Author Archives: mohawkvalleygirl

Joan Crawford, Can You Help Me Now?

Posted on April 15, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

The answer to yesterday’s movie trivia question was: Strait Jacket, starring Joan Crawford, produced and directed by William Castle.  It is one of my favorite movies.  We are watching it as  I type this.

I had meant to make my blog post earlier, after I went for a run.  I felt sure I could make a Running Commentary post.  Later, Steven and I went for a walk with my sister Cheryl.  A Pedestrian Post would have been fine. Later on, Steven and I attended a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, then went for a fish fry at the Elks Club in Ilion, both perfectly acceptable blog post topics.  And yet, I am not writing about any of those topics.

I want to watch my cheesy movie!  And maybe drink a little more wine!  But, yet, I must make my blog post.  Then again, it is actually Friday, so  a Friday Lame Post may be appropriate.  Random observations and half-baked philosophy?  I suppose I could observe that I adore old, cheesy movies.  Perhaps I could come up with some half-baked philosophy why this might be true.  Um, I don’t know why it might be true.  It’s Friday!  I’ve been drinking wine!  I CAN’T TAKE IT ANY MORE!!!

What I guess I’m saying is, sorry folks.  It would have been a good idea to make my blog post earlier.  However, that ship has sailed.  We cannot always follow the ideal course.  We’ll see if I can come up with something better on Scattered Saturday.  Have a delightful evening.

 

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Losing My Lame Head

Posted on April 14, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is like a Friday for me, because I have tomorrow off.  Therefore, my mind wants to post lame.  Oh, who am I kidding?  I often want to post lame or not at all (not at all?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!) (it ain’t so; I always want to make a post).  On Fridays, I pretend I have an excuse.  On other days, I make up an excuse.  Or I make a foolish post and I have no excuse.

Sorry, folks, but I am tired today.  And sad and discouraged.  One of my favorite quotes, although I do not know who said it, is, “Courage comes in waves.  Hold out for the next shipment.”  I may even have the exact wording wrong, but isn’t it a good thought?  It kind of goes along with a saying of mine, “Sometimes you just have to feel that way till you don’t feel that way any more.”  And while I am feeling that way, there is no point in making a whiny, tiresome blog post, is there?

I had another rehearsal earlier for Who Shot JS? the murder mystery to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  I last heard that a mere 10 tickets remain to be sold.  Woohoo! I want the event to be a success!  Rehearsals are going splendidly.  The mystery will be performed at the Herkimer Elks Club on Saturday, April 22 at 6 p.m..  Tickets are $20 and include dinner catered by Dominick Scalise of Herkimer with dessert from the Friendly Bake Shop in Frankfort. If any local readers want to try for one of the few tickets left, contact the Historical Society at 315-866-6413.

I was hoping I could think of something funny to say to amuse my readers, but I am blank.  I know!  I will end with a trivia quiz, stolen from a Facebook friend.  I knew the answer to this.  What movie ends with the following:

I wonder if I can talk Steven into watching it tonight!

Answer in tomorrow’s post!  Ooh, I like the suspense.  Maybe I’ll make a trivia quiz a weekly feature.  What do you think?

 

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Mid-week Moniker?

Posted on April 13, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

As I was writing one of my articles for Mohawk Valley Living magazine, I referred to myself as “Mohawk Valley Girl, lover of local.”  I think that is a fine moniker.  Additionally, I think “moniker” is a good word.

Are you sensing a Wuss-out Wednesday here?  I was thinking more along the lines of Mid-week Middle-aged Musings, which I have not had in a while.  The point is, I’m not feeling well.  I’m afraid it is that stomach bug I hear is going around.  Well, I won’t gross you out with my symptoms (unless you piss me off, but you wouldn’t do that, would you?).

Thinking of my love of local, though, I am making a few plans for the weekend.  Friday, Steven and I hope to go to Heidelberg Bakery for breakfast.  We will purchase a couple of loaves of their bread to bring to Easter dinner at my parents’ house.  It is our usual contribution to the feast.  Later on, we may get together with my sister, Cheryl, for further adventures.  She recently discovered a new antique shop.  Of course I mean new to us.  I did not mean to be oxymoronic with “new antique”  (my computer is underlining “oxymoronic,” but if “moronic” is a word and “oxymoron” is a word, why not “oxymoronic”?  I ask you).

I plan to run Friday, Saturday and Sunday, having, you guessed it, taken yesterday, today and tomorrow off (too busy AND flu bug, but I’m sure I’ll feel better by Friday).  Perhaps it will be the start of a streak.  I’ll see how many days in a row I can run.  I am, of course, preparing for the Utica Boilermaker 15K, a premier road race and marvelous local event.  I may do some other community runs this summer.

I will also attempt to write more blog posts of interest.  More interesting than my abdominal ills and what I like to call myself?  We can hope!  Happy Wednesday, everyone.

 

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Halloween Pictures on Tired Tuesday

Posted on April 12, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

My hair is actually a little shorter than this.

This is my new profile picture on Facebook.  I open today’s Tired Tuesday post with it, because, what a surprise:  I got nuthin’ else.  Of course I like having the Bride of Frankenstein as my profile pic, I’ve had it before, but I really liked this one for the saying.  I like to embrace my own imperfections.  They are what make me, me.

I don’t suppose it is October yet.

This picture has nothing to do with the preceding paragraph, but it is Halloween-ish and I have not used it before.  Also, it is Bela Lugosi.  There could be no possible objection.

My hair is more grey than this kid’s.

This must be a picture Steven downloaded at some point.  He finds the coolest stuff.  This is an appropriate picture to include here, because as soon as I hit “Publish,” I am going upstairs to read in bed before going to sleep.  I am actually not reading a ghost story.  I am quite absorbed in a biography of John Barrymore.  I am a huge fan of his brother, Lionel, and I also admire their sister, Ethel.   However, John was pretty cool too.  The next time I run in place on the mini-tramp, I may watch the silent movie, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” starring John.

At last I am over 200 words.  I’ll call that respectable for a Tired Tuesday.  I hope to see you all on Wuss-out Wednesday.

 

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Getting Through a Monday Run

Posted on April 11, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

The run you take after taking four days off is usually one that you just have to get through.  So I did.

It was an unseasonably warm day, warmer than I like to run in.  I reminded myself that it will be warmer yet in July and August, when I intend to keep running.  After all, I’m not ONLY going to run the Boilermaker 15K.   At least there was no debate over what to wear.  I further reflected that the temperature would warm my leg muscles up.

As I began to run, and as I continued to run, I felt as if I had no leg muscles.  No matter, as I usually say to myself in these situations.  The run had to be endured.  It would be endured.  I distracted myself with any little flowers I saw along the way.  There were a few, although yards are still brown.  A few people were out working on theirs.  I need to do that, too.  Others were out walking or sitting on their porches.  That’s what I wanted to do:  sit down.  I passed some kids on bikes.

“That’s what I need, a set of wheels,” I said.  They did not offer me a ride.

I saw a lot of dogs.  Most of them barked at me.  I like dogs.

By the time I finished my run I was exhausted.  I didn’t even stretch.  In keeping with my ambition to at last get my act together (under the heading “hope springs eternal”), I had put a load of laundry in the washer before I left on the run.  I could not face going down the basement stairs to put it in the drier.  Steven nicely did it for me.  I dragged myself upstairs, wishing I had one of those old lady shower seats.  The cool shower revived me somewhat.

Quite frankly, I feel less revived now.  However, my run is done, the laundry is in the drier, and my blog post is written.  I’ll call that a Monday win.

 

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Walking on Sunshine

Posted on April 10, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

It was a drop-dead gorgeous day in the Mohawk Valley today.  Steven and I felt the right thing to do was to take a long walk, so we did.  First I wrote a few post cards.  I normally do that on Saturday, but, well, I guess it’s been kind of a lost weekend for me.  Don’t judge. Oh, OK, judge if you want, but don’t nag. I won’t listen.  Where was I?  Ah yes, about to write a Pedestrian Post instead of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

It was so bright and sunny I put on a hat with a brim and carried my purse, which contains my prescription sunglasses.  I put the sunglasses on before we reached the end of the driveway.  Before leaving, though, we walked into the backyard and shook our heads over the amount of yard work that needs to be done.  The delightful part was that we have some crocuses.  I was afraid with the early warm days and late snow we wouldn’t get any.  I noticed a few irises coming up as well.  Yay!

We walked down the sidewalk positively glorying in the warmth.  As we went through Meyers Park, I pointed out buds on some of the trees.  How wonderful it will be so see some green finally!  It was a comfortable temperature for walking, but I almost felt as if I won’t mind it too much when it does get super hot.  Oh well, I suppose I will be true to form and complain about it when it happens, but right now, I feel as if I won’t mind.  Does that make any sense to anybody?

After mailing the post cards, we headed toward Main Street then up Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners, one of my favorite spots.  We continued up Main then over to the path over what used to be a hydraulic canal.  We ended up walking down three stretches of the path, then up Washington and down Court Street to the Historic Four Corners again.  We met many people out taking a stroll or hanging out on their porches.  We exchanged greetings with all.

I was quite hungry when we got home so started cooking dinner. We opened front and back doors, because I ran the oven.  How lovely to air out the house!  I only wish I had brought our tablet on the walk so I could have taken some pictures to share.  Maybe I’ll look into getting one of them there smart phones; that ought to help pep things up.  Then I’ll have a Pepped Up Pedestrian Post.  You know how I love alliteration.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

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Hotties at the Tavern

Posted on April 9, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had been wanting to go to Gerber’s 1933 Tavern for the longest time.  When I heard they were having a Prohibition Party, I made immediate plans to go with my friend Kim.  I think I mentioned my problem getting an outfit together.  I think I didn’t do too badly.

I’m the hottie on the right, in the tiara.

The Tavern is a beautiful place.  It looks as if it hasn’t changed much since the ’30’s.  Um, not that I was around in the 1930’s.   I’m not that old.  We sat at the bar and ordered drinks.  The service was awesome. We ordered a hummus appetizer, which came with pita chips, vegetables and olives.  Yum!

We were there early and the only ones dressed up at first.  The staff and other patrons admired our outfits.   Later on, more costumes showed up.  They  were going to have a trivia contest at eight, but we left before that.  Most of my knowledge is quite trivial, but for some reason I never do well at trivia contests.

I plan to return to Gerber’s 1933 Tavern soon, possibly for lunch, because there were a couple of sandwiches on the menu that’s I’d love to try.  They are located at 16 Liberty St., Utica, NY.  They are open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to midnight, closed Sunday and Monday.  You can Like them on Facebook.  I did.

 

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Pre Prohibition Party Post

Posted on April 8, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I get by with a little help from my friends.  That is a profound lyric, I find, and I would go so far as to say it is true for all of us.  Anybody who says they do not get help from their friends is either kidding themselves or leads a very sad life.  I try to avoid speaking in absolutes like that, because I am no hand at argument, but I feel strongly about this.

Could this be some half-baked philosophy suitable for Lame Post Friday?

As a matter of fact, I started out to post the silly story of me getting ready for the Prohibition Party at Gerber’s 1933 Tavern (I keep forgetting the year; I want to call it 1834, like the jail in Herkimer).  Now, having recently participated in a murder mystery with a speakeasy setting, you might think I had a prohibition era costume ready to hand.  Not so much.  Ruby’s dress was, well, Ruby’s.  It was perfect for the character.  For me going to an event at a local tavern, I wanted something else.  Oh, all right, something sexier.  Don’t middle-aged ladies ever get to feel attractive?  Who makes up these rules anyways?

To be honest, I don’t think my gyrations getting ready are all that interesting.   However, I did come up with an outfit I think it passable.  The reason I put the opening paragraph is that I am waiting for my friend Kim to come over and offer her input and encouragement.  She is pretty awesome.  I hope she will approve of my outfit, or at least tell me something better to put on.  If anybody takes any pictures, I may post one in a future post.  If I don’t look too ridiculous.

Happy Friday, everyone.

 

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I Think Revivifying Is a Good Word

Posted on April 7, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I just had a cup of Oolong tea, thinking it was going to make everything better.  You see what I did just there:  I skipped all the whining about what needs to be made better.  Who wants to hear all that?  I don’t even want to type it.  Incidentally, by cup of tea, of course I mean mug.  I wanted enough tea to make a difference in my life. As I waited for the tea to steep, I started composing in my head either a blog post or Facebook status about how wonderful a hot cup of Oolong tea was.

Only it wasn’t.

Oh, it was a perfectly tasty cup of tea.  I enjoyed it.  However, it did not have the revivifying effect I sought.  Or as I usually put it, it was not the miracle I was hoping for.  And yet I must make my blog post before rehearsal for Who Shot JS? at six.  I guess it’s Non-Sequitur Thursday once again.

On lunch break at work today, I made a little progress on the blog post about the cheesy movie I mentioned yesterday.  In general I love to write about cheesy movies, or even regular movies.  Yesterday and today, however, I just wasn’t feeling it.  What the hell, me?  I turned some pages in the notebook (the spiral-bound, paper kind, not a computer) and wrote a couple of other things, but nothing for the blog. Sue me.

I just saw under “Trending” on Facebook that Don Rickles died.  That made me pretty sad.  I liked him. He was on an episode of Tales from the Crypt that I found quite entertaining.  And I used to watch that silly show CPO Sharkey.  Although I will say that I wonder what I would think of that show now.  I sometimes see re-runs of some of those shows I used to watch in the ’70s and I say, “Damn.”

OK, I have petered out of things to say and I can’t think of a headline.  Oh, what a long week this has been and how useless I have been the whole time!  I guess we can always hope for something better tomorrow.  Happy Thursday, everyone.

 

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Slogging Toward My Goals

Posted on April 6, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I finally went running this afternoon.  It’s only been two days, but it felt like longer.  I promised myself that after this week, I will run more often.  My promise alternated with feelings of “I never want to run again!”  You’ll have that on occasion.  The best thing to do, I’ve found, is to keep running as best you can.  Sometimes that’s what you have to do when you’re making a blog post, too.

It was one of those days I spent reminding myself that I was going to run after work.  I try to do this in hopes that I’ll just get home, get dressed and go before I have a chance to talk myself out of it.  It didn’t work.  I got home moaning that I did not want to run.  I got dressed for it and got out of the house anyways.  According to  my thermostat, the temperature was 46 degrees.  The last time I ran in 46 degree weather, I rethought my cut-off of 45 degrees for shorts and short-sleeves.  I went upstairs to put on leggings.  Then I got a hot flash and put on the knee-length shorts that were handily on the drying bars.  I kept on the extra large short-sleeved t-shirt I had been wearing all day.  A headband would cover my ears and/or absorb my forehead sweat.

Earlier today, I had occasion to ask if “slog” was really a word, as in, “I am just slogging through this day.”  My co-workers said it was.  I just now looked it up in my dictionary and, sure enough, it is.  So there I was slogging through my run.  That was OK, though, I told myself, it is all part of getting into shape.  I distracted myself by noticing some flowers in somebody’s lawn.  Very nice.  The first one’s I’ve seen this year.  Most of the snow and mud were gone from the sidewalk, so that was nice, too.  I kept going as best as I could.

I said to myself that each step was a step was bringing me closer to my goals.  Closer to my Boilermaker 15K goals.  Closer to my weight-loss goals.  Closer to the end of the run when I would have a nice glass of wine with my husband.  Hey, you take what motivation you can and, you should pardon the expression, run with it.

It was really not a bad run, for being kind of a slog.  I was happy with myself for doing it.  I’m also happy I got a blog post written.  Perhaps not as good of a blog post as others, but you’ll have that.  For a Wuss-out Wednesday, it’ll do.

 

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