Category Archives: personal

Going Green for the Purple Dress

Posted on March 1, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m on a mission for style. I mentioned purchasing tickets for next week’s Wine and Beer Tasting sponsored by the Herkimer and Mohawk Police Departments to benefit K-9 Ape memorial and the Special Response Team officers and team members who responded to the tragic events of March 13-14, 2013. Naturally I am concerned about what to wear.

I have a fabulous purple dress I have never worn. It is my sister’s fault that I have it. We went to Dress Barn almost three years ago (eek! has it been three years?) to get me a good dress for her daughter’s wedding. I had not purchased clothes since my major weight loss, so it was quite fun (I wonder if I wrote a blog post about it? I’ll have to check). I got a little carried away and bought two dresses. I wore one dress once, to the wedding, of course. Both have been hanging in my closet since.

Could it be that I need to get out more?

Both dresses are sleeveless. Early March is probably not the best time of year to go sleeveless in the Mohawk Valley. However, I thought that with a jacket or a shawl, the purple dress just might do for next week’s event.

To that end, I began my search at the Salvation Army, sometimes known as Salvation Armani, in Ilion, NY. I found not one shawl and I stared at many jackets, quite unable to picture any of them with the dress in question.

I have a few other possibilities. In Herkimer, there is the HARC Goodwill store and a consignment store whose name escapes me. There is the New 2 You consignment store in Ilion, if it’s still open, as well as Cornerstone Consignments (I think that’s what it’s called), which I’m pretty sure is still open. Oh, and a consignment store in Frankfort whose name also escapes me. Will I have time to check out all these possibilities?

Side note: I wrote the above paragraph on my lunch break at work, fully intending to find out the names of the unknown consignment stores before typing in and publishing this. However, I was unable to do this due to a dreadful headache which I quite thought would be gone by now. Therefore, in the spirit of Lame Post Friday (which is today), I let the paragraph stand and hope to supply the information in a later post.

In addition to the sources mentioned, I THINK a dear friend of mine MIGHT have a shawl I could borrow. I’ll have to ask.

Retail minded readers may be asking, why don’t I just go to the mall or any number of respectable first-run clothing stores in the area? Well, I’m trying to be frugal. Since the dress (purchased new) has hung in my closet unworn for three years, I’m not sure how many clothing investments it is really practical for me to make. Besides, reduce, reuse, recycle. The dress is purple, but I always like to go green.

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Something Worth Craving

Posted on February 28, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

When I do laundry at the Colonial Laundromat in Ilion, NY, I always notice the Crave Bakeshop next door. Unfortunately, I always seem to be doing laundry at a time when they are closed. Last Tuesday, when Steven and I did laundry together, we made plans to get there early and get our treat first.

It was about quarter to four when we arrived. Luckily, they still had some baked goods left. I chose a chocolate bottomed half-moon cookie. Steven got a sandwich of two chocolate chip cookies with frosting in the middle. We both got coffee.

I think we were their last customers. We managed to get our laundry in the washing machne before eating our cookies, although we started sipping the coffee immediately. The treats were delicious. The coffee was pretty good. The attendant at the laundromat noticed us enjoying our snack and said she didn’t always think to stop over there.

“If I worked here,” I said, “it would be terrible, because I would get in the habit of going over every day for a treat.”

Of course at my age, I cannot eat as many treats as I would like. Oh, OK, I never could. However, I think I will make my way back to Crave for the occasional indulgence. Every once in a while.

Crave is located at 59 Central Ave. in Ilion. Phone number is 315-895-0216. They are open Tues. to Fri. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can also Like them on Facebook.

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World’s Dumbest Questions

Posted on February 27, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I really hate to have a Wuss-out Wednesday right after a Tired Tuesday, and yet, here I am. I neglected to find out more information about the local business I was at Tuesday so am not inclined to do that post yet. It was too cold and windy to take Tabby for a walk, so yet another Pedestrian Post is out.

I suppose this means I’m always up for a post about Why I Can’t Write a Post Today.

I actually had started writing a whole post in my head while I was at work today. It would have done for a Mid-week Middle-aged Musing. Then when I sat down to put it on paper, I hesitated. For one thing, there seemed to be two or three different points I could make. Not usually a problem and when it is, it seems to me it’s a good problem to have. You can get multiple blog posts out of that problem. So what was my problem? Let’s just blame it on my wussy mood.

In the meantime, I want to finish this post quickly, because my favorite TV show, World’s Dumbest, is on at six. Oh, I can just hear it now: “What’s more important here, writing a decent blog post or watching a stupid TV show?” That is a good question, I’ll admit. I can’t even argue that it is not a stupid TV show. That is part of its charm.

My answer to the question is another question (don’t you just hate it when somebody answers a question with another question?): Why can’t I do both? Ooh, and here’s another question to answer the first question: Are the majority of my blog posts decent, even when I do not have a TV show to watch? And the final question of the post: Do I really want to hear the answer to that last question?

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Tsk-Tsk Tuesday

Posted on February 26, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Note to Self: When planning to do laundry after work, write two blog posts the day before, so you only have to hit “Publish” after doing laundry.

Note back: Yeah, good luck with that.

Yes, it is another Tired Tuesday, and I knew it would be. I tried to have a Mohawk Valley adventure yesterday after work, but the exhibit I had thought to visit had closed on the 20th. Let that be a lesson to me to pay more attention to dates when I see these things in the paper. In my defense… OK, there’s really no excuse. Go ahead and make that tsk-tsk noise at me, if that’s what you were about to do.

I had thought to patronize a couple of local businesses before and after doing laundry. Doing laundry itself is, of course, always an adventure, but not always one worth writing about. We did stop by one place, but I neglected to make a note of hours, phone number or other useful things I like to include. Perhaps I could find out this information and use it in a future post.

My novel limps along. I’ve been working on that during breaks at work, rather than trying to come up with stuff to write here. I’m thinking when the novel starts to progress a little better, the blog posts will improve too. We’ll hope for the best.

In the meantime, here is another fairly ridiculous post and I feel too tired to come up with anything better. Please stay with me, dear reader. I’m sure better days are coming.

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A Treat for Tabby

Posted on February 25, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last Saturday between my scary walk that I didn’t finish and my awesome walk that I wrote a blog post about, I took my schnoodle Tabby the the Ilion Farmer’s Market at Clapsaddle Farm, on Otsego Street in Ilion, NY.

The Ilion Farmer’s Market is one of Tabby’s favorite places. Since I had deprived her of her full walk earlier, I thought she deserved a treat.

Things were still frozen. My SUV jolted over some frozen tire tracks in the parking lot. The walk into the barn was a little hazardous, but we made it without mishap.

Tabby was very happy, sniffing everywhere and greeting people. I greeted people, too and looked around for something to buy. I studied the jars of pickles but remembered I still have pickles at home, and I don’t eat as many pickles as I used to anyways. I thought about getting some note cards with a Jim Parker print. However, with a bouncy dog pulling on my arm, I did not feel I could make a leisurely selection. The lady I’ve bought earrings from was not there.

“Where’s the jewelry lady?” I asked. Apparently she has left the area, I think to join her mother in Illinois. Oh well, my jewelry box is full of earrings anyways.

It was a short visit but enjoyable. And it was the first Mohawk Valley thing I’ve done other than take a walk in at least a week. Alas, the cold weather continues. But perhaps as the week progresses, more Mohawk Valley adventures will ensue.

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Still Strolling

Posted on February 24, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I can’t, I positively can’t do another pedestrian post. Is walking the only thing I have to do in the Mohawk Valley? Well, truth be told, when the temperature finally goes above 40 degrees, walking is about the most satisfying thing to do.

I do want to start running again. Today I went so far as to bring my mother’s mini-tram down from the extra bedroom. I had the plan to run on it while I looked at a silent movie on DVD. I felt quite clever for thinking of this plan. You see, I rarely watch silent movies, because I like to knit or crochet while I watch. For a silent movie, you miss too much if you are not glued to the screen. I figured I could run on a mini-tramp and stay pretty glued to the screen.

The movie I chose was Nosferatu (1922), possibly the scariest movie ever made. I first saw part of Nosferatu in sixth grade. My elementary school got movies from the library (real movies on a reel; this was the 1970s) and showed them on Friday nights. My mom and Mrs. Lombino were among the ladies in charge of picking the movies. One October they got “a silent version of Dracula.” They thought it would be great. Aren’t silent movies always hilarious?

Um, no. Little kids were crying. They didn’t show the whole movie, although some of us would have liked to see it. I never encountered the movie again till years later. Now I have it on not one but two DVD collections of horror movies. Sweet.

OK, that whole stroll down memory lane was just to pad out the post. I can’t write about the movie, because I only watched about two minutes of it. I was thinking of how warm it probably was outside, and my dog was looking at me sadly.

So I got off the tramp, stopped the movie and walked the dog. I could always get back on the tramp later, but I am more likely to see if Tabby wants to go for another walk. I know, it is not as good exercise, taking a strolling walk and pausing to let a cute little dog sniff the snow. I don’t care. It is better for my soul.

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Yay, Flood Boots!

Posted on February 23, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Looking back, I see I have done a number of pedestrian posts lately. Could it be that my life is so boring all I do is work, sleep and walk my dog? Well, sometimes I eat and read books. Perhaps I can write blog posts about those subjects next week.

Today I TRIED to walk my schnoodle Tabby first thing in the morning. And by “first thing,” I mean, when my husband Steven left for work. I’d been up a good four or five hours by that time but hadn’t done must noteworthy or blogworthy. Well, I did finish two letters and write five postcards. That was why I wanted to walk to the post office.

Yesterday the sidewalks had been quite wet. It was supposed to continue warm today, although it had been cold overnight. I thought my winter combat boots (army issue, of course) would be good. I was picturing more ice than puddles and the combat boots offer some traction.

Um, not enough. All that water had frozen into a lovely, glare surface. Maybe cleats would have offered enough traction. Maybe ice skates would have been a better choice (mine perished in last summer’s flood, although I confess I had not worn them in years). It was scary! I don’t think I’m old enough to worry about breaking a hip, but even my fat butt doesn’t offer enough padding to make me view with complacence a fall on hard ice.

We made it two blocks. Mostly we walked in the road, which was still pretty icy, because 9 a.m. traffic in my neighborhood is not bad. Finally the thought that every step I took TO the post office I would have to repeat BACK from the post office overcame me. We went back home and drove to the post office.

I felt humiliated, because the weather had driven me back inside on the prettiest sunny day you could ask for. I had on my sunglasses, dammit! I had on my insulated sweatshirt instead of a coat! But the story has a happy ending, because the sun stayed out. About two o’clock, we tried again. This time I wore my flood boots, anticipating puddles not ice.

Oh, you can’t believe what a wonderful walk it was! The ice we encountered was melting. There were a few patches of bare pavement. Most of the sidewalks had lovely, safe, wet puddles. Not even very muddy. And can I just say, let’s hear it for flood boots. The air was warm. The sun was bright. A little voice in my head sang, “I’m in heaven! I’m in heaven!”

The only problem blog-post-wise is that I had to keep my eyes pretty much on my feet, for when we went over the ice that hadn’t all melted yet. I did not look around and appreciate the scenery as I like to do.

However, to make this a Mohawk Valley adventure, I can tell you where we walked to: The Herkimer Police Department to purchase tickets for the Beer and Wine Tasting Event on Saturday, March 8 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Francesca’s Banquet Hall, East Main Street, Ilion, NY. In addition to beer and wine tasting, hor d’oevres will be served. A 50/50 raffle and silent auction will take place. Participants will have a chance to meet officers and team members who responded to the tragic events in Herkimer and Mohawk March 13 and 14, 2013. Proceeds will be split between the Herkimer/Mohawk Special Response Team and K-9 Ape memorial.

While I bought our tickets, I took the opportunity to ask the officer if they had a stupid question department. I may have a few questions about police work for the novel I keep working on instead of writing blog posts all week. He was very gracious and said I could stop in with my questions when I was ready. That might be another blog post.

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This is Not a More Better Post

Posted on February 22, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Today is just not working out for me.

That phrase popped into my head as I finally got changed into my sweats and realized I REALLY want to start my weekend now but have not yet written my blog post. I cheer myself up with the thought, It’s Lame Post Friday. Instead of my usual random observations and half-baked philosophy, I offer the Week in Weather.

Monday I did not drive straight home but had a minor adventure. I don’t know that it was particularly a Mohawk Valley adventure, but then again, maybe it was. Winter was still on. I had to clear a layer of heavy, wet snow off my windshield and hood. It had been snowing for most of the day, so I think the snow was previously on the roof and had worked its way down. That was good, because that meant there was less on the roof to slide down while I drove.

The uneven tire pressure light in my SUV was on, so I stopped at the gas station where they have that groovy tire filler where you just punch in the pressure and it figures it out for you. It is most convenient, but one still must crouch next to one’s tires, sometimes for a long time. I wanted to kneel, but not in an inch of snow and ice. Ugh.

From the tire adventure, I went to Aldi’s to get some canned goods. Their lot was full, so I approached with trepidation. Still, I wanted beans. Apparently all the snow had fallen after they had plowed. The space I found to park in had not even been driven over. Still, a space is a space. I took it. The only adventuresome part came later, when I tried to push a full cart through the snow to get back to my vehicle. Oh well, I comforted myself, it burns more calories.

Winter waned as the week progressed. I believe I wrote about a wet walk we took with Tabby yesterday. Today I took Tabby down the sidewalk in hopes of meeting Steven as he came home from work. This time I sensibly put on my flood boots. My feet stayed dry, if not exactly warm.

I mostly felt happy the rain had stopped. It had been raining like the proverbial sonofabitch earlier (pardon my french). I worried about my basement but since the streets didn’t seem too bad, I cravenly did not go down and check. When Steven came home he informed me that water was indeed coming up into the basement. We went down and sopped with towels and a mop. Once again, my flood boots came in handy.

At last we felt we had done all we could. I may head out somewhere tomorrow and get a more better mop and bucket (more better being the technical term). That will possibly make a more better blog post on Saturday. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

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My Dog the Blues Singer

Posted on February 21, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Could relief be on the way? I mean from the cold weather, not from me writing silly blog posts. Today it was in the 40s. Woohoo! It felt like spring! Steven and I celebrated with a walk with our schnoodle Tabby.

I put on old sneakers, because I feared it would be wet and muddy. We did not encounter much mud, but our feet were soaked by the time we’d gone a block. No matter. As I always say, I ain’t sugar; I won’t melt (but it might be nice in the hip and stomach area if I did) (just saying).

It was, unfortunately, an uneventful and short walk. The only thing of real interest were the two cop cars we saw blocking off a portion of Church Street we probably would have walked on otherwise. Their lights were flashing. I’ll be watching Facebook to see if Herkimer Police Department posts anything about it. Maybe that’s what I can write tomorrow’s post about, although this is not exactly a news or a crime blog.

The only sad thing about the wet walk was that Tabby had just been to the groomer’s today. We take her to the Velvet Dog on South Main Street in Herkimer. Since she is part poodle, she needs to be trimmed regularly. It’s also nice to have a professional clip her toenails. Tabby did not get too dirty on our walk, though. Just some muddy paws (doesn’t that sound like a blues singer, Muddy Paws?).

I’m afraid this has been a rather boring post, even for a Non-Sequitur Thursday. In my defense… OK, I won’t say anything in my defense, because that might be construed as whining. Instead, let’s all look forward to Lame Post Friday.

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Novel Problem Solving

Posted on February 20, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

This is not going to be the usual Why I Can’t Write a Blog Post Today post. Oh, I did not write a blog post and I’m not exactly going to write one now. I’m going to tell you what I did instead.

I wrote.

I don’t know if I mentioned that my novel has hit another snag. It’s been doing that a lot lately. Then I think of something else to write and I limp along for a few more pages. And then I hit another snag. Oh dear.

I’ve read that when you run into a snag, sometimes it means there is an inherent problem in the work. Bulling your way through is not the best thing to do. Pausing and figuring out the problem is. As long as it does not become an excuse for just not writing the damn thing. Which, for many projects, is actually the right thing to do.

But I digress.

I think my problem with this novel is a problem that often plagues works of fiction: namely, there is no problem. To put that more clearly, the problem WITH the novel is that there are not enough problems IN the novel. I need some more conflict, more obstacles for my characters to overcome. I need a few other things, too, but to get into those would be to tell entirely too much of my plot, so, sorry, let’s stick with the no problem thing.

Knowing what the issue is is unfortunately only half the battle. Now I have to figure out how to solve it. I decided to (1) not beat myself up and (2) not worry if I did not write on the novel for the rest of the week as long as I thought about the novel and what it needed. A rationalization for a mental vacation? Well, who cares if it was, just listen to what happened today.

I sat at my machine at work, thinking (working too; I believe I’ve mentioned I have that sort of a job). I came up with some ideas. I thought some more. I thought I’d better write some notes on a few of these ideas. Of course, writing notes is not the same thing as writing a novel, but sometimes you do what you have to do.

And here is the amazing thing: I sat down and did NOT write notes, I wrote NOVEL! Suddenly, I was deep into an exciting scene that I hadn’t even thought about writing. I was in a character’s head I had not thought I would get into. Ooh, what would come next? Dammit, a fifteen minute break is short!

I couldn’t wait for lunch, when I wrote some more. I am aware, of course, that some of the things we feel most pleased about as we write and immediately after we have written turn out not to be as wonderful as we thought. I don’t care. I wrote on my novel. I can’t wait to see what I write tomorrow.

Although I do hope to get back to writing good blog posts eventually. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

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