Category Archives: personal

Operator Error in a Pre-Rehearsal Post

Posted on January 8, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I kind of forgot to make a blog post on Monday but I will try to make a Pre-Rehearsal Post now.  I am soon to go to a rehearsal for our murder mystery Curtains for Frangelica.  It is a revival of the mystery we did last fall for the Herkimer County Historical Society.  One of my actors felt it was a shame to only do the show once, so she asked the New Hartford American Legion if they would like us to stage it for them.  They said yes.

A rehearsal from when we did it  before.

We started talking about this last fall, right after the Herkimer performance, but the Legion decided the end of January would be a better time for the event.  I found my script quite by accident the day we were going to the Legion to discuss the matter, and promptly lost it again.  However, I found it (again quite by accident) a couple of days ago, and all my lines were quite familiar.  Of course a few changes will have to be made.  We can discuss that at rehearsal.

Oh this is swell.  I was looking around my Media Library for a more lively picture of a murder mystery but it seems to be stuck.  No doubt I clicked on something too many times or some such thing.  It is always Operator Error with me.

However, I see I am over 200 words, and I have enough time to look over my lines again before my ride gets here.  I always say a short, dull post is better than no post at all.  I admit I may be wrong about that.  Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

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Blogger’s Snow Day?

Posted on January 6, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Why am I so tired so early in the evening?  That is a rhetorical question; I do not really need any speculation or suggestions.  What I need is to make a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post, since once again I have gone a few days blogless.  What the hell, me?

I have not walked up this hill lately.

This is a random picture of snow from my Media Library.  The Mohawk Valley has been experiencing a Snow Event since Friday.  I have not taken any pictures of said snow, but it looks remarkably similar to other times it has snowed around here.  Herkimer has not been as hard hit as other places, but we have gotten plenty, and I have done my share of shoveling.  I have also taken some effortful walks, plowing through marginally plowed spaces and being careful of underlying ice.  Perhaps that is why I am so tired.  It is winter, and my body feels it should be hibernating.

My car has looked like this three days in a row.

Here is a shot from last January, but it shows about what I have been dealing with.  However, I have been shoveling busily and not letting the snow pile up.  For one reason, warmer weather is not predicted.  If I wanted to wait it out, I would have a while.

The winding road ahead.

This is another picture from last year, included for the symbolism. I do not see a straight path ahead of me, perhaps because my current goals are too ambiguous.  I suppose January is a good time to work on that.  Then again, any time is a good time to set goals and make a plan.

In the meantime, I have blathered on for over 250 words.  I guess this is under the heading of At Least I Made A Blog Post.  As always, I shall try for something better tomorrow, and I thank you for tuning in.

 

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It Is Still the 20’s

Posted on January 2, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear, I last posted on Monday and today is Thursday.  I have had no Mohawk Valley Adventures to blog about. I have no profound thoughts to share about the new year, except to perhaps observe we are halfway through the Roaring Twenties and we seem to be wasting them.  Then again, what did I think was going to happen.  Speakeasies and bathtub gin?  It was really not the thrill we make it out to be.  A lot of the illegal alcohol was industrial stuff the bad guys added stuff to that was supposed to make it potable.  Sometimes it did, sometimes not so much.  The thrill, I read, was that you were taking your life in your hands every time you gave the password and ordered a “cup of coffee.”  Yeah, great gamble.  You win, you get a hangover.  You lose, you go blind or die.  Where was I going with this?

Me, pretending it was the ’20s in 2019.

I do enjoy the pretend 1920s, where we wear flapper dresses and listen to jazz music.  Oh why not gloss over all the negative aspects?  We are looking for entertainment not historical accuracy!

Here’s a suspicious group.

These shots were from a fundraiser at one of the Rutgers mansions in Utica, NY.  Look how handsome my husband was (he’s the one on the left, you know, the handsome one).

I haven’t had a chance to wear this dress in a while.

Here is the last year I went to the fundraiser.  I found the dress at a local thrift store.  I fear the headband made me look more That Girl and It Girl, but it was the only way I could make the wig work.

Perhaps I could make one of my murder mysteries this year a 1920s theme (preview of coming attractions).  In any case, I have blathered on for over 300 words.  I’ll slap on a headline, call this a Non-Sequitur Thursday and drive on.  As always I shall try for a better blog post tomorrow, and I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Yes, It Is Monday

Posted on December 31, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Here I was wondering what I could offer for a blog post when I realized today was Monday.  Monstrous Monday!  Many of us are confused by what day it is between Christmas and New Year’s.  Others are only too well aware. I cannot worry who knows what.  I can only make what blog post I can.  Full disclosure:  I have had a couple of glasses of Chardonnay before posting.  Judge me if you are so inclined.

Is this how I look to myself?

Since I confessed to indulging before blogging, I thought  this blurry mirror image was appropriate.  In fact, I am not seeing double, in the mirror or as I look in the distance.  However, this is a good monstrous image from Carnival of Souls,  a delightful low-budget scary movie.

Nice side eye!

OK, this does not have a lot to do with the previous picture, but it is a favorite of mine from The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, an excellent cheesy horror movie.

Why are you looking at me?

For a third picture, I show Nosferatu  of the eponymous 1922 silent movie, looking startled that we are zeroing in on him.  Regular readers know I love Nosferatu.

I guess this is not much of a post, which you will have on occasion.  I will try for something better tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope your Monday is just as Monstrous.

 

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Another Post Christmas Post

Posted on December 30, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear, I am back to missing days of posting.  What was I doing yesterday instead of making a blog post?  Nothing very exciting, I fear, so I have not much to blog about today.  However, I finally took a picture of my skeleton Bonita in her holiday outfits.  Surely some of my readers will be interested (even if they are not named Shirley).

She’s ready for a party!

The background is a blanket my sister Cheryl gave me last Christmas, with pictures of me and my late husband Steve.  I could perhaps have found something a little less busy to photograph Bonita with, but one does not always think of these things ahead of time.

Another festive friend.

And here is Burt the Birt-day Gorilla, also dressed for the holiday.  The hat is one I put together one year when I did the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls.  I have not done that run in a few years now.  Perhaps in 2025.

Just a random St. Nick.

And this is a Santa Claus I snapped a picture of when I was out walking yesterday.  He was all by himself in the yard, but he looked cheery enough to me.

At the triumphant conclusion of the race.

And here I am wearing the hat that Burt currently sports.  As you see, I decorated myself for the run.  My dear friend Jim met me at the end of the race, where he sang the chorus of “We Are the Champions” while I walked around with my fists in the air, because I like to walk around with my fists in the air while somebody sings the chorus of “We Are the Champions.”  This was in 2018.

I see I am approaching 300 words.  I call that OK.  I shall hit Publish and continue trying to outpace my post-Christmas letdown.

 

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Post Christmas Lame-Down

Posted on December 28, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about a classic Lame Post Friday post complete with random observations and half-baked philosophy.  I put a period instead of a question mark, because that is what I intend to do regardless.

Cluttered, like my mind.

I quickly throw in a picture to pep things up, since in fact I have neither random observations nor half-baked philosophy to share. This is a picture from a Christmas Past, when my (late) husband Steve and I put out most of our Christmas decorations every year.  I have not had a greatly decorated Christmas in years; in fact, even when Steve was still around we had kind of fallen off in the decorating department.  However, my purpose today is not to lament such shortfalls as will sometimes happen.

Another view.

This is from that same year.  We sure had a lot of little stuffed toys.

A few of our larger stuffed friends.

I had meant to bring down our collection of stuffed Santas this year but did not quite get around to it.  It hardly matters since nobody comes to visit my humble abode.  Perhaps that will change in 2025.  One can but hope.  And clean one’s house just in case.

I am afraid this has turned out to be a rather dull post, but  that happens sometimes.  I hope my readers can at least enjoy the pictures.  I hope your Christmas was grand, and your Post-Christmas Let-Down is not too bad.

 

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We Interrupt this Christmas Celebration for a Blog Post

Posted on December 26, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have been off WordPress since, I believe, Christmas Eve Eve (of COURSE I am too lazy to go back and check).  I just typed in some 600 words about my parents’ house, coffee, tea, and the 21st century.  It needs editing.  I must say it is rather a joy to be composing at the keyboard.  I have not even had a pen and paper in front of me in a number of days.  I do not recommend fasting from writing.  It feels good to get back at it, but I believe it would have felt better never to have stopped.

Here’s a festive lady!

No, I have not been away from the blog due to excessive consumption of wine, although those who know me may be forgiven for thinking so.  I merely wanted to put in a Christmasy picture, and this is one I have not yet used. It is Lisa from Adirondack Winery pouring for a tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY recently.  I walked down specifically to see her.  She is there on a regular basis, and we have become friends.  I told her all my Christmas-related drama, and she told me some fun stories of her day job (she works in the school system).  I had to take a picture of her seasonal outfit.

Still jingling all the way!

These slippers, a gift from my late husband Steven, made another appearance, as did the fun socks.  I am Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time, as the song goes (I love that song).  This is, as you may have guessed, another placeholder post, to keep my hand (fingers, really) in as a blogger (keep my finger in the blogger pie?  Mmmm…. pie!).  I need to begin my celebration of Boxing Day, or the Feast of Stephen, or perhaps Second Christmas (you know, like Second Breakfast).  More blog posts to follow!  Eventually.

 

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Must Stop at the Mustard Seed!

Posted on December 23, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I let today go by without leaving the house, thus losing another chance to Christmas shop.  However, I still have some pictures of previous Christmas shopping, so I can give a shout-out to another local business, which local readers still have a couple of days to go to.

This delightful lady will be there!

This is Juli Webster, proprietor of The Mustard Seed in Little Falls, NY.  See how Christmasy she looks!  The Mustard Seed has artisan herbal goods, scents, spice blends, gluten free foods, and more.  I spent a goodly amount of time there chatting with Juli and her mother.  I even wrote an article about the place for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  It is just the sort of distinctive local business they like to highlight.

Cool decor!

The bumble bee is prominent in the store and as part of the logo.  This is because of the story of the bumble bee:  it is not supposed to be able to fly, but the rules of aerodynamics or physics or something (I remember very little of my high school science).  BUT, nobody told the bumble it couldn’t fly, and so it does!  I had heard that about the bumble bee and always liked the story.  I find it inspirational, although people have, in fact, told me I cannot do certain things.  I’ll just pretend they didn’t.

Another bumble bee.

The store is only the Mustard Seed’s latest home.  It has been a staple at area craft and vendor fairs as well as having a store in the building that houses the Stone Mill Inn some years ago.

I highly recommend The Mustard Seed as a good place to shop, for Christmas or for yourself.  They are located at 407 Canal Place, Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-823-0718.

 

 

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“Snowman” and a Shout-Out

Posted on December 21, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Here’s a cheerful fellow.

As I sit here at my Chromebook, feeling utterly incapable of making a blog post, I remembered that I had added some pictures to my Media Library that I had not used yet.  I put one in the post, hoping to get myself started.  This snowman (boxman?) was at the UPS Store at Canal Place in Little Falls, NY.  I know, the UPS Store is hardly the sort of distinctive local business I like to highlight in this blog.  However, that homemade snowman won my heart.

Although, now that I look at him, I wonder if corporate didn’t send out the mittens, buttons, etc, for the employees to cut out and use to make the snowman.  Is there just such a snowman at UPS Stores nationwide? Oh well, it is still cute.

This was as far as I got on Thursday with making a blog post.  Now it is Friday afternoon and I thought, “Oh yeah, I didn’t make a blog post yesterday.”  How dreadful of me.  Let’s go back to those pictures I added to my Media Library.

Ooh, pretty!

 

This was at Little Falls Diamond Company, which I visited last Friday with my sister Cheryl.  It is just the sort of distinctive local business I love.

More beautiful stones!

I was just remembering I wanted to visit a distinctive local shop in Herkimer today, so I kind of need to get off the computer and into the shower so I can get there.  Well, at least I gave one shout-out.  I’ll see what else I can do when I get back home.

Little Falls Diamond Company is located at 411 Canal Place, Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-823-0454.

 

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Historical Society to the Rescue!

Posted on December 18, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Fine daily blogger I am.  I missed three days.  At first I put “several” but then I counted.  Three is more like a few. I don’t make the rules.

I think Santa likes me anyways. He’s not a big reader of blogs, so I hear.

I threw in a photo right away.  This is Santa Claus, who was at the Herkimer County Historical Society last Saturday.  They were also selling cookies.  Yum!  I was in a perfectly dreadful mood and had been for some days.  I did not know what to do, but I wanted to support the Society, so I walked over.  The volunteers gave me a warm welcome (they know me from the murder mysteries) and invited me to hang out with them for as long as I wanted to.  Of course I did and had a wonderful time.

I wish the picture was a little clearer.

The Suiter House was beautifully decorated.  Of course I took a few pictures.

I don’t know who the lady in the portrait is.

We talked about Christmas villages, and how they tend to grow, sometimes out of control.  I thought the one on their mantle was just right.

No, I did not sit on his lap!

I did not tell Santa what I wanted for Christmas, because quite frankly, I have been bad all year and do not expect any presents, although I know Santa is something of a pushover, so I might in fact get something (that is not a run-on sentence, although I suppose a period might not have come amiss).

I felt very Christmasy and happy after my visit to the historical society.  I hope to volunteer there in the new year, to a greater extent than putting on the murder mystery.  That would probably make for some good blog posts.

The Herkimer County Historical Society is located at 400 and 406 Main St., Herkimer, NY.  You can visit their website at www.herkimercountyhistory.org

 

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