Isn't It Kinda Fun

Began the morning with breakfast and a first season episode of Get Smart. Max and 99 are "Aboard the Orient Express" when Max has to get a briefcase filled with payroll money to agents in the Iron Curtain. Four agents had previously tried and been killed. Max and 99 have to figure out who their contact is, and then who murdered those other agents...and how to evade him.

Thank heavens work went far better today than it has the past two Wednesdays. We were dead the entire morning. I spent the morning gathering carts and trash and cleaning the bathrooms and the afternoon shelving candy. Not only that, but I actually had help this time. A second bagger arrived at noon and took over the carts. While it was killer humid and much hotter than it has been, it was also at least sunny and breezy. No problems whatsoever.

Went straight home as soon as I was done. Changed, and then did as much packing as I could get away with. Some things need to be washed, and others can't be packed until the morning I leave. I was able to get the majority of the smaller toiletries in, some shirts and shorts, my walking sandals, and a book, coloring book, and crossword puzzle book to do on the train.

Did some writing after I'd done what I could. The group finds themselves in a dark radio station, filled with old-time microphones and sound effects equipment. Turns out it's also filled with zombies who try to attack them. Brett shoots them, but Fannie and Joyce have a better idea - drive them off with noise.

Bill and Charles see someone in the smoke-filled control room. Charlie tries to yank the door open, covering the hot knob with his hat. Brett knows another way. She unlocks it with another bobby pin from her wig.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had the leftover tacos Jodie gave me on Sunday for dinner while watching the 1962 version of State Fair. I go into more detail on this remake at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

State Fair (1962)

I was worried. My train tickets still hadn't arrived. I searched everywhere, thinking I might have mislaid them, and I upset Lauren, too. I finally called Amtrak late tonight. Turns out they were e-tickets, and not only had they gotten my e-mail wrong, but they don't sell online tickets for Cherry Hill. I have no problems buying the Transit tickets at Cherry Hill. I reordered them, and this time, they came through just fine.

And...yes, I do remember the events of September 11th, 2001. I was just beginning the first day of my last semester of Richard Stockton College then. I discuss my memories further at this entry from 2015.

Memories On a Busy Day

Dolls on Library Day

Began my day with breakfast and Tiny Toon Adventures. Plucky brings Hamton, Buster, and Babs on a tour of "Europe In 30 Minutes." The too-fast tour is a bust, until the quartet end up at Buckingham Palace and have to rescue Princess Diana and Prince Charles from a kidnapping plot.

Moved on to dressing the dolls for the start of the school year after breakfast. Samantha is in her blue windowpane check Play Dress and Pinafore, with white Springfield Collection socks and the black strap shoes from her current "meet" outfit. Whitney wears a yellow and orange floral dress with a big white ruffled collar from Queen's Treasures. Molly is in Kit's original blue School Outfit with the brown oxfords and knee-high socks. Ariel sports a pink and yellow tie-dye t-shirt with a purple flower outline, wide-legged jeans, and Springfield Collection socks and sneakers. Put Josefina in her orange and yellow Summer Dress with the fake leather vest and boots. Jessa is in her "meet" high-necked striped blouse, jean short-alls, yellow socks, and white and turquoise velcro sneakers. Left Felicity in her lavender Traveling Dress. I don't really have much to change her into.

Finished in time to have a quick lunch around 12:30. Watched a travel-themed episode of Danger Mouse as I ate. In "Danger Mouse on the Orient Express," Baron Greenback gets a piece of paper that allows him to build anywhere in Europe, DM and Penfold pursue him on the infamous train. They have to dodge the convention of criminals that's also on the train and retrieve the document when Penfold loses it.

Headed out around one. I had a few things I wanted to do today, starting with volunteering at the Oaklyn Library. Not a whole lot going on there. The library was empty except for the librarian. I organized DVDs and kids' books and moved on.

Took the long way down Newton Lake Park. It was humid, but not really that hot, and a decent breeze rustled the dry green leaves. I dodged many people on bikes or out for a stroll, and even a guy sunning himself on a bench.

Hit the Haddon Township Library next. They were a bit busier with kids just getting out of school. The DVD racks were overflowing. I couldn't begin to fit the kids' titles in, but I did manage to get al the adult discs put away. Didn't take anything out. I won't have the chance to watch or return it before vacation.

Made a few quick stops on the way home. Hit Target for travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and wipes. Picked up sponges, tissues, and cards to thank Lauren and her parents for having me from Dollar Tree. Bought a much-needed (and too sweet) Pumpkin Maple Smoothie from WaWa.

Went into writing when I got home. Bill explains over a cup of water that he saw men dragging Richard and Gene towards the studios, but it was too dark to tell which one. The group goes over the clue Ira gave them earlier. Charles finally figures out that he's referring to Gene's days as a radio announcer in the 30's and 40's. Joyce hands him the pad to write down his answer. He calls out "radio," and once again, they all vanish.

Broke for dinner at 6. Did the bizarre Dr. Seuss special Pontoffel Pock, Where are You? while I ate leftovers and a salad. Pock is a self-admitted "schnook" who just lost his job at a dill-pickle factory and wants to get away from it all. Enter a group of fairies, who give him a magical piano that can take him to any location. Pock showing off in the mountain town of Gruben upsets the citizens so much, they drive him off. He has more luck in the desert, where he falls for "eyeball dancer" Eeffa Neefa. He takes off, but loses her. Now the fairies are searching for him, trying to get their piano back, and all he wants is to return to his Eeffa.

Gave Lego Star Wars another shot after dinner. I got slightly further in "Into the Death Star," but still couldn't finish. I'll try again later this week.

Finished the night with The Muppet Movie. I go into further details on the Muppets' first feature-length film at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

The Muppet Movie

Sweet Apple Summer

Began morning with breakfast before I pulled out my luggage to dust it off and see what I need for my trip. My shampoo and conditioner are getting low, and so is the body wash. The wipes dried out, too, and they're especially important when I can't wash my hands right away while traveling. I also moved all the items I usually carry in my shoulder bag into my backpack. Part of the reason I bought a better backpack was so I could use it for travel. That shoulder bag is getting old, and it can be a literal pain to lug around three train stations.

After I'd gotten organized, I thought I'd try something different. I had five apples I wanted to get rid of. Mom used to make us applesauce all the time in the fall and winter. Thought I'd make my own version. I sliced the apples, then cooked them. I didn't have a sieve to press them through like Mom did, so I just pureed them in my food processor. They came out slightly chunky, but still very tasty.

Watched a train-themed episode of Moonlighting while I worked. It's "Next Stop Murder" in the first season when Agnes DiPesto wins a contest to join her favorite mystery author on a special train ride, where there will be a murder among the guests. Dave and Maddie go to see her off, but end up stranded on the train. The game takes a turn for the nasty when the mystery writer is killed off for real, and everyone on the train has a motive. Maddie, Dave, and Agnes have to figure out who did the egotistical author in, before the train comes to the station.

Made a list of everything I'll need to pack, and then had lunch while watching My Sister Eileen. I go into more details on this charming 1955 tale of two sisters in the Big Apple at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

My Sister Eileen (1955)

Headed to work shortly after the movie ended. Work was pretty simple. I did do some sweeping and returned some cold items early in the day, but I was mainly outside with the carts. It was killer humid, but it was also sunny and breezy, at least early on. By the time rush hour was starting, heavy clouds were moving in. Thankfully, they have yet to burst, but they do look ugly.

Grabbed more of those buy two, get two cough drops after work. Decided I needed more ice cream, too. Decided to have a little fun and go with Party Cake flavor.

Went straight home and on the computer. Joyce insists that she needs to use the bathroom, and Brett agrees that a bathroom break might be nice. As the girls are coming out, they hear a man screaming. It's not Charles, but eternally nervous Bill Daily, who hid in the men's bathroom when he saw Ira's goons dragging Richard and Gene around. Alas, he didn't see where he took them. The women pry him off a less-than-amused Charles and try to piece together what he heard.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had leftovers while returning to animation for Garfield In Paradise. Garfield's not thrilled with Jon's cheap trip to Paradise World, where the sleazy hotel owner spouts Jack Benny jokes. His outlook improves after they rent a gorgeous 50's sports car and take it for a cruise. That car takes a left turn into jungle satire when it lands them among natives who worship 50's culture...and whose volcano is about to go off!

Ended the night with a much-needed bath. It felt sooo good to soak in the warm bubbles while looking over old cake decorating magazines. Soft jazz played in the background. After all the running around I did at work, my legs were crying for it.

The Eagles Outrun the Redskins

I awoke to a gorgeous, warm, sunny morning. Kept breakfast simple with buttermilk whole wheat pancakes and a nectarine, which came out beautifully. Listened to the original cast album of How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying while I ate. As much as I love the movie, the original is just as much fun. Three of my favorite songs didn't make it into the film - the hilarious panic attack set to music "Coffee Break," the secretaries' lament when they all wear the same "Paris Original" to the party, and the spoof ballad "Love From a Heart of Gold" for Biggley and Hedy LaMarr.

Dusted the living room after breakfast. I wanted to get all the cleaning done before I went on vacation. It wasn't really that bad, but it needed to be done, especially in my bedroom.

Listened to Rodgers & Hammerstein's State Fair while I worked. This stage adaptation of the 1946 movie musical more-or-less kept the original story intact (though it made the singer a dancer). It also added a truckload of Rodgers & Hammerstein songs either cut from their shows or taken from their lesser-known shows, including a lovely "So Far" from Allegro, "The Next Time It Happens" from Pipe Dream, and two cute songs cut from Oklahoma, "When I Go Out Walking With My Baby" and "Boys and Girls Like You and Me" for the Frake parents.

Headed out as soon as the CD ended. I was at Dad and Jodie's just in time for the first Eagles kickoff of the year. The Eagles were already losing to division rivals the Washington Redskins when I arrived, 10 to nothing. They did manage to get a touchdown during the second quarter, but they really roared to life in the second half. Suddenly, they were holding off the Redskins left and right, and Wentz was throwing bombs and DeSean Jackson was buzzing all over the field. The Eagles just barely won in a wonderful game, 32-27.

The crowd at home was fun, too. I brought glitter crayons I found on the clearance rack at work and a coloring page featuring Swoop, the Eagles' mascot. I colored with Finley and watched Paw Patrol episodes while Khai played games on Jodie's iPad. Later, Khai, Finley, and I played with the Little Tykes and Little People tracks, figures, cars, and mountain. Jodie had tacos and refried beans for lunch, with vanilla ice cream sundaes and Acme chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Along with Rose and her family, my cousin Mark and his girlfriend Joya watched with Dad and Jodie. I had a nice conversation with Jessa; we're hoping to get together after I go on vacation.

Went on the computer and into writing as soon as I got home. The ladies and Charles finds themselves back in the dark hall. After he's calm enough and has smoked his pipe, Charles explains why the crowds of ghosts scared him. He'd been in a terrible fire in a circus as a young teen and while he escaped, he'd hated crowds and audiences ever since. (All true, by the way.) He'd tried to help save Richard, who had been more heavily beaten by Ira's goons, but the crowds of goons sent him reeling. Ira called him a coward before he was knocked out. Joyce and Brett reassure that he did what he could to help his friend.

Ira reappears at this point. He gives the group the next clue, this time to find host Gene Rayburn. He vanishes before anyone can throw fists, purses, or pipes at him.

Broke for a very quick dinner at quarter of 7. I'd had a big lunch and opted for coffee yogurt with peanut butter, cocoa, and brown sugar and a pear for dinner. Listened to one of my K-Tel disco albums, High Energy, to give me energy while I ate.

Finished the night with Lego Star Wars. I had trouble keeping the large group of characters together in "Battle of Endor" and just barely made it to "Into the Death Star." I'll keep trying until I go on vacation.

Breezy Day Harvest

Began a lovely, sunny morning with breakfast and Garfield In the Rough. Garfield would be happier to be on vacation if it didn't involve camping in the woods with Jon and Odie. Their camp out takes a turn for the scary when they're told that there's a black panther loose in the area...and they may be it's next lunch if they don't leave fast!

Headed out even before the cartoon ended. I needed to run a few errands, starting with a trip to the Collingswood Farm Market. I'll be on vacation during this next week. Even as late as 11:30, they were still busy with people looking for produce for end-of-summer barbecue and football parties. Saw acorn squash and pears for the first time this year. I went with the pears, along with peaches and two tiny little sweet orange peppers.

After the couple of weeks I've had, I deserved a treat. I went across the street to WaWa and decided it was time to try my first Pumpkin Spice Cream Smoothie of the year. Ooh, while it still had that eggnog-y taste to it, it also felt wonderful cool on my throat going down.

Took the long way back to Oaklyn across Newton Lake Park. It was a perfect day for it. The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, and the green waters on the lake sparkled. No wonder I dodged a ton of bikers and families out for a stroll.

Stopped quick at Dollar General next. I needed cold medicine. Wanted to try a drinkable version. Theirs was cheapest. Bought it and moved on.

Next up was the Oaklyn Library. Considering how dead they were, their DVDs needed a ton of work. Everything in the adult and children's DVDs were out of order. I had a quiet half-hour or so organizing them

Spent the rest of the day getting things done at home. After I made the (nasty-tasting) cough drink, I had my lunch, then started cleaning the kitchen. The kitchen sink was even grungier than the bathroom sink, and the counter really needed to be done, too.

Watched National Lampoon's Animal House while I worked. The Delta Tau Chi house is the worst at Faber College. They never pass their classes, start food fights, have loud drunken parties, and accidentally kill a horse belonging to the obnoxious head of the cadets (Mark Metcalf). In fact, their most popular member is Bluto (John Belushi), who's greatest achievement is crushing a beer can against his forehead. Dean Wormer (John Vernon) has had it up to here with their antics. They're already on probation, and a wild toga party that gets out of hand is the last straw before he revokes their charter, then expels them. After the members of super-clean-cut Omega Theta Phi beat up on sarcastic Otter (Tim Mattheson), Bluto rallies the others to invade the homecoming dance...and prove that even misfits have a place in higher education.

This much-loved comedy was a massive hit in 1978 and remains popular on real college campuses to this day. If you love slobs vs snobs comedies or have your own wild memories of college, you're going to really love this one.

After I finished the kitchen, I decided it was time to change the sheets. It's been warm during the day, but cool at night...and sometimes, it hasn't even been warm during the day. I haven't had the air conditioner on in almost a week, and then, it was briefly. Switched the bed to the blue and tan comforter and the fall/spring sheets and dumped the summer sheets in the laundry basket.

Ran a Three Stooges short while I worked. The Stooges are "Microphonies" when Curly sings along to a recording made by a hopeful soprano, and record producers think he is the hopeful soprano. His buddies dress him as a woman to get him a career and the money.

Vacuuming was up next. Took the rag rug and front door rug out to shake them, then got it done. It mainly just needed to be run really fast.

Moved on to writing next. The women manage to help Charles to his feet. He blows smoke on the few remaining ghosts to show he's not afraid...and the smoke returns him and the women to the hall where they began.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had leftovers while watching another school-themed episode of Tiny Toon Adventures. It's "Son of Looniversity Daze" when we get another round of Acme Looniversity shorts. "Plucky's Dastardly Deed" is cheating on a test, but he regrets it almost as soon as he does it. It's not an "Open and Shut Case" when a high-tech locker refuses to give Hamton his lunch. Buster, Plucky, and Hamton have to deliver a piano that was dropped on the roof downstairs in "C Flat or B Sharp."

Played Lego Star Wars after dinner. I still can't get through that darn Return of the Jedi Super Story! This time, I got midway through "Into the Death Star" before I ran out of time. I'll keep trying until I go on vacation.

Finished the night with A Boy Named Charlie Brown. I go more into the first Peanuts film on the big screen at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

A Boy Named Charlie Brown

Dark Day of the Wind

Began the morning with breakfast and two early first season episodes of Sailor Moon. Usagi acts as a matchmaker for the first time in "The Melody of Love: Usagi Plays Cupid." A cassette tape that can drain energy ends up in the hands of a love-sick jazz pianist, who thinks it's the ballad he wrote for the younger woman he has a crush on. Usagi does her best to bring them together, and then protect them when they're attacked by Jadeite's monster.

We go back to school in "The Girl Genius Is a Monster: The Brainwashing Cram School of Horror." Ami Mizuno is a sweet, shy girl who also happens to be the most brilliant student in Usagi's school. Usagi befriends her, but Luna suspects that she may be a monster after they discover a disk in her bag that removes energy. Ami is magical, but she's no monster...and when she's attacked, Luna gives her a wand to turn her into Sailor Mercury, the Guardian of Ice!

It was gloomy, cloudy, windy, and cold for this time of year when I headed out to the laundromat. I had a big load to do, including towels. It was busier than I thought it would be, given the weather. There were a lot of people in and out. I worked on story notes and ignored the news blaring about Hurricane Dorian leaving the Carolinas and Days of Our Lives. 

It was raining when I hurried out. The rain was down to a shower by the time I was heading home, but I still got wet. Thankfully, to my knowledge, it hasn't rained since. (Though it does remain cold, humid, and windy.)

Put everything away when I got home, then had lunch and did the dishes. The weather practically screamed for spooky movies. I started off with the East Side Kids vehicle Spooks Run Wild. The Kids are at a camp, annoying the law school student who runs the place. They sneak out for a date and cut through a graveyard, where one is shot in the arm by the groundskeeper. The only place to rest for miles is a spooky old castle, where a man in a tuxedo (Bela Lugosi) offers to restore him. The place is filled with tricks and scares, making the Kids wish they'd just stayed at camp. Meanwhile, the school's nurse goes after the boys, even as a homicidal killer is supposedly loose in the area.

Headed out to the Acme around 2 for this week's grocery shopping. Found two packs of large salmon patties with manager's coupons and thought I'd try them. (They were listed as salmon burgers, but they were too big to fit on any burger roll.) Had free grocery rewards coupons for the Acme's sparkling drink. Restocked whole wheat flour, skim milk, Belvita Pumpkin Spice cookies, hot dogs, sugar, cake mix, ice cream, and yogurt. Found a jar of pink spring sprinkles and sugar for a dollar on the clearance racks. Grabbed Cepecol to help with my throat.

Mixed feelings on my schedule next week. In good news, Sunday and Tuesday off will give me plenty of time to prepare for vacation starting next Friday. In bad news...I really could have used more hours. I'm surprised I'm not working at least Tuesday.

As soon as I got home, I put everything away, then decided it was perfect weather for cookie baking. The snickerdoodles I made for the retirement party at work came out so well, I decided I wanted to fill my own cookie jar. Oooh, these came out even better, perfectly sweet and chewy.

Stuck to comic mysteries while I made the cookies with Murder By Death. Five famous vintage detectives and their sidekicks are invited to the home of eccentric millionaire Lionel Twain (Truman Capote) for "dinner and a murder." Twain is tired of never figuring out the stories in their books and wants to prove that he's the greatest living detective. When he turns out to be the victim, the others have to figure out who did him in...and if any crime was actually committed at all.

Like the later Clue, this is a great spoof of mysteries with an awesome all-star cast at the top of their game. Along with Capote, we have David Niven and Maggie Smith as the Nick and Nora Charles expys, Peter Sellars as the obviously not-Chinese Charlie Chan detective, Peter Faulk as the Bogart-esque Sam Spade private eye, and Elsa Lanchester as the Miss Marple nice old lady detective. There's also Sir Alec Guinness as a blind butler and Nancy Walker as a deaf-mute maid who can't communicate well enough to get dinner together. Neil Simon had a lot of fun with the satire of beloved mystery-land figures. A lot of fun if you're familiar with the detectives Simon is parodying here.

Worked on writing as soon as the cookies were in the oven. Brett is horrified when she sees ghosts through the telescope on the top of the lighthouse that seems to be crowded around a bound and terrified Charles. The three women manage to shine the light down on the ghosts long enough to reveal them and break them away from Charles. Getting his glasses on his face allows him to "see" the ghosts...and defy what he's frightened of.

Didn't break for dinner until almost 7:30. Made that slightly spicy salmon patty with salad and corn on the cob, then went online. Watched Sorry, Wrong Number as I ate. One night, bedridden, bratty heiress Leona Stevenson (Barbara Stanwyck) picks up the phone and accidentally overhears two men plotting a murder. She first tells the telephone company and the police, but they're no help. She then calls her husband Henry's (Burt Lancaster) office. He works for her father James (Ed Begley) at a chemical company, but he's late coming home and hasn't been seen all day. Sally Lord (Ann Richards), who had once been in love with Henry, tells him that her husband, attorney Fred Lord (Leif Erikson), is close to completing a major case that involves Henry. He's been restless at work with big ideas, some of which may be criminal. As Leona pieces together what Henry's really up to, she begins to realize that the murder being plotted may be her own.

Tense, atmospheric noir based on a much-loved radio play. Barbara Stanwyck got an Oscar nomination as the woman who grows more and more hysterical as she pieces together more of the truth. Lancaster almost matches her as the conniving husband who may or may not love his wife's money more than her. If you love tense, dark thrillers or are a fan of Stanwyck or Lancaster, you'll want to give this one a look.

Learn to Toon

Began the day with work. Once again, it started out well..but by lunch, things had picked up and we didn't have enough people to deal with it. Two college students called out. I ended up in a register and panicked when I had to deal with a customer who didn't understand how the 12-pack soda deals work. You can't mix Pepsi and Coke flavors, even if the sale is identical. I had to get a manager to explain it to her, though she seemed to take it well when it was explained. And this was with having to gather carts, round up trash, and sweep the store, because the head bagger was in a register, too. I was very happy to get out of there.

As soon as I got home, I changed and had apple-cinnamon muffins and a coffee-chocolate yogurt smoothie for lunch. Watched two Tiny Toon Adventures episodes on higher education while I ate and got organized. "Test Stressed" gives us three shorts on being tested, both in school and life. Plucky learns it's "Never Too Late to Loon" when he gets Shirley to channel Einstein into his brain. Furball doesn't have much luck catching "Lil' Sneezer" for his mentor Sylvester. Buster helps Fowlmouth clean up his notoriously blue vocabulary in "To Bleep or Not To Bleep."

"Looniversity Daze" is more about school in general. Buster is sent to "The Learning Principal" after fooling around in Yosemite Sam's class, but the head of the school isn't as terrifying as the kids think. Sweetie spends her lunchtime chasing Bookworm through the library in "Eating Between the Lines." Plucky ducks into the nurse's office to avoid a test in "What's Up, Nurse?", but regrets his decision when the assistant nurse turns out to be Elmyra.

Headed out as soon as the cartoons were over. On one hand, it was at least cooler than yesterday, and while it was cloudy, it also wasn't raining. It was also still humid. Despite the gloomy weather, Newton Lake Park was fairly busy with dog walkers, bikers, and parents taking their youngest children to the playground. At least the park looks nice. It's mostly pretty green, with big shiny leaves and sweet-smelling wildflowers waving along the shore.

The Haddon Township Library was busy with kids just getting out of school when I arrived. There were plenty of DVDs to do. Kids and adult titles were overflowing, the kids' so much that half of them didn't fit. I did manage to shelve most of the adult ones. Didn't take anything out this week. I don't know if I'll have the chance to get to the library next week to return them.

Dodged rush hour traffic long enough to stop at WaWa on the way home. I needed change for the laundromat tomorrow. Grabbed a nice, cool Double Mocha Cappuccino. Thankfully, the line wasn't too long, a rarity at rush hour.

Went straight into writing when I got home. Brett and Fannie appear in a spooky, abandoned, partly-burned lighthouse. Brett finds guns, then peers outside, catching a foamy sea against a rocky cliff and a misty day. She finds guns, one of which she gives to Fannie. They breathlessly join Joyce at the top of the darkened light, where she spies someone being attacked by a crowd of ghouls through a spyglass...

Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Along with dinner and a shower, I watched College Humor, one of the earliest vehicles for Bing Crosby. Jack Oakie and Burns and Allen also figure into this slightly melodramatic tale where we "Learn to Croon." I go into more detail at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

College Humor

Out of the Rain

Kicked off a hazy, sunny morning with breakfast and The Hoober Bloob Highway. This Dr. Seuss special takes us into the far reaches of space, where Mr. Hoober Bloob and his walking mandolin assistant "dispatch" newborn babies to Earth. We follow them as they teach one particular infant all the ins and outs of what makes us human.

Headed to work shortly after the cartoon ended. Work was a bit of a pain. It went well enough in the morning, but then things picked up after lunch. I would try to do one thing, only to be told to do something else, including cleaning the bathrooms twice in an hour and a half. I did manage to gather carts, do the trash and recycling inside and out, shelve some candy, and sweep the store.

Rushed home as soon as possible. Beyond my rough day, I didn't like the look of the weather. It was sunny, hot, and humid in the morning. By the time I got out, the wind had picked up, and dark clouds loomed on the horizon, though it remained sunny. Thank heavens it didn't start raining until I'd long been at home and on the computer. It rained off and on for the rest of the night, including a deluge while I was making dinner.

Spent the rest of the afternoon writing. Wandering in the darkened, empty corridors of Television City, Brett and Joyce discover another semi-regular locked in a closet. Fannie Flagg had been on her way to the studio when someone shoved her in. She'd heard them mention the men, but had no idea where they might have been taken.

Tired and frustrated, Brett can't remember the clue Ira gave her earlier...but Joyce, who also heard it, can. He'd mentioned "blanks of the past." The three women finally decide he meant "ghosts." The moment Brett writes it down and calls out her answer, all three disappear.

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Had turkey hot dogs, corn on the cob, and Chinese beans while watching American Graffiti. I usually watch this one on or before Labor Day, but I just missed it this year. Four young men living in a small town in California in 1962 spend their final day of summer having adventures that may decide their futures. Steve (Ron Howard) is supposed to go to college, but is reluctant to leave behind his long-time girlfriend Laurie (Cindy Williams) behind. Curt Henderson (Richard Dreyfuss) spends the night looking for a gorgeous blond (Suzanne Summers) he saw in a Thunderbird. Nerdy Terry "The Toad" Fields (Charles Martin Smith) falls for a statuesque blond (Candy Clark), but loses the car he got her in. Their older greaser buddy John Milner (Paul Le Mat) spends the night stuck looking after a chatty young teen (Mackenzie Phillips) while fending off a cocky hot-rodder (Harrison Ford).

Star Wars isn't the only George Lucas movie I love. An up-and-coming cast, backed by some of the best rock music of the early 60's, have a great time with the coming of age story. If you love tales of the mid-20th century or are a major classic rock fan or fan of anyone in the cast, you'll want to check this one out.

Finished the night with another Bowery Boys movie. Hold That Line is one of the later ones that focus mostly on Sach and Slip. The boys find themselves in higher education when the heads of an elite college makes a bet that they can't last a semester. The students don't know what to make of them, other than to make them wear dresses for their fraternity initiation...until Sach creates a formula that gives him amazing athletic ability. He becomes a football star and the darling of the campus, but he also attracts the attention of gangsters who want Ivy's rival to win the big game. When they kidnap and drug Sach, the Boys have to rescue him and figure out how to use their brains, rather than brawn, to win the day.

Beautiful Day In Late Summer

Kicked off my morning with a Sailor Moon third season episode about a sinister school. "Believe In Love: Ami, the Kindhearted Guardian" takes the girls to the Mugen Academy, an elite school for geniuses. Ami is introduced to Viluy, one of the school's top science students. She thinks science is all logic, but Ami believes there should be some heart in there, too. Ami gets the chance to test her theory when they have to save the students' pure hearts from Viluy and her nanobots.

Work wasn't too much of a problem. It's the day after a major holiday, and a gorgeous day as well, sunny, warm, and breezy but not humid. We were quiet for the majority of the day. I spent as much of it as I could outside, either gathering trash or rounding up carts. I also swept the store and mopped the bathrooms.

Went straight home after work and on the computer. Brett discovers pixish blond Joyce Bullifant hiding behind the panelists' desks. She had come back for her purse and overheard a scuffle, then hid to avoid being squashed in the fracas. She heard the voices of the guys and the producer, but didn't really see anything. Brett saved herself from Ira before Joyce had the chance to jump out and help.

Broke at 5:30 to clean the bathroom. Thankfully, it wasn't that bad. The worst of it was a really grungy sink. Watched the 1947 Good News while cleaning and later as I had leftovers for dinner. I go into more details on this adaptation of the hit 20's college-set show at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Good News (1947)

Finished the night with Lego Star Wars. I'm still not having any luck with that Super Story! I keep getting to the first or second part of "Into the Death Star" and no further. I'll keep working on it.

Rainy Labor Day

Began a cloudy Labor Day with work. Work wasn't bad when I got in, but it picked up after lunch when the clouds got thicker. Every time I tried to get carts done, they'd throw me in the register. Thankfully, another bagger had arrived by that point to help out. The on-and-off showers at this point didn't help, either. I'd no sooner gather carts than it would start raining, sometimes heavily (but never for very long).

The main reason I went to work was actually to buy cold supplies. The Acme was having a buy 2, get 2 free sale on a lot of their generic medical products. I stocked up on cough drops; also grabbed Tylenol cold medicine and more of that Acme nut milk ice cream. While my fever's gone, my head is still achy, and my throat remains sore.

Thankfully, it wasn't raining when I went home and put everything away. The clouds had begun to build up again as I started to work on a new story idea. Yes...I've enjoyed Match Game so much, I've started fanfiction for it. Brett has a nightmare where a scuzzy producer spirits away Charles, Richard, and Gene. She has to rescue her fellow regulars from a sadistic game that's a lot scarier than fill-in-the-blank with the help of several of the semi-regulars.

I don't know if I'll go into a lot of detail on this one as I'm writing it, since it falls into the "mature" category. Currently, the only place I've found 70's Match Game fanfiction is on Wattpad, and I'm not a big fan of them. This and any other Match Game fanfics I write will be exclusive to my Writer's Desk at the Riverside blog.

It continued raining off and on the rest of the day, sometimes wrecking havoc with the Internet. A big thunderstorm rolled through around 5:30, though like most of the rain we've had today, it didn't last long. It was gone long before I broke for dinner at 6:30.

Had a quick leftovers meal while watching a Three Stooges short about working and school. "Violent Is the Word for Curly" when they're three gas station owners who end up at a girls' school after they destroy three professors' car. They teach the girls about "Swinging the Alphabet" and try to show them how to play football.

Went on to Lego Star Wars after dinner. Once again, I got barely got to "Into the Death Star" but couldn't finish. I'll keep trying until I go on vacation.

Finished the night with How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. I go into more detail about this office satire at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying

Tea for Me

Ugh. I awoke feeling tired and stuffed up, with a nasty sore throat. I did manage to find enough room for Apple Cinnamon Pancakes for breakfast. They came out perfectly, too, chunky and just sweet enough and reeking of autumn.

Headed out west while I ate with the musical version of Destry Rides Again. This adaptation of the 1939 film has Andy Griffith as the title character, a lawman who doesn't carry a gun or believe in violence, and Dolores Gray as Frenchy, the dance hall girl who is ordered by her gunman boss to seduce him, but falls for him instead. Alas, the best-received aspect of this production - vigorous choreography by Michael Kidd - can't be seen today. "The Ring on That Finger" was apparently mildly popular at the time, but the score just isn't that memorable. Thankfully, the other notorious aspect of this - the temper tantrums Gray threw during its run - can't be heard, either. She sounds just fine, especially in her vamp number "I Know Your Kind" and "I Hate Him."

I was so tired after breakfast, I went right back to sleep. Despite the noise outside, I passed out until the mid-afternoon. Since it was relatively cool, I decided to make Apple Cinnamon Muffins for lunch at work this week. They came out relatively well, a bit chunky. Should have sliced the apples a bit more.

Switched to No, No, Nanette while I baked. This Roaring 20's tale of shenanigans in Atlantic City and New York gave people a rare later glimpse of Ruby Keeler and brought Helen Gallagher a Tony as a wife who thinks her husband is chasing three women. They're really three woman whom Keeler's husband (Jack Gilford) is giving money to. The score features some of the most definitive, songs of the 1920's, including "Tea for Two" and "I Want to Be Happy." My favorite number was written for the revival. Keeler and Gilford reminisce about how things in New York have changed over the years in "Only a Moment Ago."

Tried doing some writing, but I was just too tired. I ended up watching lots of Match Game and looking up stuff on Pinterest. Called Jodie and telling her I couldn't come over. I just wasn't up to it. I'll drop by their house later in the week, and football season will be starting soon.

It was around 4 PM when I went back to bed...but this time, I just couldn't sleep. My body felt hot and cold. I had a fan on me, and I was too cold. Turn it off, and I was too hot. I put a cold cloth on my head, and it didn't do much. I finally gave up and read Last Shot around 5:30.

I was so tired around 6:30, I could barely get up and have yogurt and grapes for dinner. I nearly passed out eating them. A shower at least somewhat restored my spirits and made me a little less hot and cold.

Finished the night with honey-lemon tea and Match Game. God, this show is fun. I'm too tired to list all the episodes I watched tonight, so here's a classic from 1977. We saw Richard and Betty White imitate Brett and Charles last week. Well, here's Richard and Fannie Flagg doing it....and dare I say, Fannie's interpretation of Charles is even better than Betty's?

Match Game '77