Holiday Symphony

Began a late morning with a pancake breakfast. Added peanut butter, dried cranberries, and strawberry preserves to the gluten-free pancake mix. The peanut butter worked. The dried cranberries kept falling out. I tried swirling the preserves on top of the first - I just ended up making a mess cooking it. The second one came out a bit better. At any rate, they still tasted good while listening to patriotic records.

I found Charles Ives' Holiday Symphony a few years ago. The four moments revolve around the patriotic holidays Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day (then known as Decoration Day), the 4th of July, and Thanksgiving and Forefather's Day. Decoration Day is loud and crashing, a band in a morning parade, and is more fun than you might think.

I've been listening to America the Beautiful on patriotic holidays for almost 20 years. This 2-disc LP set was released in 1986 in honor of the Statue of Liberty's remodel, and you probably won't find a more all-American collection of music anywhere else. The first disc features most of the vocal music, including "This Land Is Your Land" and Kate Smith's famous rendition of "God Bless America." I also love the bouncy "Grand Canyon Suite," stirring "American Patrol," and the medley of George M. Cohen songs performed by the Boston Pops where you can hear people singing along in the background. The second disc has the more traditional numbers, like "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean," and "The Stars and Stripes Forever." "Pride On Parade" has the themes for the Armed Forces - "Anchors Aweigh," "The Caissons Go Rolling Along," "The Marines' Hymn."

It rained earlier in the morning, but it was just cloudy and cold by quarter of 2. Even so, I wasn't taking chances. I called Uber. For once, that might have been the best choice. The one going to work arrived in five minutes and got me there in plenty of time. The one going home came in 8 minutes. 

Work was busy when I came in, but not overwhelming. You'd never know it from the state the carts were in. It must have been busier this morning and in the early afternoon, when people were coming out of church and getting ready for picnics they were suddenly able to hold. At least it was cloudy and a little cool, in the lower 60's, but not rainy or even windy. It hasn't rained since last night. I still had a hard time keeping up with the carts. They remained in bad shape, even as my shift ended.

Bought a container of seafood salad and crackers to have with a bag of baby carrots for dinner, then went home, changed, finished America the Beautiful, and spent the rest of the night listening to today's Match Game marathon. Several now well-known celebrities turned up as contestants on the 70's and early 80's version of the show. Soap star Lynn Deerfield talked about how she won money on the 60's Match Game with Burt Reynolds and Don Meredith as her team captains in a nighttime episode from 1976. (Alas, like most of the 60's run, those episodes are now lost.) 

Also in 1976, struggling actress Brianne Leary won several games that would later allow her to focus on her acting career. She became the only contestant to become a panelist on the 1970's run when she reappeared for two weeks in 1979 after appearing in the first season of CHIps. Later talk show hostess Aphrodite Jones made a brief appearance as a contestant in 1978, though unlike Brianne, she didn't win any money. 

The two most famous celebrities to be contestants on Match Game turned up in memorable syndicated episodes. Kirstie Alley's first episode was hilarious even before she appeared. The woman who played before her spent so long trying to answer a question about sheep, Gene ended up laying on the floor. To tell the truth, Kirstie seemed a little above it all in her first round. She seemed to get more into the spirit of things in the second episode.

Future talk show hostess Jenny Jones had a lot more fun. She really seemed to enjoy herself, and not only played well, but won both her games. Barbara Rhodes had the honor of helping her fund her acting and hosting career. 

Check out several celebrities before they became famous - and one at the height of her fame - in this star-studded marathon!

Match Game Sunday Classics - Contestants as Celebrities and Famous People

Pleasant Valley Sunday

Got a quick start this morning with something a little different. I saw a pancake breakfast at the American Legion listed on the digital sign outside of Oaklyn's City Hall when I rode home yesterday. Thought it might be a nice way to begin my vacation. 

First, though, I needed to stop at WaWa to use the ATM machine. I accidentally pushed the button for the fast cast $10. That would work for the American Legion breakfast, but I needed more for vacation. When I tried to get more, I was denied. I was denied several times. I finally decided I'd go to breakfast and call them after I ate.

As it turned out, they called me three times. Each time, they asked me if I was the one who used the account for that amount of money. I said yes three times on the bench outside of the American Legion. After the third time, I figured I was safe to go in.

Found the entrance along the side of the building. The breakfast was in what looked like a bar area, with tables set up next to it. There were a few people, including a teen boy, but no one I knew. At least the pancakes were good. They were nice and fluffy, with two good-sized sausages. There was orange juice and coffee in the back. I had the orange juice.

Tried WaWa again on the way home. This time, I had no trouble getting money. Don't know what happened before. Treated myself to a tasty but sweet Pink Pineapple smoothie and two Olipop sodas to get change for later.

Headed straight home after that. Watched the tail end of Family Feud and Split Second while I stripped the spring/fall sheets and dumped them in the laundry basket, then put on the lighter-weight summer sheets and took the laundry upstairs. The Split Second episodes were from earlier in the run, when they were still picking three boards to get a car or another prize. The contestants on the second episode were a bit closer than those on the first, but in both cases, they chose the car on the first try.

Switched to my Summertime Gold oldies record set while vacuuming, and then as I went downstairs to put my laundry in the dryer. While this copy is missing an album, there's still enough to enjoy this collection of summer-themed rock songs from the 60's. Among my favorites I listened to today were "The Happening" by the Supremes, "Groovin'" by The Young Rascals, "Lazy Day" by Spanky and Our Gang, "One Fine Day" by the Chiffons, "Dancin' In the Street" and "Love Is Like a Heat Wave" by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and "Pleasant Valley Sunday" by the Monkees. 

Watched Sale of the Century while I took down the spring decorations and put up what very little I have for summer. A pretty blonde was the big winner in the first episode. She picked up the money in the third Instant Bargain, won the game by a wide margin, earned a lovely pearl necklace that would look gorgeous on her, and did well in the bonus round too. The second episode showed off the last big winner on the final week of its run.

I was originally going to do The Price Is Right while resting and putting my clean clothes and sheets away, but they were the same episodes I saw earlier in the week. Went online for a little while before I decided I was too tired. Ended up watching The Persuaders! instead. Danny thinks "Anyone Can Play" when he starts winning big at an English casino. Turns out there's another reason he's winning - Russian spies think he's one of them.

Danny's in trouble again when he recognizes the lovely daughter of a politician accused of being a traitor in "The Old, the New, and the Deadly." Her husband thinks Danny is a blackmailer. So does a French count (Patrick Troughton) who was on the wrong side during World War II and sends his chauffeur after Danny, too.

I was half-way through "The Old, the New, and the Deadly" when a friend who had agreed to take me to pick up Lauren said it was time to go. We dropped off her daughter in Barrington first, then headed to Philadelphia. We did run into some traffic coming from the Shore on the highway and on the Schuylkill Expressway, but nothing really terrible. It had clouded up while I watched The Persuaders! and started to rain a little as she parked across from 30th Street Station.

30th Street Station is currently a mess. When they said they were renovating, I assumed they were finally remodeling the empty stores in the back near Market Street. They're doing those, too, but the entire back area was closed off. They'd opened a temporary Dunkin' Donuts and Hudson Newsstand in front of the scaffolding. The 30th Street entrance was being remodeled, too.

First of all, Lauren's train was later than she claimed. She said 6:35. It was almost 10 minutes late. Second, I had a hard time finding her in the busy building. She finally found me at the 30th Street entrance after going to the bathroom. 

Thankfully, we hit even less traffic going home. This time, she went over the Walt Whitman Bridge, past XFinity Live! and a sold-out Citizens Bank Park. This let us out across from the Acme, which also had a fairly full parking lot (and made me glad I wasn't there). We finally got in around 7:30.

It was too late by then to do much of anything but take a shower, have dinner, and watch tonight's Match Game marathon. Unique entrances were the theme of this episode. Gene Rayburn would do anything for a laugh, and that included how he entered the studio. He broke through his doors more than once. Another time in 1976, he came in with Fannie Flagg in a long wavy wig on his arm. In early 1979, he entered running around the studio. There was the episode late in 1973 when he was laying down when the doors opened, and the two times in 1974 he rolled down his steps. He climbed through the entrance in 1978 and "swam" up to it in 1975. He leaped through the doors in the beginning of the episode where Burt Reynolds visited. Everyone made jokes when Gene turned up in bright red shoes during a syndicated episode. 

He wasn't the only one who made wild entrances. Brett was late to the set twice in two syndicated episodes; Fannie was late with her the second time. Gary Burghoff chased after him during an entrance early in 1975.

You never know how your favorite star will make their grand entrance! Keep your eyes peeled in this wacky marathon!

Match Game Sunday Night Classics - Special Entrances On Match Game 

Oh, and as we always do on our first day, tomorrow we're going to head to Abbie Road to say "hi" to Bob and check out his store, then head to Audubon Crossings behind the Acme. 

Matching For Christmas

Started off a cold, clear Christmas morning with breakfast and stories from the Colliers Harvest of Holidays anthology. My favorite was "Flora McFlimsy's Christmas." Flora is a doll who was left in the attic by her previous owner. She manages to climb downstairs on Christmas Eve and see the tree. Santa gives her to one of the children who currently lives in the house as a gift. The newer dolls make fun of her, until the angel gives her things from her trunk that make her the hit of the holidays. There was also 'Barney's Wee Red Cap," about an Irishman who uses the cap to take him to places where he won't have to hear about charity...and everywhere he goes, he sees the Christmas spirit in action. "A Star For Hansi" has a grandmother telling the story of how she had an applewood box and would leave one coin in it.

Unwrapped my gifts from Linda and James Young soon as I finished reading and writing. Linda gave me the Han-Leia story The Princess and the Scoundrel, the Star Wars history Secrets of the Force, and a nice journal. My "stocking stuffers" were You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros Story and a new set of Rich Steves Europe episodes. 

Had a quick breakfast while watching A Pink Christmas. The homeless Pink Panther is having a difficult Christmas in this retelling of the O Henry short story "The Cop and the Anthem." He tries everything he can to get a good meal, from shoveling the sidewalk to posing as a Santa to trying to get himself arrested, but nothing works. After he gives his only bit of food to a hungry dog, the duo end up with a big Christmas surprise.

As I got organized, I switched to a Rankin-Bass double feature. Aaron The Little Drummer Boy lives with his animals in the desert and hates all humans after thieves killed his parents. He's kidnapped by the wily head of a traveling troupe who thinks he'll be perfect to lure the heavily-taxed crowds, but he's so angry, he drives them away instead. They sell the boy's camel to three kings who follow a star. Aaron follows them, and finds a certain child in a manger who is the only one that can help when his lamb is hurt.

Aaron, his animals, and his drum are recruited again, this time to help one of the Kings in The Little Drummer Boy Book II. A bell-maker wants to ring his silver bells to announce the birth of the Baby Jesus, but they were stolen by Greek soldiers who took them for taxes. Aaron helps distract the soldiers, so they can rescue the bells before they're melted down. The price, however, is high for Aaron...

Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus won an Emmy in 1974, but it's rarely seen nowadays. That's a real shame. This is a charming retelling of the little girl in late 19th century New York who wrote to the New York Sun's editorial department, asking them about the existence of Santa, and the editor's kindly answer. It was obviously done by the same people who did the Peanuts specials. There's a similar animation style and some of the same voices.

A friend called me to join her Christmas celebration. I had gifts for her and her daughter and son and girlfriend. I even had treats for their cat. They gave me a reading light, a huge tin of three different kinds of popcorn, and a 25 dollar Fandango gift card. (The last-named will come in handy when I go to see Wonka tomorrow.) There was a huge brunch with scrambled eggs and cheese, waffles, scrapple, sauteed asparagus, toasted bagels, and bacon. 

After I ate, I walked to Rose's house and straight into a crisis. Poor Oreo the dog had gotten a bad cut on the bottom of his paw. Rose and Craig were wrapping up his paw just as I arrived. I played with my niece Finley in her toy room for a while before we came out to plates of cheese, grapes, berries, pineapple-coconut balls, sugar cookies with tie-dyed frosting, Reeces cup cookies, chocolate chip bars, and cherry-topped cheesecakes. I went home with far more. Craig brought home eggplant Parmesan, green beans, and a beet salad from Anthony's in Haddon Heights, where he works. Rose gave me some of it. She gave me cherry cheesecakes and pineapple-coconut balls, too, and sugared nuts. along with a beautiful holiday tin of tea. 

The kids loved their things, too. Finley is learning to read, and she was delighted with her Dr. Seuss book and activity book. Khai was happy to get an Eagles blanket of his very own that he didn't have to share with his parents. Khai is getting so tall! His hair is really dark, too. I have to agree, he does kind of look like our father Bruce, with his broad shoulders and dark hair. I got to admire their beautiful real tree with ornaments Rose got from Mom as a kid or that Jodie gave to her after she cleared out Dad's holiday decorations. 

Finley and I settled down in the living room to watch her play animal games on her iPad and to make sure Oreo didn't try to get his bandages off. Craig had the big Eagles-Giants game on. The Eagles started strong and fast. They were up 20-3 by the time Craig and Finley drove me home. (Apparently, they faltered in the second half, but not enough to lose. They still ended up winning 33-25.

Finished the night at YouTube with an extremely long Match Game marathon. The owner of the Match Game Productions channel gathered all the episodes beloved by his mother, who introduced him to Match Game. I came in just as everyone was trying to help a sweet French contestant. There was the episode where Fannie flirted with a handsome high school teacher, and the one I saw on Buzzr last week where Betty White did something like a stripping routine. In a later episode, Gene came in carrying what proved to be Patti Deusch's toddler son Max and Gary Burgoff's adorable little girl Gina. 

One night time episode featured Charles and Richard sporting wide-brimmed straw hats as "Your Basic Big Picture Hat Society." Another had two of the most hapless contestants to ever play the game. The only reason one even made it to the bonus round was Charles matched each of them once, and then matched one in a tie breaker. There was also the one where Richard and Betty pretended to be Brett and Charles, and even wore their hat and glasses. At the end of an episode, when Richard was kissing a contestant, Gene tried to pull her back, only for Richard to hang on! Poor lady joked that her arms were longer when Gene finally got her away.

Enjoy the holidays matching with your mom on this very long marathon! 

Match Game Christmas Day Marathon

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Merry Christmas! I began a beautiful holiday morning with the Colliers Harvest of Holidays. They have at least five Christmas stories, more than for any other holidays. My favorites are "Flora McFlimsey's Christmas," about a little doll who manages to walk down to the tree on Christmas Eve, where the angel on top cleans her up for a little girl, and "A Star For Hansi," as a grandmother teaches her granddaughter about saving with a story on how she bought her little brother a star with her last saved coin.

Sun was streaming through the window overlooking the park as I crept to the tree. I always open the presents Linda Young gives me on Christmas morning. This year, my big gift was a beautiful warm woven wrap in red and blue plaid. The other larger gift was a cozy mystery novel set in an ice cream shop. The "stocking stuffer" was a new pair of gloves. I especially appreciated those! My cheap black gloves are stretched out and badly pulled.

Watched Match Game on Buzzr as I opened gifts. Betty White appeared with her husband Allen Ludden of the Password franchise on a week of episodes in 1976. In the first one, Allen got a look at this crew's usual shenanigans when his wife again rolled up Gene's pant legs while he talked to the upper desks. "Is this what goes on when I'm not here?" asked her amused husband. In the second, a question about their social life sent them both blushing and giving strange answers.

Strolled to Dad and Jodie's around quarter after 10 on foot. Everyone was already there when I arrived, including Jodie's son TJ and his fiance Eric and her other son Jesse and his wife Dana, along with Vanessa, Jessa, Joe, and Midnight, and Rose and her tribe. Along with leftover candy, ham, and macaroni salad from last night, Jodie and Dana set out Jodie's amazing French bread casserole, Dana's sausage bake, egg muffins, blueberry and plain English muffins, a plate of pineapple chunks and berries, real syrup, and orange juice. Dad had the Christmas Story marathon going in the background all morning, and someone found the Gatlingburg Festival of Lights Christmas Parade on WPHL 17. (Why a Philly station played a parade from Tennessee is way beyond me, but it was fun.)

We unwrapped the gifts around 11. I gave everyone their cookie boxes. Khai got a book on codes and Super Mario Maker 2. Finley got the most adorable play barn and her own stuffed "puppy" on a leash, so she could have a dog to lead around like Midnight and Nala. I got warm alpaca wool socks from Dad and a brand-new laptop and 50 dollars from Dad and Jodie. I'm typing on my new laptop now. It's a HP and is a lot smaller - and ten times faster - than my old Toshiba.

Everyone but Dad, Jodie, and the kids took part in the gift exchange. This time, everything but my cocoa mug was wrapped. We grabbed them based on size and shape alone. I was first; I took the only bag under the tree. Jessa wanted a box that included a pair of light-up chopsticks, but Dana snitched it. (She eventually kept what was in the box but gave Jessa the chopsticks.) The others kept switching around a package wrapped with brown paper and a thick rope. Jessa ended up with it; she got a cool slide music maker. I think Joe got the cocoa mug.

Everyone says I got the best present. Someone wants me to move into the 21st century. My present was a Google Nest thing that acts as an alarm and controls everything in the room. I'll figure it out tomorrow or later in the week.

Rose and her crew drove me home. Mom called while I worked on setting up my laptop. She absolutely loved the cookies I sent her. She's still trying to figure out her new, smaller stove. Her best gift, though, was getting to see Lilah when she had to deliver a package to Collyn and his dad Mike in Wildwood. Mom and Anny are still having problems, and Mom hasn't seen her grandchildren in ages...so a hug from her granddaughter was the best possible present she could have gotten.

Jessa didn't pick me up until nearly 1:15. We were about 20 minutes late to the mid-afternoon showing of Rise of Skywalker. We missed the commercials and probably about the first ten minutes or so, but we did see most of it. Or at least, I saw most of it. Poor Jessa is still wiped out from working early all week and slept through the majority of the film.

I'm not going to do the plot here because of spoilers, but...I loved it. Maybe not quite as much as The Last Jedi, but I did still enjoy it a lot. On one hand, I wish we'd seen more of Rose, that it had wrapped up some plots better (and I frankly liked the idea of Rey being a nobody more than her having a fancy linage)...but I also approved of many of the changes, and I like that in the end, Rey,  Finn, Poe, and Rose all opt to just stay friends instead of going for the obvious romance. Also, I mostly approve of how they ended Leia's story. It seems right.

In the end, I think all five of the Star Wars films released by Disney have gotten a bum rap. Fans and critics tend to just expect waaaaaayyyy too much from these movies. If' you're a Star Wars fan who enjoys the sequels or the franchise in general, I'd totally disregard the reviews and go check out the end of Rey's story.

Jessa and I drove over to her and Joe's condo in Deptford after the movie ended. Joe and his 14-year-old daughter Dannica and 11-year-old son Connor were playing the newest Just Dance when I arrived. I laughed and watched them and Jessa shake their booties to "Prince Ali" from the live-action Aladdin remake and a few other songs.

After the kids finished their game, they opened their presents from their father. Dannica seemed happiest with a new sketchbook from Jessa and a sequined pillow with Danny DiVito's face on it from her father. (I didn't ask about the latter.) Connor loved his box of practical jokes and goofy little toys and Mad Libs book.

While the kids opened their gifts, Joe showed me the tons and tons of offerings on Disney's new streaming service, Disney Plus. We watched two funny shorts featuring Sporky, the new "hand made" toy character from Toy Story 4, and the classic Mickey Mouse short "Lonesome Ghosts." Joe started Return of the Jedi while the kids were looking over their presents, but they lost interest around the time Yoda died, and everyone was hungry.

Truth be told, no one had any idea what we were going to do for dinner. The only place we could find open was WaWa...but the kids loved it. I got a double mocha chilled cappuccino and a cheeseburger quesadilla (ground steak with pickles, cheese, and onions on a crispy tortilla). Everyone else had soda, chips, popcorn, and hoagies.

We took them home and had Christmas dinner while watching Dannica's favorite movie The Greatest Showman and playing Mad Libs with Connor. It was a lovely and cozy couple of hours. The kids were happy, we all laughed, Midnight sniffed around our legs, and I was glad to be around people who were having fun and wanted nothing more than for me to write a goofy answer to a silly story and sing along to "This Is Me" and "Rewrite the Stars."

We headed out around 7:30-quarter of 8. The kids had to be home between 7:30 and 8. They live in a gated community; the opening gates glowed like blue and red lightsabers, and you had to type a code on a pad to get in. Joe took the kids up to their mother while Midnight, Jess and I waited. Jessa and Joe dropped me off ten minutes later.

This was one of the best Christmases I ever had...and the present I loved most of all was just spending time with everyone in the family, people who enjoyed my company and enjoyed being around me and each other. I had more fun today and yesterday than I've had in a long time. Here's hoping your holiday, no matter what you celebrate, was equally wonderful!

Early Autumn Sunshine

I awoke to a phone call. Jessa wanted to know if I needed someone to pick up my bike. Not only did I appreciate the gesture, but I offered to make her pancakes for breakfast before we did it. I just needed an hour to read, write in my journal, make my bed, and get things organized.

I'd just put on Resistance as Jessa arrived. We continued with the episodes while I made us Chocolate Chip Pancakes for breakfast. "The Children From Tehar" are a duo with a 20,000 credit bounty on them. Kaz wants to find them in order to make the money to replace Tam's acceleration compensator, but it turns out that the children aren't runaways. They're refugees, the only survivors of a village in the Unknown Regions. Kaz has to figure out how to keep Captain Doza from figuring out where they are.

I didn't really pay much attentions to the episodes when I pulled out family photos to show her. She enjoyed seeing the photos of me when I was younger so much a while back, I showed her the photos in the other box. While there are a few photos of the Oaklyn side of the family, it's mostly my sisters and Keefe and my parents. Jessa didn't really get to see them in the 90's and early 2000's and seemed to enjoy them, especially my pictures of the many parties Rose and her buddies had in the late 90's-early 2000's.

She dropped me off at Dad and Jodie's around 12:30. I brought my laundry along with me, so I could pick up my bike and go straight to the laundromat from there. They were busy when I arrived; I barely got a washer. Worked on notes and ignored soap operas and talk shows as the crowds cleared out. Had no trouble getting a dryer.

Packed everything away, then made a grocery list and headed out. I didn't really need much, but I did want to pick up a few things. Found canola oil and broccoli on sale and a can of diced tomatoes and a container of pineapple chunks on the clearance shelves. Dug chicken legs and shrimp out of the meat coolers. Restocked milk, yogurt, brown sugar, and plastic sandwich bags.

Not happy with my schedule at all. While I have Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday off, I don't have anything near enough hours this week. I tried to tell the head manager that I needed more, but she said they'd been cut down this week, and I'd have to hope someone would call me in.

Cheered myself up at home with writing after I got everything put away and had yogurt and pineapple for lunch. Brett confronts Ira with her gun from the lighthouse, but Charles spills the beans that she used the last bullets to get Richard down. The oily producer proceeds to admit that he went after Brett because of her separation from Jack Klugman - he thought she was vulnerable. He calls jumpy Bill a coward (who is quick to remind him that he was in Korea), then leers at Fannie and Joyce. Joyce, who just got married, does not appreciate Ira leering at her and gives him a hard kick in the shin!

Broke for a quick leftovers dinner at quarter of 7. I wanted it to be quick because today was the last Final Friday Block Party on West Clinton. It was a beautiful day for it, sunny, breezy, warm, and dry. The sun was slowly sinking over the horizon as I strolled past families and teens on their way home down the street.

The Final Friday Block Party is Oaklyn's big food truck showcase on the block of West Clinton where the shops are. It's mainly a summer thing; today is the last one of the year. It was packed when I arrived. I could barely elbow my way through the families enjoying huge sandwiches from the food trucks and "edible cookie dough" from a booth. Kids ran around, sporting intricately painted faces, while their parents listened to loud music at the end of the block. Those food trucks are still too expensive for me. I ended up with tasty strawberry cheesecake ice cream from Phillies Yummies.

Ended the night with a pleasant stroll around the neighborhood. I don't often go for a walk at twilight. Pretty soon, it'll be too dark to go for walks at 7 unless it's Christmas and the house lights are on. I went all the way down Goff Avenue to watch the lights on the Ben Franklin Bridge come on and make a wish on the first star of the evening.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas Day dawned cold, clear, and bright across South Jersey. After reading Hanukkah and Christmas stories from the Collier's Harvest of Holidays book, I crept into the living room to unwrap the presents from Linda Young. The two little "stocking stuffer" gifts were magnets. One contained three small bike-themed magnets. (Ironically, the silver-aqua color sort of resembles my new bike.) The other had an inspirational quote about not giving up, ever. There were also two magnetic pads, which I can always use (I keep one on the refrigerator door at all times for grocery lists and writing my schedule down), a new journal with a really nice cover, and Flappers and Flivvers, a gorgeous hardback collection of stories about people's memories of the 1920's.

Did two quick specials as I changed, got organized, and ate two clementines to tide me over until I got to Dad and Jodie's. How the Grinch Stole Christmas takes us to Whoville, where all the tiny citizens are preparing for a Christmas filled with trees, stockings, toys, and roast beef. The grouchy Grinch, who lives on Mount Crumpet, is tired of their noisy traditions. He dresses as Santa and descends to the valley to steal their goodies. When the Who continue their holiday sing-along with or without gifts, the Grinch learns that "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

The Bernstein Bears' Christmas Tree will be the best ever, if Papa Q. Bear has anything to do with it! Like Clark Grizwauld, he's determined to get an extra special tree out in the wilderness. Every time he and the cubs choose a tree, it's the home of woodland animals who don't want to give up their residence. They finally come down the mountain without a tree, but the woodland animals whose houses they spared have a surprise for them when they get back.

Strolled to Dad and Jodie's around quarter of 10. I walked because I knew I'd have a big present to get home that wouldn't fit on the bike. It was a nice day for a walk, anyway. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. It was sunny and breezy, neither too warm nor too cold for late December. There were many kids out testing new bikes and adults wishing the best of the season to their neighbors. I wished "Merry Christmas" to all of them.

Dad, Jodie, Rose, and her family were already there when I arrived. Khai was playing Mario Kart on his new Nintendo 3DS. Everyone else was eating breakfast and watching TNT's annual 24-hour run of A Christmas Story. In addition to the cupcakes and the cookies from last night, there was French toast casserole, a sausage casserole made with cream cheese and breakfast sausage topped with pop-can biscuits, toasted English muffins, and eggs and bacon cooked into muffin tins. Rose provided a fruit tree, made from sticking strawberries, grapes, and pieces of watermelon and honeydew on toothpicks inserted in a pineapple and pear base, with a cut-out pineapple star. 

Though Joe and Jessa had to leave briefly to pick up something at Joe's place, Khai couldn't wait any longer. We opened gifts around 11. My Secret Santa was Craig. He gave me a new muffin pan (I've had the old one for at least a decade) and a really nice orange silicone spatula and ladle. Dad gave me very soft sleep socks and 200 dollars. He and Jodie gave me black rolling luggage. It's a little smaller than Dad's similar suitcase, but also a bit deeper. Khai loved his new night-vision "spy goggles" from his grandparents and wore them for the rest of the morning. Jodie got especially nice gray ankle boots from Dad. (And Jesse did love his Amazon gift card! He gave me a big hug.)

Mark and Vanessa appeared around 11:30. I lingered for a little while longer, even after Rose and her family went home. I finally just left the cupcake pan with Dad (I'll pick it up later this week), loaded everything into my new luggage, and strolled on home.

When I arrived, I got organized, then went online. I did finally work on my story a bit. As the weeks turn into months, Luke and Leia formulate a plan to keep them both from ending up being turned into gingerbread people. Leia reveals that Han told her Palpatine is blind as a bat. Luke will eat, but only show him chicken bones instead of his finger.

Leia can't figure Han out. During most of the day, he's distant, silent, and moves stiffly, as if he's being controlled by someone else. There are flashes, especially late in the day, when he breaks out of that control and shows his good-natured, cocky side. He disappears at nightfall, which is when the majestic, handsome Falcon appears. The Falcon remains with Leia and Chewie until dawn, when he vanishes again.

Broke around 3:30 for a ride to WaWa. It was too nice of a day to hang out inside. I treated myself to a Mint Chocolate Cookies and Cream Milkshake. They were surprisingly busy for Christmas Day, probably because they were also the only place open at almost 4 PM on Christmas Day.

Finished out a few cartoons when I got home. Bugs Bunny's Christmas Tales is an anthology of three original shorts - a Christmas Carol spoof with Bugs and Yosemite Sam, a typical Wile E Coyote/Road Runner romp, and a second Bugs tale with the Tasmanian Devil. A Walt Disney Christmas is a collection of Disney winter and holiday shorts, such as "Donald's Snow Fight," "Once Upon a Wintertime," and the two Santa Claus Silly Symphonies. "The Night Before Christmas" was the first Tom & Jerry cartoon to get an Oscar nomination. The two chase each other under the Christmas tree, amid toys and gifts...until Tom is thrown out, and they're reminded that the phrase "Peace on earth, goodwill toward's men" applies to cats and mice, too.

I was originally going to make a big Italian sausage dinner...but I spent a lot of the last two days eating and not doing much else. I was beyond full. I finally decided to save the sausages for later this week and make my favorite Tex-Mex Black Bean Dip for dinner instead. 

Ran The House Without a Christmas Tree as I ate. Like Ralphie Parker, Addie Mills (Lisa Lucas) wants one special gift for Christmas. What she wants, though, is hardly violent - a Christmas tree. Her family has never had one. It reminds her taciturn father (Jason Robards) too much of his late wife...and so does his strong-willed daughter. While her eccentric grandmother (Mildred Natwick) and best friend Carla Mae (Alexa Kanin) support her wish, Mr. Mills keeps saying "no" despite her pestering. Addie does win her classroom tree, but her dad gets upset when he comes home and learns that she did it behind his back. It takes her grandmother explaining about charity to get Addie to give the tree away...and finally convince Mr. Mills that charity, like healing, begins at home.

Lovely, touching tale, the first in a series of holiday-related TV films about Addie and her life in small-town Nebraska in the mid-40's. Robards, Lucas, and Natwick are all absolutely wonderful as the Mills trio. A nice, quiet movie, perfect for viewing on Christmas Eve or later on Christmas Day, especially for families with girls Addie's age. 

Finished the night with more Super Smash Bros Brawl. I went back to Solo Classic first on Very Hard. I only got through Round 11 before running out of continues! Didn't get to the Hand this time. Decided to try "Adventure Mode," which is the story mode, instead. Rather than fighting other characters, the various Nintendo characters fight strange electrical aliens from another world who have destroyed their stadium. The first world after the stadium was the cloud-themed Skyworld, featuring Pit of the Kid Icarus series. I'll do the second world the next time I play.

And I hope you had an equally fun Christmas Day and second day of Hanukkah! 

A Very Merry Christmas

I began my Christmas with a phone call. It was from Mom, wishing me the best of the day. We had a nice long chat. I told her about the party the night before and the pair of boots I'd picked on Amazon (another pair of Bearclaw winter boots like the old ones - I miss them). She told me about spending the night before with Anny and Dad and J.J and the kids. We talked about Christmases past, and I told her how much better I've felt this year than last year.

After I read some stories and sung some carols from Collier's Book of Holidays, I went into the living area to unwrap presents from Linda and James Young. The "stocking stuffer" was a metal Three Stooges sign. The big one was a book on Thanksgiving and Roller Skates, about a little girl in 1890's New York who spends a year exploring the city on her skates.

But by far my favorite title Linda and James gave me was Strippers, Showgirls, and Sharks, on musicals that lost the Best Musical Tony, despite being as beloved as Gypsy or as popular as Wicked. I've almost bought that one from Barnes & Noble a hundred times, but I either didn't have the money, or I would see something else I wanted even more. They couldn't have made a better choice.

Headed out to Dad's house for their brunch around quarter of 11. It was still pretty decent out at that point, despite it still being incredibly humid and warm for late December. Jodie made her famous French Toast Casserole and toasted English muffins. A friend had made Egg and Bacon Muffins, scrambled eggs wrapped with bacon and cooked in a muffin tin at a party the week before, and Jodie had decided to try them herself. They were delicious, just salty-cheesy enough. There was a fruit tray and a tree-shaped fruit tart Rose brought, along with leftover cupcakes and cake pops and cookies and pumpkin mousse pie from the day before. Dad had the A Christmas Story marathon on PBS running all morning.

After Rose and her boys, Jessa and Joe, and Dana and Jesse arrived, we all opened gifts. Dad and Jodie gave me 300 dollars. Rose and her gentlemen gave me a CVS gift card. I got an adorable mini stuffed Fozzie Bear and a green bear angel Beanie Baby named Gift (to go with my white sparkly one named Herald) from Jess and Joe. Dana and Jesse gave me a small but elegant box of gourmet Belgian truffles.

But Rose and Craig and Dana and Jesse got the best - and certainly the largest - gifts of all. After all the other presents were opened, Dad and Jodie lead us to the garage, where we found two huge white boxes topped with red and white tinsel garland and bows. They were new mobile dishwashers for Dana and Jesse's recently-remodeled apartment and the house Rose and Craig are still trying to furnish.

Jessa and Joe invited me to go to a record store with them and see The Force Awakens sometime next week. We'll see when I work next week. I do want to get to one of the malls. I might be able to tie that in.

The neighbors arrived later with more gifts. Chloe, so cute in her new Queen Elsa outfit, played Scrabble Junior with Khai while the rest of us helped Rose and Craig get their dishwasher into the car and Dana and Jesse get theirs into their place. (I also got to see a little of their tiny apartment.)

I finally headed out a little after 1, shortly before Rose and her crew did. I thought I'd see if CVS was open and use that gift card. They were open, but I never saw anything I really wanted or needed, and I was too full for a treat. I just headed home.

Spent the rest of the afternoon messing around online and working on my story. The kids have escaped Barnaby and his men. Mr. Eldridge simply disappeared. They trick the trolls chasing them into the garbage chute, then go to the basement to free the others.

It started pouring somewhere around 4 PM. It was still raining hard when my cousin Mark picked me up to go to dinner at 6:30. It was just me, Mark, Vanessa, and Vanessa's 20-something daughter Brittany. That was fine. There was plenty of sausage stuffing, macaroni and cheese, turkey breast, collard greens, mashed potatoes, and sweet pop-can biscuits to go around. We had a Marie Callendar pumpkin pie afterwards that wasn't bad. I had everything but the mashed potatoes (I'm not a fan of white potatoes). I especially loved Brittany's extra-cheesy macaroni and cheese. There were so many leftovers, I took a big container-full home.

When I got home, I finished out the night with The House Without a Christmas Tree. This one has a lot in common with A Christmas Story - a kid in the Midwest in the 40's just wants one special gift for the holidays. Here, the kid is a girl, Addie Mills (Lisa Lucas), who lives with her sweet but eccentric grandmother (Mildred Natwick) and her taciturn father (Jason Robards). Addie's father has never had a Christmas tree. It reminds him too much of his late wife...as does Addie, which is why the two often don't see eye to eye. When Addie wins a tree at school, it causes an explosion between her and her father. It's Grandma who finally reminds the two that charity begins at home...and it's never too late for a heart to start to heal.

And...yeah, I had a far more enjoyable Christmas this year than I did last year. It's not presents or weather that make a holiday. It's doing things you love with the people you love...and being able to do what you enjoy again. I hope all of you had holidays that were just as much fun!

Music of My Childhood

I was up late chatting with Lauren last night and didn't get up until quarter of 10. It was near 11 before I got going. I made Pineapple Pancakes while listening to one of my 80's music collections. I picked up Everything 80's from what was then the Super Fresh in Westmont shortly after moving here. It's two discs of pop and dance songs from the 80's, from "Our House" to "Karma Chameleon" to "Walking On Sunshine." It makes for a great pick-me-up and some wonderful memories. I remember dancing around the house to these songs on the radio when I was little.

Work was steady, but not quite as busy as yesterday. It slowed down considerably by 4 PM. There were a few annoying beginning-of-the-month people, and I was tired and got frustrated easily. Thankfully, my relief was early, and I was able to easily get out on time.

I went straight home. I had originally planned on spending the rest of the afternoon writing. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get my internet working. I called Comcast three times; got cut off the first two times. I knocked down my bulletin board trying to find the cables to the modem. The broadband connection just wouldn't connect, despite the fact that the modem was working.After an hour and a half of struggling, Comcast finally told me to check and see if the Wi-Fi was enabled. Oops. It was not. Somehow, the computer had shut it off. I turned it on, and the internet has been working fine ever since. I wasted an hour-and-a-half that I could have been writing and feel like a complete idiot.

I tried to cheer myself up with scrambled eggs with farm-market fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese and the Debbie Gibson album Out of the Blue. I listened to my cassette copy of this constantly as a 10-year-old. Tiffany, too. My sisters and I had a pink and silver radio/cassette player that was our first "stereo." I remember listening to Tiffany and Debbie Gibson while reading or doing homework and making up my own "music videos" to the songs in my head.

The First Family Barbecue of the Season

I began a beautifully sunny and warm morning with Chocolate Chip Pancakes. I wanted them to taste at least a little like a chocolate chip cookie, so I added vanilla and a little brown sugar. Yummm. I've really had chocolate cravings lately, and those hit the spot. Had my half of a grapefruit as well. I listened to the original cast of The Scarlet Pimpernel while I ate. There are too few Broadway swashbucklers that don't fall into the operetta category; this is one of them. My Aunt Mary who lives in Manhattan bought it for me when I was in college, and I've owed her one ever since.

Jodie showed up as I was getting ready to go to work. She and Dad were having a barbecue late in the afternoon. She'd just come from grocery shopping at the Acme and the managers told her I was off at 4. Did I want to join them? They'd invited Rose and Khai. Sure! My only plans for later in the day was a walk around the neighborhood and eating leftovers. This would definitely be better than leftovers.

Work actually could have been a lot worse. It was on-and-off busy all afternoon, maybe even a tad slow for Sunday. Either everyone went down to the Shore, or they did all their shopping yesterday for the Kentucky Derby. My relief was on time, and other than some relatively grouchy people, there were no major problems.

I took the back way home via Nicholson Road to once again avoid the road repairs and enjoy the weather. The day couldn't have been more perfect. The sun was shining warmly. There was a gentle, cool breeze, and not a cloud in the robin's-egg-blue sky. It was as lovely a spring day as one could wish for. Kids rode bikes and played catch. Parents chatted, washed their cars, or did their own barbecues.

As soon as I got home, I changed, made a pit stop, then headed back out to Dad's on the bike. Dana, Jodie's son Jesse's girlfriend, was outside with her dog Helio when I arrived. Rose and Khai were inside, watching TV with Dad. Khai showed me his Batman toys (I loved The Penguin's huge mechanical ride-in penguin) while Jodie set up for dinner. (They were going to wait for Jessa and Joe, but despite claiming they'd be around by 6, they never appeared.)

Dinner was delicious, as always. I had a cheeseburger; there was also chicken. I had the macaroni salad, deviled eggs, and asparagus as well. Jodie and Rose had Jodie's very vinegary cucumber salad. Dana (a fellow choco-holic) and I had slices of an Entermann's chocolate cake from the Acme. (They're half-price there this week.) Jesse had a huge plate of macaroni salad and not much else.

Jesse, Dana, Jodie, and I chatted on the porch for a while after dinner. Dana kept trying to keep Heilo from running off the porch. (No one else thinks he would have gone far, but Dana worries about him getting hurt.) Dana went crazy every time she saw a bee come off the huge azaleas in front of Dad's porch. She kept making Jesse swat at it with a broom. Khai spent most of the evening playing with his friends next-door while his mother talked to his friends' parents.

I gave up waiting for Jessa and Joe around 7 PM. I was getting tired. Lauren and I were up late last night, as always, and I had to work relatively early for a Sunday. I gave everyone a hug, patted Helio, and headed home, enjoying the light breeze and the just-setting sun.

Rag Dolls and Jersey Boys

I slept in a bit today. When I finally got up, I began the last Amelia Peabody book I haven't read, Guardians of the Horizon. This one answers a burning question I've always had about the series - what happened to the Lost City they visited in The Last Camel Died at Noon? Did it survive? Did Nefert ever want to see her old home? I only got to the first two chapters - they aren't even in Africa yet. Hopefully, we'll be getting answers soon.

Had my usual Sunday pancakes while listening to Billy Joel and Elton John records. My Strawberry Buttermilk Cake came out so well, I decided to try to recreate the flavors with Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes. I did replace the vanilla flavoring on the cake with almond flavoring. I've seen almond flavoring used with strawberries before - they seem to go together pretty well. And oh boy, did they ever! I added a little sugar along with the egg and buttermilk, and they were tasty, rich and tart and just sweet enough.

I dance a little along with the music as I cleaned up from brunch. Unfortunately, I wasn't looking where I was going. I smacked my right hand against the wooden dining table chair as I headed to the kitchen. Ouch! Nothing seemed to be broken, but the fourth finger is sore and swollen. I didn't have enough time to do anything with it before work. I'd just have to be careful.

Thankfully, work wasn't anywhere near as bad as it was yesterday. It was busy, but that's typical for a nice Sunday. It actually could have been a lot worse. Everyone was in a very good mood. Other than my break was late again, there were no major problems. My relief, one of the college boys, was on time.

It was another gorgeous, sunny, breezy day when I got out of work. Once again, I took the long way home down Nicholson. The Sunday traffic was pretty bad, but I wanted to at least enjoy a little of the weather. I'm getting tired of the repair to the Oaklyn ramp on the Black Horse Pike, too. (Thank heavens they've finally covered those metal plates. You could hear cars driving over the plates as far away as my apartment.)

When I got in, I got the dolls changed into slightly lighter outfits for May. Josefina honors the upcoming Cinco Del Mayo in her recently retired Dress and Vest and the lovely gold Heirloom Accessories shawl. Samantha's ready for her birthday in her original pink striped Birthday Dress and Pinafore, the white shoes from (Rebecca's) Lace Dress, and the lace headband from her current accessories set. Whitney looks very 50's in a hand-made polka dot dress from eBay, the pink ankle-wrap shoes from the Sweet Spring Dress, and the lavender scrunchie bow from Samantha's Frilly Frock. Molly's in a hand-made version of her extremely hard-to-find Victory Garden Dress. Jessa wears the lavender sweater from Kit's original "meet" outfit with the flower-print tie-dye t-shirt from the 2012 Hiking Outfit, the mauve sandals from the Sparkle Sequin Outfit, and the hand-made denim capris Lauren sent for Christmas. I just left Felicity in her salmon pink Birthday Gown. I really don't have much to change her into.

Ran Jersey Boys as I changed the girls, and later as ate leftovers and roasted zucchini and squash fries for dinner. Four Italian-American guys from North Jersey seem to be typical layabout kids of the mid-50's - they end up in jail, they get into trouble, they chase girls. Except one, Frankie Valli (John Lloyd Young) has an amazing singing voice, and he's generally a decent guy. When one guy leaves the band, a friend introduces them to Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen), who has already had a hit and can not only sing, but write songs at the drop of a hat. They get stuck for a year as backup singers to other popular artists at the time, until Bob comes up with the smash hit "Sherry." Suddenly, The Four Seasons are on their way to the top...but when Tommy (Vincent Piazza) gets into trouble and Frankie helps him out, the other guys aren't as thrilled.

I agree with most critics that Clint Eastwood probably wasn't the best choice to direct a musical about the Four Seasons. This movie should be funny and colorful, and while there are some hilarious bits (I love the guys talking to the camera, especially early on), it degenerates into a mire of sludge once the band gets popular. Despite some of the actors having been in the original Broadway cast, almost everyone comes off as stiff. The performances are lifeless. In fact, the only really fun number is the entire cast doing "Oh What a Night (December 1963)" over the credits. Not horrible if you're a classic rock fan like me or love the show, but it could have been a lot better. (Oh, and as with the show, this is NOT for kids. There's a ton of rather heavy swearing throughout the film.)

Springtime Sunshine

It was gorgeous and sunny - though a bit windy - when I got up this morning. This week's Sunday pancakes were Chocolate Chip. I've just felt like I needed chocolate lately. I made it taste even more like a chocolate chip cookie with the addition of vanilla, cinnamon, and a hint of brown sugar. Yum. Came out very well, other than slightly burning the first one.

When breakfast was done, it was time to take down the winter decorations and put up what I have for spring and St. Patrick's Day. While there's still snow on the ground at press time, it's also supposed to get into the 50's this week. It won't be around much longer. The cardboard flowers and butterflies wouldn't stay up without a judicious amount of tape. The cardboard is thin, and they keep bending on the edges. Hung two yellow wooden tulips with raffia ribbon from the knobs on the cookbook hutch. Primrose, the sweet 6-inch porcelain doll in the pink dress that Jodie gave me in November, sits on the shelf next to the white lamp. (I need to find or make a scarf for her - she has a very loose head.) The spring stuffed animals - Stuffy the Rabbit, Sharri the Lamb, Lilly the Duck, and Greenwillow the Caterpiller - went up on the DVD shelves.

I had just enough time to rush out to work...and then I came back in briefly to drop my earmuffs and scarf on the table. It was so warm outside, I didn't need them! Maybe that's why we were crazy today. Families that had been hiding from the weather all week could now come and get big orders done. There were still a few unpleasant people around, including one woman who somehow thought 90 dollars would cover a 200 dollar order. She had to put more than half of it back. Other than that, my shift went quickly. It quieted down enough by 6 that I was able to leave on my own, since my relief was late again.

The ride home was even easier than the ride to work. Even by 2, a lot of the snow had already disappeared. By 6 PM, the sidewalks were almost totally clear, especially in sunny places. The wind was chilly, but the sun was so warm, I was sweating in my heavy winter coat.

When I got home, I put on Johnny Mathis while making scrambled eggs with mushrooms and escarole for dinner. With two slices of buttered rye bread and the grapefruit half I didn't get to this morning, it was a surprisingly filling meal.

A Different Christmas

Thankfully after the messy weather yesterday, I woke to a beautiful and sunny, if windy, morning. After reading a couple of holiday-themed short stories, I made my way out to the living room. My large present was from my friends Linda & James Young in Atlanta. They gave me another book on the Beatles, this one an intriguing coffee-table book called The Beatles In America. My stocking stuffer was from my next-door neighbors Willa and Richard McHugh. It was a lovely, heavy porcelain ornament that said "Jingle Bells" over a reindeer and had a glazed, rustic look to it. It's too heavy for the tree, but I'll find somewhere to hang it.

Mom called a few minutes after I finished opening gifts. She was just getting ready for work. I wish she hadn't worked. I wish she and Dad could have come up here, like they did last year. Mom always loved Christmas.

I barely had the time for changing and grabbing my presents for the family before I headed out. It was just Dad and Jodie when I got to their house. Jodie's sons T.J and Jesse and their friends and girlfriends didn't arrive until later. Mark dropped by, but he said Vanessa was busy helping a friend with dinner. A neighbor and his adorable son dropped by, too. We had that French toast casserole Jodie is so fond of making, sausages, fruit, orange juice, tea, and pumpkin, coconut, and my Pumpkin Pudding Pie leftover from the party last night. (Jodie also made herself scrambled eggs.)

I did get some nice gifts. Dad gave me 100 dollars. I'll keep half for next week and put the rest in the bank. He and Jodie also gave me 9 inch and 12 inch Paula Deen pans. I badly needed new open frying pans. My larger ones date from Wildwood and are really done for. Rose and Craig gave me something else I badly needed - cookie sheets! Mine have been used constantly since I was in college. They're in even worse shape than the pans. (I also got a cake pan from Dad and Jodie, but it's the same one I bought in October. I'll donate it somewhere.)

I watched Christmas Story with Dad while everyone else chatted. It's Christmas 1940, and all Ralphie Parker wants is a Red Ryder BB Gun. Trouble is, his mom doesn't think it's a good idea, and his dad is too distracted by faulty heaters and the neighbors' dogs to notice. Ralphie just hopes he can live through childhood pitfalls like dodging bullies, standing in line for Santa, and having his mouth washed long enough to make it to Christmas Day!

Dad and Jodie did invite me to Jodie's family's house for Christmas dinner, but the last time I went, I got bored and went home early. I thought I'd be better off at home or finding something else to do. I like Jodie's family, but they're all older or younger than I am, and I don't really feel comfortable among them. Jessa never appeared all morning.

Went home around noon. I was hoping to find a mall or a store open. No luck. Nothing was open. There seemed to be nothing to do. I put on The House Without a Christmas Tree while I tried to figure out what to do next. Like Ralphie, Addie (Lisa Lucas)  is a kid in the midwest in the 40s who desperately wants a special gift for Christmas. Addie's desire is far less violent than a gun - she wants a Christmas tree. Her small family has never had one. Her grandmother (Mildred Natwick) and best friend Carla Mae (Alexia Kenin) try to help, but her father (Jason Robards) refuses. Christmas trees and his daughter remind him too much of the wife who died years before. It's Addie who finally shows her father the real meaning of charity and of giving.

(Incidentally, the second Addie story, The Thanksgiving Treasure, was finally put on DVD this year as a double bill with House Without a Christmas Tree. At press time, the subsequent Easter and Valentine's Day stories have yet to be released.)

Switched to one last animated special as I got organized. The Year Without a Santa Claus is my favorite Rankin Bass Christmas tale. Santa doesn't feel his best and wants to take a vacation during the Christmas season. Mrs. Claus panics and sends some elves to find some Christmas spirit and convince him otherwise. What no one planned on was ending up in the warm Deep South...or ending up getting involved with the feuding Heat and Snow Misers, who refuse to compromise for anyone, including each other!

The sun was just starting to set as I headed out in search of dinner. It was a beautiful night for a ride. There were clouds briefly while I was at Dad's, but by the time I was riding around, they were long gone. Good thing, too. I had a long ride ahead of me. Nothing was open. Applebee's was closed. The Legacy Diner was closed. The TreeHouse Cafe was closed. Aunt Berta's was closed. I was hoping some restaurant somewhere would be open so people like me who don't have anywhere else to go would have a nice dinner. I went out to dinner on Christmas night with the Cape May side of the family for four years running, from 2000 to 2004.

I ended up at Bamboo, the little Chinese place in the Westmont Plaza. They were the only store open in the whole mall. Chinese turkey (aka Peking duck) was too big for just me. I opted for shrimp and vegetables, boiled dumplings with vegetables, an egg roll, egg drop soup, and a bottle of water. I was the only person there. I saw two old women come in for orders, but they didn't stay. I ended up taking everything but the soup home. I'll have plenty of leftovers for the weekend!

Since it remained a nice (and less windy) night, I rode around a little and looked at lights in Haddon Township. I especially loved the inflatable that looked like a Snoopy Sno-Cone Maker, with Charlie Brown and Snoopy on either side. I also treated myself to a Cake Batter Milkshake at WaWa (which is always open no matter what).

When I got home, I went right in the bath. Ahhh. That felt nice, and it gave me a chance to think. While I appreciate the gifts and money from everyone, what I really wanted was for my whole family to be in one place at Christmas, like they were last year. I can understand Rose being sick and wanting to rest, but couldn't Mom have taken even one day off? Just one? And Jessa and Joe go to the movies every other day. I'm dying to see Into the Woods too, but couldn't they have spent even a little time with Dad and Jodie this morning?

I'm very, very disappointed. I probably should have gone with Dad and Jodie to that dinner. I really wish I could figure out a way to bring my family together again, or at least to see them more often. Or find a group I could hang out with and fit in with, so I wouldn't feel like a fifth wheel wherever I go. Or find a place where I could go on a holiday and be with people who are single or just on their own, like me.

At any rate, I hope all of you who celebrate it had a wonderful Christmas, with or without the people you love.

Let's Start the New Year Right

I was awoken early by a Mummers' group practicing in the VFW parking lot. It was probably the same ones who rehearse there every year. I really wish they'd find a parking lot to rehearse in that isn't in a residential neighborhood. Some people actually want to sleep on a holiday.

I curled under my flannel sheet and blankets and dozed off for an hour. Finally rolled out of bed around quarter of 9. When I got up, I watched An Ice Age Christmas Special and had some Acme blueberry scones as an appetizer.

Ice Age Christmas Special is one of the several half-hour holiday shorts that have debuted for popular recent characters following the success of Shrek the Halls. Everyone's favorite kooky herd is preparing for the holidays. Peaches, the baby mammoth born in Dawn of the Dinosaurs, is now a cute kid who loves Christmas and truly believes in Santa. When Manny gets angry at Sid for breaking his special "Christmas stone," he claims Sid will be on Santa's naughty list, then tells his daughter that he doesn't believe in Santa. Peaches leads Sid, Eddie, and Crash up to the North Pole to convince her father that flying reindeer and jolly fat men do exist, even in the Ice Age.

If you can get around some obvious details (like this is set millions of years before Christ's or St. Nicholas' births), this is really kind of cute...but see Dawn of the Dinosaurs and the other movies first to find out more about Peaches and the herd.

I finally opted for my New Year's breakfast at the Pop Shop, since that went really well last year. I got in around 10:30. It wasn't nearly as busy as it was last New Year's, though it wasn't empty, either. I ended up at the counter again. The wacky retro Christmas decorations they had up last year had been replaced by more elegant holographic stars and giant pink and turquoise ornaments and "lights" hanging from the ceiling, along with several "Happy New Year!" balloons.

Ordered a Belgian Waffle, bacon, and black tea. It was all delicious...and unlike last year's Gingerbread Pancakes, the waffle wasn't the size of the plate. It was just right. Tasty as it was, it was also something that could be bought anywhere, for far less than what the fancy Pop Shop charges. I think I might try the Legacy Diner or something similar next New Year's for a cheaper - and equally scrumptious - alternative.

Spent the rest of the morning at my apartment. Julie's Cooking Studio has a recipe for Pistachio Cake that's pretty much just cake mix, pistachio pudding mix, oil, eggs, and club soda. Not only did I not have any pistachio pudding on me, but I'm not a fan of pistachios to begin with. I replaced the pistachio pudding mix with the yummy limited edition Jello pumpkin pudding mix and the club soda with buttermilk and the last of the sparkling pear juice from last night.

Ran Holiday Inn while the cake was in the oven. Best known as the movie that introduced "White Christmas," that's only one of several great Irving Berlin songs in this low-key but enjoyable wartime musical. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire are partners and pals feuding over the dancer they work with (Virginia Dale). Crosby finally retires to a farm in Connecticut  which he turns into an inn that's only open on select holidays. A pretty dancer (Marjorie Reynolds) catches Crosby's eye in the city and ultimately becomes his star performer at the inn...and in his life, too. Meanwhile, Astaire's partner has walked out, and he's looking for a new act...and when he sees Reynolds and falls for her, the feud between him and Crosby starts all over again.

I actually like this one better than the slicker White Christmas. The romantic comedy shenanigans have a real grain of truth to them here, and the black-and-white, wartime make-do production gives it a feel of intimacy that White Christmas' shiny widescreen photography lacks. (PC warning - while most of the songs are still fun, the "Abraham" blackface number won't come off well with many people now. There's a reason this was done as an instrumental dance routine in White Christmas.) Other than that, if you're a fan of Crosby, Astaire, Berlin, like your musicals smaller, or want to see the movie that spawned one of the most beloved Christmas tunes of all time, this is a favorite of mine and recommended.

Work was steady for most of the night, not as busy as yesterday, but not empty, either. It also wasn't pleasant. If we weren't getting beginning-of-the-month people who received their money early, we were swamped with shoppers who will be returning to work tomorrow and have kids going back to school. I was very glad when I finally got out of there after the store closed at 6PM.

Before I went to work, I put together another Julie recipe. This one was for Crock Pot Ham and Potatoes - ham sliced and layered with sliced onion and potatoes, grated cheese, paprika, and cream of mushroom soup. (Actually, they called for Cream of Celery, but I didn't have any.) It was ready and waiting when I got home. Julie's mom knows her Crock Pot dishes. It was fabulous, creamy and salty and delicious. I threw in a Caesar Salad, also from Julie's cookbook, for vegetables.

Put on the Faeirie Tale Theatre episode "The Princess Who Never Laughed" as I ate dinner. The princess in question is Princess Henrietta (Ellen Barkin), better known to her father as "Hank." Hank has been treated like a "serious-minded young woman" all her life. For her, being a princess is nothing but an endless parade of lessons in decorum, history, language, and protocol. Her father banned laughter or merriment in the kingdom after his wife died...but now he doesn't know how to raise a spirited young lady who just wants to learn how to have fun. He finally holds a "laugh off" to see who can make his unhappy daughter crack a smile. Meanwhile, Wienerhead Waldo (Howie Mandel) is a pig farmer who has the gift of being able to make anyone laugh. His serious scholar brother thinks he's nuts, but his little sister believes in him and insists he join the Laugh-Off.

One of my favorite Faeirie Tale Theatre stories is actually a blending of several folk tales with similar themes from across cultures. As cute as Mandel is as the pig farmer who understands comedy better than any of the royal folk, Barkin comes off best as the royal lass who, for the first time in her life, learns that "fun" is more than a word in a dusty dictionary.

I hope all of you have a 2013 that's equally filled with laughter! : )

Rainclouds In the Sky With Thunder

Lauren went to see a local comedian with her parents last night and got on late; subsequently, I was up very late with her last night. I didn't get up until 10:30! It was nearly noon before I had my Blueberry Pancakes. I ran the second half of Brunch With the Beatles as I ate. "Summer Of Love: 1967" was the theme today. We mostly heard songs from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour, and singles from the era, including "Baby You're a Rich Man," "She's Leaving Home," "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds," "Penny Lane," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "I Am the Walrus," and "All Together Now."

It was past noon when I finally called Mom. I'd switched to the original cast album for Evita by this point. She was fine. My nephew Skylar got his birthday card and the 10 dollars I gave him a few days ago. She said he was thrilled. Now he can buy something he really wants, like a new book about space, or Legos, or a Transformer.

She was less thrilled with all the spending I did yesterday. I really need to make a real budget...but I'm not sure how. It's hard to budget anything when your paycheck differs from week to week. I'm not used to having to budget. I just buy what I need. I just can't buy what I WANT all the time.

I tried to use the formulas she gave me after I got off with her, but I just got confused. I divided my lowest paycheck by my highest paycheck, but the numbers just came out weird. Surely, my budget couldn't be based on 0.3322 or whatever. I really think I need more help to figure this out. I might try finding an easy, free program that helps you work out a simple budget online.

I cooked that salmon from my slog through the icebergs in my freezer for lunch with white wine and mushrooms, along with cucumber salad. The weather had been hot, humid, and windy all morning. I was tired of the air conditioner and how darn stale it was in my apartment. I turned it off, opened the doors, and let that hot breeze blow through as I changed and got ready for work.

Work was busy when I came in at 4. By 6, the crowds had vanished. It was so quiet, I spent the rest of the night putting away returns. I didn't realize why until I happened to peek out the doors of the entrance near the liquor store. The sky was incredibly dark. It felt more like 10PM than 6:30. It didn't look like it had rained at that point, but I later saw people with umbrellas, and one of the college boys did his best to not get wet riding a soaked scooter for elderly customers into the store.

While the thunder I heard earlier had subsided by the time I was done, the rain hadn't. I rode home in a nice, steady shower. I didn't mind getting wet. It felt good, smelled better, and we really, really needed it. The wind and heat had dissipated, though it remained humid. It stormed again about an hour ago; to my knowledge, it's not doing anything but looking damp at press time.

Hot and Bothered

I slept in a little bit, not quite as much as usual on a Sunday. I was making Strawberry Multi-Grain Buttermilk Pancakes by 10AM. It was still hot and humid. The sun showed hazily into my windows as I switched on Brunch With the Beatles. The boys' final US-only album Hey Jude - the only one they sanctioned - was in the spotlight. That meant a lot of rarities and songs that, up to that point, had only been heard as singles on this side of the Atlantic, including "Old Brown Shoe," "Lady Madonna," "The Ballad of John and Yoko," "All You Need Is Love" and the title song. I tried calling Mom while the show was on, but I ended up leaving a message.

Spent a couple of hours mucking around online after that. It was about quarter of 2 when I tried calling Mom again. Apparently, she spent most of the morning working in her garden. Lucky woman went to a big concert at the new Cape May Convention Center last night. Peter Nero and the Pops were playing for the new Convention Center's grand opening. Mom said the concert was awesome, and the tickets had been expensive but well worth it. Apparently, it they cost so much, Mom's fellow concert-goers were local dignitaries, landowners, teachers, lawmakers, and other folks who actually have year-round jobs in Cape May County. She said she saw a lot of people she knew, and even got a complimentary glass of champagne. It sounds like she's going to look for similar events in the area, too, and take more walks in Cape May. I'm glad. It'll be good for her to get out of the house more often, especially now that her last child has moved away and she's an official "empty nest" mom.

Speaking of getting out of the house, I broke down and went for a walk after finishing with Mom. I headed to WaWa first for a pretzel and a bottle of water, then strolled to the steep cobblestone steps on the end of East Collingswood Avenue that are a back way into Newton River Park. Despite the hot, humid day, it was nice and breezy in the park. I passed by a flock of Canadian geese poking around the blackberry trees for smushed berries for their lunch. There were a couple of cute fuzzy goslings with them. A couple of especially protective geese hissed at me, but I assured them I had no desire to harm their children and hurried on. A little further down, I watched a sweet little chipmunk dart in and out of a pile of broken branches.

I swung by Uncle Ken and Dad's on the way home to see if anyone was around. Uncle Ken was the only one home, watching the Phillies-Cardinals game. The Phils were losing 4-1 when I was there. I wished Uncle Ken a happy Memorial Day, watched the game with him a little, and moved on. (And alas, it looks like the Cardinals did go on to win the game 8-3.)

I was sweating bullets when I got home. It was too hot to go anywhere else. I spent the rest of the evening cleaning my bathroom and watching wartime Looney Tunes cartoons and Three Stooges shorts. I had a quick dinner of leftovers before hitting a nice, cool shower.

Not-So-Little April Showers

I awoke late in the morning to a heavy, steady downpour that has continued without abate for the entire day. Oh well. Even my customers, most of whom fear anything that isn't perfect 60 degree weather, have said that we badly need the rain. It's still raining out there now, as I type this.

I made Banana-Currant Pancakes for breakfast after I switched on Brunch With the Beatles. The subject of today's show was Beatles EPs - ie, long-playing singles, records with two or three songs on each side. Apparently, they were common in Europe, but never caught on in the US. This is why the majority of today's songs were lesser-known singles mostly heard in England, like "Slow Down" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy."

Called Mom about half-way through the show. She had a much better week than I did. She's now taking several online courses in Microsoft Excel and Word and seems to be quite thoroughly enjoying both of them. She never had the chance to take typing or computer courses when she was in school, and now that she's finally an official empty nest mom, she's taking full advantage of the opportunity to upgrade her skills and learn something new and interesting.

Spent the rest of the afternoon updating my inventories, including the records I bought yesterday and my newest dubbed finds. The rain continued, pounding on the roof like a mad Keith Moon drummer. Around 2PM, I began to realize that, despite my best hopes, the rain would not be stopping anytime in the near (or even distant) future. I tried to call Jodie, but couldn't get her. Rose and Jessa would probably be at work, and Dad's out doing a cruise ship job. I just rode to work and got very wet.

Work was surprisingly the same as yesterday - busy when I arrived, quiet when I left. Apparently, a lot of people shopped earlier in the day, before the big playoff game between the Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was do or die for both teams - whomever won this one won the series and the right to continue in the post-season. The Phillies were playing the San Diego Padres in Southern California, too. (The latter was playing on the new TV in the back room when I had my break.) There were no major problems, and I was in and out with no relief.

The rain was still coming down heavily when I got out of work. I guess Mother Nature wants to make up for our dry spring all at one time. I once again just rode home. I needed a shower anyway, so I got pre-wet.

(Oh, and the Flyers kicked the Penguins' rears 5-1 and will be going on to the next round of the playoffs. I could so kick myself for forgetting that game was on today and not tomorrow! The Phillies didn't get nearly that lucky. The Padres beat them 6-1.)

Jazz for the Quiet Days

I awoke to clouds, at least somewhat chilly temperatures, and the Brunch With the Beatles show. It was well into the episode before I finally started making Carrot Raisin Pancakes for breakfast. The theme was "Beatles B-Sides." A surprising amount of popular Beatles hits found themselves on the "b" sides of singles, including "Something," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Act Naturally," "I Saw Her Standing There," "Eleanor Rigby," "Revolution," and "I am the Walrus." I tried calling Mom after breakfast, but she was dealing with my nephew Skylar; I'd get to her later.

I ended up spending most of a quiet early afternoon listening to my new Instant Replay Monkees set and mucking around online. I wish I could have stayed there, or gone outside to enjoy a day that had turned sunny and a bit warmer. Work was busy all afternoon, and we'd had call-outs and were short on help. I was surprised that we were so busy on such a nice day. Either a lot of people had to work this week, or there are a LOT of folks who wanted that 10 for $10 7-Up six-pack sale. My relief was the guy who is always late coming in from his second job, and I just barely got out on time.

Called Mom after I got home and changed back into regular clothes. Mom was between calls; she needed to call her sister Terri, too. She was thrilled to hear that I'd managed to contact a writer and had gotten some help. She suggested my next move be to calculate how much money I need to live for a month. It's hard for me to do this. I buy things based on how many hours I'm working a week. I never know how much money I'll have week after week.

Independent Women

Started a late morning off with Brunch With the Beatles. In honor of Valentine's Day, "Love Songs" was the episode's theme. Group ballads included "I Will," "If I Fell," "Something," "She Loves You," "Michelle," and "Can't Buy Me Love." Romantic solo tunes included "Photograph," "Woman," "Just Like Starting Over," and of course "Silly Love Songs."

I made Chocolate Chip-Pear Pancakes and Pear-Apple Compote for breakfast, then called Mom. Mom's in quite a good mood. She's been working on her typing skills. She was in school in the 60s and 70s, well before it was mandatory to take typing classes. She's up to 20 words a minute now after teaching herself on various computer programs. I'm so proud of her! She says she she learns enough, she hopes to take online business courses.

That's something we have in common. I've come to realize that I don't know if I really could work for someone else, or at least, not for another big corporation. I don't like being lost in a large company. I'm not Gregory Peck. I like making my own rules and setting my own hours. At least, when I change my rules and hours, I know I'm doing it. I don't belong at the Acme, and I never have. It was supposed to be a means to and end, a way to make money while I was in college, not the end itself. I'm too independent to really fit into a corporate setting.

After I got off the phone, I did the breakfast dishes, then puttered around in my room. I worked on the inventories, including adding my newest DVDs. I did more clearing out. I'm not really into Pokemon anymore. That ship sailed a decade ago. It's time to pass the Pokemon toys I was given in college and later onto kids who still enjoy the show. The bag went in the Back Room to be delivered to the church at the next thrift shop day. I moved the two Lady Lovely Locks dolls (I have a third coming that I got off eBay) and some of the smaller stuffed animals onto the shelf where the Pokemon were.

As for snow, I think we got about an inch...but despite it being in the middle 30s and very windy, once again, the snow refused to stick to the sidewalks and streets. I was easily able to get to and from work. Work was crazy-busy again up until about 5:30, after which it quieted down to the point where I was able to shut down with no relief.

The snow is almost entirely gone now. There was only a little left in shady spots when I rode home, despite the chilly night that dropped into the lower 30s. By the middle of the week, there probably won't be any trace of it left.

There's Gonna Be a Party All Over the World

First of all, Happy New Year! Thank goodness 2012 began far better than 2011 ended. Around midnight, as I sipped my Whipped Syllabub, I heard the sound of several booms going off. I hurried on the porch...and was greeted by the sight of three sets of fireworks going off all around me. There was one by Goff Avenue on the end of the river, another across the river on Kendall Boulevard, and a third over the bridges in Philadelphia. With the leaves gone from the trees, I had a clear view of the spectacle. It was absolutely gorgeous, and it really cheered me up after all of the disasters I ran into yesterday.

A chat with Mom this morning also helped. She was taking down her Christmas decorations and preparing to watch the last Eagles game of the season against division rivals the Washington Redskins (neither team made the playoffs this year). Regarding the vicious poster, she pretty much said the same thing Linda did in her comment - this person is obviously troubled themselves if they're insulting someone they don't even know.

We had a nice, long talk, which I desperately needed. I'm going to look into business courses at Stockton and elsewhere. Even if I just end up doing freelance writing, I think it'll help me with a lot of things. Unlike Rose, I have the time to figure all the logistics out. And my brother Keefe is going into the Navy on Saturday. Mom, Dad, and Keefe's girlfriend Vicki will be dropping him off at the recruiter's office that morning. Friday is my last day to say good-bye to him before he goes. Poor Mom. She's going to miss him something terrible. He's her youngest child, and she's very close to him. She also suggested a website to look at for more - and more varied - DVD and media shelves,

Left right after Mom got off the phone. I used to go out to brunch on New Year's Day, but I couldn't last year because I worked early. Since I didn't work until 3 today, I wanted to revive the tradition. My choices were two popular Collingswood venues, the Pop Shop (fancy diner) and Tortilla Press (Mexican). I finally decided I really wanted my usual Sunday pancakes and wasn't in the mood for Mexican.

The Pop Shop was even more merrily noisy than usual. Every inch of the main room was covered in glittering holiday decorations. Mylar balloons, tinsel garlands, streamers, glitter-trimmed felt stockings, and vintage Santa statues were everywhere. They were so busy, I ended up having lunch at the counter. I had three massive "Gingerbread Pancakes," plate-sized pancakes with enormous pieces of ginger snaps and lots of fresh ginger mixed in. Added a bowl of sliced pineapple and melons for some vitamins. I finished the fruit, but barely finished half the pancakes. They came home with me and will probably provide several breakfasts this week.

Went straight from the Pop Shop to Uncle Ken's, via Newton River Park. It was a lovely day for a ride. At that point, it was still sunny, a bit windy, and colder than yesterday but still not as cold as it should be at this time of year. Uncle Ken's guests were just arriving when I got there. Dad and Jodie were on their way to a party, but I did get to say "hi." My cousins Karen, Jim, and CJ were already there, as were Dolores' son and grandson. I actually had a rather nice discussion with CJ and his mother Karen about movies. Seems five-year-old CJ  has become quite the little fan of classic science fiction and action movies and TV shows like the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series, The Lone Ranger, and many John Wayne films.

Samantha, David, and their kids arrived early in the first quarter. They both loved the cookies I gave them at Christmas. Sam was happy to report that her sons enjoyed their lacrosse-style game (I always give her boys outdoor toys - they have a big backyard), and Faith especially loved her new vintage My Little Pony Sea Pony. She now has a pony she can take in the tub with her! My sisters and I had the exact same blue-and-purple Sea Pony I gave Faith when we were little, and we loved her, too.

I watched the kids toss a Nerf football outside for a while. (I also "Barbie-sat" Faith's new doll, whom she carried around for most of the day.) When we got too chilly, we trooped inside to enjoy Jim's tasty Garlic Salsa (fresh salsa made with garlic and feta in addition to the usual ingredients), David's Cheesy Nacho Dip, cookies and fudge leftover from Christmas, two fruited cheese spreads, and Dolores' yummy baked spiral ham with Shop Rite rolls.

I left for work shortly before the second quarter ended. With the Eagles up 10-0 and many people either sleeping off last night or still at their own parties, the Acme was very quiet tonight. It picked up a little after the game ended, but I mostly just stood around.

It was a little wet outside when I finished my shift. I'd seen clouds on the horizon as I rode to work, and they must have burst sometime during the evening. It wasn't anything big, but it was nice enough to at least make it seem less dry.

When I got home, I ran more Bowery Boys movies, baked that pumpkin bread mix that Keefe gave me for Christmas, and listened to the jubilant return of the Mummers string band, who had also jolted me out of my slumber around 9AM this morning.

(Oh, and the Eagles finally walloped the Redskins 34-10, ending a so-so season on a high note. The Giants and Cowboys are playing for control of the division and, at press-time, are at the half, with the Giants up 21-0.)

Here's hoping you also have a happy, healthy, and fun 2012! : )

Christmas Day With the Family

Christmas Day dawned sunny and chilly but not too cold in Southern New Jersey. I wrote in my journal first before I made my way to the tree, where presents from my friends Linda & James Young awaited me. They usually give me books, and this year was no exception. I received the second book in the Nick of Time series, The Time Pirate, one of the Dear America series of stories about young girls in different time periods, this one focused on World War II, The Fences Between Us, and a Collier's Junior Classics book of short stories set around various holidays. They also gave me three DVDs. I don't have the Disney live-action movie The Island at the Top of the World or the first season of Night Court (I have the second, but not the first), but I do already have the Warner official copy of 'Till the Clouds Roll By. That last one will probably go to a library. My "stocking stuffer" was a mini version of Marie Grace, one of the two new American Girl historical characters who came out last summer. She traveled with me all day.

Normally on a Sunday, I would have gone into making pancakes and listening to the Beatles show right after finishing with my presents, but today I had a treat. Dad and his girlfriend Jodie had invited me, Rose, and her boys over for a breakfast of something Jodie called "French Toast Casserole." I went over earlier than planned, around 9AM. I had just enough time to round up my remaining gifts and watch Garfield's Christmas Special before Rose and her family drove us over to Dad's.

Jodie's "French Toast Casserole" was apparently something she'd gotten off of Paula Deen's show, and was more-or-less a bread pudding made with eggs and challah bread, with a crusty butter and sugar topping. It was delicious, especially with syrup. Dad, Jodie, my stepsister Jessa, Uncle Ken, and his girlfriend Dolores all had gifts for everyone. Khai loved his new chunky wooden puzzle and train set from Pop Pop Bruce and Grandma Jodie; he loved his big dump truck and plastic drill from Great-Uncle Ken and Dolores even more. Dad ran the 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story on TBS in the background all morning. Uncle Ken had Indiana Jones movies on.

I gave Jodie her pudding pie; she said she'd save it for her get-together with her aunt and her family later. I gave Dad cupcakes. Uncle Ken is a big fan of Rachel Ray and enjoyed his cookbook. Jessa got socks in funky patterns. I always give her weird socks. She loves them. She gave me a really cook retro Star Wars tin lunchbox...but instead of containing a Thermos, it came with cookie cutters in the shape of a TIE Fighter (bad-guy ship) and the Millenium Falcon (Han Solo's ship).

While Khai played happily with his new train set and his parents and grandparents cooed over how cute and well-behaved he was, I had a nice chat with Jessa. It turns out that she's off of her job as a cashier at a local car dealership tomorrow, too. We decided to get together tomorrow around noon for some serious shopping at the Cherry Hill Mall and the near-by Barnes and Noble.

Rose, Craig, and Khai left for Craig's mom's house around noon. Dad, Jodie, and I headed for my cousins Samantha and David's home in Chews Landing soon afterwards. Everyone was in high spirits when we arrived. Six-year-old Faith was thrilled to have gotten her first Barbie doll and accessories. In fact, she got the Barbie doll and playset for that Princess Charm School special I rented a few weeks ago. She also raved about her new Barbie-themed scooter ("Now I don't have to borrow Matt's anymore!"), the Disney Princess tent her brothers gave her, and a remote control My Little Pony airplane.

Oh, and she loved the vintage My Little Ponies I gave her. Ethan and Matt seemed to like the toss game I gave them, too. Samantha and David gave me a tin of cookies, like always. Sam makes great cookies. I liked the molasses cookies David's father made, too. Ethan and Matt were especially thrilled with their new Kirby Wii game. Dad somehow got Ethan and Matt's Game Stop gift cards and cards with money mixed up with each other and with another gift card, but I think he did get things settled.

We ran into Samntha's mother (and Uncle Ken's ex-wife) Jayne and her husband Mario on the way out. They live in Florida now and don't visit as often. I'm glad they'll at least get the card I left for them.

We relaxed at Uncle Ken's for a little while after getting back from Sam and David's. I read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and chatted with Jessa. Jess had gone up to Sam and David's on her own, but she doesn't know Jodie's family well and really had no desire to join us for dinner.

Maybe she was the smart one. Jodie's family is very sweet, but I don't know them well, either. I had no idea what to say to any of them. It was mostly teenagers and college students, including Jodie's sons Jesse and T.J, and middle-aged and elderly people like Dad and Jodie. I did tell Jodie and her Aunt Colleen that I still want to start my own business...but I want to take some non-credit business courses before I do anything major.

I did eat dinner with them. I had turkey, macaroni salad, three stuffed shells, garden salad, green bean casserole (apparently a request of one of Colleen's sons), and a roll downstairs in their huge den. It's so big, it includes full-sized exercise equipment, a bar, a 40-inch TV, a fireplace, and shelves and shelves of old books and toys. NBA games were running all during dinner. (The Miami Heat beat the Mavericks; the Lakers-Bulls game was just starting as dinner finished.)

Though I appreciated dinner, I was really getting bored. Jodie must have realized that. She asked her son Jesse and his girlfriend to take me home right after dinner ended. She and Dad were going to move onto her dad's later. They did just that, and I spent the rest of a quiet evening watching The House Without a Christmas Tree (another, less goofy story about a kid in the 40s who wants something special for Christmas) and A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Here's hoping you had a lovely Christmas Day, with all of your own family!