Christmastime Is Here

Began the morning with breakfast and The Bears Who Saved Christmas. When their family is stranded in a cabin on Christmas Eve, adventurous teddy bear Holly (Mary Kay Bergman) and her brother Christopher (Charlie Adler) take it on themselves to find a tree and make their owners' holiday a little merrier. They're helped by a flashlight that's afraid of the dark (Henry Gibson), a compass with no sense of direction (Johnathan Winters), and a kindly mother beaver (B.J Ward) and her son. 

Hurried off to work after that. I was only alone for the first hour. One of the college boys came in at 10 and took over the sweeping...and then another one arrived at 11 and did the sweeping. I was outside the whole time. At least it was a lot busier today than it was on Monday! People surprisingly had some pretty big orders. I figured most folks would just be grabbing milk and wrapping paper. Even with two other boys helping, we had to work hard to keep up with the carts. 

At least the weather was right for it. It was sunny, bright blue, and very windy, probably blowing 20 miles an hour. The temperatures were in the lower 40's, chilly, but not overly so for this time of year. 

Soon as I finished, I cut across Oaklyn to WaWa. Wanted to make use of those gift cards I got from the kids and get a treat for lunch. I got a roast beef hoagie, a soft pretzel, a peppermint cookies and cream smoothie, and a bag of potato chips. Normally, I'm not a chips fan, but I couldn't resist a bag of mozzarella sticks and marinara-flavored. That's not something I've ever seen before. I did have trouble ringing up the gift cards in the self-checkout machine. Good thing one of the women working at the cash register is a friend of mine and was able to help. 

Went straight home after that. Changed, then watched Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales while I ate lunch. This series of skits was originally made to be filler in an hour slot with A Charlie Brown Christmas, but it does have some entertaining material in its own right. Love Sally writing to "Samantha Claus," her method of getting a Christmas tree when she can't cut it down, and Snoopy's troubles as a sidewalk Santa.

Pulled out the old Christmas photos after I ate. The oldest of these go back to my very first Christmas in 1979, when Bruce and Mom were still together. I'm wearing the cutest yellow Mickey and Minnie Mouse pajamas! I can see toys I'd have for years in the background, including one I still have, TJ the Dakin teddy bear. TJ is currently sitting with the smaller Beanie Baby and Meowchi stuffies on the shelf over the hardback novels. 

There's photos from later in the 80's, too. I can see my second typewriter, the gray and white plastic one that actually typed (my first was a white and orange Tomy Typer), next to me as I open Battle Cat in 1984. There's a Polaroid shot in 1989 of me holding Candi, the porcelain doll Mom gave me that year. I still have Candi, too. Her gold ringlets are messy from many brushings. Her pink ribbon is faded and has rust spots, and her white dress is yellowed and dirty, but she's one of only three porcelain dolls I've kept over the years.

The focus in the 90's and 2000's shifts to Keefe and to Rose's parties with her friends. I should show the kids in the after-school program the photo of Keefe proudly holding out the packs of Pokemon cards I got him. I'm pretty sure that picture was from around 98-99. I'll bet most of the little kids have no idea they go that far back. Keefe's always loved to build, even when he was little. He was so thrilled with the K-Nex sets Mom gave him and the Bionicles Lego sets he got from me. 

Watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation as I sorted through the pictures. All Clark Griswauld (Chevy Chase) wants is a good old-fashioned family Christmas, with tons of presents under a huge tree and all of his family surrounding him. As often happens with Clark, what he imagines and what actually happens are two entirely different matters. The two sets of grandparents he invites over don't get along. The thousands of lights on his house short the neighborhood power grid. His yuppie neighbors Todd (Nicholas Guest) and Margo (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) are ready to strangle him for the mess his antics keep making in their home. Mid-way through, Clark's cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) and his family turn up in their rattletrap RV and cause even more chaos. In the end, as the tree burns and the SWAT team comes through the windows, Clark finally realizes that we can't make Christmas perfect...but we can make it memorable.

This is an old family favorite of mine that we all watched throughout the 90's. Mae Questal and William Hickey steal the last half-hour or so as dear, senile old Aunt Bethany and her exasperated husband Uncle Lewis. Brian Doyle-Murphy has a lot of fun as Clark's obnoxious boss, too. Scatological and sexual humor makes this for teens just starting their own Christmas breaks and adults who have probably been through almost everything Clark does here at one time or another.

Switched to working on The WENN Nutcracker Suite next. With everyone on the train, Betty has the chance to ask the Nutcracker about Pirlipat. She calls him Scott at first, but he still claims that isn't his name. She gently tells him that she'd never abandon him, no matter how many mistakes he made or how ugly he was.

Watched A Disney Channel Christmas as I worked. Mom taped this blend of two earlier Disney TV specials, "From All of Us to All Of You" and "Disney's Christmas Gift," in 1988, and I've watched it almost every year since. The first half is "From All of Us," with Jiminy Cricket introducing segments from winter or Christmas-related shorts like "Pluto's Christmas Tree," "The Art of Skiing," "Donald's Snow Fight," and the gorgeous "Once Upon a Wintertime." The second half showcases segments from Disney films that depict parties, gift-giving, winter, or magic, the Donald Duck short "The Clock Watcher," the two Santa Claus Silly Symphonies, and the lovely black and white Mickey short "Mickey's Good Deed." It ends with the Past segment from Mickey's Christmas Carol, which was so new when this first debuted, Jiminy says it's "now in theaters."

Moved to the Looney Tunes for Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales. Unlike the Halloween special, this one is all-new material. The first short is a take on A Christmas Carol, with Bugs as Nephew Fred, Yosemite Sam as Scrooge, and Porky as Bob Cratchit. The second takes Wil E. Coyote and Road Runner's usual antics into snow-covered mountains as the Coyote chases his quarry on skates. The third has the Tasmanian Devil invading Bugs' house dressed as Santa and how Bugs gets rid of him.

Next up was Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus from 1974. This charming retelling of the most famous editorial letter in newspaper history has Jim Backus as the voice of Francis Church, the editor who wrote the letter, and the story's narrator. The style screams "Bill Melendez" and basically looks like Victorian Peanuts with actual speaking adults thrown into the mix. 

Put on The Bishop's Wife during dinner. Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) prays for guidance in building his huge new cathedral. He can't secure the funding from fussy Mrs. Agnes Hamilton (Gladys Cooper), who insists on making it a monument to her late husband. He's working so hard, he neglects his lovely wife Julia (Loretta Young) and his daughter Debbie (Karolyn Grimes) and ignores old friends like the Professor (Monty Wooley). Henry gets quite a shock when Dudley (Cary Grant), an impossibly suave angel, turns up claiming he's the answer to Henry's prayer. Henry doesn't think so when Dudley proceeds to take his place with Julia, and she falls for him. The Professor reminds Henry that he has one big advantage over Dudley. He's human, and Dudley is not.

The cast is simply luminous in this charming tale. Young is so patient and lovely, you can understand why a bishop and angel almost came to blows over her. Grant's debonair angel is a lot of fun, too - check out his quick method of decorating Christmas trees! Highly recommended during the holidays if you're a fan of the trio or looking for a quieter holiday movie.

Finished the night with a couple of specials. I went further into The Small One and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog in 2022 and 2019 respectively.

The Small One

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Raggedy Ann and Andy In the Great Santa Claus Caper has Chuck Jones' fingerprints all over it. The antagonist is a very smart Wil E. Coyote-like wolf. This fellow isn't content to chase road runners. He creates an unbreakable substance he calls "Gloopstick" that he intends to cover Santa's toys with, so the children will have to buy toys from him. When Raggedy Andy is one of the wolf's victims, Ann and Andy avoid the claws on his machine and shows the wolf that their love is stronger than any Gloopstick.

Here's even more classic Christmas specials to watch before Christmas dinner tomorrow!

The Wish That Changed Christmas

The Night Before Christmas (1968)

The Smurfs' Christmas

The Spirit of Christmas 

The Christmas Tree

A Cranberry Christmas

'Twas the Day Before Christmas (A Chucklewood Christmas)

Fleischer Brothers Classics: Christmas Comes But Once a Year

Woody Woodpecker - The 12 Lies of Christmas

The Nutcracker (Russia 1974)

For Better Or for Worse: The Bestest Present

Ziggy's Gift

Olive the Other Reindeer

The Teddy Bears' Christmas

A Wish For Wings That Work

The Adventures of Candy Claus

And as Jiminy Cricket said earlier, from all of us to all of you, have a very merry Christmas, and the happiest of holiday seasons! 

Sunny Day Games

Began the morning with breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Daniel and Margaret Visit the Farm" with their parents. Daniel's nervous about horseback riding for the first time, but his father walks with him until he's ok. His little sister Margaret is equally scared when she feeds the ducks for the first time, prompting her brother to hold her hand. She's scared of the "Fireflies and Fireworks" at the beach, too. Dan holds her hand until she's used to the fireflies, but the fireworks are too noisy for both of them. Their parents stay with them while they watch. 

Headed out to run errands after the cartoon ended. It was such a beautiful day, I thought I'd walk to Collingswood. It was too nice to rush! It remains slightly humid, but nothing to the degree of yesterday. The heat was now a far more normal for early July lower 80's, the sun was out, the sky was a perfect clear blue, and the wind felt wonderful. Those big green leaves at Newton Lake Park made wonderful shade as I passed by sparkling green water.

First stop of the day was PNC Bank to get money. There was already one person using the outside ATM, and as it was 12:30, I thought it might get busier. I went inside and used the ATM there instead. There was no line, and I was in and out.

There isn't a whole lot open in Collingswood on a Monday, but I did get to peek around Occasionette. The gift shop now has pizza cookbooks, colorful marble chopping blocks, and Collingswood and Philadelphia-themed gift items out. They're fun to look at, but expensive to buy, so I browsed and moved on.

Stopped at a very busy GrooveGround Coffee Shop for a much-needed drink. They had fruit-flavored iced tea for summer advertised on a sandwich board outside. I tried their watermelon green iced tea and a blueberry scone. Oh yum. The iced tea was wonderful, cool and tart without being too sweet. The scone was likewise a little crumbly and not too sweet, either. It was even dusted with flour on the bottom. They do carry a limited assortment of records, but I saw nothing interesting, and they were already so busy with people chatting and working on laptops that I moved on after I finished.

Innergroove isn't open on Mondays, but Collingswood Music is. I waited for a minute while the owner talked to someone before he opened the doors. Took almost an hour browsing, but I finally came up with these records:

The Beatles - Rubber Soul 

Spike Jones - The Best of Spike Jones

The Ralph Sutton Quartet - Jazz at the Olympics (More specifically, the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics, as all of the songs are winter-themed.) 

The Who - Face Dances

Soundtrack from La Bamba

Went across the street to WaWa to get something to drink for the walk home. Tried their Green Pineapple smoothie. Yum! Green tea, pineapple, and mango. Sweet, but very refreshing.

Speaking of the Olympics, I had lunch while watching Laff-a-Lympics. They started off in "India" with a tiger hunt that went spectacularly off the rails. Shaggy was too chicken to help Captain Caveman look for anything scarier than a cold, while Daisy Mayhem's attempt to pose as a tiger for the Dalton Brothers just ended with them not getting anything. Snooper and Blabber ended up being the winners by default. The Great Fondoo did manage to get his magic working well enough to win the elephant race, though. Speed Buggy naturally trounced the competition at sand sailing in "Israel," while Yogi had the least trouble keeping his boat together in the Reed race, winning the whole show for his team. 

Took the laundry downstairs, then did some job searching and added records to that inventory. Tried looking at some record organizing apps, but in the end, I just returned to making a list. One of the reasons I'm doing this is to figure out when I bought some of these. In addition to still having many of the 65 records Bruce gave me from his first wife Kaye's collection in 2006, I've been buying records from yard sales, thrift shops, and the many music and media stores in Philadelphia and South Jersey ever since. Some of my CDs go back to when I got my first player in high school, around 1995-1996. 

Listened to records while I worked. Rubber Soul was the only Beatles album I didn't have in one form or another. I didn't realize until I got home that this was the US Capitol version, which is missing several tracks. I have the missing tracks elsewhere anyway, and it's still hard to argue with some of the Beatles' best songs, including "Think For Yourself," "Michelle," and "In My Life." 

My love of Motown dates to the Saturday nights I spent listening to the oldies show on my local rock station in the 80's and early 90's. I would tie a ribbon around my waist and another around my head and pretend I was in the 60's or early 70's, when the songs by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and Martha and the Vandellas were new. Probably the two most famous Vandellas songs on their Greatest Hits album are "Love Is Like a Heat Wave" and "Dancing In the Street." Favorites on the Miracles' Greatest Hits Vol. 2 include "Going To a Go-Go," "The Tracks of My Tears," "I Second That Emotion," and "More Love." 

Finally broke for dinner and Match Game Syndicated at 7:30. Marcia Wallace began the episode by insisting Gene spray her dress to keep it from clinging to her. Brett, Charles, and David Doyle were more than happy to toss out quips about what that dress had to cling to.

Finished the night on YouTube after I finally remembered to bring the laundry upstairs with episodes of my all-time favorite game shows. I've watched game shows for as long as I can remember. Mom loves them too and would often watch them with us when we were little. She told me she watched the original Password and Jeopardy with her grandparents in the 60's and 70's. That's very likely how the revived Jeopardy and nighttime Wheel of Fortune became an after-dinner ritual for my family in the late 80's and early 90's. We'd even make a game out of guessing the Pennsylvania Lottery numbers on Channel 6 before Jeopardy started. We very likely saw the episodes listed here when they first ran.

I resumed watching Fortune and Jeopardy when I was in college, alternating the latter with the late 90's Hollywood Squares during commercials. Whoopi Goldberg led a who's who of wacky comedians, TV personalities, character actors, and comedy writers through delightfully goofy bluffs. Tom Bergeron played off her so well, it was disappointing when she finally left. This episode from 1999 is in honor of Martin Mull, the musician, host, and comedian who passed away over the weekend.

Name That Tune was another show I watched in syndication, in this case on USA Network. I've always loved music, so this one was right up my alley. It was a lot of fun to watch contestants try to guess the Golden Medley and dare each other to name that tune in one note! Loved watching Press Your Luck - and all of those wacky Whammies - on USA too. 

In the late 80's and early 90's, the Ray Combs Family Feud and The Price Is Right were virtually synonymous with each other. They ran one after the other on CBS, and I never missed them when I was home sick or on a summer day when it was too rainy for the beach. I'm pretty sure I watched the syndicated Feud before dinner, too. The two shows were among those that helped me through a very rough time in my life. The episodes I have here are emblematic of the ones I watched and enjoyed as a child, with the Price episode being especially funny. (Check out the huge guy lifting Bob Barker in the air!) 

Though I'm most familiar with the syndicated $100,000 Pyramid, I know I watched The New $25,000 Pyramid on CBS in the early-mid 80's, too. It was fun to watch the celebrities help their contestants guess a subject! Richard Kline nearly beats Billy Crystal's still-existing Winner's Circle record here. 

Of course, I also watched game shows made for kids. We saw one favorite of mine, Double Dare, last week. Fun House was another. Kind of the same deal as Double Dare, with no daring and a race on wacky vehicles before the big bonus stunt course. I actually preferred the run through the Fun House to the difficult Double Dare Obstacle Course. All but the very slowest kids were guaranteed to come out with at least one cool prize or a lot of cash, as they do here. 

Even now, I'm still running across shows I either don't remember well, or never heard of before the last few years. I very vaguely remember seeing the syndicated Match Game in the early 80's. I certainly don't remember it being the funniest, craziest, most delightful game show I'd ever seen in my life. Mom says she watched Password Plus and Super Password when we were really little, but I don't remember Plus at all, and once again only vaguely recall Super. And I definitely don't remember how challenging and fun to play along with they are!

Play along and revive a few memories of your own with some of my all-time favorite games! (And I enjoyed this so much, I will definitely be doing another all-time favorites marathon later in the summer.) 

Match Game (1976)

The New $25,000 Pyramid (1983)

The $100,000 Name That Tune (1984) 

Super Password (1985)

Jeopardy (1986)

Press Your Luck (1986)

The Price Is Right (1988)

Wheel of Fortune (1988)

Fun House (1989)

Family Feud (1991)

Hollywood Squares (1999)

Games and Memories

Got a quick start this morning with breakfast and Paw Patrol. "Pups Save a Talent Show" when Mayor Goodway calls them to take part in Adventure Bay's big revue. Marshall is too shy to sing with the band they form, but Rubble is ready for his close-up. Marshall may have to sing whether he likes it or not when Rocky and Rubble are called to a mission and may not be back in time for the show. The crew is helping Farmer Al create a corn maze when Al's cow knocks over the barbecue for the corn roast. "Pups Save a Corn Roast" when they douse the hot coals before they set the cobs on fire...but then have to figure out what to do with the resulting popcorn.

Went straight into writing after I ate. Joyce is wondering why there's a Wizard in charge instead of the usual queens and princesses and such found in fantasy kingdoms. Boq explains that they did have a Queen Bretta who worked with the Wizard after his sudden arrival...but she was captured by the Warlock of the East and his army. Her advisor and the head of her own army vanished with her. 

Listened to The Mummy Case while I worked. I wanted to do an Amelia and Emerson story with a young Ramses in it after Barbara Rosenblatt's voice for him in Curse of the Pharaohs was surprisingly endearing. (No matter what Amelia thought.) This is also an important book in another respect - it introduces "The Master Criminal," the head of the stolen antiquities trade in Egypt (and later England) who becomes Amelia's archenemy. Even later in the series, he became something of a Han Solo-type anti-hero, but here, he's a flat-out bad guy, capable of throwing the Emersons into the bottom of a pyramid filling with water.

Broke to have a quick lunch at quarter after 12, then hurried out to work. I wish I hadn't. Work was a pain in the rear for a lot of the day. I was the only cashier besides express, and there were long lines. Another person had to put back a big chunk of a large order and hold up the line, and my break was more than a half-hour late. I was so happy when it died enough by 7 for me to get out just in time.

Hurried home after that. Took the laundry downstairs when I got in. Went straight into dinner and Match Game '77 after that, and then into more game shows on YouTube. Game shows were at an impasse by 1980. Family Feud and The Price Is Right were the only daytime shows on ABC and CBS respectively. NBC was doing better, with Wheel of Fortune still chugging along and Password Plus and the two-on-one trivia show Blockbusters pulling in respectable ratings. Fortune was the only one that lasted past 1982. (Blockbusters would do better in England, where the two-on-one contestants were teenagers and it was played as a trivia show for kids.) 

The situation improved slightly in syndication, where game shows still provided a lot of daytime filler. Play the Percentages was one of the many shows fighting it out for the Prime Time Access slot at 7:30, when the networks had to cede time to syndicated producers. Play started out as sort of a number-based Family Feud, with two married couples having to estimate the percentage of 300 people answering a survey. I suspect the original format I have here may have been too cumbersome. Two months in, it was switched to two players answering less complicated percentage-based questions before ending all together in September.

The undisputed king of syndicated game shows in the late 70's and early 80's was another trivia show, Tic Tac Dough. Like Percentages, it would draw an even bigger audience when it was re-run on the USA Network in the mid-80's. I loved watching Wink Martindale ask the contestants tough questions and them battle it out on a tic-tac-toe board. The bonus round had them guessing which monitors held money and which had the words "Tic" and "Tac" to get a prize package...and of course, avoid that scary roaring dragon!

The success of Wheel of Fortune on syndication in 1983, followed by Jeopardy! the next year, reinvigorated game shows on the networks, too. CBS finally found a hit to match Price Is Right with Press Your Luck. Three contestants answer questions and earn spins on the huge board. If they can avoid the annoying animated Whammy, they'll win big bucks or lots of prizes. This is another one I enjoyed on USA, where it proved to be even more popular than it was in its network showing. 

By 1986, newly-emerged cable channels began to get in on the games, too. Kids' network Nickelodeon had its first hit right out of the gate with Double Dare in 1986. Two teams dare each other to answer questions. If they opt to take a Physical Challenge, they have to do a messy stunt. The winners go on to the Obstacle Course, a free-for-all through a series of sloppy challenges to win increasingly large prizes. This was Nick's first of many big game shows. My sisters and I loved it, especially since early episodes like the one I have here were filmed right in Philadelphia and often featured kids from South Jersey.

Password returned after a two-year absence with Super Password. Exactly the same deal as Password Plus, with Bert Convy hosting and a mini-game added between rounds that gave contestants three tries to guess an especially difficult word. This ran even longer than Plus, almost on a par with the original show. 

Paired with Super Password on NBC was Sale of the Century. The original version of Sale was based around the Australian format, including the non-bonus round that had people deciding if they wanted to take today's prize or keep playing for a bigger one, the Fame Game board with celebrity faces on it, and no speed round. Jim Perry was the personable host from the beginning, but he went through a rotating assortment of hostesses early-on. We get a rare glimpse of slightly ditzy blonde Sally Julian on the first episode, who didn't even last two months here.

Wordplay didn't have as much luck on NBC, even following Super Password. Too bad. I wish it had done better. I think this word game that has contestants trying to guess which celebrity is giving the correct description of an unusual word is hilarious. Tom Kennedy is having a great time hosting, too - it would be his last network show. 

The revivals of Card Sharks and Family Feud debuted during an especially difficult time in my life. I escaped from my troubles with bullying at school, my parents' often violent fights at home, and my body changing too rapidly in ways I wasn't prepared for with books and TV. I inherited my mother's love of game shows. I used to watch USA's re-runs and Canadian shows all afternoon when I was home, and I caught Sharks, Feud, and Price whenever I could. Ray Combs and his wacky families made me laugh, while Bob Barker and his pricing games challenged my mind, and watching Bob Eubanks and the contestants hope to turn up a joker - and a car - thrilled my heart. 

Here's hoping you have as many fond memories of these shows as I do! (Look for commercials from their original or Game Show Network runs on many of them. Card Sharks has an introduction from Charles Nelson Reilly with a lot of bad shark puns from GSN's 1999 New Year's Eve final episode marathon.)

Play the Percentages (1980)

Tic Tac Dough (1981)

Blockbusters (1982)

Sale of the Century Premiere (1983)

Press Your Luck (1984)

Super Password (1985)

Double Dare (1986)

Wordplay (1987)

Family Feud (1988)

Card Sharks Finale (1989)

And I do remember 9-11, all too well. I was just beginning my last semester at college and had finished my American History 1917-2001 class. Headed to the library, took out two books, and went downstairs to the basement for my job as a receptionist at the school's media center. 

One of the older secretaries met me at the door. "They bombed the World Trade Center," she said, her face white as a sheet. 

"What?" I gasped as I followed her into an adjacent room for watching educational videos. There were the World Trade Centers, blackened and smoking. It must have been right before the collapsed. I didn't watch most of it. I went online and started sending out e-mails and messages to friends who lived in or near New York. They were all fine, though one woman was upset her husband was stranded elsewhere because his flight couldn't get in. My family in Virginia was fine, too. Thankfully, Rose had taken a semester off from American University in Washington DC and was actually working in Cape May when this happened. (Mom later reported that Rose called her from work and told her.) 

I tried to focus on my books and schoolwork, and then writing a Remember WENN fanfic. I couldn't concentrate. My worried mind took over and resulted in the WENN story Everything's Fine, which was quite different from what I'd planned on writing that day. 

The school finally shut down around 2 PM. I went home after that. There was nowhere anyone else could go. My roommates were all there, too, sitting silently and watching the footage on TV. We didn't say anything. We didn't need to. We didn't really know what to say.

There was an emergency Remember WENN chat later that night that confirmed everyone was fine. The mother alone and a college student were scared to death, but they were nowhere near the Trade Center. It was great just to be able to talk to people after everything that happened today.

My roommates left the TV on when I got home. It wasn't until I saw Tom Brokaw reporting live, framed by the rubble and firefighters digging out bodies, that I finally burst into tears. I was scared, too. I may not have lost anyone, but I knew thousands of others had died, and that the'd done it in a horrible act. It was scary and horrifying.  

Party Like It's 1999

Had a quick breakfast this morning, then spent the next few hours checking out the newest American Girl historical dolls. Nikki and Isobel Hoffman are Jewish twins living in Seattle in late 1999. Nikki is a quiet tomboy who loves skateboarding, creating a 'zine for local girls, and the Seattle grunge scene. Isobel is a noisy, girlie partier and major Spice Girls fan. 

Now, you'd think I wouldn't relate to these two at all. By December 1999, I was half-way through my second year of college. I still remember a lot of what's represented here, though. For one thing, I adore that they have an accurate Pizza Hut "Book It" set, even though Pizza Hut hasn't done that in years. I did "Book It" in the mid-90's when I was in the Special Services Middle School. Cheap chokers like the ones in both girls' accessory sets were very popular in the mid-late 90's. I wasn't big on them myself, but I don't like tight collars or things that are too tight around my neck.  

I had a pillow seat like Isobel's. Mine was a chintzy pink flower print that I finally wore out by the time I went to college. I'm pretty sure we had inflatable chairs like Nikki's, too. They were even purple. Anny had a pair of platform strap shoes like Isobel's, only hers were black. I used to borrow them a lot, even though they were a little too big for me. I actually still have a purse that looks like Nikki's, only it's quilted instead of having a skating decal, and I use it for my digital camera. I was a bit old for Tamagotchi by 1999, but that didn't stop my sisters and brother from asking me to look after theirs. 

My family's first...and second...computer looked and sounded very much like Nikki and Isobel's. (The first one died during an especially hot and humid mid-90's summer in West Cape May.) I think 1999-2000 is probably around the time I bought my first laptop, too. It cost me over $900, but I could also finally connect to the internet at home and at my dorm, instead of having to hike all the way to the computer labs. 

(Also, the names of their kitten and puppy are hilarious if you know anything about TV shows that were popular with girls in 1999. Interesting that effervescent Isobel named her kitty after the character from the edgier program...)

Truth be told, while the dolls themselves are quite pretty - I love their bright green and blue eyes and Nikki's chunky highlights - I already made my Asian-American doll Jessa into my designated 90's character. She'd probably turn up her nose at Izzy's florals, but I could see her in Nikki's Skateboard Outfit without the helmet and pads, and she might get a kick out of her alien-themed pillow, too. (And ironically, they have the opposite problem from AG's previously-released historical doll Claudie. They have play clothes and regular clothes, but no formal outfits. I'm wondering if AG will release their holiday formals closer to Hanukkah in December.)

Broke at 1 for lunch and Doc McStuffins. View Master toy Viewie Stewie wonders if he needs glasses when he seems to see dinosaurs in Paris and polar bears on a pyramid. Doc and the toys help him to come "Fully In Focus" and figure out why he's seeing two images at once. "Picky Nicki" is a piggy bank who only likes shiny coins and won't take Doc's green dollar bill. After she accidentally loses Doc's money, she learns the importance of trying new things.

It rained for a lot of the morning and was a bit chilly. Though the rain had ended by the time I left for work, I still would have called Uber regardless of how my ankle felt. The guy picking me up came in about 6 minutes; the woman dropping me off took less than 3. No trouble anywhere on the road, not even when I left during rush hour.

No trouble at work, either. We were off-and-only steady, but not overwhelmingly busy. I still got frustrated when things went wrong. Someone who's worked at the same place for fifteen years should know what she's doing. Other than that, everything went very well. My relief was late coming back from her break, though. The self-checkout manager came in so I could (barely) get out on time.

Went straight home and into Match Game '74. Sweet Janet Finn was finally defeated in the previous episode by sophisticated Italian Sylvana. The others spend the beginning of the episode making jokes about Brett having joined the West Hollywood Olympics (and done very well, according to her.) Meanwhile, Gene tries to get Sylvana to calm down, but she can say the names of the Italian actresses he mentions better than he can.

The rest of the Match Game Syndicated week after Ginger left continued to be completely nuts. This was probably the single best week of the syndicated series. Joyce Bulifant continued to show off different wigs. She made a rather nice strawberry blonde in the first episode and had a very cute Mary Tyler Moore-style brunette wedge style in the second. One of the contestants being an acting student leads to a discussion of how Charles was an excellent acting teacher, and Robert Walden had been among his students. Brett also makes an attempt to imitate Zsa Zsa Gabor for a question.

Finished the night after a shower on YouTube with the 1974 version of The Mark of Zorro. This adaptation of the novel was made for TV, and is surprisingly very good. Frank Langella does better as the foppish Don Diego than he does as Zorro, but Ricardo Montalban is excellent as his adversary Captain Esteban. Apparently, it was intended to be a pilot for a series ABC didn't pick up, which is probably why it's relatively lavish for a TV movie in this era. It features period-accurate sets and costumes and a great supporting cast that includes Gilbert Roland and Yvonne DiCarlo as Don Diego's parents, who worry their son has turned into a buffoon while away at school. Not the best-ever retelling of this story, but worth checking out if you love Zorro, the cast, or desert swashbucklers. 

Memories In the Dark

Started the morning with breakfast and the Doc McStuffins episode I wasn't able to get to on Thursday. Emmie, Doc's best friend, is delighted to be sleeping over Doc's house. Her new squirting elephant Hazel isn't as thrilled. Turns out she's worried about her trunk leaking. Doc reassures her that leaking happens, and she needs to clear out the water so "Hazel Has a Sleepover" that stays dry all night. Donnie's brontosaurus toy Bronty is also scared to tell Doc his problem when he gets syrup on his legs during "My Breakfast With Bronty" and is worried Doc will be angry. Doc's more worried that he didn't tell her what was wrong right away.

Spent the rest of the morning writing. Allen Ludden admits he's heard that Richard has a temper and is prone to egotism...but so is their morning show host Gene Rayburn. Richard assures him he can keep up with Gene...just as Allen's wife, cooking show hostess Betty White, pokes her head in to see if he wants to go out to lunch.

Had a really quick lunch before heading out. Got to work in plenty of time for once. That turned out to be a very good thing. We were busy as heck for most of the afternoon and evening. We're almost at the beginning of the month, and the Eagles play their big championship game against the 49ers tomorrow at 3 PM. We frequently had lines down the aisles because there wasn't nearly enough help to deal with them. Thankfully, it slowed down enough by 7 for me to shut down without a relief. I even treated myself to a container of Acme generic ice cream on sale in Mint Moose Tracks (aka, mint with chocolate cups and fudge ribbons).

After I got home, I went straight into dinner while watching Charlie & Lola. "Can You Maybe Turn the Light On?" Lola asks after Charlie reads her a book about a scary ogre before bed. Trouble is, Charlie needs darkness to sleep. He finally finishes the ogre book to show Lola the dark isn't so very scary after all.

(Wish that worked with my sisters. I know exactly where Charlie's coming from. I still can't sleep in anything less than total darkness...and Rose always needed a nightlight. It drove me crazy when we shared a room.)

Finished the night with Breaking the Ice on Tubi. I go further into this odd vehicle for boy soprano Bobby Breen at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Family Fun Saturday - Breaking the Ice

Games In the Rain

First of all, let's take a moment to honor those who lost their lives in the attacks on 9/11 over 20 years ago today. I go further into my memories of that fateful morning in this entry from 2015, Memories On a Busy Day. 

I don't work until late this week, so I can sleep in. Listened to Prime Time Musicals while eating a quick breakfast. Picked up this Versasae Sarabande collection of songs from made-for TV musicals of the 50's and 60's off e-Bay two years ago. Some of these songs make me wish more early TV musicals were readily available. "One Hand Tied Behind My Back" is a rousing piece about a dedicated tomboy, from the western romance No Man Can Tame Me. There's only bits and pieces of the Barbara Cook-Red Buttons Hansel and Gretel online, including "Too Happy Dancing." I'm especially fond of two dreamy ballads, "A Ride On a Rainbow" from Ruggles of Red Gap and "Listen To Your Heart" from a version of Pinocchio with Mickey Rooney as the wooden boy. 

Worked on writing for a while as the CD continued. Jack's the one who reveals that if they get the Red King's scepter, it'll allow King Gene to awaken and release its hold on both worlds. Brett's more worried that she and her boys may not be able to get home. 

Leave It to Jane while eating a quick breakfast after I rolled out of bed. Jane first debuted in 1917 at the (still-existing) Longacre Theater in New York. The copy I have on CD is of the 1959 off-Broadway revival. Jane is encouraged by her buddies at Atwater College to seduce the star football player from rival Bingham. She does, but ends up falling for him in the process. 

Jerome Kern wrote the score for this one with PG Wodehouse. It's funny and charming, and likely why this one keeps getting revived on regional stages over a century after its debut. "'Till the Clouds Roll By" was the hit, but I like the bouncy comic number "Cleopatterer" as a waitress on-campus wishes she were more like the famous Egyptian queen.

The rain continued to fall steadily as I got ready for work. It wasn't a day for a bike ride. I ended up calling Uber. Luckily, the rain slowed down long enough for me to get a driver in 8 minutes.

Work was off-and-on busy all evening, even though the Eagles-Lions game had already started by the time I got there. At one point, I did end up pushing carts. Several employees called out, including the afternoon bagger. And, of course, that's when the rain picked up, which meant I got soaked while doing it. At least it slowed down so much by 7 PM, I used the last 20 minutes of my shift to put away cold items people didn't want.

(Oh, and incidentally, they did it by the skin of their beaks, but the Eagles did apparently manage to beat the Lions 38-35.)

Surprisingly, despite getting off at 7 PM, it took me about 6 minutes to get a ride home. The rain had ended by this point, leaving clouds, heavy humidity, and cool-for-September mid-70's temperatures. No traffic anywhere, not even around the street repairs on Nicholson. The car pulled up to East Clinton in less than 5 minutes.

Had dinner upstairs while listening to the other vintage musical paired with Leave It to Jane on the CD, Oh Kay! Kay moves ahead a decade to 1925 for a tale of bootleggers on the loose in a Long Island mansion. The gangster's sister Kay falls for the mansion's owner Jimmy, despite it being his wedding day. The Gershwins came up with one of their best scores for this one, with no less than four standards - the revivalist chorus routine "Clap Yo' Hands," Kay and Jimmie's duet "Do Do Do," Jimmy's solo "Dear Little Girl," and the big hit ballad "Someone to Watch Over Me" for Kay.

In honor of the Eagles' win and the beginning of football season, I spent the rest of the night watching sports game shows on YouTube. ESPN's mainly known for the sheer variety of sports and analysis they run, but they have done game shows in the past. 2 Minute Drill from 2001 was a tough quizzer based on the English game show Mastermind. Three players try to guess five questions in a row based on the expertise of a 4-sports celebrity panel. This is likely ESPN's entry in the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire imitation race. The questions were challenging and the game play suspenseful, but it was too complicated, and ultimately too derivative.

Stump the Schwab from 2004 is a lot more fun. Like Drill, this ESPN Classic show tested contestants' general sports knowledge. Otherwise, it has more in common with Win Ben Stein's Money. Here, though, it's ESPN's statistician Bernie Schwab they're all trying to beat. This was the last day of a championship tournament. Schwab ends up putting a Philly man through his paces.

Sports Challenge is the granddaddy of the ESPN general trivia shows. It even ran on ESPN Classic at one point. Two teams of sports celebrities representing a sport or team answer questions relating to a sporting event clip. The "Bonus Biography" had teams guessing who a silhouette was based on clues given by Johnny Gilbert. Winners got money and athletic equipment for the junior athletic organization of their choice. Watched the Chiefs and the Rams play each other in the episode I chose from probably sometime in the mid-70's.

Bowling may seem like the least-likely sport to become a game show, but several did pop up in the 60's and 70's. Celebrity Lanes from the early 60's and the 70's syndicated hit Celebrity Bowling were pretty much the same idea - celebrities bowl for charity. In the case of Lanes, they also bowl with a pro champion and earn money for them. 

Kids had their sports games, too. No less than Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham hosted Scramble in 1993. In this sports-themed variation on Double Dare, the kids answer trivia that gains points as they would in a football game. When they get a "touchdown," they get to do a mini-game that uncovers the identity of a famous person. The bonus round has them punting footballs through a small hoop.

Even lower-budget channels got in on the games. Ultimate Fan League from Fox Sports Net brought together men from various regions Fox Sports covered to play each other in atrivia tournament. Of course, I had to check out the episode where two guys from my current home state New Jersey played guys from my birth state Florida. (Not to brag, but the Jersey guys wiped the floor with the Floridians, who got nowhere near them.)

Play ball and test your sports trivia with these classic games! (Celebrity Lanes is in two parts, but it doesn't otherwise appear to be online. And look for the commercials on Scramble and Stump the Schwab, among others.) 

Celebrity Lanes (1960)

Sports Challenge (1970's) 

Celebrity Bowling (1972)

Scramble (1993)

Ultimate Fan League (1997)

2 Minute Drill (2000)

Stump the Schwab (2004)

Rainy Day Angels

Slept in a bit today, which is probably just as well. The dull gray skies weren't promising. Cheered myself up with Bluey as I ate breakfast. After her parents move the crib and a lot of junk out of a storage room, Bluey decides she wants it as her own "Bedroom." She and Bingo are very sweet about it, agreeing to "share" a stuffed animal they both like and sending notes back and forth (until their mom says they really need to go to bed). 

(And...that brought back memories. I was about 9 or 10 when I got my first solo bedroom, much older than Bluey or Bingo. It originally belonged to Anna, but by 1988, I'd gotten tired of dealing with Rose's messes. It was much easier to let the two slobs live together and let me have my own space. Rose and I briefly shared again when we moved to West Cape May in 1991, but that lasted about a year. After Mom had Keefe, they decided he spent so much time in their room he didn't need his own. Rose took his room, and I shared my room with his toys, which I didn't mind at all. He mainly played downstairs in the living room anyway.

We didn't all get our own rooms until we moved to a split-level late 60's-era ranch house in North Cape May in 1995. The girls and I all had rooms on the top floor. Mom used to joke it was like a girl's dormitory up there. After Rose and I went to college and Anny had her son in the early 2000's, Keefe took my room, Mom and Dad moved to Anny's old room from the den, and Rose's room became a combination office, play room, and spare room.)

I left for work a little early. Wanted to donate those bags of toys, records, and collectibles I cleared out on Friday to Goodwill. Between having way too many bags for a ride and the heavy clouds, I took Uber. The lady who drove me dropped me off in the front. I hiked around back, dropped my bags with them, then headed across two parking lots and over to the Acme building for work.

Work is still frustrating. I got scolded today for not keeping up better with gathering the carts. How can I keep up with the carts if I have to take registers, clean up messes, gather trash, and do a thousand other little things too? I wish they'd get it through their heads that I'm only one person. They say "do the best you can," then complain because I'm not pushing the carts fast enough.

At least I was only there for four hours, and by the time it started to pick up, my shift was almost done. Not only did I keep up with the carts, but I was able to sweep the store and bring rolls of tape for the registers up front. I even managed to avoid the weather. I emerged to wet sidewalks around 2:30. It did shower lightly while I pushed carts up front, but never got really heavy. The sun even tried to emerge as I called Uber for a ride home. Surprisingly for the height of rush hour, they got there in 9 minutes.

Went straight into writing when I got home. Brett's getting very fed up with White Queen Helen and Red Queen Fannie claiming she can't figure out their nonsensical questions. The guys are, too. Charles and Orson put their heads together to figure out how to move things along.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Came up for the second half of Let's Make a Deal. Monty pulled two college students dressed as a cat and a cheerleader to guess each other's weight. They both won money. The cat lost out on a refrigerator, but the cheerleader avoided ending up with a live pig. Being college students, they were both perfectly happy with cash. The Big Deal of the Day went to a gentleman in white tie and tails, but I think a sister duo were far more excited about a trip to the Caribbean than he was about a new living room set and stereo.

Let Match Game '75 run while I had dessert. Announcer Johnny Olsen got a rare chance in the spotlight when Gene called him down to read a question on how he was around for the first game show, Cleopatra's "You Bet Your __." The contestant missed the obvious answer that pretty much the entire panel gave (and the same answer that anyone gave when dealing with Cleopatra). 

Finished the night online with Charlie's Angels at The Roku Channel. They're "Waikiki Angels" when the governor's daughter is kidnapped while on a secluded beach with her husband. The Angels train as lifeguards to put a stop to the antics of a group of beach bums who keep grabbing people and wrecking havoc on secluded beaches. 

(Oh, and the rain returned briefly but heavily around 10 PM. Good. We desperately need it. It's gotten so dry here! I have a friend whose garden is starting to droop badly.)

Harvest for My Dad

Began a beautiful morning with breakfast and Hogan's Heroes. Hogan's saying "Don't Forget to Write" when Klink accidentally volunteers to join a major combat zone. It'll take all of Hogan's persuasive abilities to keep him right where he is, and make sure he and his men don't lose their pushover Kommendant.

Switched to Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood while making the bed and doing the dishes. "Good Morning, Daniel" and "Good Night, Daniel" show us Dan's routines for getting up and starting a new day and going to bed. In both cases, he'd rather be playing than sleeping or getting ready for school, but his parents make sure he remembers what he has to do. 

Headed out after the episode ended, waving to Jodie, Rose, and a few neighbors setting up for the party on the way. I wanted to at least get to the farm market today. I work too early to get there next week. They were busier than ever with people buying produce for their own barbecues and big summer get-togethers. Ducked around people long enough to buy peaches, a lavender striped eggplant, blackberries, blueberries, cherry tomatoes in many colors, red lettuce, and tiny purple plums. 

Rode there and back across Newton Lake Park. I couldn't believe how gorgeous it was. No wonder the park teemed with joggers, dog walkers, people out for strolls, and kids riding bikes. It was as perfect a day in late July as one could wish. Sunshine glittered on the bottle-green waters of the lake, warming but not smothering noses and shoulders. A soft breeze rippled across the lake, and there wasn't a hint of humidity.

Told Rose I'd watch Finley when I got in. She briefly helped me put away my finds while watching DC Super Hero Girls. Diana Prince steals the "#SirensConch" so she can sing in Jessica's charity talent show. She can't handle that there's something she isn't good at - she has a terrible voice. The shell does give her a wonderful voice, but it also attracts a species of cockroach Jessica's trying to protect. Diana uses her real voice to get rid of them and finally admits that there are things she's not good at...yet.

Put on the newest Muppet Babies episode after Finley left with her family to get dressed for the party.  Piggy and Summer hold a royal ball for all the kids. Gonzo wants to go as a princess, but the girls insist that he join the guys and be a knight. Rizzo the Fairy Rat-father helps him become "Gonzo-rella" in a beautiful gown and glass sneakers. Gonzo shows the kids that gender identity isn't set in stone and some traditions are made to be changed. Summer loves the wind-up car she and her grandfather made, until Gonzo arrives in his fancy pickle car. "Summer's Car Trouble" has her embarrassed to admit the car is hers, sending the kids off on a wild chase to find the owner.

Switched to Match Game as I dusted my bedroom, vacuumed, and tidied up around the apartment. Started on YouTube with my favorite PM episode, #17 from 1975. This is the one where Richard Dawson answered the "Admiral __" Audience Match with "Admiral Color Television" and Gene didn't believe it would be up there. There's some great sniping between Brett Somers and Betty White in this episode, too. 

As I finished the second episode (which was one I watched earlier in the week), I heard voices on the front lawn. Changed into a good skirt and my new sandals, grabbed my purse and keys, and headed outside. Tons of people in Army dress uniforms or colorful summer outfits milled around the lawn or the newly-laid driveway. I wandered around, saying "hi" to a few people, but mainly chatting with Reilly and Khai and eating shrimp, bruchetta, and skewers made with fresh basil, grape tomatoes, and tiny marinated mozzarella balls. 

The ceremony for Dad's "celebration of life" began around quarter after 2. Jodie and Rose set up white folding chairs and chairs from the porch in front of the steps earlier. A priest got a little too religious talking about Dad being in another place. I preferred hearing his long-time buddies from as far back as childhood reminisce about his time as Wildwood's youngest lifeguard in the 60's, or how he got Uncle Ken to help him sneak beer to his underage buddies earlier in the decade, or how he and his best friend drove-cross country in an old van during 1968, or him volunteering for scouting duty during Vietnam and earning a Bronze Star. Two Army soldiers even gave Khai a folded flag in honor of his grandfather. (I heard the poor kid say he was so nervous during that!)

I dashed to my apartment after they finished speaking. I couldn't help it. I held my American Girl doll Jess and cried and cried. I cried because the little girl in me wanted her daddies, and her daddies were gone. I miss my daddies. I wish I'd really known them. I just sat there and held her, crying onto her little soft shoulder. 

As soon as the ceremony ended, every kid there changed into bathing suits and jumped into the pool. I wasn't about to show off my body to people I didn't know, but I did eat my lunch out there. The adults had sautéed chicken in lemon sauce, ravioli in vodka sauce, pasta salad, green salad, green beans and almonds, sausage, rolls, and grilled vegetables. (Had a little of everything but the pasta salad - I don't like olives - and the sausage that gives me heartburn.) Someone set up a smaller spread for the kids in the pool area with chicken fingers, juice boxes, and fries. Reilly, Chloe, Mary, Savannah, and I enjoyed a "girl's lunch" and chatted over our meals. (And Chloe was right - those fries were perfect and really addictive!) 

Wandered among the guests for a little while after I ate, but talking to people proved to be difficult. I hadn't seen most of those people since I was a toddler in some cases. I barely remembered their names, much less their faces. Many of them wanted to see me, but I had no idea what to say to them. It was much easier when the desserts came out. I grabbed a mini cannoli, lemon square wedges, three cookies, and a mini carrot cupcake and ate those instead.

Fled to my apartment after I finished dessert. I just couldn't handle all the small talk anymore. Worked on writing instead. Bill (Daily) the White Rabbit brings around strawberry tarts. These are very special tarts, baked by the King of Hearts for the Queen with love. (Betty White couldn't bake in real-life.) They're only for royalty and guests. The Knave (producer and judge Ira Skutch) drools over them, while Sir Richard offers to protect them for Queen Betty so no one will get their hands on them.

Rose called me as I finished up for the day. She, Jodie, and the other neighborhood moms were cleaning up the food and deciding who got what. I was able to slide huge containers of grilled veggies, green beans, chicken in lemon sauce, ravioli, and all of the remaining green salad into my refrigerator. 

Finished the night with Dimples as I had a snack and got organized. I go further into this Shirley Temple melodrama set in pre-Civil War New York at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Family Fun Saturday - Dimples

Where Do I Go From Here?

Badly needed to sleep in today after the long couple of weeks I had! When I finally got rolling, I had a fried egg and tomato sandwich for breakfast while watching She-Ra. Picked up from where the set I found at the yard sale left off with "The Stone In the Sword" from the first season. When the stone in Princess Adora's sword cracks, she can't transform into She-Ra or rescue Bow from the Horde. She goes on a journey through magical caverns to repair it. 

Switched to Match Game '79 while making my grocery list and doing the dishes. In the first episode, the contestant is so thrilled when Elaine Joyce matches her unusual answer, both women jump all over the stage...and then Gary Burghoff leaps out and dances with the contestant, and everyone else jumps all over the place! Bill Daily nearly had a nervous breakdown trying to figure out an answer to the first question in the second show. 

Headed out towards the end of the second episode. Didn't really need a ton of groceries this week - I ate out of the fridge a lot, when Jodie wasn't giving me food - but I did need a few things that were on a good sale. Had online coupons for riced frozen veggies, sorbet and plant milk ice cream pints (went with passion fruit sorbet and coconut milk ice cream), peanut butter, and oatmeal. Found a small container of shrimp in the seafood section for dinner tomorrow. Restocked yogurt, cereal, milk, bananas, and hair elastics (my current ones won't hold my hair and keep sagging). 

Also found Clearly Canadian on a good sale. I used to love Clearly Canadian in the early-mid 90's. Bought it all the time from the Eckard's on Bayshore Road as I'd ride to and from the Villas Library. Too bad they're so expensive...because the tart cranberry flavor tastes as good and sparkling as I remember. 

Not nearly as happy with my schedule next week. Two days off (one for counseling) and my cashiering days are normal six hour shifts...but I have three 8 and 1/2 hour bagging days, two in a row. One of the baggers went on vacation, and a lot of people are on non-virus-related health leaves right now, or they've quit. Like everyone else who isn't an at-home job, we're just short on help. 

Put everything away when I got home, then made a Banana-Berry Smoothie while watching more She-Ra. Madame Razz explains how She-Ra came to acquire her famous home "The Crystal Castle," aka the huge pearly pink castle playset every girl in the mid-80's coveted (including us). Hoping to keep Hordak from destroying Queen Angella's home Castle Bright Moon, she befriended a group of trolls who were wary of humans to learn the secrets of the castle's magic. 

Headed out to get the laundry done after I cleaned up from lunch. It wasn't a huge load, but there were a few things I really needed to get done, including a sheet and work clothes. Sat outside and worked on story notes while my clothes were in the washer. It's still sunny, hot, and sticky humid here, but the laundromat was so busy, every chair was taken. Strolled to WaWa after I put everything in the drier for a Chips Ahoy Chocolate Smoothie (basically, Chips Ahoy bits and chocolate syrup in a smoothie - very tasty). 

Rose called while I wrote outside. Did I want to join them in the pool after I got home? Sure! As soon as I rolled in, I put the sheet back on, made the bed, then wriggled into my bathing suit and hurried out to the pool. Rose and her tribe and Reilly and her mother were already there. Jodie and her Aunt Colleen came out later to say "hi." A friend of Khai's came around later (and got into an argument with Rose over whether he could eat Doritos - apparently, he has a food allergy, and Rose wasn't sure). 

The pool water was amazingly warm, like stepping into the shower. Finley probably didn't even notice. She swam from one end of the pool to the other with me and her mother, climbing on my back and laughing when I dunked her under the waves. She's fearless in the pool, probably because she wants to keep up with the other kids. The older kids, for their part, think she's funny. The girls in particular treat her like their little sister and have no trouble playing with her and swimming with her. 

We broke up around 5 so Rose could take us home to make dinner. I dashed into my place to changed into regular clothes and finish putting away the laundry. Ran Match Game '74 as I worked. Janet Finn, who became one of the most popular and winningest contestants of the entire 70's-80's run, made her debut towards the middle of this episode. We got some jokes about whom the Three Musketeers would kiss when her initial audience match was "The Three __." Finley and Reilly came to pick me up...and it was a bit hard to shoo them away from the dolls and stuffed animals!

When we pulled into Rose's house, Finley showed me her room. Or what I could see of it under the intricate layers of toys, dolls, stuffed animals, hand-knitted blankets and sweaters, tap shoes, play food, and Disney Princess costume jewelry and ball gowns spread all over the floor. We were able to find her nifty play kitchen and see how she could open her "oven" and "refrigerator" and take care of her two little baby dolls with her doctor set. 

Rose's original plan was to use the grill for dinner, but she apparently ran out of propane. We had baked turkey tenderloin, green beans, and roasted potatoes for dinner. Yum! I loved it. The turkey tenderloin came out moist and flavorful. Rose thought she overcooked the green beans, but they tasted fine to me. Even the kids ate enough of it. 

After dinner, we looked at all the photos Jodie gave me a few months ago. Rose wants to scan ones she doesn't already have copies of, and I need to start scanning photos, too, now that I have a scanner. We showed Khai pictures of us goofing off in what's now Jodie's pool in the 1980's and feeding ducks on the bottom of the hill in her backyard where the dock now is. Finley got to see us at Disney World in 1986 and 1990, and all the photos we took in front of the giant alligator statues at the hotel we stayed at in Kissimee in 1986. They got to see the pool table and the organ Uncle Ken had in the den in the 80's and early 90's, and Rose and I with Mom visiting Dad-Bruce in Ft. Lauderdale in the early 80's. 

(Research later in the evening revealed that the Gator Motel is still there, though no word if the alligator statue survives.)

Rose also told me around this point that she lost her job as a lawyer for Camden County in March. Apparently, it was a thankless job, and not one she was entirely unhappy to let go of. While she and Craig considered remodeling their house, they came to the conclusion that it's really too small for their family. The kids want a larger backyard, and Rose wants a bigger kitchen and more room to breathe. They're thinking of moving to Hammonton, one of the small cozy suburban-style towns just outside of Atlantic City. Rose offered to find a house that either came with an attached apartment for me, or room to build one.

I have mixed feelings on that. On one hand, I've also put serious consideration into leaving the area over the past five or six years or so, since before the Manor Avenue house changed hands. As nice as my neighbors are, I never really fit in here. I'm tired of being a fifth wheel wherever I go and having no one in the area I can talk to. Even if Dad had lived, I never intended to stay at the attached apartment for more than two or three years at most while I figured out what to do next. 

I've had no luck finding apartments for rent I can afford here, either. That's the other reason I didn't move sooner. Most of the apartment buildings are situated on busy main roads or next to gas stations or car shops and often are not in the best condition. Attached apartments are not only getting expensive, they usually prefer people they know...and I don't know many people.

Trouble is...I don't know what to do next. I want to remain independent, and my needs are different than Rose's. I'm looking for people I can talk culture and do projects with, not good school districts and giant backyards. I'd rather find something near them but not next to them. I do like Rose's idea of the Atlantic City suburb area. Close enough to family and the Shore that it won't take long to see them, far enough away for the prices to be slightly more reasonable. Plus, I still know the area relatively well from going to college at Stockton and taking the train to AC. 

I also need to get away from the Acme. I'm going crazy there. I'm tired of dealing with customers, coworkers who have nothing in common with me, and the revolving door of managers. There's no chance for advancement, or doing anything besides the same thing I've done for 20 years. The only things keeping me from quitting tomorrow are my need for cheap health insurance and my fear of talking about myself. I'm still not sure how to promote myself or my writing. I don't really know myself well at all. I know what I like, but not what my values are, or what I need for my wellbeing. I'm not sure what I want or need anymore. 

Rose had one last project she wanted to do with the kids before I left. Evidently, they read either online or in a book on science projects that Mentos dropped into a bottle of soda will make fizzy liquid shoot high into the air! We stood back as the kids dropped mint candy into plastic liters of Pepsi on their front driveway. It did fizz and shoot up...a little, but not very high. Rose came to the conclusion that the bottles were too warm. They would try again after the bottles chilled. She and Finley dropped me at home shortly after.

Finished the night on The Roku Channel with The A-Team. It's a "Bad Time at the Border" when B.A encounters a little Mexican girl at a local baseball field and becomes attached to her. Turns out she fled from a truck carrying illegal immigrants into the country to be used in a slavery ring and wants to return to her mother, who is deathly ill at the compound where they keep the Mexicans. When they capture Hannibal as well, the others spring to the ready to rescue them. 

Out and About In Cherry Hill

Awoke to the patter of feet and little girl giggles in Jodie's side of the house. Alas, by the time I finally finished my usual morning routine, Jodie was the only one home. I settled for Coconut Lime Pancakes for breakfast and Blockbusters instead. The mother/daughter pair continue to beat all comers. They had no problem breezing past a big bearded single guy whom Bill Cullen tried playing matchmaker to the girl with. The girl missed two questions on the Gold Run, but otherwise did very well. They were just starting in on another guy as time ran out.

Cleaned up breakfast after I switched to the latest Muppet Babies episode. Robin the Tadpole is tired of relying on his old blankie every time he's scared, so he asks Animal to hide it. Trouble is, Animal can't remember where the hole he dropped it in is. "Robin Digs Deep" with the help of the others to find his blankie and his hidden courage. Fozzie adores his little sister and is devastated when she opts to play fairy tea party with Summer and Piggy instead of pattycake with him. He first tries to get her attention, then convinces the boys to help him invade "Rozzie and the Fairy Tea Party."

Switched to The Cat and the Hat Knows a Lot About That while getting organized. He shows Nick and Sally how to "Dig Deeper" into the darkest depths of the ocean, where they meet Auerelia the baby angler fish and learn about the cold bottom of the sea. They literally fly into a cloud to figure out a "Puddle Puzzle" and find out where their puddle vanished to. 

Finally remembered how to get into Uber. I wanted to hit up the Garden State Park shopping center today. Figured I'd do what I've done the past few times I went to a mall and take Uber there and the bus back. The Uber driver wouldn't arrive for nearly a half-hour! 

Oh, well. I watched Match Game '79 while I waited. Brianne Leary's newsboy outfit and cap inspired lot of jokes in the first episode...and prompted some drooling from Gene and Bob Barker. Gene got teased about wearing blue socks with brown shoes, too, while Jon "Bowser" Bauman read a poem he wrote about being on the show. Bob has to help a contestant win 10,000 with "__ Handed" in the second.

The Uber driver finally picked me up around quarter of 1. No traffic in Cherry Hill or Collingswood anywhere at that point, not even by the Crowne Plaza/Cooper Medical building area or the Cherry Hill Train Platform Shopping Center. He dropped me off next to Lands' End at the Market Place less than 20 minutes later.

Despite it being the middle of a hot, humid, sunny Monday, almost all of the stores I went to were crowded today. I guess everyone's catching up on their shopping after the past year. I hoped Lands End sold shoes, but that store is an outlet. I did find a tank top with the cutest peach and yellow floral print. 

I never did find my Bed Bath and Beyond coupons, so the only other store I went to at the Market Place was Best Buy. Disappointingly, their DVDs are now limited to a few small shelves in the back, and they're mostly Blu-Ray...except for a smattering of complete series sets on DVD. Found the sets for the original She-Ra, Voltron, and Thundercats on a bottom shelf. Hulu has all versions of Thundercats in full, so it was between She-Ra and Voltron. I ultimately went with She-Ra. I found half the first season of She-Ra and The She-Ra-He-Man Christmas Special at yard sales and figured I might as well finish out the show. 

After a brief look at the Gap, my next stop was Barnes & Noble. I always have a hard time choosing there! Hung around for over an hour, inspecting the children's area, the music and film books, the fantasy novels, the young adult section, and the mysteries. 

My first choice was Snow & Rose, a children's chapter book based on one of my favorite childhood fairy tales, Snow White & Rose Red. The second was one of the more recent Joanne Fluke novels, Chocolate Cream Pie Murder. I'm a bit behind on her books, and while I'm disgusted with the emphasis on how ridiculous Hannah's love life got recently, I'm hoping the novels from the past year and a half will throw the focus back on her bakery and family.

Briefly checked out DSW Shoes, hoping to find new walking sandals. The ones I bought from Lands End last year wore out from all the walking I did in them last late summer. Dodged women checking out the nearly-latest styles and looking for kids shoes, but in the end, didn't see anything I liked.

Sometime in the last year and a half, the shopping center expanded into the grassy area between the main "lifestyle center" and the luxury condo and apartment buildings a couple of blocks away. They're still working on one of the buildings in the front, but most of the others are finished. Didn't see any shoes I liked at TJ Maxx. Thought of having lunch at Shake Shack, but didn't think I'd have the time. Wanted a drink and a snack at Trader Joe's, but I couldn't figure out where the small health-food store kept the cold drinks.

At least the bus arrived just on time. There was a little traffic going home, mostly on Cuthbert, but it didn't amount to much. The driver dropped me off at where Merryfields' bar is still working on its expansion next to TD Bank on the White Horse Pike. Stopped at WaWa for a pretzel and a frozen Chips Ahoy cappuccino while walking home. 

Threw on a third season episode of Hogan's Heroes while having a quick Berry-Banana Smoothie at home. Hogan convinces "Casanova Klink" to romance Colonel Burkhalter's sister Gertrude (Kathrine Freeman) when the guys hope to get sabotage plans from his office under the nose of a Getsapo agent. Klink is terrified that it may turn into something more series...but as usual, Hogan has a plan for that, too.

Worked on writing for a while after the show ended. Brett and her sons find playing croquet with Queen Betty and her court to be nearly impossible. They can't control the flamingos, and the hedgehog balls go where they want to, rather than through the card wickets. And of course, the Queen has to win at everything. Brett's about ready to tell Betty off, but there's more guests coming...

It was also around this time that Mother Nature finally figured out what she was doing. Dark clouds began building up as I left Barnes & Noble. By dinner time, it began pouring and thundering. The rain's been off and on for the rest of the night. At least Jodie let me move my bike back into the garage earlier today, even if there's still a ton of stuff from the repaving there. 

Watched Match Game '76 while eating pan-fried flounder with sautéed zucchini. Pat Moriata continues his week as everyone joked about how Arturro the Fortune Teller reads old people's fortunes and the answers for the Audience Match "Hot and __." Trotter, the sweet black dog who belonged to Gene's daughter Lynne, appeared with animal-loving Betty White on Match Game PM. I don't know why Charles seemed wary of her. That dog was better-behaved (and probably a lot smarter) than most of the panelists. 

Tonight's Sale of the Century was no contest. Though the other guy did win a Fame Game, the champ bought all three Instant Bargains and pretty much dominated the game full-stop, including the Speed Round. He picked up a shopping spree for his very happy wife on the Match the Prizes board.

Finished the night online, exploring the new NBC-Universal streaming site Peacock. Unlike most of the other streaming companies, they have many offerings that are completely free, with no need for subscriptions...like the original Little House On the Prairie. Dad used to love this show, mainly because he liked stoic dad Michael Landon. Jodie's a fan of it now. I think she enjoys the melodrama.

I remember this show being depressing as heck when I was a kid, and time hasn't softened that view...but I figured "Plague" from the first season was something I needed to see, considering the ongoing troubles with the virus. People in the town of Walnut Grove are suddenly stricken with typhus. Even Charles Ingals (Landon) has to stay in quarantine when he helps victims of the virus. No one can figure out where this is coming from, until Charles talks to Mr. Edwards and one of the stricken kids and figures out what they all have in common.

My sisters and I loved Punky Brewster, both the sitcom and its more fantastical animated version, when we were kids. I remember the show mostly being fun, but like most 80's sitcoms, it did work in frequent "very special episodes." The second season finale "Accidents Happen" has Punky revealing she wants to be an astronaut at her school's career day. She's thrilled to watch the Challenger shuttle launch with her class...and is devastated when real-life history occurs and it explodes, killing everyone on board. It takes no less than her teacher bringing in real astronaut Buzz Aldrin to encourage her not to let the fear of the unknown stop her from achieving her dreams.

(I was six when the Challenger exploded. I remember it being bitter cold, and us being home from school on a rare snow day. I know I got upset when the footage of the shuttle breaking up pre-empted The Price Is Right. Yes, even then, I was a game show nut. I didn't care about exploding shuttles. I wanted to watch Bob Barker. Mom turned white as the snow outside when she saw the footage and called Dad home from the dock in Wildwood. They watched the news for the rest of that day.) 

Games With My Sister

I was just glad I didn't awaken to rain this morning. I had morning work. Was glad to settle down for breakfast and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood instead. Daniel is inspired to give the sunflowers his mother grows to his neighbors after Lady Elaine sends her seeds. His gifts eventually encourages the entire neighborhood to give to their friends, causing King Friday to declare it "Neighbor Day."

Headed out shortly after the cartoon ended. Work occasionally got mildly steady, but it was mostly dead all day. While it never rained and it wasn't as humid as yesterday, it was still gloomy and gray. The weather still wasn't appropriate for lingering. I spent a lot of the time working on story notes. Had a few annoying customers; otherwise, no major problems.

I'm not crazy about my schedule next week. In good news, two days off in the middle of the week, Wednesday for my next doctor's appointment. Trouble is, not only do I have fewer hours, but they're either very early or later than I have been getting them. And I'll have to miss the first Eagles game of the year on Sunday!

Dashed home quickly down the Black Horse Pike. I wanted a chance to sneak some writing in before Jessa arrived. Charles is about to ask Brett something when he feels a claw tap him on the back...and he runs headlong into the largest of the small demons. Brett, then Gene, has to dislodge him from the former Sir Thomas (Tom) Kennedy.

Broke at 6 to make Fudgy Brownies for dessert and watch Match Game. Broadway star Robert Morse (who appeared with Charles in the original cast of How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying) and TV favorite Adrianne Barbeau joined Gene, Fannie Flagg, and the regulars for jokes about Gene's wavier early 70's hairstyle and what best friends Charles and Brett would share. (Hint - it's not spouses.) The second episode brought in a very frisky contestant who really, really wanted a kiss from Fannie. Richard and Gene had to hold him back!

The second episode just began as Jessa arrived with her puppy Midnight in tow. Poor Jessa is very upset about everything that's going on. She's convinced that Jodie and Rose don't like her, because they haven't included her in anything that involves Dad's death. I think they don't know how to reach her - physically and mentally. They don't really understand either of us.

She bought a pizza cheese steak and mozzarella sticks, and we shared them while Sale of the Century was on. That young guy went for all of the prizes this time, including 50,000. Once again, no one could get close to him. He bought no Instant Bargains this time, killed everyone at the Speed Round, and became one of the top winners on the show.

We stuck around for Concentration while enjoying our brownies. Jack Narz hosts this earlier syndicated version of the rebus-puzzle-based memory game. The first round is pretty similar to the 1980's version, with less-elaborate prizes. It's the bonus round where this one differs. The contestant has to guess two rebus puzzles in 10 seconds. Get one, and you get 50 dollars. Get two, and you get a car. I've only seen it done twice on the rare occasions I watch this one...and tonight was one of those night. The gentleman won several big prizes (including a nifty clock), then got the car with time to spare.

Finished out the night with more vintage game shows after Lauren left. Bumper Stumpers was a favorite of mine that ran on USA in the late 80's. Two sets of contestants have to guess what a pair of car license plates say. If they earn enough, they can go on to the bonus round. If they guess seven license plates there, they win 2,000. It's pretty cheap for a game show, but the license plates are fun to guess.

Jackpot! was a lot more fun. In the original version from 1975, a group of 12 asks one member of the group goofy riddles with a dollar value. If they answer correctly, the money is added to the jackpot. If one member yells "Jackpot," the person answering and asking the riddles can split the jackpot. In this episode, the girl answering the riddle and the guy who asked it got to split over $38,000! A later jackpot win was also fairly large. (Alas, this is one of only two full episodes that exists today, probably because of that big win.)

Finished out the night before the Match Game syndicated premieres with Whew! Boy, is this one accurately titled. Hanna Barbara did the animated opening, depicting 10 villains who try to take the contestants' cash, rather like Whammies on Press Your Luck. The contestants have to guess which word is wrong in a certain phrase. If they get it right, they charge ahead, or are blocked by villain blocks placed by the other contestant earlier. Getting to the 6th level and not hitting blocks will win them money and the chance to run the Gauntlet. The Gauntlet has a row of the 10 villains from the opening, each holding more blooper questions and blocking the contestant's way. If the contestant answers the bloopers correctly, the "villain" will move their hands and let them pass...and they have to do this in 60 seconds! Maybe that's why the guy who won was so excited when he made it through The Gauntlet with time to spare.

To my knowledge, Whew! and Bumpers exist in full, but aren't shown that often outside of YouTube. As of right now, it's the only way to catch three of the most unique game shows ever on TV.

Bumper Stumpers (1987)
Jackpot! (1975)
Whew! (1979)

And yes, I do remember what happened September 11, 2001. I just started my last semester at college that day. I went into more detail on that in this blog entry from 2015.

Memories On a Busy Day

Something Wonderful of My Own

I stayed up late doing last night's entry and slept until 10. Finally started the morning with breakfast. After I ate, I tried something different and made blueberry donuts in the pan Mom gave me a year and a half ago. They tasted pretty good, but a couple fell apart when I pulled them out. For some reason, I just can't get the big ones to stay together.

Watched the 1940 version of Irene on the TV Time Musicals app as I worked. I go further into British movie star Anna Neagle's first attempt to break into Hollywood at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Irene (1940)

Watched a little Match Game '74 as I got organized and ready to go. Orson Bean and his Vermont wit and dainty southern beauty Mary Ann Mobley joined Gene, Betty White, and the regulars as they celebrated returning to their regular home at Studio 33 in Television City (now known as the Bob Barker Studio). The contestant struck out in the first Audience Match (no one got the top answer for "Turtle"), but did better in the second.

Took the Uber to Cherry Hill at around 1. There was no traffic anywhere as the car headed down Route 70, and we arrived at the Cooper Orthopedics building in plenty of time. To my embarrassment, I discovered when I got to the office that my appointment was for tomorrow, not today! I have no idea why I wrote down today on my calendar. I dashed out of the building as quickly as possible.

Wasn't terribly happy when I hit the sidewalk. Normally, I might have gone out to lunch at that point to cheer me up, or continued down Route 70 to the shopping center with Jo Ann's and Shop Rite.  I really don't want or need to be ordering things curbside, and I'm not supposed to be eating the salt-laden junk most of the fast food restaurants near the hotel and Cooper Orthopedics sell anyway.

It still seemed a shame to waste the trip. I wandered behind the two buildings and across the street. There's a grassy spot between woods directly across the street from Cooper. Strolling to the riverside revealed roots that created a narrow staircase down to the banks. The view was green and peaceful, with no one around but Canadian geese going for a swim. The day was still cool, but cloudy and more humid than it has been, no day for lingering.

There used to be a mini golf course next to the Cooper River Bridge and across the street from the Crown Plaza Hotel. The golf course closed in 2016 and was mostly dismantled, except for a large sand trap and two buildings. A storage shed is oddly in good shape despite having boards under (not on) the windows, but the former concession stand and ball counter is rotting and falling to bits. Exploring the area revealed a fabulous view of the bridge, a patch of gravel and a boardwalk that look like they've been kept up, and small pine trees and grass and weeds that most definitely have not. I even found fuzzy green patches where the golf courses themselves once were.

Even if I should have been more careful with my appointments, at least the walk was lovely. With everything going on, it was almost cathartic to find a quiet space of my own that no one knew about. I saw maybe two people the entire time I was there. One was on a bike, and neither of them came anywhere close to the golf course or the river.

(Speaking of it being a shame to waste things, I wonder what they intend to do with that space? It's a great location with a wonderful view, one of the largest hotels in the area across the street, a medical building a block away, and one of the larger parks in the area a few blocks in the other direction. They could put a gazebo there and use it as outdoor meeting space for the hotel, or reincorporate it into the country park system.)

After Uber dropped me off, I made a lemon glaze for the donuts while watching Super Password. Bubbly Elaine Joyce and deadpan big guy Richard Moll were the celebrities helping out today. Elaine in particular lead her first contestant through the bonus round in record time. I was working on another dishrag by the time Tattletales came on. Orson Bean turned up here as well with his wife Carolyn Jones. They were joined by married songwriter Bobby Troupe and his shy singer wife Julie London and comedian Army Archerd and his wife Selma. Long-time married couple Julie and Bobby were by far the big winners, getting almost every question right.

Worked on writing for a while after the show ended. Clifton calls Charles over to begin the music as Betty has to explain her amphibian escort to Sir Larry Blyden. Charles borrows a lute just as the disguised Richard, Gene, and their entourage arrive...and make a sensation with the women...

Broke for dinner at 6 and returned to Match Game. Tough Scoey Mitchlll may not have been the best at playing the game, but he was always entertaining, even when he didn't quite get what was going on. He was joined by Fannie Flagg, Broadway singer Karen Morrow, Gene, Richard, Brett, and an eager Gary Burghoff replacing Charles Nelson Reilly while he was on hiatus. Sale of the Century was almost a repeat of yesterday, with everyone buying or winning something and the champ pulling ahead at the last minute. Once again, he opted to return for better prizes later.

Finished the night after a shower with It's a Living. Tubi currently has the first two seasons of one of my favorite childhood sitcoms for free with ads. Five waitresses at the super-modern Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles work for Nancy (Marian Mercer), the strict but well-meaning woman matre 'd. Vicki (Wendy Schaal) is the newest recruit, a naive college girl who just moved to LA. Peppy Dot (Gail Edwards) is hoping for an acting career. Hot-tempered Jan (Barrie Youngfellow) and sensible Lois (Susan Sullivan) are moms earning money for their children and families. Cassie (Ann Jillian) is the resident wisecracker who is basically known for sleeping around. Also working there are elderly cook Mario (Bert Remsen) and smarmy pianist Sonny (Paul Kreppel), the latter of whom hits on anything that does or doesn't move.

Ran the first four episodes of the series tonight, starting with the pilot episode. Vicki isn't sure that she wants to spend a weekend with a guy she doesn't know very well. The other women offer advice to her about how to handle the relationship. "The Intruder" invades when Lois is holding a slumber party with the other women at her house. They prove that there's safety in numbers when they end up holding off a burglar themselves. Cassie and Vicki become "Roomies" when Cassie's apartment isn't ready for her to move in. Cassie, however, is tired of Vicki's cheerfulness and her parakeet but can't quite bring herself to throw her out. Vicki adores her dad who raised her alone, but he becomes a "Fallen Idol" when she catches him in bed with Nancy.

My sisters and I loved this show when we were kids. We watched the later syndicated episodes religiously on Channel 17. Growing up at the Jersey Shore, we were more than familiar with fancy restaurants, huge expensive hotels, sarcastic waitresses, and slightly creepy lounge singers. My mother was one of those women. She worked at the Ugly Mug, a popular bar and restaurant in Cape May, as a cook for a couple of years in the mid-80's.

The show is as much fun as I remember it, especially Ann Jillian as the man-crazy Cassie who gets all the best lines. I hope the syndicated episodes show up on Tubi eventually as well. I remember later additions like Sheryl Lee Ralph and Crystal Bernard being just as funny.