Ain't No Stopping Us Now

Had breakfast around 11, then Lauren and I strolled down to the Collingswood PATCO. It wasn't a bad day for a walk around Old City Philadelphia. It remains sunny, breezy, and bright blue, if warmer and slightly more humid than yesterday. The PATCO is a far more efficient beast than the NJ Transit. The train to Philly arrived within two minutes of us buying tickets and hurrying upstairs. (Oh, and the remodeling is now focused outside. They've long finished the escalator and elevator.)

We got off at the Franklin Square station and went straight around the corner to Franklin Square. I've been wanting to show Lauren this beautiful park since I visited here last August. The Chinese Lantern Festival was even more beautiful this year than it was last year! Flowers were the theme. We were greeted by towering daisies, sunflowers, lily pads, and gorgeous purple fabric blooms. I saw a soccer and baseball-themed "Philly" display near one of the entrances, and fabric horses who looked real enough to jump over the fence.

The fountain wasn't running and none of the food booths were open at quarter of 12, but everything else was ready to go. We played the mini-golf course. It was a lot of fun! The obstacles are all based on Philadelphia landmarks, like Elfreth's Alley, the Ben Franklin Bridge, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (they even have Rocky's footprints next to the course). Lauren got two holes in one, one of them right through the Chinatown Friendship Arch. There's even one with "records" representing hits from Philadelphia International Records, like "Me and Mrs. Jones" and "Ain't No Stopping Us Now." The last course has the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Lauren won, but only by a few points. We were flanked on one side by two middle-aged gentlemen who gallantly allowed us to go on ahead of them, and three college students who laughed a lot and seemed to really enjoy themselves.

After we finished, we headed down Race Street to the Race Street Cafe for lunch. Despite its name, this small brick-and-wood-paneling watering hole is really more of a local bar. Lauren had tilapia tacos she said were delicious. I tried them when I ate there last year and found them to be too spicy for me. I went with a nice, simple grilled chicken sandwich and slender, salty fries.

The Race Street Cafe is just steps away from 2nd Street. Our first stop here was A Four Foot Prune, which specializes in Muppet memorabilia, character toys and media from the 50's through the 90's, and anything Liza Minnelli ever did. Lauren found two cute bags - one with Snoopy, one with a scene from The Monster at the End of This Book that matches a shirt she has - and some pins and patches. I found a small Dakin Bear dressed as a pilgrim girl, with a turkey on a ribbon, for only $2. I think the kids will love Jim Henson's Muppet Babies Big Book of Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales, with its adorable illustrations depicting Rolf as Humpty Dumpty, Skeeter and Scooter as Jack and Jill, Kermit as Wee Willie Winkie, and Piggy as Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. I only dug up one record, but it was one of the Tale Spinners for Children series from England, Sinbad the Sailor.

We crossed 2nd Street to check out Brave New Worlds, a popular local comics book shop. This is a lot more organized than the book stores, a long, dark room with shelves and shelves of comic books, manga, and toys. I didn't get anything here. Lauren got a figure for a friend and Marvel Meow, with Marvel characters hilariously interacting with cats and other pets.

The Book Trader is two blocks down from Brave New Worlds. It's a wonderful used book store, with rickety shelves filled from floor to ceiling with books, records, CDs, DVDs, and videos. This time, Lauren didn't find anything. She spent the time relaxing by the fiction and foreign language sections on the second floor. I did dig out two cast album LPs:

The original Broadway cast of Little Me with Sid Caesar playing the seven loves of a Hollywood starlet

The original London cast of Salad Days...which I was kind of shocked to find. Though this charming small-scale musical was a huge hit on the West End in 1954, it played off-Broadway in 1958, didn't do well, and hasn't tried the US since. 

And four books:

Standing In the Rainbow and The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop by Fannie Flagg

Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical Follies by Ted Chapin

The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey (I did take this one out of the Haddon Township Library about 15 years ago, but that copy is long gone.) 

Last year, I wandered around in Old City until I found my way back to Franklin Square...but that wasn't going to fly this time. For one thing, we were both carrying heavy bags with books, records, toys, and other items. For another, Lauren wanted to hit up Fashion District Mall. Not to mention, while not killer humid like it's supposed to be later in the week, it was much hotter than yesterday. I called an Uber driver, who arrived within 7 minutes and got us to Primark in less than 5.

Lauren briefly explored Primark, an Irish department store, when we arrived. They don't really carry my size, so I just waited in the main mall until she came out and admitted she didn't find anything she wanted. We walked around a bit and got sodas before going upstairs to Round 1 on the third floor. Even newer spaces in Philly can be deceptively small on the outside. Though this doesn't have some of the games seen at other arcades in South Jersey - no skee ball, no ring toss - it does have pinball. I ran from Star Wars pinball to The Munsters pinball (did really well with that one) to Bust-a-Move to Space Invaders. Came in second with a sweet cherry-red Lamborghini on Crusin' Blast. I earned over 2,500, but just decided to save most of it for when we go to Deptford tomorrow. I went with a darling white Beanie Baby kitten named Amelia. 

By that point, we were tired, hungry, and sore. Time to take the PATCO home. I got us turned around a bit, but we did manage to make it to the 8th Street Station by 5:30. We took a jammed-full rush hour train back to South Jersey, getting off at Westmont.

I thought we'd try something different for dinner. The Haddon Diner is just two blocks from the Westmont PATCO Station. I figured it would be less busy and closer to the station than the Collingswood restaurants. (Not to mention, a lot of them aren't open on Mondays.) They were busy, but not so much that we didn't quickly get one of the sweet stenciled wooden booths. Lauren had a BLT and a Yankee Bean Soup she loved. I had banana and pecan pancakes that were so fluffy and tasty and fat turkey sausages. 

I also thought it would be easier to pick up Uber here than in Collingswood...and I was right. It took me a while, but I finally got a driver who came in 15 minutes and got us home in less than 5. No traffic here or, thank heavens, in Philadelphia.

I took the recycling out and we put our laundry in the washing machine, then put on Match Game '75. I came in time for the first day of Carol Bartos' run. Dr. Joyce Brothers and Bill Daily got to match one of her more peculiar answers, one that had Gene wanting to drag Dr. Brothers to her own couch! The next week was Game Show Host Week, with Bob Barker, Arlene Francis, and (ironically) Fannie Flagg. 

Moved to Tubi for Hard Boiled Mahoney. Slip and Sach are at a private eye's office, trying to get the money he owes Sach, when Salina Webster (Betty Compson) comes in and mistakes them for the detective. She offers them $50 to find her lost sister. Slip trails the sister, only to see a man shot. Turns out the two women in question aren't related. Phony medium Armand (Dan Seymour) has incriminating letters that are blackmailing them. Slip, Sach, and their buddies have to dodge the police (who think Slip did it) to bring Armand to justice...but first, they have to get off Professor Quizard's (Bryan Foulger) radio show by driving him crazy!

Finished the night with more of Daredevils of the Red Circle. By the time of chapter 5, "The Ray of Death," former prisoner Harry Crowel (Charles Middleton) has gotten the idea that there's someone tipping off the trio of Daredevils. He intends to kill off anyone in the household he talks to regularly, starting with Granville's granddaughter Blanche (Carole Landis). The boys have to restore the electricity on an old mine and get Blanche and several workers out of there before it's flooded...and before Crowel's goons electrocute the entire lot of them. 

Rainy Day Women

Got a quick start today, heading out around quarter of 11. We couldn't cut through Newton Lake Park like we normally would. They're working on a new fishing pier, and the path is blocked by cranes and building materials. At least it was still sunny at that point. It was warm, not hot, but still sticky and very humid. We passed the spraying fountains in the lake's green waters and people walking dogs on their way to Collingswood.

The Collingswood Farm Market was in full swing when we arrived. Peas are gone, but summer produce abounds now. The booths groan with corn, blackberries, watermelons, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, zucchini, and every type of tomato known to man. Surprisingly, strawberries are still out, too. I didn't want to smush strawberries or haul peaches around, so I just bought blueberries and cherries. Lauren considered blackberries, but we just ended up moving on.

We had lunch at Jersey Kabobs. Having had breakfast the last time I was there, we went with brunch and lunch sandwiches. I had the Gyro Bagel - gyro-seasoned chicken and veggies on a bagel. (Sesame seed, in my case.) Lauren had gyro meat and veggies on an enormous hoagie roll. It was so huge and dripping with meat and cheese, she took half of it home. Half of the chicken on my sandwich ended up in the basket. I ate it with a fork. We had the most incredible soft, buttery white rice, too. And of course, we had to share a plate of their amazing baklava. We liked the regular honey-pistachio and the chocolate the best.

Spent the rest of the afternoon in and out of stores in Collingswood and Westmont. Lauren bought Beavis and Butthead figures and a wrestling action figure she wanted at Time Passages. I found a small Care Bear I'd never heard of. Thankful Heart Bear is a pretty orange and lavender girl with a lovely tummy symbol of turquoise paws reaching for hearts. She'll come out at Thanksgiving. I got a birthday card for a friend's teen daughter at Occasionette. Lauren got fruit drink mixes. She didn't get anything from a very busy Innergroove Records. I got three records: 

Soundtrack from High Anxiety (The most expensive record I bought today at $17, and I dropped it and chipped it when I was outside. Hopefully, it'll still play.)

Eric Clapton - Slowhand

Rockin' Easy - Two-disc Warners collection of light rock and ballads from 1975

We started towards Westmont after I got out of Innergroove, making a short stop at Secret Origins Comics. Lauren picked up a couple of Captain America titles. Normally, I have little interest in the comics shops, but the last thing I expected to see was a new DC Superhero Girls comic book! The line ended around 2017-2018, but they just put out another one, High School Reunion, last month. I grabbed it to go with the two I have at home.

Heavy clouds were building on the horizon as we rushed down Haddon Avenue to the WaWa on the corner of Haddon and Cuthbert. She got a soda. I got a Propel water. After we got out, we dashed across Haddon to Phidelity Records as thunder rumbled in the distance. We got inside just in time. Five minutes after Lauren followed me in the door, it started pouring. It rained just long enough for us to search the boxes of dollar CDs and and $2 records without interruption. By the time the rain started slowing down, she found three CDs. I picked up two CDs:

The cast for the 2008 Broadway revival of South Pacific

The one-woman show Elaine Strich at Liberty

And three records: 

George Harrison - Somewhere In England

Bing Crosby - A Bing Crosby Collection Volume 1 (Some of his earliest recordings, new on LP when this was released in 1978.)

Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Gershwin Songbook

The rain vanished all together as we made our way down Cuthbert Road, past the Acme and the fast food restaurants and the Westmont. By the time we made it to Sprouts, it was back to being humid and sunny, though not very hot. We both got prebiotic soda. I got peanut butter cookies, oat milk, yogurt, and  chocolate fudge coconut-covered almonds from the bulk bins.

We were too tired to walk the rest of the way home, and hauling way too much stuff! I tried to call Uber, but it took over 15 minutes just to get a driver, and another 20 for him to arrive. It was 5:30 at that point, the height of rush hour. At least there was no traffic and no trouble getting home when he did arrive.

We put everything away, then went back out for dinner. Lauren's friend Rico got her eating sushi, and now she loves it. I thought she'd enjoy Sakura a few blocks down on the White Horse Pike...and she did. They were quiet as can be when we slid in. She had sushi. I had teriyaki shrimp with brown rice and vegetables. We both had Arizona green tea to wash it down. She loved hers and wants to eat there again while she's here.

Dessert was at La Mortense Plus on the other side of Oaklyn. They have the most unique ice cream flavors. Lauren had chocolate banana with peanut butter, calling it her "ode to Elvis." I had orange cream with cookie pieces that was very citrus-tasting and absolutely delicious. We timed things right, too. There was only a mother and her two sons when we arrived. By the time we were seated at a blue outdoor metal table with our ice cream, the place was swarming with families and college kids and had a long line.

 After we got home, we finished the night on YouTube. Tonight, Match Game Productions honored Family Feud's 50th anniversary with the best episodes of the original Richard Dawson ABC run. Family Feud began in July 1976 as a spin-off of the Audience Match on Match Game. Richard had proved so popular there, he was tapped to host. Two families square off against each other, answering survey questions. The first family to earn 300 (later 500) points goes to the Fast Money bonus round to win $5,000. 

Unlike Match Game, Feud was a smash hit right out of the gate. Audiences loved watching families give strange answers and win big money, not to mention see all the stuff they'd give Richard and how he'd react to the weirdest events. There was the lady who answered "fish" to "vegetable you fried," or the one who said "September" when asked during what trimester a pregnant woman started to show. Rich got some of the most unique gifts, too, including a goofy curly red wig from a redheaded family so he'd "blend in" with them! He looked more like a clown in a three-piece suit. There was also the family who sent in their audition via tape. Everyone was impressed, even though Richard told audiences that they didn't really need to do that. They also did a lot of celebrating on this show, including Richard's birthday, producer Howard Felcher's birthday, and the week of Christmas and New Year's. 

Celebrate 50 years of Feuding with these heartfelt and hilarious episodes!

Family Feud Saturday Classics - 50 Year Celebration Marathon

Better Shop Around

Began the morning with an early start out to Albany. I love our drives through the countryside! Upstate New York is beautiful, especially at this time of year, when the trees are just starting to turn colors. It was a gorgeous day for a ride, too. Sunlight poured down on lovely old farmhouses, rushing rivers, and charming little villages with Victorian libraries and hotels. The sky was bright blue, and the air was fresh, clear, and dry.

We had breakfast at Cracker Barrel, just 20 minutes from the Crossgates Mall. It was only 9 AM, so they were pretty quiet. I kept things simple with blueberry pancakes and syrup, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Oh yum! The pancakes were a litte dry, but still pretty tasty. Lauren had a hash browns casserole with eggs and vegetables and a biscuit.

The gift shop on the way out has a lot of country-related items, along with candy and many things Peanuts. I found the cutest little Peanuts advice book, Be Thankful, and dark chocolate cherry gel sticks.  Lauren bought It's the Great Pumpkin t-shirts for her parents and a stuffed Woodstock that could be placed in the microwave and warmed to give you a very warm hug!

The Crossgates Mall is one of the largest in the Albany area, and probably the biggest of the three malls we visit. Since Lauren parked by JC Penney, we started there. I'm really trying not to buy too much in the way of clothing, but they did have plain t-shirts on sale. I got an olive-colored t-shirt for $6.29.

We next hiked across the mall to Dave & Buster's. This is basically the same deal as Round 1 with a sports bar instead of a bowling alley, a big, modern arcade. I spent the next hour or so running from giant Pac Man to ring toss to Centipede to skee ball. I amassed over 3,000 points. Settled for a small stuffed Pikachu, since he was pretty much the only thing I could fit in my luggage. Lauren was there a little longer - she was trying a new unlimited plays for 90 minutes deal - but couldn't decide what she wanted and opted to save her points.

Next up, we went upstairs to try another arcade. This one was much smaller, only one room...but it had a wall of vintage games. I played Burger Time, Donkey Kong, and for the first time in over 40 years, Defender. I'm still not much good at Defender, but I actually got past the first board on Burger Time and almost did on Donkey Kong. Also finally got a prize from a crane here, Share Bear dressed as a skunk. Lauren got Cheer Bear as a unicorn and a very funny Grumpy as a duck.

Headed to the food court next for lunch and to use the bathroom. I got a stromboli and bread sticks from Sbarro. Oooh, not bad. The spinach stromboli was nice and crispy, and the bread sticks were huge! Sbarro doesn't have the best reputation, but I didn't think that was bad. Lauren got orange chicken, corn, and rice from the Chinese booth.

After lunch, we went back downstairs to play mini golf. The theme of the indoor blacklight course at Crossgates is outer space. There's an astronaut, giant Venus fly trap aliens, and "rock formations" to get your ball around. Though I got a hole in one on the 15th hole, I also had a hard time getting my ball through several obstacles. Lauren won by three points (though she claimed it was close).

We walked around for a while after that. I got two CDs at FYE, a collection of three Harry Connick Jr. albums and the music from the closing ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics that were super-cheap at FYE and a Sailor Moon manga (Japanese comic) at Newberry Comics. Lauren bought Rico a Captain America mug from Newberry Comics and a t-shirt from FYE. I didn't get anything at Primark, Charlotte Russe, Miniso, DSW Shoes, or Old Navy, but she got lounging pants and t-shirts from the first two. 

Tried somewhere new for dinner. Aloha Crab opened a few months ago. It's a small seafood restaurant with crab and shellfish dishes that are so fresh, they put paper on the table and tin buckets for the remains. We just got fried pickles and baskets of fried shrimp and sweet potato fries. Oh yum! The shrimp melted in your mouth, and the hearty waffle-cut fries were amazing. 

Headed home after that. We left around 6:30, just in time to witness a gorgeous pink and orange sunset on the horizon. There was no more trouble getting home than there had been driving to Albany, no traffic anywhere. 

I finished the night watching versions of Match Game that many people might not be familiar with on YouTube. Match Game began as The Match Game on NBC in 1962. Host Gene Rayburn asks a simple question like "Name a flavor of pudding." Two celebrities try to match their answers with the contestant's. It was actually too simple, and not very exciting. Apparently, it didn't start working until they made the questions slightly racier (though not to the degree of the 70's version). Alas, very little of the original 60's Match Game survives. NBC wasn't nearly as good about keeping their shows around as CBS would be later. The premiere episode seen here is one of the few survivors.

Though Match Game ended its run on CBS in 1979, there was enough interest left for them to debut in syndication. This would run for another three years, until early 1982. I think the early 80's syndicated Match Game is highly underrated, as is the attempt to fuse it with Hollywood Squares in 1983. They both have their share of fun celebrities. 

There would be two attempts to revive Match Game in the 90s. The 1990 one is generally the better-regarded of the two. It does have some of the fun of the earlier episodes and some hilarious banter, but the Match-Up mini-game tends to slow down game play and is a bit controversial. 

The 1998 version didn't do nearly as well. It reduced the celebrities to 5, and while Ross Shaffer could be a tiny bit stiff, Michael Berger was all wrong for a fun-filled comedy show. The show had its virtues, including Vicki Lawrence, Nell Carter, and an occasionally hilarious Judy Tenuta.

Check out some Match Game you may not have heard of with these hilarious episodes!

The Match Game Pilot (1962)

Match Game Syndicated Premiere (1979)

Match Game Syndicated (1981)

Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour (1984)

Match Game '90 Premiere (1990)

Match Game '98 (1998)

Downtown

Began the morning with Family Feud. They jumped to 1989 and the week where Bob Barker, the show's producer, and three models from The Price Is Right played the cast of The Young and the Restless. Turns out that Bob and his ladies know about more than pricing games. They were winning when we finally headed out.

It was a gorgeous day to walk into Collingswood. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the breeze was deliciously cool, and it was warmer than yesterday without being overly so like it's supposed to be later this week. We strolled through the park, enjoying the shade and giggling at the adorable little chipmunk who ran out to greet us. 

We arrived at the Pop Shop for brunch around quarter after 11. I had the Bananas Foster "Bettys," aka pancakes with caramelized bananas and walnuts. Lauren had the Magill Grilled Cheese with three different kind of cheeses and tater tots. She shared her tater tots with me when she couldn't finish them all. Unlike the Bananas Foster Waffle I had there a few years ago, the bananas and walnuts were actually baked into the pancakes, and not too big to eat in one setting. 

Given the Pop Shop has won awards for its ice cream concoctions, we had to try some ice cream. We both went simple with ice cream sodas. She had a cherry float with Cherry Coke, cherry syrup, and vanilla ice cream. I went with Coke and coffee ice cream. They came in adorable little mason jar mugs topped high with whipped cream that overflowed when they were brought to us. My coffee ice cream and Coke complimented each other nicely. Lauren seemed to enjoy her cherry float, too.

(And we got there at just the right time. Even as we finished our sodas, the Pop Shop had begun to fill up with noisy families and kids who got off of school early.) 

There were two stores we missed in Collingswood and Westmont on Saturday that we still wanted to check out. I thought Lauren would love Secret Comics, a huge comic book store on Haddon Avenue that replaced a gym a few years ago. I didn't buy anything, but she came out with two Nightwing comics she'd been looking for and a Funko Pop Sophia from The Golden Girls for a guy friend. Two adorable little kids buying toys with their dad said they liked my new Pokemon backpack, which was sweet of them.

Samaritan Thrift in Westmont closes at 3, earlier than most of the small stores in South Jersey. They were busy with women on their lunch break looking for bargains. Lauren found a blouse in a nice brown print. I picked up two CDs.

After that, we headed down to the Westmont PATCO train station behind Santander Bank. We got in at the right time. The train arrived quickly, and it was barely half-full when we rumbled into the 9th/10th Street Station in Philadelphia.

Rustic Music is a block from the 10th Street PATCO entrance. I wanted to check out at least one of the Philly music or book stores while we were in town. I hadn't been to this tiny store in over a decade. They may be small, but they have a good selection. Lauren bought three CDs. I walked out with two CDs and six records. We were even treated to an impromptu jam session by a young man trying out one of the guitars and discussing vintage guitar lines with the owner while we were there.

Between Rustic Music and Samaritan Thrift, I came up with four CDs:

Original Broadway cast albums for Avenue Q and the 1999 Bernadette Peters Annie Get Your Gun revival

Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me

Bob Marley and the Wailers - Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers

And seven records:

Soundtrack for Give My Regards to Broad Street and a triple Jane Powell MGM soundtrack collection featuring Nancy Goes to Rio, Royal Wedding, and Rich, Young, and Pretty

The K-Tel collection Star Power

Stars of the Silver Screen 1929-1930, a collection of songs from early sound films (some of them now otherwise lost)

Stan Kenton - Encores

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Greatest Hits Vol. 2

Martha and the Vandellas - Greatest Hits

The reason I wanted to visit Rustic Music is it's only a few blocks down 10th Street from Market Street and the Fashion District. We walked down there, then turned another two blocks to the huge Macy's. The Macy's in downtown Philly is massive, three stories of clothes, shoes, housewares, and toys. They used to be Wanamaker's before Macy's bought the brand. We really wanted to use the bathroom, but you need to ask a salesperson for a combination to open the locks. I bought nothing here, but Lauren picked up some shirts. 

Headed down a very busy Market Street around 4 PM to check out Primark. This Irish department store mostly sells casual t-shirts, shorts, slacks, and blouses, along with a lot of Disney and cartoon branded items. I looked at Disney-print sleep shirts, but ultimately decided I didn't really need them and just went to the bathroom in the main mall. Lauren did pick up a shirt. 

We took the elevator to the third floor to check out their Round 1. It's much smaller than the one in Deptford, but it does have some games they don't. I played the Star Wars pinball machine and tried a game similar to Whack-a-Mole, only you hit buttons and whack an on-screen alligator. The ring toss didn't work and I couldn't find the skee ball, but I did spin the Monster Wheels and the Pirate's Wheel, tried their Wheel of Fortune wheel, shot baskets, and did a different ring toss with larger rubber rings you tried to get on spokes. 

Lauren decided to save her points for when we get together in September, but I found something I've wanted for a while. Cute green-eyed Beanie Baby tiger Tiggy with his teeny little smile has been on the rack with other Beanie Babies at the Acme for ages. I think he's darling. I considered getting another one with Tiggy, but decided I too would otherwise wait for the fall.

We were going to hit Burlington Coat Factory next, but we saw a guy only letting a woman in through a barrier. That wasn't something we wanted to deal with after a security guard almost literally chased us down at Round 1 to check our bags. We just ended up taking a half-full PATCO home instead.

Stopped at WaWa for a drink on the way home. Neither of us were really up to anything fancy this time. I bought a Propel. She walked out with a Coke Spiced Zero. 

After we got in, we had a fancy lobster dinner with a friend and her family. Relaxed before we ate with Match Game Syndicated. Jon Bauman in Bowser greaser mode and sweet Gina Hecht joined in this week. Jon showed off his musical ability by playing the Match Game think music on the toy piano provided to musicians on the show. 

After our long walk, I wasn't up to much more than finishing the night with The New Scooby Doo Movies.  "Guess Who's Knott Coming to Dinner?" The Mystery Inc kids, who are stranded at a mysterious mansion when all they're trying to do is ask for directions. The butler, maid, and several pirates all look familiar...and they learn why when Don Knotts reveals he's been in disguise to ferret out the ghosts who plague a wealthy sea captain who has gone missing. Knotts thinks they're the captain's nephews who are after his loot. The kids and Scooby not only prove otherwise, they help him find the real culprits. 

Harvests and Pina Coladas

Got another quick start this morning with breakfast and Charlie & Lola. Charlie shows Lola his new fossil and reminds her that "It is Very Special and Extremely Ancient." This inspires Lola and Lotta to dig everywhere and find their own special fossil. "What Can I Wear for Halloween?" Lola wonders as she, Charlie, Marv, and Lotta prepare their big pumpkin for the school party. When trouble strikes, Lola finally comes up with a costume that will give them the biggest classroom pumpkin ever.

It was past 11 when I finally made it out. Not only was it late, but it was showering lightly. I needed to stop at WaWa and get money and a Coke Zero, too. Needless to say, the Farm Market wasn't that busy on such a wet, gloomy day. The grape seller, orchard booth, bakery tables, and smaller local booth were out, though. I was able to get my pears, whole wheat bread, red grapes, and small Gala apples with no trouble.

Rushed home, put my fruit and bread away, then grabbed my copy of Swing and called Uber. The author of Swing, as well as my favorite sitcom Remember WENN, the Broadway shows The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Curtains, and the hit "The Pina Colada Song" Rupert Holmes was signing books and talking to an audience at the Deptford Barnes & Noble. The driver arrived in six minutes and, some traffic on the highway aside, got me there in 20. 

I heard the strains of "The Pina Colada Song" in the front of the store the moment I entered. Rupert was half-way through the song when I joined the crowd listening in. I settled down in a nubby blue metal fold-out chair as a few moved away. I know I must have turned flaming red when he mentioned me by name! He hadn't forgotten how crazy I was about WENN in the late 90's-early 2000's. The comedy-drama about a radio station in early 40's Pittsburgh is still one of my favorite shows to this day. He even signed my copy of Swing and his new book Murder Your Employer calling me a friend of WENN and took a photo with me. 

Walked around for an hour or so after that. In addition to Murder Your Employer, I found the last Calvin & Hobbes comic book I didn't have, There's Treasure Everywhere. Picked up a Christmas gift for my 6-year-old niece Finley, too. Since I got a coupon for buy one cookie, get one 50 percent off with my receipt, I had lunch at their cafe. Their maple bacon cookies were incredible, with crunchy maple pieces and what I believe was butterscotch chips. The tomato caprese sandwich and green iced tea were pretty darn good, too. 

Surprisingly, despite outright pouring by the time I finished, I had no trouble getting a ride home. Took me less than a minute to get a car, and even less time than that for the young woman to arrive. She dodged traffic and got me home in less than 20 minutes.

Called Mom when I got home. She called me while I was waiting for the Uber home. I got to talk to my brother Keefe, too. They were delighted to get the card I sent for Aurora's first birthday. I sent her a gift card to The Children's Place, and as a one-year-old, she's in constant need of new clothes. Though illness in Virginia took its toll on the party guests, Keefe and his wife Julia were still able to have a nice birthday party for her. They were putting up Halloween decorations as I talked to them.

Things aren't going as well elsewhere in my family. While my sister Anny's oldest son Skylar did get himself a girlfriend and move out, his mother lost their home to foreclosure, thanks to one of her ex-boyfriends. She, her daughter Lilah, and their dog Asher are living in a small room in a friend's house in Wildwood. Apparently, my sister is helping to clean and repair fishing boats - and doing well with it - at Lund's Fisheries in Wildwood Crest. She always was great with helping Mom with her yacht-cleaning business in the 80's. It's not nearly enough to buy, or even rent, a house in super-expensive Cape May County, though. 

I worked on writing for a while after I let Mom go. Richard explains that he wants a heart so he can return to his sons and marry the girl he originally loved. Joyce thinks his story is the saddest thing ever. Charles would rather have brains and remember who he is. Richard's not sure he wants to know who he was.

Watched Sing 2 after that. I go further into the sequel to the 2016 Illumination hit at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Animation Celebration Saturday - Sing 2

Broke for dinner at 7. Watched Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood as I ate. Dress-Up Day is the Neighborhood's equivalent of Halloween. Daniel is going as Tigey the Adventure Tiger from the books he loves. Miss Elania makes her robot costume. Katerina can't decide between a ballerina, a fire fighter, or a super hero...until she comes up with a very creative idea for "Katerina's Costume!" O the Owl is a traffic light for "Dress  Up Day," but he's upset when he rips his costume. Mrs. Tiger and the people in the neighborhood helps him figure out what else he can be.

Finished the night on YouTube with today's Match Game marathon. As one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1970's and 80's, several Happy Days actors made prominent appearances in the 70's show and on Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour. Anson Williams may have been the most prominent, turning up for two weeks in 1974, a week in 1977, and a week on The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour near the end of Happy Days' run. Tom Bosley only did a week in early '75, but he did get to wear Brett's spring bonnet in the show's Easter episode. Pat Moriata also only did a week later in '75, possibly because everyone kept making Asian jokes. 

The ladies came off somewhat better. Despite only being in three episodes, Roz Kelly was billed as being from Happy Days. She was in the hilarious episode in 1976 with that very energetic lady in the jean jacket who scared Gene so much, he hid behind his question holder. Richard Dawson had no trouble giving her a kiss and a hug, though! Roz grabbed Gene for a kiss, and Betty White grabbed Johnny Olsen. 

Kelly turned up again in 1977, where she assured a fan that he could kiss even better than Henry Winkler. Laurie Macafferty, Williams' wife, turned up a few times in late '78 and early '79. Erin Moran and Linda Goodhead would do a very funny later week of Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour featuring other sitcom stars of the time, along with Michael Winslow of Police Academy and his sound effects and cool older lady Nedra Voltz.

Rock around the clock with all  your favorite Happy Days stars in this hilarious marathon!

Match Game Saturday Night Classics - Happy Days Celebrities on Panel

(Incidentally, it's continued to rain off and on, sometimes heavily, for the rest of the day.)

The Beauty of a Book

Began a beautiful morning with breakfast and the original 1985 She-Ra. The baker's son overhears Bow telling a story about "The Crown of Knowledge" and Kowl claim he knows where it is. He wants to be a lot more than just a baker and convinces Kowl to show him to the crown. His father, She-Ra, and Bow are worried when he vanishes and follows the duo to the temple where the crown is hidden. Trouble is, Hordak wants the crown for himself, too...

Made the bed while Match Game '75 was on. I can't remember the last time I did that. The fitted sheet was coming off. I don't usually have the time to make my bed, before or after work. Besides, who's going to see it? No one comes up here. 

Headed out around 12:30. There was a book store in Cherry Hill I wanted to check out, but it wasn't near a bus stop. I called Uber instead. The man was there within four minutes; got me to the Ellisburg Circle Shopping Center within five. 

The Ellisburg Circle Shopping Center is the area's oldest outdoor, non-enclosed shopping mall, dating from around the early 60's. (To tell you how old it is, there hasn't actually been a traffic circle at Ellisburg since 1992.) And unlike most shopping centers from the 60's, this one is still almost entirely full, with a nice mix of local and franchise stores. It even retains its original Wildwood-esque slanted signage. 

One of the local stores is Book World, which unlike Inkwood in Haddonfield, specializes in used and discount books. I was surprised at how big they were. Every wall was lined with books and artwork, and books filled displays in the center. I wasn't the only one there, either. A mother brought her two young sons in shortly after I arrived. After they left, I saw two other people who chatted with the owner like regulars. 

Spent over an hour going through all of those books! There were a few boxes of used books in the back, but most of them were remainders of releases from the last decade or so. I ended up with:

Two comic books for the 2015-2017 version of DC Superhero Girls, Search for Atlantis and Summer Olympus. (I previously had the first chapter of the latter, which was given out for Free Comic Book Day in 2016.) 

Two children's chapter books, the historical novel Celeste's Harlem Renaissance and the fantasy novel Serafina and the Black Cloak. 

Serafina was one of two books I fished out of the used section. The other was Parisian Charm School, on learning how to bring beauty and joy into your life the French way. 

The 1920's-set mystery Bright Young Dead

Decided I wanted to check out the rest of the mall after I left Book World. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, breezy, in the mid-80's, and dry as a bone. It was too nice to go straight home. Most of the other stores were the usual ones you find at big-box shopping centers, like Buy Buy Baby. I was surprised to see a Bath and Body Works; they usually prefer indoor malls. An elegant furniture outlet replaced a closed Stein Mart department store earlier this year. Grabbed a gift and a candy bar from Five Below. 

The largest building was taken up by one of two Whole Foods Markets in South Jersey. They're basically the same deal as Wegman's a few blocks down, a high-end grocery store specializing in healthy foods with prices to match. I looked at their bakery, but ultimately ended up taking advantage of a Lavabar sale to pick up flavors I hadn't seen elsewhere, including Pecan Pie and Coconut Cream Pie. 

(It looks like there was also a Dollar Tree in the building next to Whole Foods until very recently, from the still-visible label scars. I wonder why they shut down? Couldn't compete with Five Below, despite it being smaller?)

I considered the Mediterranean restaurant in the mall near Whole Foods, but ultimately ended up crossing the busy highway to enjoy Ponzio's. They're one of the area's fanciest diners, all chrome and fake stonework and tan vinyl booths. They're also one of the only diners in the area with a bar. They date from around the same time as the Ellisburg Circle Shopping Center and look like it, with their slightly space-age fake stonework exterior. 

Since it was 2:30 by that point, I pretty much had the place to myself.  Enjoyed a chicken BLT wrap, home-brewed iced tea, and a cannoli with blueberry filling while reading the comic books. I've only been here once before. To give you an idea of how long ago it was, Dad took me here for lunch when he bought me a new bike for an early birthday present, the one that was stolen from the Acme's bike rack in 2018.

Dashed back across the highway after lunch. I considered further exploration, but ultimately decided I was too tired. Picked up Uber at Whole Foods. They arrived within five minutes, and dodged traffic on King's Highway well enough to get me home in another five minutes.

Went straight into Tattletales when I got home. This time, Marcia Wallace and her then-boyfriend Michael Bell and Orson and Carolyn Bean split the win, over Hal "Mark Twain Tonight" Holbrook and his then-wife Carol Rossen. Whammies slammed everyone on Press Your Luck, especially in the first half. In the end, it came down to the champ and the one guy. He Whammied out on his last turn, leaving her to pick up trips to New York and Hong Kong.

Took my laundry downstairs, then tried to focus enough to work on writing for a while. Turns out, it's the Lion and the Unicorn fighting for the crown who are making all that noise. The Red King orders Charles the Messenger to stop the fight and see what they're up to. When the Red King leaves, Brett opts to tag along.

Broke for dinner at 7. Ate while watching Match Game PM. They ran episode 74 tonight, the one Buzzr ran for the first time since 1977 about a year ago. Gene's slightly insensitive joke to a Japanese-American man early-on makes me understand why it took so long to reappear. Brett's more interested in trying to look elegant with a fan, while Richard figures out "A Pound of __" in the head-to-head.

Wanted to finish out the night after a shower with more of Brett Somers in honor of what would have been her birthday today. Alas, most of her early appearances on live TV anthologies like Philco Television Playhouse and Goodyear Playhouse seem to be gone for good. The earliest appearance I could dig up for her was in a second-season episode of the 1958 crime anthology Naked City, "Vengeance Is a Wheel." She gave an impressive performance in a small role as the bitter wife of a longshoreman whose husband is caught in the middle when he's accused of killing an Italian man by the man's family. 

She naturally played Blanche, Oscar Madison's salty ex-wife on the original 70's The Odd Couple alongside her actual then-husband Jack Klugman. Her last appearance on the show was in the fourth season episode "That Was the Army, Mrs. Madison." Felix flashes back to when he and Oscar were in the Army Reserves. Blanche wanted to marry him, but he couldn't get out unless he managed to clean off his bed, and then Felix had to sneak him out. 

May Showers Bring Beautiful Flowers

After the on-and-off rain and clouds we had all weekend, I was so happy to see the sun shining when I got up this morning! I celebrated the beautiful weather with one of the later episodes of The Backyardigans. Uniqua's thrilled to be attending "Pirate Camp" on a real pirate ship! Pablo's more nervous. Captain Austin tries to teach them all the important things pirates do in the movies, but Pablo in particular can't seem to get it right. They have to learn in a hurry when Austin accidentally gets the the notorious Captain Red Boots' (Tasha) shoe stuck on his foot. They have to save their teacher from the ghostly pirate, who'll tickle you until you become a ghost!

Ran a couple of soundtrack record sets as I finished dusting the entertainment (TV/radio) area, made the bed, and began the bedroom. Since I did The Empire Strikes Back last week, I figured I might as well do the original Star Wars today. While I prefer the music from Empire, there's some classic tracks in New Hope as well. Luke's theme, "Binary Sunset," is especially nice, and of course, you get to hear the opening and closing theme for the first time. You also get the full version of the jazzy music from the cantina in Mos Eisley.

(I will add that I'm still looking for Return of the Jedi on record. I'm guessing that one didn't sell as well as the other two. I've seen it once or twice offline, and it was expensive both times.)

John Williams also contributed a fine score to Superman: The Movie. Once again, the most famous track from this one is the stirring main credits theme. My favorite music is the lovely number that plays when Superman is flying with Lois. (It was turned into a really pretty ballad by Maureen McGovern that, sadly, wasn't used in the movie.)

I put the dust rag aside around 12:30 to run a few errands. I walked instead of taking my bike. It was too nice to rush. The weather was amazing. It was in the mid-60's, sunny and breezy, a perfect afternoon in early May. Pink roses blossom on spiky bushes. The irises are out, their spicy perfume filling the air. Two women walked their fluffy black and white collie. An older man worked in his yard. The trees are really green now, the leaves almost full-grown.

First stop was the Oaklyn Library. It was too nice a day for them to be busy. There were a few old folks on the computer, and one or two came in to chat with the librarian. Two long tables were filled with comic books leftover from Free Comics Day. I chose a large magazine celebrating Captain America's 75th anniversary and shorter books featuring segments from Wonder Woman, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Hasbro's answer to Monster High and Ever After High, the DC Superhero Girls line.

Strolled down to WaWa to pick up lunch after I finished at the library. I dodged noon crowds long enough to pick up a roast beef hoagie on a whole-wheat shorty roll and a Bananas Foster smoothie. The latter was basically caramel banana, and it was absolutely delicious, creamy and sweet. I ate them at the wooden picnic tables on West Clinton, enjoying the glorious sunshine as I watched people walk to and fro.

As soon as I got in, I rested for a half-hour, then went back out. I really needed to get the laundry done. So did half the area. The laundromat was really busy when I arrived, which was not a good thing. I had a big load that included towels and my work clothes. I was in there for a while.

Spent the next few hours finishing out the dusting. My bedroom takes a while to do, even after having cleared out several books and half the Ever After High dolls. There's still a lot of stuff in there to dust under. I keep more than half my books, all of my dolls, and most of my stuffed animals in my bedroom.

Listened to the Anastasia soundtrack while I dusted. This may not be real Russian history, but it is a really enjoyable musical. The music by Stephan Flahery and Lynn Aherns is so good, there's a heavily revised stage version playing on Broadway as I type this. "Journey to the Past" was nominated for an Oscar, but my favorite song is the haunting "Once Upon a December."

Finally finished the bedroom around 5. I had just enough time to do some writing. Went back and added a few short sequences, including an exchange between Henry and Luke before they get into costume for the winner's ceremony.

The Crimson Hawk manages to escape in a rickety cart with Leia, his towering second-in-command, and Cedric the fussy butler. Leia argues over stealing the cart...before she gently addresses  him as "Henry." She's already figured out who he is.

There's no time to consider what Leia does and doesn't know. Vader is on their trail. As the cart speeds down the dirt road, Luke and Rusty take back the Rogue, Wedge's ship, with the help of a few Jedi mind tricks. Luke intends to take her to Dagobah to see Yoda.

Finished the night with a Creole seasoned fish fillet smothered in cheese and roasted green beans. Decided to try something for dessert. There are several recipes for snickerdoodle bars online, but I wanted something quicker. I added melted butter and sugar to basic yellow cake mix and topped it with cinnamon sugar. Yum. It came out a little gooey - I probably should have cooked it more - but otherwise, it was tasty,  nice and sweet.

Did a Police Academy double feature while I ate and baked. Assignment: Miami Beach takes the wacky cops to the title Florida city for a cop convention. Slightly senile Commandant Lassard switches his black bag with the bag being carried by a trio of jewel thieves. The thieves first try to steal back the bag, then kidnap Lassard when he fails to return the jewels. The cops have to make sure they don't leave with their beloved leader. Meanwhile, Captain Harris is gunning for Lassard's job. He tries to prove he has what it takes by stopping the kidnapping himself, but also ends up kidnapped.

Harris also makes a hash out of City Under Siege.  Lassard and his crew are brought in to figure out how to stop a rash of robberies in their district. Once again, Harris is determined to make fools of them...but he may be the fool. Someone is leaking information to a "Mr. Big," who seems to know their every move. The cops have to figure out how to stop these robbers fast, before everyone's jobs are on the line.

These are two of the later, non-Steve Gutenberg films in the series. They used to run frequently on cable in the late 80's-early 90's, and I have a soft spot for both. For fans of the series or goofy 80's comedies.

Mall Madness

Began a sunny winter's morning with breakfast and A Charlie Brown Valentine. While this 2003 Peanuts special isn't as well-regarded as some of the earlier ones, I actually think it's pretty cute. Charlie Brown tries to drum up the courage to give the Little Red Haired Girl a valentine, then ask her to the dance. As usual, he just can't make himself do it. Meanwhile, Peppermint Patty and Marcie are both eyeing him, Lucy's trying to get Schroeder to notice her, and Sally's making valentines for her "Sweet Baboo," much to Linus' annoyance.

My first stop of the day was this week's volunteering session at the Oaklyn Library. There wasn't a whole lot going on there. A mother was looking for books in the children's section while her son played with Legos. I just kept it to a quick look at the adult and children's DVDs.

It was a beautiful day. The sky was a pale blue, the wind had gentled down to a breeze, and it was in the upper 30's by 11:30 (according to the sign at Beneficial Bank in Audubon). It was the perfect day for a Moorestown Mall trip. I hurried to King's Highway, locked my bike at the rack at CVS, and went across the street to pick up the bus. It was about five minutes late, which could have been worse, given the lunch traffic. There were only one or two people on the bus to begin with; I was the only one who went all the way to Moorestown.

Since the bus lets off right at Boscov's, I started there. I do need a few new clothes. I first looked at boots. The soles of the wonderful sheepskin-lined boots Mom gave me a few years ago have finally started to crack. Given how frequently I wear them during the winter (I wore them today), it's not surprising. I didn't see anything that came close to a replacement. All the boots were either too tight, or had high heels (not on a bike!), or no lining, or no tread on the bottom.

I had more luck with clothes. While I couldn't find a winter skirt, I did get a new pair of brown corduroys (the old ones were too small) and a really pretty pink, brown, and white rose-print t-shirt. The corduroys were $14.99 and the shirt was $11.99, both massively on sale. I also looked over their toys section. The only Ever After High dolls they had were Briar and a couple of the Hat-Tastic dolls. Nothing I didn't already have.

It was so nice, I left the mall for lunch. Headed around the corner from Boscov's to the Corner Bakery and Cafe. It looks pretty much like the same thing as Panera Bread - high-end, better-made fast food. Here, though, they bring the food to your table. I had half of a Grilled Chicken Sandwich, a mixed greens salad, black current iced tea, and a vanilla cupcake with cream cheese frosting. The cupcake was ok, moist but a little too oily, and the icing was too sweet. The sandwich was delicious, though, seasoned just right, and I liked the tangy vinaigrette on the greens.

Went across the parking lot next to Michael's. I haven't been in a Michael's since I lived in Cape May County. (Mom worked in the one in Rio Grande for a while.) This one was smaller than the AC Moore in Moorestown and Deptford, but it had better prices. The Springfield Collection outfits were at least a dollar to two dollars cheaper than at AC Moore. I bought a cute white ruffled knit sweater and pink polka-dot skirt for my modern dolls and the 2014 Wilton Cake Decorating Yearbook. (It's their special 85th Anniversary edition and has a section on the history of Wilton and the yearbooks that's fascinating.)

Headed to Barnes and Noble next. Alas, no Ever After High dolls there, either. (Tons of Monster High, though.) I did make some good finds. They had the soundtrack for Newsies for $7.99, the cheapest I've ever seen it (I think it's out of print). Found the 1-disk version of the Errol Flynn Adventures of Robin Hood for $4.99 and a journal with a colorful cover of exotic lilies on the Bargain tables for $4.98. Splurged on the George Harrison greatest hits CD Let It Roll and another Sailor Moon manga (Japanese comic book).

It was past 3. I wanted to leave by at least 4:30. It was time to return to the mall. I considered the movies, but there isn't really much playing right now besides Paddington, Sponge Bob, and American Sniper, all of which I could wait for on DVD. Besides, there were massive crowds at the theater, mainly kids there to see Paddington and Sponge Bob.

I was thirsty and hot from walking and was hoping to pick up a water ice at Rita's in the Food Court next to the theater. No dice. The line was half-way back to the theater! There was no other place in the Food Court to get dessert. Half the Court was covered with walls and in the midst of remodeling.

I ended up at FYE instead, across from the Food Court. I'm trying to avoid getting a ton of movies, since I got a lot for Christmas, but I found some surprisingly good CD's. I ended up with the Broadway original cast album for Seussical (which I've been trying to get for a good price for ages), a double CD studio cast recording of the early 20th century musicals Oh Kay! and Leave It to Jane, and a Bruno Mars CD, Doo Wop & Hooligans. I bought three to take advantage of the buy two used, get one for a dollar sale. All three were $7.99; Leave It To Jane/Oh Kay! ended up being the dollar item.

Made a short stop next at Hallmark. Got the adorable WebKinz Pink Iced Penguin. She's a very girlie little bird, with glittery bright-pink plush and a lavender bow. I think she's just too adorable. (And she came in a box and did have her tag.) Finally gave up on the crazy line at Rita's and got a Tropical Twist "Chillatta" at Cinnabon across from Sears instead.

The bus ride home wasn't as pleasant as the one going there. There was no traffic, but the bus was eight minutes late. By the time it arrived, some people weren't happy. There were a couple of women in the back who did nothing but talk loudly and curse over people's heads the entire ride. They weren't really nasty, but they were obnoxious and annoying. Not everyone wants to listen to their conversation.

My last stop was the CVS on King's Highway after I got off the bus. I needed contact lens solution and a new toothbrush. They had better prices on Oral B than the Acme. It was almost 6 at that point. They were pretty busy, but they're also big and was able to open up more than one line. The wait wasn't long.

I finally got home around 6:30. It was so late, I just put on the Newsies soundtrack instead of a movie and had the last of the leftover tacos for dinner. Newsies is a delightful live-action musical about a newsboys' strike in New York in 1899. Christian Bale is the head of the group; David Moscow is one of its newest members. It was a flop in the early 90s; it would be nearly two decades before the world was ready for live-action musicals to make a comeback. My favorite songs are the opening dance number that introduces the Newsies themselves "Carrying the Banner" and the energetic "King of New York," after they just got their pictures in the paper.

I bought the last few things I wanted that I hadn't seen at the malls at Amazon. Got a new record player, a simple Jensen model. I enjoyed the film soundtrack for Newsies so much, I decided to give the cast album for the recent stage version a try. My first LP on the new player will be the two-disc set for the Broadway show Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Somehow, it just seems more appropriate to listen to Carole King's music on records. (I have her Tapestry on record.) Also picked up Cedar Wood. The daughter of Pinocchio, she's a sweet girl who literally can't tell a lie. She's a really pretty doll, and I've wanted to find her for a while.

Oh, and meet my new WebKinz, Valentina the Pink Penguin! She'll be considered a Valentine's Day decoration and will come out with Amoura the Love Frog. Amoura's her best friend; she has an ice-themed room with some of the new ice furniture near her place where they write love poetry and try on fancy new outfits together.

Spring Fling In Haddon Township

Started off a cloudy, hazy morning with this week's American Top 40 re-run. We jumped back three years to 1980, as British supergroups, New Wave, ballads, and R&B began to chase disco off the charts. Hits that early May included "Another Brick In the Wall" by Pink Floyd, "Sexy Eyes" by Dr. Hook, "I Can't Help It" by Olivia Newton-John and Andy Gibb, "Don't Fall In Love With a Dreamer" by Kim Carnes and Kenny Rogers, "With You I'm Born Again" by Billy Preston and Syreeta, "You May Be Right" by Billy Joel, "You're the Biggest Part Of Me" by Ambrosia, "Lost In Love" by Air Supply (their first hit), and "Cars" by Gary Numan. That week's number #1 song eventually became the top hit of the year - "Call Me" by Blondie.

My first stop this time was the Collingswood Farm Market. Even as I rode to the parking lot behind the Haddon Avenue shopping district, the sun was breaking through the clouds. The surprisingly nice weather coupled with Mother's Day tomorrow must have brought out the crowds. It was almost as busy as last week. I did make my way through the sea of people long enough to buy an onion, leeks, scallions, mushrooms from the mushroom sellers, and grapefruit from the tropical fruit sellers.

Spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon riding around Haddon Township, checking out their Town-Wide Yard Sale. Or really "community wide yard sale." Haddon Township is several towns, including Westmont and the Bluebird neighborhood on the edge of Collingswood. The sun got hotter and hotter as I rode. Bluebird in particular was chock full of yard sales. Unfortunately, it was also filled with cars and people jostling to get the best prices. I had an easier time getting around in Westmont, between Haddon Avenue and Cooper River Park, on the edge of Collingswood near Newton River Park, and up by the Ritz Theater.

Alas, I didn't do nearly as well this year as I did last year. I just ended up with:

Three Calvin & Hobbes comic books - Scientific Progress Goes "Boink," The Revenge of the Baby-Sat, Weirdos From Another Planet

Two records:

Prince and the Revolution - Purple Rain soundtrack

Disney Alice In Wonderland book and record

And two Christmas books, The Twelve Teas of Christmas and Christmas Songs Made In America

Oaklyn was busy, too. The Oaklyn (Elementary and Middle) School was having its annual "Spring Fling," the school's fair, this afternoon on West Clinton Avenue. There were quite a few booths, a bounce ride, two midway-style rides, and a ride on a fire truck. I wanted to have lunch there, but you needed tickets to get food....and tickets cost $10 for 15! They wouldn't sell just a few of them, either. I just stopped at a man selling his own home-made water ice and bought a small Pina Colada water ice and a bottle of water instead.

It was past 1PM when I finally made it home. I ran most of The Croods while I put everything away and ate grapefruit and leftovers for lunch. The Croods are a stone-age family who live in a cave, mainly because they're desperately afraid that everything else out there will eat them. Teenage daughter Eep (Emma Stone) thinks there's more to life than running and hiding. She really starts to question her family's lifestyle when she meets Guy (Ryan Reynolds), who seems a great deal more evolved than her neanderthal relatives. He can make everything from fire to traps to puppets - and isn't afraid of any of it. When an earthquake destroys the Croods' cave, they finally set out in a lush tropical paradise to find a new one. Dad Grog (Nicholas Cage) isn't happy with all these new sensations, but he soon learns that it's not so bad to try new things, and that while change can be scary, it can also be a literal lifesaver.

Not bad, but not great, either. While the animation is gorgeous (and is probably what earned this movie an Oscar nomination) and the plot is a bit more original than Dreamworks' other movie from last year, Turbo, the simplistic "change is good" storyline gets a little annoying after a while. Some mild violence makes this for older kids and families; animation fans will love the stunning backgrounds and really nifty critters the Croods encounter.

Work wasn't too bad for most of the evening. There were some cranky people, but not to the degree of yesterday. The problem was the last customer. I was supposed to get off at 7:15. Of course, my last person was one of those women who have 800 coupons for everything. She seriously bought two boxes of single M&M's - 50 each - just to use 100 coupons I shouldn't have let her get away with using, because they were over the price. I just didn't want to argue with her. It took me 20 minutes just to ring up her darn coupons! It's a good thing I had shut down. I didn't finish with her until 8. The managers didn't even send anyone in; they claimed there was no one to send and we were short-handed. She even bought four or five gift cards before and after the larger order, just so she could get the 10 dollar off coupons that came with them!

(And...please, please, try to limit your coupon use! Most people don't like standing there while an annoyed cashier rings up 200 coupons. Buy things that are on sale or can be used to make real food, like flour and fruit and vegetables and meat. Real life doesn't work like a coupon show.)

I was fit to be tied when I finally got off work. I couldn't put off the grocery shopping. I was out of bananas and strawberries, and I needed to stock up on sugar and canned fruit and chicken. Purdue chicken is 40% off - bought ground chicken, chicken breasts, and drumsticks. Treated myself to a DVD, the John Wayne/James Stewart classic The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and a fruit chew bar as much-needed treats. Also grabbed tangerine-lime sparkling water to make a mango ice cream float at home.

When the Sun Comes Out

It was still cloudy out this morning when I got up, but even as I headed out the door, the clouds were starting to break apart. By the time I arrived in Westmont, the sky was blue, the breeze was soft, and the temperature was climbing. My first stop was Dollar Tree. I mainly needed sponges and more orange marmalade. Bought a "welcome home" card for Rose and her family, too.

Next up was the Haddon Township Library. Not a whole lot going on there. The kids' DVDs are still overflowing, to the point where I didn't bother putting away the ones that came in after I did. Only had slightly more luck with adult titles. They really, really need to start weeding out their DVD collection. Either that, or they're going to have to buy more shelves or reorganize them. I did shelve some children's books, and I took out a few non-fiction titles. The library has the newest Garfield comic book, Garfield In a Pickle (literally on the cover) in. I also found the latest book by Sarah Ban Breathnach, the author of Simple Abundance, this one on money and thriftiness titled Peace and Plenty. There was a new job book called The 9-5 Cure that looked interesting.

I went down the hill to Crystal Lake Diner for lunch after I finished signing out the books. Despite it being lunch time, only the counter was really busy. I easily got a seat. Ordered a "Caribbean Shrimp Salad," which turned out to be a few small, bland shrimps on a bed of mango, carrots, and mixed salad greens. It wasn't nearly as good as the salads I've had the last few weeks were. From now on, I order sandwiches or meals at diners.

Doubled back to the library quickly to use their public bathroom (the women's bathroom at the diner was being remodeled), then rode out to Haddonfield. Got there just in time for counseling. I explained about my busy couple of weeks, the disappointing trip to Deptford, and Rose and her family finally buying that house. While I'm thrilled with that, I'm still frustrated about being chained to the Acme. What else can I do? I don't want to take any more online college classes for a while after the last ones I did wasted my time and money. I just can't figure out what else I can do.

So many of my ideas haven't worked out. I tried Weight Watchers to lose pounds. It worked...for most of 2008 and into 2009. By 2010, I'd dropped it. I got bored with figuring out the numbers and having to put them on their site every night. I tried Lucile Roberts. Dropped that when I couldn't afford it and got tired of having to do the whole "change into gym clothes/go to gym and use machines" routine. My job ideas keep going the same route. Barnes & Noble and Borders kept putting me off. The Library job I signed for last fall wanted more experience. I never heard from Staples. And if the writing market is overcrowded...what else is there for me? I feel like I've done nothing for a decade.

She said pretty much the same thing - try to stay positive. It's just so hard, especially at work, when I'm being fussed at by all sides. She also said to read the books I took out today - the two self-help titles might have some ideas. I hope so. I just feel so frustrated.

Made a few fast stops after leaving counseling. I quickly took money out of the ATM machine at the Haddonfield PNC. (And will have to remember to be careful when using their ATM - it's not only somewhat out in the open, but it's on the wall alongside the main building and next to the drive-in deposit stops. I held up a car getting my money.)

I had an easier time at Primo's Water Ice in Westmont. They were busy with a gaggle of pre-teen girls on their way home from school. I squeezed into the line and got a small Black Cherry Cheesecake cup. Not bad at all. The cheesecake pieces weren't all that big...but the cherries were huge, and the water ice itself was refreshing. I ate outside, letting the girls chatter indoors, then rode home via a busy, bustling Newton River Park.

When I got in, I went right into the bath. It was much-needed. I read Peace and Plenty while my Wynton Marsalis Joe Cool's Blues CD played brassily in the background. While I've never been in debt nearly to the extent that Ms. Breathnach was, I've never had much money, either.

After I got out of the shower, I put on the animated Wonder Woman while I made tilapia and asparagus in orange sauce for dinner, and then baked chocolate chip oatmeal bar cookies. One of the long series of direct-to-DVD animated films Warners made for DC characters puts their most famous superheroine front and center for the first (and to date, only) time as she travels from her native all-woman island home to bring cocky pilot Steve Trevor back to New York and retrieve Ares, the God of War who wants to rule all of humanity.

I haven't seen any of the other DC animated movies, so I can't tell you how it compares to the others, or how it fits with Wonder Woman's regular "canon." I do know this is pretty well-made for a direct-to-DVD animated film. There's a lot of violence, including two decapitations, so this is really more for Wonder Woman's older fans. If you love the character or other DC projects, you'll probably enjoy this one.

Hiking Through Philadelphia

It was killer humid but thankfully cloudy when I turned on the American Top 40 this morning. They flipped back to 1979 for R&B, pop, and lots of disco. Among the hits from early August of the first summer of my life were "The Main Event" by Barbara Streisand from the movie of the same title, "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer, "Makin' It" by David Naughton from Meatballs, "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead, and "Mama Can't Buy You Love" by Elton John. Donna Summer also had the other big hit of the week, the title number from her smash album Bad Girls.

My errand run was quite a bit shorter today than it was last week. I had other things on my mind. After a fruitless peek at a yard sale on West Park Avenue in Oaklyn and a quick run to PNC, I headed to the Farm Market for this week's produce shopping. Despite the heavy humidity, there were lots of people and dogs out and about. I saw a cute Westie and Labradoodle playing together, a handsome old golden retriever, and an elderly bloodhound joined by several kids.

The summer harvests are at their height. I saw grapes and plums for the first time this year. There was a peach pie competition just about to start as I was leaving, too. I ended up with white peaches (cheaper than yellow), grapes, cucumbers from the organic booth, carrots, a big tomato and a pint of cherry and plum varieties, mushrooms, and a patty pan squash.

I made my only yard sale find at one of the two Belmont Avenue sales. They had a pile of records for a mere quarter. I came up with four:

Olivia Newton-John - If You Love Me, Let Me Know

Andy Williams - Born Free

Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority

The cast album for the hit 1974 Broadway revival of the comic opera Candide

This time, I went straight home after making my finds. I put everything away. Watched the rest of Garfield: His 9 Lives and Babes and Bullets while making Chicken Marsala and Cucumber-Tomato Salad for lunch. The other two specials on the Fantasies set are even stranger than Feline Fantasies. Babes and Bullets is a film noir spoof with a fairly realistic mystery; His 9 Lives is a series of shorts depicting Garfield in many different animation styles and stories, from typical comic shenanigans with Odie to high drama to dark action.

After lunch, I rode over to the PATCO Station in Collingswood and hopped on a train into Philly. I made lots of different stops today! I got off at 10th Street first to hit Russakof's Used Books and DVDs, one of my favorite stores in the world. Ironically, one of my finds was the comic book adaptation of Babes and Bullets. The other was the last Peanuts specials set I wanted to buy (unless I see something that I really, really want), Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown.

It had rained while I was on the train, and rained hard...but the rain lasted for a mere few minutes. The sun was out when I was pounding 10th Street on my way to Market, and I was hot. I stopped at Starbucks for their new Berry Hibiscus Cooler. Not bad; kind of fruity-tropical, and not too sweet.

Macy's was my next stop. The only clothes I need right now are underthings. I'm fine with everything else until we get into the fall and I pull out the winter clothes. I bought two on a good sale, then went right back out on Market and through City Hall to FYE.

The big FYE on the Avenue of the Arts was a tad disappointing. I didn't find what I was looking for. Neither The Artist nor Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows were on sale for decent prices. (I don't need a digital copy, and I'm not buying one movie for 22 dollars, no matter how badly I want to see it.) I did find An American In Paris new and The Road to El Dorado used for cheap.

Backtracking to the Gallery Mall proved equally disappointing; found nothing at either their FYE or Books A Million. It took me a while longer to get to Barnes & Noble in Rittenhouse Square. City Hall's west entrance was in the midst of repair; I had to go all the way around. After that, I somehow managed to go two blocks past it. I did find a nice little soft-serve frozen yogurt place called Sweet Endings on this trek. It was smaller than the Yogo Factory, but larger than Kiwi Yogurt. I tried the Green Tea flavor with white chocolate chips, coconut, and sprinkles. It was rather tart, and not too sweet; tasted like green tea with too much lemon. The price, thankfully, was on a par with Kiwi.

Barnes & Noble was incredibly busy when I arrived, especially for a weekend. Good thing there was only one item I was looking for. They still didn't have The Three Stooges FAQ, so I ended up with The Three Stooges Scrapbook after all. I peeked at the American Girl books, but I think I'll wait for Caroline's release before I pick up anything new from them.

I was so dead tired when I finally got into Collingswood, I had dinner at Tortilla Press instead of making it at home. I had a delicious salad and fresh salsa, both probably made with farm market veggies. My Chicken Burrito was so big, I ended up taking half of it home with me.

When I got in, I read The Three Stooges Scrapbook and watched Lucy Must Be Traded. Like most of the later Peanuts specials, this is a series of skits, this time revolving around Charlie Brown's infamously bad team. Chuck finally trades the notoriously terrible Lucy for Marcie after Snoopy protests his being traded, but he questions his decision when it's discovered that Marcie isn't really into the game.

Balance In the Dust

The sun was shining and the clouds were gone when I awoke this morning. It was a bit cooler and windier than it had been, but the oppressive humidity seemed to have dissolved with the cloud cover. It was a lovely morning for yoga class. We concentrated on strength training - standing poses, inversions, and core work. I had to take things easy. I've been turning myself into one big lump lately. In addition to my badly bruised stomach and sore left thigh, I think I pulled a muscle in my right hand, and I have a nice little bruise on my left shoulder, too. I am, however, getting very good at walking on the wall, even if I can't get on my head yet.

Volunteering at the Collingswood Library didn't go nearly as well. There were tons of volunteers there when I arrived, and they all seemed to be working on the DVDs. I got fed up with everyone trying to put everything where they wanted to and just stormed upstairs. While there was only one non-fiction book to shelve, I did find an unusual biography in the children's section that made me feel better. Lily Renee, Escape Artist is a graphic novel for older kids about an Austrian Jewish girl who escapes the Nazis and makes it to England. She's treated no better than a servant there, until she manages to get a job in a hospital in London. She saves babies from the Blitz, but almost can't save herself when she's taken to the police as an enemy alien. She does finally make it to New York, where her parents have fled after leaving Vienna. There, she becomes one of the first woman comic book artists, drawing pioneering female action characters during World War II.

I'm not the biggest fan of comic books in the universe...but I am a fan of action stories with strong female characters. Lily Renee managed to make her characters' lives seem dull by comparison! Talk about the original Wonder Woman! I used the last of my Barnes and Noble gift card to buy it this evening.

I ended up leaving early. It was getting a little cooler and cloudier by then, around 11:30. Thankfully, they weren't the heavy stormy type of clouds, and they were gone by the evening. When I got in, I had Spinach with Mushrooms, steamed green beans, and the last of the chicken meatloaf for lunch, then finished dusting the apartment. I mostly needed to do the entertainment area. The baker's rack and black DVD shelves were horribly dusty, probably because I never got to spring cleaning last month. There was less to do in my bedroom; I did a lot of it when I rearranged furniture on Sunday and Monday. I mainly cleaned the closets, Ikea shelves, and the inside of the roll-top desk.

I managed to get to work on time, which is good, because they were busy again. There were a lot of annoying people, too. A lot of people were just giving me a hard time. I was happy it was slow enough by 8:30 to be able to leave with no relief.

Avengers On Ice

Ok, so I was wrong. I awoke to what appeared to be three inches of snow. I was originally going to go to the gym this morning, but the road still hadn't been cleared at 10AM, and the sky looked pearly-gray and iffy. I ended up finishing The Fences Between Us and writing in my journal instead, with the radio disco-ing away in the background.

(Incidentally, Fences was a hard read but a touching and well-written one. Piper, a thirteen-year-old girl living in Seattle in the early 40s, learns a difficult lesson in prejudice and sacrifice when her father, a minster for a Japanese church, follows his congregation as they're moved to a concentration camp in Idaho. Piper makes friends with the people there, and through her beloved camera, she discovers that no one is an enemy when you come to understand them. I actually kind of wish her Japanese friend Betty had been the protagonist so we could see life in the concentration camps first-hand, but other than that, this was an excellent, if harrowing, story. Oh, and the deaths of several major characters and fairly graphic descriptions of life in the concentration camps and in the war in the Pacific definitely make this a story for teens Piper's age and older.)

It was 11:30 before I finally settled down to putting the shelf together. Needless to say, it took me far less time to get it finished today than it did New Year's Eve. For one thing, I was doing it in the middle of the day, not during dinner. I was off today, too, so there was no need to rush. My morning had gone just fine, so I wasn't yelling at myself over every little thing. I had a good idea of put it together now, too. I got the shelf done and set up and the DVDs organized in two hours.

The shelf didn't fit where I was originally going to put it, so it went where the rack used to be. It did fit there (barely). I loaded it with the comedies and action and drama films and moved the holiday DVDs back to the smaller cherry heart cut-out shelf. To my delight, the DVDs barely took up two shelves. I didn't have as much overflow as I thought. Even moving the animated movies over just took up another shelf. I moved some of the non-entertainment books from the music area and put them on the bottom shelf. Moved the winter seasonal stuffed animals to the first shelf from the baker's rack, and the horses and remaining stuffed animals on the cherry heart shelf to the new one. The cherry Ikea shelf wound up staying right where it is. It's perfect. I love how everything looks now, and how much room I have.

Miss Ellie called me as I was finishing up the entertainment area. Apparently, I had a package in the mail. I pulled on my snow boots and headed out the door to pick it up...and barely got three steps before I realized I felt something crunchy under my feet. That "snow" was ice! It might have been snow early this morning, but it had probably rained this morning, and it must have frozen over. Just walking downstairs to pick up the package and the rest of my mail was treacherous. It was sloppy and messy, and the street still hadn't been plowed.

I never went anywhere else today. Made vegetable soup for lunch as I watched the two Backyardigans episodes revolving around snow and ice, "The Snow Fort" and "The Yeti". As "Knights are Brave and Strong" wound down, I decided that since I couldn't get outside, I would try what came in that package - a series of yoga DVDs done by a man who had designed his own yoga course to lose weight after many years of struggling. Lauren said it was a really good workout, and she loved it. I need a faster workout than the yoga and pilates DVD I have provides, one that really gets your heart pumping.

Well, this certainly did that! I just did the ten minute "Wake Up" and the 30 minute "Strength Up" discs, and I was breathing hard afterwards. The fellow was energetic and noisy, but fun. He did some typical yoga moves, often renamed to make them more "manly" (i.e, Child's Pose was called Safety Zone), and some of his own, such as the Black Diamond (basically, pull your arms back, pull out your chest, and breathe). There was also a lot of push-ups and crunches, and a lot of standing poses. I can do crunches, but push ups...forget it. My legs (except the bum knees) are fine. Bike riding every day will do that. My arms can't hold much of anything, including me. I just did Child's/Safety pose.

My neighbor Michael appeared while the DVD was running. He finally shoveled and salted my porch and steps. He said he regretted doing it earlier when it was slush, confirming my suspicion that it must have rained and hardened later this morning.

Ran movies while making sugar-free Apple Muffins and Italian Chicken and Tomatoes and steamed broccoli for dinner. I've been meaning to watch Captain America: The First Avenger since Christmas Eve, and have put off viewing The Aviator since October! The reason? Both movies are really long - The Aviator is over 2 hours! - and I simply haven't had the time.  I didn't get to all of The Aviator tonight, but I did do Captain America.

While I'm not a comic books fan, I did have some idea of the Captain's story going in. Once a 98-pound weakling named Steve Rogers who wanted to join the Army during World War II, the young man is injected with a serum that turns him into a huge, hulking youth. Turns out another man, a Nazi who has formed his own organization, has also been injected with the serum...and gone mad. He takes a whole battalion hostage in the hopes of turning them into super-beings, too. Steve was originally just used as a patriotic prop to encourage people to do what they can for their country. When he hears that his best friend has gone missing with the battalion, he becomes determined to rescue them...and then the serum...no matter what the cost.

This was done by the same director who did The Rocketeer, and it does show. The movies have a great deal in common, from the "little guys vs. big guys" spirit to the attempt to show that not everyone who is a German or of Japanese origin (a member of the battalion points out quickly that he's from San Fransisco) is bad, even during wartime. If you're even a mild comics fan or a fan of this era, it's highly recommended...especially if you have any interest in this summer's upcoming Avengers movie.

Really Putting My Foot Into It

Lauren's off to a Weird Al concert this evening, so I stayed up late with her last night. I didn't get out of bed until after 10, and it was 11:30 before I even had breakfast! I had two Spicy Cranapple Muffins and a fresh farm market pear and dubbed the Tall Tales and Legends "Annie Oakley" for Mom.

"Annie Oakley" is one of my favorite of Shelly Duval's second series of fables and fantasies, this one revolving around American history. This is a grittier and somewhat more accurate version of the story of legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley than the musical Annie Get Your Gun. (For one thing, in real life, Frank Butler knew he was no match for his wife's skills with a gun and did step down to manage her career.) A young Jamie Lee Curtis is a marvelous, down-home Annie, possibly the best until country music star Reba McEntyre wowed Broadway audiences in the late 90s Annie revival on Broadway.

Headed to the Haddon Township Library after work. It was partly cloudy and a little humid and warm, but nothing like it has been the last few times rain has threatened. Unlike last week, the Haddon Township Library was very busy. I organized kids' DVDs, shelved DVDs and kids' books, and for the first time in ages, helped kids find the DVDs they wanted. One little boy requested the Toy Story movies. I directed him to the second one. (His mother said they'd rented the first one every other week!) Another little boy wanted Thomas the Tank Engine.

It was past 2:30 when I made my own DVD and book choices. I found two more of the new historical American Girl books, both about Marie-Grace this time, Marie-Grace and the Orphans and Marie-Grace Makes a Difference. Rented two Scooby Doo collections, a set of the first four episodes of A Pup Named Scooby Doo and three What's New, Scooby Doo? episodes revolving around zombies. Decided to continue my streak with film biographies and chose I Remember Mama and The Young Victoria from the adult section.

Headed across the street to the Westmont Plaza next. Stopped at Dollar Tree first. Two of my very best friends, Lauren and Amanda, have birthdays this month. I wanted to buy Halloween cards to say "hi" to everyone in Cape May County, too. I also needed new scrub-brushes. The old ones were absolutely disgusting. The bristles were getting crunched.

It was a little past 3 when I went around the corner to Nick and Joe's Pizza, the Westmont Plaza's pizzeria. Their pizza's only ok, but I was hungry and it was late. I ordered a mushroom slice and a bottle of water and read the AG books while waiting for lunch.

The two books were quite interesting. In ...And the Orphans, Marie-Grace finds a baby on her father's doorstep. She and her dad, who is a doctor, are too busy to care for a small child. They eventually take him to a large orphanage in New Orleans. However, when the nuns there say they've found a home for the baby in Chicago, Marie-Grace realizes how attached to him she is and seeks Cecile's help in finding a way for him to stay.

...Makes a Difference brings the girls into the Yellow Fever epidemic as Marie-Grace dedicates her time to volunteering at the orphanage and nursing her sick singing teacher. When the fever becomes too much, Marie-Grace's dad tries to send her away...but how can she leave Cecile and the children at the orphanage, who need her care?

After lunch, I finally decided it was time to do something about my foot. It was quarter of 4 when I rode over to the Camden County Foot & Ankle Center on the White Horse Pike, less than a mile from my apartment in Oaklyn. Thank goodness I caught Dr. Berlin and her assistant right as they were preparing to close up shop!

After we got the matter of my health care settled, Dr. Berlin took a look at my bad foot. She gave me an injection...which I wasn't thrilled with at first. I hate needles. Then I remembered how brave Marie-Grace and Cecile were when they were faced with the Yellow Fever and how it ravaged New Orleans and their loved ones. If two 10-year-old girls in crinolines can handle an epidemic, I thought, surely I can handle one little needle! It stung going in, but it wasn't so bad. Dr. Berlin put a Band-Aid on it, then made a plaster cast of my foot in order to make the right size orthopedic pads for them. That felt good. It was nice and warm, like a heating pad.

Dr. Berlin wrote out two prescriptions for me. One was for a stronger Motrim than I could buy over-the-counter. I could get that one filled at the Acme. The other was to have the foot X-rayed at a doctor's office on the White Horse Pike in Haddon Heights. (I think it may be the same place I got my knee looked at the second time I sprained it in July 2007.) I'll get the prescription done tomorrow before work and go up to the doctor's office on Friday, my next day off.

Just headed home after that. My now-swollen foot wasn't up to any more running around. I spent the next two hours organizing items in my bedroom and the back room. I moved the Sailor Moon dolls' clothes from the plastic dresser to those two sturdy boxes I got from Amazon.com at Christmas. I've been trying to find something to put in those for months! Some of the American Girl dolls' clothes were moved to the dresser. Others were moved to Sam's box. I really need more clothes hangers for them. Oh well. Christmas is coming. Moved the Sailor Moon comic books and graphic novels to their doll display and the other comic books in with the Garfield, Peanuts, and Calvin and Hobbes comics.

Tackled my vinyl accordion file folders next. The transparent one was falling apart. Moved any instruction booklets I didn't clear out and the few remaining notes, cards, and letters I've kept to other folders. Moved my old college and high school papers and essays to the random stories folder. Went through my taxes and W-2s - I have those going back to 2003, the first year I did them after I moved out on my own. I gave those their own folder and put that and anything relating to my health insurance in the huge leather portfolio the secretaries at the Stockton Media Center gave me in 2001 for a dual Christmas/Graduation gift.

It was 7PM before I got to dinner. I had shrimp, roasted Brussels sprouts, and brown rice with Smart Balance butter while watching A Pup Named Scooby Doo. Of the first four episodes of the series, the one I most enjoyed was "The Schnook Who Took My Comic Book." Shaggy is thrilled that he was able to buy the first edition of his favorite comic book hero, Commander Cool, for pennies at a comics convention. When a frog monster from the comics appears and tries to slurp up every Commander Cool first edition at the convention, Shaggy becomes determined to protect his beloved hero...at any cost! (Also, note that Red Herring has more of a role in this than he usually does. We don't normally get to see him do anything besides refute Fred's pointing the finger at him. Here, he's actually the bully Fred claims he is.)

Though I did enjoy the episodes, I repeat what I said when I rented the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Season set earlier in the year. These episodes are very repetitive (almost annoyingly so) if watched in succession. On the other hand, I noticed that these earlier episodes have more of an emphasis on interactivity, with Velma encouraging the kids at home to put the clues on-screen together themselves before Mystery Inc. solves the case. Pup Named might be a nice Scooby cartoon for somewhat younger grade-school age kids who would enjoy the bright colors, blocky anime-esque animation, and goofy gags. It's also fun for Scooby fanatics who can recognize the many references to the original series. Casual fans and older kids will want to start with the original, the movies, or What's New, Scooby Doo.

More Yard Sales Than There are In the Heavens

It was cloudy and cool when I first turned on the American Top 40 this morning. As Casey Kasem made his way through early October 1977, the sun broke through, though not enough to make it as warm and humid as it was earlier in the week. Hits from this week include "You Light Up My Life" by Debbie Boone, "Nobody Does It Better" by Carly Simon, "I Got Love" by Donna Summer, "Swayin' to the Music" by Johnny Rivers, "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac, and "On & On" by Steven Bishop.

The week's #1 hit also corresponds to that summer's blockbuster movie. The original Star Wars (now generally known as Star Wars: A New Hope) energized the box office in a big way during the summer of 1977, becoming one of the major phenomenons of the late 70s and reviving the popularity of sci-fi and fantasy. What else could be more appropriate at the top of the charts that Meego's disco-tinged medley of the theme song and the music from the Mos Eisley Cantina sequence?

I'm glad I went to the bank yesterday. Perhaps because of the weather last week, there were yard sales all over the place. I hit six in Oaklyn alone before I even went to the farm market. There were more yard sales in Audubon today than there were when they were having their town-wide yard sales last week!

I eventually picked up four records in Oaklyn, around the corner from PNC Bank:

Blondie - Blondie

Helen Reddy - I am Woman

Sing the Hit Songs of Sesame Street

A Disney book and record for the Grimm's Fairy Tale Hansel and Gretel

Found two CDs in Audubon:

Anne Murray - Croonin'

Perry Como - All Time Greatest Hits

I picked up videos of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree at a yard sale on Harding Avenue in Oaklyn and a WebKinz Warm-Up Suit for 50 cents a few blocks down. Grabbed Dark Horse reprints of the original Star Wars and Return of the Jedi comic books and a copy of one of the early Backyardigans DVDs I haven't seen, The Snow Fort, for a dollar each on Landis Avenue.

A yard sale in Audubon on Merchant Avenue had 80s collectables for sale. I found a near-mint Lady Lovely Locks doll among the piles of toys. Her long blond hair was in such a huge, thick braid on the top of her head, it made her head loose! Other than that and a dirty face, she was fine. Her limbs and face paint was all there. Her pink ruffled dress wasn't frayed or ripped. There were none of the white spots on her legs that my Maiden Curly Crown has. She even came with her original three Pixietails, pearly pastel clips with long curly tails, and her little pink shoes.

My best find of the day came from my very first stop. A sale on Eden Avenue near the Oaklyn ramp had Star Wars items for very good prices. I bought a never-used, still-in-the-plastic two-disc DVD copy of The Phantom Menace for a quarter! Phantom Menace was the only Star Wars movie I didn't have on DVD until today. (And I got the remaining two movies I needed for $1.25. Come to think of it, I picked up Revenge of the Sith on DVD for about $10 from Target shortly after it was released. That means I spent a grand total of $11.25 for the prequel films. ;) )

The Farm Market was busy as well, despite some missing vendors. The weather has been wrecking havoc on crops, but there was still plenty to choose from. I didn't need a whole lot today myself. I ended up with deep purple Concord grapes, Bartlett pears, the last cucumbers of the season, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and a jar of pumpkin butter. Found a lovely, just-right pumpkin for my apartment. I don't carve my big pumpkin. It's used as a decoration in my living room until Thanksgiving or it goes bad, whichever comes first.

Collingswood held it's annual Book Festival today, too. I wish I had more time to stroll around. I peered at the tables of authors showing off their wares and browsed through the used tables, but I ultimately didn't buy anything. It was really busy there, too, with people looking for bargains and enjoying the lovely fall day. Clouds were moving in by then, but it still wasn't as bad as most of the week was.

After all that, I barely had enough time to put everything away, change into my uniform, have lunch, pack dinner, and head out to work! I did make it on time, thankfully. Good thing. We were on-and-off busy all day long. Other than some annoying beginning-of-the-month people, there were no problems. I needed cereal after work. (I would have gotten it yesterday, but I forgot the coupon.) Went straight home after I finished shopping.

Good news on my schedule - next Friday and Saturday off, some decent hours (including 2-6 on Tuesday). Bad news - late days on Wednesday and Thursday (including until 10 on Thursday again), and won't have a day off until Friday. I'll hit the Haddon Township Library on Wednesday morning and try to get the rest of the cleaning done Tuesday and Thursday morning.