Quiet Times at Home

Started the day late with material from Colliers Harvest of Holidays for President's Day. They have biographical essays on Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, who have birthdays last week and Wednesday respectively, so I did both. Apparently, not much is known about Washington's early years, so his essays mostly focused on his part in the Revolutionary War. Lincoln's are far more interesting and pretty much cover the gamut of his life, from his early years as an amazingly tall pioneer boy who just wants to read to his years as president of the Union during the turbulent Civil War. We also get several poems, including Walt Whitman's "O Captain" on Lincoln's assassination.

Didn't get going until past 12:30. Watched Match Game '75 while I had breakfast. Gene finds himself describing a weather vane to slightly ditzy Louisa Moritz by standing on the lower desks and flapping his arms like a rooster while producer and tough-guy actor Sheldon Leonard looks on. Gene doesn't have a lot of luck with his screechy microphone in the opening, either.

Switched to Doc McStuffins as I got organized. Lambie accidentally gets "The Rip Heard 'Round the World" in her rear when Doc's dancing with her. She and Doc are incredibly upset. Lambie is Doc's favorite toy who has been with her since she was a baby. They learn about stitches from Doc's mom, who sews Lambie up good as new with a "scar" of thread seams that barely shows. It's "Walkie Talkie Time" when Donnie and Luca want to sneak up on Doc, but their walkie talkies aren't working. Doc figures out why Walter the Walkie Talkie can't contact his partner Grace, and where Luca left her.

(I know how Doc feels. I'd get upset if my stuffed animals ripped as a kid, too, especially if they were my favorite! In fact, I recently had to perform similar "surgery" on Grindal the Uni-Dragon, who somehow got a hole in his lower paw.)

Restarted my crocheting project, this time using pink and yellow yarn. It didn't curl this time...but it did ruffle! It wasn't supposed to do that, either. Oh well. I'm not restarting again. I kind of like the effect, anyway. It's supposed to be a spring plate mat. I'm going to make one for each season. 

Watched the first six episodes of the 1939 Republic serial Zorro's Fighting Legion as I worked. Reed Hadley is Don Diego Vega, who dons his Zorro persona to help his uncle Francisco after he's killed by men working for Don Del Oro. This golden figure appears to be an idol of the Yaqui Native tribe and is inciting them to attack Californians for taking their land. Don Del Oro wants to steal the newly-minted Republic of California's gold, end the Republic, and declare himself emperor. Don Diego takes his uncle's place on the local Council to find out which one of its ruthless members is posing as Don Del Oro, while he and his "Fighting Legion" combat the Natives and Del Oro's men.

This is definitely one of Republic's better western serials. It has the advantage of being their only serial to feature the original Zorro and be set in roughly the same time period as the book. (Their other Zorro serials feature a descendant using the name, or only use the name and not the character.) Hadley's reasonably charming as Vega and virile and dexterous as Zorro. 

Worked on writing around 4. Richard Dawson, now the sheriff of Match County, asks Marshall Gene Rayburn and Mayor Allen Ludden where he might take lodgings. Gene suggests the Newhart Inn boarding house on the other side of town, run by prickly-but-charming Marcia Wallace. He also invites Richard to dinner with him and his wife Helen that night. Richard agrees to take him up on the offer.

Didn't break for a shower until past quarter of 7. Finished the night upstairs with dinner and the original silent Mark of Zorro at Kanopy. Don Diego (Fairbanks) seems like a foppish nobleman, but he's really Zorro, who aids the innocent and abused in early California against the corrupt Govenor Alvarado (George Periolat). He and Alvarado's henchman Captain Juan Ramon (Robert McKim) both attempt to court the lovely but impoverished noblewoman Lolita Pulido (Margurite De La Mote), but she finds Diego to be dull and Juan to be a bully. It takes the governor jailing Lolita's family to finally bring Diego out into the open and let him reveal his true identity once and for all. 

This is the grandparent of every desert swashbuckler from Errol Flynn's westerns to the late 90's-early 2000's Antonio Banderas Zorro films. Fairbanks had such a marvelous time leaping from chandeliers and rescuing the girl, he'd spend the remainder of his career specializing in historical action films. Check out the scene where he takes boastful Sargent Pedro Gonzolez (Noah Beery) and a whole roomful of bar patrons on by himself!

Winter Reasserts Itself

I was so worn out, it was noon when I finally rolled out of bed, and past 1:30 when I had brunch and watched Doc McStuffins. Rescue helicopter Ronda breaks a rotor while getting Stuffy down from the roof of Doc's clinic. Ronda can't resist continuing to rescue her friends, even after Doc's pasted her up, but Doc admonishes her to "Rest Your Rotors, Ronda!" Ronda finally finds a way to help her friends in trouble without flying - by being a good leader. Donnie's eager for his new toy truck Tremaine to win a toy car show in the park. He's upset when Tremaine scrapes his snazzy new paint job. Doc tells Donnie she'll fix him...but it's hard to do that with Tremaine constantly zooming around. Doc reminds him that in order to "Keep On Truckin'," he has to hold still.

Watched F-Troop for an hour or so while I tried and tried and tried again to re-crochet my round place mat and get it to lie flat. "The Phantom Major" (Bernard Fox) wants to teach F-Troop how to capture Natives using subterfuge. Of course, his idea of "subterfuge" is everyone hiding in tree and horse costumes. No one wants to become a Native-hunting troop, least of all Agorn and O'Rourke, whose enterprises are threatened by the major's plans. They all work together to find a way to scare him off.

Agorn overhears O'Rourke talking to the fort veterinarian after he's gone to the vet with complaints about an upset stomach. He thinks they're talking about him dying and writes "Corporal Agorn's Farewell to the Troops," which includes a full confession about his and O'Rourke's activities, and sends it to the inspector general. Once he learns the truth, he and O'Roarke pose as mail bandits to get it back...but the real bandits are after the mail, too.

By that point, I just felt depressed. Nothing's going right. I couldn't get my round to do what it was supposed to do. I can't get myself to do what I'm supposed to do, either. I hurt myself for the second time in three years. I don't want to work in a grocery store or live in an attic forever, and I'm tired of not being able to change. It shouldn't take twenty years to make things better...and the harder I try, the worse things get. I'm so frustrated and angry with myself for not doing better.

I didn't care about my stupid ankle. I was tired of sitting inside. Pulled on the boot and went for a walk to the fried chicken and gyro place a block down the street. Besides, it was too nice to sit inside all day. It was cold, yes, in the upper 30's, but sunny and bright and still. Frankly, it felt more like a typical day in mid-February than it has lately.

Needless to say at 4 PM, they were totally empty. I managed to explain to the gentleman behind the counter I wanted a tilapia sandwich with fries and a Cranberry Canada Dry Ginger Ale. I've never tried their flavored ginger ales before. This one wasn't bad, a little sweet but slightly tart. The fries were hot and crispy and not too salty. The fish sandwich was huge, with a bun that took up half the plate, slightly spicy and totally delicious.

Worked on writing when I got home. I can't figure out this story, either. It's going nowhere. I may either re-write it to make everyone already knowing each other when Richard is "the Ace," or switch to the western story I put off. It's moving way too slow and taking too long to introduce everyone.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Watched Polly while I ate. I go further into this charming TV adaptation of Pollyanna from 1989 with a mostly-black cast at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Musicals On TV - Polly (1989)

Finished the night on YouTube with The Lawrence Welk Show. I couldn't find any shows on Washington's Birthday, and only the Valentine's Day one for Lincoln. Turned to the other holiday next week, Mardi Gras, instead. For some reason, the 1966 show kicks off with "Brotherhood of Man." "I Dreamed' of dressing in costume at the parade, the Lennon Sisters sing wistfully. Bobby Burgess, Arthur Duncan, and Jack Imel are "Together Wherever We Go" in a lively dance routine. A beautifully costumed Norma Zimmer admits "I Could Have Danced All Night." Bobby Burgess and Barbara Boylen show off their stuff to "High Society," while Jo Ann Castle, Myron Floren, and Kenny King have a blast on their accordions with "Clarinet Polka." 

The episode from 1976 had a similar theme and equally lavish and strange costumes. This time, Bobby and Cissy King got their square dance on with their ode to "Big D." Guy and Ralna stay in Dallas to sing about "The Yellow Rose of Texas." Ralna returns later in a tiara and huge fur collar to ask "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?"  Norma Zimmer's ballad in costume here is the theme from Gone With the Wind, "My Own True Love." Arthur Duncan admits he's "Breezin' Along With the Breeze" in his lively solo. The Semonski Sisters get an adorable "Windy," while Anacani in a frilly sequined and striped dance outfit encourages everyone to "Come to the Mardi Gras." Larry Hooper admits to the chorus "That's What I Like About the South." 

Found a "Riverboat Show" from 1980 with a lot of the same songs and a similar deep-south theme. Bobby and his new partner Elaine Nivenson get "Waitin' For the Robert E. Lee" in this episode, here done as a energetic cakewalk. Arthur Duncan does his own solo version a little earlier in the show. Anacani goes really, really deep south with "South of the Border." Country diva Ava Barber's joined by organist Bob Ralston to sing about those "Southern Nights." Kathie Sullivan gets the lovely ballad "Stars Fell on Alabama," while Guy and Ralna croon about that "Moon Over Miami." Ken Delo shows off another side of his talents with his hand puppet "friend" who helps him out with "Down By the Riverside." 

Join the Mardi Gras parade and ride on a riverboat way down south with Lawrence Welk and his champagne partiers!

Mardi Gras Show - 1966

Songs of the South & Mardi Gras - 1976

Riverboat Show - 1980

When the Rains Came

Awoke to a phone call. Karen, the counselor for Abilities Solutions, called to see if I wanted a ride to our appointment today. Rain fell heavily even as we spoke, and the wind howled. It was no day for the bike, no matter what condition my ankle was in. I told her I'd appreciate it, but to give me an extra half-hour for breakfast. 

Watched Doc McStuffins as I got ready. "The New Girl" is Keiko, an action figure Doc's grandmother sent from Japan. She's supposed to do karate kicks, but she can barely stand. She was in the package so long, her legs are weak. Doc teaches her how to stretch and flex to build them. Donnie's crane has no problems when Doc tells him to "Wrap It Up," but he's afraid to take off the bandages (duck tape), and they've gotten dirty. Doc assures him that he'll be fine, and that you have to change bandages over time.

I was almost late getting out the door...and then I walked down the street a block to find Karen. Turned out she misheard the number I gave her. At least the rain had stopped temporarily by that point. She let me out at the Collingswood Library, and I told the lady in charge that we were borrowing the study room.

The trouble with trying to get a writing job is a lot of the proofreading requires taking certification classes. I was really hoping to get out of the Acme soon as possible. Yes, I know I'll be giving up my health insurance, if only temporarily. I just can't stand it anymore. All of these college kids are leaving and getting better homes and jobs. I just wished something jumped out at me or seemed right. I don't know what I want, other than something that's not retail. I'm a writer, but I don't know how to apply that outside of my blogs. I feel completely, utterly worthless. 

I don't know why people say I'm too hard on myself. If anything, I'm not hard ENOUGH on myself, or I'd have a job already. I should push myself harder to look in the right place and find me a decent job that'll make me happy and earn me enough money for a condo of my own. I wish I knew how to give myself a kick in the right direction.

Karen was nice enough to let me drop my library books off quickly, since the Haddon Township Library is only about two or three minutes from the Collingswood Library by car. I slid them into the slot and went back out. I don't know when my ankle will be up for an errand run again. 

Soon as I got home, I made lunch, then ate while watching Match Game '75. A wild episode began with everyone looking for Gene's spare microphone and ended with the introduction of Carol Bartos, a contestant who would go on to win many more matches in the days ahead. 

Worked on crocheting while finishing the All-Star Family Feud set. A 1981 special pit shows set in the country - the good ol' boys of The Dukes of Hazard and Dallas' rich oil drilling family - against the hard-working city-dwelling waitresses of It's a Living and the "movin' on up" Jeffersons. Even the Ewings and their wealth and dysfunction couldn't stop the Jeffersons on a roll. (And the Dukes group represented the later cast with the two "cousins" who came in when the Dukes left the show and were later replaced.) 

The very first special from 1978 pit four of the most popular shows of the time - Three's Company, The Love Boat, Soap, and Eight Is Enough - against each other. John Ritter managed to be adorably goofy, even while playing game shows, as he led his team to victory. Norman Fell returned in 1979 with the cast of his spin-off The Ropers, including a young Jeffery Tambor. They played a far more interesting Dukes of Hazard group that included Tom Wopat and Catherine Bach, the Depression-era family of The Waltons, and the cast of the short-lived sitcom Angie. Anyone who's seen Debralee Scott on Match Game knows she's terrific at game shows. She did so well on her second fast money game, Robert Hayes didn't even need to come out - she got it all in one go. 

Too bad there's still specials missing. It would be nice if they included the entire "Adventure Heroes and Heroines" and "Hollywood Walk of Fame" weeks - they did for the 50's Sitcom Reunion week. Wish they could have convinced Warners to let them use the Batman/Lost In Space episode. As mentioned, the final two "Battle of the Perfect 10s" shows aren't on the set, either. Other specials not included on the set include one that Love Boat crew members as captains with team members made up of actors who had guest-starred on the show and the 8th All Star Special with Benson, Angie, WKRP In Cincinnati, and Dallas. 

Honestly, if you love game shows like me, the sitcoms and shows playing each other, or remember when these were on the air, I still recommend the set for a blast from the past and some great play-along fun. 

Worked on writing around 4:30. Gene's eager to meet Richard and hopes he'll be able to help him lift the ratings. Richard does too...but he also gets the same type of power off Gene that he got off Charles. Here, however, it's a small burst of air from his hand, rather than water...

Broke to make dinner at 5:30, then watched Match Game '74. In the first episode, Gene jokes about sweet contestant Janet Finn wearing a checked vest very similar to his jacket. Patti Deustch and her equally strange comedy writer husband Donald Ross turn up in the second. Patti insists that she has nothing to do with the strange bright floral tie-and-shirt combos her spouse favors. 

Switched to F-Troop as I finished dinner. This spoof of western cliches has Captain Wilton Parameter (Ken Berry) being mistaken for a hero and sent to Fort Courage. This is pretty much the repository for any soldiers the army doesn't want. The Native tribe is friendly - in fact, they hate war. They'd rather make souvenirs for Corporal Agorn (Larry Storch) and O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) to sell illicitly. In the first episode, Parameter shows up as the "Scorge of the West," but when a genuinely nasty Native tribe attacks, it takes his reputation and some excellent shooting from Wrangler Jane (Melody Patterson) to get rid of them. "One of Our Cannons is Missing" because Agorn and O'Rourke lent them to the Native tribe for their Moon Festival...but the moon hasn't risen yet. 

Finished the night on YouTube with Hero at Large, which is free there. Steve Nichols (John Ritter) would do anything to land an acting job. He takes what seems like a routine job when he poses as a superhero in costume to advertise the latest blockbuster. It becomes far more to him when he stops a robber from harming two elderly store-owners. They're so grateful, he decides to become a superhero for real. He even lets the mayor of New York hire him to win over votes for the upcoming election. Trouble is, now everyone thinks he's a fake, something created by the media. It takes an act of real heroism after his girlfriend Jolene (Anne Archer) encourages him to not give up to prove that anyone can be a superhero, if they have a truly heroic heart.

Strange little film lets Ritter go to town, looking ridiculously skinny in a goofy superhero costume. The story doesn't always make a lot of sense, and the moral about how anyone can be a hero is pounded home with all the force of Steve trying to show off. Still, it's an early attempt to show a normal person emulating the superhero life, and is worth checking out once if you're a fan of Ritter or the comedies of the early 80's. 

Angels In the Rain

Got a quick start this morning with breakfast in bed. I debated it and debated it, but finally decided to go into work. I'd only be there for four hours wearing the boot, and other than picking up a few things, had no plans for afterwards. Called for Uber; the driver arrived in 7 minutes and was a cheerful gentleman who chatted with me about my injury and his own years ago.

I'm glad I only worked four hours today. It was a literal and figurative pain in the rear. Even wearing a boot, I had to push carts. And that was with the head bagger there. She kept going in for cashiers' breaks. Good thing we weren't that busy. We were so dead, I spent nearly 40 minutes doing returns before being called up to sweep the store. We're just that short on help, especially managers. Apparently, another manager is leaving, this time because she and her family are moving to South Carolina.

I originally planned on doing my grocery shopping tomorrow, but between my foot and the continuing bad weather, I figured I might as well get it done today. Those yummy "Candy Snaps" red grapes were on sale, and so were blood oranges. Had online coupons for buy one, get one 20 oz Pepsi (went with regular Zero Sugar) and their generic bags of fruit and nut mix. Found one that had combined dried cranberries with heart-healthy walnuts, almonds, and cashews. Grabbed a bag of pre-sliced veggies for a snack. 

By the time I got out, the rain that had been predicted all week had finally arrived. I'd be calling Uber, even if my foot was in good shape. The sweet lady arrived in 6 minutes...but didn't know the area well and turned onto the highway instead, almost taking us into Camden. She said she'd get me home and wouldn't charge me. She did get turned around pretty quickly after that, and was a doll to boot. Whether she charges me or not, I left her a stellar rating and a big tip. 

(We got home right on time. It started raining harder as she drove through Mt. Ephraim, and has poured off and on for the rest of the day.)

When I got in, I ran Doc McStuffins while changing and getting organized. Doc's ballerina doll Bella becomes a "Break Dancer" when she mistimes a leap and breaks her leg. She's upset that she won't be able to dance after Doc puts her in a cast, so the others, including big fan Lambie, find ways to keep her occupied. "Bubble Monkey" makes her initial appearance when she suddenly stops blowing bubbles while Doc, her friend Alma, and Alma's little sister Emmie bat them around. Doc teaches her friends and her toys about the importance of a balanced diet when she finds out just what Alma mistook for bubble solution.

Resumed working on my crocheting project during The Emperor Jones. I go further into this intense-but-troubled 1933 vehicle for charismatic African-American tenor Paul Robeson at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Cult Flops - The Emperor Jones

Switched to writing after the movie ended. Lee leads Richard around at a whirlwind pace, barely allowing him to catch his breath or ask her out again. She finally brings him to the dressing rooms to meet Gene, his co-host. The older man greets Richard warmly and admits that the show needs "a little something." 

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Continued All-Star Family Feud while I ate. This time, it's a soap opera showdown as night-time comedy-dramas Soap and Eight Is Enough go up against popular daytime serials General Hospital and All My Children. Susan Lucci may have ruled daytime, but neither her group nor the Hospital crew (including a young Richard Dean Anderson) could hold a candle to the night shows. Eight once again took home the trophies. Richard seemed especially fond of 11-year-old Adam Rich of Eight, who may have reminded him of his own sons at that age. 

Finished the night after a shower on The Roku Channel with Charlie's Angels. In the two-part second season episode "Angels On Ice," the Angels are called to investigate when two figure skating stars suddenly disappear before the Ice Capades-style revue they star in. Kelly joins as a chorus skater. Kris discovers she's not so great on the ice and becomes a figure-skating clown. Meanwhile, Sabrina and Bosley start to get even more suspicious when other workers at the arena vanish too...and it all points to a bizarre attempt to assassinate visiting Arabian oil merchants. 

At-Home Feud

Got a late start this morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Daniel Gets a Cold," just as his class is preparing to celebrate Prince Wednesday's birthday with strawberry shortcake. He's too sick to stay, no matter how much he wants to. His father assures him that, even if he has to miss the party, rest is still best to fight a cold. Likewise, when "Mom Tiger Gets Sick," her boys make her lunch and finish the invitations she was working on.

Finished the book The Bear and the Nightingale while listening to An Evening With Lerner & Loewe, the LP set I picked up from Phidelity Records a few months ago. This is a collection of songs from the four major projects by the songwriting team at that point, My Fair Lady, Paint Your Wagon, Gigi, and Brigadoon. Fair Lady is probably the best of them. Phil Harris doesn't remotely attempt to sound Cockney, but he's having so much fun with "With a Little Bit of Luck" and "Get Me To the Church On Time," it scarcely matters. Jane Powell's Cockney on "Wouldn't It Be Loverly?" isn't so hot either, but she does do a fine, fiery "Show Me." I also liked Jan Peerce's stunning "On the Street Where You Live." 

Tenor Robert Merrill shares my favorite song from Brigadoon with Powell, "Almost Like Being In Love." Harris' dicey French accent does "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore" and "Thank Heavens for Little Girls" no favors. Powell and Robert Merrill have a disappointingly bland "I Remember It Well"; Merrill does far better on his own with "Gigi" and also gets a powerful "They Call the Wind Mariah." Powell's best solo is "Say a Prayer For Me Tonight." 

Went online for a while, but I couldn't concentrate. I finally broke for dinner at 6:30. Thought I'd try something I hadn't done in ages. Eating on the end table I got from the Manor Avenue apartment has really scratched up the finish. I thought I'd try making smaller place mats for it. The ones I currently have are not only too big for it and meant for a larger table, but they're in storage with the rest of my kitchen items. I tried to make a round place mat for spring with a cotton pastel yarn I have...but first I couldn't find the yarn, then I couldn't figure out how to make it lay flat. It was past dinner when I finally realized you have to chain into the sides, not the top rows. 

Finished the night with All-Star Family Feud. The original Richard Dawson Feud did a series of hour-long prime time specials from 1978 to 1984 featuring celebrities instead of the usual families. They mostly featured actors from popular sitcoms and dramas of the time (or in one case, popular daytime and nighttime soap operas). I finished out Disc 2 with the most unique roster, "Heroes and Villains." Feud had an odd idea of what constituted a hero and a villain. Joan Collins, Leonard Frey, and Henry Silva were certainly known for playing bad, and Paul Smith just came off well-received bad guys in Popeye and Midnight Express...but who in the heck put Marion Ross and Jon Bauman in with the Heroes, the latter in "Bowser" mode? And how did Norman Fell get in with the villains? At any rate, Fry and Collins' group trounced all comers, including the first Hero roster. 

"Battle of the Perfect 10's" placed a man in charge of a group of gorgeous ladies and a woman as the captain of hot guys (or cute kids, in the case of Ricky Schroeder on Debra Sue Moffat's team). Wilt Chamberlain and his beauties went up against Debra Sue Moffat and her boys, while Phyllis Diller led beloved sitcom and soap opera actors against Richard Simmons' former Miss Americas and models. Debra and her gentlemen won the first game hands down; Richard and his models got the second.

Most of the sitcom battles were a tad more generic. Ironically, the show I knew the least about did the best. I don't remember watching Family as a kid. It's one of only two shows listed I never saw, even in re-runs. I don't remember Hawaiian Eye, either. The Family that plays together, wins together. They steamrolled the competition, including the high schoolers and their teachers from Welcome Back Kotter, the crew of The Love Boat, and another big family show, Eight Is Enough. Hawaiian Eye had no luck with the castaways of Gilligan's Island. Dallas was the other major winner...and they had the funniest opening when the cast was seen holding up Larry Hagman before unceremoniously dumping him on the floor! 

(And I'm disappointed they don't include all of the specials, or at least all the ones they can find. The "Beasts Vs Beauties" episode is currently the only one missing. I suspect rights issues may have kept the second half of the Hawaiian Eye/Gilligan's Island show, which pits the casts of Batman and Lost In Space against each other, off the set...but there were two more "Battle of the Perfect 10" specials after that, including one with Betty White and Bert Convy leading teams that are on YouTube.) 

Quiet Afternoon at Home

Overslept and got a quick start this morning with breakfast and What's My Line? I barely listened to it. I had to wolf down my food, change into work clothes, put on my sneakers, pack lunch, and dash out the door. I just made it to work on time.

It was on-and-off steady in the morning, while it remained cloudy and humid. By the time of my break around noon, business fell off so quickly, I spent all but five minutes of my remaining shift shelving boxes of candy bars and putting a full cart of loose items away. No problems coming or going. It was pin-drop quiet when I headed out.

Took the long way home down Nicholson Road. That might not have been a good idea. I passed road work being done on Nicholson, near the car shop. They diverted the cars down a side street, and I ended up having to go around all the equipment on the shop's parking lot. Also ran into a little traffic in Oaklyn that was backed up as a train went by. Not to mention, while it was sunny by 3 PM, it was also hot and sticky, with little breeze.

I was so tired when I got home, I changed, had a snack, and just lay down on the futon to rest and watch game shows. Dancers Bobby Van and Elaine Joyce join hilarious comedian couple Frenchie and Marty Allen and Ronny Cox and his brilliant chemist wife Mary on Tattletales this week. The Coxes ended up being the big winners and were the only ones to get three out of four questions right. 

Press Your Luck got even crazier. Two of the three contestants - including the champ - got hit hard with Whammies in the first round. By the end of the second round, the guy with the least money and no Whammies was taking no chances. He passed his two turns to the lady next to him with the big bucks...and saw her Whammy out. Despite having a little over 2,000, he ended up being the big winner. 

Managed to sneak some writing in after I peeled myself off the futon. Betty mourns the frog, who was seriously injured when an angry Malade the demon threw him against the wall. Patti the mermaid has splashed him with water from the fountain, but to no avail. Brett finally calls out from her perch on Malade the demon's shoulder that she should just kiss the amphibian, already!

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Match Game ended Charlie Brill and Richard Deacon's run with jokes about Gene leaving his pants at Brett's house and an Audience Match that was really a "___ Blank." Match Game PM returned to weekdays with a really cute episode from 1979 that began with a cameo by Gene's beloved wife Helen and ended with a big 20,000 win. 

Settled down on the futon and worked on crocheting while watching Sale of the Century in its new 7:30 time slot. The female champ just keeps on rolling. The man got a little closer, but she bought two of the three Instant Bargains, won all of the Fame Games, and zipped through the Speed Round. Chose the ski package on the Match the Prizes board.

Finished up the night on the Watch TCM app with another lovely "enchanted" romance, The Enchanted Cottage. Plain and shy Laura Pennington (Dorothy McGuire) comes to the cottage, owned by the grumpy old Mrs. Minnett (Mildred Natwick), just prior to the beginning of World War II. The cottage is all that remains of a burned-out nobleman's home. It was once rented to honeymooners, until Mrs. Minnett's husband died before they could be married. While there, Laura meets handsome and charming Oliver Bradford (Robert Young) and his fiancée Beatrice (Hilary Brooke). She thinks she's out of his league...until he returns from World War II battered, scarred, and bitter that Beatrice couldn't handle how he changed. She helps him recover, and he brings out her beautiful and gentle nature. They eventually marry, mainly because they think they're the only ones who can stand how they look...until their time in the Cottage makes them realize that, no matter what anyone else thinks, they're beautiful to each other.

This was such a sweet, charming little romance! Young and McGuire were perfect as the seemingly "ugly" people with beautiful insides that stay hidden, until released by love. Herbert Marshall, himself a disabled veteran in real-life, played off them well as the blind pianist who can "see" the true love they can't, and Natwick was appropriately grumpy and otherworldly as the embittered owner of the cottage. If you're a romantic or love low-key fantasies, you'll want to head to the Cottage and check this one out. 

Lucy and the Cartoon Heroes

Began a sunny morning with a late breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. We get to see Daniel's nightly routine in "Daniel Goes to Sleep." He would rather keep playing at first, until his parents get him settled down with Tigey. "Prince Wednesday Sleeps Over" when Prince Tuesday babysits Daniel and Margaret. As happy as the boys are to be sharing a blanket tent, they have a hard time going to sleep with Margaret crying and all the noise around the house.

Mickey and the Roadster Racers is now known as Mickey's Mixed-Up Adventures. Other than Mickey's house replaces his garage as a gathering spot and they end with an updated version of the Hot Dog Dance, it's pretty much the same as before. The first episode features the entire gang racing or getting involved in other shenanigans, often in different parts of the world. The second short puts the spotlight on Daisy and Minnie as "Happy Helpers" giving their aid to various citizens of Hot Dog Hills.

After Chip and Dale eat Donald's breakfast waffles, the rest of the gang devises "Donald's Fast Food 500," with vehicles themed after their favorite foods and each stop representing Donald's favorite meals. Chip and Dale try to help, but they just can't seem to get anything right with Don, until they take the cake at the end of the party. Minnie's nieces Millie and Melody become "Mini-Helpers" in order to free their aunt up for play time in the park. Dog washing doesn't go as well as they hoped, but even with his hand stuck in a pickle jar, Big Pete manages to inadvertently help out.

Stayed at Disney Now, but moved on to Muppet Babies as I cleaned up from breakfast and crocheted the last tieback for my windows. Kermit becomes "Secret Agent Double-Oh Frog" in order to retrieve his baby banjo from Dr. Nose (Gonzo) and OddFoz (Fozzie). "A Tale of Two Twins" brings Scooter and Skeeter back in. The girls want Skeeter to have a spa day with Skeeter, while the boys ask Scooter to join a tricycle race. Thing is, Scooter would rather be relaxing and working on the girls' computerized spa machines, and Skeeter wants to race with the guys. They switch places in order to be able to participate in the activity they love best.

Went for a walk after the show ended. There weren't many people out and about, other than a girl walking her dog, and it was hardly surprising. It wasn't quite as hot, but it remained mega-humid. The air was too stuffy for most people to be anywhere but in air conditioning. I did stroll down to WaWa for a Lemon Freeze, then walked around the neighborhood behind Kendall Boulevard and next to the school. I'm trying to get an idea of what the houses around here are like. Trouble is...I think most of the homes in this area were built for families. I'm one person. I don't need three rooms, two baths, a dining room, and a huge backyard. I need to find a place where the houses are smaller.

When I got home, I had a quick strawberry-banana smoothie while watching DC Super Hero Girls on the Cartoon Network app. This is the slightly cuter revamp of the series featuring younger versions of many of the major DC superheroes attending high school together.

There were only two episodes unlocked at the moment. #DCSuperHeroBoys Part 1" introduces the Girls - Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Supergirl, Green Lantern, Bumblebee, and magician Zantana - to their male counterparts. The male Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, would rather keep the groups's attempts to find out who's behind the random graffitti popping up on separate paths. Wonder Woman disagrees, especially after she discovers that her crush Steve Trevor leads the boys' group. Harley Quinn and Barbara Gordon are odd friends who are delighted to attend "#GothamCon" together, but neither is aware that the other is a superhero and a villain, even after they fight each other to rescue guest star Robin from certain doom.

Spent the rest of the afternoon crocheting, writing, and watching "Buzzr Loves Lucy." In honor of Ball's birthday earlier in the week, Buzzr put together a five-hour marathon of some of her funniest appearances on game shows. I got a glimpse of the black-and-white version of What's My Line?, including original panelists Dorothy Kilgallen and Bennett Cerf, when Lucy and Desi Arnez made an appearance as the Mystery Guests in 1957.

I've Got a Secret was more-or-less the same deal, only the panelists guessed the contestant's unusual secret, rather than their occupation. As cute as the four sets of twins who appeared in the beginning were, even they were overshadowed by Lucy's attempt to get the panelists mirroring the feelings in her wacky facial expressions. (I believe this episode was from 1961, from the references to Lucy's stage musical vehicle Wildcat that opened on Broadway that year.)

Lucy proved to be a surprisingly adept Password player. She did well in an original Password episode from 1964 where she played alongside her husband Gary Morton and her two equally-smart children Desi Arnaz Jr. (who was merely 11 at that point) and Lucie Arnaz (who was 13). (Incidentally, the adults played for charity. The kids played for their allowances.) She played even better when she helped her contestant through the Alphabetics round against Dick Martin in Password Plus in 1980.

The show I most looked forward to seeing was Body Language, which I watched while eating pan-fried potatoes and sauteed Italian squash and tomatoes with my chicken leg for dinner. Not only was physical comedy Ball's stock in trade, she was up against fellow ham Charles Nelson Reilly. Needless to say, this was by far the funniest of the episodes seen today. Though Ball was in her 70's by 1984, she was still as spry and funny as ever, doing a Rockettes kickline and a monkey, among others.

Lucy didn't seen to enjoy the all-star Super Password episodes from a year later quite as much. Though she was working with Dick Martin again and was joined by Betty White and loopy Carol Channing, other than a few quips, she seemed more bored than animated. Maybe she was just angry that Betty White made the bonus round this time.

Got some writing in between shows. Charles and the frog are looking for Betty when a blast of heat slams Charles into the wall. He looks up dazedly to see a black shoe with onyx trim...and its owner Malade, who has Brett and the frog in her clutches...

Finished out the night on YouTube with Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure. I go further into this bizarre live action-animated hybrid at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Animation Celebration Saturday - Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure

Stormy Weather

Began a sunny, hazy morning with breakfast and Blockbusters. The teacher finally met her match in that brother pair. They beat her in the regular round, but only managed two questions in the Gold Rush bonus round. They'd just started playing a young woman when the show ended.

Switched to Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood as I cleaned up from breakfast. Everyone in class tells O "You are Special" when he tries to imitate what the other kids can do. Daniel Sr. reminds his son that "Daniel Is Special" while they're on a walk together.

Went online after the cartoon ended. Now that my arm is almost healed and I'm as settled into my new apartment as I'm going to be for the moment, I need to start looking for online gigs again. More to the point, I need to find the courage and figure out how to write proposals and get online writing gigs. I'm just so nervous! I can write fiction and essay, but when it comes to really talking about myself, I can't do it.

Broke for lunch at 1:30. Went to the Roku Channel for the original My Little Pony while I ate. It's snowing all over Ponyland in the middle of summer! The ponies enjoy it, but they start saying "Baby, It's Cold Outside" when they realize that the cold isn't just fun to play in - it's freezing over the Sea Ponies' home and is damaging plants. They travel through a twisty maze to a remote ice kingdom whose penguin ruler uses his magic to make the planet fit for only those who live in the snow.

Went out for a walk around 2. While the sun was shining and the heat wasn't anywhere near the levels it hit a few weeks ago, it remained killer humid. Between that and my current lack of funds, I limited my trip to a stop at Dollar General. They got more of the 2-dollar sugar, and their eggs are a dollar. Grabbed them both, and treated myself to my favorite pecan roll.

Went into Muppet Babies at the Disney Now app while putting everything away. "Animal Gets the Sneezies," but refuses to see a doctor. The other kids try to prove that doctors aren't so scary. Kermit's little nephew Robin plays "Library Leapfrog" with the girls when they accidentally take his video game. He and the boys follow them through several library books to get it back...and show Robin how much fun reading can be.

Spent the next hour or so after that working on a project. I had extra pieces of yarn leftover from my (uneven) pillow case, so I used them to crochet tie back chains for the windows on the back wall. They looked so nice, I decided to make more for all the curtains in the apartment.

For the second day in a row, "dyn-o-mite" Jimmie Walker and his lady Samantha were the big winners on Tattletales. The contestants on Press Your Luck weren't quiet as ear-challenging as yesterday's bunch! A young man badly wanted a trip to Australia; a woman wanted to see Hawaii. In the end, she got her vacation and the win.

Worked on writing for a while. Charles finds Betty's frog friend leaping over trolls and letting them fall into each other. He's all for finding Betty and getting control of the mess in the ballroom. Charles agrees. He's getting cold, and he still can't find Brett...

Checked my schedule while I was online. In good news, afternoon-early evening work straight through (except for Saturday morning) and good hours. In bad news...they put me on cashiering again. I know they likely did it to spare my arm, but I HATE cashiering! I don't care how nice people say I am or how well-balanced my till is. I've told them a million times I am absolutely no good at dealing with people! They make me nervous. I don't know what to say to them or how to handle them.

Clouds began gathering as I hurried home from Dollar General. By 6:30, it was pouring pitchforks, darker than midnight, and thundering louder than the Press Your Luck winners. It was cool enough for me to julienne eggplant, zucchini, and a carrot, sprinkle it with vegetable grilled seasoning and Parmesan cheese, and have Parmesan veggie fries with my leftover poached chicken leg.

The rain made a spooky background to Match Game on Buzzr. Richard showed off the blue carnation on his lapel a few people in the audience gave him while the demolitions expert finished his game. (Brett later got a very pretty orange carnation.) There was a new champion on Sale of the Century. She bought no instant bargains, was ahead the whole game, blew everyone away at the speed round, and won the bonus round money with 2 seconds to spare.

Did some reorganizing before I took my shower. Moved my work clothes to the shelf in the bathroom. If it's going to be there, I might as well do something with it. The brown curtain from the other house and the old tablecloth were switched to the top shelf of the bathroom closet. The yarn bags were moved to the shelf my work clothes were on, and the smallest and lightest bin of American Girl clothing went on the top shelf of my bedroom closet.

Finished the night after my shower at the library site Kanopy with Blancanieves. This unique Spanish film is a silent, black-and-white retelling of Snow White. Snow White is the neglected daughter of a former bullfighter in 1920's Spain. The wicked stepmother is a vain and spoiled flapper who only cares about herself, her affairs, and her rich lifestyle, and the seven dwarfs are six little bullfighters and their mother who take Carmen in. Carmen's father taught her bullfighting, and she becomes one of the greatest bullfighters in Spain. Her stepmother, however, is still determined to get rid of her...even if she has to use a poisoned apple to do it...

Bizarre yet breathtaking, this is one of the most unusual versions of a fairy tale I've ever seen. I kind of wish it didn't spend so much time on Snow White's childhood before she becomes a bullfighter, and the end is really a little too bizarre, but it's worth checking out if you love silent cinema, unusual fairy-tale retellings, or Spanish films.

Adventures In the Rain

I didn't sleep well this morning. Thunder, lighting, and a massive downpour jolted me out of my slumber around 7:30. I dozed for another hour, then finally gave up and read in bed.

Supermarket Sweep ended as I came in for breakfast. Alas, the ladies just missed the 5,000 when they couldn't find the last clue. One of the ladies on Split Second did better, just pulling ahead in the Countdown round in a close race. She opted to return when she didn't turn the board for the car over in the bonus round. 

The teacher keeps rolling on Blockbusters. She beat the brother-sister pair and only missed one question on the Gold Rush bonus round. She was playing a pair of look-alike brothers when the show ended.

Took my laundry down to the basement, then returned to my apartment to activate TCM on my Roku box. One of the movies they had listed was the 1953 MGM musical Small Town Girl. I go further into this city mouse-country mouse story featuring Jane Powell, Farley Granger, and Ann Miller at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Cult Flops - Small Town Girl

(The TCM app on the Roku kept buffering throughout the movie. It would work just fine on my laptop later, so either there were remnants of the storm, or the TCM app has problems with my old Roku box.)

Since the rain once again cooled things off, I made a Honey Oatmeal Cake between putting the laundry in the washer and dryer. It's one of the simplest cake recipes out there, with everything being mixed in the pan you cook the oatmeal in. I forget where I found this one. I think it might have been stuck in a book at a thrift shop. It always comes out moist and just sweet enough, and is perfect for when you want a cake quickly and with a minimum of fuss. 

Switched to Cobra Woman on the TV Time Action app while having lunch and doing the dishes. I needed to turn up the heat, and this Universal 40's pot boiler more than filled the bill. I've read about the exotic B movies of Maria Montez and Jon Hall, but I never saw one until today. South Seas islander Ramu (Hall) and his goofy friend Kado (Sabu) goes after Ramu's lover Tollea (Montez) when she's kidnapped and taken to a remote island. Turns out Tollea has a ruthless twin sister named Naja (Montez) who is the ruler of the island, practicing human sacrifice with her greedy chancellor Martok (Edgar Barrier). The twins' mother (Mary Nash) reveals that Tollea is the true queen, and she brought her there to revolt against her evil sibling. Ramu and Kado will have to dodge Naja's affections and Martok's whip if they want to escape the island and help Tollea regain her rightful throne.

Pure hokum, but unbelievably fun. No wonder these movies were big money-makers for Universal in the mid-late 40's. The dialogue is terrible and no one can act, but the special effects are darn good for the time (especially when the sisters are together in the climax), and there's enough action to keep even modern action-lovers entertained. 

Activated Disney Now to get the second-season episodes of the Disney Junior Muppet Babies while bringing in the laundry. Skeeter and Scooter are reintroduced in "Win a Twin." Scooter is disappointed when his sister goes off to do something without him. Kermit puts on a game show to help Scooter find the perfect replacement for her. Skeeter leaves her glasses off to look more heroic in "Skeeter and the Super Girls." She joins Captain Icecube (Summer) and Super Fabulous (Piggy) as Top Speed, the lightning-fast heroine...but she keeps running into trash cans. She learns how important it is to see straight when The Meanzo (Gonzo) kidnaps her friends and the guard at the cookie vault (Scooter).

Switched to Tattletales as I finally hung the Jaq/Gus storyboard print and my grandfather's artwork in the living room, on either side of the smaller window. We had three young couples today, two of whom were never on the show before. Jimmie Walker and his lady Samantha were the big winners, with him coming off a tad less annoying than he tends to in Match Game. 

Peter Tomarken may have had to check his ears after dealing with extra-loud contestants on today's Press Your Luck. The blonde woman was soft-spoken but prone to high-pitched squealing during the Big Board rounds. One of the guys may have screamed hard enough to drown out even the Whammies. In the end, he out-screamed her and the other man to win tons of money and a trip to Ireland.

Worked on writing for a while after Luck ended. Ira tries to cozy up to Betty, but she orders him arrested for turning against her and staying with Malade. While Bobby and Elaine have fun with throwing pies, Charles tries to round up the others. Malade could be there any minute! So will their secret weapon, says Betty. Gene especially knows that more help is on its way...

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had poached chicken legs with mashed garden-fresh potatoes and the last of the Chinese green beans and tomatoes while watching Match Game. This one ended with everyone joking about a contestant who says he runs a construction business and is a "home wrecker." Sale of the Century returned to the regular game with adult contestants. The woman champ dominated, picking up a trip to Aruba. She missed the bonus round money by a few seconds, though. 

Finished the night online with The Flame and the Arrow at TCM's on-demand app. Dardo (Burt Lancaster), a skilled peasant archer, is determined to rescue his young son Rudi (Gordon Gebert) after the boy is taken away by his mother Francesca (Lynn Baggett) and her current lover, Count Ulrich, aka "The Hawk." He, his mute friend Piccolo (Nick Cravat), and his friends turn outlaw. He tries to rescue his son, but they end up kidnapping the lovely and feisty Lady Anne (Virginia Mayo) instead. Ulrich threatens to hang Dardo's uncle Papa Bartoli (Frances Pierlot) if he doesn't return Anne. He thinks he's able to hang Dardo...but the rebel has more than one trick up his acrobatic sleeve!

I've seen Lancaster's second swashbuckler The Crimson Pirate many times, but never the first one until today. I like that he's a father rescuing his son, instead of a sweetheart or a flat-out rebel. It's rare you encounter devoted single fathers in swashbucklers, and it makes the story a little more meaningful. Mayo and Robert Douglas are having a great time as the damsel in distress and the slimy Marchese who joins the outlaws, only to betray them in the end. If you love robust action stories or The Crimson Pirate, you'll want to give this one a look, too. 

The Heart of Oaklyn

Began the morning with breakfast and Blockbusters. That young woman from last week played a brother-sister team...and neither seemed to want to give an inch. She won the first round, but the second was so even, they were barely half-way through when the episode ended.

Watched Gumby shorts on one of the Roku public domain cartoon apps as I did the dishes. He creates a "Robot Rumpus" when the robots he created to do his outside chores get out of control and start destroying the yard. "Toy Crazy" has him and Pokey roaming around the toy shop, choosing a gift for his birthday. Gumby is "Too Loo" when he's looking for the instrument where a pair of musical notes came from. Pokey thinks that's a "Haunted Hot Dog" in the spooky old house. Turns out it's really Nopey, Gumby's dog, who stole hot dogs from a vendor. Prickles indulges in "Wistful Thinking" when he's so hoping for his birthday wish to come true, he refuses to leave his house. He finally builds a "Turnip Trap" to make his wish come true, but inadvertently traps his friends in it. Gumby and Pokey have to escape stereotypical hostile Indians in "Indian Country."

Switched to Match Game shows from 1976 while relaxing and working on my crocheted pillow case. The first episode featured jokes about what an absent-minded Marshall Dillon did to Miss Kitty and had Scoey Mitchilll finally match the contestant. In the second, Richard pulled an April Fool's Day joke on Gene.

Had lunch while watching Classic Concentration. The woman champion kicked rear end today. Neither the charming old grandfather with 15 grandkids, nor the intense middle-aged man could touch her. She won a ton of prizes and finally got the car on her third go. Another younger man and woman were working on the rebus in the second episode when I shut it off.

Got caught up reading journals and didn't get out for a walk until past 2:30. At that point, it remained a glorious, windy, sunny summer's afternoon. While it was humid, it also wasn't as hot as it has been recently, probably in the upper 80's. Surprisingly, there were only a few people out and about, mainly a few kids playing or adults working in gardens.

Dollar General wasn't terribly busy. Who wants to go shopping on a lovely summer day? Unfortunately, they didn't have any yogurt besides the kind that comes with candy in a plastic cup on top...or any dairy products at all. The only things I saw in the coolers were drinks, gallons of milk, slices of yellow American food cheese, and frozen pizza. The other food shelves were better-stocked; was able to buy Natural Jiff peanut butter (least salt of any major brand) and honey, along with Powerade and my favorite pecan log.

Clouds built up on the horizon as I strolled home. By the time I put on Tattletales and started crocheting again, it was so dark, I needed the light on in the living room. The big winners on Tattletales today were goofy Gary Burghoff and his sweet and smart then-wife Janet, over the far longer-married Amanda Blake and her animal-taming husband Frank and Gene Rayburn and his sensible wife Helen.

The ladies dominated on Press Your Luck today. While the one young man did get the most spins on the second round, he kept getting hit with whammies. The winner hit no Whammies and picked up a sail board, a nice pots and pans set, and a vacation.

Worked on writing after that. Ira, having been dislodged from the ceiling, gathers Charles, Fannie, and the others and is about to send his trolls after then when the doors burst open. Betty and her frog friend arrive with all the servants in the castle. Armed with pans and kitchen and garden implements, they're ready to defend the Legendary Princesses against their abusive ruler. Among them is Helen Rayburn, who was reduced to kitchen work and has been searching for her missing husband.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had leftover chicken cutlets with pasta and Chinese beans and garden-fresh tomatoes sauteed in olive oil while watching a 1977 Match Game episode. Richard caught Charles eating on the set and reported it to Gene. Later, Charles said something so funny, even normally laid-back Scoey laughed hard.

I was sipping a blueberry milkshake and watching Sale of the Century when I finally noticed it had begun to pour cats and dogs and thunder noisily. They continued their Varsity Week with girl swimmers and track stars and a football player. The kids were all neck-and-neck for most of the game, but the boy bought both Instant Bargains and the Instant Cash and just pulled ahead in the speed round. He made up for not finding the Instant Cash by breezing through the bonus round.

The rain slowed down long enough for me to rush the recycling out to the street. I don't think it's been seen since about 7:30, but it's still pretty dark out there. We're really supposed to get hit with the tropical storm tomorrow, when it sounds like it'll rain all day.

Finished the night online after a shower. Charlie's Angels make "The Vegas Connection" during the first season when they discover that a rich executive's wife who is being blackmailed used to work at a casino in Vegas. The manager claimed he had a show girl job for her, but it ended up being prostitution...and he did it to other women, too. Kelly poses as another show girl looking for a job, Jill as a gambler, Bosley as a high roller, and Sabrina as an accountant to get the goods on the sleazy man, before he suckers in any other desperate women.

Was delighted to find Rick Steves' Europe on Hulu. I figured the only place you'd see it would be PBS. Did one of his most recent episodes on "The Heart of England." He mainly explores college towns Cambridge and Oxford and the exclusive and famous universities that have been there for centuries. (If the buildings at Oxford look familiar, some of them were used for interior shots of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.) Ironbridge Grange is named for the old metal span built during the Industrial Revolution. A living museum there teaches people how workers lived in English industrial towns during the 1890's.

Summertime Harvest

Began a bright, sunny morning with breakfast and most of Split Second. I came in as the second round was beginning. By the time of the Countdown Round. the dishes were in the sink, and I was ready to head out and run errands.

Started off at the Collingswood Farm Market. This is the first time I've been able to get here in at least three weeks. I've been too busy moving to run out to Collingswood every Saturday. I didn't have much money, but I wanted to buy at least a few things. Cherries and spinach are gone, replaced by abundant tomatoes, potatoes, yellow apples, and melons. Picked up a yellow squash, a zucchini, and a small cantaloupe on my first round before heading off.

Willa originally gave me the check for the interest on the security deposit - all $2.17 of it - back in March, but I didn't have the chance to cash it before the virus hit. I didn't realize that some ATM machines could cash checks. Strolled to the PNC a few blocks from the farm market in Collingswood, fed it into the machine, got 2 dollars (the 17 went into my account), and was on my way.

As I was walking across the parking lot where the farm market is, I spied a flash of green on the blacktop. To my surprise, someone dropped a 10 dollar bill. There was no one around me, and it was so late by then, most officials were starting to clear out. It could have been lost at any time since they opened at 8 AM. I added Chinese green beans, small golden apples, and blueberries to my shopping bag.

Made a quick stop at WaWa next for a much-needed drink. They were the busiest I'd seen them since last Christmas. I got my Frozen Lemonade and Apple Pie Kit Kat as quickly as I possibly could, trying to dodge the crowds around the coffee machines (they're having a dollar sale on coffee) and in the lines.

Opted to sip my lemonade at Knight Park and listen to kids play baseball and softball in the fields after I left WaWa. It felt great, after all the insanity of the last few months, to just sit at a bench, drink a frozen lemonade, and listen to children play ball while the few parents allowed to attend cheered them on. For the first time in weeks, it was really summer.

Newton Lake Park was absolutely gorgeous today, too. Though it was humid, it was much cooler, in the upper 80's, and breezy. The sunlight glistened over the bottle-green lake, and colorful purple and yellow wildflowers and tall green trees with leaves big as dinner plates waved over the slightly dry grass. No wonder there were almost as many people strolling or biking on the paths there today.

Stopped briefly at CVS on my way home to get more drinks. Everyone must have been at the shore or socially-distanced summer activities like the farm market, because they were dead. I had no problems picking up a couple of bottles of sparkling water.

Jodie was watering the tomato plants growing in boxes on the porch when I got in. I was able to give her my first rent for this apartment, then put everything away while watching Match Game. In the first one from 1974, Jimmy Walker of Good Times joined Gene, the regulars, goofy blonde Joyce Bulifant, and sarcastic blonde Loretta Swit. Caught two from 1977 I saw earlier in the week, including the one where several jokes are made about Orson Bean's bushman-like beard.

Had a quick lunch while switching to Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Daniel's Fish Dies" was something I needed to see right now. Daniel is devastated when he discovers his favorite blue fish not moving on the bottom of the aquarium. His parents encourage him to discuss his grief with them, draw a picture of his pet, and laugh with his little sister to make him feel better. "Daniel's Strawberry Seeds" have also died. He and Katarina are upset that they won't have fruit for Queen Sarah's fruit salad. Mrs. Tiger gets them to plant more strawberry seeds, then reminds them that there's other fruit that will work just as well in a salad.

Molly of Denali is feeling a little more cheerful. She and her friend Tooey find his old book on Balto, the famous sled dog who helped take a desperately needed shipment of medicine from Nenara to Nome, Alaska in 1925. Molly insists that there should be a statue of Balto in Alaska and convinces her Aunt Midge to get a friend to build one, then gets her father and her guy friend Tooey to take her and the statue there by dog sled despite a huge blizzard. Molly and her friends on the local basketball team get into a "Snow Jam" when they're running a snowshoe race to earn money for a trip to a basketball tournament and have to figure out how to run and dribble basketballs on snow. Good thing Grandpa Nat taught Molly about the different types of snow in Alaska.

The last major thing I have to do to get this place organized is hang pictures and other items that go on walls. Rose gave me a set of Velcro strips yesterday that are supposed to allow things to stay on the walls without damaging the walls. I originally hung my heavy college TV station plaque over my desk, but it fell off and put a few dings in the walls. Moved it to a lower spot next to my desk after wiping the wall down with rubbing alcohol. That seems to have worked better. It hasn't fallen since.

Ran The Cat In the Hat Knows A Lot About That on the Roku Channel while I worked. Sally and Nick need "Night Lights" to make shadow puppets after their flashlight goes out. The Cat takes the kids to meet the fireflies in their own yards and learn how they communicate by flashing their lights. The kids are saying "Go Snails Go!" when they learn about snail shells and how they're used.

Started another batch of Coconut-Lemon No-Bake Cookies while watching Pinkalicious. Pink and her buddies go on a "Treasure Hunt" with a very particular pink pirate who wants his special treasure. She and her friend Lila try to "Cheer Up Archie," Lila's pet fish, who seems unusually listless. A trip to the aquarium to visit friends perks him up, but Lila misses him too much for him to want to stay.

Finished out the cookies while watching Arthur. I haven't checked out the regular episodes of this since I got out of college. Everyone in Elwood City seeks "Shelter from the Storm" when the town is hit by a massive hurricane. Arthur and his family ride it out just fine, but he's concerned about people who lost their pets in the flood. Muffy and her parents end up in a shelter when their mansion is flooded, where she makes friends with another girl who had been there longer. Arthur's neighbor Ladonna is upset that her Army engineer father may be too busy handling flooding to come home for her birthday. Poor Brain prepares and prepares for the storm, only for his family's ice cream parlor to be destroyed by a falling tree. He's so terrified of another tree coming down on him, he has to see a therapist (Idina Menzel) to help him get over his fear.

Did some writing for a while after Arthur ended. Richard manages to fight his way to Fannie and reveal that he has her crystal slipper. She appreciates getting it back, but there's no romantic feelings when he slides it on her foot. She understands that they both have other people they're interested in now...but she does appreciate his friendship.

Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Ran two episodes of the 2003 Strawberry Shortcake on the Roku Channel while having leftovers for dinner and making Cucumber-Grape Salad. Strawberry says "Everybody Dance" when she and her friends take dancing lessons. The teacher is really Sour Grapes, who is trying to distract them long enough for the Purple Pie Man to pilfer their berry crop...but she becomes too fond of her students to let her brother swindle them.

"Let's Dance" has Strawberry and the girls putting on a big ice dancing show for their friends. Newcomer Apricot brags about her skating prowess and her carpentry abilities, but Custard and Pupcake suspect she's not as skilled as she claims. Strawberry is more willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, and eventually reminds her that she doesn't have to impress anyone to be a good friend.

Finished the night online with Teen Beach 2. I go further into the sequel to Teen Beach Movie at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Musicals On TV - Teen Beach 2

Hot Times On Manor Avenue

Kicked off a clear, sunny morning with breakfast and Split Second. The ladies came close, but in the end, that young gentleman with the glasses got a decisive win in the Countdown Round. He missed the car right off the bat, though, and opted to return tomorrow.

Blockbusters pitted a young college student against a former vaudevillian and his daughter-in-law. It was a close match with hexagons lit up all over the board, but in the end, the young man won. It took him longer, but he did manage to get the Gold Rush round, too. He was just starting to play a father and son-in-law team when the show ended.

Went into writing after that. The group separates after Ira's trolls go after them. Charles returns to the alcove where he hid Brett to find her gone. While searching for her, he catches sight of Fannie on the balcony...kissing a woman. She says she was looking for her Princess Charming, not her prince. That's why she kept resisting Richard. Charles gently says he understands.

Broke for a quick lunch at 1:30 while watching Classic Concentration. Two new contestants figured out rebuses today. The young woman just won three prizes and solved the puzzle surprisingly fast as I finished eating.

I had a problem getting to and from Manor Avenue. Oaklyn's been repairing the street for at least three weeks now. They just laid new blacktop on the road in front of the apartment this morning. I darted across, hoping that it would hold and not get all over me. (A tiny bit got stuck in my shoe. Otherwise, yes, it held.)

Finished up what I could in the apartment. Recycling goes out today, so I dragged the remaining bins, boxes, and bags into the living room and went through them, then took the boxes downstairs. The only things left in the back room are the clothes rack that'll go in the trash, the older air conditioner I can't move on my own, and the box the other air conditioner goes in. Managed to move the bed well enough on my own to vacuum under it. Tried to scrub the mildew from around the faucet in the kitchen, but that just doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

Discovered two big problems as I finished with the vacuum. First of all, the drying carpet in the kitchen smells badly of mildew. I opened as many windows as I could to air it out, but it doesn't seem to do a lot. Second, I forgot there's a big hole in the wood paneled wall in the back room. It's been there for ages, and I know I didn't make it. I need to corral Charlie to fix it, before his mother sees it.

At the very least, the weather was pleasant. While it's still in the 90's, the humidity vanished in the night, leaving cool breezes and much drier (and slightly more tolerable) heat. It was actually kind of nice walking home. Took the slightly longer way down Manheim to avoid the just-ending road repairs.

I was so tired, as soon as I got home, I put away the one coffee table book on musicals I opted to keep, took out the recycling here, grabbed leftovers for dinner, and settled down on the futon for an hour and a half with Italian casserole, crocheting, and Buzzr. The first Match Game episode brought in Don Adams and Mitzi McCall for one of the funniest weeks of 1974...and questions as to whether "necking" matches "kissing."

The 6 PM episodes jumped ahead to 1977 as a contestant announced her twin was in the audience. For some reason, the episode after that was skipped (don't know why - it's on YouTube), and they went right into towering-yet-boyish Peter Isackson pointing out his mother in the audience.

Sale of the Century celebrated "True Romance" tonight with three single contestants who brought interesting stories and prizes themed around love, from a Florida spa trip for two to a bright red car. Two women were neck-and-neck all day, with the guy not far behind. In the end, one of the women won in the speed round by one question...but she didn't have much luck in the bonus round.

(Four episodes from this theme turned up the weekend before Valentine's Day as part of Buzzr's "Love Is On the Air" marathon. I hope they show the full two weeks this time. We never did get to see who won the car.)

Finished the night online after a much-needed shower with Shipwrecked at Disney Plus. Haakon (Stian Smestad) is a Norwegian farm boy who signs on as a cabin boy after his sailor father is injured. His family friend and shipmate Jens (Trond Peter Stamso Munch) helps him learn the ropes, so to speak, and earn the respect of the captain and crew alike. The trouble starts after ship leaven in London, when they pick up British officer Howell (Gabriel Byrne) to help them avoid pirates. Turns out Howell is a pirate, and he poisons the captain in order to take over the ship and bring his own men aboard.

He's about to punish Haakon for helping the young stowaway Mary (Louisa Milwood-Haigh) when a storm wrecks the ship and leaves the boy stranded on a tropical island. Thankfully for Haakon, the island is teaming with fresh fruit, debris from the ruined ship, and even old chests of pirate weapons. He and his friends end up having to rescue the other sailors from Howell and his band of notorious pirates, who are hoping to retrieve the treasure they buried on the island.

This ran on the Disney Channel a lot in the early 90's. As a lover of pirate stories and swashbucklers, I always wanted to see it, but never quite got around to it then. I'm glad Disney Plus has it. Based after a popular Norwegian children's novel, it's the enjoyable story of one young man who goes from bullied farm kid to confident sailor and survivor. There is a very brief sequence that involves Haakon trying to "save" Jens and Mary from natives, but they're friendly and not really played for menace.

In the end, if you or your kids are fans of pirate tales, survival stories like Swiss Family Robinson, or historical coming-of-age novels, you'll get a big kick out of this one.

Independence From Perfection

Started off a hazy and hot morning with blueberry pancakes for breakfast and Buzzr. Today was Buzzr's "Red, White, and Bloopers" marathon. Every episode they ran today had some kind of glitch or gaffe. As I mentioned back in May, Match Game had more than its fair share, from a jammed turntable in 1977 that went the wrong way to the "magic toaster" that held Gene's questions forever sliding out of his reach. The nighttime syndicated shows could get even wilder. An episode in 1980 had cue card writer Roger Dobkowitz spell "parachute" wrong, then ended with Dick Martin chasing after Elaine Joyce in her slinky red dress.

Spent most of the day packing. I found plastic utensils I bought at Dollar Tree years ago; put them out and dropped the metal ones in the largest box Rose gave me yesterday, along with other kitchen supplies I won't need. The metal coffee can I kept my colored sugar and gel tints in was rusty and dirty. I cleared out any sugars that were almost empty and moved all my cake decorating supplies to a large plastic container. Loaded canned goods into a crate after I managed to yank the crate out from under the bed. (It was holding up the broken part of my bed frame. I arranged the one holding the other part of my bed frame so it could hold both.)

Made a blackberry smoothie during Match Game PM, then relaxed and worked on crocheting while watching Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour. This episode had one of the craziest glitches I ever saw on a game show. The Match Game segment was pretty normal. As soon as Hollywood Squares started, things went haywire. People teased Brian Stokes Mitchell about his giant flower and plant boutonniere, even giving him a giant plant in a pot. About half-way through the game, the X and O board stopped working. They made the panelists cross their arms or raise them over their heads in an "O" shape. Jay Leno in particular vociferously protested this, whining that he'd call his lawyer.

Worked on writing for a little while after the show ended. I was really tired from all the excitement yesterday and didn't do a whole lot. The frog is able to slide under the door out of the passageway and make sure there's no guards around. They find themselves back in the hall just outside the ballroom. Betty wants to confront Malade. The frog wants a kiss, but she brushes him off again. Charles is more concerned about finding a way to restore Brett's energy and magic.

Broke for leftovers at 6. Bert Convy was a genial host on Super Password, but he also had the habit of blurting out answers. He did it at least twice in 1985, including one episode where he got them so mixed up with his "party" answer, they didn't know where they were.

After dinner, I grabbed another box and loaded up the DVD holders and two of the boxes that fit, along with the film canister tin that stands on display with them. Moved sweaters out of a clear vinyl bag originally used for pillowcases and added most of the remaining folders and accordion holders I won't need in for the next few weeks. The sweaters went into my turquoise soft-sided suitcase, along with three smaller hangers.

Watched Family Feud as I packed the DVDs. I loved the late 80's-early 90's Ray Combs show as a kid, but I had no idea Richard Dawson hosted an earlier version until I got into Match Game. And I thought some of the contestants on Match Game had weird answers. One of the women in the Fast Money bonus round answered "Name the month of pregnancy when you first start to show." The lady said "September," rather than "first or second or third" or whatever. (Fourth was the most popular answer, by the way.) Richard literally fell over laughing. Her sister came out a few minutes later as Richard recovered...and set him off again when she answered "cuckoo" for a loud bird. It took him so long to recover, he insisted that the lady answer all the questions even though she ran out of time.

The second episode was almost as bad. It must have taken the families ten minutes to give the first answer for "Name a woman in history who was liberated long before Women's Lib." Richard, who for all his lady killer tendencies was a big advocate of women's rights, was especially annoyed. He was visibly relieved when someone finally blurted "Joan of Arc." They still only got two answers, though.

Finished the night with a couple more shows before the Match Game syndicated premieres on YouTube. Patty Duke showed off her Oscar-winning acting skills with her uncommon ability to get puzzles right on the first clue on Password Plus. Poor Debralee Scott didn't get nearly that lucky. She blurted out the final password on the end of an Alphabetics bonus round the lady was otherwise winning. Debralee was so upset, she got up and briefly hid behind the set before Allen Ludden coxed her back.

The Christmas episode of the 1978 Card Sharks had a Hispanic contestant who did very well, blasting through two women challenges despite problems with the board. The problem in Let's Make a Deal was less glitches and more the dealers weren't that great. Almost no one won anything, including at least two turning down cars.

The Heat Is On

Started off the morning with breakfast and Split Second. Though the female champ was behind before the Countdown Round, she came from behind at the last minute and got her answers first. She ended up taking a Paris vacation instead of the car. The mother/daughter pair just keeps rolling on Blockbusters. The first woman they played fared better than the second, winning her first round, but they still pulled through; the girl only missed one question on the Gold Rush bonus round.

Watched some of The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour before heading out around 11:30.  I didn't really have much laundry, but I wanted to get it done today before people start thinking about the holiday. I picked the right time to come. There was one other person when I got in. The humidity and heat may have scared some folks off, too. I still went down to Family Dollar to buy new dry erase markers and a journal, then sat outside in the shade and worked on story notes.

Folded laundry when I got home, then had lunch and did a few things around the apartment. Packed up all of the remaining pots and pans but the frying pans and cookie sheets I'll likely use in the next few weeks. Put some more soft items in bags, including the lumberjack-check flannel blanket from the chair in the music area.

Watched Stage Door Canteen while I worked. I go further into this World War II salute to the popular hang-out for sailors at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Stage Door Canteen

By the time Tattletales was on, I'd switched to working on my crocheted pillowcase.  Happily married dancers Bobby Van and Elaine Joyce came from behind to be the big winners today, much to the delight of the banana (yellow) section! Press Your Luck got a new champ when a sweet old lady just kept hitting big money amounts during the second half, along with a Hong Kong vacation, and only encountered one Whammy.

Worked on writing for the next few hours. Brett is about to kiss her husband Jack (Klugman) who has been turned into a statue when an old lady appears, carrying sweet red apples on her arm. Brett and Charles realize that there's something wrong with (and familiar about) this woman the moment they see her. She throws fire at Charles, chasing him up a tree, and finally forces Brett to eat the apple. The second she swallows a piece, she falls to the ground, drained of her magic and even older than she already is. Charles watches in horror as Malade gloats over the fallen woman...but the wicked queen has even worse plans for her...

Broke dinner at 6:30. Had leftovers while watching Match Game. With George having been defeated by a sweet young woman in the previous episode, the panelists now have to deal with her challenger, a rather humorless older man who didn't really seem to understand most of the questions. The woman champ on Sale of the Century had a harder time today with a man and another lady, but still blasted through the speed round, won a pearl necklace, and won money on the bonus round.

Finished the night with Charlie's Angels. The Roku Channel now features seasons 1, 4, and 5. I went with another episode from season 1 before that vanishes, "Bulls-Eye." After a WAC is killed during basic training, Jill and Kelly join the Army and Sabrina becomes a nurse to root out the culprit. While Jill and Kelly are stuck being ordered around by a nasty drill sergeant, Sabrina has her own questions about the doctor on duty (Robert Pine).

To Cherry Hill and Back Again

Began a cloudy, blah day with breakfast and Blockbusters. That grandmother and her granddaughter barely let the first guy get on the board. The grandmother didn't miss a single hexagon on the Gold Rush bonus round, winning in record time. They were having a slightly harder time with a mother when the show ended.

Spent the next hour or so baking. My dark chocolate cake mix became Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies with the addition of butter, chocolate chips, and an egg. I think I put too much butter in. They spread a lot and were kind of soft, though they tasted pretty good.

Watched One Crazy Summer while baking, and later as I went through the rest of my records. Hoops McCain (John Cusack) is talked into spending the summer in Nantucket with his best friend George (Joel Murphy) and his protective little sister and their grandmother (Billie Bird). Hoops falls for gorgeous and tough Cassandra (Demi Moore), whom they rescue from bikers on their way to the island. Cassandra is trying to make money to buy her grandfather's home from wealthy restaurant owner Aquilla Beckersted (Mark Metcalf) and his spoiled son Teddy (Matt Mulhern). He lies and tells her he's good at basketball, which only leads to trouble when he has to go up against Teddy and his abs. He and his friends do help advertise her band gig, but it does no good when the Beckersteads buy the house outright. Hoops and his friends have to enter the local regatta - and help Hoops overcome his fear of boats - to beat these rich jerks at their own game.

This another old favorite that turned up on cable all the time when I was a kid. The quirky cast (including Bobcat Goldthwait and Tom Villard as a pair of unalike twins and Curtis Armstrong as the sensitive son of a military nut) and oddball antics give this a slightly wackier feel than most 80's "snobs-vs-slobs" comedies. If you're a fan of director "Savage" Steve Holland's other movies, the cast, or other 80's summer comedies, you'll want to check this out.

Switched briefly to Match Game and Classic Concentration while having a quick yogurt and berry lunch. On Match Game, Richard found Brett's lost earring in the opening. Later, everyone teased Allen Ludden about his weird answer earlier in the week and admired the beautiful long hair on an Indonesian contestant. The contestants on Classic Concentration were neck and neck in prizes for most of the game, until the woman got a Take and snatched the piano from the man, then got the last couple of prizes and the puzzle. She didn't get close in matching cars on the bonus round, though.

Contacted Uber shortly after Classic Concentration started. They picked me up quickly, and there was no traffic on the road...but the old man who drove me must have gotten confused and dropped me at the Crown Plaza Hotel next-door to Cooper! Oh well. It's a super-short walk, and his early arrival meant I had plenty of time to get there.

My appointment was possibly the fastest visit to the doctor I've ever had. The technician fetched me less than five minutes after I checked in. Dr. Ramerez arrived about five or so minutes after he left. The verdict was pretty much the same as last time. I'm to continue exercising it at home and wearing a sling when I'm out. He spent more time signing papers for work than checking my arm. I'll be returning for my next appointment July 1st. If' it's not quite ready by then, I may need another week or two off. The whole trip took a little over an hour, including both Uber rides.

As soon as I got home, I put the papers inside, then went back out. I wanted to get at least a little bit of a walk in today. So did everyone else. Despite the dull gray clouds and chilly wind, I saw lots of people walking their dogs or pushing strollers. Kids walked together or gathered on their bikes. Passed by one diverse and chatty group of boys on bikes as I headed home down Manor Avenue.

Had a snack and worked on crocheting while Tattletales and Press Your Luck were on. All of the couples on Tattletales this week know each other too well, including two of my favorites from Match Game, Patti Deustch and Donald Ross. The show ended in the second three-way tie in a row. This wasn't the case on Press Your Luck. The champ managed to only hit the Whammy once and came out with a trip to the Bahamas.

Went on the computer and did some writing for a while. In an attempt to streamline the ball sequence, I cut out a lot and went straight to Malade confronting Gene. Yes, she was the one who lured him into the forest and turned him into a tree, having transformed herself into a different beauty. He dodges her fire and uses his magic to fling her into the wall before they head off to find Fannie and free the others.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Marcia Wallace, who almost never matches the contestant on Match Game, missed only one question today. Meanwhile, we had a new winner, a funny older man who seemed to have a bit of a crush on Brett. The champ just barely made it through on Sale of the Century, winning the speed round despite having bought an Instant Bargain (he said he lived with five guys, and they definitely needed a trash compactor). I thought he was going to take the entertainment center, but he opted to come back and try for larger prizes.

Went online and watched the original 1965 That Darn Cat! on Disney Plus. Patti Randall (Hailey Mills) is a normal teen girl who lives with her older sister Ingrid (Dorothy Provine) and a Siamese cat, named DC (for Darn Cat). At night, DC prowls the neighborhood, frequently causing trouble. One evening, he returns from one such outing wearing a gold watch with the letters "HEL" etched on the back. Patti is convinced that the watch came from a teller who was kidnapped by bank robbers. She convinces Zeke Kelso (Dean Jones), a handsome young FBI agent, to take her case. He sets up headquarters in Ingrid's room, to her dismay, and sends agents all over the neighborhood to follow DC and see where he goes. When that just scares the cat off, Patti convinces Zeke to follow DC himself, despite his being allergic to cats. Meanwhile, Patti has to hold off her dimwitted surfer boyfriend Canoe (Tom Lowell), Ingrid's fending off the affections of dull Gregory Benson (Roddy McDowell), and their elderly neighbors (Elsa Lanchester and William Demarest) are spying on the whole business.

This is another older Disney film I used to watch a lot on The Disney Channel when I was a kid. Rose liked it better than me then, but that may have been because I didn't understand the mystery. Nowadays, I still think Canoe is an idiot (Patti can do so much better) and some details (like Canoe's obsession with surfer movies) haven't dated well, but for the most part, this is a pretty cute way to spend two hours. A great cast helps, including Frank Gorshin and Neville Brand as the thieves and Ed Wynn in one of his last roles as the jeweler who helps Patti convince the FBI that there's more to the watch than they think. If you love comic mysteries, the cast, cats, or comedies from this era, you'll want to go on the prowl to find this one.

Finished the night with the current version of Muppet Babies, also at Disney Plus. Bunsen and Beaker make their first appearance on the show in "Bunsen Knows All." Bunsen may be incredibly smart for his age, but he doesn't know where rubber chickens come from. When he tells Fozzie they come from trees, it leads to the kids all trying to grow a rubber tree to get a chicken from. "Doctor Fozzie" is quickly overwhelmed with patients when the other Muppets decide they'd rather have ice cream than help him out. They finally have to take care of him when he collapses from exhaustion.

Organizing In the Late Spring

Started off another gorgeous day with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Daniel Takes His Time" when he and Grandpere make raisin bread at home and choose the ingredients at the store. He wants to rush everything, but his grandfather knows if you take the time, you can do things right. "Sometimes It's Good to Go Slow," like when the kids are on a school nature walk. Miss Elania keeps running past everything and misses the butterfly she wanted badly to see.

Switched to The Cat In the Hat Knows a Lot About That after breakfast. Nick and Sally don't want to leave their tree house and wonder what it would be like to live in a tree. The Cat shows that "Tree's Company" when he takes the kids to the jungle to see how a tree frog, a boa constrictor, and Capuchin monkey live in a tree without falling out. In "Now You See Me," Sally's trying to hide from Nick with little success. The Cat and a gecko teach her ways to camouflage herself and make it harder for someone to find her.

Tried something slightly different during Cat In the Hat. I had one pack of yeast left in the refrigerator, and I wanted to get rid of it before it expired. Thought I'd try making a simple round loaf of Finnish Bread I saw in my 70's bread recipe. Unfortunately, I wasn't reading it right and put the yeast in the hot water instead of the warm! Oh well. I kept making it anyway and finally put it in the bathroom to rise.

Mom suggested yesterday that I should buy CD books to reduce the space my DVDs take in my new, smaller apartment. It was a good idea. I have books that I keep the home-made DVDs that I burned when I had a DVD recorder. Trouble is, those books are also big, heavy, and clunky. Lauren sent me a pile of extra-slim DVD and CD cases a while back when I was making DVDs. I didn't really use most of them, but maybe it was time to change that. (I've packed too many of the CDs to change their cases now. I'll deal with them after I move.)

Ran Charlie's Angels on the Roku Channel as I moved the comedy DVDs into slim or jewel cases. Kris is thrilled to take the "Angels on Vacation" to the small town in Arizona where her uncle lives during the third season. Things take a darker turn when no one in town, including Kris' aunt the mayor (Jeanette Nolan), will welcome them. When they discover that Kris' uncle the Sheriff and the women in the town are being held hostage in an attempt to release a gangster from prison, the girls and Kris' aunt leap into action to rescue them.

Moved to Doc McStuffins next. I'd seen "Awesome Guy's Awesome Arm!" before, but it's another one that seems appropriate now. Having pulled tired muscles quite a few times, I know how Doc's resident superhero feels when he's told he has to rest his damaged arm before he can use it again. He has to find another way to save Lambie's home from the Wicked King. Lambie is a "Lamb In a Jam" when she gets covered with jelly and can't go to school with Doc. Worse, she gets jam on Stuffy and he can't go, either. Hallie has to think of ways to keep the disappointed duo occupied after they're cleaned.

Pulled out the bread dough as the cartoon wound down. It still hadn't risen. Oh well. I kneaded it again and put it in the oven to rise again.

Had lunch while watching a darker episode of The Golden Girls. "The Break-In" during the first season upsets Dorothy when she realizes her fur stole is gone and has Blanche ready to tar and feather the criminals for stealing her mother's jewels. None of the women are more frightened than poor Rose, who stays up every night with a gun and waits for intruders to come. Even seeing a psychiatrist doesn't help (though it does improve Blanche's love life). It takes an encounter in a parking garage for Rose to realize that she's better at taking care of herself than she thinks.

Headed out for a quick walk after the show ended. It was another absolutely glorious day, sunny and breezy and clear, if a little bit warmer than yesterday. I strolled around the park and up to the train bridge, stopping to take in breathtaking views of the creek and the surrounding homes and boat docks. Two teens in socks and jeans sat on the edge of the bridge and enjoyed the stunning afternoon, and I couldn't blame them. This is the way we want the world to stop, not with panic, but with peace on a perfect late spring.

When I got in, I finally just tried baking the bread. The outside came out perfectly, just crusty enough, but the insides were too dense and chewy. Daniel and his friends aren't the only ones who learned a lesson about rushing today! I should have been more careful with the yeast. At least it still tasted pretty decent spread with melting butter.

Continued with the DVDs and kept an eye on the bread while watching Tattletales. Today, the clear winners were laid-back Orson Bean and his snarky wife Carolyn. None of the others got close to them.

Worked on writing for a while after the show ended. Overwhelmed by the crowds (and feeling jealous when Malade dances with Richard), Charles rushes outside to get some air. To his surprised, he's joined by the queen's most intelligent lady-in-waiting, who also claimed she wanted to get some air...but she also says she's looking for someone...

Broke for a quick dinner at 6, then to finish organizing the DVDs. Gary Burhgoff finished off his run on Match Game with episodes that had him giving the top answer to "___ Duck" and Gene collapsing after running down the stairs. In the second episode, Richard got to imitate his character Corporal Newkirk in response to a Hogan's Heroes question, and he and Betty had a little too much fun with each other towards the end!

I'd moved on to crocheting by the time of Sale of the Century. The champ bought two more Instant Bargains...but this time, his spending spree backfired on him. The game was tight for most of the episode, with no one really being very far ahead...until the other man, a drama teacher, blasted through the speed round. He too opted to return tomorrow when they change the prizes and try for something else.

Finished off the night after a shower with two more TV episodes. The Roku Channel currently has the third and fourth seasons of Hart to Hart. Jonathan Hart moonlights as a trumpet player with a jazz band, but he and Jennifer to "Deep In the Hart of Dixieland" when the group's pianist is accused of murdering the beautiful heiress who just broke up with him. Jon swears his friend didn't commit the crime and starts digging around with Jennifer...only to find that the deceased woman's disturbed secretary may be at the real heart of the crime.

Roku also has the first three seasons of I Dream of Jeannie. Went with the third season finale, "Haven't I Seen Me Someplace Before?" Jeannie gives her master Tony's buddy Roger one wish for his birthday. He wishes that he could go on a big mission in place of Tony...which somehow results in the two of them switching bodies. Jeannie has to get the two together and have Roger wish them back, before Major Bellows convinces Colonel Peterson that they're all crazy!