Walks and Games

Got a quick start today with breakfast and Shirt Tales. "Taj Mahal Tyg" is kept as a pet by a maharajah and his son while the others search for the prince's real pet tiger. They find a bigger tiger, but it turns out he's known to the maharajah, too. The Shirt Tales head to China in search of the best Chinese food around. After they mistake a magician's home for a restaurant, Bogey ends up insulting the magician. He turns him into "Brass Bogey" while the others figure out how to escape the magician's illusions.

Called Uber after the episode ended. The one going to Cherry Hill took 13 minutes and got me to Cooper Bone and Joint with fifteen minutes to spare. The first one I called to take me to the Chestnut Place Condos (which isn't that close to Cooper) canceled. The second picked me up in 3 minutes. There was a little traffic on Cuthbert Road going to Cooper. Otherwise, no trouble.

Soon as I got to Cooper, I went right upstairs and signed in briefly. I did most of the checking in online, so I didn't talk to the lady for very long. The waiting room was pretty full, but I only had to wait about 10 minutes for them to see me. The kindly Asian doctor checked my knee...and declared it fine. I think it was mostly that super-cold winter that caused the trouble. It gets a little stiff sometimes, but nothing like in January and February. I was in and out in less than 20 minutes. 

Went next-door to Dunkin' Donuts for a treat. I still have that gift card I got from one of the kids. Dodged what looked like remodeling on the back window area to order a cream donut and limeade. Yum! The cream donut was bursting with frosting. The limeade was nicely tart. I enjoyed them and the silence - thankfully, no one was working on the window remodeling at that point.

The Chestnut Place Condos are next on my list of Cherry Hill buildings currently listed as having a condo available. This 60's-era building looks pretty identical to Sussex House, but twice its size and in far better shape on the outside. Nothing but patio furniture on the balconies, too. Like Playa Del Sol, they had a pool (which was quiet at 10:30), along with a small picnic pavilion, and is surrounded by a quiet neighborhood with regular 50's-60's tract homes and what looks like a brand-new Jewish temple. 

Two big red flags on this one, though. There seem to be no sidewalks in the neighborhood. That doesn't make it very walkable. The other is its location. Though the neighborhood itself is peaceful and largely residential, it's just off Kaighns Avenue. That's one of the busiest streets in Cherry Hill, and difficult to cross. I'd have a hard time getting to Wegman's or Shop Rite and the library from there. 

On the other hand, it's not even a five-minute walk from the Hillview Shopping Center. Used the bathroom at Target, then bought popcorn and Coke Zero for the movies. This was also the first time I'd ever seen the new Nature Valley Wafer Bars on sale. Usually, they're expensive and not included in most sales. I had to try strawberry and honey vanilla. 

Had lunch at the Silver Diner next. This chrome eatery perches on the edge of the hill and gives you a splendid view of the Cherry Hill Mall and Cherry Hill Plaza. They specialize in comfort food made with healthy ingredients, like my half of a turkey bacon club sandwich on sourdough and Caesar salad. The club was made with real sliced turkey, crunch bacon, and fresh mozzarella. I ordered a plate of Old Bay fries, too. They were tasty, but a plate of anything covered in eye-watering spices is a little too much for me! The refreshing watermelon-mint lemonade, with its sprig of mint on top and cucumber slices, went a long way towards cooling me off.

Strolled over to Kohl's to kill some time before I went to the movies. Looked for underwear, but I didn't like anything they had. I'll save major shopping for when Lauren visits next week. Ducked around the long line at Customer Service to check out Looney Tunes stuffed animals and kids' books.

It was still pretty early when I went to AMC Cherry Hill 24, which is a bit down the hill from Kohl's and the Silver Diner, next to what used to be T.G.I Friday's. I had no intention of buying food here this time, so I thought I'd try a crane instead...but the crane's money box was so full of tokens, I couldn't get more in! I just found the theater for Supergirl early. 

I was there so early, it was 15 minutes before they even started the commercials. I had almost the whole small theater to myself, too. There was only one other person way in back. Good. That meant I could sit in the row intended for wheelchairs and had plenty of room to spread out. The seats at AMC Cherry Hill are cramped and not that comfortable.

There's some interesting movies coming out during the second half of the year. The Invite is supposed to be a comedy, but the ad made what appears to be the story of a couple who invites another couple who won't leave look more like horror. The End of Oak Street, a horror movie about a family whose street is separated and attacked by what looks like giant dinosaurs, is a bit too dark for my taste. Forgotten Island would be of more interest if it wasn't coming out right when I'm likely going to be on my second vacation in late September. Unless I can talk Lauren into it, I'll probably wait for it to come out on streaming. Despite having played the game as a teen, I have no interest in Street Fighter whatsoever. I could also care less about more Hunger Games. I thought the first three were more than enough. Klara and the Sun looks much sweeter and quieter. That or the stop-motion animated Wildwood might be worth checking out in late October if I have the time the week before Halloween. 

I'm not going to go into heavy details because of spoilers, but I did enjoy Supergirl. Like Super Mario Galaxy Movie earlier in the year, I don't think the critics are giving it a fair shake. It's not what I expected, but it's far from horrible. Milly Alcock is a sassy, sozzled delight as the tough title character, and Jason Momoa makes an even better Lobo than he did Aquaman (even if he doesn't have that much screen time). Also, I give it credit for the brief running time. Most superhero epics tend to push two hours or longer. This one clocks in at a little over an hour and a half. There's no unnecessary padding, and the exposition showing Kara's backstory in Argo City is spread out throughout the film, rather than being lumped in the beginning like the 1978 Superman. 

I think most people were expecting it to be more like the upbeat Superman film from last year and less like a 90's anti-hero comic book movie. This is not a colorful romp. Everything is dusty grays and browns until Kara turns up in her super suit late in the film. For all of Kara's wisecracks, this movie is pretty dark. On the other hand, it has some amazing creature work. I could spend half the movie just checking out all the weird aliens they meet on that interstellar bus. DC really did get creative with the special effects on this one.

In the end, this is highly recommended for older fans of the Woman of Steel or Lobo if they can handle the violence and some heavy themes and aren't expecting this to imitate Superman.

Quickly headed for the pedestrian walkway to the Cherry Hill Mall after the movie ended. I stopped at Old Navy to make change and buy a Diet Coke, then ducked around remodeling on the front entrance to wait for the 4:20 NJ Transit bus to Camden. For once, it was exactly on time. No trouble getting home, not even on Cuthbert. Got off at the right street and walked the rest of the way. At least it had clouded over by then. It had been sunny, humid, and hot for most of the day, though probably neither as hot or as humid as it's supposed to be starting Wednesday.

After I got home, I put on an episode of Justice League Unlimited featuring Supergirl. It's "Fearful Symmetry" when Kara begins having disturbing dreams of destroying a lab, feeling like she was there. The Green Arrow just wants to pound whomever is doing this to the kid, but conspiracy-minded The Question knows there's more going on here than seen on the surface. Kara's shocked to find that the real reason she's having those dreams hits closer to home than she could imagine.

Switched to Match Game '75 during dinner. For some reason, they skipped ahead to the week with Jack Cassidy, Betty White, and Conny Van Dyke. Gene and Richard throw Conny around, while Betty White is disappointed when handsome Ron Valenti finally loses. And speaking of Superman, Jack Cassidy and Charles Nelson Reilly mention Cassidy's role as the villain in the original Broadway cast of It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman. (And may I add that the creators of that show missed a marvelous opportunity there? Jack would have made a great Lex Luthor.) 

Finished the night honoring Pride Month at YouTube. Charles Nelson Reilly was told early in his career that a gay man would never work on television. Ironically, he's now best-known for his TV appearances, especially on Match Game. He and his drinking buddy Brett Somers really made the show with their banter and wisecracks. In the episode here, they get to witness the arrival of the new Star Wheel...and join everyone else in walking off when it lands on Richard Dawson, when it was created to give other panelists a chance to play.

What's My Line was never afraid to feature guests of all types. Liberace was still wildly popular when he appeared as the Mystery Guest on this 1962 episode. Buddy Hackett was the one who guessed him easily here. 

Merrill Heater was so enamored with his show Battlestars, he gave it a try twice. The episode we have here is the premiere of the later version from 1983. Jim J. Bullock, then appearing on Too Close for Comfort, is usually subdued on this Hollywood Squares variation that puts all of the panelists in triangles...until Debbie Reynolds practically jumps on him. Alex Trebek was the mildly amused host of both versions.

The 90's-early 2000's Hollywood Squares also had no trouble featuring a wide variety of celebrities. Writer and actor Bruce Villanch was a regular in the late 90's, and one of my favorite regulars on the show. Look for Rosie O'Donnell as well near center square Whoopi Goldberg in the show's premiere episode.

Robert Reed did one of the more interesting episodes of the 1972 syndicated I've Got a Secret. It starts with four young ladies who were caretakers for baby animals at a local safari park. They even brought some with them, and if the baby iguana was not the most adorable, the sweet little leopardess and the tiny baby lioness who roared into the microphone were dolls. Reed helped a courtroom artist show how then-modern technology could make creating artwork of a criminal much faster.

The current version of $100,000 Pyramid also cast a wide net for their contestants. Here, it's a battle of the hosts as Ken Jennings of Jeopardy goes against (and beats the pants off of) Ross Matthews of RuPal's Drag Race, while RuPaul himself battled Carson Kressley of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Carson was the winner there as both groups helped a set of twins win big money. 

Celebrate Pride Month with some of the funniest and most brilliant people around in these hilarious and thought-provoking episodes!

What's My Line (1962)

I've Got a Secret (1972)

Match Game (1978)

The New Battlestars Premiere (1983)

Hollywood Squares Premiere (1998)

$100,000 Pyramid (2023) 

Walking In History

Began the day with breakfast and The Pirates of Dark Water. Bloth becomes "The Soul Stealer" when a soothsayer claims Ren is the only one who is destined to find the treasures. Morpho creates a potion that'll trade Bloth's soul and that of his first mate for Ren and Niddler's. Bloth thinks he's pulled it off...until the man Ioz stole the Wraith from decides he wants it back, and Niddler wants to fly again...

Got to work right on time, and that was probably the most exciting thing that happened all morning. It got a little busy around 10:30-11 PM, but was otherwise dead quiet. I didn't even have that many carts to gather. For one thing, it was too nice to be shopping. I pushed carts in strong, cool wind, bright blue skies, and warm sunshine. It was probably in the lower 80's, hot, but not overly so for mid-June. I was in and out with no trouble whatsoever.

Soon as I got home, I changed and went downstairs to make lunch. This time, the buckwheat pancake mix just made plain pancakes. I topped them with peanut butter, orange marmalade, and honey. Oh yum! They came out perfectly, and the marmalade and peanut butter complimented them well. 

Watched Paw Patrol while I ate lunch. Mayor Humdinger is beside himself - many times over - when "Mighty Pups, Charged Up: Pups Stop a Humdinger Horde." Humdinger wants his Kitty Catastrophe Crew to have a professional bath, but Katie's animal salon is full. After he accidentally walks into Harold's cloning machine, the Humdingers steal Katie and her animal salon! For once, Harold is more than happy to help the pups stop his wayward uncle...er, uncles...from wrecking more havoc. Harold is still determined to be mayor of somewhere. After he finds another piece of meteor, he insists on being mayor of the moon, and turns the lighthouse into a rocket ship to get him there. He doesn't realize Cap'n Turbot is inside, or that the Patrol is on his tail in "Mighty Pups, Charged Up: Pups Stop a Mighty Lighthouse." 

Called Uber after the cartoon ended and I cleaned up lunch. Not only will I not have the time to explore Cherry Hill on Saturday this week, but the weather is supposed to be lousy that day. I decided to check out the Cherry Parke Condos and Waterford Apartments today and take advantage of that gorgeous weather. The driver going to Cherry Parke and home were both there in 10 minutes. There was a little traffic in Haddonfield, but otherwise no trouble.

Cherry Parke and Waterford, despite one being condos and one being apartments, look pretty much the same. They're two-story brick Colonial-style buildings from the early 50's, with yellow shutters and quaint details like the curving trim and red doors. Both complexes surround green areas connected by sidewalks with common trash areas. Honestly, the place was showing its age. Shutters were missing from some buildings, and the paint was faded on others. There was a lot of old furniture piled up in the back parking lot area, including a vintage organ. I saw dog excrescence on the green, even though people weren't supposed to walk their dogs there. Tons of kids' bikes locked on racks indicated a lot of families living here. I suspect most of the residents are families and health care workers priced out of expensive Haddonfield and east Cherry Hill who needed inexpensive homes to buy or rent. 

On the other hand, the buildings are quite charming, certainly more than the very 60's Playa Del Sol and Sussex House or the high rise across from the Dollar Tree on the Marlton Pike, and they're surrounded by wide green lawns. There's also the lovely Wallworth Park across the street. As I headed down King's Highway, I walked down steep stone steps and stepped into a smooth emerald field. I followed the sound of gurgling and rushing to the stream, where I saw a man fishing next to a small spillway. Apparently, this powered mills, hundreds of years ago. 

I continued down King's Highway to see how long it would take me to make it into Haddonfield. It took about 10 minutes. I passed by many historic buildings, from a gorgeous, sprawling yellow Victorian (which apparently is in danger of being demolished - they'd better not, that building was beautiful), to a red brick Colonial that was in the midst of exterior remodeling. I stopped and read about an older building that's now used as offices but had been a prison house during the American Revolution. 

By the time I made it to the corner of Haddon Avenue and King's Highway, I was hot as heck. I stopped at Starbucks for a treat. The strawberry matcha loaf was amazing, deliciously moist with swirls of green tea and strawberry. I would have liked the Butterfly Drink better if it didn't have those weird gel bubbles at the bottom. They were fruity and very sweet, but I prefer nothing in my drink but my drink and a little ice. 

Continued down Haddon Avenue to Haddonfield's Acme. Haddonfield has the most unique Acme building in the entire chain. Unlike the Acme at Cape May, which was built in the 70's and remodeled to fit in with the rest of the town in the 2000's, the Haddonfield Acme is genuinely old. It was built as a Quaker meetinghouse in the 1851, and rather than knock down history, Acme just built around it. The Haddonfield Acme is tiny, as you can guess from being in a small meetinghouse. I think it was pretty recently remodeled, but that doesn't make it any bigger. I did manage to get pocked-sized suntan lotion (I couldn't find the tube I keep in my backpack purse), a drink, and more Persil before that sale ends. I thought it would be easier to pick up Uber here than on busy King's Highway, too.

Put on The Price Is Right when I got home. I arrived in time for the Showcases. One was a pretty normal no-frills display that ended with a trip to Austria. The other was a lot goofier, and ended with a cherry-red sports car. Though both of the ladies got relatively close, the one who bid on the sports car was, to her delight, closer. 

Watched Match Game '75 while eating dinner. The first hour finished out the week with Bert Convy, Joyce Bulifant, and Betty White. I don't know what got into everyone in those last two episodes. Everyone was jumping on everyone else, from Gene grabbing Mary Ann for kisses to Bert chasing the contestant to the winning contestant ending up in Richard Dawson's lap. The next week, with Dwayne Hickman of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and Broadway star Carol Lawrence, was more subdued by comparison. 

Took a much-needed shower, then finished the night with the rest of Spy Smasher. I like that this serial took chances. At least one hero doesn't make it out alive, which is rare for serials. Other than Spy Smasher picking up a twin brother, it also seems to be relatively accurate to the comic books as well, especially for this era. There were some incredible action set pieces, especially the flaming harbor in the final episode. You might call this the less-florid Batman to Republic's earlier Captain Marvel serial, a hero who relies on his wits and human strength rather than any magical powers. If you're a Batman fan, love the original Spy Smasher comics, or are a serial enthusiast, this is roundly considered to be one of the best. 

Dads and Harvests

Began the morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Daniel and Prince Wednesday want to run "The Lemonade Stand" together, but Daniel gets mad when Wednesday shakes the lemons from the tree before he can count them, and Wednesday doesn't like that Daniel keeps handing out the lemonade before he can. Queen Sarah tells them to say they're mad and try to talk out their differences. Miss Elaina gets "Mad at the Beach" when Daniel splashes water in her eyes, and both kids are upset when the waves knock down their sandcastle. Dan Sr. isn't happy when the kids go in the water without his permission, either. He talks things over with the kids to get their feelings out and his.

Headed out to the Collingswood Farm Market after the cartoon ended. Though it wasn't overwhelmingly busy, there were still a lot of people out buying produce for graduation parties and Father's Day barbecues. The summer produce is flourishing now. I saw blackberries, raspberries, Chinese beans, cucumbers, cherries, New Jersey blueberries, and summer squash for the first time this season. I also ran into one of the girls from my class and their family and joined them to buy a frozen fruit bar from Bubba's creamery. The young ladies had chocolate mint. I finally got my pineapple, which was perfectly cool, sweet, and tropical. I also picked up peaches, blueberries, and plump cherries. 

This time, I went straight home and rested for an hour while looking up where the Playa Del Sol Condos building was in Cherry Hill. Watched Laugh-In as I worked. Rotund Robert Conrad, best known at the time as the gourmand detective Cannon, was the star here. Most of the jokes had him spoofing Superman as Captain Amazing or making fun of his weight. We also had Broadway star Nanette Fabray, who was partially deaf, doing her jokes in American Sign Language, joined by Follies star Alexis Smith. 

Called Uber at around 1 PM. The lady going to Cherry Hill took 8 minutes and cost a bundle. The one going home was a little cheaper and took 11 minutes at quarter of 4. No trouble either way; the woman who drove me there lived on the other side of Cherry Hill and was especially chatty and pleasant.

Had lunch at Pat's Select Pizza and Grill on the corner of Clements Bridge Road and Chapel Avenue. They were a small but very clean and modern building decorated with black and white photos and essays on the history of Cherry Hill. They also made incredible pizza. The ends were slightly burnt, but the mushrooms were real, not canned, the cheese was nicely stringy, and the crust was amazingly soft. The waitress was really sweet, too.

The reason I ate at Pat's, other than I wanted pizza, had to do with it being across Clements Bridge Road. Playa Del Sol was two blocks down from Pat's, about a block from Jefferson Health. It's a slightly larger condo building than the Sussex House, big enough to have businesses on the first floor. I bought fruit jelly slices from what I believe to be a small Jewish market. The older lady at the counter and the other woman shopping spoke what sounded like Russian or Yiddish. I saw a full children's ballet class at a dance studio and a busy barber shop, among other businesses. 

The Playa Del Sol looks more like a hotel in Wildwood, with an outside pool that was also pretty busy, a small gazebo, a tennis court, and paths with benches under trees in the parking lot. It just needs the fake palm trees. On one hand, the landscaping was pretty decent, and the balconies had nothing on them but the usual patio furniture. The building could use some paint and exterior upgrades, though. The tennis court net was sagging and the gazebo could also do with some paint. The pool seemed pretty clean and well-kept, though.

It was a too gorgeous of a day not to walk all the way down Clements Bridge Road to the Marlton Pike. The sky was a radiant blue. The wind was fresh and cool. It wasn't too hot, probably in the lower 80's. The sun shown brightly as I turned a corner briefly and checked out a row of townhouses, then strolled down the road. Everything else on Clements Bridge Road is basic houses. The further you go, the older the houses get. I'm pretty sure I saw some from the 20's and 30's closer to the Marlton Pike.

There's a few small businesses on the Marlton Pike around Clements Bridge Road, but the only one that interested me is Mango Mango. I've never seen a restaurant that focused exclusively on desserts before. It was a sit-down restaurant with the cutest bear mascots I've ever seen. Most of their Japanese cakes, cheesecakes, and frozen drinks were kind of expensive. I got a frozen grapefruit tea and a mango sundae, and that cost more than my lunch! They were tasty, but I think next time, I'll get a drink or a sundae, not both.

Once I got home, I finished the night with today's YouTube game show marathon. Today, the owner of the channel and his assistant focused on all game shows that had famous dads on them, not just Match Game. In addition to his Match Game week in 1975, Tom Bosley of Happy Days appeared on Tattletales in 1984 as well. Bill Macy also did a memorable week on Match Game in 1975. The Tom Bergenon Hollywood Squares featured John Ritter, then of 8 Simple Rules, Steven Collins of Seventh Heaven, and the entire cast of Everybody Loves Raymond teasing Ray Romano about the book he'd just written at that point. Andy Griffith appeared with a group of adorable children on I've Got a Secret in the mid-60's (and revealed he'd once been a teacher), while Robert Reed was a guest on the syndicated version in 1972. 

Reed, of The Brady Bunch, was a familiar figure on game shows in the 70's and 80's. In addition to his stint on Secret, he also frequently appeared on Password Plus and Super Password. Darren McGavin, later The Old Man from A Christmas Story, played on the original 60's Password. John Astin of The Addams Family and Night Court could be incredibly competitive with his then-wife Patty Duke on Password Plus, but they could also be super-sweet - and win big money for their section - on Tattletales.Redd Foxx, one of the title characters of Sanford and Son, was hilarious (and maybe a little drunk) on the 70's syndicated Hollywood Squares. Dick Sargent of the later seasons of Bewitched made a memorable appearance on an all-star week of Super Password in 1986. 

Bob Saget, later of Full House, had an off-and-on affiliation with game shows. He got some of his earliest TV exposure on the short-lived syndicated show Make Them Laugh. Three comics try to make contestants crack a smile, then a celebrity playing on behalf of a contestant. That the celebrity was Tiny Tim and one of the other comics was the supremely weird Bruce Baum should give you an idea of how crazy the show could get. Bobby Van hosted in one of his last TV appearances before his untimely death. Saget did slightly better with the original 1 Vs 100. This imitation Who Wants To Be a Millionaire pit one contestant against a "mob" of 100. The more "mob" members got a question wrong, the more money could be won. The episode seen here was the "Battle of the Sexes" pitting a woman against 100 guys and a nerdy guy against 100 smart ladies...and the guy became the only one on this version of the show to win the million dollar top prize.

Play games with your father tomorrow before he fires up the grill and have fun with some of the most beloved fathers on television!

Game Show Saturday Classics - Daddys On Game Shows 

Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight

Got a late start today with breakfast and It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown. Linus and Lucy's little brother Rerun makes his debut in the last Peanuts special with music by Vince Guaraldi (who died just hours after he completed the soundtrack). Sally turns the baseball field into a garden and orchard as part of an Arbor Day project. Her older brother is understandably furious, until it looks like the foliage might help them actually win a game.

Headed out after I made the grocery list. I didn't really need that much this week and I left late, so I limited the grocery shopping to just the Westmont Acme this week. I had online coupons for coconut milk, cookies, strawberries, and yogurt. Nature's Valley granola bars were two for $6. Restocked sliced chicken, soda, and apples. Thankfully, the store wasn't busy at all. I was able to get in and out with no trouble. 

Took the long way home across Newton Lake Park. It's really spring in the park now. The grass is mostly green with a few dry patches. The leaves are a bright yellow green. Sunny yellow buttercups and dandelions line the banks of the lake. Canadian geese cropped grass with their adorable brand-new goslings. It was much busier in the park at quarter after 1. I dodged dog walkers, older folks and college kids out for a stroll, and parents pushing strollers before turning on the path over the hill to the Haddon Township Environmental Center. 

Put everything away and had a quick lunch while watching Shirt Tales. The animals think they're "The Game Masters" when they sneak out to play consoles at a local arcade. They think they're getting a bargain when a game claims they can play for free, only to find them trapped in a bumper-car game. Tired of having to clean up the park for Mr. Dinkel, they don't object to being "Shirt Napped" by aliens, until it turns out the aliens just want them to clean up their planet. They finally swipe a flying saucer to get them back to the aliens' ship and get them home.

Called Alyssa at Camden County right before I left. I didn't get her, so I left a message. I hope I can get her on Monday. If she can't help me, I'm going to start looking for loan programs that might be more willing to help. 

Hurried out after the cartoon ended. Got there on time...to find the kids and their Thomas Sharp teachers, but no one from Healthy Kids. One of the heads of the program showed up shortly after I did. Turned out the head teacher had called out, and another couldn't come in. We were severely short-handed. Not a good thing, since we had 26 kids today, 11 at my table. They were crazy in the bathroom, especially the girls. I spent most of the twenty minutes or so after snack time cleaning up a little boy who had had an accident. By the time we got back, they were lining up the kids to go outside.

It was much too nice for them to stay inside. It was sunny and in the lower 70's when we first went out. Even after it clouded over and got windy later, it was still a lovely day. I did have to argue them off the swings, especially after they were all allowed on yesterday. There were too many of them and not enough teachers to keep an eye on them. Most of them were happy to draw with chalk, hug a tree, or dance along with "Zoo" from Zootopia 2, "Pink Pony Club," "I Like to Move It," the theme from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and songs from Moana, Moana 2, Trolls, and KPop Demon Hunters. 

I stayed a little later after the head teacher had to go home at 5. We were down to six kids when we moved them with the older kids on the blacktop. The weather remained cloudy and a little chillier but still too decent to take them back inside. Most of the kids kicked balls around, but I did have to argue with two boys to stop throwing around bottles of glitter-filled water they made in class (the bottles were really kind of flimsy), then stop playing around a car that did not belong to them. 

Went straight home after all that and into Match Game '90. This was the wild week where Fred Travalena dressed as Elvis Presley, complete with sequined jump suit. The Star Wheel kept landing on him, too. To give him credit, he got it right two out of three times. Pam Stone was really hilarious this week too, tossing out several British and southern gothic jokes.

Got my schedule at this point, too. In good news, slightly more hours and no long shifts. Unfortunately, I have two double-shift days this time, Thursday and Friday. No idea when I'll get to the grocery store. The head bagger must have taken those days off again. 

Finished the night with three of my newly-acquired records and CDs. The Superman book and record from Peter Pan runs with the continuity in the comic books when it debuted in 1978, which means Clark and Lois works for Galaxy Broadcasting and Jimmy is a full-fledged reporter. "The Mxyzptlk Menace" makes everyone speak without vowels, which means they can't really communicate at all, until Superman finds a way for him to say his name backwards. "Alien Creatures" is a much darker and stranger story. After aliens appear, it suddenly starts raining silver bullets that dissolve anything in their path. Superman has to convince them telepathically that Earth is not a good place for them to make their home.

The Cars were one of the most popular rock groups of the late 70's and early 80's. Their Greatest Hits include "Just What I Needed," "Good Times Roll," "Drive," and "My Best Friend's Girl." Other favorites on this 1985 album include "Since You're Gone," "Touch and Go," "Let's Go," "Shake It Up," and "Magic."

James Taylor's music was an all together quieter version of rock. His Greatest Hits include mellow ballads like "Fire and Rain," "Sweet Baby James," and "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight." "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)," "Mexico," and "Walking Man" show Taylor in a slightly more uptempo mode.

Birthday Lady's Blues

Began my birthday with breakfast and The Yogi Bear Show. Kellogg's wants "Yogi's Birthday Party" to be a huge TV special with all his friends. Ranger Smith tells Yogi it's going to be one of the variety specials that were popular in the 60's and 70's. Yogi takes lessons (from thinly veiled spoofs of then-popular entertainers), but takes off when he discovers he's not more talented than the average bear. It takes a picnic basket to lure him back and reveal it's a show with all the Hanna-Barbara funny animals who had been created up to the early 60's.

Switched to Paw Patrol while making the bed (and removing several blankets it's now too hot for). "The Pups' Great Race" will be all around Adventure Bay. They're sure one of them will win...but when they're called to rescue Mayor Goodway after her hot air balloon flies away, it's Alex on his trike who proves slow and steady does win the race. "The Pups Take the Cake" when they help Mr. Porter replace the cake he burned and make the perfect edible recreation of their Lookout Tower that will beat Mayor Humdinger's entry in the Tall Cake Contest.

Headed out after the cartoon ended. Originally, my first stop was Peak Secondhand, a new thrift shop in Audubon, but I forgot they don't open until noon on Tuesdays. I was there a little after 11. I didn't want to hang around, so I dodged traffic going across Audubon and down Nicholson and Cuthbert to Westmont. At least it was a nice day for a ride. It was sunny, breezy, and humid even at 11:30, already in the upper 70's-lower 80's. 

When I got into Westmont, I first went across the street to Samaritan Thrift, but they didn't have anything that interested me. Stopped at Koupa Espresso Bar for an iced drink when I went back across Haddon Avenue. Had a Chai Cherry Latte. Oooh, spicy and very sweet...and very cherry! I downed that pretty fast. They were pretty busy for almost noon, mainly with people getting drinks and reading their phones.

Phidelity Records down the block had a lot more of interest. In fact, I found two out of four of what I picked up right away in the New Arrivals bins. The others came out of the $2 bins or were in CDs and DVDs: 

Bette Midler - Broken Blossoms (Which it turns out I already have - I'll donate it to Goodwill.)

The 1977 K-Tel collection Stars

A Peter Pan Superman book and record set from 1978 with the stories "The Myzptlk-Up Menace" and "Alien Creatures"

The Who - Hooligans (2-disc greatest hits collection)

The one CD was Carole King's Greatest Hits. (Which I also already have and will also be donated.)

The DVD was the 1959 Lil' Abner, which means yes, I'll be reviewing that on the Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog sometime in the next few months. I've had the original cast album since college, but I haven't seen the movie.

Rode down to Collingwood for lunch. Made up for the line at Sabrina's Cafe on Easter by having them for my birthday...and boy, am I glad I did! The lemon-raspberry poppyseed pancakes off their seasonal menu were incredible, soft and swirled with raspberry lemon cream. The turkey bacon was a little more limp than the Westmont's thick bacon...but probably a lot better for me. I washed it down with a tart (and much-needed) lemonade. They were busy, but not so much that I couldn't get a table in the back.

Walked around in Collingswood for a little while after I ate. I didn't linger too long here. Not only was it past 1 PM, but a lot of Collingswood stores are closed on Tuesday. Collingswood is holding their big Green Festival on Saturday, too, and it's also Record Store Day. I'll hold off on Innergroove until Saturday, but I did pick up a few things from Collingswood Music:

Two vintage children's albums, Strawberry Shortcake's Exercise and Fun Album and Sesame Street Happy Birthday! (Not only did the Sesame Street album have the wrong record in it, but it was badly scratched. It goes in the donation bags.)

Beach Boys - Smile (I think it's a bootleg, but it has two of the Beach Boys' best songs, "Heroes and Villains" and "Good Vibrations.")

I heard my phone go off when I was in Collingswood Music. I called it back when I got outside. It was Allyssa from Camden County, telling me she was having trouble getting me through that loan. They don't count the Healthy Kids job because I've been there slightly less than a year, and I don't make enough at the Acme job to pay for a loan. That really hurt. I assumed that getting a second job, and one that I loved, would be enough. I feel like nothing I do will ever be enough for these people. She said she'd keep trying, but I was bitterly disappointed when I headed across the street and back to my bike. It was late, and I had to dodge kids coming out of Collingswood High School. I ended up being five minutes late to Thomas Sharp.

I felt much better when I arrived and got settled in with the kids. I had many happy birthday greetings, from kids and adults. One cherubic little miss gave me a bag with candy, a fruit bar (which I appreciated - I forgot a snack), rubber bracelets, and a card she drew herself of her and me together. (I think her parents wrote "Happy Birthday." They have very nice printing.) Later on, one of the boys gave me his own artwork. 

We started off in the library due to the music class taking place in the cafeteria. I'm glad I took my 10 kids to the bathroom first. They were all antsy, though they generally weren't that rowdy. They were better once they had their snacks and a lot of water. We waited a little while until the big kids were outside before we took the little ones out. It was beautiful, but so hot! Most of them either looked for ants or people walking dogs under the big shady trees or hung out in the shade of the slide equipment. Those who ventured into the sun danced to "Sharks In the Water," "The Big Pink Tiger," the theme from Bluey, "Try Everything" from Zootopia, "Zoo" from Zootopia 2, "Pink Pony Club," and songs from Moana 2 and KPop Demon Hunters.

Jessa's car has a bike rack, so she said she would pick me and my bike up at the school. What she didn't add was Mike was with her again. I was once again very disappointed. I was hoping we could spend time together on my birthday. Don't get me wrong, Mike is a nice guy. He's funny and he tells good stories...but I was hoping it could be just the two of us. He did pay for dinner at Carraba's Italian Grill in Maple Shade, which was pretty pricey. I had ravioli stuffed with chicken, spinach, and cheese. Jessa had grilled chicken in a wine sauce with broccoli and mashed potatoes. Mike had chicken Parmesan with mashed potatoes. We all had salads. They had Caesar. I had the "house," lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage in a creamy dressing (with olives and banana peppers that I picked out). I had a tasty peach-blackberry fold over tart for dessert.

Finished the night listening to old favorites from my childhood and teen years. I've had The Wild, the Innocent, and the E-Street Shuffle on CD for so long, I forget when I got it now. I think Mom may have had the LP when I was a kid. This and Greetings from Asbury Park always hit the hardest of Bruce Springsteen's albums because...what he's describing was my world, from the time I was born through my college years. "The E-Street Shuffle," "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)," "Incident on 57th Street," "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"...that's the Jersey Shore I remember. There's a reason Springsteen is called "the Boss" in his native New Jersey. Even though he's from further north (and I believe still lives up there) and Cape May and Wildwood were in largely better shape than Asbury Park in the 70's and 80's, it still sounds and practically smells like my childhood and adolescent memories.

Elton John's Greatest Hits Vol. III features the John songs I grew up with. "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" and "Little Jeannie" used to play constantly on the jukebox at the Ugly Mug in Cape May during the 80's. "Mama Can't Buy You Love," "Sad Song (Say So Much)," "Empty Garden," and "Blue Eyes" were heard constantly on the radio. I think it's hilarious that the kids seem to have fallen in love with Taran Egerton's recording of "I'm Still Standing," given that came out around the time I was their age and I loved it just as much. 

Night of the Mario Galaxy

I overslept and had just enough time this morning before my dental appointment to eat a quick breakfast, dress, and take a call from Alyssa at Camden County. I wasn't able to get the First Time Buyers loan. You need two lines of credit, and though my credit is about as good as you can get, I only have one credit card. I've also only had the second Healthy Kids job for almost a year. Even though I've been at the Acme for 27 years, they don't count Healthy Kids. She said she'll apply me to a less-stringent loan and see if I can get that. 

By the time I finally called Uber, it was too late. They arrived in 10 minutes, which made me slightly late to my dental appointment. I did better later in the day. It took 9 minutes for the driver going to the Cinemark to arrive, and 8 for the one going home.

My dental appointment did not go well. My back lower left tooth, the one behind where the other one was pulled, has been sore and a little wobbly for weeks. My gums have been a little sore, too. I thought I took care of that problem five years ago! I haven't had so much as a cavity since that last tooth was pulled in June 2023. It was fine the last time I went for a dental appointment in early January. At least they won't be pulling it for another two weeks, and I was able to get the usual cleaning, but it's still scary and frustrating.

I tried to cheer myself up with a spinach and feta omelet and multi grain bagel at the Westmont Bagel Shop. I spent most of the time listening to a group of older women behind me chattering. Bought water and "puffcorn" (popcorn with no hulls) for the movies at Dollar Tree and tried to get money at Target.

After I gave up on the money and decided to just take Uber, I headed to the Cinemark in Somerdale to see The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. I missed the showing I originally planned on seeing...but there was another one just 20 minutes after that. I got into that one with five minutes to spare.

For once, almost every commercial before the movie was for something I really wanted to see, or at least thought looked interesting. I'm so glad they're finally putting out the Michael Jackson biography after pushing back the release date at least three times. I will absolutely be catching that at the end of the month to review it for my Musical Dreams blog. Supergirl is a definite yes after I loved Superman last summer. (And it'll give me something to look forward to between the end of the school year and Lauren visiting.) Masters of the Universe looks like they're at least trying to get closer to the original cartoon than the first time MGM attempted to go live-action with that franchise in 1987. We'll see about the unique animated buddy action fantasy Forbidden Island in late September. I may wait for that and the Paw Patrol dinosaur movie to debut online. The only one I likely won't bother with is Minions & Monsters. The commercial was cute, but I never really got into the Minions/Despicable Me franchise. 

I won't go heavily into The Super Mario Galaxy Movie because of spoilers, but...I loved it. I don't have a clue as to what the critics are complaining about. They whined about the last one, too. Maybe they don't like movies being based on video games. Chris Pratt was much better as Mario, Donald Glover was a surprisingly perfect Yoshi, and Benny Safdie was hilarious and even touching as Bowser's devoted son Junior. In fact, I love how they handled the relationship between Bowser and Junior. Bowser may be a lousy emperor, but he is a great single dad. If anything, Princess Peach (Anya Joy-Taylor) was even more awesome here than in the first movie, reminding me of why she's been my first-choice character whenever she was playable for 40 years. 

It's still no masterpiece. Some sequences, like the short bit with the Bee Queen and the one with Yoshi and the babies on the dinosaur planet, don't really move the plot along and seem shoehorned in to add more references to other Nintendo games. They crowd out characters like Fox McCloud of Star Fox and Rosalina whom you wish got more screen time. Some of the action set pieces go on for way too long, and a lot of the references may only land if you've been a hard-core Nintendo nut for the past 40 years. 

All in all, I say completely disregard whatever you've heard about this and go check it out, especially if you or your kids are Mario fans. It may not be a perfect galaxy, but it's still a lot of fun to explore.

Headed up the hill to Wal Mart after the movie ended, if only to enjoy the gorgeous day. It was windy, but sunny and relatively warm when you could get out of that cold wind, probably in the mid-upper 50's. I was hoping to find The Super Mario Galaxy Movie soundtrack there, but though they have restocked their record collection since last year, the soundtrack won't be out on physical media until later this year. I just picked up a few bits and pieces I needed instead, including a new dry erase board, granola bars, the Shirley Temple flavor of Olipop that I've seen nowhere else, and their soft and tasty breakfast cookies. 

I got home with just enough time to take out the trash and check something online before Jessa arrived. We ended up back at a surprisingly busy Ponzio's. Their back dining area was closed. I wonder if they were having a party later that evening? Some seats at the counter were closed, too. At any rate, we still had a wonderful dinner. Jessa's Double Decker Turkey Club was so huge, it was more like an 18-Decker. My chicken wrap was delicious, with lettuce, roasted bell peppers, fresh mozzarella, and lots of pesto mayonnaise. She took a slice of chocolate fudge cake home to Mike, but I did eat the vanilla buttercream cake slice right there. Oh yummy. Perfectly sweet, moist, and buttery. The waitress said they were out of a lot of desserts. I'm guessing the cheesecakes and pies and tarts were the first to go, because they seemed to have plenty of cakes and cookies.

Took a shower, then finished the night with The Wild Wild West. James West and Artemis Gordon investigate "The Night of the Beast" (aka "The Night of the Simian Terror") when they hear about a giant ape wrecking havoc on Senator Seth Buckley's (Dabbs Greer) plantation. His terrified ward Naomi (Grace Gaynor) and son Benjamin (Felice Orlandi) are more concerned about being the last of the Buckleys...and that someone has been picking off the Buckleys one by one. The ape had once been controlled by a scientist, but someone else, someone connected to Buckley, seems to be in charge of "the beast" now...and is using him to extract his revenge on the entire Buckley clan. 

Oh, and American Girl just re-released the first 8 historical dolls - Molly, Samantha, Kirsten, Felicity, Addy, Josefina, Kaya, and Kit - in limited edition versions, with their original meet outfits, accessories, and books. The only one of those dolls I don't have who interests me is Addy, and I could probably adopt one cheaper on eBay, but they're still available if you want them and don't have any of them. (Now if only they'd re-release more of their outfits...or even make new ones...) 

Spring Foolin'

Began the morning with breakfast and The Pirates of Dark Water. "Andorus" is the first episode of the series proper, picking up where the original four-episode miniseries left off. The group's attempt to gather supplies is interrupted by Bloth, who chases them to the titular land. It's here that Tula discovers she's an ecromancer - she can heal and control nature. She and Teron use their magic to help Ren get to the treasure here before Bloth and his men do.

Called Uber after the cartoon ended. It's just easier to take three Uber rides on my double-shift day than it is to try riding my bike. No trouble with any of the drivers here. The one going to work came in 6 minutes. I had a harder time getting one to Thomas Sharp, but they finally came in 9 minutes. The one going home took 11 minutes, not bad at the height of rush hour.

The Acme wasn't busy when I arrived. It picked up slightly later, but it was never overwhelming. I did have to put away a cart filled with cold items someone didn't want. Otherwise, I was mostly outside, and I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. It was hot, sunny, and breezy, in the lower 80's by noon. Most people are probably waiting for Easter weekend to do their shopping. 

After I changed, I grabbed two more Easter cards and a container of coconut macaroons on the Clearance rack before heading to the post office. I wanted to get the cards out quick as possible, so I set them up there and sent them out. I figured the post office would be busy during the lunch hour, but it was just me and the ladies behind the counter.

Had lunch at Tu Se Bella's next. I wasn't that hungry, so I just had a simple slice of cheese, slice of mushroom, and a Diet Pepsi. They surprisingly weren't busy either. I ate my lunch while listening to a show about excellent food trucks going in the background.

Since I had some time, I strolled across the street to explore the other stores. I dug through the Squishmallow bin at Five Below, but didn't get anything there this time. I did dig out a CD and four records at Goodwill:

The soundtrack from the 1976 pirate movie Swashbuckler

Tale Spinners for Children: Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (The United Artists version of this British children's album series)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle (Disney children's retelling of the segment from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, plus another Washington Irving story.)

Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra - Dreamy Serenades 

Bette Midler - Bette of Roses was the one CD.

After Uber got me to the school, I went straight inside. Good thing I got there only slightly late. We had 24 kids, 10 of them at my table. It was the same deal as the day before. The ones at my table were just fine. We went to the bathroom second, so they had a little more time to play with magnetic tiles. A few of them were a little rowdy at the bathroom, but it could have been worse, especially after I explained that they couldn't block the hallway. The custodians have their offices in that hall, and the boiler room is there. They needed to get through.

Once again, the trouble was in the cafeteria after snack time. They were all running around, screaming, yelling, hitting each other, calling each other names and then tattling about it. The head teacher kept ten of them inside to talk to them. Once everyone was out, things generally went much smoother. We still had to argue a couple of them back into their shoes and put the kibosh on another "no shoes" party, but they mostly had a wonderful time chasing each other and dancing to "Try Everything" from Zootopia, the themes from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bluey, and PJ Masks, and songs from The Little Mermaid, Moana, and KPop Demon Hunters. 

By 5 PM, we were down to 4 kids, most of whom were complaining about being hot. It was still sunny and 80 degrees, breezy but also a tad humid. They were just taking the kids inside when I decided it was too hot to walk and I was too tired and called Uber.

When I got home, I went straight into Match Game '90. Most of tonight was devoted to the week with Jimmie Walker, Jo Anne Worley, and hilarious comedian Bob Sarlatte. Jimmie happily flirted with a female contestant, while Bob tossed out some darn funny quips.

Finished the night at YouTube with a lot of childhood memories. From the early 80's through the mid-90's, toy companies would debut half-hour specials devoted either to a new toy line or around additions to an existing line in the spring or summer. They generally turned up in syndication or as specials on Saturday morning, though a few rated prime-time slots. Most of these are all but forgotten today, like the Victorian-themed Rose Petal Place or the nature mythology of The Magic of Herself the Elf. Fairies is a unique rarity - it's based on a book rather than a toyline and looks more like the Lord of the Rings animated films. 

One has a special place in my heart despite being unknown today. Dad bought our first VCR in the winter of 1985. The first moves we took out (from a long-gone store in Rio Grande) were The Charmkins and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. We'd tape Willy Wonka off The Disney Channel in the late 80's, but I wouldn't see Charmkins again after that video store closed until it turned up on YouTube.

By the early 90's, tighter regulations regarding advertising and children's programming and a change in viewing habits had largely brought an end to the whimsical toy-based specials. One of the last was Peppermint Rose from 1993. I vaguely remember the dolls these were based on, but I never heard of the special until I was an adult. Too bad, because this is one of the better ones. I like how sassy Rose is, and that she genuinely changes throughout the special and learns to be independent and care about others. (Like most of these specials, it's also extremely of its time - check out the random rap battle mid-way through.) 

If you also can't remember a spring without caring bears, nature-guarding elves, singing flowers, and sassy Peppermint Roses, you'll want check out these specials for a blast of warm-weather nostalgia, too.

Fairies (1981)

Care Bears In the Land Without Feelings (1983)

The Magic of Herself the Elf (1983) 

The Charmkins (1983)

Strawberry Shortcake's Housewarming Surprise (1984)

Rose Petal Place: Real Friends (1985)

Peppermint Rose (1993)

Little Summer Showers

Began the morning with breakfast and sunshine. It was still pretty nice when I headed out, sunny and more humid than yesterday, but nothing out of line for early July. Ran into one of my former neighbors in Oaklyn on my way to work who mentioned she heard about an apartment that was renting for $950. That was nice of her, but I don't think they'll take me. As I tried to explain, it doesn't matter how much money I have in the bank. I just don't make enough at work for most renters. I need to find a better job before I can find a better home.

I was supposed to be cashiering today, and I did start out doing that, until around 2. Then, they pulled me to take carts. The afternoon bagger was late, and the morning bagger needed help. I continued doing carts until quarter of 6, after which they pulled me again to take customers. One of the cashiers went on break. Doesn't help that we're at the beginning of the month, and a lot of customers aren't in the best of moods. Heavy clouds gathered and it showered later in the day, but nothing heavy, and it was long gone by the time I finished. 

Picked up shortbread cookies and more of those on-sale date bars after work. Mixed feelings on my schedule next week. My hours on the 4th of July aren't bad at all, and there's no 8 1/2 hour days...but I also have an extra-early day on Sunday and my next and only day off is Friday. I really hate this working 7 and 8 days straight through business. I know I'm not supposed to complain, since people in hospitals and factories work 60 hours a week around the clock, but...it's still tiring. 

I was bone-weary when I got off. Went straight home and into dinner Match Game PM. Fannie Flagg is delighted to flirt with an older former Air Force soldier throughout much of the episode. Dick Martin, sweet little Sarah Kennedy, and the others are more content to figure out what a much-married person has on their towels and and "Game of __" on the Audience Match. (Oh, and fantasy fans, the answer isn't what you think...)

Finished the night at Paramount Plus after a shower with The Love Boat. Everyone's gambling on love during a big casino-themed cruise in season seven. The woman who organized the cruise (Celeste Holm) has to deal with bailing out her troubled brother (Richard Jaeckel) yet again when "The Buck Stops Here." Her brother is the one who convinces a newlywed (Leah Ayres) to throw her money and her husband's (Shea Farrell) to the wind for a big payout that could leave them with more for a new house "For Better or for Worse." A man about to sell a rare coin (McLean Stevenson) says "Bet On It" when he and his girlfriend (Jo Ann Pflug) spend the weekend glued to a slot machine after she uses the coin in it. 

(Oh, and it looks like Let's Make a Deal with be making at least a temporary return to Buzzr this summer! In good news, there will be a marathon on the 18th. In annoying news, starting that Monday, it replaces Match Game PM. At least it's a show I really like and admittedly have missed seeing on the channel. Hey Buzzr, while we're bringing back old favorites, how about dragging Family Feud off the weekends, bringing back the Monty Hall Split Second, or putting Blockbusters back in the mornings?)

Movin' Out

Began the morning by calling out of work. Beyond having to move today, I'm not crazy about being stuck working nine days in a row again. I had to call twice because the manager wants to hear that 

with breakfast and the first episode of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. It's "Daniel's Birthday," and he's excited about the cake he helped decorate with Baker Aker. His delight turns to disappointed when he brings it home, and it's smushed. His dad helps him find something good about it anyway. Dan and his friends Miss Elaina and Prince Wednesday are excited about "Daniel's Picnic." First, their ball deflates...but it helps them discover a new game. Then they're chased inside by rain, but decide you can have a picnic inside, too. 

Put music on YouTube as I bustled around, trying to get everything done. Washed the dishes, then packed them. Threw anything that was still loose into boxes and taped them. Striped the sheets and bagged them and the remaining stuffed animals. Packed up the laptop and its accessories. 

I was still working when my neighbors arrived. One came earlier and swept around the front steps, so no one would slip. We started making piles of what would go into storage and what I wanted to take. There was no way around calling a storage facility. I wouldn't need my kitchen things in two small rooms, and my Christmas things wouldn't fit. (I did point out that we're close enough to Easter to bring my spring decorations bin, and I only have one small bag for the summer and patriotic decorations anyway.) Even the children of my neighbors next-door and across the street helped.

Kevin the mover and his partner arrived around quarter of 10. For slender guys, they sure were strong. They loaded everything I wanted to take into their big square truck. The little boys were fascinated by that truck, until they ran down the street to play other games. Jodie, her son TJ, and his husband Eric would take anything that didn't fit or wasn't needed to my new storage room in Lawnside later.

Yes, I now have a storage unit. It's the smallest one they have. This wasn't super-cheap, but it was also the closest option for storage. Most storage facilities in this area are in Cherry Hill or Maple Shade. My neighbor across the street helped me get through to them and sign everything. 

Melissa, Brittany, and I left Jodie waiting for her sons and followed Kevin and his truck to Cindy's. She was more than happy to chat with the ladies while Kevin and his friend did the lifting, with occasional help from me. (I do heft 35 count containers of bottled water for a living!)

It took almost over a hour and a half to get everything in. Thankfully, the desk did fit...but the futon did not. I finally decided not to keep it. My remaining furniture consisted of shelves, a table, and the long, narrow entertainment center and fit just fine. If anything, height was more of a question than getting them through the door. More than three-fourths of the boxes and bins wound up in the closet. 

I organized the spices while they finished. I took out some bottles she didn't have or only had small amounts of, like ginger and orange peel. Gave the rest to Kevin, who said he liked to cook, to thank him for doing so well (along with his regular pay). 

We went back over to Jodie's around 12:30. TJ and Eric only just arrived and finished loading the truck. Melissa, Brittany, and I took a quick side detour to Dollar General. We couldn't find a lock there, but we did get soda. I tried the new Coca Cola Starlight. I thought it tasted metallic...until I realized I grabbed the Coke Zero version instead of the regular. Oh well. I probably don't need that much sugar.

 It took us a while to get everyone going in the right direction, but we did manage to get there. The series of low white and green buildings were near the cemetery and Dunkin' Donuts. We stopped in to ask the young lady at the desk about getting in and if we needed a lock. They provided the locks, but I did need to get my number to open the gate from the information they sent me online. 

Turns out, I should have been more discriminate about who packed what and what they packed. I retrieved several items I knew would fit at the other house, including tea and bag of important folders I kept under my desk. I didn't want records in the small space I rented, because I wasn't sure they'd fit or survive being in a small cramped room. TJ and Eric said they'd keep the remaining box of records at their house outside of Philly until I was ready for them. 

Brittany and I stopped for Chick Fil'A on the way back to Oaklyn. I ate a grilled chicken sandwich while she took us to her house next-door to Jodie's. I went in to clear out the refrigerator. Some half-empty condiments I got rid of, but I did bring others, frozen and fresh vegetables, and the two packs of chicken. 

We were eventually joined by another neighbor, who offered to pick up my bike and go out to dinner with me. Everyone else had other plans. After briefly stopping so my neighbor could visit her feisty older mother, we went out to eat. We were going to invite everyone, but the others were all busy. Truth be told, I was tired of dealing with crowds anyway. I was fine treating my neighbor to a mararita and taco at Jalepeno's Bar and Grill. I had the same iced tea and veggie quesadilla as I did when Lauren ate there in September. We enjoyed our meal and marveled at the two enormous men who had six beers between them.

She finally dropped me off around quarter of 6. Having moved my things off of it, they deemed my old mattress too far gone and got rid of it.

After we took the mattress downstairs and my neighbor left, I made the bed, unloaded the stuffed animals, and went through the closet. I couldn't find my work lunch bag, and I needed it! It was the one thing I needed that I just couldn't find. Everything else missing reappeared. My neighbor threw the electrical safety strip into one of the entertainment center cabinets. I put the remote control for the TV in my purse so it wouldn't vanish. Unloaded a few boxes with questionable items, some of which should have been discarded, donated, or put in storage. Took more boxes to the bedroom. I went over every inch of that darn closet, and I just couldn't find it. I'll try again tomorrow.

It was so late by the time I got in the shower, I only had the time for a Match Game '76 episode before the Super Password premiere on YouTube. Talk show host Mike Douglas turned up in the opening, jokingly asking if he went in the wrong studio and congratulating the panel for the show being such a hit. Brett was delighted to have someone else around to flirt with. Gene wasn't as happy, though, adding to the gag by claiming Douglas hit him on the head. 

Moving Harts

Began a gloomy, gray morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. I'm not the only one learning about asking for help. Katerina discovers "Friends Help Each Other" when Daniel offers to clean up the tea-party table she knocked over and the water she spilled. O the Owl is upset that the last page of his dinosaur book is missing and he won't know how the story ends. "Daniel Helps O Tell a Story" and make up their own ending.

Switched to Supermarket Sweep as I cleaned up from breakfast. Came in just as they began the sweep. The contestants spent so much time gathering bonuses (including frosting a cake and scooping candy and coffee into bags), none of them had terribly high scores. Pair number 1 did well enough to make it to the bonus round...where they proceeded to win in record time.

Continued with Match Game '74 as I packed up what was left in the living room. We open with many jokes about what Colonel Sanders is starting to resemble. They have more lucky with the Audience Match for "Run for __." Brett complains about the strap on her sandal breaking in the next episode. Richard is so unamused by her complaining, he tosses the shoe onto the stage!

Went to The Roku Channel for Hart to Hart as I packed. Johnathan and Jennifer rescue a young figure skater with her eye on the Olympics and her father from a flaming wreck. The wreck caused the girl to lose her hearing, to her absolute horror. Johnathan and Jennifer turn to the latest in audio technology that'll allow the girl to hear her "Silent Dance," then try to figure out what she and her father witnessed at the skating rink that made someone run them off the road.

My neighbor Brittany finally picked me up shortly after 2. We were at East Clinton in less than two minutes. The lady who owns the house is pretty easy-going about most things. They actually managed to clear out most of their things in the two rooms; I could move in that night if I wanted to. 

And yes, I signed the lease. I think this is my best option at the moment. I can continue saving for other things, like online business and library sciences courses. I'll give it a year, then see where I, the world, and the housing market are next March.

Brittany was going to take me to the bank to get money for the rent, but she had trouble at home. Her husband Ron ended up driving me to Collingswood. I walked into a quiet PNC Bank, got my money for the rent for the next few days and next month, and walked out. 

Went back to my place to pack. I was hoping to sleep at East Clinton tonight...but truth be told, I wasn't ready. I had to pack my clothes and toiletries, the remaining dishes, the DVD player, the CD player, the remaining food, the extra computer paper in the entertainment center, and figure out what to do with the Wii and two bags of donations. Not to mention, I needed to find someone to help move my furniture, bins, and boxes. And I still need to figure out how to explain all this to Rose and ask for her help. 

It was past 6:30 when I broke to have scrambled eggs with mushrooms, and celery for dinner. Dick Martin takes Charles' place in the Match Game '77 episode. Candy bar jokes abound when the Audience Match is "__ Henry."

Cleaned up as Match Game PM ran. This episode got pretty wild, what with Debralee Scott and Bill Daily nearly making out when they had the same answers, Bill sporting a dapper tuxedo, and Brett teasing Debralee every chance. She and Betty continue sniping through "I Don't Do __" in the Audience Match.

Finished the night on Disney Plus with Black Is King. I go further into this lavish "visual album" retelling of The Lion King and salute to black culture and identity at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Musicals On Streaming - Black Is King

A Little Drop of Rain

Began a gray and gloomy morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Daniel Visits School" for the first time and brings quite a few things to remind him of home. Teacher Harriet assures him that they can have just as much fun at school as he does at home. "Daniel Visits the Doctor" for his first check-up at her office. Doctor Anna  and his mom explain what a doctor does and how she helps make sure he's healthy.

Found a couple of e-mails from my neighbor after breakfast. She wanted to show me the room that night. That was fine. It would have to be late, after 7, but at this point, all I wanted was a room. 

Headed out to run errands next. It was warm and very windy - so warm, I went back in to get my purse and ended up exchanging my heavy winter coat for a lighter raincoat. The laundromat was busy with people trying to get their clothes done and avoid the weather. I threw my clothes in the smaller washer that took less time, then dashed to Family Dollar. Wanted to get my friend Kristie in North Cape May who offered me that room a get well soon card. Poor girl broke her leg shoveling snow on New Year's Eve. I don't intend to live with her, but I do appreciate the thought and would still like to visit. 

Next stop after the laundromat was the Oaklyn Library. Bad news there. The borough is shutting them down as of April 1st. It's supposedly temporary, but the librarian didn't sound to sure about it. The building is so small, and with the virus, there's fewer people using it. I hope someone can convince them to change their minds. The library is a lot more important to the community than they want to believe. I did end up with two more of the Laura Childs books they were getting rid of for free.

Headed home just as a light shower began. Put on Match Game '74 as I defrosted black bean dip for lunch over lettuce. The first episode opens with Brett showing off a doll that holds liquor someone in the audience gave her. Elaine Joyce just wishes she'd hush and let her talk for once. In the next episode, Gene is delighted when one of the contestants speaks Serbo-Croatian like he does. 

Spent the next hour and a half on the computer to find apartments...but frankly, I'm done. I'm worn out and frazzled and have had enough. The condo was $1,000, cheap for here, but still a lot. If the rooms and their owner were even half-way decent and didn't mind Lauren's week and a half visit in June, I'd take them. 

Called Uber for a ride to work. Even if I wasn't going to see the two rooms afterwards, the rain came down harder by 2:30. It was no day for a bike ride, no matter what I was doing afterwards. The driver took a little longer than they have; I just got to work on time.

Between the weather and us being between holidays again, the Acme was quiet for most of the night other than at the height of rush hour. It never got more than a little steady. More help, too. I got to meet a very pleasant new cashier who just transferred from the store in Mt. Laurel. Today was also "Supermarket Employee Appreciation Day," so there were lots of goodies in the back like mini-muffins, candy, cookies, bags of chips, fruit salad, and a hoagie tray.

Another one of my neighbors picked me up at 7. The one who was supposed to pick me up had some trouble and asked her to do it. We headed across the White Horse Pike to the second block of East Clinton Avenue. I cut through there to Collingswood all the time, plus they usually have a neighborhood yard sale in the spring. We had to park some ways away, but we did find the small 20's-era house. 

An older lady met us at the door with a cat on her heels. The house, while larger than Rose's similar layout, still isn't huge. There's a laundry room, too...and unlike Jodie, she doesn't mind sharing that as well. She mostly lives downstairs. 

The room turned out to be two rooms, one large, one smaller. It was mostly used for storage. She intended to clear out the junk and repaint it. She doesn't eat carbs, but I can eat in my room, and she has streaming. She has no trouble with my two best friends visiting, either, especially since we really don't spend that much time at home when they're here. 

Frankly...I'll take it. Between the two rooms and two closets (one large, one small), I should be able to get all of my things in. The walk-in closet is big enough for my linens, holiday decorations, and the dolls' boxes. I wanted to get rid of the kitchen table and the two black shelves, anyway. I've had the kitchen table since I moved here, and it's a cheap piece Rose and Craig bought from Walmart. Bought the shelves for DVDs, and now that they're in slimmer cases or boxes, I don't need them anymore. 

My only concern, besides my kitchen things, is my bike. I could keep it on the porch, or even bring it in the living room during inclement weather. 

And in all honesty, I'm not planning on staying for that long. I intend to give it at least a year, then see how I'm doing, how the housing market is doing, and how the world is doing. It'll be no more than two to four years tops, and certainly nothing like my 15-year stay at the apartment on Manor. I only intended to stay three to five years at Dad and Jodie's. This was intended to be a stopgap measure to get me out of Manor and a chance to figure out my next move.

Finished the night online with the Match Game PM episode I missed tonight. Dallas alumni Steve Kanaly and comedian Richard Paul joined in for a racy joke about what a modern snake offered Eve in a revised version of the Bible and a less obvious one about what Lawrence Welk counts to get him to bed. Charles tries to convince the world to go Kosher while helping the contestant with the Audience Match "__ On White."

Looking for Signs of Spring

Began a sunny, beautiful President's Day morning with breakfast and Mickey and the Roadster Racers. Mickey and the gang help Commander Heist "Stop Lazlo!" when his cat steals Professor Ludwig Von Drake's Smarty Hat and uses it to steal the secret formula for Hot Dog Hills hot dogs. Minnie, Daisy, and Cuckoo Loca help groom pooches for "The Hot Diggety Dog Show," including Ivy Beaglesnoot's prize pooch Champ. Cuckoo Loca does her best to keep a cat from riling up the contestants while Daisy and Minnie try to do something about Champ's fur when a trim gets a little out of hand.

Went straight online after that. Called two local realtor companies to see if they use third-party guarantors and got an e-mail from a third. Friedman Realty Group, owners of the Audubon Arms, does; SEBRealty, owner of The Residences at Whitehead in Stratford, do not. Left a message with the owners of Oak Terrace in Oaklyn and Oak Ridge in Runnemede. The Audubon Arms does have an apartment open, but no room outside for my bike. My neighbor texted me right before I left to say the apartment they wanted to look at was too expensive and didn't allow animals. Denise has a support dog.

Continued to look up and call companies at work; left more messages. Work was steady for pretty much the entire afternoon. Between absolutely gorgeous, sunny weather, it being in the 50's, and this being the last major holiday weekend for a month and a half, most people were probably on vacations, or at least on day trips. Switched to express mid-way through the day when the cashier there went home. Other than my first break being a little late, there were no major problems, and my relief was right on time.

I was still feeling lousy when I got home, though. I have less than a week to find an apartment, and my family is falling apart. Hearing Jodie bawl again about how she feels sorry for me but has to serve me eviction papers on the 26th if I'm still here whether she likes it or not didn't make me feel any better. I don't WANT to block the sale of the house. She can have the house. The movie producers can have the house. I don't want the house. I want a little home of my own. 

Jodie continues to insist that I should move in with Mom or Rose. Rose stopped talking to me because I wouldn't move in with Mom. Mom's angry at Rose because Rose won't let me move in with her. I understand they want to move on, too, but I wish they'd see the big picture. Everyone lives in a small space and can't spare the room or aren't allowed to have roommates. Period. No ifs, no ands, no buts. 

And Rose can get me moving to Cape May County out of her head right now, too. That is not what I need. There's no help for me there. There wasn't in 2006, and there isn't now. I'll visit my friend Kristie in the late summer or fall after things get settled. I need the things they have here - better public transportation, resources, and internet. Just because I haven't made use of those things before doesn't mean I can't now. 

Not to mention, how the heck would I and my stuff get down there? I can't make a car appear out of thin air. And if I went down there, it wouldn't be for a few months, like Rose thinks I can do. I'm not hiking down there, then back up here in a few months. Not going to happen.

Put fish, carrots, and broccoli and cauliflower in the oven while Match Game PM ran. Had southwestern-crusted tilapia with roasted carrots and broccoli and cauliflower for dinner. When Gene read a joke about Allen Ludden being out of touch with things, Betty's very offended by the contestant's answer! (For the record, Password Plus out-ran Match Game Syndication by a couple of months.) We also get the panel starting off a question about a chain gang with a song and Patty Duke helping the contestant with "__ Twister" on the Head-to-Head.

My neighbor texted me while dinner was still in the oven and wanted me to come over to talk about seeing apartments. I made it over there by quarter of 8, soon as I cleaned up after dinner and did the dishes. She settled me down in front of the roaring fire in her brick-enclosed living room and said she, Melissa, Denise, and half of Oaklyn put out feelers for me everywhere they could. They asked church ladies if they had a room. They asked cops. The asked apartment buildings. 

Trouble is...following leads is going to take time I don't have. That's a big part of why I've been so upset. I should have switched tactics and started asking about church ladies and cops ages ago, but I'm not good at problem-solving. It's easier to keep doing what you're doing than change to something else. I wish I'd been able to sit down with Rose and Jodie and discuss all this sooner. Because...while I'm glad I was there for Dad when he died, I wish things hadn't gotten so messy afterwards. 

Oh, and I heard from Melissa Martelli later in the night. Seems they might have found a room for me. At this point, I'll take just about anything. 

Charades, Children, Hexagons, and Passwords

Started off the morning with banana pancakes for breakfast and Raisin, a musical adaptation of A Raisin In the Sun. In Chicago in 1951, Walter Younger hopes for a better life than that of a chauffeur and hopes to buy into a liquor store with his father's life insurance money. His mother would rather he used the money to buy a house and further his sister Beneatha's education. 

While some of the songs are very moving, especially Mama's numbers "Meet the Valleys" and "A Whole Lotta Sunlight," most of them don't really seem to have a lot to do with the story. There's an "African Dance" for Walter and Beneatha initiated by Beneatha's African boyfriend that has nothing to do with anything. This was a hit in 1973 that ran almost a year and won a Best Musical Tony, but it's rarely been seen since. 

My neighbor called while I ate and said she'd gotten several prospects. I took her suggestion and went online to see what I could find apartment-wise. Ironically, the only thing I ran into that I hadn't seen before was a 1-bedroom apartment open in the Castle Arms, one of the buildings we got the number for on our drive yesterday. Had enough time to write down the specifics before I headed out.

Work was steady the entire afternoon. I was cashiering in the express lane, so I mainly dealt with people picking up food for weekend birthday parties or get-togethers. One older woman gave me a hard time about bagging. Otherwise, there was really no major problems. Texted my neighbor the Castle Arms listing during my break; she mentioned that they were going to see the outside of a house I could share with Denise, who has a service dog and needs help finding a place. They forgot I was working! I haven't heard from anyone, so I don't know if they did.

Put on my Purlie cast album when I got home and put defrosted leftovers in the oven. This has almost the same background as Raisin - based after a popular play with an all-black cast that probably didn't need the music, a year-long hit in 1970, rarely heard from since. This time, the title character, a young preacher who just came home to the South in the 1930's, has to use pretty Lulubelle to get money off the miserly owner of a plantation. The owner's liberal son does everything he can to help out. The problem here is less the decent score than a story that hasn't always dated well in spots. 

(Wikipedia mentions a cable production of this in 1981 for Showtime. Apparently, many original cast members reprised their roles, including Sherman Helmsley. I might have to look for that.)

Talked to Mom after I ate. I've begun to realize just how much of a mess I've made of things. I need to stay up here, or at the least, in an area with access to public transportation, good internet service, and mental health offices...but I haven't always done my best at it. Once again, I come up with an idea, then drop it when another idea that sounds better comes along. 

I need to call the local apartment building companies about third-party guarantors, but I keep putting it off. I made a complete hash of the rental counseling appointment. I've tried to make a budget, but I keep running out of time and don't know much about spreadsheets. I have the habit of easily losing focus on things (especially online) and a hard time listening to people. That's why Rose is upset. I don't take her advice. I wasn't going to live with Mom in Cape May (and that probably wasn't a realistic idea anyway), but I should have pushed harder to get a second or better job. I dropped the idea after Target rejected me in November, and I shouldn't have. 

Attempted to apply to the Audubon Arms apartment after this...but it took so long to look up the information, it timed out. I'll try again tomorrow and call the realty companies.

Finished the night online as I worked on the application with the later games from producer Mark Goodson. Todman died in 1979, around the time Password Plus came on the air. Allen Ludden returns, at least for the first year, as celebrities give clues for contestants to guess words. This time, the clues lead up to a puzzle to solve. Super Password from the late 80's is very similar, only there's a Ca$hword mini-game between rounds for extra money and the bonus round is named Super Password rather that Alphabetics. Bill Cullen and Tom Kennedy took over from the cancer-stricken Ludden later on Plus; Bert Convy was in charge of Super.

Goodson didn't do as well with new formats. His Card Sharks came out well in two versions during the late 70's and 80's, but Child's Play and Body Language didn't work out nearly as well. Child's Play was one of their stranger shows. Adults guess words described by young children. Later, the kids come in the studio to guess words the adults describe. I can understand why this one didn't work out. Watching Bill's amused reactions to the kids' descriptions is a lot more fun than the dull and rather odd game play. 

Body Language is a revival of their short-lived charades game Showoffs from 1975. Basically, it's "Showoffs Plus." Two celebrities act out words for their contestants to guess, and the words lead to a puzzle. Whomever solves the puzzle gets the money. There's two bonus rounds. The contestant has to guess 10 words, and then 3 to earn however much money they got from their guesses on the previous round. Too bad neither Showoffs nor Body Language seem to have worked out, because I really enjoy them. Considering they did a whole "teen month" with kid contestants and celebrities and had teen celebrities at other times, I wonder if this format would have done better on on family-oriented networks like Nickelodeon or the early Family Channel.

Their one bit of luck with new formats in the 80's was Blockbusters. Bill Cullen reads off trivia representing a letter on a hexagonal board. Two family members play a lone contestant. The winners go on to the Gold Run, answering three-letter questions across the board. If they get all the way across, they win. While this did well enough in the US, it really took off in England, where it was played by teenagers and ran from 1983 to 1993. 

Other than a few shows produced for state lotteries, Goodson's last major producing efforts were revivals of two of his biggest hits in 1990. ABC ran Match Game for a year; it almost moved to syndication, but they changed their minds at the last minute. Charles Nelson Reilly (and for a few weeks around Halloween, Brett Somers) joins more urbane host Ross Schafer to deal with some extremely 90's loonies. 

The 1990 To Tell the Truth didn't even make a year. This version went through several different hosts before finally settling on Alex Trebek midway through the run. Both shows had mini-games added. Match Game had the "Match Up," a more intense one-on-one mini-game between celebrity and contestant. Truth had a game at the end where the panel tried to guess what someone really did for a living. It didn't help either show, which vanished without a trace after their runs except for brief appearances on Game Show Network. 

And once again, it's too bad, because both of these had potential. Match Game in particular could be a lot of fun. The "Match Up" segment is divisive among fans. Some say it's a welcome touch of drama in a comedy program; others find it too intrusive and complain that it breaks up the flow of the show. 

Check out the final shows in a long and storied career! (And look for the commercials from their original or Game Show Network run on many of these!)

Password Plus (1979)

Blockbusters (1980)

Child's Play (1983)

Body Language (1984)

Super Password (1988)

Match Game (1990)

To Tell the Truth (1991)

What Is Home?

Started off a brisk, sunny morning with a knock at the door. The neighbor who held the party on Thursday was there. She said she'd look up more apartments for Denise and I online and make a few phone calls in the neighborhood. I'd look up apartments as well later. 

Went into breakfast and two episodes of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Daniel Visits the Dentist," who happens to be his new neighbor Dr. Platt. She shows him her equipment and explains how she'll clean and polish his teeth to alleviate his fears. Jodi's Nana has a hair salon in part of her home. "Daniel's First Haircut" makes the cub a little nervous, so he watches Prince Tuesday get a trim and Miss Elaina go for adorable braids before he jumps in her moving chair. 

Katarina is sad when Margaret opts to play with her brother instead of her, as she's an only child. Mrs. Tiger reminds her to "Find What Makes Your Family Special." She gets her mother Henrietta all to herself and appreciates the time she spends with her. Dan tries to figure out what makes his family special when he has to talk about the branch for the family tree he created for "Family Day" at the library.

Went online for a few hours after that to do research and find more apartments. My neighbor called twice as I worked. I related the addresses to her. Apparently, she hadn't heard from the other lady who wanted to share a house, but was willing to go apartment hunting today.

It was almost 2 when my neighbor called again. She just came back from helping her mother and wanted to know if I was able to look for apartments. Sure! I didn't have any other plans. I met her at her house as it clouded over and settled in her cozy, dark 70's-esque living room. Showed her the two-bedroom apartments I looked up that morning. One in Oaklyn was already taken, and we needed the busy older lady to see the other two.

She also said for me not to compare myself to Rose or anyone else. I can't help it. She's a lawyer, even if she's not a working one, and I'm not. She had a decent job, at least, and I work at a grocery store. She has a life, and I don't. I don't really want kids (I can barely take care of myself), but I do want a home of my own and a decent job. 

Flurries fell lightly from a pewter sky when we headed out, but the sun was already coming out, even as she pulled down Manheim. By the time she stopped a cop she knew at City Hall to ask him about whether Jodie could legally throw me out, the snow vanished, and the sun was glowing in a watery blue sky. (The short answer, by the way, is no. She'd have to take me to court, and that could take as long as three years to figure out. Which is why I don't want it to get that far.)

We then spent the next hour pulling into the parking lot of almost every apartment building from Oaklyn to Haddon Heights to write down or photograph their numbers or try to talk to their offices. Unfortunately, with neither of us having kids or travel plans, we forgot that this is a Saturday and a holiday weekend. No offices were open. One place did have a room open, or almost open, the Audubon Arms. I need to apply for them. I've applied to and been rejected from most of the apartment buildings in Audubon and Oaklyn. I don't make enough money for them. The only three buildings we saw in Haddon Heights were for seniors.

On the way back, she pulled in at two churches, the Hispanic church in Audubon and the Baptist church in Oaklyn. She pointed out that, not only are church ladies one of the best offline sources of information about a community, but one of them might have an apartment or room I could rent. We did get someone at the second church. They didn't know of any rooms right off, but they'd ask around tomorrow.

Made a quick smoothie lunch while watching the most recent - and last - Muppet Babies episode. "The Muppet Babies Show" has the kids putting on a production for Nanny and their friends on the last day before summer vacation. Kermit does enjoy playing MC, but first he's upset when the kids keep changing their acts, then tries to prolong the show to keep them all from leaving him. 

(And yes, this does appear to be the series finale. Too bad. I was hoping this would run longer than the  original cartoon. The episodes were more consistently entertaining, often better-written, and made more use of other Muppets besides the ones in the '80's show.) 

Went back online, this time to get caught up on writing down everything I've seen or e-mailed or phoned over the past few weeks. It's a lot! And there's things I still haven't gotten to, like looking up more on the Audubon Arms apartment that's available and applying to Scribbr.

Had dinner while watching The Backyardigans. "The Legend of the Volcano Sisters" from the second season is one of my favorite episodes of the series. Luau Brothers Tyrone the Strong, Pablo the Swift, and Just Austin have to appease the angry Volcano Sisters (Uniqua and Tasha), or they'll make the volcano blow its top! Tyrone and Pablo dash off in search of lavish gifts, but it's Austin who knows what the girls really want.

Called Mom after eating pizza from the other night. She's glad I now have more help in the neighborhood finding apartments. She also agreed with my neighbor that once I settle in, I might try checking out some local churches. Religion and faith are very hard for me. I like things you can see and touch. You can even see air when it's windy like today. Faith has never seemed to do me much good. It's hard to believe in anything when you're always making trouble like this. I did try church in Wildwood, but it was mostly families and old people, and I had no one to talk to. Plus, I usually work on Sunday mornings.

Finished off the night online after a shower with The Fearless Four. I go further into this animated adaptation of the "The Bremen Town Musicians" from Germany at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Animation Celebration Saturday - The Fearless Four