It was already hot and sunny when I had my breakfast around quarter of 10. I began my Cinco Del Mayo with Saludos Amigos. The first of two Disney ventures into Latin America is basically a series of shorts based around the animators' travels in South America. Though Donald's adventure at Lake Titicaca and the tale of the little mail plane are cute, my favorite shorts are Goofy's attempt to be an Argentine gaucho and the watercolor finale that introduces parrot Jose Carioca.
My first stop of the day was the laundromat. Surprisingly, though it was fairly busy when I arrived, the TV wasn't on. That was fine by me. I was able to study the notes for my story and read The Little Spark in peace. I do wish the men there hadn't hogged the laundry carts. They had their laundry baskets in them! You're supposed to use them for your laundry, not to push the basket around. The counters are for the baskets.
When I got home, I put everything away, finished Saludos Amigos, and headed out again. In honor of the day, I opted for lunch at Jalapeno's Grill. I wasn't the only one who decided it was a good day for Mexican. For once, there were a couple of people there as well, including the older woman. Pinatas waved in the breeze on the edge of the roof outside. They even managed to set up outdoor seating. Most people opted for the air conditioning. I had a nice, soft chicken burrito with a simple salad of shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and a cup of black bean soup.
Made a short trip to Dollar Tree on my way to the Haddon Township Library. I needed a card for Mother's Day and sponges. I wanted to buy a new laundry bag, but they only had the mesh ones. They rip too easily. Thankfully, the line wasn't too long.
The Haddon Township Library was surprisingly busy for such a nice day. While the adult titles were still overloaded (especially the M through Z side), I actually managed to shelve almost all of the kids' titles for once. There were also plenty of audio titles and new books to put away. I didn't take out anything this week. I didn't see any animated titles that interested me, and I have plenty of live-action movies to watch at home (not to mention the rest of Remember WENN).
It was so hot, I practically required a stop at Phillies Yummies. I wasn't the only one. It was around 3, and school had just let out. Groups of kids and their parents sat at the benches, cooling off. I tried the birthday cake ice cream. A little too sweet, but at least it had lots of big cake pieces and real sprinkles.
I spent the next two hours working on my story. The entire staff was just invited to a ball at the Governor's Mansion. Scott just discovered that the man who publishes Elizabeth's stories, Kurt Holstrom, is involved in some shady dealings with the English. Hilary is more concerned with where her husband is going at night. Elizabeth is wondering the same thing. They both vow to keep an eye on their men's comings and goings at the ball. At the ball, they encounter the nasty, oily Governor Pruitt for the first time...and yes, the guys do elude their ladies. Mackie can't find Maple, either....
Decided I needed a break around 6 for dinner. I did The Three Caballeros while eating scrambled eggs with asparagus. The surreal animation on this one makes Saludos Amigos look positively tame by comparison. Donald gets a box filled with south-of-the-border themed gifts, including appearances from his buddy Jose Carioca and a new friend, excitable Mexican rooster Panchito. Though we do get more shorts, the real highlights are the musical numbers that blend live-action and animation (I love Donald and the guys joining in on the folk dances in Mexico) and the surreal free-for-all of Latin American images that ends the film after a trip to the beaches at Acapulco got Donald's libido going.
While I personally prefer the more creative Caballeros, those of you who like their Disney a little tamer may want to start with Saludos Amigos first. Either way, these are required viewing for Donald fans, and also fun for animation nuts who like their movies a little outside the box.
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Tuesday, May 05, 2015
Monday, May 04, 2015
Work Shift
I began another gorgeous spring morning with Remember WENN. Everyone at the station is complaining over the roles they play and how they wish things could change. They all learn that the grass isn't always greener in someone else's work area when they "Work Shift" and change jobs on the suggestion of a self-help guru. Now, Scott's trying to get everyone coffee, Hilary's dealing with the switchboard, Betty is playing "Chopsticks," Eugenia has to handle the sponsors...and they all discover that teamwork works best when people do what they're best at. (If nothing else, this episode finally settles the question of what Mr. Eldridge does at the station - he runs all the little chores and errands no one else has the time or inclination to do.)
I wish I could say the same. The Acme has me doing bagging duties along with cashiering. They no longer trust me with a full day of cashiering. On one hand, I've said a thousand times that I don't like cashiering. It's boring and the customers get overwhelming. On the other hand, what I really want to do is stock shelves....but they keep telling me I don't have the seniority and haven't proved I'm worthy of a better job. I wish I could explain the concepts of sensitivity and introversion to these people. Story of my life. No one knows what to do with the shy girl. Where do you put the people who work differently than everyone else?
It wasn't so bad in the morning. I shelved stray items and returned carts. It was certainly a nice day to return carts. It was already in the 70's by 10 in the morning! The trouble didn't start until I had to go in the register around quarter of noon. The lunch rush hour was crazy. We were short on help. Not only was my break late, but no one told me if I had a relief or was supposed to shut down. I ended up getting out late because my line was so long.
It was such a nice day, I took the long way home down Nicholson Road to make myself feel better. The traffic wasn't great on Nicholson, but I didn't feel like dealing with the repair work on the Black Horse Pike, either. Besides, it was too nice to rush home.
When I did finally get in, I changed into regular clothes, then spent the next two hours working on my WENN fanfiction. I went back and re-did the opening to the "dream" sequences. We now begin with Elizabeth Robertson (Betty) on her way to Pittsburgh Village to work at the Monongahela Inn. Her coach is attacked by bandits, including one handsome, brazen fellow who calls himself the Crimson Blade. She defiantly tells him she won't give him her money, go away, please. He's amused by her boldness and intrigued by her beauty. Just as he kisses her hand, he hears horses on the road. He and his men take off as Victor Comstock, the head of the Inn, arrives to make sure she gets safely to her destination.
Yeah, I like this. Far more action-packed and a better way of introducing things than beginning with Victor leaving for Boston. Next, I'll skip ahead to Pruitt and Holstrom inviting everyone to a ball at the Governor's Mansion...one that will end up feeling a bit "Magic"-cal.
After I pit stop, I decided I needed to stretch and pick up some milk. It was the perfect day for a stroll to WaWa. It was around 5:30 when I got out, and fairly quiet. Most people were probably having dinner or just getting home from work. The neighborhood is looking prettier and prettier every day. The daffodils and forsythia are gone, but the azaleas, tulips, and lilacs are out now. The leaves are getting greener and fatter. Every lawn is a green carpet of thick, soft grass.
WaWa was really busy, but it was quarter of 6 when I got there. A lot of people were buying hoagies or hot dishes for dinner. I bought my milk and treated myself to a tasty Strawberry Chocolate Chip Smoothie. Oooh, very strawberry, with real chocolate chips on the top! I drank it on the way home, passing parents pushing their kids in strollers, chatting with their teenage children, or walking their dogs.
I ate a leftover chicken leg and steamed zucchini and yellow squash for my own dinner while watching action-themed Backyardigans episodes. I began "The Two Musketeers" before work. A masked hippo lass wants to join musketeers Pablo and Tyrone, but they insist they work as a duo. She proves otherwise when she saves them from the Empress' guards Uniqua and Austin. Uniqua becomes "The Masked Retriever" in Old California to stop Don Austin from taking an overdue library book across the border. "Robin Hood the Clean" (Pablo) has been barred from the stinky town of Filthingham, thanks to the evil Mayor Stinkypants (Austin). The villagers persuade Robin to return and show the Mayor how much fun taking a bath and staying clean can be.
Oh, and American Girl officially announced the archival of their 1812 character, Caroline. I have mixed feelings on this one. On one hand, I'm not really into the time period, and though I enjoyed her core stories, I liked the character but didn't love her. (Neither of her mysteries are all that great.) If I buy anything from her collection, it'll be for Josefina. I also heard her golden curls are a pain to keep in good shape. On the other hand, she only debuted in 2012. She hasn't really had the time to amass much of anything. Not to mention, while I'm not into the Regency era, I know a lot of people who are.
I do agree that, while I love 20th century history and am very much looking forward to the debut of their 50's girl Maryellen in August, I'm hoping they'll eventually try older, less well-known periods in history again someday. I'd especially love to see a girl representing the later Wild West/Reconstruction period of the 1870's and 1880's.
I wish I could say the same. The Acme has me doing bagging duties along with cashiering. They no longer trust me with a full day of cashiering. On one hand, I've said a thousand times that I don't like cashiering. It's boring and the customers get overwhelming. On the other hand, what I really want to do is stock shelves....but they keep telling me I don't have the seniority and haven't proved I'm worthy of a better job. I wish I could explain the concepts of sensitivity and introversion to these people. Story of my life. No one knows what to do with the shy girl. Where do you put the people who work differently than everyone else?
It wasn't so bad in the morning. I shelved stray items and returned carts. It was certainly a nice day to return carts. It was already in the 70's by 10 in the morning! The trouble didn't start until I had to go in the register around quarter of noon. The lunch rush hour was crazy. We were short on help. Not only was my break late, but no one told me if I had a relief or was supposed to shut down. I ended up getting out late because my line was so long.
It was such a nice day, I took the long way home down Nicholson Road to make myself feel better. The traffic wasn't great on Nicholson, but I didn't feel like dealing with the repair work on the Black Horse Pike, either. Besides, it was too nice to rush home.
When I did finally get in, I changed into regular clothes, then spent the next two hours working on my WENN fanfiction. I went back and re-did the opening to the "dream" sequences. We now begin with Elizabeth Robertson (Betty) on her way to Pittsburgh Village to work at the Monongahela Inn. Her coach is attacked by bandits, including one handsome, brazen fellow who calls himself the Crimson Blade. She defiantly tells him she won't give him her money, go away, please. He's amused by her boldness and intrigued by her beauty. Just as he kisses her hand, he hears horses on the road. He and his men take off as Victor Comstock, the head of the Inn, arrives to make sure she gets safely to her destination.
Yeah, I like this. Far more action-packed and a better way of introducing things than beginning with Victor leaving for Boston. Next, I'll skip ahead to Pruitt and Holstrom inviting everyone to a ball at the Governor's Mansion...one that will end up feeling a bit "Magic"-cal.
After I pit stop, I decided I needed to stretch and pick up some milk. It was the perfect day for a stroll to WaWa. It was around 5:30 when I got out, and fairly quiet. Most people were probably having dinner or just getting home from work. The neighborhood is looking prettier and prettier every day. The daffodils and forsythia are gone, but the azaleas, tulips, and lilacs are out now. The leaves are getting greener and fatter. Every lawn is a green carpet of thick, soft grass.
WaWa was really busy, but it was quarter of 6 when I got there. A lot of people were buying hoagies or hot dishes for dinner. I bought my milk and treated myself to a tasty Strawberry Chocolate Chip Smoothie. Oooh, very strawberry, with real chocolate chips on the top! I drank it on the way home, passing parents pushing their kids in strollers, chatting with their teenage children, or walking their dogs.
I ate a leftover chicken leg and steamed zucchini and yellow squash for my own dinner while watching action-themed Backyardigans episodes. I began "The Two Musketeers" before work. A masked hippo lass wants to join musketeers Pablo and Tyrone, but they insist they work as a duo. She proves otherwise when she saves them from the Empress' guards Uniqua and Austin. Uniqua becomes "The Masked Retriever" in Old California to stop Don Austin from taking an overdue library book across the border. "Robin Hood the Clean" (Pablo) has been barred from the stinky town of Filthingham, thanks to the evil Mayor Stinkypants (Austin). The villagers persuade Robin to return and show the Mayor how much fun taking a bath and staying clean can be.
Oh, and American Girl officially announced the archival of their 1812 character, Caroline. I have mixed feelings on this one. On one hand, I'm not really into the time period, and though I enjoyed her core stories, I liked the character but didn't love her. (Neither of her mysteries are all that great.) If I buy anything from her collection, it'll be for Josefina. I also heard her golden curls are a pain to keep in good shape. On the other hand, she only debuted in 2012. She hasn't really had the time to amass much of anything. Not to mention, while I'm not into the Regency era, I know a lot of people who are.
I do agree that, while I love 20th century history and am very much looking forward to the debut of their 50's girl Maryellen in August, I'm hoping they'll eventually try older, less well-known periods in history again someday. I'd especially love to see a girl representing the later Wild West/Reconstruction period of the 1870's and 1880's.
Sunday, May 03, 2015
The First Family Barbecue of the Season
I began a beautifully sunny and warm morning with Chocolate Chip Pancakes. I wanted them to taste at least a little like a chocolate chip cookie, so I added vanilla and a little brown sugar. Yummm. I've really had chocolate cravings lately, and those hit the spot. Had my half of a grapefruit as well. I listened to the original cast of The Scarlet Pimpernel while I ate. There are too few Broadway swashbucklers that don't fall into the operetta category; this is one of them. My Aunt Mary who lives in Manhattan bought it for me when I was in college, and I've owed her one ever since.
Jodie showed up as I was getting ready to go to work. She and Dad were having a barbecue late in the afternoon. She'd just come from grocery shopping at the Acme and the managers told her I was off at 4. Did I want to join them? They'd invited Rose and Khai. Sure! My only plans for later in the day was a walk around the neighborhood and eating leftovers. This would definitely be better than leftovers.
Work actually could have been a lot worse. It was on-and-off busy all afternoon, maybe even a tad slow for Sunday. Either everyone went down to the Shore, or they did all their shopping yesterday for the Kentucky Derby. My relief was on time, and other than some relatively grouchy people, there were no major problems.
I took the back way home via Nicholson Road to once again avoid the road repairs and enjoy the weather. The day couldn't have been more perfect. The sun was shining warmly. There was a gentle, cool breeze, and not a cloud in the robin's-egg-blue sky. It was as lovely a spring day as one could wish for. Kids rode bikes and played catch. Parents chatted, washed their cars, or did their own barbecues.
As soon as I got home, I changed, made a pit stop, then headed back out to Dad's on the bike. Dana, Jodie's son Jesse's girlfriend, was outside with her dog Helio when I arrived. Rose and Khai were inside, watching TV with Dad. Khai showed me his Batman toys (I loved The Penguin's huge mechanical ride-in penguin) while Jodie set up for dinner. (They were going to wait for Jessa and Joe, but despite claiming they'd be around by 6, they never appeared.)
Dinner was delicious, as always. I had a cheeseburger; there was also chicken. I had the macaroni salad, deviled eggs, and asparagus as well. Jodie and Rose had Jodie's very vinegary cucumber salad. Dana (a fellow choco-holic) and I had slices of an Entermann's chocolate cake from the Acme. (They're half-price there this week.) Jesse had a huge plate of macaroni salad and not much else.
Jesse, Dana, Jodie, and I chatted on the porch for a while after dinner. Dana kept trying to keep Heilo from running off the porch. (No one else thinks he would have gone far, but Dana worries about him getting hurt.) Dana went crazy every time she saw a bee come off the huge azaleas in front of Dad's porch. She kept making Jesse swat at it with a broom. Khai spent most of the evening playing with his friends next-door while his mother talked to his friends' parents.
I gave up waiting for Jessa and Joe around 7 PM. I was getting tired. Lauren and I were up late last night, as always, and I had to work relatively early for a Sunday. I gave everyone a hug, patted Helio, and headed home, enjoying the light breeze and the just-setting sun.
Jodie showed up as I was getting ready to go to work. She and Dad were having a barbecue late in the afternoon. She'd just come from grocery shopping at the Acme and the managers told her I was off at 4. Did I want to join them? They'd invited Rose and Khai. Sure! My only plans for later in the day was a walk around the neighborhood and eating leftovers. This would definitely be better than leftovers.
Work actually could have been a lot worse. It was on-and-off busy all afternoon, maybe even a tad slow for Sunday. Either everyone went down to the Shore, or they did all their shopping yesterday for the Kentucky Derby. My relief was on time, and other than some relatively grouchy people, there were no major problems.
I took the back way home via Nicholson Road to once again avoid the road repairs and enjoy the weather. The day couldn't have been more perfect. The sun was shining warmly. There was a gentle, cool breeze, and not a cloud in the robin's-egg-blue sky. It was as lovely a spring day as one could wish for. Kids rode bikes and played catch. Parents chatted, washed their cars, or did their own barbecues.
As soon as I got home, I changed, made a pit stop, then headed back out to Dad's on the bike. Dana, Jodie's son Jesse's girlfriend, was outside with her dog Helio when I arrived. Rose and Khai were inside, watching TV with Dad. Khai showed me his Batman toys (I loved The Penguin's huge mechanical ride-in penguin) while Jodie set up for dinner. (They were going to wait for Jessa and Joe, but despite claiming they'd be around by 6, they never appeared.)
Dinner was delicious, as always. I had a cheeseburger; there was also chicken. I had the macaroni salad, deviled eggs, and asparagus as well. Jodie and Rose had Jodie's very vinegary cucumber salad. Dana (a fellow choco-holic) and I had slices of an Entermann's chocolate cake from the Acme. (They're half-price there this week.) Jesse had a huge plate of macaroni salad and not much else.
Jesse, Dana, Jodie, and I chatted on the porch for a while after dinner. Dana kept trying to keep Heilo from running off the porch. (No one else thinks he would have gone far, but Dana worries about him getting hurt.) Dana went crazy every time she saw a bee come off the huge azaleas in front of Dad's porch. She kept making Jesse swat at it with a broom. Khai spent most of the evening playing with his friends next-door while his mother talked to his friends' parents.
I gave up waiting for Jessa and Joe around 7 PM. I was getting tired. Lauren and I were up late last night, as always, and I had to work relatively early for a Sunday. I gave everyone a hug, patted Helio, and headed home, enjoying the light breeze and the just-setting sun.
Saturday, May 02, 2015
Return of the Farm Market
Today was the first day of the Collingswood Farm Market. It was a beautiful day for it, too. The sky was sunny and perfectly blue when I headed out. The farm market was PACKED! I could barely inch my way around. I guess everyone wanted to buy produce, cheese, and bread for their Derby Day barbecues and Cinco Del Mayo parties. Not that there's a lot there at this time of year. It was mostly flowers and herbs. I did manage to pick up asparagus, an onion, a garlic bulb, organic scallions, and fresh rolls from MacMillian's Bakery's booth. (Fruit probably won't be out for another three weeks to a month.)
I finished Deep In My Heart before I left. When I got in, I ran various action-themed cartoons while making peanut butter and blueberry preserves on a bakery-fresh roll for a very quick lunch. The Paramount Popeye short "Ancient Fistory" is a retelling of "Cinderella." Popeye is a servant for Bluto, who goes to a ball to woo Princess Olive. Popeye's Fairy God-Pappy helps him become the best-looking guy there. "Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp" is the last of the three "featurettes" the Fleischer Brothers did with Popeye in the late 30's and early 40's. Popeye is the title character, who retrieves a lamp with a genie inside from a cave. He uses the genie to help him woo the fair Olive. A wizard is determined to get the lamp and Olive at any cost!
Switched to Mickey Mouse for a black-and-white medieval spoof, "Ye Olden Days." Here, Minnie is the princess who refuses to marry Prince Goofy. Mickey's the minstrel who woos her. When King Pete catches them running away, Minnie convinces him to let Mickey fight Goofy for her hand in marriage.
Work was crazy for most of the afternoon, a decided contrast to yesterday's calm. There were quite a few annoying people too, including one of those groups who buy a cart full of expensive items, then suddenly realize, oops, even though we knew we didn't have the money, we can't afford it, but we can hold up the line. On the other had, I got another 5 dollar card for getting praise from a customer yesterday. I bought things I forgot yesterday - cake flour and muffin papers - along with a new red-violet vinyl grocery bag.
I once again took the long way down Nicholson home to avoid the road repairs on the Black Horse Pike. Besides, it was still too nice to rush home. The traffic was a bit of a pain on Nicholson by the Viking Pest Control and the Spanish church, but once I got over the hill and onto Atlantic, everything was fine. West Clinton and Manor was a little backed up with people going to the Oaklyn Bar to cheer on their Kentucky Derby favorite.
Continued with more black-and-white Mickey as I changed into regular clothes and put my groceries away. "Shanghaied" is one of my favorite "Mickey rescues Minnie from Pete" shorts. Here, Pete is a pirate holding Mickey and Minnie prisoner. Mickey breaks free and first fights with a swordfish, then with anything in the kitchen he can get his paws on, including the stove. "Mickey In Arabia" is more-or-less the same thing. This time, Pete is a Bedouin, the pirates are replaced by extremely non-PC Arabian locals, and Mickey has to contend with a drunk camel along with Pete grabbing his girl.
Spent the next hour or so cleaning. The vacuuming really needed to get done. This is pollen season. The yellow dust gets really bad in here, particularly near the window that overlooks the park. I also used the long vacuum tube extensions to get out some spoons and spatulas that had fallen in the gap between the kitchen counter and sink and the kitchen wall. Hopefully, that gap will disappear once they replace the counter. For now, I need to be more careful about where I put the longer utensils in my drying rack.
Ran Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown as I cleaned, and then while making Carrot Cake Muffins. The third of four Peanuts films takes the kids to camp for two weeks. While the girls try to do be democratic and vote on every little thing, the boys deal with a group of obnoxious bullies who cheat at every game. They're determined to beat the bullies at the big river rafting race. When Woodstock gets lost in a storm and Snoopy and then the kids go after them, they realize that they're going to have to work together - whether they like it or not - to survive in the wilderness and win the race.
I have no idea why it took so long for Paramount to get the remaining Peanuts films out on DVD, but it was worth the wait. While this isn't the most exciting Peanuts special, there are some nice bits, especially once the kids get into the actual race. I loved them all going down a log chute - that was really cute. I was bothered by the fact that no one ever did anything about those bullies. Nowadays, the kids probably would have reported them to the counselors the moment it became obvious that they cheated at the sack race. Otherwise, this isn't entirely essential but is a pleasant way to pass an hour and a half, especially if you're a Peanuts fan.
Started the animated Disney Robin Hood as I made molasses bacon lamb chops, roasted farm-fresh asparagus, and brown rice for dinner. We head to the woods of jolly old England as Robin Hood and Little John (Phil Harris) swipe money from whiny Prince John (Peter Ustinov) and his snake counselor Sir Hiss (Terry-Thomas). Robin is almost caught at an archery tournament, but he does manage to get Maid Marian out during the resulting chaos. Matters come to a head when Friar Tuck (Andy Devine) and half of Nottingham lands in prison due to taxes. Robin and Little John have to find a way to rescue everyone without ending up in jail themselves. Not the best-animated Disney film, but one of the funniest, with quips flying fast and furious. If you love Robin Hood stories or comic action, this is much better than its reputation would suggest.
I finished Deep In My Heart before I left. When I got in, I ran various action-themed cartoons while making peanut butter and blueberry preserves on a bakery-fresh roll for a very quick lunch. The Paramount Popeye short "Ancient Fistory" is a retelling of "Cinderella." Popeye is a servant for Bluto, who goes to a ball to woo Princess Olive. Popeye's Fairy God-Pappy helps him become the best-looking guy there. "Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp" is the last of the three "featurettes" the Fleischer Brothers did with Popeye in the late 30's and early 40's. Popeye is the title character, who retrieves a lamp with a genie inside from a cave. He uses the genie to help him woo the fair Olive. A wizard is determined to get the lamp and Olive at any cost!
Switched to Mickey Mouse for a black-and-white medieval spoof, "Ye Olden Days." Here, Minnie is the princess who refuses to marry Prince Goofy. Mickey's the minstrel who woos her. When King Pete catches them running away, Minnie convinces him to let Mickey fight Goofy for her hand in marriage.
Work was crazy for most of the afternoon, a decided contrast to yesterday's calm. There were quite a few annoying people too, including one of those groups who buy a cart full of expensive items, then suddenly realize, oops, even though we knew we didn't have the money, we can't afford it, but we can hold up the line. On the other had, I got another 5 dollar card for getting praise from a customer yesterday. I bought things I forgot yesterday - cake flour and muffin papers - along with a new red-violet vinyl grocery bag.
I once again took the long way down Nicholson home to avoid the road repairs on the Black Horse Pike. Besides, it was still too nice to rush home. The traffic was a bit of a pain on Nicholson by the Viking Pest Control and the Spanish church, but once I got over the hill and onto Atlantic, everything was fine. West Clinton and Manor was a little backed up with people going to the Oaklyn Bar to cheer on their Kentucky Derby favorite.
Continued with more black-and-white Mickey as I changed into regular clothes and put my groceries away. "Shanghaied" is one of my favorite "Mickey rescues Minnie from Pete" shorts. Here, Pete is a pirate holding Mickey and Minnie prisoner. Mickey breaks free and first fights with a swordfish, then with anything in the kitchen he can get his paws on, including the stove. "Mickey In Arabia" is more-or-less the same thing. This time, Pete is a Bedouin, the pirates are replaced by extremely non-PC Arabian locals, and Mickey has to contend with a drunk camel along with Pete grabbing his girl.
Spent the next hour or so cleaning. The vacuuming really needed to get done. This is pollen season. The yellow dust gets really bad in here, particularly near the window that overlooks the park. I also used the long vacuum tube extensions to get out some spoons and spatulas that had fallen in the gap between the kitchen counter and sink and the kitchen wall. Hopefully, that gap will disappear once they replace the counter. For now, I need to be more careful about where I put the longer utensils in my drying rack.
Ran Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown as I cleaned, and then while making Carrot Cake Muffins. The third of four Peanuts films takes the kids to camp for two weeks. While the girls try to do be democratic and vote on every little thing, the boys deal with a group of obnoxious bullies who cheat at every game. They're determined to beat the bullies at the big river rafting race. When Woodstock gets lost in a storm and Snoopy and then the kids go after them, they realize that they're going to have to work together - whether they like it or not - to survive in the wilderness and win the race.
I have no idea why it took so long for Paramount to get the remaining Peanuts films out on DVD, but it was worth the wait. While this isn't the most exciting Peanuts special, there are some nice bits, especially once the kids get into the actual race. I loved them all going down a log chute - that was really cute. I was bothered by the fact that no one ever did anything about those bullies. Nowadays, the kids probably would have reported them to the counselors the moment it became obvious that they cheated at the sack race. Otherwise, this isn't entirely essential but is a pleasant way to pass an hour and a half, especially if you're a Peanuts fan.
Started the animated Disney Robin Hood as I made molasses bacon lamb chops, roasted farm-fresh asparagus, and brown rice for dinner. We head to the woods of jolly old England as Robin Hood and Little John (Phil Harris) swipe money from whiny Prince John (Peter Ustinov) and his snake counselor Sir Hiss (Terry-Thomas). Robin is almost caught at an archery tournament, but he does manage to get Maid Marian out during the resulting chaos. Matters come to a head when Friar Tuck (Andy Devine) and half of Nottingham lands in prison due to taxes. Robin and Little John have to find a way to rescue everyone without ending up in jail themselves. Not the best-animated Disney film, but one of the funniest, with quips flying fast and furious. If you love Robin Hood stories or comic action, this is much better than its reputation would suggest.
Friday, May 01, 2015
May Day Swashbuckling
It was still sunny out when I got up this morning. I began my day with an action-packed episode of Perfect Strangers. Even Chicago's most mismatched cousins come out swashbuckling in "Family Feud" from the sixth season. Larry gets caught up in a feud between the Bartokomous family and a family from the next island over when he insults the heir's eyebrows. Larry's nobody's Errol Flynn, but when Balki can't find a way out of the duel, he takes it over himself!
I spent the next hour or so writing. I've just been coming up with a flood of ideas! Jeff just caught Scott and Maple plotting to rob several wealthy large businesses in Pittsburgh Village. They're going to let him in on some of their secrets. Jeff gets Scott to tell Betty part of the truth - there's money coming in, and Scott's getting it from local businesses. He just doesn't tell her how. Next up, I'll have Pruitt and Cosgrave arrive to inspect their holdings. While Cosgrave wails over the Crimson Blade's stealing from their companies, Pruitt will invite the Inn's residents to a ball. Scott's suspicious, especially when Pruitt eyes Betty, too...
I continued with Remember WENN as I made a quick lunch. It's awards time at the station in "Pratfall." WENN has been nominated for 16 PRATs, Pittsburgh's prestigious radio awards, including writing nominations for Betty, acting noms for Scott and Jeff, and a nomination for Eugenia for her workout show. While Eugenia tries for truth in advertising and actually work out, Scott looks for a letter from Victor and Hilary attempts to bribe the cast into nominating her for an overall excellence award.
Ran It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown while I had a quick lunch. While the kids are in school, Snoopy is having a great time playing sports, getting exercise, and dancing up a storm at a local disco! This is one of the few Peanuts specials that's totally representative of the time it was made, in this case the early 80's. It's also one of the few out-and-out musical Peanuts specials, with far more songs than most other outings. Other than a few school gags with the kids, I really don't recommend this one. If you get Snoopy and Friends or Snoopy's Reunion, get it for Snoopy's Reunion.
Work was...boring. It was steady to pin-drop quiet for the entire afternoon. It was really surprising for the beginning of the month. I guess everyone went away for the weekend once they got news of the nice weather we'll be having tomorrow and Sunday. My relief was on time, and I was in and out with no problems. In fact, one of the managers told me a customer praised how I handled a particularly grumpy man earlier in the day.
Even my schedule's decent. Slightly fewer hours than last week and one early day on Thursday. Otherwise, all morning and early afternoon hours, nothing later than 4 PM. I have Tuesday and Wednesday off again. Nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.
I didn't have much grocery shopping to do, either. I decided to stock up on some expensive things I'd put off getting. Energizer battery 8-packs were on sale for $4.99 - I needed AA's. Needed pads, too. Those tubes of ground turkey I bought a while back were still on sale; I bought two. Found lamb chops with a manager's coupon. I'll have them for dinner tomorrow. Restocked apples, tangelos, grapefruit, crushed pineapple, canned apricots, and eggs.
When I got home, I first ran a Three Stooges short while getting everything put away and changing into regular clothes. The three are "Restless Knights" who have been sent to protect a young queen from her scheming courtiers. Alas, the queen is kidnapped anyway while they're wrestling for the court. They have to find her or lose their lives!
Did the first half of Deep In My Heart while eating leftovers for dinner. The last of MGM's composer biography semi-revues covers early 20th century operetta master Sigmund Romberg (Mel Ferrer). Romberg comes to New York from Vienna to become a classical composer, but writing popular Broadway hits proves to be more lucrative. With the help of his friend Dorothy (Merle Oberon), he manages to get his dream operetta Maytime on the boards. He's back to doing silly Al Jolson vehicles afterwards, until a pretty debutante makes him realize that there's room or Broadway for more than just goofy dance tunes. If you love operettas or are a fan of any of the cast, there's a lot to recommend here, including a sensuous "One Alone" pas de deux with James Mitchell and Cyd Charisse and a lovely "Will You Remember?" performed by Vic Damone and Jane Powell.
I spent the next hour or so writing. I've just been coming up with a flood of ideas! Jeff just caught Scott and Maple plotting to rob several wealthy large businesses in Pittsburgh Village. They're going to let him in on some of their secrets. Jeff gets Scott to tell Betty part of the truth - there's money coming in, and Scott's getting it from local businesses. He just doesn't tell her how. Next up, I'll have Pruitt and Cosgrave arrive to inspect their holdings. While Cosgrave wails over the Crimson Blade's stealing from their companies, Pruitt will invite the Inn's residents to a ball. Scott's suspicious, especially when Pruitt eyes Betty, too...
I continued with Remember WENN as I made a quick lunch. It's awards time at the station in "Pratfall." WENN has been nominated for 16 PRATs, Pittsburgh's prestigious radio awards, including writing nominations for Betty, acting noms for Scott and Jeff, and a nomination for Eugenia for her workout show. While Eugenia tries for truth in advertising and actually work out, Scott looks for a letter from Victor and Hilary attempts to bribe the cast into nominating her for an overall excellence award.
Ran It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown while I had a quick lunch. While the kids are in school, Snoopy is having a great time playing sports, getting exercise, and dancing up a storm at a local disco! This is one of the few Peanuts specials that's totally representative of the time it was made, in this case the early 80's. It's also one of the few out-and-out musical Peanuts specials, with far more songs than most other outings. Other than a few school gags with the kids, I really don't recommend this one. If you get Snoopy and Friends or Snoopy's Reunion, get it for Snoopy's Reunion.
Work was...boring. It was steady to pin-drop quiet for the entire afternoon. It was really surprising for the beginning of the month. I guess everyone went away for the weekend once they got news of the nice weather we'll be having tomorrow and Sunday. My relief was on time, and I was in and out with no problems. In fact, one of the managers told me a customer praised how I handled a particularly grumpy man earlier in the day.
Even my schedule's decent. Slightly fewer hours than last week and one early day on Thursday. Otherwise, all morning and early afternoon hours, nothing later than 4 PM. I have Tuesday and Wednesday off again. Nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.
I didn't have much grocery shopping to do, either. I decided to stock up on some expensive things I'd put off getting. Energizer battery 8-packs were on sale for $4.99 - I needed AA's. Needed pads, too. Those tubes of ground turkey I bought a while back were still on sale; I bought two. Found lamb chops with a manager's coupon. I'll have them for dinner tomorrow. Restocked apples, tangelos, grapefruit, crushed pineapple, canned apricots, and eggs.
When I got home, I first ran a Three Stooges short while getting everything put away and changing into regular clothes. The three are "Restless Knights" who have been sent to protect a young queen from her scheming courtiers. Alas, the queen is kidnapped anyway while they're wrestling for the court. They have to find her or lose their lives!
Did the first half of Deep In My Heart while eating leftovers for dinner. The last of MGM's composer biography semi-revues covers early 20th century operetta master Sigmund Romberg (Mel Ferrer). Romberg comes to New York from Vienna to become a classical composer, but writing popular Broadway hits proves to be more lucrative. With the help of his friend Dorothy (Merle Oberon), he manages to get his dream operetta Maytime on the boards. He's back to doing silly Al Jolson vehicles afterwards, until a pretty debutante makes him realize that there's room or Broadway for more than just goofy dance tunes. If you love operettas or are a fan of any of the cast, there's a lot to recommend here, including a sensuous "One Alone" pas de deux with James Mitchell and Cyd Charisse and a lovely "Will You Remember?" performed by Vic Damone and Jane Powell.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Spring Studio Serenade
After I finished The Pirates of Penzance during breakfast, I spent most of the morning working on my WENN swashbuckler spoof. This thing is just getting bigger and bigger by the minute. I'm only on page 10, and I haven't really gotten into any action yet. I just had Lady Hilary and Lord Jeffrey return from the Mexican colonies to find themselves more married than they'd like. Considering I have at least 7 and 1/2 pages worth of notes and more I have to write down, this may end up being as long as the wonderful novel-length mystery featuring Betty Linda Young wrote a while back.
I wrote for two hours on and off. I finally opted to take a walk and stretch a bit around noon. I volunteered at Studio LuLoo again. They were quiet when I arrived. Roxy was the only one there this time. She did dishes and worked on her laptop while I cut more cups into flowers. It was rather soothing, really. My right thumb is half-numb, but the repetition helps me think.
I did some more Remember WENN as I had leftovers for lunch. Scott creates "The Follies of WENN after a buddy of his offers a thousand dollars to see a burlesque show on Sunday. The staff ends up creating their own show, with everyone doing a specialty. While that does mean we get to hear some wonderful songs and see a couple of cute numbers, it also means Betty and Maple could be in big trouble. The Barbican Hotel for Women, where Betty lives and Maple wants to, is reviewing both their status, and they may not approve of them doing a bump and grind on the air.
Work was actually quite busy the entire night. First of all, tomorrow is the beginning of the month. A lot of people either have gotten or are getting their government money. Second, this is the weekend of the Kentucky Derby. I'm not into horse racing, but I know a lot of people follow it. You wouldn't believe how much mint we sold for mint juleps tonight! Thankfully, considering tonight was my late shift, the night went fairly fast.
I wrote for two hours on and off. I finally opted to take a walk and stretch a bit around noon. I volunteered at Studio LuLoo again. They were quiet when I arrived. Roxy was the only one there this time. She did dishes and worked on her laptop while I cut more cups into flowers. It was rather soothing, really. My right thumb is half-numb, but the repetition helps me think.
I did some more Remember WENN as I had leftovers for lunch. Scott creates "The Follies of WENN after a buddy of his offers a thousand dollars to see a burlesque show on Sunday. The staff ends up creating their own show, with everyone doing a specialty. While that does mean we get to hear some wonderful songs and see a couple of cute numbers, it also means Betty and Maple could be in big trouble. The Barbican Hotel for Women, where Betty lives and Maple wants to, is reviewing both their status, and they may not approve of them doing a bump and grind on the air.
Work was actually quite busy the entire night. First of all, tomorrow is the beginning of the month. A lot of people either have gotten or are getting their government money. Second, this is the weekend of the Kentucky Derby. I'm not into horse racing, but I know a lot of people follow it. You wouldn't believe how much mint we sold for mint juleps tonight! Thankfully, considering tonight was my late shift, the night went fairly fast.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
A Beautiful Day's Walk
Spring was in full bloom when I got out of bed this morning. I enjoyed the weather while eating breakfast and watching some vintage Mickey and Minnie Mouse cartoons. "Mickey's Rival" is Mortimer, a boastful fellow who flirts with Minnie and teases an increasingly jealous Mickey. Minnie learns who she can really count on when a bull is let loose, and only one of her swains sticks around to rescue her. "The Nifty Nineties" makes Minnie and Mickey lovers in a gentler era of vaudeville, wind-up cars, and bustled gowns. "Mickey's Delayed Date" gets harrowing when Mickey loses the tickets and Pluto chases after him.
Called Mom while the cartoons were on. I hadn't talked to her since my birthday week. She was working in her rapidly blooming garden. She was happy she'd gotten her first raise from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. They don't get paid a lot and apparently have to take on a lot of duties, from taking tickets to handling reservations. She's worried about my brother, though. No one's heard anything from him in two months. He was ship-board last anyone had heard, but he'd come to shore. No one knows if he's back on a ship, or even still in the Navy.
After I talked to Mom, I headed out for today's volunteering run, this time on foot. My first stop was originally going to be Studio LuLoo, but they weren't open when I went by at 11. I ended up at the Oaklyn Library by default. A few older women chatted with the librarian and looked things up on the computer. I removed security stickers from new DVDs and organized books in the children's area.
It was nearly 12:30 by the time I got out. I figured it was time for lunch. I headed to WaWa for a Roast Beef, Fontina Cheese, and Horseradish Grilled Panini with a $1.99 12 ounce Mocha Mint Latte. It was too nice of a day to take it home, so I ate it at the wooden benches on West Clinton. The panini was mostly delicious, though it did seem to have a little too much horseradish sauce. It was so thick, at one point, my eyes were watering! The Mocha Mint Latte was a little too coffee-tasting. I was hoping they'd go heavier on the chocolate. The mint was pretty good, though.
Studio LuLoo was open by quarter after 1. I spent the next hour cutting washed coffee cups from WaWa and Dunkin Donuts into flower shapes for the kids to decorate. The other volunteers and workers discussed their small businesses and how to make money to buy supplies. Roxy's mother arrived at one point to take her daughter out to lunch. I had a nice chat with her about American Girl and dolls - apparently, she's a doll collector.
I didn't get home until past 2:30. I spent most of the rest of the afternoon cleaning the kitchen. I mostly needed to scrub the sink and counter. They were really gross. The stove wasn't too horrible. Dusted the shelves, the top of the wooden partition between the kitchen and the entertainment area, and the plastic drawers that hold my kitchen utensils as well.
I ran Remember WENN episodes as I worked. "You've Met Your Match" is WENN's dating show. Hilary Booth wants to make Jeff jealous, so she enters herself and the others as contestants. She's less than thrilled when she ends up with Scott and Jeff gets Betty. Jeff convinces Betty to help him make Hilary jealous...but it all ends up backfiring spectacularly. Not all of the couples are so mismatched. Victor and Maple get to know one another. Gertie and Mr. Eldridge have fun commenting on the others. Eugenia and Mr. Foley enjoy their date so much, they're late getting back!
By far the funniest episode of the fourth season (and possibly of the series, period) is "And If I Die Before I Sleep." The cast performs Betty's massive version of all of Shakespeare's Roman-set plays for 52 hours straight in order to break a record. There's treachery afoot, as the man and nurse sent to keep them from falling asleep have ulterior motives for being there. While the cast struggles just to recite the lines and stay upright (and get through some of the wildest dialogue I've ever heard), Maple (who was sick), Victor (who was out of town and just came back), and Betty have to figure out what these people really want.
Hilary proves she's her own best friend in "Hilary's Agent." When her original agent won't get her a part in a local stage version of Antony and Cleopatra, she plays her own mythical agent and tries to get the part herself. She has to rely on some creative help from the rest of the staff when she's called on to produce said agent.
"The Birth of a Station" was considered a tad risque when it debuted. A pregnant young woman appears at the station, asking for Dr. Talbot. That's a bit of a problem, given he's the title character on one of their medical dramas. When she goes into labor, the cast has to figure out how to help her without being able to get an ambulance, thanks to a labor strike.
Moved onto one of the Snoopy specials as I rounded up the cleaning supplies. Snoopy's Reunion was a touching and surprisingly bittersweet tale from 1991. We learn about Snoopy's early life at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm and how he eventually came to live with Charlie Brown. When Snoopy's feeling blue, Chuck invites his siblings back to town for one last hoedown. Sadly, they discover the hard way when they go looking for their old home that you can't go back again...but you can keep your memories, and even make some more.
I headed into the bath for a blissful hour. I don't think I've taken a bath since my vacation week. It felt soooo nice to relax and listen to Rod Stewart's second Great American Songbook CD. I looked over the book The Little Spark. I've been trying and trying to spark my creativity for the past decade. I don't know why I've had problems. I'm hoping that reading this over will help.
When I got out of the bath, I went right into starting dinner. I was originally going to make Merlin's Baked Chicken with the legs I bought last week, but it was in the upper 70's by quarter of 6. Baking anything wasn't going to fly. I settled for poaching them in a mixture of water, white cooking wine, Worcestershire sauce, and a little bit of lemon juice instead. Added some steamed zucchini and yellow squash with apple cider vinegar-honey sauce for a lovely spring meal.
Started The Pirates of Penzance while I ate. This 1982 adaptation of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta was a hit on Broadway in 1981. Fredrick (Rex Smith) leaves the employ of the pirates who had raised him, hoping to become respectable. When he makes it to shore, he falls for Mabel, the sweet daughter of a major general (Linda Rondstat). The Pirate King (Kevin Kline) and Fredrick's former nurse Ruth (Angela Landsbury) knows a secret about him that'll make him switch sides. Mabel and her sisters recruit the local cops to rout the pirates. The pirates' attack results in the wildest free-for-all ever to hit the coast of England, or an operetta.
Fond though I am of the spoofier version of this story, The Pirate Movie, this one is fun, too. The cast is having a whale of a time in the stagy setting, especially an incredibly hammy Kline as the head pirate. If you're a fan of operettas, pirate stories, or are a Gilbert and Sullivan purist, you'll probably find this one as delightfully silly as I do.
Called Mom while the cartoons were on. I hadn't talked to her since my birthday week. She was working in her rapidly blooming garden. She was happy she'd gotten her first raise from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. They don't get paid a lot and apparently have to take on a lot of duties, from taking tickets to handling reservations. She's worried about my brother, though. No one's heard anything from him in two months. He was ship-board last anyone had heard, but he'd come to shore. No one knows if he's back on a ship, or even still in the Navy.
After I talked to Mom, I headed out for today's volunteering run, this time on foot. My first stop was originally going to be Studio LuLoo, but they weren't open when I went by at 11. I ended up at the Oaklyn Library by default. A few older women chatted with the librarian and looked things up on the computer. I removed security stickers from new DVDs and organized books in the children's area.
It was nearly 12:30 by the time I got out. I figured it was time for lunch. I headed to WaWa for a Roast Beef, Fontina Cheese, and Horseradish Grilled Panini with a $1.99 12 ounce Mocha Mint Latte. It was too nice of a day to take it home, so I ate it at the wooden benches on West Clinton. The panini was mostly delicious, though it did seem to have a little too much horseradish sauce. It was so thick, at one point, my eyes were watering! The Mocha Mint Latte was a little too coffee-tasting. I was hoping they'd go heavier on the chocolate. The mint was pretty good, though.
Studio LuLoo was open by quarter after 1. I spent the next hour cutting washed coffee cups from WaWa and Dunkin Donuts into flower shapes for the kids to decorate. The other volunteers and workers discussed their small businesses and how to make money to buy supplies. Roxy's mother arrived at one point to take her daughter out to lunch. I had a nice chat with her about American Girl and dolls - apparently, she's a doll collector.
I didn't get home until past 2:30. I spent most of the rest of the afternoon cleaning the kitchen. I mostly needed to scrub the sink and counter. They were really gross. The stove wasn't too horrible. Dusted the shelves, the top of the wooden partition between the kitchen and the entertainment area, and the plastic drawers that hold my kitchen utensils as well.
I ran Remember WENN episodes as I worked. "You've Met Your Match" is WENN's dating show. Hilary Booth wants to make Jeff jealous, so she enters herself and the others as contestants. She's less than thrilled when she ends up with Scott and Jeff gets Betty. Jeff convinces Betty to help him make Hilary jealous...but it all ends up backfiring spectacularly. Not all of the couples are so mismatched. Victor and Maple get to know one another. Gertie and Mr. Eldridge have fun commenting on the others. Eugenia and Mr. Foley enjoy their date so much, they're late getting back!
By far the funniest episode of the fourth season (and possibly of the series, period) is "And If I Die Before I Sleep." The cast performs Betty's massive version of all of Shakespeare's Roman-set plays for 52 hours straight in order to break a record. There's treachery afoot, as the man and nurse sent to keep them from falling asleep have ulterior motives for being there. While the cast struggles just to recite the lines and stay upright (and get through some of the wildest dialogue I've ever heard), Maple (who was sick), Victor (who was out of town and just came back), and Betty have to figure out what these people really want.
Hilary proves she's her own best friend in "Hilary's Agent." When her original agent won't get her a part in a local stage version of Antony and Cleopatra, she plays her own mythical agent and tries to get the part herself. She has to rely on some creative help from the rest of the staff when she's called on to produce said agent.
"The Birth of a Station" was considered a tad risque when it debuted. A pregnant young woman appears at the station, asking for Dr. Talbot. That's a bit of a problem, given he's the title character on one of their medical dramas. When she goes into labor, the cast has to figure out how to help her without being able to get an ambulance, thanks to a labor strike.
Moved onto one of the Snoopy specials as I rounded up the cleaning supplies. Snoopy's Reunion was a touching and surprisingly bittersweet tale from 1991. We learn about Snoopy's early life at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm and how he eventually came to live with Charlie Brown. When Snoopy's feeling blue, Chuck invites his siblings back to town for one last hoedown. Sadly, they discover the hard way when they go looking for their old home that you can't go back again...but you can keep your memories, and even make some more.
I headed into the bath for a blissful hour. I don't think I've taken a bath since my vacation week. It felt soooo nice to relax and listen to Rod Stewart's second Great American Songbook CD. I looked over the book The Little Spark. I've been trying and trying to spark my creativity for the past decade. I don't know why I've had problems. I'm hoping that reading this over will help.
When I got out of the bath, I went right into starting dinner. I was originally going to make Merlin's Baked Chicken with the legs I bought last week, but it was in the upper 70's by quarter of 6. Baking anything wasn't going to fly. I settled for poaching them in a mixture of water, white cooking wine, Worcestershire sauce, and a little bit of lemon juice instead. Added some steamed zucchini and yellow squash with apple cider vinegar-honey sauce for a lovely spring meal.
Started The Pirates of Penzance while I ate. This 1982 adaptation of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta was a hit on Broadway in 1981. Fredrick (Rex Smith) leaves the employ of the pirates who had raised him, hoping to become respectable. When he makes it to shore, he falls for Mabel, the sweet daughter of a major general (Linda Rondstat). The Pirate King (Kevin Kline) and Fredrick's former nurse Ruth (Angela Landsbury) knows a secret about him that'll make him switch sides. Mabel and her sisters recruit the local cops to rout the pirates. The pirates' attack results in the wildest free-for-all ever to hit the coast of England, or an operetta.
Fond though I am of the spoofier version of this story, The Pirate Movie, this one is fun, too. The cast is having a whale of a time in the stagy setting, especially an incredibly hammy Kline as the head pirate. If you're a fan of operettas, pirate stories, or are a Gilbert and Sullivan purist, you'll probably find this one as delightfully silly as I do.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
I Feel Good
I started a beautiful, sunny morning with Get On Up: The James Brown Story. This is almost the same plot as Jersey Boys - same time period (mid 50's through mid 70's) and similar ups and downs, different perspective, race, and musical genre. James Brown (Chadwick Boseman) is one of the most dynamic performers of the mid-20th century. His songs give off nothing but raw energy. His concerts are electric. His life off the stage is far more turbulent. Having been abandoned by his parents (Viola Davis and Lennie James) as a child, he's determined to make it on his own. He does have a supportive aunt (Octavia Spencer) and a best friend (Nelsan Ellis) who mostly sticks by him. While he goes on to be a pioneer of everything from live recordings to civil rights, his lavish lifestyle finally catches up to him, and even his closest friends question his desperate need for independence.
I'm going to mostly disagree with the critics here. I thought this movie was dynamic. Chadwick Boseman was amazing as Brown - some of his moves in the concerts were incredible. Maybe it's because I didn't grow up in the era depicted and never saw the real Brown perform, even on television, but I loved the concert footage. My favorite was that awesome "funkadelic" show towards the end of the movie with Brown in a barely-there shirt and the dancers in huge Afros. Tate Taylor, who did The Help a few years ago, is certainly more in tune with the material than Clint Eastwood was with his musical.
The downside is all the jumping around. I think things could have worked even better if they let the story flow linearly, rather than skipping all over Brown's life. There's also the fact that, yeah, the plot's nothing new. Like I said, Jersey Boys is an almost identical story. I also wish they'd done more with Brown talking directly to the camera in the middle of the film - that was a nice touch.
That said, this is still worth a look if you're a fan of Brown or classic R&B, and I frankly recommend it over Jersey Boys. They may tell somewhat similar tales, but this one has the more vibrant performers and musical numbers.
I headed out around 11 to get my laundry done. Not that I had much to do. It was a tiny load that barely took an hour to wash. The laundromat wasn't even busy. There was maybe two people when I was coming and one as I was heading out.
When I got home, I finished Get On Up as I put my clothes away. As soon as that was over, I grabbed my books and DVDs and went out the door for this week's first library run. I made a quick stop at Phillies Phatties for lunch. It was such a beautiful day, I ate my slices of mushroom and cheese pizza and drank my can of Diet Pepsi outside on the wooden benches across from the stores.
Cut across Haddon Lake Park on my way to the library. It was gorgeous there this afternoon. The trees are getting greener and greener every day. Dandelions, buttercups, and wildflowers carpet the banks of the bottle-green river. I wasn't surprised to dodge several dog walkers and joggers. A mother and her three daughters played on the banks on the very end of the lake down by Cuthbert Road.
The Haddon Township Library was surprisingly busy for a nice day. Even so, there wasn't really much to do. I shelved some kids' DVDs, but they weren't overloaded (I couldn't fit a few S titles in again). The adult titles are still overloaded. There's a pile of M.T, and W titles, including several multi-disc TV shows, that just will not go in the overloaded slots. There weren't even any audio books to put away. I shelved one opera CD.
I did take out a few DVDs, all animation this time. (I still have some live-action movies at home I haven't watched, not to mention the rest of Remember WENN's fourth season.) I decided to give Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown another shot after I didn't get to it last time I had it out. Warner's budget disc Snoopy and Friends features two beagle-themed Peanuts specials I haven't seen in years, Snoopy's Reunion and It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown. Disney's been putting out a series of odd Flash-animated Mickey Mouse shorts online and between programming on The Disney Channel for the past year or so. They're collected together in Mickey Mouse, Vol. 1.
On my way home, I stopped at Phillies Yummies for a treat. I had this year's first small cup of my favorite cotton candy Yum Yum (creamier, grittier water ice). It was a good time for it. The kids were just out of school. I had a lot of fun watching them hurry by, chasing and teasing each other. Some even stopped at Yummies for treats.
Spent the next few hours cleaning my bathroom. The bathtub in particular was really grimy. Must have been those baths I took during my birthday week. Since I had everything out, I also scrubbed the bathroom and hall floors. I only do that twice a year, usually in April and October. I was able to open the bathroom window and let the floors dry a little faster. I ran my James Brown and Four Seasons greatest hits records as I worked.
I had a pleasant dinner of salmon in red wine sauce with sauteed zucchini and yellow squash and salad with homemade balsamic dressing for dinner while watching the Mickey Mouse Flash shorts. These are all done with a sketchy style that deliberately returns to the "rubber hose" animation of the late 20's and 30's.
The feel, on the other hand, is extremely modern. It makes for a mixed bag, to say the least. Some of the cartoons are rather sweet. I loved "O Sole Minnie" (Mickey woos waitress Minnie in Venice) and "Croissant De Triumphe" (Mickey will do anything - including riding his scooter off the top of Notre Dame - to bring croissants to Minnie's cafe). Others, like "Dog Show" (Goofy accidentally injures Pluto, so Mickey enters him in a dog show instead) and "Bad Ear Day" (Mickey somehow loses his ears on his way to a date with Minnie) were just plain weird. The funniest was the last one, "Tapped Out." Mickey, Donald, and Goofy take on Peg Leg Pete (with a blond wig) in the wrestling ring, proving that three heads can occasionally be better than one.
Since I had dinner early, I went for a stroll in the neighborhood around 6 PM. It was such a gorgeous day. CBS fussed about possible storm warnings later today. If there were storms, they must have gone north or blown themselves out. All we had was wind, sun, and a few clouds. It's so beautiful outside now. The tulips are up, in all their red, purple, yellow, orange, and white brilliance. The lilacs are just starting to bloom. There were lots of people out and about with me, kids playing catch and adults chatting on porches or starting barbecues.
I'm going to mostly disagree with the critics here. I thought this movie was dynamic. Chadwick Boseman was amazing as Brown - some of his moves in the concerts were incredible. Maybe it's because I didn't grow up in the era depicted and never saw the real Brown perform, even on television, but I loved the concert footage. My favorite was that awesome "funkadelic" show towards the end of the movie with Brown in a barely-there shirt and the dancers in huge Afros. Tate Taylor, who did The Help a few years ago, is certainly more in tune with the material than Clint Eastwood was with his musical.
The downside is all the jumping around. I think things could have worked even better if they let the story flow linearly, rather than skipping all over Brown's life. There's also the fact that, yeah, the plot's nothing new. Like I said, Jersey Boys is an almost identical story. I also wish they'd done more with Brown talking directly to the camera in the middle of the film - that was a nice touch.
That said, this is still worth a look if you're a fan of Brown or classic R&B, and I frankly recommend it over Jersey Boys. They may tell somewhat similar tales, but this one has the more vibrant performers and musical numbers.
I headed out around 11 to get my laundry done. Not that I had much to do. It was a tiny load that barely took an hour to wash. The laundromat wasn't even busy. There was maybe two people when I was coming and one as I was heading out.
When I got home, I finished Get On Up as I put my clothes away. As soon as that was over, I grabbed my books and DVDs and went out the door for this week's first library run. I made a quick stop at Phillies Phatties for lunch. It was such a beautiful day, I ate my slices of mushroom and cheese pizza and drank my can of Diet Pepsi outside on the wooden benches across from the stores.
Cut across Haddon Lake Park on my way to the library. It was gorgeous there this afternoon. The trees are getting greener and greener every day. Dandelions, buttercups, and wildflowers carpet the banks of the bottle-green river. I wasn't surprised to dodge several dog walkers and joggers. A mother and her three daughters played on the banks on the very end of the lake down by Cuthbert Road.
The Haddon Township Library was surprisingly busy for a nice day. Even so, there wasn't really much to do. I shelved some kids' DVDs, but they weren't overloaded (I couldn't fit a few S titles in again). The adult titles are still overloaded. There's a pile of M.T, and W titles, including several multi-disc TV shows, that just will not go in the overloaded slots. There weren't even any audio books to put away. I shelved one opera CD.
I did take out a few DVDs, all animation this time. (I still have some live-action movies at home I haven't watched, not to mention the rest of Remember WENN's fourth season.) I decided to give Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown another shot after I didn't get to it last time I had it out. Warner's budget disc Snoopy and Friends features two beagle-themed Peanuts specials I haven't seen in years, Snoopy's Reunion and It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown. Disney's been putting out a series of odd Flash-animated Mickey Mouse shorts online and between programming on The Disney Channel for the past year or so. They're collected together in Mickey Mouse, Vol. 1.
On my way home, I stopped at Phillies Yummies for a treat. I had this year's first small cup of my favorite cotton candy Yum Yum (creamier, grittier water ice). It was a good time for it. The kids were just out of school. I had a lot of fun watching them hurry by, chasing and teasing each other. Some even stopped at Yummies for treats.
Spent the next few hours cleaning my bathroom. The bathtub in particular was really grimy. Must have been those baths I took during my birthday week. Since I had everything out, I also scrubbed the bathroom and hall floors. I only do that twice a year, usually in April and October. I was able to open the bathroom window and let the floors dry a little faster. I ran my James Brown and Four Seasons greatest hits records as I worked.
I had a pleasant dinner of salmon in red wine sauce with sauteed zucchini and yellow squash and salad with homemade balsamic dressing for dinner while watching the Mickey Mouse Flash shorts. These are all done with a sketchy style that deliberately returns to the "rubber hose" animation of the late 20's and 30's.
The feel, on the other hand, is extremely modern. It makes for a mixed bag, to say the least. Some of the cartoons are rather sweet. I loved "O Sole Minnie" (Mickey woos waitress Minnie in Venice) and "Croissant De Triumphe" (Mickey will do anything - including riding his scooter off the top of Notre Dame - to bring croissants to Minnie's cafe). Others, like "Dog Show" (Goofy accidentally injures Pluto, so Mickey enters him in a dog show instead) and "Bad Ear Day" (Mickey somehow loses his ears on his way to a date with Minnie) were just plain weird. The funniest was the last one, "Tapped Out." Mickey, Donald, and Goofy take on Peg Leg Pete (with a blond wig) in the wrestling ring, proving that three heads can occasionally be better than one.
Since I had dinner early, I went for a stroll in the neighborhood around 6 PM. It was such a gorgeous day. CBS fussed about possible storm warnings later today. If there were storms, they must have gone north or blown themselves out. All we had was wind, sun, and a few clouds. It's so beautiful outside now. The tulips are up, in all their red, purple, yellow, orange, and white brilliance. The lilacs are just starting to bloom. There were lots of people out and about with me, kids playing catch and adults chatting on porches or starting barbecues.
Monday, April 27, 2015
WENN Adventures
I began the day with some Remember WENN before I had to spend the day at work. We learn "The Importance of Being Betty" in the mid-third season. Betty's offered a job at the prestigious magazine The New Yorker. The others don't want to hold her back, so they try to show that they can get along without her. Trouble is, Pruitt's doing the writing. Now every show is about either numbers or death. Betty has to get things back on track and prove just how important she is to the station and the others.
I decided it was finally time to get the ball rolling on the fourth season. "Some Time, Some Station" mostly answers the infamous "Happy Homecomings" cliffhangers. Victor Comstock comes out of his mind control thinking that it's 8 AM and time to start the broadcast day! While the others react to his miraculous recovery, Hilary tries to avoid Jeff, and Betty attempts to get Pruitt to tell her whom Victor's contact is.
Mr. Eldridge is saying "Thanks a Lottery!" when he wins a ton of cash in a European sweepstakes. The others all have their ideas of what he should do with his windfall. Pruitt, arrested though he may be, isn't done causing trouble indirectly. He's shunted WENN into another, stricter company that slashes the budget, forbids women in managerial positions, and imposes a mandatory age for retirement that Mr. Eldridge is long past. Though he seems to lose the ticket, it's the older man who finally figures out how to get the company and jerk bosses like Pruitt off their backs for good.
Work was actually pretty quiet for a lot of the morning, not helped by chilly, blah weather. It did pick up by rush hour. In fact, rush hour was fairly busy, with long lines from 3:30 until 6. One woman in the morning did give me a hard time when she accused me of going too fast and snapping at her, but that woman claims that every time she comes in my line, and the people behind her said I did nothing wrong. She cut in front of the people behind her, too. What's wrong with waiting a few minutes? It doesn't kill you. Other than her, my 8 hour day went fairly quickly. It had slowed down enough by 7 that I was able to leave with no trouble.
If nothing else, I got two scraps full of ideas for my WENN American Revolution spoof fanfic out of today. I've been grabbing random scraps of paper and writing down ideas whenever I can - between customers, during breaks. I've pretty much got most of the story. Now, I just have to get it all organized and write it down.
I decided it was finally time to get the ball rolling on the fourth season. "Some Time, Some Station" mostly answers the infamous "Happy Homecomings" cliffhangers. Victor Comstock comes out of his mind control thinking that it's 8 AM and time to start the broadcast day! While the others react to his miraculous recovery, Hilary tries to avoid Jeff, and Betty attempts to get Pruitt to tell her whom Victor's contact is.
Mr. Eldridge is saying "Thanks a Lottery!" when he wins a ton of cash in a European sweepstakes. The others all have their ideas of what he should do with his windfall. Pruitt, arrested though he may be, isn't done causing trouble indirectly. He's shunted WENN into another, stricter company that slashes the budget, forbids women in managerial positions, and imposes a mandatory age for retirement that Mr. Eldridge is long past. Though he seems to lose the ticket, it's the older man who finally figures out how to get the company and jerk bosses like Pruitt off their backs for good.
Work was actually pretty quiet for a lot of the morning, not helped by chilly, blah weather. It did pick up by rush hour. In fact, rush hour was fairly busy, with long lines from 3:30 until 6. One woman in the morning did give me a hard time when she accused me of going too fast and snapping at her, but that woman claims that every time she comes in my line, and the people behind her said I did nothing wrong. She cut in front of the people behind her, too. What's wrong with waiting a few minutes? It doesn't kill you. Other than her, my 8 hour day went fairly quickly. It had slowed down enough by 7 that I was able to leave with no trouble.
If nothing else, I got two scraps full of ideas for my WENN American Revolution spoof fanfic out of today. I've been grabbing random scraps of paper and writing down ideas whenever I can - between customers, during breaks. I've pretty much got most of the story. Now, I just have to get it all organized and write it down.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Rag Dolls and Jersey Boys
I slept in a bit today. When I finally got up, I began the last Amelia Peabody book I haven't read, Guardians of the Horizon. This one answers a burning question I've always had about the series - what happened to the Lost City they visited in The Last Camel Died at Noon? Did it survive? Did Nefert ever want to see her old home? I only got to the first two chapters - they aren't even in Africa yet. Hopefully, we'll be getting answers soon.
Had my usual Sunday pancakes while listening to Billy Joel and Elton John records. My Strawberry Buttermilk Cake came out so well, I decided to try to recreate the flavors with Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes. I did replace the vanilla flavoring on the cake with almond flavoring. I've seen almond flavoring used with strawberries before - they seem to go together pretty well. And oh boy, did they ever! I added a little sugar along with the egg and buttermilk, and they were tasty, rich and tart and just sweet enough.
I dance a little along with the music as I cleaned up from brunch. Unfortunately, I wasn't looking where I was going. I smacked my right hand against the wooden dining table chair as I headed to the kitchen. Ouch! Nothing seemed to be broken, but the fourth finger is sore and swollen. I didn't have enough time to do anything with it before work. I'd just have to be careful.
Thankfully, work wasn't anywhere near as bad as it was yesterday. It was busy, but that's typical for a nice Sunday. It actually could have been a lot worse. Everyone was in a very good mood. Other than my break was late again, there were no major problems. My relief, one of the college boys, was on time.
It was another gorgeous, sunny, breezy day when I got out of work. Once again, I took the long way home down Nicholson. The Sunday traffic was pretty bad, but I wanted to at least enjoy a little of the weather. I'm getting tired of the repair to the Oaklyn ramp on the Black Horse Pike, too. (Thank heavens they've finally covered those metal plates. You could hear cars driving over the plates as far away as my apartment.)
When I got in, I got the dolls changed into slightly lighter outfits for May. Josefina honors the upcoming Cinco Del Mayo in her recently retired Dress and Vest and the lovely gold Heirloom Accessories shawl. Samantha's ready for her birthday in her original pink striped Birthday Dress and Pinafore, the white shoes from (Rebecca's) Lace Dress, and the lace headband from her current accessories set. Whitney looks very 50's in a hand-made polka dot dress from eBay, the pink ankle-wrap shoes from the Sweet Spring Dress, and the lavender scrunchie bow from Samantha's Frilly Frock. Molly's in a hand-made version of her extremely hard-to-find Victory Garden Dress. Jessa wears the lavender sweater from Kit's original "meet" outfit with the flower-print tie-dye t-shirt from the 2012 Hiking Outfit, the mauve sandals from the Sparkle Sequin Outfit, and the hand-made denim capris Lauren sent for Christmas. I just left Felicity in her salmon pink Birthday Gown. I really don't have much to change her into.
Ran Jersey Boys as I changed the girls, and later as ate leftovers and roasted zucchini and squash fries for dinner. Four Italian-American guys from North Jersey seem to be typical layabout kids of the mid-50's - they end up in jail, they get into trouble, they chase girls. Except one, Frankie Valli (John Lloyd Young) has an amazing singing voice, and he's generally a decent guy. When one guy leaves the band, a friend introduces them to Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen), who has already had a hit and can not only sing, but write songs at the drop of a hat. They get stuck for a year as backup singers to other popular artists at the time, until Bob comes up with the smash hit "Sherry." Suddenly, The Four Seasons are on their way to the top...but when Tommy (Vincent Piazza) gets into trouble and Frankie helps him out, the other guys aren't as thrilled.
I agree with most critics that Clint Eastwood probably wasn't the best choice to direct a musical about the Four Seasons. This movie should be funny and colorful, and while there are some hilarious bits (I love the guys talking to the camera, especially early on), it degenerates into a mire of sludge once the band gets popular. Despite some of the actors having been in the original Broadway cast, almost everyone comes off as stiff. The performances are lifeless. In fact, the only really fun number is the entire cast doing "Oh What a Night (December 1963)" over the credits. Not horrible if you're a classic rock fan like me or love the show, but it could have been a lot better. (Oh, and as with the show, this is NOT for kids. There's a ton of rather heavy swearing throughout the film.)
Had my usual Sunday pancakes while listening to Billy Joel and Elton John records. My Strawberry Buttermilk Cake came out so well, I decided to try to recreate the flavors with Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes. I did replace the vanilla flavoring on the cake with almond flavoring. I've seen almond flavoring used with strawberries before - they seem to go together pretty well. And oh boy, did they ever! I added a little sugar along with the egg and buttermilk, and they were tasty, rich and tart and just sweet enough.
I dance a little along with the music as I cleaned up from brunch. Unfortunately, I wasn't looking where I was going. I smacked my right hand against the wooden dining table chair as I headed to the kitchen. Ouch! Nothing seemed to be broken, but the fourth finger is sore and swollen. I didn't have enough time to do anything with it before work. I'd just have to be careful.
Thankfully, work wasn't anywhere near as bad as it was yesterday. It was busy, but that's typical for a nice Sunday. It actually could have been a lot worse. Everyone was in a very good mood. Other than my break was late again, there were no major problems. My relief, one of the college boys, was on time.
It was another gorgeous, sunny, breezy day when I got out of work. Once again, I took the long way home down Nicholson. The Sunday traffic was pretty bad, but I wanted to at least enjoy a little of the weather. I'm getting tired of the repair to the Oaklyn ramp on the Black Horse Pike, too. (Thank heavens they've finally covered those metal plates. You could hear cars driving over the plates as far away as my apartment.)
When I got in, I got the dolls changed into slightly lighter outfits for May. Josefina honors the upcoming Cinco Del Mayo in her recently retired Dress and Vest and the lovely gold Heirloom Accessories shawl. Samantha's ready for her birthday in her original pink striped Birthday Dress and Pinafore, the white shoes from (Rebecca's) Lace Dress, and the lace headband from her current accessories set. Whitney looks very 50's in a hand-made polka dot dress from eBay, the pink ankle-wrap shoes from the Sweet Spring Dress, and the lavender scrunchie bow from Samantha's Frilly Frock. Molly's in a hand-made version of her extremely hard-to-find Victory Garden Dress. Jessa wears the lavender sweater from Kit's original "meet" outfit with the flower-print tie-dye t-shirt from the 2012 Hiking Outfit, the mauve sandals from the Sparkle Sequin Outfit, and the hand-made denim capris Lauren sent for Christmas. I just left Felicity in her salmon pink Birthday Gown. I really don't have much to change her into.
Ran Jersey Boys as I changed the girls, and later as ate leftovers and roasted zucchini and squash fries for dinner. Four Italian-American guys from North Jersey seem to be typical layabout kids of the mid-50's - they end up in jail, they get into trouble, they chase girls. Except one, Frankie Valli (John Lloyd Young) has an amazing singing voice, and he's generally a decent guy. When one guy leaves the band, a friend introduces them to Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen), who has already had a hit and can not only sing, but write songs at the drop of a hat. They get stuck for a year as backup singers to other popular artists at the time, until Bob comes up with the smash hit "Sherry." Suddenly, The Four Seasons are on their way to the top...but when Tommy (Vincent Piazza) gets into trouble and Frankie helps him out, the other guys aren't as thrilled.
I agree with most critics that Clint Eastwood probably wasn't the best choice to direct a musical about the Four Seasons. This movie should be funny and colorful, and while there are some hilarious bits (I love the guys talking to the camera, especially early on), it degenerates into a mire of sludge once the band gets popular. Despite some of the actors having been in the original Broadway cast, almost everyone comes off as stiff. The performances are lifeless. In fact, the only really fun number is the entire cast doing "Oh What a Night (December 1963)" over the credits. Not horrible if you're a classic rock fan like me or love the show, but it could have been a lot better. (Oh, and as with the show, this is NOT for kids. There's a ton of rather heavy swearing throughout the film.)
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Trouble In the Morning
I had my early 8 AM shift today. It wasn't fun. I was tired and cranky, and my customers were only a little happier. I know I was more rude than I should have been, especially with one man who thought a brand of barbecue sauce was on sale when it wasn't. I got fussed at again by one of the managers for being rude and being slow. Ok, I shouldn't have been rude...but I was tired. I'm not used to working this early anymore. I really, REALLY wish they'd give me a consistent schedule. And I'm getting fed up with the complaining about me being slow. When I try to go as fast as they want, the customers say I don't need to go that fast. They're not in a hurry, so why should I rush?
I couldn't get out of there quick enough. It was still below-average chilly this morning, but it had gotten warmer and sunnier by 2 PM. I bought toilet paper and scones and hurried out. I decided to take the long way home down Nicholson and enjoy the nice weather. The traffic on Nicholson was pretty bad, but it was fine once I went over the hill and onto Atlantic.
As soon as I got home, I took a nap. I went to sleep at 2:30 and got up at 4. It didn't really help that much. I still felt tired, frustrated, and dazed. I grabbed a notebook and decided to write down ideas for my WENN swashbuckler spoof to clear my head. Just writing the stuff I had planned for Scott's character filled over a page and a half alone. I've been writing down ideas at work on whatever small pieces of paper I can grab without anyone noticing, which means I had lots of small pieces of "no sale" papers floating around my desk that had to be notated.
I had scrambled eggs with zucchini, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese for dinner and strawberry buttermilk cake for dessert while finishing out the Sailor Moon set. Poor Naru picks the wrong guy to fall in love with. She's crazy about Nephrite, even after she learns how evil he is. First, he uses her to get to a princess at a big party whose secret treasure may be the Silver Crystal. Naru's lucky Usagi badly wanted to attend a ball and is there to help her out. Then, he thinks she may have the Silver Crystal, so he goes to her and tries to persuade her to bring it to him. Even after Usagi tells her he's a villain, Naru still insists she cares about him, to the point of saving him from Sailor Moon's tiara.
Switched to a less dire Remember WENN episode as I cleaned up from dinner. It's "Two For the Price of One" when Pruitt's secretary Miss Cosgrave signs the cast up to do programming for not only their station, but radio station WEEP as well. They sign up the entire staff to do shows, even Gertie and Mr. Eldridge. Trouble comes in the form of WEEP manager Mr. Crowley. He loves their shows so much, he wants to use them for his station...and his station alone. Scott, Betty, and C.J come up with a way to mix up the programming and keep their shows at WENN where they belong.
I wanted to get out into the fresh air after being inside for most of the day. I grabbed my coat and boots and jumped on my bike. Stopped at Common Grounds Coffee House for a chai latte and to collect my thoughts. I'm so frustrated about this morning. I wish I could explain about being shy and an introvert to the managers. I took this job to make money in college, not to be my permanent career. I just don't know where to go next.
I rode around the neighborhood, enjoying the cool breezy and the partially cloudy evening. I hopped off my bike at the small playground on the end of Cedar and goofed around. I climbed the stairs. I dove through the tunnel. I just barely squeezed down the wavy slide.
There were quite a few people out and about tonight. I saw many folks - interestingly, most of them adults - getting ice cream and water ice at Phillies Yummies. There were quite a few kids out playing catch or riding bikes, or just walking around and chatting. Adults strolled with friends or chatted on their porches or patios, or just enjoyed the spring evening.
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