Category Archives: personal

Something of a Running Commentary on Tired Tuesday

Posted on July 18, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Here we are on Tired Tuesday, and I feel as if I just can’t write a thing.  Well, obviously, I just wrote that stupid sentence, as well as this one.  That doesn’t prove anything, because I can just backspace them out and once again be staring at a blank screen.  Crap.

It was almost as hot and humid at my work today as it was yesterday, so I left feeling pretty much as melted (but yet no smaller, it’s no fair).  However, I managed to go running.  I did not ambitiously get right out as soon as I got home. First I sat on the couch, drank a glass of chocolate milk, and looked at the computer.  I had made up my mind to give it a miss and try again tomorrow.  Then I said, oh, what the hell.

As I ran, I thought I would make a Running Commentary post.  I know I just did one on Sunday, but I thought I could get away with it.  Anyways, I like to narrate in my head as I go. I never include all the stuff I come up with, which is probably just as well, because it would make some pretty long posts.  Today I went pretty slowly.  I figured I could make it a short run: 20 minutes.  I could make it for 20 minutes.  Could I make it for 20 minutes?  Sometimes 20 minutes is a long time and not just when you’re at work.  Why couldn’t I get one of those second winds you hear about?

Eventually I realized I was going to make it for 20 minutes, or a little more.  I turned the corner and was headed towards my street.  Suddenly I felt pretty okay and thought I could run further.  I could pass my street, and the next, then run up Main Street and over German back home.  Woohoo!  This is what a second wind feels like!  I felt less second and more windy when I actually got to Main Street, if you know what I mean.  The beauty part was, I still had to run back home, so my run was going to be a decent amount of time. Also, I like running by Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners.

My run ended up being 30 minutes.  I felt pretty happy about that, and my cool-down walk felt pretty darn good. And now I have managed to wrote a blog post.  Not a great blog post, but I think it’ll do for Tired Tuesday.

 

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Severed Heads on Melting Monday

Posted on July 17, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I promised myself a Monstrous Monday post, and I felt it would be better to get new (to this blog) monster pictures.  After quite some time of puttering around Facebook looking for them, I found not a monster, exactly, but what one might see as monstrous.

Some people just don’t like to sleep alone.

This is a shot from one of my favorite movies to watch on a Severed Head Sunday, which alas, I did not have yesterday: Straitjacket with Joan Crawford.  I sure do like movies that feature severed heads.  I looked for more pictures.

She’s giving him the side eye.

Another big favorite of mine: The Brain that Wouldn’t Die.  The sad thing about the movie is that the head wanted to die, but the obsessed boyfriend would not allow it.  These mad scientists always think they know best.  It took me a while to find a third photograph.  I tried to think of movies that featured severed heads and thought of Sleepy Hollow, or, as I like to call it, The Headless Everybody.  But all I could find was pictures of Johnny Depp looking sultry.  So I tried Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte, with another of my favorites, Bette Davis.  Charlotte is more contemporary with the pictures I’ve shared thus far.

Very atmospheric, isn’t it?

I could not find a picture of the severed head, but I’m not really surprised, because in the movie the head is more often talked about than seen.

So this is my Monstrous Monday post.  Foolish, you say?  In my defense, it has been meltingly hot all day, and I have been at work for the first time in two weeks.  And if you’re going to ding me for whining, just go away.  I will too.  Perhaps we can meet again tomorrow on Tired Tuesday.

 

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Winning Run on Wrist to Forehead Sunday

Posted on July 16, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Today I experience the melancholy of knowing I must go back to work tomorrow (YES, I AM grateful I have a job!  Sheesh!), but earlier today I felt some awesome endorphins so thought I would try a Running Commentary post instead of the promised Wrist to Forehead Sunday (but tune in tomorrow for a potentially sad Monstrous Monday!).

I was up prior to 6 a.m. (not a WHOLE lot prior, of course) so was ready for my run prior to seven.  I sure will miss running before the heat of the day when I have to be to work by 6:30, but that’s a problem for a different day.  I wasn’t feeling real energetic so did not know if I would increase my run by the recommended ten percent, as I like to do on a Sunday.  That would be OK. I just needed to get out there, because I did not run yesterday (I was recruiting my energies for the play) and I will probably not run tomorrow (hello! Back to work, 90 degrees, what sort of an iron woman do you think I am?).  I carried a bottle of water with me, though, in case it was along run.  Must fight dehydration!

I did not really feel up to major hills, like the one to Herkimer College, but I headed towards Main Street.  That is a pretty good hill with two chances to turn off it before you go all the way.  Of course the devil on one shoulder tried to talk me out of running any hills at all, but the angel on the other won and soon I was puffing up the hill.  I ended up going all the way to the end of Highland Avenue.  The steepest part of that hill is the beginning anyways, there are stretches of level ground and even a little downhill.  Additionally, I had not run that way in a while and enjoyed the chance to reacquaint myself with the houses out that way.  I was happy to see the gorilla-headed dummy still sitting at a table in front of one house.  There was a nice table cloth and some flowers on the table, which I did not remember seeing, so that was nice.

Going down Steuben Hill certainly felt pleasant.  I met a few cars, most of which nicely moved over or slowed down. I gave those people the “thank you” wave.  I found a nickle, which I picked up and slipped between my sports bras (PLEASE do not say, “TMI”).  I saw a couple beer cans and a water bottle, so I could have picked up more nickles, but that would have been awkward.

It was nice to sip water now and then as I ran.  I had it in mind to run down German Street to the spring on Lou Ambers Drive for a re-fill but was not sure if I would have time.  I was pretty sure by now that I would be able to keep going for 47 minutes, which was 10 percent longer than my last longest run.  I know I could run for longer, but I don’t know how bad of an idea it is to increase by more than the recommended 10 percent.  It is perhaps clear by now that I am not particularly scientific about my work-outs, but I try not to actively do harm to myself.  I have, as they say, only one of me.  Then I realized:  I could stop running and start my cool-down walk before I reached my house.  After all, I already had a bottle of water in my hand.  I really like that water on my cool-down walk!

I was feeling pretty terrific a little more than mid-way through my run.  It may have been endorphins.  It may have been relief to be running downhill instead of up.  It may have been happiness of being able to run as far as I wanted. Or it may have been that I finally sweated out enough toxins to let in the joy.  Who cares?  I felt good!  Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to just beat up your body for a while.  When I got to 47 minutes and stopped (less than a block from home, by the way), I wanted to raise my fists in the air in triumph, and have somebody sing, “We Are the Champions.”  Of course there was no one there to sing for me, so I just kept walking and sipping.

It is by now, as I write this, way too hot to run or even walk comfortably.  The endorphins have predictably worn off, but in writing this I have recaptured some of the feeling of accomplishment and the joy of all that sweat.  In fact, I am sweating again, but not from effort.  No matter.  It is Sunday and I did not make a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I’m going to call that a win.

 

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What Do You Want from Me on Slacker Saturday?

Posted on July 15, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I realized as I wrote my blog post last night that I was NOT having a Lame Post Friday, which I almost always do.  I was just so excited to write about the cheese play and use the pictures I took.  So now I feel free to make a Slacker Saturday post.  At least I’m making the post on the day I’m publishing it (according to my real calendar, not my WordPress timestamp, apparently).

The cheese play, Where’s the Cheesecake?, when very well.  We got a lot of laughs.  I had a little bit of cheese at the Little Falls Cheese Festival, but it was so warm, I did not want to stay long.  We went to Ruggiero’s Trattoria, sat at the bar in the air conditioning, and had a couple of drinks and a slice of pizza.  Then we came home and I fell asleep on the couch. We’ve been watching movies ever since.

It doesn’t sound like such an exciting day, does it? Well, I enjoyed it.  Oh, we also took a short walk to the post office and back to mail my weekly post cards. As I went into the post office, I ran into the man who is going to direct Fallen Angel, the play the Herkimer County Historical Society is going to put on at Ilion Little Theatre.  I told him to talk to Steven (who was waiting for me on the sidewalk) about auditioning.  So I may have some theatre news about that on a blog post soon (preview of coming attractions).

I see I am over 200 words.  Phew!  That’s enough for a blog post!  Thank you for tuning in, and I hope to see you all on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

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Getting Ready for Cheese

Posted on July 14, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I just got back from rehearsal for Where’s the Cheesecake?, the play LiFT Theatre Company is presenting tomorrow at Little Falls Cheese Festival. I brought along my Tablet to take some pictures for this post.

We do a lot in a small space!

The set is quite simple, because it is a radio play.  We sit in the chairs, then get up and say our lines into the microphones.  It’s actually a little awkward acting that way, but us actors are always up for a challenge.

There are always a lot of laughs at rehearsal

Here are two of my castmates.  Full Disclosure: I told them to act like they were consulting over something in the script.  Actors are really good at these posed candid shots.

I didn’t tell him to smile.

This is an actual candid shot of a cast member.

Can you tell Matt has a cheese and Angela has a microphone?

I also wanted a shot of our writer and director, so we did another posed candid.  Angela Harris wrote the script, and Matt Powers directed.  They, as well as the cast, are excellent to work with.

Alas, I did not get a shot of Oscar Stivala, The Man with the Horn.  He adds atmosphere and mood with his music.  He is also playing later in the day at the Cheese Festival.  I hope to stick around long enough to hear him.  A number of other musical acts are also featured.  You can check out the line-up on the Cheese Festival’s Facebook page.

The Cheese Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street in Little Falls.  The play will be in The Shop at 11:30 a.m.  Come on out!  But in case you miss it, I’ll try to write a blog post and tell you how it was.

 

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Feet and Friends on Non-Sequitur Thursday

Posted on July 13, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, after making yesterday’s wuss-out post this morning, I did not run out and have any Mohawk Valley adventures to write about, so I will make this a Throw Back Thursday, with Non-Sequitur overtones.

 

Not my usual footgear, but sometimes it works for me.

This is a picture from last June, but it is similar to what I wore on my feet today.  I tore up my toes on the bottom of my sister’s pool yesterday afternoon, so I slathered on some antibiotic ointment and covered them up.  I still went running.  Um, not with socks like these.  I made sure I found a good pair of running socks and wore my best running shoes. But I’m not writing a Running Commentary, so let’s see what else I can throw back to.

I wasn’t in this scene.

Last July I was in rehearsals for The Tempest with LiFT, Little Falls’ Theatre Company.  It seems odd not doing Shakespeare this summer, but I don’t know that I could have handled it anyways.  As you may have noticed by my continued foolish blog posts, I am not having a good summer.  But let me not whine about my petty problems but find another picture in my Media Library (you know how I love my Media Library)

A toast to good friends!

Another good memory of last summer was a delightful lunch Steven and I had with our friends Jim and Phyllis at Gerber’s 1933 Tavern in Utica.  What could be better than find times with friends?

One of my favorite spots.

The 1933 Tavern made me think of the 1834 Jail in Herkimer, located on the Historic Four Corners.  I run by these corners on many of my runs.  But, once again, I am not making a Running Commentary post.  Happy Thursday, everyone.

 

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I Truly Wussed Out

Posted on July 12, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I guess yesterday was a true Wuss-out Wednesday, since it is almost 5 a.m. on Thursday as I begin to make my blog post.  I can’t even call it a Blogger’s Sick Day, because I manage to post something on those days.  These things happen, I suppose.  For anybody who thinks I still party heartily enough that I have not yet gone to bed, although it pains me, I must disillusion you.  But never mind that. I must make some semblance of a blog post.  Since I did not have a Monstrous Monday, I’m going to go with some monster pictures.

He is probably having tea.

I am having my morning cup of coffee, and I am feeling rather monstrous.  I just imagine I will feel less so after coffee.

George Zucco is marvelously theatrical.

I share The Mad Monster poster, because I am mad at myself for not making my blog post yesterday, when I was supposed to.

A monster of the natural sort, although this is actually a machine.

I throw in Bruce, the shark from Jaws just because he caught my eye when I was looking through my Media Library.  Some may not consider him an authentic monster, since he is technically an animal, but I say Jaws is a monster movie.

“One more thing!”

I end with my favorite, Nosferatu.  This has been yet another quite foolish post, but I do not apologize.  For one reason, the Thursday post I’ll make later may be even worse.

 

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Smooth Coffee before Groceries

Posted on July 11, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

In lieu of my usual Tired Tuesday post (anyways, I was pretty tired yesterday), I give a brief shout-out to a local business I have talked about before: Moose River Coffee in Ilion, NY.  Steven and I wanted to do some shopping at our local Aldi’s, so I suggested breakfast out.  Do we not deserve a treat before braving a crowded grocery store?

Moose River Coffee has got to be my favorite cuppa in the Mohawk Valley, and probably anywhere else as well.  It is just SO SMOOTH!  Additionally, I have been dying for a bagel, and I knew they usually have some in the morning.  They had Everything Bagels!  My favorite!  I ordered one with cream cheese while Steven got cinnamon raisin with butter.  We both got a regular coffee.

As we munched and sipped, we looked around at the cozy setting. I love the wooden tables and the cozy couch.  We sat at a tall table this time, but we have enjoyed the couch on another visit.  Silly me to not bring my Tablet and take a few pictures. Ooh, good excuse to go there again soon!

Moose River Coffee is located at 70 Otsego St., Ilion, NY, phone number 315-895-0490.  Their website is http://mooserivercoffee.com/.  You can also Like them on Facebook.

 

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Moody Monday Moment?

Posted on July 10, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I keep thinking it is Tuesday, because I am so damn tired I want to make a Tired Tuesday post.  Why am I so tired?  I’ll blame the weather.  We had some glorious cooler weather over the weekend, then it got hot again today.  Not as dreadfully hot and humid as last week, though, so I will count my blessings.

We had an adventuresome morning.  We drove to Dolgeville, NY, getting just a little lost when we had to detour for road work.  We visited Stella’s Styles, the Dolgeville-Mannheim Public Library, and The Sweet Spot.  Yes, these are all excellent blog topics for Mohawk Valley Girl.  I hope to get to them soon.

Back home, we watched a couple more episodes of Columbo on DVD.  I loves me some Columbo!  Naturally we got a bit peckish while we watched.  Finally Steven called Carney’s Corners here in Herkimer and ordered a chicken salad sub and some chips for delivery.  Yum!

After eating I sat here seriously considering taking a Blogger’s Sick Day.  I’m not just tired, I’m sad.  I hate to admit that. For one reason, many people have things a lot worse than I do.  When I think about it, I have a lot to be thankful for, and I AM thankful. Most of the time.  Well, don’t mind me; I’m just having a moment.  Moments pass.

So here I sit, waiting for my melancholy moment to pass.  In the meantime, I feel marginally better about myself because I did so write some semblance of a blog post.  And tomorrow is another day, for more adventures and a better blog post.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Classic to Cheesy to Columbo

Posted on July 9, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I pause in the midst of my usual Sunday of watching movies and knitting (sometimes I crochet), to make my Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  Never mind why my wrist is to my forehead (about to swoon, although I do not own a chaise lounge), because I would rather talk about movies than whine.

Two utterly beautiful people.

We began our movie watching with A Place in the Sun, one of our favorites.  It is sort of related to a local historical murder, being based on a novel that was inspired (I can put it no closer) by the murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gilette.  He stayed in the 1834 Jail while being tried in the Herkimer County Courthouse, both on Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners, one of my favorite places.  I mostly wanted to see the movie for Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift (pictured) and Shelley Winters.

Two of our all-time favorites.

Next we went to Death on the Nile, a star studded Agatha Christie romp.  I found a picture of our beloved Bette Davis and Maggie Smith, but the reason we put on the movie is that David Niven came up in a conversation.  He is also in the movie, his usual debonair self.

This scene is near the dramatic conclusion.

After Death on the Nile, we went cheesy with The Atomic Brain.  We have that on AMC Cult Classics, a two disc collection with four movies, some more classic than others.

Look how young Peter Falk is!

We are currently watching Columbo in Prescription: Murder.  In fact, I am missing some important stuff to make this post.  There’s a reason to swoon!  I can’t put my wrist to my forehead while typing, so I shall sign off now.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

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