Category Archives: personal

A Beer or Wine with Joan?

Posted on January 12, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am learning more about including pictures in the blog. It is very exciting for me. This picture was in our laptop’s downloads. I think my husband, Steven, may have used it for a profile picture last October. It appeals to me, because I love skellingtons and I love beer. In fact, it has not been a bad day at all. But I am quite tired and cannot think of anything to make a blog post about. Let’s see if there are any more fun pictures in the downloads, to make this a kind of a Wordless Wednesday post (I think we’ve already discussed that I am almost never entirely wordless) (and “Wordless Wednesday” sounds SO much more respectable than “Wuss-out Wednesday”).

This is my current Facebook profile picture. I was having a Lizzie Borden kind of a day (another profile I’ve used is a plaque that says, “I’m having a Lizzie Borden kind of a day”). The picture is Joan Crawford in Straitjacket, a William Castle flick and one of my favorites. I wonder if I’ve ever written a blog post about it. I believe I mentioned it once on Severed Head Sunday (one of my favorite days).

For our last photo of the day (I think three is a good number, don’t you?), I show you my Facebook cover photo. It is a lovely welcome mat which was given to Steven and me by our dear friend, Bruce. Bruce’s most frequent comment on any of my Facebook posts is, “It’s WINE TIME!!!” I like the way he thinks. Happy Wednesday, everybody.

Remember Those Donuts?

Posted on January 11, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

So Tired Tuesday follows Mental Muck Monday, everybody must have seen that coming. For anyone that was worried (although I don’t imagine anybody was), my writing abilities seem to have returned. Um, not that I expect this post will reflect my best efforts, but I did work on my articles for Mohawk Valley Living magazine. The deadline is looming; I must make haste. In the meantime, I need a blog post.

I had thought I would be posting in haste (posthaste, there’s a word you don’t see much anymore) before getting to rehearsal. First, of course, I had those articles to work on. As I worked, I could hear the sleet striking my window panes. Oh dear. Luckily my rehearsal is not far. Still, it was not going to be a fun drive. This is why I don’t like being involved in the March production, but it is useless to repine about that now. Then the phone rang. It was the director, cancelling rehearsal. Cast members who live farther away than I do had phoned him, saying they did not want to drive in this weather. I didn’t blame them.

I’m sure some readers are thinking, “Well NOW you can write a decent blog post, can’t you? Can’t you?” And I’m thinking,”Apparently not.” However, I do have a few pictures to share. Not very good pictures. Perhaps not worth a thousand words. Then again, my posts don’t usually run to a thousand words. Who has time to read thousand word blog posts anyways? Not me! Let’s look at the pictures.

These were taken Saturday, at the set-building session to which I brought the donuts (perhaps you read my blog post about it).

Two walls were already up when I arrived. And you see how fast our set-builders were working: this fellow is a blur!

There was much discussion about where the window would be.

They are discussing more walls to raise. The walls are there now, but I did not have my tablet with me at rehearsal last night.

Perhaps I can remember to bring my tablet to the next rehearsal and take more pictures of the set in progress. At least I can hope to post pictures of the completed project. And I will write many more word about the play itself, especially when the blog becomes All Steel Magnolias All The Time. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

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Posted in humor, personal, Tired Tuesday and tagged blog post, Ilion Little Theatre, pictures, rehearsal, set, set building, Steel Magnolias, theatre. Bookmark the permalink.

Monday Mental Muck

Posted on January 10, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, I would have a Monday Mental Meanderings post, but my brain is mired in the muck (just to alliterate a little further). Seriously, my thought processes seem to have slowed down almost to a halt. In fact, they may be moving backwards. Oh dear.

There. I just took a break and read a couple of blogs. I don’t know how I thought that was going to help, but I thought it couldn’t hurt and it is the only chance I will have to read any blogs before tomorrow night. I have rehearsal tonight. I know, I know, it is not yet time for this blog to become All Steel Magnolias All The Time. That time will come much closer to production, I hope.

Here is my problem: I can’t write.

I know, I know, one must be merciless in the matter of mood (I think that is a quote, but I do not remember who said it. I hope I do not have it exactly right as it might constitute plagiarism) (which some say is the sincerest form of flattery). Well, here I am, aren’t I? I’m at the keyboard, typing away and, as you can see, nothing very good is coming out. Could this be Wrist to Forehead Monday?

Earlier today I tried to write. It did not work out very well at all. Not one word made it from brain to paper. And you can clearly see not much brain is at work in the words I’m typing here. This may be my worst post about I Can’t Write a Post Today yet (I’ve labeled some “Why I Can’t Write a Post Today” and some “How I Can’t Write a Post Today,” but I feel that today the how and why eludes me).

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Posted in blogging, humor, personal, writing and tagged blog post, brain, lame post, Monday, Monday Mental Meanderings, not writing, Steel Magnolias, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

Putter, Post, Repeat

Posted on January 9, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I pause in my Sunday gyrations to make a blog post, or at least to begin a blog post. I may do other things between paragraphs and make no apology for doing so. We’ll see.

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it in this space before, but I often have what I call a putter and post kind of a day. I putter around the house, I post a status on Facebook, I putter some more, go back to Facebook, etc. It is a pleasant way to spend a day off, and sometimes I even get a few things done.

Today I have gotten a few things done. I grocery shopped. I stopped at Honey Brook Hobbies and Sweet Temptations in hopes of writing an article about them for Mohawk Valley Living magazine. I did the dishes. I made a pepperoni and cream cheese roll-up, just because. I chopped up radishes and carrots for this week’s lunches. I am in the midst of making a batch of Chex Party Mix (in the oven with real butter, as God intended). And I paused to check up on my Facebook friends. I like Facebook.

And that was when I stopped composing this post and did a few other things, as threatened in the first paragraph. I did not accomplish anything more of note, but I am anxious to get on to the sweats on, bra off, movie watching portion of the day. That is, get back to it, since in fact my sweats are on, my bra is off and A Place in the Sun is playing on the DVD player.

Last night we watched A North Woods Elegy: Incident at Big Moose Lake, a DVD Steven got for me from the Herkimer County Historical Society. It is about the real life case that inspired the novel that A Place in the Sun is based on, An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. The case was, as local readers no doubt know, the murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gilette. Gilette stayed in the 1834 Jail here in Herkimer, while he was tried and convicted in the Herkimer County Court House; both of those buildings are located on the Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners, which I have mentioned numerous times in this blog.

I would like to write a longer blog post about A North Woods Elegy. Perhaps in a subsequent blog post, because if I don’t get this posted soon, today might turn into Wrist to Forehead Sunday. And we wouldn’t want that, now, would we?

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Posted in humor, personal and tagged A North Woods Elegy, A Place in the Sun, blog post, blogging, Chester Gilette, Facebook, Grace Brown, herkimer county historical society, putter and post. Bookmark the permalink.

I Brought the Donuts!

Posted on January 8, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about a brief shout-out to a local business instead of my usual Scattered Saturday post? For one reason, I get to talk about donuts. Mmmmm… donuts.

The director and a few others were going to begin building the set for Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre (ILT) this morning. I sometimes show up for these sessions in hopes that I can be useful, but I rarely am. I know how to use a few tools, but I am no hand at carpentry. However, we all offer our contributions according to our talent. I thought I would offer moral support by bringing donuts.

Being, as I am, Mohawk Valley Girl, I naturally wanted to go to one of those unique local businesses I treasure. For set-building donuts, I like the Friendly Bake Shop in Frankfort, NY. I have several times stopped there for donuts before heading out to ILT.

The first thing I grabbed before the lady waited on me was a loaf of their good Italian bread. Yum! I looked at the donuts in the display case while I waited my turn, pondering. Some might call the decision I reached radical.

“I’m going to make this easy,” I said. “I’ll take a dozen plain.” They just looked really good, and they can be less messy than the powdered or filled ones (not to mention the ones that are powdered AND filled) (the frosted ones can get a little messy, too).

The donuts were a big hit at the set-building. I ate two myself. The guys appreciated the old-fashioned, crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside cakes. I brought three home for Steven.

The Friendly Bake Shop is located at 122 E Main St., Frankfort, New York, phone number (315) 894-8861. they are open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, closed Monday. You can Like them on Facebook.

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Posted in humor, local business, personal and tagged donuts, Ilion Little Theatre, set building, Steel Magnolias, theatre. Bookmark the permalink.

Lame is Not Fair

Posted on January 7, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Today is the Epiphany, and I certainly could use one. You see what I just did there? It is also Lame Post Friday, and I have a bit of half-baked philosophy to share. I thought of this earlier in the week.

People love to say, “Life is not fair,” and it is certainly true. However, this is not a license for you to do whatever the hell you feel like no matter who you hurt. Sure, the universe seems unfair (bearing in mind that we can’t see the whole picture), but we as human beings can strive to be fair, equitable, or perhaps even unfair for the benefit of someone other than ourselves.

“Life is not fair,” it seems to me, refers to things like cancer, tornadoes, hair color, natural talent. I will never be tall, willowy and have high cheekbones. I will never have the opportunities enjoyed by people born to wealthy, well-placed parents. However, other people will never have my ability to just sit down and tap out a blog post (lame or otherwise). Other people will never enjoy the utter fun of having a spouse like my husband Steve. All these things fall under the heading of “Shit happens.”

When you take the biggest piece of cake or the last beer in the fridge, turn around and say with a smirk, “Well, life isn’t fair,” that does not make it all right.

There is probably a much more eloquent, well thought out essay to be written on this subject. However, for Lame Post Friday, I’m going to call this good enough. Do you suppose that’s fair?

No Wine, No Words

Posted on January 6, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh, could I use a couple of pictures today! Because the words that are currently swirling around in my head are just not coalescing into a blog post. And I must make a post soon, because the read-through for Steel Magnolias (you know, the play I’m in a Ilion Little Theatre) is tonight. Yes, we are heading into another few months of hurried posts before I hurry off to rehearsal or performance. Yes! I AM a drama queen!

I am not, unfortunately, a blogger queen. I typed in the first paragraph and have been sitting here staring at the computer since.

Then I paused to eat supper, bacon and scrambled eggs, made by my husband, Steve. Yum! And I keep getting distracted by the Reba re-run on the TV. That is a largely ignored but very fun little show. I love Reba McEntire. I like the rest of the cast as well. Phew, it’s over now. Now it’s a show I don’t like. Watch me get interested in it in spite of myself. I do that sometimes. Steven just changed the channel to 20/20 on OWN. I love true crime shows.

So I guess this is truly a Non-Sequitur Thursday post. All I have to do now is think of a catchy headline that may or may not have anything to do with this nonsense.

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Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged blog post, blogging, Ilion Little Theatre, television, words, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

Winery Wordless Wednesday

Posted on January 5, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m really liking the idea of Wordless Wednesday, although I am probably one of the least wordless people on the planet. I mean, I’ll be honest, I LOVE words! I love to talk! I love to write! But today, I just want to post something quickly and and go to bed early. So this is kind of a Preview of Coming Attractions about the blog post I intend to write about Prospect Falls Winery. I’ll post the pictures today and the words… subsequently (I can’t promise tomorrow; I have the read-through for Steel Magnolias!)

It was easy to get a space at the tasting bar the day we were there.

Oh, I can’t just put the pictures, can I? I have to have some words. Anyways, Steven and I were at Prospect Falls Winery last Wednesday with my sister Cheryl and our friend Penny. Steven and I tasted a few wines, and we spent some time walking around looking at the wines and other things for sale.

I wish I had gotten a better shot of the wall hanging.

Love the Adirondack lamps!

The bundles are vintage Readers Digests.

Prospect Falls Winery is located at 400 Academy St., Prospect Falls, NY, (315) 205-4045. They are open Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m.to 6 p.m., Sunday from noon to six. For more information, you can visit their website at http://www.prospectfallswinery.com/. You can also Like them on Facebook.

Merry Post-Christmas Letdown

Posted on January 4, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

So last week my excuse for foolish blog posts was that I was on vacation. This week my excuse is I’m back at work and trying to get into the swing of things. Does anybody have a problem with that? You there, in the back? You do? Or were you just shooing a fly? I thought so.

That by way of a silly introduction to a Post-Christmas Tired Tuesday post. I returned to work today, still grateful for having had yesterday off. Now I only had a four day week to get through! It was not until I sat down here and started typing just now that I remembered: in school on the first day back after Christmas vacation, everybody had on their new clothes they had just gotten for Christmas. How fun was that? Until I would realize I still wasn’t beautiful and popular, which I spent most of my childhood and adolescence hoping I would one day wake up to find myself.

Of course with school as well as with work, it did not take long to feel as if I had never left. Vacation? What vacation? When is the next one? I looked at the calendar and counted the full weeks till a three day weekend. Far too many. However, I do have a few discretionary days to take. I may treat myself to a Monday off in February or March. I will probably write a blog post about it.

All things considered, it was not a heinous first day back at work. Some of the usual annoyances annoyed, but some of the usual amusements amused, and it was nice to see my work friends again. I do like having friends. I’m still not beautiful, but now enough people talk to me that I can at least pretend I’m popular. Happy Tuesday everyone, and I hope you are all recovering from any post-holiday blahs you may have.

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Posted in humor, personal, Tired Tuesday and tagged blog post, blogging, Christmas, lame post, post Christmas letdown, school, vacation, work. Bookmark the permalink.

All Kinds of Drama in 2017!

Posted on January 3, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Welcome to the first Mental Meanderings Monday of 2017. I hope nobody is expecting brilliance (I know, most of you never had such expectations of me) (OK, me neither), because I feel tired and stupid. These are not unfamiliar feelings for me, but I do not repine. I just have to wait and sooner or later I will feel some other way. That is how it works.

Where was I? Ah yes, mentally meandering. I’m expecting my post-Christmas letdown to continue at least for a few more days, with the occasional relapse as the month wears on. On Wednesday I have a meeting to talk more about the murder mystery LiFT Theatre Company is doing at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls. Who could be uncheered by a murder mystery? (That is a paraphrase from Winnie the Pooh, by the way. I think the real line is, “Nobody could be uncheered by a balloon.”) Thursday I have the read-through for Steel Magnolias at Ilion Little Theatre.

And then I have at least two more murder mysteries to write, in addition to writing articles for Mohawk Valley Living magazine and making a blog post every day. Then there is running, finally organizing my house and life, and of course seeking out new Mohawk Valley adventures. I hope to also find time to crochet, knit, and watch true crime on cable television, as well as the occasional cheesy movie to write a blog post about (I haven’t done one of those posts in a long time!).

I see that I am over 250 words. Score! And never once did I whine about my inability to come up with a blog post for today. That makes me feel a good deal less stupid than I felt when I typed the first paragraph. You see, I was right: just wait and I will feel a different way. Bring on 2017!

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Posted in humor, Monday Mental Meanderings, personal and tagged 2017, blog post, Ilion Little Theatre, LiFT Theatre Company, Little Falls NY, Mohawk Valley adventures, Mohawk Valley Living, murder mystery, Overlook Mansion, Steel Magnolias, theatre, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

Mohawk Valley Girl

Category Archives: personal

A Beer or Wine with Joan?

Remember Those Donuts?

Monday Mental Muck

Putter, Post, Repeat

I Brought the Donuts!

Lame is Not Fair

No Wine, No Words

Winery Wordless Wednesday

Merry Post-Christmas Letdown

All Kinds of Drama in 2017!

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