I Didn’t Get To

Posted on July 13, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I neglected to make my Wrist to Forehead Sunday blog post, but that isn’t really what I Didn’t Get To, as referenced in the title.  The title refers to the Utica Boilermaker 15K, which longtime readers know I have run in the past and I meant to run this year but was sidelined by my treacherous body.  Then again, perhaps it was me who betrayed my body by not training properly, not stretching enough, eating the wrong things, blah blah blah.  In other words, once again, Operator Error.  In either case, yesterday I swooned, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead, because I could not join the other runners.

What I might have looked like after the race.

That is a picture from April of 2020, after I had just run a Virtual 5K to benefit, I think, a food pantry in Little Falls, NY.  These were my pre-Garmin, pre-Map My Run days, so I ran what I thought I remembered was the DARE 5K route, up the hill to Herkimer College (a formidable hill, in case you didn’t know).  Some people were impressed.

So I got on Facebook yesterday and saw all the good wishes for Boilermaker runners and video from WKTV, and I was, I admit it, a little down. So I said to myself, “You don’t get to.”  And isn’t that the truth?  Sometimes you just don’t get to.  I didn’t get to see my husband turn 70.  I didn’t get to win the Lottery.  I didn’t get to plant a vegetable garden this year.

I do not know why that little phrase should make me feel better, but somehow it does.  I did not get to run the Boilermaker.  Maybe next year I will.  Or maybe not.  A little uncertainty adds interest to 2027, does it not?

 

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We’ll Call This a Scattered Saturday Post

Posted on July 11, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear, look at the time!  I was about to begin this post with “That was exhausting!”  I got a new phone yesterday.  I got it for free for being a loyal TracFone customer (don’t know how to spell it, so you see how loyal I really am; I am just to lazy to change these things once I have them).  I think I got my stuff switched over OK, all except for WordPress.  Well, I wanted to download (or is it upload?) two pictures I took yesterday to make a fast post today.  Full disclosure:  I only took the pictures to see if I could email them, because I am off to cover an event for the Daily Sentinel and it is of prime importance that I be able to include pictures.

I do babble on, don’t I?  Quick, throw in one of those pictures!

I do love purple!

These are the purple flowers that I am letting live in my front lawn after the daisies and peonies died.  Alas, they are not as plentiful, but they have the advantage that I can see them.  I was trapped on my couch or transporting to various medical facilities when the daisies and peonies were spreading their joy.  I hope other passers-by enjoyed them.

Can you count them? I can’t, so there will be no contest for guessing the correct amount.

These are the little pine cones that grow in profusion on the former Frankentree.  I took the picture, because my sister Diane was quite taken with them when she last visited, and I meant to email the pictures to her, since I knew I had her email address on file and was pretty sure she would email back.  I wonder if I could do some artsy-craftsy thing with a lot of little pine cones.  Additionally, I thought pincecones was one word, but my computer is underlining it, so I guess not.

I must get off my Chromebook and get ready to go to the Annual Wellness Fair at the Town of Herkimer Park.  It starts at 9 a.m. and runs till 1 p.m. will lots of vendors, information and activities, for any local readers who would like to check it out!

 

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The Boilermaker Blues

Posted on July 10, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to another Lame Post Friday post!  I am waiting for my new smarter-than-me phone to charge a little more before I head out to the Health and Wellness Expo for the Utica Boilermaker 2026.  Normally this blog would be All Boilermaker All The Time at this point, as I dealt with last minute training and carbing up, Boilermaker Butterflies, decisions about what to wear, where to park, and anything else I could come up with to dither about.  Regular readers know, that will not happen this year.

My feet failed me now.

Those are my sneakers in 2020, a virtual Boilermaker year.  Running was a great solace to me during COVID shut-down.  I have long relied on walking and running to supplement my anti-depressant drugs, counseling, etc.  These days I keep giving myself a good talking-to when I start to feel sorry for myself over the way my body has betrayed me this year, because for heavens’ sake, it could be much worse.

I waited till way too late in the game to transfer my bib or get a medical deferral. Partly because I was spending time immobile and incommunicado, partly because I kept hoping there would be some miracle.  That was silly of me, but then, you know me.  Silly.  I emailed the race director on Wednesday and told him my tentative plan to pick up my bib and glass, then go to the race after-party on my crutches and drink beer with the finishers.  He emailed back that he thought it was a great idea.  How sweet was that, that he took time to email me back!

Not the best picture.

The Boilermaker gives you a glass instead of a t-shirt.  This is from the first time I ran the Boilermaker in 2010.  I have not run it  every year, but I have run it several times (please don’t ask me to do the math!).  Sorry the picture is so dark.  I first had to wander around my messy house looking for a place to take the picture at all; I couldn’t be bothered to worry about the lighting as well.

I see I am over 350 words with neither a random observation nor a bit of half-baked philosophy to show for it.  What is Lame Post Friday coming to?  On the brighter side, it is just about time to take off for the Expo.  Another glass to drink my chocolate milk recovery beverage out of, if I am ever able to run again!

 

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Blanche DuBois, Can You Help Me Now?

Posted on July 10, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello, and welcome to a Non-Sequitur Thursday Post.  I only hope I can come up with a headline sufficiently intriguing to entice people to read what I can come up with.  To put things out of order, I lead with my best picture, which I took late in the day, when I gimped on my crutches to the Elks Lodge to see whichever of my friends might happen to be there.

Baby Firefighter?

Logically, I suppose a child dropped the doll and a later by-passer placed it on the fire hydrant so it would be obvious to anybody returning hoping to retrieve said toy.  I just thought it looked cool.

When I returned home, I took a couple pictures I perhaps should have taken this morning.

Can you even tell I mowed?

This is usually the day I meet up with some of my Elks friends for breakfast.  Unfortunately, I had neglected to find out where they had decided to meet. I could have reached out to one of them to find out, but instead I thought I ought to mow my back lawn before the heat of the day, which promised to come early.  Accordingly I went out and checked my gas container, which I had thought was empty and I would have to fill it.  It had gas in it!  I excitedly filled my power mower.

I was a little worried that it was only about 7:23.  I walked out front and saw some guys in a pick-up truck turning around in the apartment building at the end of my street.  I flagged them down and asked how early one could get away with mowing with a power mower.  They thought 7 a.m. was a good time.

“I just don’t want anybody cursing me,” I said.  Two guys in the pick-up thought I was all right.  Encouraged, I went back to my mower.

Only to find out I could not start it.  I primed it.  I checked the oil.  I waited and primed it again.  I walked out front again and saw a young man who looked fairly muscular.  I did not know him but made bold to approach him.  Like Blanche DuBois, I have always relied upon the kindness of strangers.  He nicely agreed to try.  After a couple of tries, he got it started!  Unfortunately, his keys were stuck in the safety doodah.  Luckily, I was able to ease them out without stopping the mower.

 

 

Another view of my efforts. Please ignore the Halloween decorations behind the plywood.

Thanking my benefactor, I went at that back yard!  I confess, there is quite a bit yet to be done with clippers, etc.  However, when I finished what I could do I was tired!

Oh dear, look at this, I am over 450 words!  That is a long blog post for me, and I have no ideas for a headline or a conclusion.  Never mind.  It is Thursday.  I have made a blog post.  As my mantra says: We do what we can do, and if it’s not enough: tough!

 

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Wuss-Out, Way-Back, Mid-Week, Whatever!

Posted on July 9, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Wuss-out Wednesday follows Tired Tuesday and that is just the way it goes some weeks.  I managed to get a very few things done today, but I am not up to great feats of Mohawk Valley Adventures nor blogging about them.  The best I can hope for is a Mid-Week Monsters Post.  Maybe a Wayback Wednesday or Preview of Coming Attractions.  Let us see what catches my attention in my Media Library.

Aren’t they cute?

How about monsters and a preview?  I do not remember where I came by the dinosaur (which could be construed as a monster), but the animals came from Rose Quartz Stand, one of my favorite stops when I am on Mohawk Street in Herkimer, NY.  I have a nice collection of those little animals.  They are so small, it is no problem to add to the collection.  Also, I like to give them to people.

Apparently the skeletons did not read the sign.

Here is a place I would like to go again, leg and back permitting: Gold Rush Adventure Golf in Westmoreland.  I’m sure many of the displays have been changed and/or added to, because it has been a few years since I was there.

Nothing monstrous about this!

Now here is something I have not done in a while: gone garage saling.  Of course, I am supposed to be getting rid of stuff in my house.  Still, I might find some good stuff that wouldn’t take up too much room, mightn’t I?  I think Herkimer Village-Wide Garage Sales are coming up.  Once again, I will not have my act together to participate.  Never mind.  At least I made a blog post.  Happy Wednesday, everybody.

 

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I Don’t Feel So Good

Posted on July 8, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m afraid today is going to be a Blogger’s Sick Day.  I may get to 200 words and bill it as a Tired Tuesday, but we shall see.  I have one of my light-headed migraines and it is doing me in.  It came upon me last night during the Herkimer Town Board meeting, but I managed to make it through the meeting, taking notes and paying pretty good attention.  Really, my light-headed migraines are not as bad as the painful migraines I used to get, and I know other people suffer way worse ones than that, so I must count my blessings.  That said, I am not my peppy, chatty self.  Is my usual self peppy and chatty?  Discuss amongst yourselves while I look in my Media Library for a picture to pep things up.

“I don’t always wear pumpkin pants, but when I do, it’s in a Shakespeare play.”

I have not shared this picture in a while.  It is my friend Tucker, posing as the Most Interesting Man in the World backstage at a performance of The Tempest by LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company in 2017.  I miss summer Shakespeare, although I would not have been able to participate this year, alas.

Am I casting a spell or conducting?

Just to share another picture, here I am in July of 2018, participating in the DooDah Parade during Ilion Days with Ilion Little Theatre (ILT).  ILT has not participated in the parade in a while, which I believe I have mentioned.  I rode in the parade last year, covering it for the Daily Sentinel.  I do not know when it is this year.  I think soon, and I am about to miss it.  Oh dear.  I guess I am having more than a sick day.

 

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I Didn’t Wait for Wednesday

Posted on July 7, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear, I think I have waited too long to make my Monday blog post for WordPress to count this as part of my latest “streak” (and if the term “streak” gave any of you an unfortunate mental image of me running past you naked, serves you right for having that kind of a mind) (you know who you are).  Unfortunately, I do not have much mental wherewithal to make a blog post today.

Why don’t I just go ride a bike?

That was when I remembered I had taken a picture earlier for possible use on Waste Not Want Not Wednesday.  This bike is on the second floor of the Ilion Village Municipal Building, where I went this morning to see the swearing-in of the mayor and two trustees.  I took a few pictures for the Daily Sentinel, you know, my side hustle (OK, it is my only hustle, and I really don’t feel there is much hustle to me these days).

It was my idea for them to pose like this after the swearing in.

Last month I missed most of the meetings I usually cover, because I was lounged on my couch, various parts of my leg taking turns giving me grief.  I’ll say this for my body: it usually tag-teams with the pain.  But enough about me. I do have another picture to share.

A cemetery is always atmospheric, I find.

The one meeting I managed to attend was Frankfort Town Board on June 25.  On the 26th I drove out to a cemetery on the corner of Higby and Graffenburg roads, which was mentioned during the meeting.  I always try to include a picture to go with my stories for the paper.  Also it is fun for me to drive around looking for one.  I pretend I am an intrepid girl reporter from a 1940s horror movie or screwball comedy.

I see I have managed over 300 words.  I say not bad for a Monday.  I must make my way down to a Herkimer Town Board meeting at 6 tonight.  I intend to hobble on my crutches.  I need the exercise, and there are a couple of handy park benches I can rest on if I get tired along the way.

 

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Fought the Lawn, Fought the Deck, What Next?

Posted on July 6, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I got out early in hopes of making a Lawn Order post instead of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday blog post.  Well, fighting the lawn (and the lawn won) did cause me to swoon, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead, but I felt I got something done, so I took a few pictures and I will attempt to make a blog post recounting my adventures.

No, really, this IS the “after” picture.

I maybe should have taken a “before” picture.  I spent some ten minutes yesterday and a little bit longer today with clippers, chopping away at dead daisies and past their prime peonies (I made up the alliterative titles while I worked) while trying to let the purple flowers live.  There was a insidious invasive species I tried to do away with as well.  One sprig of purple blooms ended up in my green waste container, but I clipped it with a pair of scissors and it now resides in a bud vase in my living room.  Sorry there is no picture of it, but my living room is quite cluttered.  I hope to fight that mess to a standstill as the week progresses.

Not party ready yet, but getting there!

After puffing and panting out front (bending and straightening is not fun for my age and weight) (yes, I KNOW I can do something about the latter, I’m trying, but these things take time, give me a break!) (you know who you are), I went out back to my deck.  There were still leaves on it from last fall, which I know is extremely harmful to the wood.  I huffed and puffed first with a rake then with a broom.  I feel I met with some success.

Luna, the dog next door, came out on her back porch and barked at me.  There were no balls handy for me to throw for her, as I explained to her.  She watched me work for a while, making sad noises from time to time but in general acquiescing in my refusal to play with her.  I felt bad, but there is only so much an old lady like me can do, after all. Quite frankly, if there had been a ball handy I might have thrown it a few times and let some of the leaves go hang, but we’ll never know.

Yes I know the lawn needs mowing.

Three containers is the most we can leave out.  Also, they don’t like stuff to stick up over the top of the containers.  So I felt I was in compliance.  I went back in the house and like any normal person got on the internet for a while.  After scrolling around, I noticed some weird brown puffy things on my shirt.  Oh dear.  This is what happens when you don’t get into the shower right away.  It was awkward to get a picture of the shirt (I do like to document these things), but luckily there were some on my socks.

It’s an old pair of sneakers.

This is turning out to be a long blog post.  Isn’t that nice?  Maybe I should try to write a few other things.  Maybe that novel I keep talking about.  I’ll let you know how that turns out.  Maybe a horror novel about invasive species and little brown puffy things who terrorize old ladies who just want to have parties on their decks.  What do you think?

 

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Slacker Saturday, but Hopes for Sunday

Posted on July 5, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear, I have once again neglected to make a blog post and even worse neglected to do any blogworthy activities.  There is nothing for it but a Slacker Saturday post.  Can I manage such a thing.  Probably.  Will my Media Library help?  I hope so.

One bloom.

A protracted search brought no inspiration, so I share one lone Black-Eyed Susan.  I do not know if I will have any Black-Eyed or Brown-Eyed Susans this year, although I have had many in the past.  My yard, I fear, will be a great disappointment.  I resign myself to this being another rebuilding year.

These are pretty!

To share something happier, here is a view from July 2017.  I’m not sure where all these purple blossoms came from but I like them.  There are a few purple pretties out there now.  I hope to cut them down before I lay waste to the dead daisies and peonies that make my front lawn such a disgrace as it is now.  That is my project for tomorrow, I hope.

Will is be a Slacker Sunday?  I hope not.  For one reason, it will make a better blog post if I can accomplish a little lawn order on my property.  As always, I hope you will stay tuned.

 

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High Temperatures, Lame Blog Posts

Posted on July 4, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh crap, I forgot to make my blog post earlier!  AND I already used my “I’m MELTING!” picture earlier this week.  Who knew I would be melting even worse today?  I guess anybody who was watching the weather reports, which in fact, I have been.  Anyways, it is Lame Post Friday, so I am just going to rattle on for 200 or so words, perhaps indulging in a few random observations or some half-baked philosophy. It is Friday; I checked.

There are wine tastings on Fridays.

This is a picture from last week at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY.  Full disclosure:  It may have been Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.  They have tastings all three of those days.  I believe they do not have a tasting tomorrow, on the Fourth. I did not attend yesterday’s tasting.  I am thinking of going to today’s tasting, which has already started.  It runs till six.  I have time. I just have to put my pants back on (do NOT say TMI) (you know who you are).

I do not have mine in a row, by the way

I throw in a duck, because who doesn’t love a duck (if it is you, I believe you have come to the wrong blog, because I love ducks and often include them)?  That is a duck I won in a claw machine in Boulevard Diner in Whitesboro and subsequently presented to my friend Michele on her birthday.  I won a spangly blue duck in a claw machine at Friendly’s in New Hartford yesterday.  It is presently residing on my coffee table, which really needs cleaning.

It is, in fact, too hot for me to worry about cleaning my house right now.  Perhaps I can get something done after the heat of the day today or before the heat of the day tomorrow.  Will it be worth a blog post?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my weekend.

 

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