Started a sort-of-sunny but very mild morning with holiday themed episodes of Max & Ruby. "Ruby's Gingerbread House" isn't coming along well. Ruby and Louise just can't seem to make the icing sticky enough. Max thinks it needs something...like his gummy worms. "Max's Christmas Passed" is one of the sweetest episodes of the entire series. Ruby's feeling a little blue as she takes down the Christmas decorations. Max figures out a way to use the discarded decorations to cheer up his big sister. In "Max's New Year," the two bunnies are allowed to stay up until midnight to enjoy a party with Grandma. Ruby and Grandma enjoy dances and finding just the right party hat. Max would rather eat those clock-shaped cookies Grandma made. "Max Says Goodbye" when he and Ruby are supposed to be going to Louise's house for a playdate. Grandma comes over with a better idea for a playdate for Max.
I got ready for my friend Amanda's yearly visit as the cartoons ran. I made the bed. I tidied up around the apartment. I put up the tree itself. Amanda would help me decorate the tree later, but I thought it would save time to have the tree up when she arrived.
I got out late and rushed to down the street to the parking lot of the former PNC Bank. As it turned out, Amanda was late, too. We were supposed to meet at 10:15. I got in at 10:20, and she hit traffic coming in and didn't arrive until quarter of 11.
We went straight to Collingswood for lunch. Amanda loves Tortilla Press, Collingswood's gourmet Mexican restaurant. We were so early, we thought the place was closed. Nope, the door was stuck. They'd just opened. We got a prime spot right next to the window that looked out onto the corner of Collings and Haddon Avenues. Amanda had an enormous Pork BBQ Sandwich. I had a Chicken, Brie, and Mango Quesadilla with fresh mango salsa. We both had home-made chips and sweet potato fries. I had unsweetened iced tea. Amanda had a Coke. Our lunches were absolutely delicious, as always. My quesadilla was just sweet and spicy enough, and the brie added the right tangy note. It was the perfect size to eat in one sitting. Amanda didn't get that lucky. She ended up taking home most of her sandwich. I gave her my fries, too - the quesadilla turned out to be enough for me.
We talked about our lives as we ate. I told Amanda about the planned changes to my apartment, my crazy up and down work hours over the past month, Anny's pregnancy, Mom's job at the Ferry, and my hope to take writing classes this winter. She told me that she started volunteering at her local animal shelter. She loved it so much, she now wants to become a veterinarian technician, despite the classes being expensive. She's always adored her cats. (That's why I get her Hello Kity stuff.) She's tired of working three jobs, as a waitress at a Bob Evans, a sales clerk at the Bath and Body Works in the Cumberland Mall, and a substitute teacher in Vineland.
When we finished lunch, we made a quick trip to GrooveGround. We were both too full for ice cream or baked goodies, but we did get drinks. Amanda got a Peppermint Mocha Latte. I decided it was too warm for hot beverages and went with the Pomegranate Chiller sparkling juice. It was very tasty, with lots of mint and just the right amount of pomegranate juice.
We went straight back to my apartment after that and, after I showed her the new furniture and some of my new dolls and we opened our gifts (I gave her Hello Kitty items; she gave me polar bear-themed sleep socks and "Twisted Peppermint" bath items from Bath and Body Works), we started the tree. My tree is artificial. Though I no longer have an ancient heater to worry about, as I did in Wildwood, I'm not terribly eager to either pay for or drag a real tree up the steep steps to my apartment. Besides, I like my tree. Mom bought it (and my wreath) for me as an early Christmas present the year I moved out on my own. It's the perfect size, about 6 feet. I don't even need a step stool to put the star on top.
We had a small problem with the lights. I bought the lights new last year. I'd had my old ones since college, and I was afraid they'd become a fire hazard. Trouble is, I should have bought a longer string. It took us at least 10 minutes or so just to figure out how to get the lights around the tree and be able to get them to reach the plug behind the crates with the records in them. I'll see if I can get another strand on the after-Christmas sales.
We had far fewer problems after that. The garlands went on easily, all three of them. I have tons and tons of ornaments - basic glass balls from discount stores like Big Lots, beautiful hand-blown glass ornaments from Winterwood in Cape May County, Hallmark ornaments given to me by friends, ornaments my mom made, plastic icicles covered in glitter or translucent like real ice, wooden clothespin soldiers, and beaded ornaments a cousin made several years ago. Amanda and I are both very picky about where we put the ornaments. Can't leave holes or have two of the same ornaments next to each other!
(We also discussed our dislike of tinsel. I prefer garlands. Tinsel, at least in its modern Mylar incarnation, clumps badly and makes a mess. I think Mom used them early in my childhood, but she switched to garlands some time in the mid-80s and hasn't used it since. Plus, as Amanda reminded me, they tend to get nibbled on by curious kitties.)
We timed it perfectly. We finished the tree right at 2:30, just in time for Amanda to head out. She thought she might get called into work. (She e-mailed me later and said she wasn't, but she worked Thanksgiving and Black Friday and appreciated the time off.) We rounded up her leftovers and gifts and headed to her car across the street. I waved to her from the driveway as she left.
I hit the bathroom and put away the tree items, then slipped back into my Cape May sweatshirt, grabbed my full laundry bag, and hit the laundromat. The sun looked like it was trying to come out when Amanda was here, but it had clouded over again even before she left. By the time my huge load was in the washer, it had gotten much darker. The laundromat wasn't busy at all. Good thing, since I had a ton to do, including last month's towels and the ones I used to cover the seat of the old computer chair. I found out why the laundromat was so quiet when I headed out and it was showering. I rode home as quickly as I could.
When I got in, I put away the laundry, then pulled out the Christmas bears. Mom used to dress up some of our stuffed animals and a few she had just for the holidays in old hats and scarves and baby clothes and put them on her hope chest. It was an interactive display. We'd play with the bears throughout the Christmas season, and would even swap the winter hats with tiaras for New Year's. Mom gave them to me after I moved out. She'd gotten tired of putting them out, and my brother was too old for them. I don't have a hope chest, so I put mine under the tree. I have quite a few of my own stuffed animals and bears to add, including the WebKinz Peppermint Puppy and Reindeer (who wears a Santa Claus outfit), two Snoopys (one in a baker's outfit), a Charlie Brown, and all three of the 1986 Christmas Muppet Babies (I found them mint in their bags at a thrift shop about five years or so ago). My American Girl bear Abigail Griddle (aka Miss AG) got to wear a beautiful Build-a-Bear angel outfit I found at a yard sale last spring.
Ran documentaries on Christmas history as I finished the bears and made turkey tenderloin and sauteed spinach and mushrooms for dinner. Christmas Past is a British special on how the holidays changed in England from pagan times to the 1950s. I love the stories told by various older Britishers, including the woman who had her first really nice Christmas when she was evacuated from London as a child during World War II, the female Santa Claus, and the Scots who showed off their neat kissing ball.
The History Channel special Christmas Unwrapped covers the history of the holiday in general and how many American customs came to be. I especially enjoy the discussions of the very early history of the holiday, and how the Puritains tried to ban it...and just sent its traditions underground, turning Christmas into more of a private than a noisy public holiday. (Although a few vestiges of those earlier carnival Christmases do remain today, including caroling, mistletoe, and parades.)
TV Guide Looks at Christmas, as you can guess, covers how Christmas has been presented on television over the years. While already I knew most of what was discussed here, I did enjoy learning more about variety specials. I was born just as variety and sketch-based programming was dying off on prime-time on the networks. Pee Wee's Christmas Special was pretty much the only major variety show done during my childhood (and for more than a quarter-century after that). While I had heard of the Bing Crosby shows and have had the CD soundtrack of Judy Garland's special for years, Perry Como's holiday adventures in Austria and other exotic foreign lands were entirely new to me.
And...I can't get the heat to work again. I keep trying to get it to turn on, and it the heaters won't get warm. They broke down last year, but I thought my then-landlord Andrew got PS&G to fix it. I'll have to call my neighbors tomorrow and see what they say.
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Monday, December 01, 2014
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Getting Ready for the Holidays
I had early work today, around 9 AM. I'm not used to working that early on a Sunday. I just barely made it! It wasn't too bad when I got in. It did pick up a little later, but it was never overwhelming, and nothing like it usually is on a Sunday. For one thing, the Eagles played on Thanksgiving. Today is also a few days after Thanksgiving...and the day before the beginning of the month. A lot of people's minds are on everything but food! My relief was one of the college boys who is almost always on time. I got out the moment he came in.
Went straight home after work and spent the rest of the day cleaning, listening to Christmas music, and putting up the first Christmas decorations. First off was making the bed. I changed my Cabbage Patch Kids Dulcie and Carrie into their Christmas outfits. (Dulcie's is a Build-a-Bear dance outfit and is too big for her, but it will do for now.) I vacuumed all over the apartment, including under furniture I don't usually bother with. I do the most thorough cleaning I can for the holidays.
I spent more than an hour re-arranging my books. The adult paperbacks were moved to the two shelves under the Sailor Moon dolls. The hardbacks (adult and children's) replaced them in the larger IKEA shelf. My American Girl books and children's hardback picture books and treasuries were moved to the smaller IKEA shelf.
The Disney Toddler dolls went on the American Girls' dolls bed. The American Girl dolls went on the blue bench. The Toddler dolls cost me $25 each. While most of my AG dolls were presents or used, one was $115...and it would cost even more than that to replace them. I wanted them where their hair wouldn't get messed up by the blankets on my bed.
The Sailor Moon dolls stayed where they were. I thought of moving them to the IKEA shelves, but they just didn't fit. The Ever After High dolls will go on the top shelf in place of the Disney Toddlers. The Ever After High dolls are packaged with stands that will keep them from falling off the shelf. (The Sailor Moon dolls were too, but their stands don't hold them very well.)
When I finished all that, I dusted everything that I hadn't dusted under when I swapped it around. It was past 6:30 when I finally finished cleaning in my bedroom and was able to pull out the things in the Santa Bag. This is where I keep everything that has to be put up first - the mistletoe (which goes over the front door), the poinsettia placemats, the red and green coasters I crocheted a while back, the Nativity, and the garlands for the windows.
I couldn't figure out where to put a few of the garlands. I draped the garland that went on the baker's rack over the two small wooden shelves that hold the cassettes. The golden tinsel garland went around one of the DVD shelves.
The other garlands went in their regular places. The wooden walls in this apartment makes it really difficult to tack the garlands to the walls. They just don't want to go in! My fingers are still sore from pushing the tacks into the large, heavy garland that goes around the two large windows in the living room. The smaller garlands were mostly held on curtain rods with twist ties.
It was nearly 8 PM before I had a very quick meal of half of a grapefruit and the last of the leftover chicken burgers. I wanted to get this all done tonight because my good friend Amanda is visiting tomorrow from Vineland. We're going to go out to lunch, then come home, exchange gifts, and decorate my tree. We do this every year, and we both very much look forward to it.
Went straight home after work and spent the rest of the day cleaning, listening to Christmas music, and putting up the first Christmas decorations. First off was making the bed. I changed my Cabbage Patch Kids Dulcie and Carrie into their Christmas outfits. (Dulcie's is a Build-a-Bear dance outfit and is too big for her, but it will do for now.) I vacuumed all over the apartment, including under furniture I don't usually bother with. I do the most thorough cleaning I can for the holidays.
I spent more than an hour re-arranging my books. The adult paperbacks were moved to the two shelves under the Sailor Moon dolls. The hardbacks (adult and children's) replaced them in the larger IKEA shelf. My American Girl books and children's hardback picture books and treasuries were moved to the smaller IKEA shelf.
The Disney Toddler dolls went on the American Girls' dolls bed. The American Girl dolls went on the blue bench. The Toddler dolls cost me $25 each. While most of my AG dolls were presents or used, one was $115...and it would cost even more than that to replace them. I wanted them where their hair wouldn't get messed up by the blankets on my bed.
The Sailor Moon dolls stayed where they were. I thought of moving them to the IKEA shelves, but they just didn't fit. The Ever After High dolls will go on the top shelf in place of the Disney Toddlers. The Ever After High dolls are packaged with stands that will keep them from falling off the shelf. (The Sailor Moon dolls were too, but their stands don't hold them very well.)
When I finished all that, I dusted everything that I hadn't dusted under when I swapped it around. It was past 6:30 when I finally finished cleaning in my bedroom and was able to pull out the things in the Santa Bag. This is where I keep everything that has to be put up first - the mistletoe (which goes over the front door), the poinsettia placemats, the red and green coasters I crocheted a while back, the Nativity, and the garlands for the windows.
I couldn't figure out where to put a few of the garlands. I draped the garland that went on the baker's rack over the two small wooden shelves that hold the cassettes. The golden tinsel garland went around one of the DVD shelves.
The other garlands went in their regular places. The wooden walls in this apartment makes it really difficult to tack the garlands to the walls. They just don't want to go in! My fingers are still sore from pushing the tacks into the large, heavy garland that goes around the two large windows in the living room. The smaller garlands were mostly held on curtain rods with twist ties.
It was nearly 8 PM before I had a very quick meal of half of a grapefruit and the last of the leftover chicken burgers. I wanted to get this all done tonight because my good friend Amanda is visiting tomorrow from Vineland. We're going to go out to lunch, then come home, exchange gifts, and decorate my tree. We do this every year, and we both very much look forward to it.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Christmas On Parade
It was cloudy and cold when I got up this morning, but not windy or raining. I watched Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special as I ate cereal and half a grapefruit for breakfast. When Sid the Sloth accidentally breaks Manny the Mammoth's Christmas rock, Manny claims that Sid is on Santa's Naughty List. Manny then tells his daughter Peaches that Santa doesn't exist at all. Peaches, along with Sid and the possums Crash and Eddie, and the egotistical reindeer Prancer are determined to find Santa and prove that there's holiday spirit, even in prehistoric times.
Today was the day of the big Collingswood Christmas Parade. As I did last year, I headed out around quarter of 10 and made it to Haddon Avenue just in time. Fifteen minutes after I found a spot in the Haddon Avenue entrance to WaWa's parking lot, the first sounds of marching bands could be heard coming down the street. I also bought my annual pretzel from Collingswood High School's wrestling team. They were even warm this year.
The Collingswood Christmas Parade is the largest parade in the western Camden County area. Every area school has a float. (My favorite was James A. Garfield Elementary's Santa's Workshop theme.) A glass company had two trucks with machines that sprayed "snow" over the crowds. There were lots of Mummers in their spangled costumes in all colors of the rainbow. I loved the groups themed around pirates, cowboys, and toys. Two stilt-walkers, one a juggler dressed as a toy soldier, ambled down the route. The Ovations dance school around the corner from me on West Clinton had a cute high-stepping routine for their older students. The students of Hillsboro High and Camden High especially got into their flag and orchestra routines and seemed to be having the most fun of any of the bands. Two local string bands played "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Here Comes Santa Claus" from the back of tractors. A pair of women dressed as Elsa and Anna from Frozen rode in a car provided by a real estate office.
Tons of people wandered around in costume. Some, like two gingerbread people, the Grinch, Rudolph, a tree, and Frosty and Crystal, were related to the holidays. A few others, notably Spider Man and Batman, had nothing whatsoever to do with Christmas and were just there to amuse the kids.
At one point, I ran across the street to GrooveGround to get a hot chocolate. They were busy, but the line went fast. In addition to their DVDs and CDs, they apparently now sell vintage records. I bought Merry Christmas With the Supremes for $2.99, along with a small hot chocolate.
As soon as the Collingswood Fire Department brought Santa down Haddon Avenue, I left. It was 11:30, and I had to make lunch and get going to work. When I got in, I started Banana Honey Muffins as I watched The Year Without a Santa Claus. My favorite Rankin-Bass special shows what happens when Santa isn't feeling well and decides to take a vacation. Two elves, a reindeer, and Mrs. Claus are determined to prove that there's still some Christmas spirit left in the world and get Santa back on track. What they didn't count on were the perpetually battling Heat Miser and Snow Miser's feud to land them in a heap of trouble on Earth!
My neighbor's son brought a big box upstairs to me as I was getting ready to load muffin batter into the pan. It was my long-awaited Amazon.com order! In addition to a present for my friend Amanda and the last Max & Ruby Christmas-themed DVD I didn't have, Everybunny Loves Winter, I broke down and ordered two Ever After High dolls when they were on a half-price sale. Cerise Hood is the lovely, mysterious daughter of Little Red Riding Hood. Briar Beauty is the daughter of Sleeping Beauty who is determined to do the most living she can before she falls into a 100-year-sleep. I think these are two of the prettiest dolls in the line, with some of the most unique face molds. While most of the dolls were held in the boxes with rubber bands, their heads did have plastic pieces on them. That wasn't too hard to get off of Briar, but I put a hole in Cerise's hood trying to get hers off. I'll see if I can fix it eventually.
It took me so long to unpack them, I barely had the time to eat and run before rushing off to work! Thankfully, that was the only problem I had all night. Work was steady during rush hour and dead by as early as 6:30. Not only is it the end of the month, but most people just ate the biggest meal of the year. Who wants to think of food shopping two days after Thanksgiving? It was so quiet by 7:30, I was able to leave a few minutes early.
Today was the day of the big Collingswood Christmas Parade. As I did last year, I headed out around quarter of 10 and made it to Haddon Avenue just in time. Fifteen minutes after I found a spot in the Haddon Avenue entrance to WaWa's parking lot, the first sounds of marching bands could be heard coming down the street. I also bought my annual pretzel from Collingswood High School's wrestling team. They were even warm this year.
The Collingswood Christmas Parade is the largest parade in the western Camden County area. Every area school has a float. (My favorite was James A. Garfield Elementary's Santa's Workshop theme.) A glass company had two trucks with machines that sprayed "snow" over the crowds. There were lots of Mummers in their spangled costumes in all colors of the rainbow. I loved the groups themed around pirates, cowboys, and toys. Two stilt-walkers, one a juggler dressed as a toy soldier, ambled down the route. The Ovations dance school around the corner from me on West Clinton had a cute high-stepping routine for their older students. The students of Hillsboro High and Camden High especially got into their flag and orchestra routines and seemed to be having the most fun of any of the bands. Two local string bands played "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Here Comes Santa Claus" from the back of tractors. A pair of women dressed as Elsa and Anna from Frozen rode in a car provided by a real estate office.
Tons of people wandered around in costume. Some, like two gingerbread people, the Grinch, Rudolph, a tree, and Frosty and Crystal, were related to the holidays. A few others, notably Spider Man and Batman, had nothing whatsoever to do with Christmas and were just there to amuse the kids.
At one point, I ran across the street to GrooveGround to get a hot chocolate. They were busy, but the line went fast. In addition to their DVDs and CDs, they apparently now sell vintage records. I bought Merry Christmas With the Supremes for $2.99, along with a small hot chocolate.
As soon as the Collingswood Fire Department brought Santa down Haddon Avenue, I left. It was 11:30, and I had to make lunch and get going to work. When I got in, I started Banana Honey Muffins as I watched The Year Without a Santa Claus. My favorite Rankin-Bass special shows what happens when Santa isn't feeling well and decides to take a vacation. Two elves, a reindeer, and Mrs. Claus are determined to prove that there's still some Christmas spirit left in the world and get Santa back on track. What they didn't count on were the perpetually battling Heat Miser and Snow Miser's feud to land them in a heap of trouble on Earth!
My neighbor's son brought a big box upstairs to me as I was getting ready to load muffin batter into the pan. It was my long-awaited Amazon.com order! In addition to a present for my friend Amanda and the last Max & Ruby Christmas-themed DVD I didn't have, Everybunny Loves Winter, I broke down and ordered two Ever After High dolls when they were on a half-price sale. Cerise Hood is the lovely, mysterious daughter of Little Red Riding Hood. Briar Beauty is the daughter of Sleeping Beauty who is determined to do the most living she can before she falls into a 100-year-sleep. I think these are two of the prettiest dolls in the line, with some of the most unique face molds. While most of the dolls were held in the boxes with rubber bands, their heads did have plastic pieces on them. That wasn't too hard to get off of Briar, but I put a hole in Cerise's hood trying to get hers off. I'll see if I can fix it eventually.
It took me so long to unpack them, I barely had the time to eat and run before rushing off to work! Thankfully, that was the only problem I had all night. Work was steady during rush hour and dead by as early as 6:30. Not only is it the end of the month, but most people just ate the biggest meal of the year. Who wants to think of food shopping two days after Thanksgiving? It was so quiet by 7:30, I was able to leave a few minutes early.
Friday, November 28, 2014
It's the Holiday Season
After I finished my blog entry last night, I went downstairs and had a nice, long talk with Mom. She and I were the only ones still awake at that point. Dad was snoring in front of the Seahawks-49ers game; the rest of the family went to bed. I wish I could have come down and visited with her in September, like I did last year, but everyone on the Cape May side of the family was busy. I'm lucky I got to see her now. She's still at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, which runs limited day hours during the winter, but she did get Thanksgiving weekend off.
I went to bed around 12:30 and got up around 7. By the time I made it downstairs, everyone else was already there. Mom had sliced the Cranberry-Apple Bread and Pumpkin Bread, and there was leftover apple pie as well. I knew I should have left the Cranberry-Apple Bread in the oven longer. It wasn't quite cooked all the way through. Oh well, they still ate it. The Pumpkin came out perfectly, though. Between Keefe and me (and Anny later), most of that vanished pretty quickly.
Khai and I played with Duplos and Hot Wheels while watching Little Bear on Nick. Jr and letting the parents finish their coffee and tea. Some of the miniature cars and trucks in the boys' collection date back as far as 30 years. I saw a couple that belonged to Rose in the 80s, and quite a few that were Keefe's in the 90s and early 2000s. Khai was delighted by the unusual vehicles, especially the large trucks made to look like real Pepsi or Oreo trucks and the helicopters with propellers that really spun.
Anny arrived with her brood at 9:30. Craig, Keefe, and I were trying to show Khai how to play the XBox video game LEGO Marvel Super Heroes. We were supposed to be letting Mr. Fantastic (of the Fantastic Four) and Captain America chase Dr. Octopus through the Fantastic Four's headquarters and over to a hotel, but Khai wasn't having much luck. He's still a bit young to really get how to work the controls. Craig helped him while I took the Captain. We let Collyn and Skylar take over as we got ready to head home.
We finally left around quarter of 11. Once again, other than some very mild traffic around Deptford (probably because of the Black Friday sales at the Mall), there were no problems on the road. Khai and I played with his iPad briefly before we both passed out somewhere around Tuckahoe. I got up as we were turning onto the ramp into Mt. Ephram, but Khai was still out when we arrived at my apartment.
When I got in, I put everything away, then called Dad. He said he'd be able to corral Jodie's sons to deliver the furniture from her house today. He said to give him an hour - the boys and Jodie were still working on clearing things out at her house. I took down the Thanksgiving and general fall decorations, then took everything off the baker's rack and moved it outside to make room for the new hutch and dry sink.
I finally got bored waiting for Dad and walked over to his house around quarter of 2 to see if I could help. They were still waiting for Jodie's son T.J and a friend of his to arrive. They finally did a few minutes later. The boys loaded the hutch, bench, and dry sink into T.J's truck. Dad already had the computer chair in his van. We had a harder time unscrewing the CD player from the kitchen shelf it was under than getting anything outside. Dad couldn't find the drill at his house, so we had to do it by hand, and it took a while.
Jodie also gave me a small porcelain doll that was among the many knick-knacks she kept in her room. She's probably about 6 or 8 inches and is very sweet, with long golden curls and a pink lace dress and matching hat and shoes. Her head is really loose - I'll see if I can make her a scarf to help keep her head on. Her delicate pastel ensemble suggests spring, so I'll make her the Easter equivalent of Holly, my 6-inch Christmas porcelain doll.
After they helped me get everything upstairs, I grabbed my backpack and money and headed out. I really needed to eat and get a grocery trip in. I locked my bike at the Acme and just walked to Arby's. It was past 3:30 by then. Needless to say, they were quiet except for one older man and a mom and her two unruly boys. I ate my Philly Steak sandwich, Curly Fries, and Peach Brisk Tea quickly and quietly.
The Acme was also very quiet when I arrived. It's the day after Thanksgiving. This is the last day anyone wants to be thinking about food! I didn't need a lot, either. I was mainly there for skim milk, baking soda, and bananas. I also picked up one grapefruit, cranberries, chicken soup, canned apricots, two tins of fancy holiday tea for Christmas presents, and three DVDs. Two of those DVDs, Barbie In A Christmas Carol and the second Max & Ruby Halloween/fall themed set, Perfect Pumpkin, were for me. The third was another Christmas present, this one for Amanda. And of course, my Christmas tree would be needing candy canes on Monday.
Speaking of Monday, I have Monday and Tuesday off next week. Monday was a request - my friend Amanda is visiting from Vineland. Other than an unusually early day on Sunday, the rest of the week is all afternoon and evening work, perfectly normal for this time of year.
I spent the rest of the evening cleaning and organizing my new items. I quickly discovered that the hutch was fine where the baker's rack was, but the dry sink was too heavy and wide to work in the TV area. It did, however, very much resemble the dark antique dresser Rose gave me when I moved in. I use it for keeping various odds and ends like batteries, tools, and tacks. I removed two of the four heavy crates I was using for records and pushed the dresser over the remaining two. The dry sink went where the dresser was. The CD player and record player went on top of the dresser. My cookbooks all went in the hutch. Everything that was on top of the dresser went on top of the dry sink. The silverware and knives went in the dry sink's drawer. The rock and pop albums went in the large space on the bottom of the dry sink. The jazz, vocal, and nostalgia albums went in the crates under the dresser. The now-empty crates went in the TV area, one to be used as a coffee table, the other to hold books on media and media history. My crocheting books and bag of current projects went in the coffee table crate. The bench went in my bedroom and is now the home of my Disney Animator's Collection Toddlers Dolls, freeing up a shelf on the bookshelf where the Sailor Moon dolls are.
The only thing that didn't work out was the CD player. Jodie claimed it was still in good shape, but it just wouldn't work for me. It would start playing the first song, then get stuck and refuse to finish. It wouldn't fast-forward to the next song, either. I did move the old Emerson CD/cassette player to the TV area to replace the 30-year-old GE cassette player/radio I was using there. The radio still works on that, but the cassette player died at least five years ago. The cassette player and radio are fine on the Emerson, but the CD player skips. I'll just look into a new CD player for Christmas.
I first ran Barbie In A Christmas Carol while I moved furniture around. Barbie's second holiday tale adapts one of literature's most famous Christmas stories. Barbie tells her little sister Kelly the story of Eden Starling, a singing star who is the toast of Victorian London...but is also a spoiled diva who thinks nothing of keeping her supporting performers and her best friend at the theater for Christmas Day. A trio of (female) ghosts take her out on Christmas Eve to remind her of the importance of charity and goodwill.
Moved to another unusual version of A Christmas Carol while finishing the dusting and having a quick dinner of Thanksgiving leftovers and an apple. The Muppet's Christmas Carol came out in 1992, two years after the death of Jim Henson. The tumult hardly shows. This is one of the Muppets' best films, with an engaging score and a pitch-perfect performance by Michael Caine as Scrooge. Kermit is Bob Cratchit, Piggy is his outspoken wife, Fozzie is Fezziwig, Gonzo is the narrator, Kermit's nephew Robin is Tiny Tim, and Rizzo the Rat is mostly around for the food. Fans of the Muppets probably already have it in their collection; highly recommended for families and musical fans as well.
I went to bed around 12:30 and got up around 7. By the time I made it downstairs, everyone else was already there. Mom had sliced the Cranberry-Apple Bread and Pumpkin Bread, and there was leftover apple pie as well. I knew I should have left the Cranberry-Apple Bread in the oven longer. It wasn't quite cooked all the way through. Oh well, they still ate it. The Pumpkin came out perfectly, though. Between Keefe and me (and Anny later), most of that vanished pretty quickly.
Khai and I played with Duplos and Hot Wheels while watching Little Bear on Nick. Jr and letting the parents finish their coffee and tea. Some of the miniature cars and trucks in the boys' collection date back as far as 30 years. I saw a couple that belonged to Rose in the 80s, and quite a few that were Keefe's in the 90s and early 2000s. Khai was delighted by the unusual vehicles, especially the large trucks made to look like real Pepsi or Oreo trucks and the helicopters with propellers that really spun.
Anny arrived with her brood at 9:30. Craig, Keefe, and I were trying to show Khai how to play the XBox video game LEGO Marvel Super Heroes. We were supposed to be letting Mr. Fantastic (of the Fantastic Four) and Captain America chase Dr. Octopus through the Fantastic Four's headquarters and over to a hotel, but Khai wasn't having much luck. He's still a bit young to really get how to work the controls. Craig helped him while I took the Captain. We let Collyn and Skylar take over as we got ready to head home.
We finally left around quarter of 11. Once again, other than some very mild traffic around Deptford (probably because of the Black Friday sales at the Mall), there were no problems on the road. Khai and I played with his iPad briefly before we both passed out somewhere around Tuckahoe. I got up as we were turning onto the ramp into Mt. Ephram, but Khai was still out when we arrived at my apartment.
When I got in, I put everything away, then called Dad. He said he'd be able to corral Jodie's sons to deliver the furniture from her house today. He said to give him an hour - the boys and Jodie were still working on clearing things out at her house. I took down the Thanksgiving and general fall decorations, then took everything off the baker's rack and moved it outside to make room for the new hutch and dry sink.
I finally got bored waiting for Dad and walked over to his house around quarter of 2 to see if I could help. They were still waiting for Jodie's son T.J and a friend of his to arrive. They finally did a few minutes later. The boys loaded the hutch, bench, and dry sink into T.J's truck. Dad already had the computer chair in his van. We had a harder time unscrewing the CD player from the kitchen shelf it was under than getting anything outside. Dad couldn't find the drill at his house, so we had to do it by hand, and it took a while.
Jodie also gave me a small porcelain doll that was among the many knick-knacks she kept in her room. She's probably about 6 or 8 inches and is very sweet, with long golden curls and a pink lace dress and matching hat and shoes. Her head is really loose - I'll see if I can make her a scarf to help keep her head on. Her delicate pastel ensemble suggests spring, so I'll make her the Easter equivalent of Holly, my 6-inch Christmas porcelain doll.
After they helped me get everything upstairs, I grabbed my backpack and money and headed out. I really needed to eat and get a grocery trip in. I locked my bike at the Acme and just walked to Arby's. It was past 3:30 by then. Needless to say, they were quiet except for one older man and a mom and her two unruly boys. I ate my Philly Steak sandwich, Curly Fries, and Peach Brisk Tea quickly and quietly.
The Acme was also very quiet when I arrived. It's the day after Thanksgiving. This is the last day anyone wants to be thinking about food! I didn't need a lot, either. I was mainly there for skim milk, baking soda, and bananas. I also picked up one grapefruit, cranberries, chicken soup, canned apricots, two tins of fancy holiday tea for Christmas presents, and three DVDs. Two of those DVDs, Barbie In A Christmas Carol and the second Max & Ruby Halloween/fall themed set, Perfect Pumpkin, were for me. The third was another Christmas present, this one for Amanda. And of course, my Christmas tree would be needing candy canes on Monday.
Speaking of Monday, I have Monday and Tuesday off next week. Monday was a request - my friend Amanda is visiting from Vineland. Other than an unusually early day on Sunday, the rest of the week is all afternoon and evening work, perfectly normal for this time of year.
I spent the rest of the evening cleaning and organizing my new items. I quickly discovered that the hutch was fine where the baker's rack was, but the dry sink was too heavy and wide to work in the TV area. It did, however, very much resemble the dark antique dresser Rose gave me when I moved in. I use it for keeping various odds and ends like batteries, tools, and tacks. I removed two of the four heavy crates I was using for records and pushed the dresser over the remaining two. The dry sink went where the dresser was. The CD player and record player went on top of the dresser. My cookbooks all went in the hutch. Everything that was on top of the dresser went on top of the dry sink. The silverware and knives went in the dry sink's drawer. The rock and pop albums went in the large space on the bottom of the dry sink. The jazz, vocal, and nostalgia albums went in the crates under the dresser. The now-empty crates went in the TV area, one to be used as a coffee table, the other to hold books on media and media history. My crocheting books and bag of current projects went in the coffee table crate. The bench went in my bedroom and is now the home of my Disney Animator's Collection Toddlers Dolls, freeing up a shelf on the bookshelf where the Sailor Moon dolls are.
The only thing that didn't work out was the CD player. Jodie claimed it was still in good shape, but it just wouldn't work for me. It would start playing the first song, then get stuck and refuse to finish. It wouldn't fast-forward to the next song, either. I did move the old Emerson CD/cassette player to the TV area to replace the 30-year-old GE cassette player/radio I was using there. The radio still works on that, but the cassette player died at least five years ago. The cassette player and radio are fine on the Emerson, but the CD player skips. I'll just look into a new CD player for Christmas.
I first ran Barbie In A Christmas Carol while I moved furniture around. Barbie's second holiday tale adapts one of literature's most famous Christmas stories. Barbie tells her little sister Kelly the story of Eden Starling, a singing star who is the toast of Victorian London...but is also a spoiled diva who thinks nothing of keeping her supporting performers and her best friend at the theater for Christmas Day. A trio of (female) ghosts take her out on Christmas Eve to remind her of the importance of charity and goodwill.
Moved to another unusual version of A Christmas Carol while finishing the dusting and having a quick dinner of Thanksgiving leftovers and an apple. The Muppet's Christmas Carol came out in 1992, two years after the death of Jim Henson. The tumult hardly shows. This is one of the Muppets' best films, with an engaging score and a pitch-perfect performance by Michael Caine as Scrooge. Kermit is Bob Cratchit, Piggy is his outspoken wife, Fozzie is Fezziwig, Gonzo is the narrator, Kermit's nephew Robin is Tiny Tim, and Rizzo the Rat is mostly around for the food. Fans of the Muppets probably already have it in their collection; highly recommended for families and musical fans as well.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Thankful for Family, Turkey, and Eagles
I was reading Thanksgiving and Christmas short stories from the Collier's Junior Classics Harvest of Holidays book Linda Young sent me a few years ago when Rose called. We were going to leave between 10:30 and 11. That was fine. It would give me a chance to get dressed and have breakfast.
I ran Thanksgiving cartoons as I dressed and ate oatmeal with bananas and half a grapefruit. "Max's Thanksgiving" has Ruby eager to help Grandma decorate the table with fall's bounty. Max is more interested in the nut stuffing!
Garfield's Thanksgiving isn't much better. Garfield's not happy when Liz the Veterinarian puts him on a diet the day before Turkey Day, and then Jon invites her over to dinner! Jon's inability to cook a big meal may turn his holiday into a turkey even before Liz arrives. Good thing Grandma from the Christmas special knows what to do.
The Peanuts also have a memorable dinner in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Peppermint Patty invites herself, Marcie, and Franklin over for dinner. Trouble is, Chuck and Sally are going to their grandmother's house. Their meal of toast and jelly beans isn't appreciated...until Linus and Marcie remind their friends that Thanksgiving is about more than food.
The Mayflower Voyagers goes further into the history behind the holiday. The Peanuts play Pilgrim children on their way to the New World. The first winter in New England is harsh, and many adults perish...until help arrives in the form of friendly Indians, including kindly Squanto. The Pilgrims' first harvest is so bountiful, they invite their friends for a huge feast to give thanks for all they have.
Rose called again during The Mayflower Voyagers. They were ready early - would I mind leaving at 10 instead? That was fine. They finally picked me up around 10:15 (after I said Happy Thanksgiving to my next-door neighbor Richard). This year, Rose, 4-year-old Khai, and I were joined by Rose's boyfriend and Khai's father Craig and by frisky mini pincher Kelsey. There were no problems at all going down to Cape May County. Kelsey sat comfortably in her mommy's lap. Traffic was sparse, even on the interstate. Khai showed me the cute games Rose has for him on his iPad. His favorite was the Halloween game that let you stick treats in a jack-o-lantern or put ghosts and flying witches in front of a haunted house.
We arrived around 11:30-quarter of 12. Much to my delight, my brother Keefe was there with my sister Anny, her fiancee Jay, and Anny's 10-year-old son Skylar and 5-year-old son Collyn. Keefe is in the Navy and apparently had gotten a short leave. Mom came down shortly from taking a shower; Dad had been out running errands. Anny is 8 weeks away from having her first daughter. Other than swollen ankles, she seems to be doing ok.
I spent most of the afternoon chasing Collyn, Khai, and Skylar around. We played with the iPad, watched something about two silly little girls in fluffy dresses helping a princess on Nickelodeon, and built with Duplos first. When the boys started shooting at each other with Nerf guns, we went outside. Collyn rode his bike through the leaves. Khai followed him on the scooter.
When they got bored, we went back inside for another round of games. We watched Ultimate Spider Man and Sanjay & Craig while the boys set up a train track with a real working electric train. It got a little goofy when they kept running the train everywhere but the rails.
They finally wandered upstairs. I first started a game of Trouble with Khai and Collyn. That lasted about ten minutes, until Skylar pulled out an enormous purple Nerf gun that was almost as big as he was. The boys then hid on the steps and pretended to be snipers. I avoided getting shot with suction-tipped darts at by claiming I was the general and gave the orders. They got caught when they shot Mom one too many times and were ordered to go downstairs.
I took them outside again. This time, we kicked balls around. There were two soccer balls, one volleyball, and a baseball and bat. We kicked the soccer balls to each other for a while, then chased after them. I ended up cleaning up the mess when the boys got tired of kicking things and wanted to see if dinner was ready.
It wasn't. They resumed watching cartoons (now Adventure Time) and playing with the train set in the living room until Mom announced dinner was on the table. Mom's dinner was divine, as always. We had turkey, home-made stuffing (even Mom said it was her best ever), cranberry sauce, rolls, carrots (they were a little bland), pearl onions in white sauce, mashed potatoes, and my personal favorite, sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows. (It's like dessert at dinner!) Everyone ate a ton, including the little boys. Skylar ate so much, he had two plates of food done before most of the adults even sat down to eat!
Football was on all day. The Bears-Lions game was just starting when we came in. The Bears got an early lead, but the Lions came on strong in the second half. The Lions ultimately won it, 34-17.
The big one here was the Eagles-Cowboys game. Both teams were first in their division. I settled down with Dad, Craig, Jay, and Keefe to watch the game while Mom and my sisters set out dessert and the little boys returned to the playroom. The Eagles dominated an intense and rather ugly game that broke out into at least two fights in the third and fourth quarters. (Unlike the incident with the Redskins back in September, no one was thrown out, thank goodness.) LeShaun "Shady" McCoy had his best game in weeks. The Eagles finally killed the Cowboys, 33-10.
Dessert was even better than the game. Keefe and I swarmed around the pumpkin pie as soon as Mom announced it was on the counter. There were also Mom's beloved chocolate chip cookie bars, Rose's key lime pie bars, cupcakes topped with chocolate caramel "acorns" Anny molded herself, a moist carrot cake that a neighbor gave Mom, and some tasty pretzels dipped in white chocolate.
The boys wound down even before the game did. By the time the final score became apparent, all three were more than worn out. Khai didn't even kick up too much of a fuss when his cousins finally went home with their mom and her fiancee. Dad switched to the 49ers-Seahawks game, which I'm assuming he and Craig are still watching. Mom was putting away the desserts. Rose and Keefe went to visit Rose's friend Colleen in the Villas for a few hours.
Tomorrow, I'll go home with Rose, Craig, and Khai, then get a lot of things done at my apartment - dusting, taking down the Thanksgiving decorations, grocery shopping, organizing the furniture Dad will be bringing over from Jodie's house.
Oh, and I hope all of my American readers had an equally happy and hearty Thanksgiving with the people they love (and that the Candians enjoyed their Turkey Day last month).
I ran Thanksgiving cartoons as I dressed and ate oatmeal with bananas and half a grapefruit. "Max's Thanksgiving" has Ruby eager to help Grandma decorate the table with fall's bounty. Max is more interested in the nut stuffing!
Garfield's Thanksgiving isn't much better. Garfield's not happy when Liz the Veterinarian puts him on a diet the day before Turkey Day, and then Jon invites her over to dinner! Jon's inability to cook a big meal may turn his holiday into a turkey even before Liz arrives. Good thing Grandma from the Christmas special knows what to do.
The Peanuts also have a memorable dinner in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Peppermint Patty invites herself, Marcie, and Franklin over for dinner. Trouble is, Chuck and Sally are going to their grandmother's house. Their meal of toast and jelly beans isn't appreciated...until Linus and Marcie remind their friends that Thanksgiving is about more than food.
The Mayflower Voyagers goes further into the history behind the holiday. The Peanuts play Pilgrim children on their way to the New World. The first winter in New England is harsh, and many adults perish...until help arrives in the form of friendly Indians, including kindly Squanto. The Pilgrims' first harvest is so bountiful, they invite their friends for a huge feast to give thanks for all they have.
Rose called again during The Mayflower Voyagers. They were ready early - would I mind leaving at 10 instead? That was fine. They finally picked me up around 10:15 (after I said Happy Thanksgiving to my next-door neighbor Richard). This year, Rose, 4-year-old Khai, and I were joined by Rose's boyfriend and Khai's father Craig and by frisky mini pincher Kelsey. There were no problems at all going down to Cape May County. Kelsey sat comfortably in her mommy's lap. Traffic was sparse, even on the interstate. Khai showed me the cute games Rose has for him on his iPad. His favorite was the Halloween game that let you stick treats in a jack-o-lantern or put ghosts and flying witches in front of a haunted house.
We arrived around 11:30-quarter of 12. Much to my delight, my brother Keefe was there with my sister Anny, her fiancee Jay, and Anny's 10-year-old son Skylar and 5-year-old son Collyn. Keefe is in the Navy and apparently had gotten a short leave. Mom came down shortly from taking a shower; Dad had been out running errands. Anny is 8 weeks away from having her first daughter. Other than swollen ankles, she seems to be doing ok.
I spent most of the afternoon chasing Collyn, Khai, and Skylar around. We played with the iPad, watched something about two silly little girls in fluffy dresses helping a princess on Nickelodeon, and built with Duplos first. When the boys started shooting at each other with Nerf guns, we went outside. Collyn rode his bike through the leaves. Khai followed him on the scooter.
When they got bored, we went back inside for another round of games. We watched Ultimate Spider Man and Sanjay & Craig while the boys set up a train track with a real working electric train. It got a little goofy when they kept running the train everywhere but the rails.
They finally wandered upstairs. I first started a game of Trouble with Khai and Collyn. That lasted about ten minutes, until Skylar pulled out an enormous purple Nerf gun that was almost as big as he was. The boys then hid on the steps and pretended to be snipers. I avoided getting shot with suction-tipped darts at by claiming I was the general and gave the orders. They got caught when they shot Mom one too many times and were ordered to go downstairs.
I took them outside again. This time, we kicked balls around. There were two soccer balls, one volleyball, and a baseball and bat. We kicked the soccer balls to each other for a while, then chased after them. I ended up cleaning up the mess when the boys got tired of kicking things and wanted to see if dinner was ready.
It wasn't. They resumed watching cartoons (now Adventure Time) and playing with the train set in the living room until Mom announced dinner was on the table. Mom's dinner was divine, as always. We had turkey, home-made stuffing (even Mom said it was her best ever), cranberry sauce, rolls, carrots (they were a little bland), pearl onions in white sauce, mashed potatoes, and my personal favorite, sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows. (It's like dessert at dinner!) Everyone ate a ton, including the little boys. Skylar ate so much, he had two plates of food done before most of the adults even sat down to eat!
Football was on all day. The Bears-Lions game was just starting when we came in. The Bears got an early lead, but the Lions came on strong in the second half. The Lions ultimately won it, 34-17.
The big one here was the Eagles-Cowboys game. Both teams were first in their division. I settled down with Dad, Craig, Jay, and Keefe to watch the game while Mom and my sisters set out dessert and the little boys returned to the playroom. The Eagles dominated an intense and rather ugly game that broke out into at least two fights in the third and fourth quarters. (Unlike the incident with the Redskins back in September, no one was thrown out, thank goodness.) LeShaun "Shady" McCoy had his best game in weeks. The Eagles finally killed the Cowboys, 33-10.
Dessert was even better than the game. Keefe and I swarmed around the pumpkin pie as soon as Mom announced it was on the counter. There were also Mom's beloved chocolate chip cookie bars, Rose's key lime pie bars, cupcakes topped with chocolate caramel "acorns" Anny molded herself, a moist carrot cake that a neighbor gave Mom, and some tasty pretzels dipped in white chocolate.
The boys wound down even before the game did. By the time the final score became apparent, all three were more than worn out. Khai didn't even kick up too much of a fuss when his cousins finally went home with their mom and her fiancee. Dad switched to the 49ers-Seahawks game, which I'm assuming he and Craig are still watching. Mom was putting away the desserts. Rose and Keefe went to visit Rose's friend Colleen in the Villas for a few hours.
Tomorrow, I'll go home with Rose, Craig, and Khai, then get a lot of things done at my apartment - dusting, taking down the Thanksgiving decorations, grocery shopping, organizing the furniture Dad will be bringing over from Jodie's house.
Oh, and I hope all of my American readers had an equally happy and hearty Thanksgiving with the people they love (and that the Candians enjoyed their Turkey Day last month).
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Frozen Weather, Cozy Day
It was pouring when I got up this morning, but it was just rain. No snow, no sleet. The rain continued as I had oatmeal for breakfast, then as I made pumpkin bread while watching Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Neil Page (Steve Martin) thinks he's just catching a plane to Chicago two days before Thanksgiving. His trip turns into a real odyssey when he encounters overly chatty salesman Del Griffith (John Candy) in the airport. The two keep running into each other as they make their way across the frozen Midwestern landscape from Wichita to Chicago. As Neil gets to know Del better, he finally learns a lesson in charity and being grateful for what he has. John Hughes' most adult film is buoyed by the performances of its two marvelous leads, even when it gets a little too sentimental towards the end.
Switched to two snow-themed Backyardigans episodes from the first season as I gave the kitchen a much-needed cleaning. Pablo and Tyrone are guarding "The Snow Fort" from invaders who might want to steal their huge snowball! Uniqua and Tasha are ski patrolers who think the boys need rescuing. They keep trying to get in...while the boys keep them out! Uniqua is convinced that the tracks they see in the snow is "The Yeti" of the frozen north. Tasha thinks she's nuts. Really, it's just Pablo being cute, and he leads the two girls and Tyrone on a merry chase across the snowy landscape.
Ironically, the rain began to mix with sleet and snow as I packed for tomorrow and put on Frozen. Disney's biggest hit in years gives us two sisters, Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristin Bell) living in a small Norwegian kingdom. Elsa has snow powers she's kept hidden from her sister for her safety. Her powers are accidentally unleashed after she forbids Anna from rashly marrying a man she's just met and the girls fight. Elsa runs off, leaving Arendelle in an eternal winter. Anna goes after her. As she makes her way to the mountain where Elsa is hiding, she meets Kristoff and his reindeer Sven, as well as Olaf, a snowman obsessed with summer. It'll take a frozen heart and a betrayal to make the two women understand that there's more than one kind of true love in the world...and that the only real frozen heart is one that closes to love and friendship.
No wonder this has been such a hit, especially with girls. This is the touching tale of sisterhood, friendship, and discovering that there's more than one type of true love in the world. The music in particular is fabulous.
Moved to less elaborate winter-themed animation as I made Brussels sprouts, leftover chicken burgers, and the last of the Cranberry Flummery for lunch. Frosty's Winter Wonderland is Rankin-Bass' second Frosty tale. This time, Andy Griffith narrates the story of how Frosty (Jackie Vernon) gained a wife (Shelly Winters) and an enemy in Jack Frost.
Did two black-and-white Mickey Mouse shorts as I got ready for work. Mickey's "The Grocery Boy" who brings Minnie her deliveries. It's all fun and dance routines in the kitchen, until naughty Pluto steals the turkey! One of my favorite Mickey cartoons is the sweet "Mickey's Good Deed." The Depression has hit Mick and Pluto hard - they find themselves playing a cello for nickels. When Mickey sees a mother who is even poorer, he sells the one thing that means most to him to be able to help her...but he gets a special surprise in the end!
It was still coming down at quarter of 2, though no longer mixed with snow. Dad drove me to and from work. It wasn't that busy when I got in, probably because it was still raining. The moment the rain stopped, the people came. We were swamped by rush hour. It did slow down long enough by 8 for me to leave without a relief. Other than a few annoying customers, there were no major problems. It was raining lightly when Dad picked me up - the rain was getting heavier as we went home, but it sounds like it's lighter or gone now.
And for those of you who won't be online tomorrow, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Switched to two snow-themed Backyardigans episodes from the first season as I gave the kitchen a much-needed cleaning. Pablo and Tyrone are guarding "The Snow Fort" from invaders who might want to steal their huge snowball! Uniqua and Tasha are ski patrolers who think the boys need rescuing. They keep trying to get in...while the boys keep them out! Uniqua is convinced that the tracks they see in the snow is "The Yeti" of the frozen north. Tasha thinks she's nuts. Really, it's just Pablo being cute, and he leads the two girls and Tyrone on a merry chase across the snowy landscape.
Ironically, the rain began to mix with sleet and snow as I packed for tomorrow and put on Frozen. Disney's biggest hit in years gives us two sisters, Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristin Bell) living in a small Norwegian kingdom. Elsa has snow powers she's kept hidden from her sister for her safety. Her powers are accidentally unleashed after she forbids Anna from rashly marrying a man she's just met and the girls fight. Elsa runs off, leaving Arendelle in an eternal winter. Anna goes after her. As she makes her way to the mountain where Elsa is hiding, she meets Kristoff and his reindeer Sven, as well as Olaf, a snowman obsessed with summer. It'll take a frozen heart and a betrayal to make the two women understand that there's more than one kind of true love in the world...and that the only real frozen heart is one that closes to love and friendship.
No wonder this has been such a hit, especially with girls. This is the touching tale of sisterhood, friendship, and discovering that there's more than one type of true love in the world. The music in particular is fabulous.
Moved to less elaborate winter-themed animation as I made Brussels sprouts, leftover chicken burgers, and the last of the Cranberry Flummery for lunch. Frosty's Winter Wonderland is Rankin-Bass' second Frosty tale. This time, Andy Griffith narrates the story of how Frosty (Jackie Vernon) gained a wife (Shelly Winters) and an enemy in Jack Frost.
Did two black-and-white Mickey Mouse shorts as I got ready for work. Mickey's "The Grocery Boy" who brings Minnie her deliveries. It's all fun and dance routines in the kitchen, until naughty Pluto steals the turkey! One of my favorite Mickey cartoons is the sweet "Mickey's Good Deed." The Depression has hit Mick and Pluto hard - they find themselves playing a cello for nickels. When Mickey sees a mother who is even poorer, he sells the one thing that means most to him to be able to help her...but he gets a special surprise in the end!
It was still coming down at quarter of 2, though no longer mixed with snow. Dad drove me to and from work. It wasn't that busy when I got in, probably because it was still raining. The moment the rain stopped, the people came. We were swamped by rush hour. It did slow down long enough by 8 for me to leave without a relief. Other than a few annoying customers, there were no major problems. It was raining lightly when Dad picked me up - the rain was getting heavier as we went home, but it sounds like it's lighter or gone now.
And for those of you who won't be online tomorrow, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
So Much To Do!
Started off a very busy day with breakfast and Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving. This direct-to-video movie has two episodes of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh together with the Pooh Thanksgiving special and some new linking material. In the first story, Piglet is recruited as a groundhog to tell the others when spring is. In the second, Rabbit's attempt at a "traditional" Thanksgiving doesn't go nearly as well as he'd hoped. It's Pooh who reminds the bossy yellow bunny that Thanksgiving is about sharing what we have with others, whether what we have is turkey and stuffing or honey and haycorns. Rabbit is also in the spotlight in the third story. He adopts a little girl bird, but has a hard time letting go when she's old enough to fly south for the winter.
I did the Cranberry Bread while Pooh was on. Every year, I bring at least one loaf of bread to Mom's house for Thanksgiving. This tradition dates back to when I was in college. Bread was pretty much the only thing I had time to make between classes, and it was easy to bake in a small dorm oven and bring home. I used Pillsbury bread mixes in college. Nowadays, I just make them from scratch. I'll do the Pumpkin Bread tomorrow.
Switched to Arthur's Perfect Christmas as I gave the bathroom a much-needed scrubbing. Arthur Read is a normal, good-natured aardvark kid who is looking forward to a perfect holiday of snow, big meals, and lots of presents. Meanwhile, his friend Brain is preparing for Kwanzaa, Muffy is upset because her best friend Francine went to her family's Hanukkah party instead of her big Christmas bash, and Buster's mother keeps getting him up early because she's worried he won't have a good Christmas without his father. Arthur and the other kids finally discover that perfection is in the eye of the beholder...and the holidays can be a lot of fun, whether they're perfect or not.
As soon as the bread was out of the oven and all the cleaning supplies were put away, I hurried out. I badly needed to get to Haddonfield to get the bike fixed. It wasn't the nicest day for a walk, but at least the precipitation held off for now. It was cloudy and damp, cooler than yesterday but not too cold. I picked up the PATCO in Collingswood. The train station in Haddonfield is a block from the Free Ride Bike Shop. Thankfully, they were mainly doing inventory and had the time to fix my bike. I bought a new tire and two inner tubes, one as a spare. They also tightened my chain gear and recommended I get a new chain as soon as I can get up to Haddonfield again, which will probably be in January.
The moment I got out, I raced home. Quickly finished out The First Christmas Snow as I ate and changed into work clothes. More lesser-known Rankin-Bass takes us to a church in a warm climate. When Lucas, a sheopard boy, is struck by lightning, he loses his sight. The nuns in the church take him in. He becomes especially fond of gentle Sister Teresa (Angela Landsbury, who also narrates), but worries that the priest (Cyril Ritchard) will send him to an orphanage. He finally decides to give Sister Teresa his sheep for Christmas, but what he really wants is to see snow, just as the kindly nun has described it to him.
I got to work right on time. Good thing, too. It was insane for almost the entire night. Thanksgiving preparations crossed with snow jitters (we may be getting one or two inches mixed with some rain tomorrow) added up to a mess right until around 7, and even after that, it was still steady. It did slow down enough by 8 that I was able to leave quickly without a relief.
I did the Cranberry Bread while Pooh was on. Every year, I bring at least one loaf of bread to Mom's house for Thanksgiving. This tradition dates back to when I was in college. Bread was pretty much the only thing I had time to make between classes, and it was easy to bake in a small dorm oven and bring home. I used Pillsbury bread mixes in college. Nowadays, I just make them from scratch. I'll do the Pumpkin Bread tomorrow.
Switched to Arthur's Perfect Christmas as I gave the bathroom a much-needed scrubbing. Arthur Read is a normal, good-natured aardvark kid who is looking forward to a perfect holiday of snow, big meals, and lots of presents. Meanwhile, his friend Brain is preparing for Kwanzaa, Muffy is upset because her best friend Francine went to her family's Hanukkah party instead of her big Christmas bash, and Buster's mother keeps getting him up early because she's worried he won't have a good Christmas without his father. Arthur and the other kids finally discover that perfection is in the eye of the beholder...and the holidays can be a lot of fun, whether they're perfect or not.
As soon as the bread was out of the oven and all the cleaning supplies were put away, I hurried out. I badly needed to get to Haddonfield to get the bike fixed. It wasn't the nicest day for a walk, but at least the precipitation held off for now. It was cloudy and damp, cooler than yesterday but not too cold. I picked up the PATCO in Collingswood. The train station in Haddonfield is a block from the Free Ride Bike Shop. Thankfully, they were mainly doing inventory and had the time to fix my bike. I bought a new tire and two inner tubes, one as a spare. They also tightened my chain gear and recommended I get a new chain as soon as I can get up to Haddonfield again, which will probably be in January.
The moment I got out, I raced home. Quickly finished out The First Christmas Snow as I ate and changed into work clothes. More lesser-known Rankin-Bass takes us to a church in a warm climate. When Lucas, a sheopard boy, is struck by lightning, he loses his sight. The nuns in the church take him in. He becomes especially fond of gentle Sister Teresa (Angela Landsbury, who also narrates), but worries that the priest (Cyril Ritchard) will send him to an orphanage. He finally decides to give Sister Teresa his sheep for Christmas, but what he really wants is to see snow, just as the kindly nun has described it to him.
I got to work right on time. Good thing, too. It was insane for almost the entire night. Thanksgiving preparations crossed with snow jitters (we may be getting one or two inches mixed with some rain tomorrow) added up to a mess right until around 7, and even after that, it was still steady. It did slow down enough by 8 that I was able to leave quickly without a relief.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Autumn Was Warm
I can't believe how warm it was when I got up this morning! It was sunny, windy, and at least in the 70s. I didn't need a sweater or even long sleeves, never mind a coat. I was even able to open the windows and air out the apartment.
I had my usual cereal for breakfast while enjoying one of my favorite lesser-known Rankin-Bass specials, The Stingiest Man In Town. This late-70s adaptation of a 1950s live-action musical Christmas Carol has some really lovely music; my favorite songs are "An Old Fashioned Christmas" for Nephew Fred and "Yes, There Is a Santa Claus" for Martha Cratchit to sing to her brother Tiny Tim. The cast is nice, too. Walter Matthau is the older Scrooge. Robert Morse is Scrooge in his younger years. Tom Bosley narrates as insect B.A.H Humbug. This marked Dennis Day's last TV performance as an especially good Nephew Fred.
Ran to the laundromat after the show ended and I made my bed and changed my sheets. Needless to say, they weren't that busy on such a nice day. I listened to The Price Is Right and did my small load. Even with the sheets, it took less than an hour to get it all done.
When I got home, I ran another, more unusual version of A Christmas Carol as I put away my clothes and linens and made chicken burgers, broccoli, and Cranberry Flummery for lunch. An American Christmas Carol takes us to 1933 New Hampshire, where Benedict Slade (Henry Winkler in a pile of aging makeup) rules the small town with an iron fist. He ruthlessly repossesses the treasures of its citizens, then fires his assistant on Christmas Eve. Needless to say, a visit by three spirits makes him rethink his views on charity, forgiveness, and kindness. Not great, but not bad either. Interesting if you're a fan of Winkler or want to try a different kind of Carol.
I hurried downstairs around twelve after 2 to head to work. I got quite a shock when I got to the path. The back tire of my bike had gone flat. Again. After Richard fixed it. It was perfectly fine this morning when I went to the laundromat! I tried and tried to pump it, but it just wouldn't stay. I ultimately accepted a ride from a kindly neighbor and just barely made it to work on time. I felt bad about making such a fuss, but I had no choice. I had to get to work. She had to go grocery shopping anyway and ended up driving me home as well.
Maybe it's just as well. Work was crazy for most of the afternoon, especially during rush hour. Snow jitters (we're supposed to get snow mixed with rain on Wednesday) coupled with this being three days before the biggest food holiday of the year equaled noisy panic. We still don't have enough help to deal with it, either, even with the hours increased. Thankfully, it died rather quickly by 7:30. I had no problems shutting down without a relief.
I have no choice. I'm going to have to get to the bike shop in Haddonfield tomorrow. I'll walk to the PATCO and take a train to Haddonfield, then ride back as soon as they finish with the bike. Good thing I don't work until 2 tomorrow and the rain isn't supposed to start until nightfall. I have the time.
I had my usual cereal for breakfast while enjoying one of my favorite lesser-known Rankin-Bass specials, The Stingiest Man In Town. This late-70s adaptation of a 1950s live-action musical Christmas Carol has some really lovely music; my favorite songs are "An Old Fashioned Christmas" for Nephew Fred and "Yes, There Is a Santa Claus" for Martha Cratchit to sing to her brother Tiny Tim. The cast is nice, too. Walter Matthau is the older Scrooge. Robert Morse is Scrooge in his younger years. Tom Bosley narrates as insect B.A.H Humbug. This marked Dennis Day's last TV performance as an especially good Nephew Fred.
Ran to the laundromat after the show ended and I made my bed and changed my sheets. Needless to say, they weren't that busy on such a nice day. I listened to The Price Is Right and did my small load. Even with the sheets, it took less than an hour to get it all done.
When I got home, I ran another, more unusual version of A Christmas Carol as I put away my clothes and linens and made chicken burgers, broccoli, and Cranberry Flummery for lunch. An American Christmas Carol takes us to 1933 New Hampshire, where Benedict Slade (Henry Winkler in a pile of aging makeup) rules the small town with an iron fist. He ruthlessly repossesses the treasures of its citizens, then fires his assistant on Christmas Eve. Needless to say, a visit by three spirits makes him rethink his views on charity, forgiveness, and kindness. Not great, but not bad either. Interesting if you're a fan of Winkler or want to try a different kind of Carol.
I hurried downstairs around twelve after 2 to head to work. I got quite a shock when I got to the path. The back tire of my bike had gone flat. Again. After Richard fixed it. It was perfectly fine this morning when I went to the laundromat! I tried and tried to pump it, but it just wouldn't stay. I ultimately accepted a ride from a kindly neighbor and just barely made it to work on time. I felt bad about making such a fuss, but I had no choice. I had to get to work. She had to go grocery shopping anyway and ended up driving me home as well.
Maybe it's just as well. Work was crazy for most of the afternoon, especially during rush hour. Snow jitters (we're supposed to get snow mixed with rain on Wednesday) coupled with this being three days before the biggest food holiday of the year equaled noisy panic. We still don't have enough help to deal with it, either, even with the hours increased. Thankfully, it died rather quickly by 7:30. I had no problems shutting down without a relief.
I have no choice. I'm going to have to get to the bike shop in Haddonfield tomorrow. I'll walk to the PATCO and take a train to Haddonfield, then ride back as soon as they finish with the bike. Good thing I don't work until 2 tomorrow and the rain isn't supposed to start until nightfall. I have the time.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Happy Holidays Dolls
Started a sunny, somewhat warmer day with Christmas music and Banana Spice Pancakes for breakfast. I love my Happy Holidays sets. True Value Hardware has sold these collections since at least the 1960s. I have volumes 28 and 29 on cassette and 30 through 35 plus 39 on CD. I remember my family having one Happy Holidays record from the late 80s with Bing Crosby on it. It was the first time I heard Bing sing "White Christmas" anywhere but the radio and the movie of that title. There was a True Value Hardware in Cape May for years, and that's where I bought these (and likely where Mom picked up the record in the 80s).They switched to Ace Hardware (which I believe they remain to this day) by the early 2000s and I was no longer able to get them. They were some of my first Christmas music. Volume 39 and the CD version of Volume 30 were yard sale finds.
Work was a nut house for most of the day. Not only is it the Sunday before Thanksgiving and a day when the Eagles were playing at 1 PM, but we're supposed to have some bad weather early this week. A little bit of rain tomorrow shouldn't be a concern, but there's a possibility of snow mixed with rain on Wednesday. People were acting like it was just going to be snow! It's not like we're going to get snowed in. It's supposed to be sunny and in the mid-40s by Thanksgiving.
I couldn't wait to hurry out of there. I went straight to Dad's. I heard all day long, from employees and customers, that the Eagles were handing the Tennessee Titans their rears. They were indeed. By the time I arrived at Dad's around quarter after 4, the score was 40 to 24. The Eagles pushed in one more field goal to make the final score 43 to 24.
I ate pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, cole slaw, and a cherry pastry for dinner as Dad switched around to other games. Jodie, Jessa, and Mark were the only other ones there. Dad's other favorite team is the Miami Dolphins. They had the unenviable task of playing the red-hot Denver Broncos today in Mile High City; the Broncos haven't lost at home in ages. Even as Dad was complaining about them, they got a touchdown. It was 7 to 3 when I got tired of listening to Dad complain and left. For all of Dad's fussing, they ended up holding their own, just barely losing 39-36.
I spent the rest of the evening dressing the American Girl and Sailor Moon dolls for the holidays. Samantha wears her original Cranberry Christmas Dress, complete with wide white ribbon and ribbed stockings. Josefina looks lovely in her yellow Christmas Dress and Mantilla. Molly wears her Evergreen Velvet Dress with Springfield Collection socks and Samantha's new "meet" Mary Janes. Felicity sports her lovely bright blue Christmas Ball Gown and Josefina's Heirloom Accessories choker. Jessa's in the Chinese New Year outfit from the late 90s modern line. I gave Whitney the deep blue Snowflake Ball Gown with the velvet bodice Lauren sent me last year. Whitney wears black tights, a black jacket from a Springfield Collection dress, the glittery clip from the Sparkle Sequin Outfit, and a pair of black mules borrowed from Josefina.
The Sailor Soldiers wear vintage Barbie gowns bought from yard sales and a couple of dresses from dollar stores. Sailor Mars' regular velvet gown has a hole that needs to be fixed. She's wearing a ruffly, sparkly orange-red skirt with a hand-made knitted white sweater-leotard I bought from a yard sale about three years ago.
Work was a nut house for most of the day. Not only is it the Sunday before Thanksgiving and a day when the Eagles were playing at 1 PM, but we're supposed to have some bad weather early this week. A little bit of rain tomorrow shouldn't be a concern, but there's a possibility of snow mixed with rain on Wednesday. People were acting like it was just going to be snow! It's not like we're going to get snowed in. It's supposed to be sunny and in the mid-40s by Thanksgiving.
I couldn't wait to hurry out of there. I went straight to Dad's. I heard all day long, from employees and customers, that the Eagles were handing the Tennessee Titans their rears. They were indeed. By the time I arrived at Dad's around quarter after 4, the score was 40 to 24. The Eagles pushed in one more field goal to make the final score 43 to 24.
I ate pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, cole slaw, and a cherry pastry for dinner as Dad switched around to other games. Jodie, Jessa, and Mark were the only other ones there. Dad's other favorite team is the Miami Dolphins. They had the unenviable task of playing the red-hot Denver Broncos today in Mile High City; the Broncos haven't lost at home in ages. Even as Dad was complaining about them, they got a touchdown. It was 7 to 3 when I got tired of listening to Dad complain and left. For all of Dad's fussing, they ended up holding their own, just barely losing 39-36.
I spent the rest of the evening dressing the American Girl and Sailor Moon dolls for the holidays. Samantha wears her original Cranberry Christmas Dress, complete with wide white ribbon and ribbed stockings. Josefina looks lovely in her yellow Christmas Dress and Mantilla. Molly wears her Evergreen Velvet Dress with Springfield Collection socks and Samantha's new "meet" Mary Janes. Felicity sports her lovely bright blue Christmas Ball Gown and Josefina's Heirloom Accessories choker. Jessa's in the Chinese New Year outfit from the late 90s modern line. I gave Whitney the deep blue Snowflake Ball Gown with the velvet bodice Lauren sent me last year. Whitney wears black tights, a black jacket from a Springfield Collection dress, the glittery clip from the Sparkle Sequin Outfit, and a pair of black mules borrowed from Josefina.
The Sailor Soldiers wear vintage Barbie gowns bought from yard sales and a couple of dresses from dollar stores. Sailor Mars' regular velvet gown has a hole that needs to be fixed. She's wearing a ruffly, sparkly orange-red skirt with a hand-made knitted white sweater-leotard I bought from a yard sale about three years ago.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Last Call for the Fall Harvest
Started off another sunny, cold, windy morning with a couple of Christmas cartoons. Bugs Bunny's Christmas Tales is an anthology of three Chuck Jones shorts done directly for TV. The first is a condensed Christmas Carol with Yosemite Sam as Scrooge and Bugs as Nephew Fred. The second is a snow-themed Coyote/Roadrunner chase. The third has Taz in a Santa suit end up in Bugs' home on Christmas Eve.
Did a couple of Disney snow and Christmas-themed shorts next. "Once Upon a Wintertime" is a sweet featurette from one of Disney's 40s anthology movies. Two lovers and two rabbits have a scary adventure while out skating. "Santa's Workshop" and "The Night Before Christmas" tell just what Santa does before he heads out on Christmas Eve, and what happens when he arrives at the last house of his rounds. "On Ice" shows the Disney gang's ice skating and fishing fun...and how Mickey helps Donald out when his messing around with Pluto gets him into trouble. Donald has even more frozen trouble in "Donald's Snow Fight." When he ruins the Nephews' snowman, they decide that this means war! The ultimate snowball toss is on, but it may leave Donald with that sinking feeling.
Headed out to the last Collingswood Farm Market of the year around 9:30. They were very busy with people ignoring the cold long enough to buy their produce for Thanksgiving. It took me a while to find everything I wanted. More than half the booths were selling knit accessories and mosaic guitars instead of produce. There were enough booths left for me to buy grapefruit, a bag of baby spinach, cranberries for bread to bring to Mom's next week, broccoli, a small organic cauliflower (all of the non-organic cauliflower was way too big for me), and my favorite small apples.
When I got home, I switched to two winter-themed first season Sailor Moon episodes as I put everything away and got ready for work. Serena's feeling those "Ski Bunny Blues" when she finds herself competing against Raye in a skiing pageant at a major resort. The course gets a lot rougher than either imagined when it all turns out to be a Negaverse plot. And in "Ice Princess," Lita catches the eye of a handsome figure skater, which doesn't amuse his partner - or the Negaverse - one bit.
I left early for work. Today is the Acme's Thanksgiving Luncheon. They always have an enormous spread, and this year was no exception. I saw turkey with gravy, a green bean casserole, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, pasta salad, ham (brought by my manager Sam, which lead to lots of "Sam I Ham" jokes), meatballs, hot dogs and beans in barbecue sauce, corn, pretzels, and deviled eggs. Desserts included a big container of Lifesavers Wint-O-Mints and Hershey's mini-chocolates, two chocolate cakes, two fruit cheesecakes (blueberry and cherry), one plain cheesecake, pumpkin bread, butter thumbprint cookies with jam in the middles, chocolate chip cookies from the bakery, and my Apricot Honey Bread. I had turkey (salty but not bad), green bean casserole (delicious), mini Hershey's Special Dark bars (I love dark chocolate), the corn (pretty basic defrosted frozen corn, but I wanted a vegetable that wasn't drowning in mushroom soup), and two deviled eggs. Tried the thumbprint cookies later (crunchy with a sticky jam middle - not bad).
Work actually wasn't bad when I got in. It was on-and-off steady through about 2:30-3 PM, after which things picked up considerably. Other than I had one of those people who somehow think they can buy 150 dollars worth of groceries with a 90 dollar budget and held up the line putting it all back, there were no major problems. It was slowing down a little when I hurried out.
I called Dad earlier in the day. He said last week that Jodie is finally moving in with him. With her son and his girlfriend taking the apartment attached to Dad's house, Jodie's selling her house and getting rid of most of her furnishings and dishes. I rode over to Dad's as soon as I got home and got changed. When I arrived, he and Jodie took me a few doors down to Jodie's old house.
I ended up with a tall, slender wood hutch that Jodie's dad made himself, a "dry sink" (a counter with shelves and drawers under it intended to be used in the kitchen), a beautiful bench, some Christmas-themed dishes, and a computer chair that was Dad's. The hutch and dry sink will replace the baker's rack in my living room. The baker's rack is a cheap piece I picked up from the Ames in North Cape May shortly before they went out of business, probably about 12 years ago. The bottom of the drawer I use for silverware has been popping out for ages, and it really doesn't have the room for all of my cookbooks.
The bench will hold my AG and Disney Toddler dolls, and possibly some of the smaller stuffed animals currently on my bed. I've been looking for a bench or a chair for them at yard sales for years. It'll free up a shelf for books or smaller dolls and allow me to find another place for the AG bed besides in front of mine.
The computer chair in my bedroom is shot. Rose and Craig bought it from Wal-Mart as a homecoming present a few days after I moved here in February 2006. While it still rolls pretty well, the lining on the chair part is ripped so badly, I can't sit on it anymore. I have thick towels over the seat so I can actually sit in it. It's also too big for my current roll-top desk. Doesn't really fit around it at all.
It was sprinkling when we went to Jodie's. By the time I headed home, the rain was gone, allowing me to get back dry. When I got in, I decided to try a project. I never liked the red stained wood IKEA shelf in the music area. The one in the entertainment area next to the TV is fine. It holds my movie and animation books and acts as a stand for the DVD recorder. The one in the music area did hold my music, stage, and radio history books...but it also didn't work with records. I need more record storage. I finally moved the IKEA shelf to the entertainment area, along with the music and radio books. It'll probably be moved again when the dry sink comes, but it's ok next to the baker's rack for now. The crates that were on top of it and next to it now replace it in the music area. I like that much better. More room, less fuss.
Ran the 1957 version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella while I organized, and later as I ate the last of the leftover chicken soup for dinner. This was the duo's only venture into TV musicals. Other than the fairy godmother (Edie Adams) is a bit younger than in most retellings, this is a pretty straightforward fairy tale. The title lass (Julie Andrews) wants to go to the ball and meet Prince Christopher (Jon Cypher), but her stepmother (Ilka Chase) and stepsisters (Kaye Ballard and Alice Ghostly) insist this is impossible. Maybe not so impossible, as her fairy godmother reminds her. Will all her dreams come true...or will it all end by the stroke of midnight?
The version you end up with depends on what cast you prefer, and whether or not pictorial quality is an issue. The ladies here are the winners - Andrews (coming off her long-running stint in My Fair Lady on Broadway) simply glows as Cinderella. However, this was originally a one-time-only live broadcast. It was considered lost before a kinetoscope of a technical rehearsal was found in the early 2000s, which means that the picture is less than stellar and often blurry. What's there is frequently enchanting, though, especially a vibrant "A Lovely Night."
Incidentally, if you enjoy this, there's two more TV versions (with Leslie Ann Warren in 1965 and Brandy in 1997) and a stage version that'll be on Broadway until January. No two are exactly alike. The 60s version added one more song for the Prince; the 90s one threw in a Rodgers and Hart number for the Stepmother and a song by Rodgers alone for Cinderella.
Did a couple of Disney snow and Christmas-themed shorts next. "Once Upon a Wintertime" is a sweet featurette from one of Disney's 40s anthology movies. Two lovers and two rabbits have a scary adventure while out skating. "Santa's Workshop" and "The Night Before Christmas" tell just what Santa does before he heads out on Christmas Eve, and what happens when he arrives at the last house of his rounds. "On Ice" shows the Disney gang's ice skating and fishing fun...and how Mickey helps Donald out when his messing around with Pluto gets him into trouble. Donald has even more frozen trouble in "Donald's Snow Fight." When he ruins the Nephews' snowman, they decide that this means war! The ultimate snowball toss is on, but it may leave Donald with that sinking feeling.
Headed out to the last Collingswood Farm Market of the year around 9:30. They were very busy with people ignoring the cold long enough to buy their produce for Thanksgiving. It took me a while to find everything I wanted. More than half the booths were selling knit accessories and mosaic guitars instead of produce. There were enough booths left for me to buy grapefruit, a bag of baby spinach, cranberries for bread to bring to Mom's next week, broccoli, a small organic cauliflower (all of the non-organic cauliflower was way too big for me), and my favorite small apples.
When I got home, I switched to two winter-themed first season Sailor Moon episodes as I put everything away and got ready for work. Serena's feeling those "Ski Bunny Blues" when she finds herself competing against Raye in a skiing pageant at a major resort. The course gets a lot rougher than either imagined when it all turns out to be a Negaverse plot. And in "Ice Princess," Lita catches the eye of a handsome figure skater, which doesn't amuse his partner - or the Negaverse - one bit.
I left early for work. Today is the Acme's Thanksgiving Luncheon. They always have an enormous spread, and this year was no exception. I saw turkey with gravy, a green bean casserole, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, pasta salad, ham (brought by my manager Sam, which lead to lots of "Sam I Ham" jokes), meatballs, hot dogs and beans in barbecue sauce, corn, pretzels, and deviled eggs. Desserts included a big container of Lifesavers Wint-O-Mints and Hershey's mini-chocolates, two chocolate cakes, two fruit cheesecakes (blueberry and cherry), one plain cheesecake, pumpkin bread, butter thumbprint cookies with jam in the middles, chocolate chip cookies from the bakery, and my Apricot Honey Bread. I had turkey (salty but not bad), green bean casserole (delicious), mini Hershey's Special Dark bars (I love dark chocolate), the corn (pretty basic defrosted frozen corn, but I wanted a vegetable that wasn't drowning in mushroom soup), and two deviled eggs. Tried the thumbprint cookies later (crunchy with a sticky jam middle - not bad).
Work actually wasn't bad when I got in. It was on-and-off steady through about 2:30-3 PM, after which things picked up considerably. Other than I had one of those people who somehow think they can buy 150 dollars worth of groceries with a 90 dollar budget and held up the line putting it all back, there were no major problems. It was slowing down a little when I hurried out.
I called Dad earlier in the day. He said last week that Jodie is finally moving in with him. With her son and his girlfriend taking the apartment attached to Dad's house, Jodie's selling her house and getting rid of most of her furnishings and dishes. I rode over to Dad's as soon as I got home and got changed. When I arrived, he and Jodie took me a few doors down to Jodie's old house.
I ended up with a tall, slender wood hutch that Jodie's dad made himself, a "dry sink" (a counter with shelves and drawers under it intended to be used in the kitchen), a beautiful bench, some Christmas-themed dishes, and a computer chair that was Dad's. The hutch and dry sink will replace the baker's rack in my living room. The baker's rack is a cheap piece I picked up from the Ames in North Cape May shortly before they went out of business, probably about 12 years ago. The bottom of the drawer I use for silverware has been popping out for ages, and it really doesn't have the room for all of my cookbooks.
The bench will hold my AG and Disney Toddler dolls, and possibly some of the smaller stuffed animals currently on my bed. I've been looking for a bench or a chair for them at yard sales for years. It'll free up a shelf for books or smaller dolls and allow me to find another place for the AG bed besides in front of mine.
The computer chair in my bedroom is shot. Rose and Craig bought it from Wal-Mart as a homecoming present a few days after I moved here in February 2006. While it still rolls pretty well, the lining on the chair part is ripped so badly, I can't sit on it anymore. I have thick towels over the seat so I can actually sit in it. It's also too big for my current roll-top desk. Doesn't really fit around it at all.
It was sprinkling when we went to Jodie's. By the time I headed home, the rain was gone, allowing me to get back dry. When I got in, I decided to try a project. I never liked the red stained wood IKEA shelf in the music area. The one in the entertainment area next to the TV is fine. It holds my movie and animation books and acts as a stand for the DVD recorder. The one in the music area did hold my music, stage, and radio history books...but it also didn't work with records. I need more record storage. I finally moved the IKEA shelf to the entertainment area, along with the music and radio books. It'll probably be moved again when the dry sink comes, but it's ok next to the baker's rack for now. The crates that were on top of it and next to it now replace it in the music area. I like that much better. More room, less fuss.
Ran the 1957 version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella while I organized, and later as I ate the last of the leftover chicken soup for dinner. This was the duo's only venture into TV musicals. Other than the fairy godmother (Edie Adams) is a bit younger than in most retellings, this is a pretty straightforward fairy tale. The title lass (Julie Andrews) wants to go to the ball and meet Prince Christopher (Jon Cypher), but her stepmother (Ilka Chase) and stepsisters (Kaye Ballard and Alice Ghostly) insist this is impossible. Maybe not so impossible, as her fairy godmother reminds her. Will all her dreams come true...or will it all end by the stroke of midnight?
The version you end up with depends on what cast you prefer, and whether or not pictorial quality is an issue. The ladies here are the winners - Andrews (coming off her long-running stint in My Fair Lady on Broadway) simply glows as Cinderella. However, this was originally a one-time-only live broadcast. It was considered lost before a kinetoscope of a technical rehearsal was found in the early 2000s, which means that the picture is less than stellar and often blurry. What's there is frequently enchanting, though, especially a vibrant "A Lovely Night."
Incidentally, if you enjoy this, there's two more TV versions (with Leslie Ann Warren in 1965 and Brandy in 1997) and a stage version that'll be on Broadway until January. No two are exactly alike. The 60s version added one more song for the Prince; the 90s one threw in a Rodgers and Hart number for the Stepmother and a song by Rodgers alone for Cinderella.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Wishing For Tomorrow
Ugh. My day mostly didn't go well. First of all, I overslept. I did finish Wishing for Tomorrow, though, which I very much enjoyed. This sequel to A Little Princess focuses on the the girls who lived at Miss Minchin's school with Sara and remained behind when she left. Poor Ermengarde feels abandoned. Snooty Lavinia throws herself further into her studies, especially after a new boy whose sisters went to Oxford moves next-door. Lottie makes a friend in the new maid, no-nonsense Alice. Miss Minchin takes less and less interest in teaching anyone but Lavinia and worries that she may lose more students. Ermengarde finally learns that she may not be a princess, but she, Lavinia, and all of them have their own special qualities...ones that'll help them when disaster strikes the school.
I was getting ready to go when there was a knock on the door. It was my neighbor's son. The windows and doors were here. They were going to start installing them downstairs today. Already? I thought they weren't doing that until spring. Oh, well. At least the house will be warmer this winter and that cracked window will finally be gone.
Much to my frustration, when I got downstairs, I discovered the back tire was going flat. I just pumped it two days ago! I guess it did have a slow leak. I was hoping it didn't. I can change the front tire pretty quickly, but I usually need help with the back. At any rate, I didn't have the time to change anything. I just rode the bike to work and was almost late.
Oddly enough, work was the opposite of how it's been for the past few weeks - crazy when I came in, not too bad when I left. I must have just hit the noon rush hour. I guess everyone was leaving early to start getting ready for Thanksgiving. Most of the afternoon was steady-to-quiet. By the time it was picking up again, I was done. My relief was late; another college kid came in for me.
I got my schedule first. For the first time in months, it's almost entirely evening work. The only time I work during the day is Sunday...which of course, means I'll miss the Eagles game. On the other hand, I have a lot more hours than the last few weeks, I'll be able to get a lot of cleaning and baking done at my apartment, and I'll get to see Collingswood's Christmas Parade in full next Saturday. And yes, I did get Thanksgiving and Black Friday off for our trip to Mom's.
I didn't have a ton of shopping to do, at any rate. It was mostly restocking the larder. I was completely out of sugar, eggs, chocolate pudding mix, and parchment paper. Replaced the cake mix I used last week. They had more of those tasty small turkey tenderloins with three dollar off manager's coupons on them - I grabbed two. Bought honey and orange juice to use for holiday recipes this week and next week. Also grabbed my annual advent calender with the cheap chocolate. It always tastes terrible, but the pictures on the front are usually cute - this year's has Santa delivering two teddy bears who are very much enjoying the ride.
I ended up walking the bike home. At least it was a nice day for it. It was cold again, probably in the mid-30s, and still windy, but sunny and cloudless as well. The sun was setting in a soft glow of pink and orange as I arrived at my apartment. I tried to fix the back wheel on the porch downstairs, or at least what I could get of it with all the new windows and doors in their boxes laying there. I just couldn't get the bolts off! I ultimately asked my next-door neighbor Richard for help with it.
I spent the rest of the night upstairs at my place. I made that yummy Apricot-Honey Bread for the Acme's Thanksgiving Luncheon tomorrow while dubbing Red Skelton's Christmas Jollies. This was an 80s collection of skits from Red's shows, mostly the ones from the 50s and early 60s if the black and white and slightly fuzzy picture were any indication. Actually, my favorite segment was one of the last ones. Red's "silent spot" was his hilarious miming of a man who has just come home from New Year's Eve with the world's most monumental hangover. He gets stuck in the window trying to get fresh air, can't find his alarm clock, and his butler has a really hard time getting him back to bed!
I switched to cartoons as I had a quick chicken soup dinner. The Berenstein Bears' Christmas Tree is the tale of how Papa Bear is determined that he and Brother and Sister will get a real, perfect tree from the wilderness, not some tree lot. What they don't realize is that other animals need home for the holidays, too. They keep picking trees that are already occupied. When they do finally get back to town, the animals whose homes they spared have a big surprise for them at their tree house.
I was getting ready to go when there was a knock on the door. It was my neighbor's son. The windows and doors were here. They were going to start installing them downstairs today. Already? I thought they weren't doing that until spring. Oh, well. At least the house will be warmer this winter and that cracked window will finally be gone.
Much to my frustration, when I got downstairs, I discovered the back tire was going flat. I just pumped it two days ago! I guess it did have a slow leak. I was hoping it didn't. I can change the front tire pretty quickly, but I usually need help with the back. At any rate, I didn't have the time to change anything. I just rode the bike to work and was almost late.
Oddly enough, work was the opposite of how it's been for the past few weeks - crazy when I came in, not too bad when I left. I must have just hit the noon rush hour. I guess everyone was leaving early to start getting ready for Thanksgiving. Most of the afternoon was steady-to-quiet. By the time it was picking up again, I was done. My relief was late; another college kid came in for me.
I got my schedule first. For the first time in months, it's almost entirely evening work. The only time I work during the day is Sunday...which of course, means I'll miss the Eagles game. On the other hand, I have a lot more hours than the last few weeks, I'll be able to get a lot of cleaning and baking done at my apartment, and I'll get to see Collingswood's Christmas Parade in full next Saturday. And yes, I did get Thanksgiving and Black Friday off for our trip to Mom's.
I didn't have a ton of shopping to do, at any rate. It was mostly restocking the larder. I was completely out of sugar, eggs, chocolate pudding mix, and parchment paper. Replaced the cake mix I used last week. They had more of those tasty small turkey tenderloins with three dollar off manager's coupons on them - I grabbed two. Bought honey and orange juice to use for holiday recipes this week and next week. Also grabbed my annual advent calender with the cheap chocolate. It always tastes terrible, but the pictures on the front are usually cute - this year's has Santa delivering two teddy bears who are very much enjoying the ride.
I ended up walking the bike home. At least it was a nice day for it. It was cold again, probably in the mid-30s, and still windy, but sunny and cloudless as well. The sun was setting in a soft glow of pink and orange as I arrived at my apartment. I tried to fix the back wheel on the porch downstairs, or at least what I could get of it with all the new windows and doors in their boxes laying there. I just couldn't get the bolts off! I ultimately asked my next-door neighbor Richard for help with it.
I spent the rest of the night upstairs at my place. I made that yummy Apricot-Honey Bread for the Acme's Thanksgiving Luncheon tomorrow while dubbing Red Skelton's Christmas Jollies. This was an 80s collection of skits from Red's shows, mostly the ones from the 50s and early 60s if the black and white and slightly fuzzy picture were any indication. Actually, my favorite segment was one of the last ones. Red's "silent spot" was his hilarious miming of a man who has just come home from New Year's Eve with the world's most monumental hangover. He gets stuck in the window trying to get fresh air, can't find his alarm clock, and his butler has a really hard time getting him back to bed!
I switched to cartoons as I had a quick chicken soup dinner. The Berenstein Bears' Christmas Tree is the tale of how Papa Bear is determined that he and Brother and Sister will get a real, perfect tree from the wilderness, not some tree lot. What they don't realize is that other animals need home for the holidays, too. They keep picking trees that are already occupied. When they do finally get back to town, the animals whose homes they spared have a big surprise for them at their tree house.
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