Category Archives: personal

Is It Saturday Already?

Posted on November 16, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

The late posts continue with a Late Lame Post Friday post.  At least I have coffee, if not much brain power or motivation.

Like I’ll ever be this skinny!

I did have a couple of Mohawk Valley adventures yesterday and remembered to take pictures.  Unfortunately the pictures are in my phone, which is across the room being charged.  I may bestir myself to get more coffee, but otherwise I am staying comfortably lounged on the couch.

My allergies are becoming quite tiresome lately.  I thought the frosts we had would help, but I reckoned without my indoor allergies.  I posted on Facebook that I am allergic to cleaning.  Some might argue that it is all the dust, but I stand by my statement.  Regular readers may recall that my house is in a terrible mess and has been for some years.  I continue to make progress in bits and pieces.  I even clear away some of the dust I stir up.

Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, there could be no possible objection.

I was searching my Media Library for a picture of my messy house but got tired of it so decided to share an old favorite.  It is a publicity shot for Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte, which was to have been a kind of a follow-up to Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?  Unfortunately, Crawford dropped out (long story, but pretty interesting).  Olivia de Havilland stepped in, and the resulting movie is one of my favorites.  Unpopular opinion: I’ve  never been a fan of Baby Jane.

Well now I’ve rattled on for over 250 words.  I call that respectable.  I hope you all had a lovely Friday, and I hope your Saturday is equally as swell.

 

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Memories of Coffee and Steve

Posted on November 15, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I guess I am back to late blog posts as I site here early Friday morning to make a Throwback Thursday post.  I am up early, having gotten up just prior to five o’clock.  I like to be up early; I just don’t like to get up early.  Right now I am not even sure I like to be up early, but at least I have got coffee.  Thank God for coffee!

No fan needed today, though.

Ah, I knew I had a picture of the mug I am currently using.  I wonder if I can get to Dyn’s Cider Mill before they close for the season.  Perhaps a drive there today would be in order (preview of coming attractions?)

I rarely look this perky and cute, no matter the time of day.

I noticed this picture before I found the Dyn’s mug and thought, why not do a coffee mug throwback?  My late, dearly missed husband Steve and I collected many mugs in our years together.  I keep thinking I need to get rid of a few, but getting rid of things is not my strong suit.  Additionally, I use all my coffee mugs.  Many people have one favorite they use all the time, but Steven and I liked to use them all in turn, often depending on season or mood.

A favorite line from a favorite movie.

This was a present from Steve.  He always got me the best presents.  Well now I am throwing back to the great romance of my life.  Perhaps I should close with a picture of Steve.  If I had one of him with a coffee mug, how nice that would be!

 

Steven with wine is almost as good.

Looking through my Media Library for pictures has reminded me about a lot of good memories I have made on Mohawk Valley adventures.  I should do more Throwback Thursday posts.  And have more Mohawk Valley adventures.  But first, more coffee.

 

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Post Music Post

Posted on November 14, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I knew it; I knew this would happen.  I knew if I went to Fratello’s before making my blog post I would not want to make my blog post when I got home.  Here I am, too beat to blog.  Yet here I am, ten finger typing on my Chromebook.  Perhaps I could manage a Wuss-out Wednesday post.

This was a really good episode.

I was watching Columbo earlier this afternoon while crocheting a baby afghan I want to give at a shower in another week or so.  While at Fratello’s, Phil Arcuri sang the Johnny Cash song about a Burning Ring of Fire.  I told my friend Kathy, who was there with me, how Johnny Cash was a great murderer on Columbo (this does not need a spoiler alert, as Columbo aficionados know).  So the picture above is appropriate.

And here is Phil!

This is a picture I took a while ago of Phil at Fratello’s. Tonight I took my obligatory picture to share on Facebook, inviting others out to hear good music, but it did not turn out very well.  Still, I shared it, so any of my local Facebook friends could come out and hear the music.

I see I have managed 200 words.  I say not bad for a Wuss-out Wednesday. Note to self:  next time post before going out to enjoy local music.

 

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Honoring Veterans

Posted on November 13, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Friday I attended a very nice  Veterans Event in Ilion, NY.  Names were being added to the wall in the Town Hall’s Veterans Memorial Auditorium.  I got there early and walked around looking at the large number of names, all residents of Ilion who had served in the armed forces.

Only part of the veterans honored.

The names are grouped by wars, and there is a section for peacetime veterans as well.  There is even a Civil War veteran on the back wall of the stage.

The oldest one.

 Ilion Mayor John P. Stephens welcomed a gathering of over 70 people, including veterans as well as their families and friends. After thanking all veterans, past and present for their service and reiterating how proud Ilion can be of how many of its residents have answered the call to service over the years, Mayor Stephens read the names to be added, asking any who were present to stand.

Mayor Stephens

 All those attending gave a warm ovation to these veterans. Stephens then asked any other veterans present to stand, and they were applauded as well.

 After the ceremony, many spent some time walking around the auditorium, reading names and taking pictures.  It was a short but heartfelt occasion.  I got into a conversation with one couple taking pictures of their son’s name.  I asked for a picture of them, and they graciously agreed.

They had good reason to be proud.

 

They were William K. Farrell and MaryAlice Farrell, pointing to their son, Michael J. Farrell, who was an army doctor in Afghanistan.  William is on the wall for Vietnam, where he served as a sergeant.
It was a heartfelt, solemn event, although there were a couple of lighter moments, such as when people took the chairs from the head table. Nobody wanted to be up there with Mayor Stephens!  Then when he read the names, for a while there was one veteran standing by himself.  Stephens remarked on it, and remarked when another veteran stood too.
I will just mention that I was invited to be there, because I have been covering Ilion Village Board meetings for The Sentinel.  I wrote a story, which I submitted.  But I also stood when the mayor asked all veterans to stand.  I felt honored.

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I’m In The Mood For Monsters

Posted on November 12, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl
I’m In The Mood For Monsters

Hello and welcome to another Monstrous Monday post.  Yes, I have at least a couple of things I can blog about.  It is Veteran’s Day and would be appropriate for me to make a post thanking our veterans.  In fact, I am a veteran and I say you’re welcome.  Sometimes I say, “No problem; any time!” just to be self-deprecating.  In fact, my service was not such a much, but I did try to make my contribution.  Never mind that:  I am in the mood for monsters!

Gotta get me a jacket like that.

I open with my favorite, Nosferatu, of the eponymous 1922 silent movie.  I suppose it might have been nice to share a picture of a soldier turned monster, but I do not have one.

I have a little less brain than this today.

I am feeling a little guilty about not making a Veteran’s Day post, but I really do not have the brain power to do so.  In these cases, I always like to show a picture of The Brain from the Planet Arous.  Sometimes I felt that I had very little brain in the army, but I did the best I could.

That’s giving him the side eye!

Speaking of brains, here is The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, one of my all-time favorites.  As regular readers know, my brain would and often does die.  No matter.  It usually comes back to life the next day, sometimes in time for me to make a blog post.  In the meantime,  I am over 250 words, so I will hit Publish and call this a day.  Once again, thank you for tuning in.

 

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A Little Dracula Improves My Sunday

Posted on November 11, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I meant to post something on Saturday, even if it was a Late Lame Post Friday post.  Alas, I did not.  Now I am sitting on my couch, looking at Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, which is not the movie I thought it was.  I get these Hammer Dracula films mixed up sometimes.  Christopher Lee has dreadfully red eyes.  Get some Visine, dude!

Looks like he was interrupted mid-chomp.

This picture might be from a different movie, but you get the idea.

Ah, here it is!

I spent some time cleaning my house this morning, then I took a walk, not a long walk.  I just wasn’t feeling it.  Eventually I walked down to Yetty’s where I had a delicious late lunch.  I have leftovers for tomorrow’s dinner.  It really has not been too bad of a Sunday, no real reason to swoon dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead, even if I had a chaise lounge handy.  Incidentally, my sister Diane sent a picture of me in just such a pose on her fainting couch.  I must find a way to download it and use it in the blog.  At least I have another week till the next Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

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Back to the Theatre for Me!

Posted on November 8, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last night I attended the first meeting of the Ilion Little Theatre (ILT) Production Committee.  The club is trying to get a head start on the 2025-26 season.  I had meant to take a picture of the committee for blogging purposes but foolishly forgot.  Since almost everybody prefers blogs with pictures (or so I have heard), I will at least try to find a picture of the theatre in my Media Library (regular readers know this may take a while).

Now where’s that fourth wall?

Not surprisingly, I can’t find it.  Instead I went with a picture of a production in progress.  I’m not sure what play this was for, but I suspect it was Shattered Angel,  one of the historical dramas ILT put on in cooperation with Herkimer County Historical Society.  Shattered Angel came up in our discussion, as we talked about old plays, new plays, and plays yet to be written. I volunteered to write a couple of the yet to be written ones.

A thoroughly wonderful theatre experience.

I talked about how I would like to direct again but was having trouble finding a script.  I found the script for Leading Ladies, the cast of which is pictured above, by sheerest good luck.  A few directors had submitted proposals of scripts they would like to direct.  One director had submitted three possibilities, which I think is marvelous.  I need to start reading more plays.

I enjoyed the meeting and left feeling inspired to read plays, write plays, and possibly act in a few.  I realize I have not said anything substantive about plans for ILT’s next season.  Well. no solid decisions could be made at this point, and I do not want to get anybody’s hopes up for a production that may not happen.  For more information about or to get involved with Ilion Little Theatre, you can visit their Facebook page or website, ilionlittletheatre.org.

 

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Looking for the Bright Spots

Posted on November 7, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is early Thursday morning, but I shall make a Waste Not Want Not Wednesday post.  I have a hard enough time keeping track of what day it is these days, why not make it a little more difficult?  If that seems contradictory, I will point out that I have a headache this morning.  I think I have been sleeping too much, or at least spending too much time in bed trying to sleep.  But enough about my tiresome problems, let us look at some pictures I took on a recent walk.  I do take a lot of walks.

Talk about prison overcrowding!

Most people have taken down their Halloween decorations, but I still enjoy seeing them on occasion. I had seen on Facebook the suggestion for this kind of decoration, but this was the first  I have seen it in person.

He was ready for his close-up.

I have been enjoying a little remaining color on my walks as well.

Still hanging on!

I have shown pictures of this tree before, as it is close to where I live.  I always feel a little sad when I see the stump.

Another bright spot!

We must appreciate what bright spots we can find.  I suppose it would do me good to try to create a few bright spots myself.  I wonder what I could do.  Feel free to comment with suggestions.

 

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I Try to Run Away from Depression

Posted on November 6, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went for a run this morning and thought to do a Running Commentary Post.  Full disclosure:  I was trying to run away from the depression that threatens to overwhelm me. In the immortal words of Young Frankenstein:  It! Could! Work!  (If you do not get the reference, I encourage you to seek out Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein) (I would really like to insert a picture of Gene Wilder, which I know is somewhere in my Media Library, but I do not feel up to searching for it)

I set out before breakfast but after coffee.  My legs were almost immediately shrieking at me, “We didn’t sign up for this!”  I reminded them that they did too sign up for it (at least, I signed them up which is practically the same thing), that they had run for 30 minutes two days ago and walked for longer than that yesterday.  To no avail.  They impersonated overcooked macaroni for the entire run.  However, if nothing else, I know how to persevere.  To an extent.

I couldn’t blame him for taking a good look.

It was soon clear this was not going to be a 30 minute run.  However, I encouraged myself to at least make it a mile.  Maybe even 20 minutes.  All I wanted was to sit down.  I ran through Meyers Park, wondering if I shouldn’t just go home from there.  I have a picture of Meyers Park in my Media Library, I thought.  It will look good in the blog post.  Then I thought I could run past the post office and up to my beloved Herkimer Historical Four Corners.

Oh, my body did not want to! But through persuasion and stubbornness, I kept going.  I thought of cutting through parking lots in back of my four corners, to make a shorter run, but then I thought, No!  Run by the 1834 Jail and let Chester Gilette take a good look!  After some internal debate, Chester won.  I didn’t even cut a small corner and run over the memorial bricks which help finance jail restoration (note to self:  I must sponsor a brick in honor of my late husband, Steve).

So the run was just over 20 minutes, about a mile and a third.  Chester was the only picture I could readily find in my Media Library, so my blog post only has one illustration.  However, I see I am approaching 400 words.  It is much easier to type than to run, but then, I only have two legs but I have ten fingers.  As always, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Ten Finger Typing Again!

Posted on November 5, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

My Chromebook is charged again.  Phew!  I confess I am in a very wimpy state these days.  The slightest setback slays me.  However, I move forward as best as I can, sometimes one sloggy step at a time.  The Chromebook thinks “sloggy” is not a word, but I find it apt.

Previous loves.

I thought this illustration was appropriate to my title.  I do not really have much to say other than, Yay!  I got my Chromebook back!  I had thought yesterday to make a Running Commentary Post. I ran for 30 minutes, covering about two miles.  That was my longest run since this last time I re-started running.  I may actually be ready for the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls, NY in December (preview of coming attractions).  I have no hopes of the Turkey Trot but no real desire to do it anyways.  I will be with family on Thanksgiving.

Coffee makes everything better!

Yes, I am still using Halloween mugs.  I find it difficult to let go of spooky season (oh, let’s be honest:  I never let go of spooky season!  I’ll probably watch a vampire movie later!).  However, as I am fond of pointing out, we can only move forward (even if it is one sloggy step at a time).  I intend to try for more Mohawk Valley Adventures in the coming days.  Maybe I’ll start this morning with breakfast out.  I realized early on in the blogging game:  it is always a good excuse to do something fun!

 

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