally figures out that he's referring to Gene's days as a radio announcer in the 30's and 40's. Joyce hands him the pad to write down his answer. He calls out "radio," and once again, they all vanish.

Broke for dinner at 6. Did the bizarre Dr. Seuss special Pontoffel Pock, Where are You? while I ate leftovers and a salad. Pock is a self-admitted "schnook" who just lost his job at a dill-pickle factory and wants to get away from it all. Enter a group of fairies, who give him a magical piano that can take him to any location. Pock showing off in the mountain town of Gruben upsets the citizens so much, they drive him off. He has more luck in the desert, where he falls for "eyeball dancer" Eeffa Neefa. He takes off, but loses her. Now the fairies are searching for him, trying to get their piano back, and all he wants is to return to his Eeffa.

Gave Lego Star Wars another shot after dinner. I got slightly further in "Into the Death Star," but still couldn't finish. I'll try again later this week.

Finished the night with The Muppet Movie. I go into further details on the Muppets' first feature-length film at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

The Muppet Movie