Category Archives: personal

Monday Mug Memories

Posted on April 27, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

Lately I have been pouring myself a travel mug of coffee to sip on my 20 minute commute to work. I like to drive up through Ilion Gorge, admire the scenery, enjoy whichever CD I am listening to, and have a sip or two. Usually there is enough left over for me to bring in to my place of employment for a few more sips while I wait for my shift to start and, for example, start to write a blog post (see what I did there?).

Today I am using my favorite travel mug. I do not remember where I got it. It was probably acquired from a long-ago roommate. The logo of the business it came from is not quite peeled off, but I am pretty sure I did not get it directly from there. These are the mysteries I ponder on a Monday morning.

I do have one story about the mug that I can share. The mug came up missing at one point. This did not worry me unduly, because I have many travel mugs. I could always pick another favorite.

Then one Thanksgiving at my parents’ house in Rome, NY, I spotted it. My Uncle Tom, who had also been a guest at dinner, was filling it with coffee for his trip back to North Syracuse, as my parents had invited him to do.

“THERE’S my coffee mug!” I exclaimed.

Uncle Tom was immediately sorry he had selected that mug from the ones in my parents’ cupboard, but I hastened to reassure him. I was, in fact, delighted to have him use my mug to make his drive more enjoyable. It was also very fitting that he should take my mug, as I pointed out to him, because my husband, Steven, and I had acquired not one but two travel mugs from his daughter, our cousin Mary Beth, when in a similar situation.

Eventually I got my favorite travel mug back, so I was not forced to pick a new favorite. It would be OK if I did, and also if another relative or friend ended up taking it away with them. I feel travel mugs, like coffee, should be shared.

And that is my coffee in a travel mug story for the day. I am making the post late for a Monday blog post, but I am calling it a Monday Memories post anyways, just to be alliterative.

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Two Walks, a Few Pictures

Posted on April 26, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

I just took a short walk to the post office, to mail a letter to a friend but also to wake myself up. I had my phone with me and took a couple of pictures. I did a similar thing yesterday, so how about a Sunday Snapshot Post. I just made that category up. Do you like it?

I gotta plant a flowering tree in my yard.

I hadn’t meant to take pictures, but then I thought, blog post. Then I saw the flowering tree. I also tried to get a shot of the delicate green tree behind it.

I love trees.

It was on my way home that I went for a shot of a downed branch.

We have had a few windy days.

Further down the street I admired a magnolia tree.

I want one of these, too.

My other two pics are from yesterday’s walk. Again, I had not meant to take pictures, but the lone dandelion among the growing cultivated flowers caught my eye.

This guy has more peonies than I do.

Another flowering tree caught my eye too.

It’s pretty!

I like making these Pedestrian Posts with pictures. And I L9VE going for a walk. It certainly brightens my day.

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A Little Wine on Scattered Saturday

Posted on April 25, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

Just a fast Scattered Saturday post, although I did not do a whole lot. I went for a run this morning. I wrote a couple of post cards. I washed my sheets and hung them out on the clothesline.

the highlight of the day was a trip to Ironrock Brewing in Little Falls with my friend Kim.

Best seat in the house.

They do not have outdoor seating yet, but we had the next best thing, sitting next to the open door. We enjoyed a little wine and a lot of laughs.

Just to re-emphasize where we were.

One annoying thing came up. It seems a mutual acquaintance made a catty remark about how there are always pictures of Kim drinking in Mohawk Valley Living magazine. As if Kim spends a preponderance of her time hanging out sipping wine! For heaven’s sake, can’t we have a little wine on a weekend without being lushes? I guess not, in some people’s opinions.

But, really, I write one or two articles per month for the magazine. They print three or four of the photos I submit. One need not spend a whole lot of time raising wine glasses to have pictures of it appear in print.

Oh dear. I just remembered one of the questions in those Are You an Alcoholic? quizzes is Do you get defensive about your drinking? Was I being defensive? Points to ponder.

In the meantime, I’m over 200 words. Happy Saturday, everyone!

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Striving for Words on Lame Post Friday

Posted on April 24, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

Can I make a Lame Post Friday post or should I try again in the morning? A little suspense adds interest to my Friday.

Full disclosure: I do not have much to say. I am sitting on my couch, pecking one letter at a time with the stylus on my Tablet. Mostly I want to call it a night and go to sleep. Partly, I want to keep looking at Dateline: Secrets Uncovered on Oxygen. It is a pretty good episode.

I have had quite the uneventful Friday evening, That really is OK. I have found that there worse things than boredom. Additionally, I have found that sometimes you can choose not to be bored. I have never had much success with choosing happiness, as the Facebook memes say you are entitled to do. But for some reason, I seem to be able to choose interest.

Now that would be a useful faculty when it comes to loans. Choosing low or no interest, I mean. Credit cards, too. But perhaps I am becoming silly. These things happen, of course.

I am approaching, but have not yet achieved , 200 words. I think I will make do with a partial post. After all, it is Lame Post Friday. Happy Friday, everyone!

PS that last paragraph got me over 200 words.

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I Ran In the Wind, Not Like the Wind

Posted on April 23, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

Here is the thing about running on a windy day: no matter which way I turn, the wind is never at my back. It is kind of a metaphor for life, but let us not wax philosophical. My purpose right now is to make a Running Commentary Post.

I had not gone running since Sunday. I usually let myself off the hook on Monday, I was auguring my toilet on Tuesday, and I have no excuse for Wednesday. I had not planned on running today. Then when I was driving home and saw it was not raining, I thought maybe I ought to. This, of course, is my usual cue to come up with all kinds of good reason not to.

After pretty much deciding not to, I got dressed in running gear and went. It was colder than I had thought, so in addition to leggings and long sleeves, I put on a hat. As I started out, I realized the wind was the real culprit. No matter. Once I get those sports bras on, I’m going.

And it was rough going. My body did not want to move. Even without the wind dead against me (and sometimes it was at an angle), I was moving slowly. I felt sluggish and thunky (yes, thunky, not thinly, autocorrect, sheesh!). But that is to be expected. The important thing is to do it.

It did get a little easier. At least it got a little less onerous. One thing I have learned is how to persevere. I ran for just over 20 minutes, which I felt was OK for a mid-week run. I saw some lovely daffodils in various yards. I petted one sweet dog on my cool-down walk.

The beauty part is, here is a Thursday blog post ON Thursday and NOT whining about how I can’t make a blog post. OK, maybe I whined a little about the run. Judge me if you feel you must.

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Crawling Through a Creepy Week

Posted on April 22, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about a Mid-Week Monsters post? I could use a few creepy-crawlies to cheer myself up. My only problem is, will I be able to find some good ones to share?

It’s creepy! It’s crawly!

This is only a shadow, but it is The Tingler (1959), a terrifying creepy-crawly from the brilliant oeuvre of William Castle. I love that movie, but Steven is less of a fan. We have it on DVD, which is a delightful thing for me.

“It creeps, and leaps..”

This is more of a creepy than a crawly, The Blob (1958). I think you need feet to be a crawly, and the more feet you have, the creepier. I should do a study of these things. Maybe a master’s thesis. I could get a PhD in Monster Theory.

Incidentally, we do not have this movie on DVD, although we would like it for the collection. It is a classic. I am especially fond of the theme song.

EEEEEEEE!

Here is a definite crawly, using all six legs to terrorize Joan Collins in Empire of the Ants (1977). I have not seen that movie in years. This is why I miss movie rental places.

As this week continues to creep and crawl towards Friday, I guess I have cheered myself up somewhat. I hope my readers have found my monsters equally as cheering.

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A Truly Crappy Day

Posted on April 21, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

On the brighter side, I learned how to use an augur.

Yesterday went right down the toilet, figuratively and literally. Steven and I began the day with a clogged toilet. I was plunged into despair.

My new job has been aggravating the tennis elbow in my right arm and creating one in my left. I have been icing and ibuprofening, which seems to help. Yesterday I woke up wanting to ice but first spent some time plunging, which did not help the muscles. I iced and plunged, iced and plunged, to no avail.

Steven had no better luck during the day. I stopped at Ilion True Value Hardware Store (I drive through Ilion on my way to and from work). I studied the stuff you pour into toilets and looked at augurs and snakes. Most of the pour-in stuff say to not use them in toilets. Rats! I found some that did not say that and brought that and the augur I liked best to the cash register.

The nice lady there told me it is really not recommended to pour stuff into toilets, except for this certain stuff which she showed me. I realized I probably did not need to aug and pour, so decided to only get the augur, a decision the lady agreed with.

So I went home and auged (yes, autocorrect, I realize “aug” and “auged” are not words, but what else do you do with an augur?). It took a couple of tries, but at last I met with success.

After that disgusting experience, I was too tired to make a blog post. So here is my Tired Tuesday, prior to six on Wednesday morning. Judge me if you are so inclined.

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Springy Sunday Stroll

Posted on April 19, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went for a short walk today, mostly to mail a note to a friend. I had both my phone and my Tablet with me, because I was not sure where else I might want to go. Soon I found a photo op.

I love a magnolia tree.

It seemed way easier to whip out my phone than my Tablet. I continued my walk.

Not such a good shot.

I love the delicate green when the trees are beginning to get leaves. It seems it is not so easy to capture that with my phone. I had better luck with some daffodils I saw a couple of houses later.

So springy!

I need to get a shot of my own daffodils. Continuing my walk, I saw some violets I admired.

Nice!

I tried for one more picture of the green I love.

This shot seems a little better.

As I walked on, I took a few pictures with my Tablet. I think I can make this. Two part blog and use those pictures in part two.

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Short Slacker Post

Posted on April 18, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

Here is the epitome of Slacker Saturday: making the post at 5 o’clock Sunday morning. And I do not have much to say. My friend Kim had a migraine, so I went to the H.A.L.O. Flea Market without her. It was not as much fun alone, but I wanted to support the cause.

H.A.L.O. stands for Helping Animals Live Organization. It is a no cage, no kill cat rescue organization based in Little Falls, NY. You can Like them on Facebook and visit their website at halorescue.net. You can see a lot of pictures of very sweet cats.

Personally, I am allergic to cats so cannot adopt one. However, I like to support the cause so attend their events whenever possible.

OK, this is a dull post, but at least I plugged a worthy cause. I’ll try to be more entertaining later, but I’m afraid it is Wrist to forehead Sunday.

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No Lame Apologies

Posted on April 17, 2021 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last night I made a conscious decision not to make a blog post. I will not iterate my reasons, because that would smack of an apology, and I do not want to make a lie out of my headline. However, I feel bad to entirely miss a day, so here I am, pre-dawn (my usual rising time, even on a weekend), pecking away at my Tablet with the stylus.

I feel very comfy, lounged on the couch. I managed to find a position where my lower back doesn’t hurt. I tell you truth: getting old isn’t for sissies. But never mind my aches and pains, on with the blog post.

Today I have an authentic Mohawk Valley Adventure planned with my friend, Kim. We are going to the H.A.L.O. Indoor Flea Market at the Ilion-Frankfort VFW. There will be basket raffles, a 50/50, and a bake sale. It runs from 10 to 4.

Kim wants to get there right when it starts. That would be nice, because the parking lot at the VFW fills up fast at these events. However, I personally am skeptical of her ability to get moving that early; Kim likes to sleep in on a Saturday. No matter. Whatever time we go, we will have a good time.

Well, I guess this was not a traditional Lame Post Friday Post, since I plugged a local event. But if I change my headline, my first paragraph will make no sense. Oh the tribulations of a silly blogger! I need more coffee.

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