Author Archives: mohawkvalleygirl

I Finished It on the Dining-Room-Table-Top

My computer woes continue, as do my problems of getting my brain to work and overcoming my inherent laziness.  Perhaps I should say indolence.  It sounds nicer and conjures images of lounging with bonbons.  I’m not sure I have ever had an actual bonbon.  They sound good, though.

Be that all as it may, it is early Wednesday morning, and I am lounged on my couch pecking in one letter at a time with the stylus on my Tablet, because I fear my Chromebook will still not turn on, and it seems like too much trouble to check.

Aaaand the Tablet does not want to Add Media.  At least, it let me insert the photo but would not allow me to add a caption.

This was the first picture to catch my eye in my Media Library.  I feel my post is like the largest pumpkin:  toothless.  Let me be honest:  I am making a post for the sake of making a post and will try for something better tomorrow.

I throw in a random picture of me at a dramatic moment.  Don’t you just love the yellow tights?  It is when LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company presented The Tempest.

So, is this an early Non-Sequitur Thursday Post?   Perhaps another picture will make matters clear.

This picture looked less blurry in the Media Library.   However, it illustrates a maxim seen in a Facebook meme:  sometimes you have to know when to call it quits and pour yourself a glass of wine.  At this time of morning, I will substitute tea, but the sentiment is the same.  As always, thank you for tuning in.

 

Which Childhood Was That?

This is swell.  My Chromebook for some mysterious reason will not turn on (YES, it is charged! Sheesh!)  and my laptop, perhaps because I have been neglecting it and it feels hurt, has become as slow as dial-up!  I was going to say the slowest device on the planet but decided to date myself with a reference to dial-up.  Is that even a thing any more? Shows how much I pay attention. Never mind all that.  On with the post!

Saturday was an unseasonably warm day in the Mohawk Valley, and when my sister Cheryl invited me to the playground with her and her grandchildren, Sheppie and Evie, I said, Yes, please!  They picked me up and we drove the short distance from my house to the Arc Park on German Street in Herkimer, NY.  It is a wonderful playground with all kinds of fun things to climb on, slide down, walk over, and ride.  I especially like the rubberized ground.  I can fall down (which I did, but only once) without breaking a hip, something of a consideration at my age.

Wheeee!

I did not utilize this fun thing.  For one reason, I am too tall.  Yes, I could have bent my knees up, but to grip the bar with my weight hanging off my hands… I passed.  Sheppie enjoyed it, though.

Right up to the top!

I climbed on this with Evie.  When I told her I could not climb as high as she could, she kindly suggested I get down.  At one point a little boy I did not know made it to the top but did not think he could make it down.  I encouraged him to take it one step at a time.  I don’t know if I was especially helpful to him, but he did make it to the ground.  Cheryl asked Evie what she could see from the top, and Evie answered, “Everything!”

Photo op.

Cheryl asked Evie and Sheppie to pose at the top, with this delightful result.

I did get a little dizzy.  Yes, I mean more-so than usual.  Sheesh!

I participated as much as possible for one of my years and weight.  I especially enjoyed sliding down the twisty slides, but nobody got a picture.  I pushed Evie and another child on the merry-go-round for a while, saying I would get dizzy if I rode it.  Nevertheless, Evie wanted me to sit down so she could push me.  I did not know Cheryl intended to photograph the event!

Old Aunt Cindy was tired by the end.

Cheryl had a good laugh at me “reliving my childhood,” as she put it.   I guess at my age, one can be excused for having a second childhood.  However, I think the number might be a little higher for me.  But I had fun.

 

At Least It Is Over 200 Words

Oh dear, I have the dreaded type it in, backspace it out disease.  Or should I spell it type-it-in-backspace-it-out?  Or use capital letters?  I fear I am in a more dithery mood than usual today.  Which is not a bad state for a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.

 

“Oh shame! Oh degradation!”

I had to search my Media Library for a picture of myself with my wrist actually on my forehead.  Then I had to fight with the Chromebook to get it in the right place in the post.  I know, first world problems.

The mood I was aiming for.

One reason I am having trouble concentrating on the post is that I am also looking at an episode of Columbo.  I have not seen Columbo in a while (and why is “Columbo” underlined?  That is the way it is spelled!).  I loves me some Peter Falk!

Not yet! Not yet, please!

Oh dear, the Type–It-In-Backspace-It-Out is back (do you like it better with caps?).  I was hoping for a paragraph to tie things together and get me up to 200 words.  Unfortunately, looking back at what I have managed to leave typed in, it seems I do not have much to tie.  I guess this is another post about not being able to make a post.  I’ll try for something better tomorrow.  I hope you will tune in.

 

 

It Is Not a Headache to Find Mohawk Valley Adventures

Thursday turned into a real Blogger’s Sick Day as I left work with a dreadful migraine.  And then I had to deal with some stuff I did not want to deal with, with a headache or at all.  Oh dear, that sounded mysterious since I do not intend to explain.  Regular readers know I consider explanations tiresome.  Never mind. Suffice it to say (I love that expression, “suffice it to say”), I dealt with stuff, competently or otherwise, continued to deal with stuff Friday afternoon, and it is now Saturday morning when I hope to make my Lame Post Friday Post.

Full disclosure:  I have another headache.  However, it is not a migraine, and I have reasonable hopes it will go away, if not with coffee, perhaps with food and an OTC pain reliever.  Enough about me; on with the post.  Which may also be about me, but you will have that with a personal blog.

I don’t usually whine when I wine.

This is a shot from a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY.  It was Bully Hill, a New York State wine, obviously something near and dear to my heart.  There is a tasting today of Menage a Trois wines, another favorite.  I thought a picture of local interest and a preview of coming attractions would be a nice change form my beloved monster pictures.

Fun bartender at a fun bar.

Here is Tino, one of my favorite bartenders at the End Zone Pub, also in Herkimer.  I was there last night (not long enough to be the source of this morning’s headache, I don’t think, unless my capacity has gone WAY down in just the last few months) (SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!).  It is easy walking distance from my house, which is nice.  It also tends to get a nice clientele.  I had a great conversation with some folks I just met.  So there is another shout-out to a local business.

They were nice!

Speaking of nice people I just met, this picture was right there when I returned to my Media Library.  This was a couple who sat next to me at the bar on a busy night at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort.  The husband said, “We’ll be your new acquaintances.”  We had a lovely visit.  I gave the wife a piece of my garlic bread with mozzarella.  The husband gave me one of his bucket of beers.  We enjoyed the music of Tom Maneen.

Well, this has turned out to be not such a lame post after all.  I wonder if I ought to bill it as a Scattered Saturday instead.  In any case, over 400 words and three pictures, I call it a post.  Thank you for tuning in.

 

Brains Aren’t Everything

So… I missed making my Tuesday blog post Wednesday morning. I overslept as the introduction to a very weird day. And then I did not make my Wednesday blog post on Wednesday, and it is Thursday morning, and I thought I should post something.  I do not know what I will end up billing it as, but I confess at the outset, that I do not have much in the line of brain power.  If only I could handily find the picture from The Brain from Planet Arous, I could properly illustrate this post.

This group didn’t have their act together either.

I veer into Throwback Thursday territory (Wayback Wednesday?) with a picture from Much Ado About Nothing, presented by LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company in, I believe, 2016 (no, I can’t go back and look it up, go ahead and roll your eyes at me) (you know who you are).  I had a lot of fun playing the Watch, or whatever we were called.  We played it really dumb.  I always say, go with your strengths (that was directed at me; I was not casting aspersions on the brainpower of my fellow thespians).

Ah yes, more theatre in the offing.

I add a picture of Salisbury Grange in hopes of inspiring myself to complete the as yet untitled script for the murder mystery we are doing there in April (preview of coming attractions).  What is with me that I have not finished it yet?  Get to work, Cindy!

“I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

Yes, that is the caption I usually use with this picture.  It is how I feel:  half buried and unable to do anything but wave my arms and wiggle my toes!  I remind myself that how I feel is not necessarily reality.  I may be buried, but excavation is possible.  So is writing that damn script.  Look, I managed over 300 words of a blog post.  I think I will call it a Non-Sequitur Thursday.

 

From Creepy to Cute

Hello and welcome to yet another late Monstrous Monday post. I offer no tiresome explanations but intend to get on with the post, which, alas, will offer no new monsters, until I figure out a few more things on this Chromebook (oh dear, was that a tiresome explanation?  If so, sorry).

Not a monster, but a creepy image, no?

This looks like I am veering into Wayback Wednesday or Throwback Thursday, but really I just liked the outline of the dead body.

“This is a good boy!”

Here was the first real monster I came to.  You just can’t go wrong with Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein.  I must watch that flick again soon.

Those eyes!

I guess I’m just being random today, but this is a pretty good flick, with Bela Lugosi at his creepiest.

No, this guy is the creepiest!

And here is a shot from one of my favorites, Carnival of Souls.  I often tout this as an example of what you can do with a low budget and very few effects.  What atmosphere!  So unsettling.  It is definitely not a feel-good movies, but then I never went in for the feel-good ones.

“I don’t know why she wanted me to be in this post.”

I go from creepy to cute to round out the post.  I guess this one has been rather thin of substance (as if I am ever a particularly substantial blogger), but I shared some nice pics and over 200 words.  It is the best I can do at 4:39 on a Tuesday morning while pretending it is still Monday.  Have a lovely day, whatever day it is.

 

Music, Food and Friendship

When I picked up my Chromebook to make my Wednesday blog post early Thursday morning, my internet suddenly and mysteriously vanished.  Long story short, the problem was solved last night (Friday), I hope, and here I am  ten finger typing on my couch Saturday morning, no coffee yet, surprisingly enough.

What I had meant to blog about two days ago was a trip to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY for music, food and good company.  My friend Kathy texted me to see if I was going out.  I had wanted to but felt undecided about it.  Her text decided me and soon we were sitting at the bar, waiting for the music of Max Scialdone.

A little blurry, but it will have to do.

I took my usual photo with my phone to post on Facebook, encouraging others to join us.  I do that almost every time, and nobody has ever accepted my invitation. However, some of my Facebook friends like to know I am out enjoying local music.

I ordered a steak and cheese wrap.  Cabernet Sauvignon went well with it.  Kathy drank beer but was not hungry.  She was there for the music and the company.  We had a nice visit.

It really does say Max Scialdone.

A couple other patrons remarked about Max’s name in lights. I had noticed the sign unlit when we walked in.  I tried to get a picture of it with my Tablet.  Alas, it did not turn out well, but I figured I could just tell my blog readers that it said Max Schialdone.  I will try to get a better picture at a future time.

Kathy and I were both glad we had gone out.  No doubt we will do so again.

 

Dare I Call This a Post?

Yes, I was too tired to make my Tired Tuesday post on Tuesday.  I am in fact a little hesitant to make the post this morning for reasons which I will not go into (explanations are so tiresome).  I am ten finger typing on my Chromebook with the very necessary cup of coffee at my side.  At first the Chromebook could not seem to get on the internet.  It tends to jump off and on, which is weird, because when I click on a little thing in the corner it tells me the wi-fi signal is strong (why is wi-fi underlined?  Is that not a word?).  I do not properly understand technology, as regular readers know.

A holdover from Monstrous Monday?

I pause to put in a coffee-related illustration.  I don’t know that I feel dead inside, but I feel a certain amount of pressure to update my life insurance.  That was a joke.  I guess brain dead would be a better way to describe me this morning, but I am far too tired to look for picture from The Brain From Planet Arous.  Imagine my delight when somebody referenced that movie on one of my monster pages recently.

He was a handsome dude.

Sorry to interject a sad note, but I am approaching the one year anniversary of my husband Steven’s death.  I guess I can blame that for my current malaise.  However, one learns to deal with one’s grief and go forward one step at a time.  And in this case one blog post at a time.  So having said very little of substance (do my posts ever have much substance? Discuss amongst yourselves), I dare to call this a post, hit publish, and drive one.  Once again, thank you for tuning in.

 

I Go Ape for Monstrous Monday

Here I am, back to my old tricks of making late blog posts early in the morning.  I had a little computer glitch earlier when my Chromebook started acting funny.  I finally got fed up and went back to my Tablet.  After checking my Facebook On This Day (as a delaying tactic, although I pretended to myself it was for inspiration), I realized I was not up to pecking in one letter at a time with the stylus.  This is one reason I hate to text; it is even worse with my fat finger.  But enough about me, let us get on with the monsters.

No fair pulling hair!

No, this is not me wrestling with my demons.  It is Bela Lugosi in The Ape Man.  It is not a bad flick.  I notice horror movies of this era make copious use of gorillas, although I understand they are in reality gentle creatures.  Hollywood play fast and loose with the facts?  Say it ain’t so!

Yeah, there’s another one!

Now we see my ignorance, because I don’t know the difference between a gorilla and an ape.  I’m thinking ape is the family, as in a gorilla is a certain species of ape.  I know, I could only google these things.

Random picture to denote passage of time.

I resorted to my dictionary, just to be old-fashioned about it.  Sure enough, an ape is any one of a group of such creatures.  The random picture, by the way is the late, great Lionel Barrymore in Devil Doll.  I loves me some Lionel Barrymore.

EEEEEEEEE!

Who could talk about gorillas in Hollywood without mentioning the King?  Kong, that is (see what I did there?).  I guess you could call him the Elvis of Apes, if you wanted to be silly, which of course, I usually do.

And that brings me over 300 words.  Woohoo!  Time for more coffee and the local news.  Once again, thank you for tuning in.

 

Wrist to Forehead Sunday is Not a Crime

It is the time of day on a Sunday where I need to either start getting ready for my Monday or make my Wrist to Forehead Sunday Post.  I pick the blog post.  I purchased one of them there Roku doodahs today so I am kind of sort of looking at In Ice Cold Blood as I type (with ten fingers on my Chromebook, lounged on the couch, just to give you the picture).  True Crime, one of my loves!

My friend Kim and I took a trip to a store which needs no plug from Mohawk Valley Girl, and that was just about as much as I bestirred myself today.  Well, I did do the dishes, and I took a shower (not at the same time, although I did splash around a lot of water while doing the dishes).  I composed an email which I sent to the actors for our upcoming murder mystery at Salisbury Grange.  I outlined the situation and listed the characters.  I hope they do not email me back and say stuff like, “Well, that’s pretty lame” or “I don’t want to play THAT character!”  I just do not imagine they will.

He did it! No, she did it!

This is a shot from a rehearsal of the murder mystery we did last spring at Salisbury Grange, Shooting at the Grange.  A few of the same actors will be in this one.  I thought an illustration would look well just then.

I must get to work writing the new mystery, which is as yet untitled.  That would certainly be under the heading of Useful Things Accomplished.  And it is a little more interesting than, for example, making tomorrow’s lunch.  At any rate, I am over 250 words for my Sunday blog post, so I will sign off with a wish that your had a lovely weekend.  I hope to see you all again on Monday, Monstrous or whatever it turns out to be.