Sunshine on the Snow
I awoke to a beautiful, sunny morning. I spent an hour reading Trouble at Fort La Pointe and listening to CDs before I finally got up and started breakfast around 11. The small sprinkling of snow we got last night was already gone from my porch by then, but it looked lovely in the park, sparkling as merrily as the river behind it.
I made Chocolate Chip Pancakes for breakfast, then called Mom. She was getting ready to clean the house after Dad went fishing and Keefe went back to South Carolina. Keefe is graduating his Naval classes this week. Mom, Dad, and Keefe's beloved girlfriend Vicki will be going down there in a few days to see his class. They're all looking forward to it, especially after enjoying his visit here for Christmas. Mom is also a fan of the Washington Redskins (she grew up in the suburbs of DC) - she's thrilled that they made the playoffs and Dad's Giants didn't.
After I got off with Mom and finished breakfast, I changed the American Girl and Sailor Moon dolls back into regular winter clothes. Samantha now wears her "Buster Brown" gray flannel school dress. Molly wears her plaid jumper and white blouse. Felicity sports her emerald-green Riding Habit, really the only warm clothing she owns. I got a little more creative with my modern doll Jessa. She slipped into the green-sprigged turtleneck from the late 90s Girl Scouts Uniform, the yellow sweater and black corduroys that were part of her original mid-90s "meet" outfit, Springfield Collection socks, and the boots from Emily's Snow Suit.
The Sailor Soldiers were all returned to their usual nautical-inspired uniforms. Queen Serenity and Wicked Lady resumed their dresses. (Queen Serenity wears the gown from the 80s Crystal Barbie, which I found at a thrift shop years ago. I got her on eBay in a Sailor Moon outfit that wasn't hers.)
I had a quick lunch of leftovers after I finished the girls, then headed to work. It was surprisingly warm - not ridiculously balmy, like it was this time last year, but warmer than it has been. The snow had vanished. Mom said Cape May County never got any snow at all, just a little rain.
The Acme was lines-down-the-aisles busy all night. It's still the beginning of the month, for one thing. Many people have end-of-the-holiday-season parties this weekend or birthday parties. Others were restocking their larders as they prepared to return to their first full work week in ages. Thankfully, it slowed down enough by 7PM that I was able to leave with no relief.
Oh, and alas, Mom's Redskins couldn't get past the Seahawks, though they apparently played well enough to begin with. The Seahawks eventually won 24-14. At least they made it to the playoffs - I think they were the only NFC East team that did this year.
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Sunday, January 06, 2013
Saturday, January 05, 2013
Put Away the Holidays
Started a beautiful, sunny day with a trip into Audubon. I had a ton of things to bring to the Logan Presbyterian Thrift Shop. There were bags filled with items I cleared out as far back as last summer, but first I got hurt, then the holidays came up and I just didn't have the time to bring them over.
They were happy to receive my donations...and no wonder. They were in the midst of a huge after-Christmas sale. I picked up five videos, four records, and a kid's book for $1.90. The records were:
Olivia Newton John - Greatest Hits
Johnny Mathis - The Sweetheart Tree
The Music of Spring - collection of spring-related standards sung by popular vocalists (thought it could be run at Easter)
Original Broadway cast album for 1970 Lauren Bacall musical Applause
The videos were the Esther Williams vehicle Dangerous When Wet, the 1950s Stewart Granger/Elizabeth Taylor version of Beau Brummel, the original animated Watership Down, and two Richard Chamberlain vehicles based after Alexandre Dumas books - The Man In the Iron Mask and The Count of Monte Cristo.
The book was the other Muppet Babies McDonald's picture book we had as kids, The Legend of Gimmie Gulch. Kermit imagines that he's the sheriff of a greedy western town that's falling apart because no one will share their resources with anyone else. When the Masked Bandit is due to ride through town and wreck havoc, Kermit has to find a way to teach the others the importance of sharing...and fast!
Moved onto Abbie Road down the street next. Bob said "hi" and said for me to tell Lauren he says "hi" to her, too. He was also having huge sales. I got three records and four CDs for $12. The CDs were:
Steve Winwood - Back In the High Life (Replacing an aging cassette copy)
Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
The Kinks - Come Dancing With the Kinks: The Best of the Kinks 1977-1986
Original 1966 Broadway cast album for Cabaret
The records were:
Melanie - Candles In the Rain
Led Zeppelin- Led Zeppelin
The Tommy Dorsey/Frank Sinatra Sessions Vol. 1
I rode up to Simply Soups on Pine Street for lunch. As it was just lunch time, there were several people there as I arrived, including an older couple and a college student. I had my usual cup of soup, breadsticks, and can of diet soda. Today's soup was Pumpkin-Turkey-Rice. It was scrumptious, filled with lots of rice, good-sized turkey pieces, and plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg. I enjoyed my meal while looking over my finds. It felt good sitting in the front windows, with their fabulous view of Pine Street and the railroad tracks. Almost all of the windows were open this time to allow the sunlight in and get some extra warmth.
Stopped at Desserts By Design on the way home. I bought a few cookies for a treat and chatted with the owner and her assistant. I told her about my troubled couple of months, and that I was feeling much better and hoping that the New Year would improve.
After I bought my snack, I took the bike over the train bridge and into Oaklyn. The Oaklyn Library had been almost totally reorganized since the last time I was there. The old metal shelves in the kids' section had been eliminated entirely. All of the kids's books and DVDs were now on the shelves surrounding the walls of the room. The tables that used to be squeezed into the kids' area were now pushed off to one side, leaving plenty of room for a librarian to read to the little ones, or for games and activities. I organized the adult and kids' DVDs and sorted through the picture books, but there wasn't much to do. I did pick up a mint-condition copy of the George Clooney remake of Ocean's Eleven from their book sale.
Spent the rest of the afternoon at home, listening to rock CDs and taking the remaining Christmas decorations down. The tree came down next. I almost completely reorganized the plastic container that holds the ornaments. The plastic, wooden, or beaded ornaments went in the plastic bucket I originally bought to bring the cookies to work for our luncheon. The icicles and clothespin soldiers got new, slimmer boxes. The garland, star, and lights lost their box and were just placed in the container. I got rid of a box of plain gold glass ball ornaments that had been around for about a decade and were starting to look their ages. I bought them from Family Dollar; I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did.
Finished out the night with the garlands, wreath, big plaid bow, nativity, and small items that go in the big felt Santa Sack. The garlands are so much easier to take down than they are to put up! I may put the gold garland that was around the CD rack somewhere else next Christmas. It was a pain to put on the rack where it is now. I'd also like to crochet some Christmas coasters to replace the woven ones I made for Mom when I was a pre-teen.
After everything had been returned to the back room, I vacuumed the living room where the tree was. The tree sheds almost as much as a real tree! I then moved the crate with the disco and R&B albums to the front of the window where it usually rests. I also swept the porch. The leaves are long gone, but I get piles of sticker balls and small sticks in the winter. I like to keep the porch clear so it doesn't get to slippery if we get snow or ice.
Spent the next hour or so crocheting a birthday present for my sister Jessa as I dubbed Dangerous When Wet. Williams is the member of a farming family that prides itself on being as healthy as its products and the best swimmers around. When the farm needs a new bull, the family agrees to join a contest to swim the English Channel in order to win the money. While they're in France, the oldest daughter falls for a local playboy (Fernando Lamas), while their coach and sponsor (Jack Carson) is pursued by an amorous Frenchwoman who is one of the contestants (Denise Darcel).
Not great, not horrible. Charlotte Greenwood, as Williams' robust mother, gets to show off her still-amazing high kicks in "Ain't Nature Grand," while Lamas serenades Williams (they were later married) with the lovely "In My Wildest Dreams." Otherwise, the numbers are rather dull. The biggest set-piece, and probably the only thing anyone remembers about this movie today, is Williams swimming into a cartoon with Tom and Jerry. It's cute enough, but not really anything special. This one is pretty much for fans of Williams or Tom & Jerry. Enjoyable enough for anyone else if you run into it on TCM, but nothing you need to see.
Friday, January 04, 2013
Concluding the Holiday Season
I slept in this morning and didn't get to the Acme until past noon. Thankfully, it was steady but not nearly as busy as last Friday. I grabbed my paycheck, then rode over to America's Best to order my contacts. They're way past due for a restock, but I've either been busy, haven't had the money, or had to work late. They were so dead, I was able to go in, order, pay, and leave in five minutes.
Most of my grocery shopping this week involved restocking baking or casserole items used for last week's meals and the holiday gifts - sugar, canned mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, tuna, honey, tape (they have 3-packs for a dollar), and chocolate pudding mix (to replace the one that was gobbled by a mouse). The company that owns Acme is in the midst of changing the labels of its generic frozen vegetables; they've apparently been out of frozen peas for a while now. I bought a frozen Oriental vegetable mix instead. Had more luck with oranges, bananas, pears, and some good sales on juice concentrate and laundry detergent.
When I got home, I put everything away, had a quick leftovers lunch while watching more public domain shorts, then went right back out again. I needed to make a really quick run to the bank to deposit my paycheck. The indoor area was quiet, and I was in and out there as well.
I ran two Christmas DVDs while taking down the holiday display items and dressed bears and stuffed animals. The Backyardigans finally debuted an out-and-out Christmas episode in what I believe was their last season in 2010. "The Action Elves Save Christmas Eve" is pretty self-explanatory. Tasha, Pablo, and Uniqua are elves who have to find Santa's sack before Christmas Eve, or Santa can't deliver his presents! Two lonely snow monster brothers (Austin and Tyrone) took it, but they didn't really mean any harm - they didn't even know what it was.
The House Without a Christmas Tree is a favorite of mine. I usually watch it on or around Christmas Day, but I just didn't get to it this year. 11-year-old Addie Mills (Lisa Lucas) is a smart young lady living in a quiet small town in Nebraska in 1946. Like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, all she wants for Christmas is one special thing that she pesters her father (Jason Robards) endlessly about. Unlike Ralphie, the item she wants is hardly violent - a Christmas tree. Her father has never had one in the house. It reminds him too much of her late mother. When Addie wins a tree from school, her father becomes angry with her. They both learn a lesson in charity when Addie gives the tree away, and Grandma (Mildred Natwick) reminds them that charity begins at home...and it's never too late to show those you love that you care about them.
A sweet, gentle story, with wonderful performances by Lucas, Robards, and especially Natwick as the eccentric grandmother caught between her stubborn son and his even more stubborn daughter. Highly recommended for those looking for a quieter Christmas story for families, especially ones with girls, or for those with fond memories of the original 70s broadcast.
Taking down the Christmas decorations takes a lot less time than putting them up does. I actually cleared out some display items and consolidated others into a few bags and boxes. I had a harder time with the stuffed animals. I really had to push and shove to get them in the container! I cleared out a few; maybe I should look into clearing out more next year or finding another container for them.
Work was surprisingly steady, given I worked late. It was 9:30 before it really started slowing down, and even then, the time flew. I was in and out quickly.
Oh, and once again, mixed feelings on my schedule. The bad news is, I only have 18 hours this week. The good news is, three days off and only one day (next Saturday) later than 8PM. This shouldn't be as devestating financially as the lack of hours in the summer and fall were. The weeks between Three King's Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day are usually quiet. Things pick up as we get closer to February, which is probably our single busiest month of the year. Not to mention, our W2s should be coming out at the end of the month, and I'll probably have tax return money coming.
I slept in this morning and didn't get to the Acme until past noon. Thankfully, it was steady but not nearly as busy as last Friday. I grabbed my paycheck, then rode over to America's Best to order my contacts. They're way past due for a restock, but I've either been busy, haven't had the money, or had to work late. They were so dead, I was able to go in, order, pay, and leave in five minutes.
Most of my grocery shopping this week involved restocking baking or casserole items used for last week's meals and the holiday gifts - sugar, canned mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, tuna, honey, tape (they have 3-packs for a dollar), and chocolate pudding mix (to replace the one that was gobbled by a mouse). The company that owns Acme is in the midst of changing the labels of its generic frozen vegetables; they've apparently been out of frozen peas for a while now. I bought a frozen Oriental vegetable mix instead. Had more luck with oranges, bananas, pears, and some good sales on juice concentrate and laundry detergent.
When I got home, I put everything away, had a quick leftovers lunch while watching more public domain shorts, then went right back out again. I needed to make a really quick run to the bank to deposit my paycheck. The indoor area was quiet, and I was in and out there as well.
I ran two Christmas DVDs while taking down the holiday display items and dressed bears and stuffed animals. The Backyardigans finally debuted an out-and-out Christmas episode in what I believe was their last season in 2010. "The Action Elves Save Christmas Eve" is pretty self-explanatory. Tasha, Pablo, and Uniqua are elves who have to find Santa's sack before Christmas Eve, or Santa can't deliver his presents! Two lonely snow monster brothers (Austin and Tyrone) took it, but they didn't really mean any harm - they didn't even know what it was.
The House Without a Christmas Tree is a favorite of mine. I usually watch it on or around Christmas Day, but I just didn't get to it this year. 11-year-old Addie Mills (Lisa Lucas) is a smart young lady living in a quiet small town in Nebraska in 1946. Like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, all she wants for Christmas is one special thing that she pesters her father (Jason Robards) endlessly about. Unlike Ralphie, the item she wants is hardly violent - a Christmas tree. Her father has never had one in the house. It reminds him too much of her late mother. When Addie wins a tree from school, her father becomes angry with her. They both learn a lesson in charity when Addie gives the tree away, and Grandma (Mildred Natwick) reminds them that charity begins at home...and it's never too late to show those you love that you care about them.
A sweet, gentle story, with wonderful performances by Lucas, Robards, and especially Natwick as the eccentric grandmother caught between her stubborn son and his even more stubborn daughter. Highly recommended for those looking for a quieter Christmas story for families, especially ones with girls, or for those with fond memories of the original 70s broadcast.
Taking down the Christmas decorations takes a lot less time than putting them up does. I actually cleared out some display items and consolidated others into a few bags and boxes. I had a harder time with the stuffed animals. I really had to push and shove to get them in the container! I cleared out a few; maybe I should look into clearing out more next year or finding another container for them.
Work was surprisingly steady, given I worked late. It was 9:30 before it really started slowing down, and even then, the time flew. I was in and out quickly.
Oh, and once again, mixed feelings on my schedule. The bad news is, I only have 18 hours this week. The good news is, three days off and only one day (next Saturday) later than 8PM. This shouldn't be as devestating financially as the lack of hours in the summer and fall were. The weeks between Three King's Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day are usually quiet. Things pick up as we get closer to February, which is probably our single busiest month of the year. Not to mention, our W2s should be coming out at the end of the month, and I'll probably have tax return money coming.
Thursday, January 03, 2013
Baby, It's Cold Outside!
It was a frosty but thankfully sunny morning when I awoke. I started things off with Chocolate Chip-Coconut Muffins for breakfast while watching the Faerie Tale Theatre version of "The Three Little Pigs." Here, the pigs are a trio of brothers who are pushed out into the world by their mother (Doris Roberts) who can't afford to feed them anymore. The pig who builds the straw house (Stephan Furst) dreams of quick bucks. The one who builds his house of sticks (Fred Willard) is a huge hog who wants to lead the good life and chase all the sows he can find. Larry, the runt of the litter (Billy Crystal), is the sensible family artist who sees the value of making his brick home as solid as possible. His strong home becomes even more important when a wolf (Jeff Goldblum) comes to their door looking for a pork dinner for his nagging wife. It'll take all of Larry's cleverness to keep him, his brothers, and a pretty sow named Tina (Valerie Perrine) from ending up on the wolf's dinner plate!
One of the cuter episodes, and along with "The Emperor's New Clothes," the funniest show of the entire series. Goldblum in particular has some very funny one-liners as the hen-pecked wolf.
It dropped into the lower 30s today, but the sun brought people out of the woodwork anyway. There were surprisingly a couple of people walking their dogs or going for a stroll as I rode across Newton River Park. It was so cold, the river had a thin layer of ice for the first time this winter.
The Haddon Township Library was very busy when I arrived. So many kids' DVDs had come in, there literally wasn't room to shelve them all! Storybook Hour was just ending as I worked on organizing the titles that did fit. One adorable little girl requested Callieu and the Disney Cinderella. A boy wanted Scooby Doo; I directed him towards the holiday set I just returned. A second girl asked for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; I handed her Mickey and Donald Had a Farm.
There was less to shelve with the adult titles, and very few foreign titles mixed in. I didn't take out any movies or books this week, and returned everything I took out last week but one self-help book. Between work and taking down the Christmas decorations, I just won't have the time. I'll run Lois & Clark and the public domain cartoon set instead.
I wanted to stop at Tuesday Morning on the way home and look for a second calender for my bedroom, but they were closed for inventory! Who closes for a whole week just to do inventory? Don't most stores do that at night? I ended up at Rite Aid across the street instead. Maybe it was just as well. I needed milk; they have the cheapest milk around, and it saved me a trip to WaWa. Found the Backyardigans Christmas DVD cheaper than I've ever seen it anywhere. Also bought bungee cords from the dollar racks. The ones that came with the house frayed ages ago, and I wanted to use them to hold down the air conditioner cover. It wasn't working indoors.
When I got home, I fixed the air conditioner cover, then spent the rest of the afternoon running more public domain shorts and eating leftover chicken stir fry for lunch. More 40s Superman ("Destruction Inc") and Terrytoons' The Mighty Heroes topped the list here, along with a few not-bad Popeye shorts from the early 50s.
Work was pretty much the same as yesterday - down-the-aisles busy during rush hour, otherwise on-and-off steady, with some annoying customers. It'll likely remain so as we get through the beginning of the month.
It was a frosty but thankfully sunny morning when I awoke. I started things off with Chocolate Chip-Coconut Muffins for breakfast while watching the Faerie Tale Theatre version of "The Three Little Pigs." Here, the pigs are a trio of brothers who are pushed out into the world by their mother (Doris Roberts) who can't afford to feed them anymore. The pig who builds the straw house (Stephan Furst) dreams of quick bucks. The one who builds his house of sticks (Fred Willard) is a huge hog who wants to lead the good life and chase all the sows he can find. Larry, the runt of the litter (Billy Crystal), is the sensible family artist who sees the value of making his brick home as solid as possible. His strong home becomes even more important when a wolf (Jeff Goldblum) comes to their door looking for a pork dinner for his nagging wife. It'll take all of Larry's cleverness to keep him, his brothers, and a pretty sow named Tina (Valerie Perrine) from ending up on the wolf's dinner plate!
One of the cuter episodes, and along with "The Emperor's New Clothes," the funniest show of the entire series. Goldblum in particular has some very funny one-liners as the hen-pecked wolf.
It dropped into the lower 30s today, but the sun brought people out of the woodwork anyway. There were surprisingly a couple of people walking their dogs or going for a stroll as I rode across Newton River Park. It was so cold, the river had a thin layer of ice for the first time this winter.
The Haddon Township Library was very busy when I arrived. So many kids' DVDs had come in, there literally wasn't room to shelve them all! Storybook Hour was just ending as I worked on organizing the titles that did fit. One adorable little girl requested Callieu and the Disney Cinderella. A boy wanted Scooby Doo; I directed him towards the holiday set I just returned. A second girl asked for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; I handed her Mickey and Donald Had a Farm.
There was less to shelve with the adult titles, and very few foreign titles mixed in. I didn't take out any movies or books this week, and returned everything I took out last week but one self-help book. Between work and taking down the Christmas decorations, I just won't have the time. I'll run Lois & Clark and the public domain cartoon set instead.
I wanted to stop at Tuesday Morning on the way home and look for a second calender for my bedroom, but they were closed for inventory! Who closes for a whole week just to do inventory? Don't most stores do that at night? I ended up at Rite Aid across the street instead. Maybe it was just as well. I needed milk; they have the cheapest milk around, and it saved me a trip to WaWa. Found the Backyardigans Christmas DVD cheaper than I've ever seen it anywhere. Also bought bungee cords from the dollar racks. The ones that came with the house frayed ages ago, and I wanted to use them to hold down the air conditioner cover. It wasn't working indoors.
When I got home, I fixed the air conditioner cover, then spent the rest of the afternoon running more public domain shorts and eating leftover chicken stir fry for lunch. More 40s Superman ("Destruction Inc") and Terrytoons' The Mighty Heroes topped the list here, along with a few not-bad Popeye shorts from the early 50s.
Work was pretty much the same as yesterday - down-the-aisles busy during rush hour, otherwise on-and-off steady, with some annoying customers. It'll likely remain so as we get through the beginning of the month.
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
The Oaklyn Holiday Light Show
I slept until past 9 today...and since I worked at noon, that didn't give me a chance to do much besides work on a crocheting project and watch another Faeirie Tale Theatre episode. "The Emperor's New Clothes" is an adaptation of another Hans Christian Anderson story that takes us out of the realm of the purely magical and into something a little more realistic. A vain emperor who thinks of nothing but his fancy wardrobe (Dick Shawn) is taken for a ride by two con men (Art Carney and Alan Arkin) who convince him that they've made a cloth so fine, only the most intelligent person can see it. Fools will see nothing. While the Emperor and his court marvel over the wonders of the fictional "cloth," the over-taxed citizens, including the tavern-keeper befriended by the con men (Georgia Brown), know better.
My favorite of the purely comic episodes along with The Three Little Pigs. Arkin and Carney are hilarious as two tricksters out for one last score; Shawn is a riot as the clotheshorse ruler who learns that it takes a lot more than a well-cut suit to make the man.
Work was on-and-off steady up through rush hour, after which everyone started coming out of their first day back at work and the lines got crazy. They put out all the half-price candy and leftover Christmas items today too as the stock people pulled out this year's Valentine's Day inventory. Some grandmothers bought as much as $50 worth of candy and small Christmas toys for their grandchildren! I settled for a bag of the 3 Musketeers Hot Cocoa Minis, the Betty Crocker Hot Chocolate Cupcake Mix (who knows when we'll see hot chocolate/cocoa-flavored items again?), a bag of bows for next year's Christmas presents, a Veggitales DVD, and a Russell Stover peppermint bark snowman for a treat.
I got off at 6PM, which left me plenty of time for a longer-than-usual bike ride on the way home. I hadn't had a chance to look at all the neighborhood lights yet. It was really cold by then, probably in the 20s, and I figured I'd be warmer on the bike. I love looking at Oaklyn's light displays. While none of them are quite as big as my neighbors across the street, who literally cover the front of their house and the large tree in their front yard with lights, there are some really lovely ones.
I saw lights of every description. Some houses had roofs dripping with "icicles" in gold or blue-white. Others were criss-crossed with tiny colored lights that made them look like a Jackson Pollock painting. Bushes were draped with LED lights that had such deep colors, the blues almost looked purple. Windows were festooned with garlands of greenery, large wreaths, or softly glowing candelabras. Some of the inflatables were really cute. My favorite inflatable this year was the Snoopy Sno-Cone with Charlie Brown and Snoopy on either side of the famous dog-house-shaped ice scraper.
I rode all around the neighborhoods behind Kendall Boulevard and near the school. I would have done more, but it was really too cold. My knees were nearly numb by the time I finally made it home.
Ran the Veggitales DVD while having the last of the leftover tuna casserole for dinner. The first story on this two-parter from last year was a short that revolved around Junior Asparagus having a bad day. He thinks everyone's forgotten his birthday! His mother sings him a gentle song to remind him that others are looking out for us when we're hurt...and that every four years, February has a day added to the calender.
The main feature was a spoof of Robin Hood. Larry the Cucumber is the famous Sherwood Forest bandit...but he doesn't really want to steal from people. What he wants is to raise funds from the rich to buy hams for the poor. His friends are frustrated that this isn't working. Selfish, cowardly Prince John is hogging all the hams for himself, while making the Sheriff (Bob the Tomato) do his dirty work. When the others leave him alone, Larry tries to convince Prince John that his people need the hams more than he does. The Prince not only doesn't care, but tries to have Robin Good thrown in the Dungeon of Despair! Robin's hurting, but a song from an elderly lady and the discovery that his men need him reminds him that, even in the worst despair, we can always find something to comfort us.
On one hand, this one did get a little into preachy territory. The Christian sentiments, while well-meaning, don't really work with the story being told. On the other hand, I like that, unlike most adaptations of Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham was depicted as a nice guy (uh, tomato) who was just following Prince John's orders. Veggitales fans will enjoy it; fans of Robin Hood stories may want to be a bit more cautious unless they're already into the cartoon.
I slept until past 9 today...and since I worked at noon, that didn't give me a chance to do much besides work on a crocheting project and watch another Faeirie Tale Theatre episode. "The Emperor's New Clothes" is an adaptation of another Hans Christian Anderson story that takes us out of the realm of the purely magical and into something a little more realistic. A vain emperor who thinks of nothing but his fancy wardrobe (Dick Shawn) is taken for a ride by two con men (Art Carney and Alan Arkin) who convince him that they've made a cloth so fine, only the most intelligent person can see it. Fools will see nothing. While the Emperor and his court marvel over the wonders of the fictional "cloth," the over-taxed citizens, including the tavern-keeper befriended by the con men (Georgia Brown), know better.
My favorite of the purely comic episodes along with The Three Little Pigs. Arkin and Carney are hilarious as two tricksters out for one last score; Shawn is a riot as the clotheshorse ruler who learns that it takes a lot more than a well-cut suit to make the man.
Work was on-and-off steady up through rush hour, after which everyone started coming out of their first day back at work and the lines got crazy. They put out all the half-price candy and leftover Christmas items today too as the stock people pulled out this year's Valentine's Day inventory. Some grandmothers bought as much as $50 worth of candy and small Christmas toys for their grandchildren! I settled for a bag of the 3 Musketeers Hot Cocoa Minis, the Betty Crocker Hot Chocolate Cupcake Mix (who knows when we'll see hot chocolate/cocoa-flavored items again?), a bag of bows for next year's Christmas presents, a Veggitales DVD, and a Russell Stover peppermint bark snowman for a treat.
I got off at 6PM, which left me plenty of time for a longer-than-usual bike ride on the way home. I hadn't had a chance to look at all the neighborhood lights yet. It was really cold by then, probably in the 20s, and I figured I'd be warmer on the bike. I love looking at Oaklyn's light displays. While none of them are quite as big as my neighbors across the street, who literally cover the front of their house and the large tree in their front yard with lights, there are some really lovely ones.
I saw lights of every description. Some houses had roofs dripping with "icicles" in gold or blue-white. Others were criss-crossed with tiny colored lights that made them look like a Jackson Pollock painting. Bushes were draped with LED lights that had such deep colors, the blues almost looked purple. Windows were festooned with garlands of greenery, large wreaths, or softly glowing candelabras. Some of the inflatables were really cute. My favorite inflatable this year was the Snoopy Sno-Cone with Charlie Brown and Snoopy on either side of the famous dog-house-shaped ice scraper.
I rode all around the neighborhoods behind Kendall Boulevard and near the school. I would have done more, but it was really too cold. My knees were nearly numb by the time I finally made it home.
Ran the Veggitales DVD while having the last of the leftover tuna casserole for dinner. The first story on this two-parter from last year was a short that revolved around Junior Asparagus having a bad day. He thinks everyone's forgotten his birthday! His mother sings him a gentle song to remind him that others are looking out for us when we're hurt...and that every four years, February has a day added to the calender.
The main feature was a spoof of Robin Hood. Larry the Cucumber is the famous Sherwood Forest bandit...but he doesn't really want to steal from people. What he wants is to raise funds from the rich to buy hams for the poor. His friends are frustrated that this isn't working. Selfish, cowardly Prince John is hogging all the hams for himself, while making the Sheriff (Bob the Tomato) do his dirty work. When the others leave him alone, Larry tries to convince Prince John that his people need the hams more than he does. The Prince not only doesn't care, but tries to have Robin Good thrown in the Dungeon of Despair! Robin's hurting, but a song from an elderly lady and the discovery that his men need him reminds him that, even in the worst despair, we can always find something to comfort us.
On one hand, this one did get a little into preachy territory. The Christian sentiments, while well-meaning, don't really work with the story being told. On the other hand, I like that, unlike most adaptations of Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham was depicted as a nice guy (uh, tomato) who was just following Prince John's orders. Veggitales fans will enjoy it; fans of Robin Hood stories may want to be a bit more cautious unless they're already into the cartoon.
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Let's Start the New Year Right
I was awoken early by a Mummers' group practicing in the VFW parking lot. It was probably the same ones who rehearse there every year. I really wish they'd find a parking lot to rehearse in that isn't in a residential neighborhood. Some people actually want to sleep on a holiday.
I curled under my flannel sheet and blankets and dozed off for an hour. Finally rolled out of bed around quarter of 9. When I got up, I watched An Ice Age Christmas Special and had some Acme blueberry scones as an appetizer.
Ice Age Christmas Special is one of the several half-hour holiday shorts that have debuted for popular recent characters following the success of Shrek the Halls. Everyone's favorite kooky herd is preparing for the holidays. Peaches, the baby mammoth born in Dawn of the Dinosaurs, is now a cute kid who loves Christmas and truly believes in Santa. When Manny gets angry at Sid for breaking his special "Christmas stone," he claims Sid will be on Santa's naughty list, then tells his daughter that he doesn't believe in Santa. Peaches leads Sid, Eddie, and Crash up to the North Pole to convince her father that flying reindeer and jolly fat men do exist, even in the Ice Age.
If you can get around some obvious details (like this is set millions of years before Christ's or St. Nicholas' births), this is really kind of cute...but see Dawn of the Dinosaurs and the other movies first to find out more about Peaches and the herd.
I finally opted for my New Year's breakfast at the Pop Shop, since that went really well last year. I got in around 10:30. It wasn't nearly as busy as it was last New Year's, though it wasn't empty, either. I ended up at the counter again. The wacky retro Christmas decorations they had up last year had been replaced by more elegant holographic stars and giant pink and turquoise ornaments and "lights" hanging from the ceiling, along with several "Happy New Year!" balloons.
Ordered a Belgian Waffle, bacon, and black tea. It was all delicious...and unlike last year's Gingerbread Pancakes, the waffle wasn't the size of the plate. It was just right. Tasty as it was, it was also something that could be bought anywhere, for far less than what the fancy Pop Shop charges. I think I might try the Legacy Diner or something similar next New Year's for a cheaper - and equally scrumptious - alternative.
Spent the rest of the morning at my apartment. Julie's Cooking Studio has a recipe for Pistachio Cake that's pretty much just cake mix, pistachio pudding mix, oil, eggs, and club soda. Not only did I not have any pistachio pudding on me, but I'm not a fan of pistachios to begin with. I replaced the pistachio pudding mix with the yummy limited edition Jello pumpkin pudding mix and the club soda with buttermilk and the last of the sparkling pear juice from last night.
Ran Holiday Inn while the cake was in the oven. Best known as the movie that introduced "White Christmas," that's only one of several great Irving Berlin songs in this low-key but enjoyable wartime musical. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire are partners and pals feuding over the dancer they work with (Virginia Dale). Crosby finally retires to a farm in Connecticut which he turns into an inn that's only open on select holidays. A pretty dancer (Marjorie Reynolds) catches Crosby's eye in the city and ultimately becomes his star performer at the inn...and in his life, too. Meanwhile, Astaire's partner has walked out, and he's looking for a new act...and when he sees Reynolds and falls for her, the feud between him and Crosby starts all over again.
I actually like this one better than the slicker White Christmas. The romantic comedy shenanigans have a real grain of truth to them here, and the black-and-white, wartime make-do production gives it a feel of intimacy that White Christmas' shiny widescreen photography lacks. (PC warning - while most of the songs are still fun, the "Abraham" blackface number won't come off well with many people now. There's a reason this was done as an instrumental dance routine in White Christmas.) Other than that, if you're a fan of Crosby, Astaire, Berlin, like your musicals smaller, or want to see the movie that spawned one of the most beloved Christmas tunes of all time, this is a favorite of mine and recommended.
Work was steady for most of the night, not as busy as yesterday, but not empty, either. It also wasn't pleasant. If we weren't getting beginning-of-the-month people who received their money early, we were swamped with shoppers who will be returning to work tomorrow and have kids going back to school. I was very glad when I finally got out of there after the store closed at 6PM.
Before I went to work, I put together another Julie recipe. This one was for Crock Pot Ham and Potatoes - ham sliced and layered with sliced onion and potatoes, grated cheese, paprika, and cream of mushroom soup. (Actually, they called for Cream of Celery, but I didn't have any.) It was ready and waiting when I got home. Julie's mom knows her Crock Pot dishes. It was fabulous, creamy and salty and delicious. I threw in a Caesar Salad, also from Julie's cookbook, for vegetables.
Put on the Faeirie Tale Theatre episode "The Princess Who Never Laughed" as I ate dinner. The princess in question is Princess Henrietta (Ellen Barkin), better known to her father as "Hank." Hank has been treated like a "serious-minded young woman" all her life. For her, being a princess is nothing but an endless parade of lessons in decorum, history, language, and protocol. Her father banned laughter or merriment in the kingdom after his wife died...but now he doesn't know how to raise a spirited young lady who just wants to learn how to have fun. He finally holds a "laugh off" to see who can make his unhappy daughter crack a smile. Meanwhile, Wienerhead Waldo (Howie Mandel) is a pig farmer who has the gift of being able to make anyone laugh. His serious scholar brother thinks he's nuts, but his little sister believes in him and insists he join the Laugh-Off.
One of my favorite Faeirie Tale Theatre stories is actually a blending of several folk tales with similar themes from across cultures. As cute as Mandel is as the pig farmer who understands comedy better than any of the royal folk, Barkin comes off best as the royal lass who, for the first time in her life, learns that "fun" is more than a word in a dusty dictionary.
I hope all of you have a 2013 that's equally filled with laughter! : )
I was awoken early by a Mummers' group practicing in the VFW parking lot. It was probably the same ones who rehearse there every year. I really wish they'd find a parking lot to rehearse in that isn't in a residential neighborhood. Some people actually want to sleep on a holiday.
I curled under my flannel sheet and blankets and dozed off for an hour. Finally rolled out of bed around quarter of 9. When I got up, I watched An Ice Age Christmas Special and had some Acme blueberry scones as an appetizer.
Ice Age Christmas Special is one of the several half-hour holiday shorts that have debuted for popular recent characters following the success of Shrek the Halls. Everyone's favorite kooky herd is preparing for the holidays. Peaches, the baby mammoth born in Dawn of the Dinosaurs, is now a cute kid who loves Christmas and truly believes in Santa. When Manny gets angry at Sid for breaking his special "Christmas stone," he claims Sid will be on Santa's naughty list, then tells his daughter that he doesn't believe in Santa. Peaches leads Sid, Eddie, and Crash up to the North Pole to convince her father that flying reindeer and jolly fat men do exist, even in the Ice Age.
If you can get around some obvious details (like this is set millions of years before Christ's or St. Nicholas' births), this is really kind of cute...but see Dawn of the Dinosaurs and the other movies first to find out more about Peaches and the herd.
I finally opted for my New Year's breakfast at the Pop Shop, since that went really well last year. I got in around 10:30. It wasn't nearly as busy as it was last New Year's, though it wasn't empty, either. I ended up at the counter again. The wacky retro Christmas decorations they had up last year had been replaced by more elegant holographic stars and giant pink and turquoise ornaments and "lights" hanging from the ceiling, along with several "Happy New Year!" balloons.
Ordered a Belgian Waffle, bacon, and black tea. It was all delicious...and unlike last year's Gingerbread Pancakes, the waffle wasn't the size of the plate. It was just right. Tasty as it was, it was also something that could be bought anywhere, for far less than what the fancy Pop Shop charges. I think I might try the Legacy Diner or something similar next New Year's for a cheaper - and equally scrumptious - alternative.
Spent the rest of the morning at my apartment. Julie's Cooking Studio has a recipe for Pistachio Cake that's pretty much just cake mix, pistachio pudding mix, oil, eggs, and club soda. Not only did I not have any pistachio pudding on me, but I'm not a fan of pistachios to begin with. I replaced the pistachio pudding mix with the yummy limited edition Jello pumpkin pudding mix and the club soda with buttermilk and the last of the sparkling pear juice from last night.
Ran Holiday Inn while the cake was in the oven. Best known as the movie that introduced "White Christmas," that's only one of several great Irving Berlin songs in this low-key but enjoyable wartime musical. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire are partners and pals feuding over the dancer they work with (Virginia Dale). Crosby finally retires to a farm in Connecticut which he turns into an inn that's only open on select holidays. A pretty dancer (Marjorie Reynolds) catches Crosby's eye in the city and ultimately becomes his star performer at the inn...and in his life, too. Meanwhile, Astaire's partner has walked out, and he's looking for a new act...and when he sees Reynolds and falls for her, the feud between him and Crosby starts all over again.
I actually like this one better than the slicker White Christmas. The romantic comedy shenanigans have a real grain of truth to them here, and the black-and-white, wartime make-do production gives it a feel of intimacy that White Christmas' shiny widescreen photography lacks. (PC warning - while most of the songs are still fun, the "Abraham" blackface number won't come off well with many people now. There's a reason this was done as an instrumental dance routine in White Christmas.) Other than that, if you're a fan of Crosby, Astaire, Berlin, like your musicals smaller, or want to see the movie that spawned one of the most beloved Christmas tunes of all time, this is a favorite of mine and recommended.
Work was steady for most of the night, not as busy as yesterday, but not empty, either. It also wasn't pleasant. If we weren't getting beginning-of-the-month people who received their money early, we were swamped with shoppers who will be returning to work tomorrow and have kids going back to school. I was very glad when I finally got out of there after the store closed at 6PM.
Before I went to work, I put together another Julie recipe. This one was for Crock Pot Ham and Potatoes - ham sliced and layered with sliced onion and potatoes, grated cheese, paprika, and cream of mushroom soup. (Actually, they called for Cream of Celery, but I didn't have any.) It was ready and waiting when I got home. Julie's mom knows her Crock Pot dishes. It was fabulous, creamy and salty and delicious. I threw in a Caesar Salad, also from Julie's cookbook, for vegetables.
Put on the Faeirie Tale Theatre episode "The Princess Who Never Laughed" as I ate dinner. The princess in question is Princess Henrietta (Ellen Barkin), better known to her father as "Hank." Hank has been treated like a "serious-minded young woman" all her life. For her, being a princess is nothing but an endless parade of lessons in decorum, history, language, and protocol. Her father banned laughter or merriment in the kingdom after his wife died...but now he doesn't know how to raise a spirited young lady who just wants to learn how to have fun. He finally holds a "laugh off" to see who can make his unhappy daughter crack a smile. Meanwhile, Wienerhead Waldo (Howie Mandel) is a pig farmer who has the gift of being able to make anyone laugh. His serious scholar brother thinks he's nuts, but his little sister believes in him and insists he join the Laugh-Off.
One of my favorite Faeirie Tale Theatre stories is actually a blending of several folk tales with similar themes from across cultures. As cute as Mandel is as the pig farmer who understands comedy better than any of the royal folk, Barkin comes off best as the royal lass who, for the first time in her life, learns that "fun" is more than a word in a dusty dictionary.
I hope all of you have a 2013 that's equally filled with laughter! : )
Monday, December 31, 2012
Have a Very Shiny New Year
I closed 2012 far more amiably than I closed 2011. This time, I'd been scheduled to work on New Year's Eve, and I was fine with it. I had a pleasant walk around the neighborhood this morning. It was cloudy and chilly, but not abnormally so for the time of year. I strolled down the street and over the park behind the school, but there was no one around, not even a Canadian goose. Everyone was probably inside or out and about, getting ready for New Year's parties.
I had leftovers for lunch while watching more Faeirie Tale Theatre. "Puss n' Boots" is a retelling of the story of a clever cat who convinces a king and a princess that his impoverished master is a Marquis. Ben Vereen is Puss. Gregory Hines is his master. Alfre Woodard is the princess. Brock Peters is the evil ogre the cat has to outwit in order to gain a castle for his "Marquis." One of my favorite episodes; Vereen has a lot of fun as a feline.
"The Snow Queen" is a bit more magical. Lee Remick is the chilly title character, who takes a contrary young man (Lance Kerwin) to her icy home in order to teach him a lesson about friendship. His best friend Gerda (Melissa Gilbert) is determined to go after him. Adapted from a Hans Christian Anderson story, and considerably closer to the source material than the Disney version that's supposed to come out next year sounds like it will be. It's a little muddled - Remick, despite her title status, doesn't have much to do - but has some of the loveliest sets and costumes of the entire series.
Work was a total madhouse all day. If people weren't buying last-minute vegetable and fruit trays for their New Year's Eve parties, they were doing their beginning-of-the-month shopping. Despite the noise and the lines, the day went quickly. I was able to get a few things for my own New Year's Eve during my break, including heavy cream and sparkling pear juice for my traditional New Year's Eve Whipped Syllabub.
Ran two New Year's specials while making chicken stir-fry for a late dinner. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown has poor Chuck stuck doing a book report on War & Peace while the rest of the gang enjoys Peppermint Patty's New Year's Eve party. Rudolph's Shiny New Year is the first follow-up to the original Rankin-Bass Rudolph. Father Time sends Rudolph after the runaway Baby New Year, but he may not be able to get around Eon, the Terrible Monster Bird in time. If he can't bring the Baby New Year home by midnight on December 31st, time will stand still!
But in real life, time stands still for no one. I'd just finished with my WebKinz and was chatting with Lauren and sipping my Whipped Syllabub when I heard the first fireworks go off on the river. I enjoyed a glorious show of sparkling lights flying on the other side of the river. With the trees bare, I had a spectacular view. The huge wisps of red, green, and gold glitter were prettier than anything in Times Square...and a lot less hectic.
I hope all of you have a safe, happy, and healthy 2013. And as Rudolph said, "May it be shiny, too!" ; )
I closed 2012 far more amiably than I closed 2011. This time, I'd been scheduled to work on New Year's Eve, and I was fine with it. I had a pleasant walk around the neighborhood this morning. It was cloudy and chilly, but not abnormally so for the time of year. I strolled down the street and over the park behind the school, but there was no one around, not even a Canadian goose. Everyone was probably inside or out and about, getting ready for New Year's parties.
I had leftovers for lunch while watching more Faeirie Tale Theatre. "Puss n' Boots" is a retelling of the story of a clever cat who convinces a king and a princess that his impoverished master is a Marquis. Ben Vereen is Puss. Gregory Hines is his master. Alfre Woodard is the princess. Brock Peters is the evil ogre the cat has to outwit in order to gain a castle for his "Marquis." One of my favorite episodes; Vereen has a lot of fun as a feline.
"The Snow Queen" is a bit more magical. Lee Remick is the chilly title character, who takes a contrary young man (Lance Kerwin) to her icy home in order to teach him a lesson about friendship. His best friend Gerda (Melissa Gilbert) is determined to go after him. Adapted from a Hans Christian Anderson story, and considerably closer to the source material than the Disney version that's supposed to come out next year sounds like it will be. It's a little muddled - Remick, despite her title status, doesn't have much to do - but has some of the loveliest sets and costumes of the entire series.
Work was a total madhouse all day. If people weren't buying last-minute vegetable and fruit trays for their New Year's Eve parties, they were doing their beginning-of-the-month shopping. Despite the noise and the lines, the day went quickly. I was able to get a few things for my own New Year's Eve during my break, including heavy cream and sparkling pear juice for my traditional New Year's Eve Whipped Syllabub.
Ran two New Year's specials while making chicken stir-fry for a late dinner. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown has poor Chuck stuck doing a book report on War & Peace while the rest of the gang enjoys Peppermint Patty's New Year's Eve party. Rudolph's Shiny New Year is the first follow-up to the original Rankin-Bass Rudolph. Father Time sends Rudolph after the runaway Baby New Year, but he may not be able to get around Eon, the Terrible Monster Bird in time. If he can't bring the Baby New Year home by midnight on December 31st, time will stand still!
But in real life, time stands still for no one. I'd just finished with my WebKinz and was chatting with Lauren and sipping my Whipped Syllabub when I heard the first fireworks go off on the river. I enjoyed a glorious show of sparkling lights flying on the other side of the river. With the trees bare, I had a spectacular view. The huge wisps of red, green, and gold glitter were prettier than anything in Times Square...and a lot less hectic.
I hope all of you have a safe, happy, and healthy 2013. And as Rudolph said, "May it be shiny, too!" ; )
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New
Slept until past 10:30 today. When I finally got up, I put on the last Brunch With the Beatles of the year. The theme was "A Decade of #1 Hits," ranging from "Can't Buy Me Love" to "All You Need Is Love" to "The Long and Winding Road." They tossed in George Harrison's New Year's-themed solo song "Ring Out the Old" for good measure. Since I'm probably going to have waffles or pancakes out on New Year's Day, I kept today's pancakes simple and made Journeycakes - cornmeal pancakes - from Felicity's Cooking Studio.
I ate so late, it was almost 1:30 before I made it over to Dad's to do the laundry. He and Jodie were watching the last Eagles game of the season, and probably coach Andy Reid's last game as well. I kind of think they're throwing out the baby with the bathwater over one bad season, but no one's really been happy with him this year. Then again, the Eagles did lose 45-7 to the New York Giants. Despite the rout, the Bears' win did manage to knock Giants out of the playoffs...and out of the running for a second Super Bowl trip in a row.
Dad got so fed up with the Eagles game, he switched around to a couple of different games, including the close Bears-Lions match-up. As mentioned, the Bears finally won that one, 26-24. The Bengals-Ravens game was equally interesting. Both teams fought hard, but the Bengals finally took that one, 23-17. And this wasn't a good day for Dad's teams. At least the Eagles got on the board - the Patriots mangled the Dolphins 28-0.
When I got in, I put away my large load of laundry (washed most of my new clothes, plus some jeans I hadn't done in a while) and had leftover tuna casserole for dinner while listening to my tribute to four music stars I enjoyed who passed on this year. I bought the Rhino Handmade Instant Replay CD set in March; ran the first disc for Davy Jones. Did Side 2 and 3 of my On the Radio LP for Donna Summer. Ran Whitney Houston's first, self-titled album and a collection of Andy Williams singing hit songs from movies (including a lovely version of "Moon River") before heading out to work.
Tonight was one of my two late work shifts this week, and the only night I was closing. It was still fairly steady when I got in, pin-drop quiet when I closed.
Slept until past 10:30 today. When I finally got up, I put on the last Brunch With the Beatles of the year. The theme was "A Decade of #1 Hits," ranging from "Can't Buy Me Love" to "All You Need Is Love" to "The Long and Winding Road." They tossed in George Harrison's New Year's-themed solo song "Ring Out the Old" for good measure. Since I'm probably going to have waffles or pancakes out on New Year's Day, I kept today's pancakes simple and made Journeycakes - cornmeal pancakes - from Felicity's Cooking Studio.
I ate so late, it was almost 1:30 before I made it over to Dad's to do the laundry. He and Jodie were watching the last Eagles game of the season, and probably coach Andy Reid's last game as well. I kind of think they're throwing out the baby with the bathwater over one bad season, but no one's really been happy with him this year. Then again, the Eagles did lose 45-7 to the New York Giants. Despite the rout, the Bears' win did manage to knock Giants out of the playoffs...and out of the running for a second Super Bowl trip in a row.
Dad got so fed up with the Eagles game, he switched around to a couple of different games, including the close Bears-Lions match-up. As mentioned, the Bears finally won that one, 26-24. The Bengals-Ravens game was equally interesting. Both teams fought hard, but the Bengals finally took that one, 23-17. And this wasn't a good day for Dad's teams. At least the Eagles got on the board - the Patriots mangled the Dolphins 28-0.
When I got in, I put away my large load of laundry (washed most of my new clothes, plus some jeans I hadn't done in a while) and had leftover tuna casserole for dinner while listening to my tribute to four music stars I enjoyed who passed on this year. I bought the Rhino Handmade Instant Replay CD set in March; ran the first disc for Davy Jones. Did Side 2 and 3 of my On the Radio LP for Donna Summer. Ran Whitney Houston's first, self-titled album and a collection of Andy Williams singing hit songs from movies (including a lovely version of "Moon River") before heading out to work.
Tonight was one of my two late work shifts this week, and the only night I was closing. It was still fairly steady when I got in, pin-drop quiet when I closed.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Snow Daze In Philadelphia
Jessa and I headed out for Philly around 10:30. I'd spent the morning before that watching more public domain cartoons. Among the interesting shorts this time around were two more Fleischer Brothers Superman adventures ("Billion Dollar Limited" and "The Bulleteers") and a 60s educational TV short called The Adventures of Captain Nemo. The latter involved the captain and two kids helping to rescue a dolphin from a group of hungry sharks. Billie Mae Richards, the long-time voice of the Rankin-Bass Rudolph, was the voice of the girl and boy in this short.
It had started to snow while I was waiting for Jessa. The snow was coming down in big, fat flakes, but as I suspected, it wasn't sticking to the street or sidewalk. We had no problems driving to the PATCO station in Collingswood.
The trip to Philadelphia was sort of weird. The snow was coming down so hard by this point, you couldn't see much of anything - not the city, not the sky. It was all pearly gray, even the Schuylkill River. You couldn't really see much of anything out the window, including the skyline.
Jessa attends college at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. As a commuter (she still lives at Dad's house), she knows the PATCO and SEPTA train lines well. She lead me through the underground maze of white and orange SEPTA stations. The kid knows her onions. We finally came out on Broad Street, a block from FYE.
FYE had a couple of different sales going on. Jessa didn't get anything, but I found a few interesting items. There was a buy 1, get one for a dollar used sale. I found the original full series release for one of my favorite childhood shows, Faeirie Tale Theatre, for a pricy-but-worth-it $41. The $1 set was the first season of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. I caught a few episodes while babysitting during the mid-90s and enjoyed them, and Superman has long been one of my favorite DC superheroes. Christmas movies and specials were half-off; I was rather amused to find an Ice Age Christmas special. (Christmas? In the ice age? Oohhkayy.) It ended up being $4 new.
WebKinz put out a series of music-themed "Rockerz" stuffed animals starting last summer. Most of them are really rather ugly, but there's been a few that were kind of cute. Though the hippie cow with the flower was tempting, I ultimately went with the "punk princess" pink-and-black-striped cat who had a bow on her ear and wore a checkered tie. How could I resist a pink cat in a checkered tie? FYE's been getting rid of its WebKinz products for ages; I got the cat for $4.94. I thought the name Cyndi, for Cyndi Lauper, was rather appropriate for her.
By the time we left FYE, it was considerably warmer. The snow had turned into rain, and would remain rain for the rest of the afternoon. We hiked in the rain around City Hall and past the lunch-time traffic to Macy's. I wanted to use the gift card I got from Lauren.
We ducked past the crowd waiting for the next showing of the Macy's Light Show and into the elevators going up to the third level. I needed new socks and underthings. I know, not that exciting, but the drier at the laundromat ate half of my last pair of white socks months ago. I bought a pack of Gold Toe white socks that were on sale. The underthings were buy 2, get 2 free...but I only needed one. I ended up spending the gift card, plus $21 of my own money, but I really needed these.
Instead of braving the crowds, we stayed on the third floor and watched the Light Show from there. I'm so glad I can see this every year. It's so cute. Macy's has a curtain of lights representing various Christmas characters - Rudolph, Frosty, Santa in a train, snowflakes, Clara and the Nutcracker, the Sugar Plum Fairy, ballerinas, clocks, candy canes - that blink and glitter and glow in time to the music and Julie Andrews' narration. There's a beautiful tree with a glowing star. I love the cute bear trumpeters who open and close the show.
Here's a recording of the Macy's Light Show from last year.
Jessa and I were going to have lunch at Starbucks', but they were busy, and the small Starbucks at Macy's didn't sell sandwiches. We headed out instead. I was hoping to find a cafe or something on the way to Rustic Music, but we didn't see anything we could afford. It didn't help that the rain was still coming down pretty hard, and though it wasn't as cold as it had been earlier, it was still wet and gloomy.
We were dripping wet when we finally made it to Rustic Music. While neither of us saw anything we liked, I was just happy to introduce Jessa to a really cool little store. She said she'd passed it before, but had never gone in.
Jessa was the one who finally found us somewhere to eat. The Bellevue Hotel is one of the fanciest places to stay in downtown Philly, and so big, it has its own upscale mall and food court. Jess says she eats at the food court all the time. It's near her school. Alas, we got there so late, most of the court restaurants were closed. We finally opted for Chinese food. Jess had General Pao's Chicken. I went with the less-spicy Chicken and Broccoli. I had hot tea; she had Sprite. We both had vegetable fried rice. I ate all my broccoli and chicken, but Jessa couldn't get anywhere on hers. We both ended up taking ours home.
Though the rain was slowing down by quarter of 3, we'd both had enough walking. Jessa lead us back into the subterranean labyrinths of the underground train stations. We finally hopped on a half-full train back to Collingswood. The sky remained gray, but it was warmer, and the rain was down to a fine mist. When we stepped out of the train station, even that was gone.
Jessa gave me a small present from our Aunt Jayne on the ride home. She gave me a cute little Christmas snow globe with my name on it. When you flip a switch on the side, it lights up and changes colors. Very nice. It'll look great on my kitchen table.
I spent the rest of the evening at home. I made muffins and had leftovers while watching the Faeirie Tale Theatre episode "Cinderella" and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. "Cinderella" is one of Faerie Tale Theatre's more straightforward adaptations. Jennifer Beals (just after Flashdance) is the put-upon young lady. Matthew Broderick is her prince. Jean Stapleton, in the second of two roles on the show, is her slightly daffy fairy godmother. Eve Arden is the obnoxious stepmother, and Edie McClurg is one of her sisters.
A Game of Shadows picks up right where the first film left off. Watson (Jude Law) is about to get married. His long-time best friend Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) isn't happy about it. He's even less happy with the fact that his arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) has been killing off wealthy tycoons and buying their properties. Holmes finally bands together with a gypsy girl (Noomi Rapace) who is looking for her brother to stop his rival from causing a rift of global proportions.
As much as I enjoyed the first one, I think I liked this even more. For one thing, Harris' Moriarty is a far better villain, and the plot makes a lot more sense. The movie also has a hilarious Stephan Fry as Holmes' equally intelligent older brother Mycroft. Some unnecessary special effects sequences slow things down, but otherwise, if you liked the first one and are willing to try a less traditional version of the tales of the World's Greatest Detective, this is highly recommended.
Jessa and I headed out for Philly around 10:30. I'd spent the morning before that watching more public domain cartoons. Among the interesting shorts this time around were two more Fleischer Brothers Superman adventures ("Billion Dollar Limited" and "The Bulleteers") and a 60s educational TV short called The Adventures of Captain Nemo. The latter involved the captain and two kids helping to rescue a dolphin from a group of hungry sharks. Billie Mae Richards, the long-time voice of the Rankin-Bass Rudolph, was the voice of the girl and boy in this short.
It had started to snow while I was waiting for Jessa. The snow was coming down in big, fat flakes, but as I suspected, it wasn't sticking to the street or sidewalk. We had no problems driving to the PATCO station in Collingswood.
The trip to Philadelphia was sort of weird. The snow was coming down so hard by this point, you couldn't see much of anything - not the city, not the sky. It was all pearly gray, even the Schuylkill River. You couldn't really see much of anything out the window, including the skyline.
Jessa attends college at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. As a commuter (she still lives at Dad's house), she knows the PATCO and SEPTA train lines well. She lead me through the underground maze of white and orange SEPTA stations. The kid knows her onions. We finally came out on Broad Street, a block from FYE.
FYE had a couple of different sales going on. Jessa didn't get anything, but I found a few interesting items. There was a buy 1, get one for a dollar used sale. I found the original full series release for one of my favorite childhood shows, Faeirie Tale Theatre, for a pricy-but-worth-it $41. The $1 set was the first season of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. I caught a few episodes while babysitting during the mid-90s and enjoyed them, and Superman has long been one of my favorite DC superheroes. Christmas movies and specials were half-off; I was rather amused to find an Ice Age Christmas special. (Christmas? In the ice age? Oohhkayy.) It ended up being $4 new.
WebKinz put out a series of music-themed "Rockerz" stuffed animals starting last summer. Most of them are really rather ugly, but there's been a few that were kind of cute. Though the hippie cow with the flower was tempting, I ultimately went with the "punk princess" pink-and-black-striped cat who had a bow on her ear and wore a checkered tie. How could I resist a pink cat in a checkered tie? FYE's been getting rid of its WebKinz products for ages; I got the cat for $4.94. I thought the name Cyndi, for Cyndi Lauper, was rather appropriate for her.
By the time we left FYE, it was considerably warmer. The snow had turned into rain, and would remain rain for the rest of the afternoon. We hiked in the rain around City Hall and past the lunch-time traffic to Macy's. I wanted to use the gift card I got from Lauren.
We ducked past the crowd waiting for the next showing of the Macy's Light Show and into the elevators going up to the third level. I needed new socks and underthings. I know, not that exciting, but the drier at the laundromat ate half of my last pair of white socks months ago. I bought a pack of Gold Toe white socks that were on sale. The underthings were buy 2, get 2 free...but I only needed one. I ended up spending the gift card, plus $21 of my own money, but I really needed these.
Instead of braving the crowds, we stayed on the third floor and watched the Light Show from there. I'm so glad I can see this every year. It's so cute. Macy's has a curtain of lights representing various Christmas characters - Rudolph, Frosty, Santa in a train, snowflakes, Clara and the Nutcracker, the Sugar Plum Fairy, ballerinas, clocks, candy canes - that blink and glitter and glow in time to the music and Julie Andrews' narration. There's a beautiful tree with a glowing star. I love the cute bear trumpeters who open and close the show.
Here's a recording of the Macy's Light Show from last year.
Jessa and I were going to have lunch at Starbucks', but they were busy, and the small Starbucks at Macy's didn't sell sandwiches. We headed out instead. I was hoping to find a cafe or something on the way to Rustic Music, but we didn't see anything we could afford. It didn't help that the rain was still coming down pretty hard, and though it wasn't as cold as it had been earlier, it was still wet and gloomy.
We were dripping wet when we finally made it to Rustic Music. While neither of us saw anything we liked, I was just happy to introduce Jessa to a really cool little store. She said she'd passed it before, but had never gone in.
Jessa was the one who finally found us somewhere to eat. The Bellevue Hotel is one of the fanciest places to stay in downtown Philly, and so big, it has its own upscale mall and food court. Jess says she eats at the food court all the time. It's near her school. Alas, we got there so late, most of the court restaurants were closed. We finally opted for Chinese food. Jess had General Pao's Chicken. I went with the less-spicy Chicken and Broccoli. I had hot tea; she had Sprite. We both had vegetable fried rice. I ate all my broccoli and chicken, but Jessa couldn't get anywhere on hers. We both ended up taking ours home.
Though the rain was slowing down by quarter of 3, we'd both had enough walking. Jessa lead us back into the subterranean labyrinths of the underground train stations. We finally hopped on a half-full train back to Collingswood. The sky remained gray, but it was warmer, and the rain was down to a fine mist. When we stepped out of the train station, even that was gone.
Jessa gave me a small present from our Aunt Jayne on the ride home. She gave me a cute little Christmas snow globe with my name on it. When you flip a switch on the side, it lights up and changes colors. Very nice. It'll look great on my kitchen table.
I spent the rest of the evening at home. I made muffins and had leftovers while watching the Faeirie Tale Theatre episode "Cinderella" and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. "Cinderella" is one of Faerie Tale Theatre's more straightforward adaptations. Jennifer Beals (just after Flashdance) is the put-upon young lady. Matthew Broderick is her prince. Jean Stapleton, in the second of two roles on the show, is her slightly daffy fairy godmother. Eve Arden is the obnoxious stepmother, and Edie McClurg is one of her sisters.
A Game of Shadows picks up right where the first film left off. Watson (Jude Law) is about to get married. His long-time best friend Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) isn't happy about it. He's even less happy with the fact that his arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) has been killing off wealthy tycoons and buying their properties. Holmes finally bands together with a gypsy girl (Noomi Rapace) who is looking for her brother to stop his rival from causing a rift of global proportions.
As much as I enjoyed the first one, I think I liked this even more. For one thing, Harris' Moriarty is a far better villain, and the plot makes a lot more sense. The movie also has a hilarious Stephan Fry as Holmes' equally intelligent older brother Mycroft. Some unnecessary special effects sequences slow things down, but otherwise, if you liked the first one and are willing to try a less traditional version of the tales of the World's Greatest Detective, this is highly recommended.
Friday, December 28, 2012
The Snow Is Coming! The Snow Is Coming!
But before the snow comes, I had errands to run. I slept in this morning and didn't get to the Acme for this week's grocery trip until quarter of 12. Bad idea. The line for the customer service was half-way across the front end, thanks to all the dock workers from down the road getting their paychecks cashed. I shopped first this time. I needed to do a lot of restocking today - cream of mushroom soup (used it in the tuna casserole last night), French vanilla mousse mix, toilet paper, bananas, pears, oranges, romaine lettuce, frozen green peppers, canned mushrooms, peanut butter (the Planters Natural was on a good sale). I'm almost out of eggs and am out of canned chicken. Got chicken legs to make stock, and a nice little spiral ham for my New Year's Day dinner. Those Emerald Trail Mix bags are finally on sale for the first time in ages. I may have to get more before the sale ends; I have a ton of coupons that are going to be done at the end of the year.
Oh, and mixed feelings on my schedule this week. While I do work New Year's Day and New Year's Eve, that's not really that big of a deal. I'm not a huge party person, so I wasn't really planning on having those days off. Not to mention, I work in the afternoon both days, and only four hours New Year's Day. I'll have plenty of time to have my traditional New Year's Day breakfast out and make a decent holiday dinner. What bothers me is two days until 10 again...and not having another day off after tomorrow until next Saturday.
I found a green bag laying on the porch when I got home. My new winter jacket from L.L Bean had arrived! Mom gave it to me for Christmas, but it was too small. It's still a little tight in the tummy and shoulders, but not nearly as bad as it was. I'll keep it this time. It's a nice forest green color that goes perfectly with the scarves Samantha gave me. I switched coats and wore it on my walk to the bank. (I'll keep the black coat for really cold days or heavy winter storms.)
It's hard to believe we're supposed to get an inch or two of snow tomorrow. It was gorgeous today. Sunny, breezy but not gale-force windy, about average mid-30s temperatures for the time of year. There wasn't a cloud in the brilliant blue sky. Everyone's decorations look so nice, all of the wreaths in windows and wire statues in lawns. The bank wasn't busy when I arrived, and I was able to deposit most of my paycheck in peace.
I spent the rest of the afternoon finishing the new Scooby Doo Christmas/winter DVD set I started this morning. As with the "Around the World"-themed set from last summer, this was another mix of 60s episodes, 70s episodes, Shaggy/Scooby/Scrappy shorts, and episodes from What's New, Scooby Doo?. My favorite that wasn't already available on Scooby Doo: Winter Wonderdog was "Whatta Shocking Ghost," an episode from the original 60s-early 70s series. The gang find themselves stranded at a remote mountain hamlet that's had visitors from the high-voltage ghost of a man who vanished while working on a power line. The Mayor of the town wants to warn them away, but the gang become determined to find out just what this shocking spirit is really after.
Ran a public-domain Fleischer Brothers Superman short as I prepared for work. Unlike the Mystery Inc gang, Clark Kent has no time for skiing in a lodge. He has to switch to his Superman guise to ward off a frozen dinosaur that's defrosted and is rampaging in downtown Metropolis (looking very much like Godzilla would over a decade later).
Despite several managers insisting that it was busy earlier, thanks to the weather report and the upcoming holiday, by the time I got into work, the rush hour was winding down. It was very quiet for most of the night. I spend a lot of time doing anything to not be bored - cleaning, pulling shelves.
But before the snow comes, I had errands to run. I slept in this morning and didn't get to the Acme for this week's grocery trip until quarter of 12. Bad idea. The line for the customer service was half-way across the front end, thanks to all the dock workers from down the road getting their paychecks cashed. I shopped first this time. I needed to do a lot of restocking today - cream of mushroom soup (used it in the tuna casserole last night), French vanilla mousse mix, toilet paper, bananas, pears, oranges, romaine lettuce, frozen green peppers, canned mushrooms, peanut butter (the Planters Natural was on a good sale). I'm almost out of eggs and am out of canned chicken. Got chicken legs to make stock, and a nice little spiral ham for my New Year's Day dinner. Those Emerald Trail Mix bags are finally on sale for the first time in ages. I may have to get more before the sale ends; I have a ton of coupons that are going to be done at the end of the year.
Oh, and mixed feelings on my schedule this week. While I do work New Year's Day and New Year's Eve, that's not really that big of a deal. I'm not a huge party person, so I wasn't really planning on having those days off. Not to mention, I work in the afternoon both days, and only four hours New Year's Day. I'll have plenty of time to have my traditional New Year's Day breakfast out and make a decent holiday dinner. What bothers me is two days until 10 again...and not having another day off after tomorrow until next Saturday.
I found a green bag laying on the porch when I got home. My new winter jacket from L.L Bean had arrived! Mom gave it to me for Christmas, but it was too small. It's still a little tight in the tummy and shoulders, but not nearly as bad as it was. I'll keep it this time. It's a nice forest green color that goes perfectly with the scarves Samantha gave me. I switched coats and wore it on my walk to the bank. (I'll keep the black coat for really cold days or heavy winter storms.)
It's hard to believe we're supposed to get an inch or two of snow tomorrow. It was gorgeous today. Sunny, breezy but not gale-force windy, about average mid-30s temperatures for the time of year. There wasn't a cloud in the brilliant blue sky. Everyone's decorations look so nice, all of the wreaths in windows and wire statues in lawns. The bank wasn't busy when I arrived, and I was able to deposit most of my paycheck in peace.
I spent the rest of the afternoon finishing the new Scooby Doo Christmas/winter DVD set I started this morning. As with the "Around the World"-themed set from last summer, this was another mix of 60s episodes, 70s episodes, Shaggy/Scooby/Scrappy shorts, and episodes from What's New, Scooby Doo?. My favorite that wasn't already available on Scooby Doo: Winter Wonderdog was "Whatta Shocking Ghost," an episode from the original 60s-early 70s series. The gang find themselves stranded at a remote mountain hamlet that's had visitors from the high-voltage ghost of a man who vanished while working on a power line. The Mayor of the town wants to warn them away, but the gang become determined to find out just what this shocking spirit is really after.
Ran a public-domain Fleischer Brothers Superman short as I prepared for work. Unlike the Mystery Inc gang, Clark Kent has no time for skiing in a lodge. He has to switch to his Superman guise to ward off a frozen dinosaur that's defrosted and is rampaging in downtown Metropolis (looking very much like Godzilla would over a decade later).
Despite several managers insisting that it was busy earlier, thanks to the weather report and the upcoming holiday, by the time I got into work, the rush hour was winding down. It was very quiet for most of the night. I spend a lot of time doing anything to not be bored - cleaning, pulling shelves.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Beyond the Gray Horizon
I really slept in today - I didn't get up until 10:30! Probably just as well. Though the rain was long gone by then, it was still cloudy, windy, and cold. I wrote in my journal and read The Night Flyers, then had breakfast while finishing Jammin' With Cherry Jam.
Moved to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while doing a project I've been putting off for ages. I have an old Easter basket my mom gave me that I use for current sewing and crocheting projects. While it does hold scrap fabric and ribbon well, it's not so great for small items like pins, crocheting needles, spools of thread, and measuring tape. I was tired of spending ten minutes searching for everything every time I wanted to work on something. I separated the plastic case into compartments with the little slides that came with the case. There's a place for everything that could fit, even those random tiny balls of leftover yarn Mom sent me last year.
The theme of this Clubhouse DVD set was stories about animals. The title episode had the entire gang running a farm. When Pete's big windmill blows away all the animals, Don, Mick, and Goofy have to chase after them. Something similar happens in "Goofy's Petting Zoo," with fewer animals and a zoo setting instead of a farm. "Clarabelle's Clubhouse Moo-sical" has the crew appearing as characters in Mother Goose rhymes after the chickens who were supposed to perform lose their voices.
The last two involve matching shapes and comparing sizes. Goofy tries to build a house for his old friend Baby Redbird in "Goofy the Homemaker," but Pete keeps blowing away his flimsy materials. The gang finally helps him come up with something stronger. In "Donald Hatches the Egg," Donald finds a large egg that grows attached to him. While the others try to find the egg's mother, Donald keeps an eye on it.
Headed out after "Clarabelle's Clubhouse Moo-sical" ended. I had some errands to run, starting with finding that UPS drop box. I rode a few blocks past CVS, a block down from the enormous Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood. Finally found it in the parking lot of Volunteers of America, right near where the White Horse Pike meets the highway. I considered riding down the highway to the diner I saw on the other side of the road, but I didn't feel like dealing with the traffic.
Rode back down to Collingswood's Theater District instead. The "theater district" on Collings Avenue is really two blocks of restored buildings with a couple of storefronts. There's a 60s building with a pizzeria and a laundromat, what looks like a 70s-vintage convenience store/deli, and several Victorian stores with restaurants, a dance studio, and a much-loved mom-and-pop pharmacy. I took a brief look at the deli to get something warm to drink...but their hot chocolate/cappuccino machine had nothing but hot water in it. I moved on.
Ended up at Sorrento's Pizza, between the laundromat and an empty storefront in the very 60s building on the corner of Collings Avenue and the White Horse Pike. Even the aging sign screams mid-late 60s. The small, narrow restaurant reminded me of some of the pizza joints on the Wildwood boardwalk - a narrow counter/kitchen area, with a small dining area with classic hard red booths in the back, next to a small hall filled with all kinds of junk and kitchen items, along with their TV. The boy behind the counter was really sweet. I bought a slice of cheese, a slice of White Vegetable, and a can of Cherry Coke Zero for $5.60; only Capitol Pizza in Oaklyn has cheaper prices. The pizza was really good, too, nice and salty with a soft crust.
Stopped at CVS on the way home. I was after conditioner, but they were out of what I wanted. I ended up with two half-price boxes of Christmas cards. They were far more than I usually spend on holiday stationary, but still cheaper than they were. I especially liked the smaller cards with the wreath on the snowy red fence.
Though the sun was trying to break out, it was still cold and windy. I spent the rest of the evening at home. Tried a new cookie recipe. The Pillsbury cookie cookbook Anny gave me last year has a Christmas recipe for basic shortbread bars. One half is topped with pecans and chocolate chips. The other half is topped with candied fruit. I replaced the pecans with coconut and the candied fruit with the last of the maraschino cherries. They came out very well, a bit rich but quite tasty.
Put on The Cat In the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas! as I baked. Ralph the Baby Reindeer accidentally winds up at Nick and Sally's house after the Cat's Christmas party. The group tries to return him to Freeze-Your-Knees Snowland, but the Thing-a-Ma-Jig isn't working. They end up in the African veldt, where elephants help them find water, singing with dolphins in the ocean, and dodging marching crabs on Christmas Island. When they finally get him home (and find out who's been causing the Thing-a-Ma-Jig to malfunction), Ralph and his parents have a surprise for all of them...
Very cute, as we learn about the migration patterns of elephants, dolphins, crabs, and reindeer, and how groups communicate and stay together. This is also one of the few (if not the first) time we meet Nick and Sally's parents in the flesh, instead of just disembodied voices.
Ran Ice Age: The Meltdown while making Tuna Casserole from Julie's Cooking Studio for dinner. Sid, Manny, and Diego are now running a day camp for prehistoric animal kids. Scrat...is still chasing his nut. Manny's been depressed about being one of the last mammoths, and the antics of the other two aren't helping. When a turtle warns of an impending apocolypse and our trio of unusual heroes see a rapidly rising sea, they encourage their neighbors and their families to clear out, then do the same.
On the way, they encounter a pair of comic relief possums named Eddie and Crash. They also meet Ellie, a a mammoth who's been raised as a possum and believes she's one. As the five make their way across the defrosting landscape, Manny finds himself defrosting towards the wacky Ellie, too. Meanwhile, Sid is doing his best to help Diego get over his fear of water...but it's not easy to convince the stubborn big cat that everyone is afraid once in a while.
I think this is my favorite of the three Ice Age movies I've seen. The story between Ellie and Manny is touching, there's some well-done suspenseful moments, and Scrat is as funny as ever. (Including his ascent to nut heaven in the end.) I do recommend that you see the first one before any of the sequels to make sense of the relationships, though.
I really slept in today - I didn't get up until 10:30! Probably just as well. Though the rain was long gone by then, it was still cloudy, windy, and cold. I wrote in my journal and read The Night Flyers, then had breakfast while finishing Jammin' With Cherry Jam.
Moved to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while doing a project I've been putting off for ages. I have an old Easter basket my mom gave me that I use for current sewing and crocheting projects. While it does hold scrap fabric and ribbon well, it's not so great for small items like pins, crocheting needles, spools of thread, and measuring tape. I was tired of spending ten minutes searching for everything every time I wanted to work on something. I separated the plastic case into compartments with the little slides that came with the case. There's a place for everything that could fit, even those random tiny balls of leftover yarn Mom sent me last year.
The theme of this Clubhouse DVD set was stories about animals. The title episode had the entire gang running a farm. When Pete's big windmill blows away all the animals, Don, Mick, and Goofy have to chase after them. Something similar happens in "Goofy's Petting Zoo," with fewer animals and a zoo setting instead of a farm. "Clarabelle's Clubhouse Moo-sical" has the crew appearing as characters in Mother Goose rhymes after the chickens who were supposed to perform lose their voices.
The last two involve matching shapes and comparing sizes. Goofy tries to build a house for his old friend Baby Redbird in "Goofy the Homemaker," but Pete keeps blowing away his flimsy materials. The gang finally helps him come up with something stronger. In "Donald Hatches the Egg," Donald finds a large egg that grows attached to him. While the others try to find the egg's mother, Donald keeps an eye on it.
Headed out after "Clarabelle's Clubhouse Moo-sical" ended. I had some errands to run, starting with finding that UPS drop box. I rode a few blocks past CVS, a block down from the enormous Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood. Finally found it in the parking lot of Volunteers of America, right near where the White Horse Pike meets the highway. I considered riding down the highway to the diner I saw on the other side of the road, but I didn't feel like dealing with the traffic.
Rode back down to Collingswood's Theater District instead. The "theater district" on Collings Avenue is really two blocks of restored buildings with a couple of storefronts. There's a 60s building with a pizzeria and a laundromat, what looks like a 70s-vintage convenience store/deli, and several Victorian stores with restaurants, a dance studio, and a much-loved mom-and-pop pharmacy. I took a brief look at the deli to get something warm to drink...but their hot chocolate/cappuccino machine had nothing but hot water in it. I moved on.
Ended up at Sorrento's Pizza, between the laundromat and an empty storefront in the very 60s building on the corner of Collings Avenue and the White Horse Pike. Even the aging sign screams mid-late 60s. The small, narrow restaurant reminded me of some of the pizza joints on the Wildwood boardwalk - a narrow counter/kitchen area, with a small dining area with classic hard red booths in the back, next to a small hall filled with all kinds of junk and kitchen items, along with their TV. The boy behind the counter was really sweet. I bought a slice of cheese, a slice of White Vegetable, and a can of Cherry Coke Zero for $5.60; only Capitol Pizza in Oaklyn has cheaper prices. The pizza was really good, too, nice and salty with a soft crust.
Stopped at CVS on the way home. I was after conditioner, but they were out of what I wanted. I ended up with two half-price boxes of Christmas cards. They were far more than I usually spend on holiday stationary, but still cheaper than they were. I especially liked the smaller cards with the wreath on the snowy red fence.
Though the sun was trying to break out, it was still cold and windy. I spent the rest of the evening at home. Tried a new cookie recipe. The Pillsbury cookie cookbook Anny gave me last year has a Christmas recipe for basic shortbread bars. One half is topped with pecans and chocolate chips. The other half is topped with candied fruit. I replaced the pecans with coconut and the candied fruit with the last of the maraschino cherries. They came out very well, a bit rich but quite tasty.
Put on The Cat In the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas! as I baked. Ralph the Baby Reindeer accidentally winds up at Nick and Sally's house after the Cat's Christmas party. The group tries to return him to Freeze-Your-Knees Snowland, but the Thing-a-Ma-Jig isn't working. They end up in the African veldt, where elephants help them find water, singing with dolphins in the ocean, and dodging marching crabs on Christmas Island. When they finally get him home (and find out who's been causing the Thing-a-Ma-Jig to malfunction), Ralph and his parents have a surprise for all of them...
Very cute, as we learn about the migration patterns of elephants, dolphins, crabs, and reindeer, and how groups communicate and stay together. This is also one of the few (if not the first) time we meet Nick and Sally's parents in the flesh, instead of just disembodied voices.
Ran Ice Age: The Meltdown while making Tuna Casserole from Julie's Cooking Studio for dinner. Sid, Manny, and Diego are now running a day camp for prehistoric animal kids. Scrat...is still chasing his nut. Manny's been depressed about being one of the last mammoths, and the antics of the other two aren't helping. When a turtle warns of an impending apocolypse and our trio of unusual heroes see a rapidly rising sea, they encourage their neighbors and their families to clear out, then do the same.
On the way, they encounter a pair of comic relief possums named Eddie and Crash. They also meet Ellie, a a mammoth who's been raised as a possum and believes she's one. As the five make their way across the defrosting landscape, Manny finds himself defrosting towards the wacky Ellie, too. Meanwhile, Sid is doing his best to help Diego get over his fear of water...but it's not easy to convince the stubborn big cat that everyone is afraid once in a while.
I think this is my favorite of the three Ice Age movies I've seen. The story between Ellie and Manny is touching, there's some well-done suspenseful moments, and Scrat is as funny as ever. (Including his ascent to nut heaven in the end.) I do recommend that you see the first one before any of the sequels to make sense of the relationships, though.
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