Category Archives: personal

Oh Yeah, and I Watched Svengoolie

Posted on August 16, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello, and welcome to another Slacker Saturday Post.  I did some yard work this morning, went to a neighbor’s graduation party this afternoon, and that is it.

He’s fun.

Oh yeah, and I watched a DVR’d episode of Svengoolie.  The featured movie was Curse of the Werewolf, a Hammer horror feature from 1961.  I thought, “Hammer horror!   Oh boy!”  Boy was I disappointed!

Sven’s pre-movie summary told me it was going to take a while to get to the werewolf part.  He was so right!  I fast forwarded it through some of the annoying set-up (which some people might have found entertaining; there’s no accounting for tastes).  In so doing, I may have missed some of the explanatory narration.  Still, I was able to follow things.

I could totally write one of my blow-by-blow movie write-ups, because I was taking copious notes in the TV Journal.  In fact, I would love to do so.  I enjoy writing them and have not done one in a while.  However, then this would not be a Slacker Saturday Post.

Now how dumb is this: I just looked at a previous paragraph and saw that autocorrect made “Sven’s” be “When’s”.  What the hell is that all about (and I mean hell not he’ll for heck’s sake!) (and it was heck’s sake, not Jack’s sake!) (I thought it would allow heck if not hell, but apparently not)?

Anyways, I have gotten myself over 200 words,  so we’ll call this OK for a Slacker Saturday Post.  I now continue to slack.

 

2 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Slacker Saturday and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

A Productive Lame Post Friday

Posted on August 15, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

This is my last weekday off till Labor Day, since I return to work from my latest furlough on Monday.  I spent a good part of the day running here and there to research an article I hope to write for Mohawk Valley Living magazine. I thought I could write a whole blog post about my gyrations.  I have a number of pictures I can share.  However, as the evening wears on, I feel increasingly less inclined to do so.

Then again, it is Lame Post Friday.  How about if I share some of the pictures but do not worry if there are not as many words.  Oh, who am I kidding?  Once I start sharing the pictures, I ought to come up with plenty of words.

I love research.

My first stop was the Oneida County History Center in Utica.  They were very helpful.  While there, I realized that some of the pottery I was researching was on display at Fountain Elms, part of Munson Williams Proctor Institute.  Accordingly,  I headed back down Genessee Street.

Mmmm… beer steins.

I did not stay there long, although I was tempted to grab a bite at their Cafe.  Next time, I hope!  Instead, I took a drive to Little Falls, to Showcase Antiques.  First I did stop for a bite at Ann Street Deli.  I was hungry and needed a pick-me-up!

One photo of many.

I found the particular display I was looking for and had a delightful conversation with one of the owners.  I also looked all around the shop and took a few pictures unrelated to my project at hand.

How could I not take a picture of Schulz and Dooley?

It was a productive and enjoyable day.  Now I have a lot more writing to do.  It should be fun.  In the meantime,  Happy Friday, everyone!

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Lame Post Friday, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Drinks and Friends

Posted on August 14, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

My idea was to have a Throwback Thursday Post,  but I wish to be sure I am throwing back far enough to be entertaining.  It does no good to throw back to something that everybody perfectly well remembers.

Good father and son team.

This is a shot from some time ago at the End Zone Pub and Grub in Herkimer.  It is the proprietor and his son.  I had a very pleasant time at the End Zone this afternoon. Monday I will be back at work with fewer opportunities for afternoon drinks at local watering holes.

Just to give an outside view of the place,

So that is a throwback and a current shout out.  Surely I can do better than that (and I will call you Shirley if feel like it).

Ah, memories of drinks past!

Here are Steven and I with our dear friends Phyllis and Jim at Herbert’s 1933 Tavern in Utica, NY.  That wonderful place is a little difficult to get to with construction the way it is in that area.  I must check out if it is still open and find my way there.

Another toast to friendship.

Here is a picture of our friend Tracy and me at the Waterfront Grille in Herkimer.  We have had many good times there as well!

So this is my Throwback Thursday Post, about different places to enjoy drinks and friends.  Naturally I can enjoy my friends with no alcohol involved! I will share those pictures in a future Throwback Thursday Post.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Throwback Thursday and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Back to Zeina’s!

Posted on August 13, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went to lunch today at Zeina’s Cafe in Utica.  Regular readers may remember that I went there on Saturday to participate in their fundraiser for the Lebanon Red Cross, in support of relief for that horrible blast.  I LOVE Middle Eastern food, so I decided to treat myself to a little more.

Yum!

Utica is challenging these days, due to all the construction.  I got lost both coming and going.  Full disclosure: I may not have gotten lost on the way there if I had not tried to be on the right side of the street to park.  Quite unexpectedly,  I succeeded.

Again I say, yum!

I ordered a falafel gyro and unsweetened tea.  I was surprised at the size of the sandwich.  I was even more surprised by my ability to eat the whole thing! Usually I bring half my lunch home, but this was so good, I just kept eating.

There was a lot more on the menu I’d like to try.  I brought home a take out menu, so I can plan ahead.  They also offer catering, so I could have some wonderful food at my next gathering.

Zeina’s is located at  607 Varick St., Utica, NY, phone number 315-738-0279.  They are open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday,  11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, local business, personal and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

I Know! We’ll Blame it on the Weather!

Posted on August 12, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

This was actually not the illustration I was looking for.

It is not Writer’s Block; it is Writer’s Blank.  I can pick up a pen (or a stylus as the case may be) and produce words, but they are not the words I want.  When I try to think of characters, scenes, plot… nothing.

Yet I must persevere.

This isn’t it either, but what the hell, it is Tuesday.

I knew I could at least manage a Tired Tuesday Post.  I have been trying to abide by my rule of Any Writing Counts, but so far it has not been working out well.  Today I only made some notes in the TV Journal.  Yesterday I managed a couple of cards, before that a letter.  However, when I put pen to paper and attempt fiction, nothing.

THIS is the one I was looking for!

I really did put pen to paper and try.  I feel this is important.  There are many times (and I feel sure I am not the only one here) when I feel so discouraged, I do not even try.  I will, of course, try again.

In the meantime,  this is yet another blog post about not writing.  I wonder if I can’t find one more illustration, for your amusement and mine.

Me not be dramatic? Dream on!

Perhaps the hot humid weather is to blame for my malaise.  Most likely it is, as usual, operator error.  However, I shall try again tomorrow.  Sooner or later I hope to meet with success.

 

2 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Tired Tuesday and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Monsters in the Sky

Posted on August 11, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

When it feels too hot for me to do anything useful,  I spend a lot of time looking at the television and saying, “Shut up!”  That is neither here nor there for a Monstrous Monday Post, but I thought I’d throw it in.   Part of me feels I should find some new monsters for my post.  The greater part wants to take the proverbial path of least resistance (I have mentioned before that it is acceptable to use a cliche as long as you add a qualifying phrase such as “the proverbial”).

Looks threatening to me.

OK, this is not really a monster, but it could be.  It is, in fact, a picture I took some time ago from in front of my house.  It was shared on by Jill Reale WKTV News as a weather photo.  It was quite exciting for me.  Come to think of it, I had another photo featured recently.  I wonder if I can find it.

Sufficiently threatening, I think.

I think this was the photo.  I think dark scary clouds can count as monsters.  We can pretend they do for this blog post, at any rate.

Taken the same day.

This photo was used in the same post as the previous photo,  but I include it because it seems apropos.

I can’t believe I didn’t use this before!

This is a picture from Halloween 2019.  Obviously this was a night of many monsters of different varieties.

I am going to call this my Monstrous Monday Post.  After all, dark clouds MIGHT be monsters.  Prove me wrong.  In the meantime, Happy Monday.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Monstrous Monday, personal and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Susans, Sharon, Johnny, and the Crocodile

Posted on August 10, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Aren’t they pretty?

I went outside just now take a picture of the Brown-eyed Susans I previously mentioned as peeking over the edge of the deck.  Looking at my Media Library,  I wonder how different this shot is from others of these flowers.  However, I took several other shots before looking at my Media Library,  and I see no reason not to share them as well.

A wider shot to show volume.

The Brown-eyed Susans have really spread out since they magically appeared a year or two ago.

Who wouldn’t want an alligator in their backyard?

Full disclosure:  this could be a crocodile.  He has been in various parts of the yard.  Right now he is where he can get maximum sunlight.

Please ignore the weeds.

My Black-eyed Susans have a lot of blooms. I find them cheerful.

Also looking pretty good.

I grabbed an update on our Rose of Sharon while I was in the area.  Then I thought of our Johnny Jump-ups, which I had noticed are also looking well.

My favorites!

They have not jumped up elsewhere yet, but they have filled in the little area where I planted them.

I hope to plant more flowers next year.  Then I might have more variety in these blog posts.  In the meantime,  I feel this is a better post than my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday.   Does anyone agree?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in gardening, humor, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Two Cafes, One Pub, Good Saurday

Posted on August 9, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

There was not a whole lot of scatter to my Saturday, by I hope enough to warrant a blog post.

First my friend, Kim, and I went to Zeina’s Cafe in Uitca for lunch.  They were doing a fundraiser for the Red Cross of Lebanon, in aid of the recent horrendous explosion.  They were donating 50% of profits, addition to collecting any donations patrons cared to make.

It is a really good place to eat.

They were doing a HUGE business.  I must return under more normal circumstances.

Next we went to the So Sweet Candy Cafe.  How could I be so close and not stop in?

My husband, Steve, with the proprietor, Margaret.

This is an old picture,  but I neglected to take any pictures today.

Next we went to the End Zone Pub and Grub in Herkimer.  We enjoyed a couple drinks and more snacks.

Also an older picture, but here is my lovely friend Kim.

I also neglected to take any pictures at the End Zone.  So sue me.  The above is a shot of an earlier occasion,  obviously during cooler temperatures.

I came home and sat down to watch movies with my hubby, who had declined to join us.

I’d scream too!

House on Haunted Hill was on of our selections.  We are continuing our evening with other cheesy movies, I hope.  Perhaps I will write about them on Cinema Sunday.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Scattered Saturday and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Lame Lawn Work

Posted on August 8, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to Lame Post Friday, my day of random observations and half-baked philosophy.   My first random observation is that our Brown-eyed Susans have started peeking up over the edge of our deck. I did not take a picture of said Susans, but will post a previous picture of these delightful flowers.

They are supposed to be a favorite of honey bees.

It is the time of year when I wish I had taken more effort in my lawn and garden earlier in the year.  However, that ship has sailed, to use a cliche (sorry about using a cliche, by the way).   I can only appreciate what already exists.

I love these.

Speaking of what already exists,  here is an earlier shot of my Johnny Jump-ups.  They look equally as beautiful now.

Pesto… Mmmmm…..

To continue with what is glorious right now, here is my basil, which is even better as we speak.  I snipped some off for a salad recently.  Yum!

It looks better now, but here are some blooms.

My Black-eyed Susans are doing well too. It may have been a good idea to take a more recent picture,  but, you know, I can’t always do the right thing.

So here is my post:  random observations of flowers.  For Half-Baked Philosophy, I will offer: flowers are good,  gardening is good, sometimes they are not as good as we had hoped.  We must drive on.

Happy Friday,  everyone!

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Lame Post Friday, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Past Places, Future Plans

Posted on August 7, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about another Throwback Thursday Post (even though I am posting large enough that my timestamp probably says Friday)?  Last week was a Theatre Throwback, so let me search my Media Library for something different.

Cool place to eat and shop.

Here is a picture from August of 2019.  Was it really a whole year ago I went to the Main Street Ristorante in Newport, NY?  Time for another trip there, I think.

Regular readers know I love all things cheesy!

Another local business I need to get back to: Original Herkimer Cheese in Ilion, NY,  home of Chudder:  tastes like cheese, spreads like butter!  I Like them on Facebook, so I am always seeing their specials.  They currently offer curbside pick-up, so what’s not to like?

Regular readers also know I love wine.

Here’s another great place I’d love to revisit: Prospect Falls Winery.   I’ll have to check if they’re open for tastings again.  Then again, if they are at least open to sell, I can remember a couple of their wines I really like.  Don’t worry: I’ll imbibe responsibly.

Beer is good too.

Here is a place I went to once and would like to revisit: Ommengang Brewery in Cooperstown, NY.  Steven and I went there once and tasted beer but did not take the tour.

There are all kinds of places I need to go to again.  As they slowly reopen, with proper distancing restrictions,  perhaps I shall.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, local business, personal, Throwback Thursday and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
Newer Posts →