Category Archives: personal

These Are Not Movies to Swoon Over

Posted on June 18, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

And once again it’s Wrist to Forehead Sunday, the day I swoon onto a chaise lounge in a dramatic pose, because it’s all Just Too Much For Me To Bear.  Oh, OK, not really.  For one reason, I do not own a chaise lounge.  I did pose with one wrist on my forehead earlier, when I was singing to my husband, “You left me broken hearted! Blue since the day we parted!”  I loves me some ABBA.

Side note:  my husband has never left me broken hearted; I just had that song playing in my head, so I sang it. I do that sort of thing.

I could never get my hair to look like that.

Speaking of leaving somebody broken hearted, that is how Michael Douglas leaves Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, the movie we are currently watching.  You can be psycho and broken-hearted at the same time, can’t you?

I don’t know who all those girls are, nor yet where the spider web comes in, but it is a cool poster nevertheless.

Our first movie of the day was The Terror, at my request.  I wrote a blog post about it one time.  I had forgotten a lot of the plot.  I was just delighted to hear Boris Karloff’s mellifluous voice. I only wish he had had more lines. He got top billing on the basis of who he was more than the actual size of his part.

I have a hard time getting plants to grow myself.

We followed The Terror up with Little Shop of Horrors, the 1960 Roger Corman flick, not the musical, of which I am not at all fond.  Incidentally, Jack Nicholson does not play the sadistic dentist but a masochistic patient of the dentist.  Just to clear that up.  Jack Nicholson was also in The Terror, so we had a little Jack Nicholson film festival going on.  I would have preferred a Boris Karloff film festival, but he does not get to use his beautiful voice in Frankenstein and we don’t have The Raven.  I must find a DVD of The Raven.

Ah, Raven, someday you will be mine!

So that is my Wrist to Forehead Sunday post about our movie watching day.  I hope to see you all on Mental Meanderings Monday.

 

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Scattered or Slacker, It’s Saturday

Posted on June 17, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’ve never been so popular the whole town would chase me.

I pause in our viewing of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) to make my Scattered Saturday post.  I had been going to do a Saturday Running Commentary, and we took a nice walk, making a Pedestrian Post perfectly eligible.  But I thought waiting till later in the day and posting during a movie would be fun, too.

My run was actually very good, even though I woke up with a headache.  I had coffee, Gatorade, and water before the run.  The headache did not slow me down but neither did it go away during the run.  You’ll have that sometimes.  After writing a few post cards, Steven graciously agreed to go for a walk with me.  We first walked to First Source Federal Credit Union to deposit a check, going by way of some construction at the end of our street, so we could check the progress.  I think it’s going to be a while.

We cut through Meyers Park to get to the post office.  Before I mailed my cards, I noted on the bulletin board a program at the Herkimer County Historical Society to be given by Sue Perkins, society director, on Wednesday, June 20 (preview of coming attractions).  I told Steven I would like to go.

“What’s it about?”  he asked.

“I don’t remember, but Sue Perkins, Historical Society, that’s all I need to know.”  I later noted in the paper it is about how Herkimer used to look vs. how it looks now. I am quite interested.

After the post office, we stopped at Basloe Library, then went home.  A short time later we left again to pick up a prescription of mine at The Medicine Shoppe in Illion, with Steven making a quick foray into Ilion Wine and Liquor.  My headache still had not gone away, so I laid down for a while when we got home again.

I guess we did not do such a lot to make this a really good Scattered Saturday post. Maybe more of a Slacker Saturday?  No matter. There are movies to be watched and wine to be enjoyed.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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I Need Some Nosteratu

Posted on June 16, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

The obligatory psycho eyes!

Hey, it’s Lame Post Friday! I have not shared monster pictures all week, so I thought I might indulge tonight.  I open with a monster of the human variety (using the term “human” loosely), the murderous Rhoda in The Bad Seed, as played by Patty McCormack in the 1956 movie. She is shown with her mother, played by Nancy Kelly, who does a good bit of scenery chewing herself.  Steven and I are watching the movie now.  I wanted something cheesy, familiar, and fun.

I did not mean to make a real movie blog post about The Bad Seed.  I merely mention it to set the scene, as it were.  It is the end of a long week, and I am tired.  I need some Nosferatu.

“Ah, fresh air!”

Here is the picture I always think looks as if it is in front of Little Falls Antique Center at Canal Place.  Just to give a little local flair.  For a little more local flair, I am sipping some Reisling from Merritt Winery in Forestville, NY.  I have not been there but have sampled the wine at tastings at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY.

I just flashed on Dracula, saying, “I never drink… wine”  (of course he pronounced it “vine”).  That is where the vampire and I differ.  Therefore I will close with a picture of Frankenstein, “Drink!  Good!”  Come to think of it, he may have been talking about gin.  Well, one must make do after all.

Tea is good, too.

This is Boris Karloff in 1931’s Frankenstein, on a break.  Just to complete the scene, we are now at the point in The Bad Seed where the characters are drinking gin and tonic.  Damn, that’s one of my favorites!  Well, wine is good, too.  Happy Friday, everyone!

 

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Four Days On, Three Days Off, What’s Next?

Posted on June 15, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am nobody’s good example when it comes to fitness.  I triumphantly ran four days in a row, culminating in my longest run on Sunday.  Then I went three days without running.  Go ahead and judge me.  On the brighter side, I ran today and it was not a bad run at all.

I had told myself all day that I would run, trying as usual to internalize the idea.  I even said I would run rain or shine.  Even if it poured rain!  After all, “Run in the Rain” is a good title for a blog post.  Except that I think I already used it.  No matter, it did not rain.  It was actually lovely weather for a run:  cooler temperature, cloudy and breezy.  This was going to be great!

I did my usual multi-task of putting a load of laundry in the washer before I set out.  I prepared myself to listen to my legs, feet, and possibly back complain. I would persevere!  Maybe I would make it a short run, but I would persevere for as long as possible.  Imagine my delight when my legs seemed perfectly content to move.  I turned left on German Street and prepared to enjoy myself.

Eight or nine minutes into the run, I got this weird cramp in my lower abdomen.  How annoying!  The entire rest of my body was having a perfectly enjoyable run, but one little part has to give me a pain.  What was that all about?  I kept running.  Maybe it would go away.  It did not.  I kept running anyways.

I saw a small flag on the sidewalk and picked it up.  I don’t like to see the American flag on the ground.  It was frayed on one side, as if it has come off its little stick.  I held it by the edge as I ran.  Now I was running with a flag.  I was thinking it could be a Veteran’s Day run when I remembered:  today is Flag Day!  I was right on time!  This was great!

Only the cramp continued.  It is so bothersome when you have a pain: it colors everything you do.  I continued to run, stopping occasionally to smell flowers:  lilacs once, peonies two or three times.  Of course I kept these stops very brief.  I considered making it a short run because of the cramp.  Then again, there was no guarantee that the cramp would stop if I was not running.  I did not think it involved any running muscles.  I kept going.  Every body part other than the cramp felt great!  What the hell, body?

As I neared the end of the run, it seemed that I could definitely keep it up for 29 minutes, the same length as my last, longest run.  I WOULD keep it up for 29 minutes, yes!  In order to do so, I ran around the apartment building at the end of my street, then around its front drive, then past my house and back.  I did it!

I felt happy as I walked my cool-down, and even happier as I drank my chocolate milk recovery beverage after my shower.  The cramp did not go away, so clearly I was right to keep running.  I’m wondering now if I will make this another four-day streak, running Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  If so, I will strive NOT to take three days off after!

 

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Wuss Out or Shout Out?

Posted on June 14, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is Wuss-out Wednesday, I’m afraid, but I hope to add a modicum of worthiness to the proceedings with a shout-out to a local business, the Miners’ Table in Herkimer, NY.

Steven and I first went to the Miners Table on a recent Sunday, and I hope to write an article about it for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  In fact, I have started writing the article.  Full disclosure:  I could have finished writing the article without returning to the place, but I wanted to go out.  So did Steven.  So we went.

We sat at the bar, as we did before, and ordered drinks and an appetizer.   I wandered around the restaurant with my Tablet, taking a few pictures.  I will submit the pictures with the article.  I suppose I could also use them in this post, but, like I said, this is Wuss-out Wednesday.

It was a fun interlude for mid-week.  We chatted a little with the bartender. She said it was a great place to work, where they treat their employees well. I told Steven he should apply for a job.  The appetizer we got, Hammer and Chisel Nachos, was as substantial as a meal.  I understand most people order it as a four-person appetizer, but I think it would still be pretty substantial.  The wine was tasty too.

The Miners’ Table is located at the Herkimer Diamond Mines, 4579 State Rt. 28, Herkimer, NY, 315-891-3463.

 

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A Few More Ball Pics

Posted on June 13, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

In lieu of my usual Tired Tuesday post (in a shining example of Freudian slip and wishful thinking, I almost typed “Wuss-out Wednesday”), I will continue sharing pictures of the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs’ Purple in the Park for March of Dimes last Saturday night.  As I mentioned, it was a great time for a good cause, Mohawk Valley adventuring at its finest.

Note the lights coming on; I was up past my usual bedtime!

They painted the March for Babies logo on the field.  I was a silly wizard at the March for Babies event in May.  Perhaps you read my blog posts about it.

Must learn to focus my Tablet better.

I tried to get a shot of the outfield.  As you can see, I’m nobody’s photographer.  I hope to practice and get better, maybe even learning to use my digital camera.  In the meantime, I crave your indulgence.

No, I did not get their names. My bad.

This was early on, as you can see by how clean their pants are (why DO ball players wear white?).  I don’t know what these fellows were looking at or talking about.

I really could have used a zoom feature!

In the foreground are the Visitor Bleachers.  Behind them, we saw a few people sneaking a long distance view of the game.  I think they must live nearby, because I saw them leaving and returning by a path through the trees.

The tennis courts were recently redone.

This was the view behind us.  I did not mention yesterday that we were on the Sky Box, a really cool place to sit.  It is right over the Dawgs’ dugout.

So these are the rest of the pictures I took.  At least, I took a few more, but these were the best of the bunch.  I still have not said a whole lot about the game or about the March of Dimes, but, you know, it is Tired Tuesday.

 

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Just a Bit about the Ball Game

Posted on June 12, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Play ball!

On Saturday Steven and I went to Veterans Memorial Park in Little Falls to watch the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs.  The occasion was Purple in the Park for March of Dimes Mohawk Valley.  Perhaps some of you read my post about my purple outfit for the occasion.  I realized I neglected to mention two things about my ensemble:  I wore all the purple beads I got at March for Babies a few weeks ago (at the end of the event I snagged a half dozen strings nobody seemed to want) AND I put purple in my hair.  But this post is not about me; it is about the Diamond Dawgs and the March of Dimes!

Full disclosure:  All I’m really doing is sharing the pictures I took on Saturday and typing a few words about them.  I felt I should not do another Monstrous Monday after the string of foolish blogs I have been doing.  Am I not Mohawk Valley Girl?  I must write more often about the Mohawk Valley!

Note the purple beads and bracelet. The beads are like the ones I wore. I did not wear a bracelet. Missed a bet!

Information was available about the March of Dimes and the great work that they do.

We were going for a Rambo-esque pose.

Adding excitement to the event was a homemade t-shirt shooter which shot March of Dimes t-shirts into the crowd.  I particularly liked the miniature baseball bat trigger.

The woman of the hour!

 

And here is the mover and shaker behind the event: the wonderful Laura Powers.  It was her husband, Matt, wielding the t-shirt gun.

I’m going to call this post a Preview of Coming Attractions, because I have not used all my pictures.  Perhaps tomorrow I’ll add the rest and tell a little more about the game.  Go, Dawgs!

 

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The Run I Almost Missed

Posted on June 10, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about a Sunday Running Commentary in lieu of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday?  I got out of bed this morning thinking I would not run but after a cup of coffee talked myself into it.  As Steven pointed out, it is a beautiful day.  I do love running in the morning and weekends are the only times I can do it (unless I run at 3 a.m., which is not the same thing).

As I ran out the end of my driveway, I saw the peonies in my front lawn were blooming.  I paused oh so briefly to sniff at them.  What a wonderful scent!  I flashed back to springs and summers of my childhood, when my Mom had a large peony bush (she still has it).  I made up my mind I would smell any peonies I encountered on the run.

I was expecting my legs to start complaining as usual, but they did not.  Score!  I crossed German Street and headed for Main, where there is a nice hill. Yesterday I ran the hill by Valley Health, so I am working my way up to the hill to Herkimer College.  My current goal is to be ready for the Falling Leaves Run in September, which is 14K and I believe has several hills.  I should make it handily, if I don’t fall off the running wagon.

At the end of Main Street I saw a sign, “Road Closed, Local Traffic Only.”  I added in my head, “And Cindy Running.”  The hill was not much fun, I admit, but I persevered till the top.  It is kind of nice to be less than seven minutes into your run and have the big hill out of the way.  As I made my way back down to German, I wondered where else to run.  Today should have been the day for me to add the weekly ten percent to my run time, making it 29 minutes.  When I talked myself into running, it was with the proviso that I would not necessarily have to do that (as Scarlett O’Hara famously said, tomorrow is another day).  I was at this point undecided.

When I got to German Street, the sight of peonies decided me:  I crossed German and ran down Harley Street.  The peonies were pink and white, several bushes stretching almost a block long.  I sniffed four or five blooms, making very short pauses to do so, nothing like the stops I make to pet dogs.  Incidentally, I did not see any dogs.  More dedicated runners may shake their heads and opine that I will never improve my run time if I stop while running, but I do not care at all.  I like to smell flowers and I like to pet dogs.

My legs felt fine but my breathing was a little ragged.  I concentrated on breathing in slowly and holding the air in for a second or two.  I heard this advice from a fellow soldier, who had heard it from a Native American drill sergeant of his.  He said it stood to reason:  you hold the air in so it has time to do your body some good.  It helped.  I started to feel thirsty so thought of running to the spring and taking a drink.  How long would that take me?  Would I run 29 minutes after all?

I turned in the direction of the spring, keeping an eye on the time.  It soon became clear that I could not make it all the way to the spring and back.  That was OK, because as usual I had a bottle of ice water waiting for me on my deck.  I figured times in my head, changed my mind a few times, going up one street and down another.  Ooh, more peonies, sniff, sniff.  It came to me that I was GOING to make it for 29 minutes and it was NOT going to be a problem!  I felt GREAT!  I could run for DAYS!  Yes!

As I walked my cool-down, I said to a neighbor, “I’ll tell you what, running four days in a row is the Way to Go.  I feel awesome!”

“There you go,” he said.

“Which I did NOT feel the last three days,” I added.  It is wonderful to prove things to yourself.  When I have to persevere through a bad run, I always tell myself, you have to get through the bad runs to get to the good ones.  Today was definitely a good run.

 

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Purple Prose about Purple Clothes

Posted on June 10, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

It has been another Saturday where I have not done enough to warrant a Scattered Saturday post, and I have waited too long after my run to make a decent Running Commentary post (my run wasn’t such a much anyways).  Instead I offer another Getting Ready post (which I need to come up with a better name for).  At least I am amused myself by my gyrations in finding something to wear.  Others can point and laugh or roll their eyes in self-satisfied superiority.  Whatever floats your boat. I try not to judge.

Tonight’s Event is Purple in the Park with the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs in Little Falls, NY.   The aim is to all wear purple to raise awareness of the March of Dimes.  Regular readers may remember that I dressed as a wizard to participate in the March for Babies.  I was not a purple wizard, although I guess I could have been. I briefly considered wearing the purple graduation gown that was my back-up wizard costume to tonight’s event.  Then I decided to dress like a normal person, or as much of a normal person as possible.  After all, I can only work with what the Good Lord gave me.

I wanted to wear a large purple t-shirt with some bright-colored shorts I’ve had for years.  Alas, I could not find one.  That’s what I get for falling behind on my laundry. I knew I had a purple patterned button-down shirt that would work.  Could I find that?  Of course not!  I nervously eyed the clock and wondered if I had enough time to do a load of laundry.  I did not.  In searching for some purple, any purple, I found the button-down shirt.  Yes!  I even went so far as to iron it.

What pants to wear?  The shirt looks better untucked, so baggy shorts would not make me happy.  Spandex would be OK, since the shirt covers my fat butt (don’t judge).  I sent Steven out to my car, where my knee-length grey bicycle shorts were.  Full-disclosure:  they have been in a bag with other work-out clothes in my vehicle for about two weeks now, waiting for me to go to the YMCA after work.  In my defense, many of the days I have not gone to the Y, I have gone running.  Anyways, this is not a fitness post, stop judging my work-out habits or lack thereof.

Naturally I was able to find three purple earrings (I have three ear piercings) (cue jokes about holes in my head).  Yes, they all had to do with wine.  As they say, I gotta be me.  I was delighted to also find purple ankle socks.  I hope my blue little canvas sneakers do not clash too wildly, but it seems to warm for black sneaks and my white ones are too ratty.

For more information on tonight’s event, click on the link above.  If anybody local reads this in time, come on out!  Wear purple if you can; if not, at least you can cheer on the Diamond Dawgs!

 

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It’s Lame Post Friday and I Want Monsters!

Posted on June 9, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

OK, I typed in that headline, went to my Media Library, and said, “I can’t use that!” to every monster picture I saw.  What the hell, me?  Why don’t I just take a blogger’s sick day and drive on.  All I want to do is knit and watch true crime television anyways. And now I have to go turn the meatballs again.

There.  I was cooking with wine, and now I’m letting the bowties cook for another ten minutes.  I could do a cooking post, since I am getting a little creative, but, dammit, I’m in the mood for monsters.

 

OK, they haven’t made the monster yet, but what an atmospheric shot.

I do like a grey shot of a cemetery.  And just look at all those crooked gravestones.  I always heard that when a gravestone was tipped, it meant the soul that had been buried there walked. I say cool, although others may say it’s just erosion.  I try not to argue with such people.

I’m not sure what he’s doing, but he is definitely more ambitious than I am this evening.

Here’s the monster!  Yes, he is Frankenstein’s monster or The Monster, not Frankenstein.  I personally do not have a problem with anybody calling him Frankenstein, although I think “Frankie” is a little precious.  However, I am not the arbiter of these things.

Sometimes we all need a little help from a friend.

To round things out with three pictures, here is The Monster having a tea break.  Ah, tea.  Perhaps I will have a cup.  After my glass of wine. It is Friday, after all.

 

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