Category Archives: personal

At Least I Left the House

Posted on December 8, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I know, running errands is not the same thing as going running. I’m impressed with myself that I left the house at all, so those that are more dedicated and tougher than I, oh well, it’s nice for you, that’s all.

I think my stupid cold is reaching its climax and I will begin the slow road back to health tomorrow. I had a dreadful headache for most of the day. the worst thing about being sick was that I had several potential Mohawk Valley adventure waiting for me. A sleigh ride in Meyers Park, a craft fair and bake sale in Mohawk, an open house at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, the Herkimer County Historical Society’s gift shop open on Saturdays for December, and the annual Roast Beef Dinner at Christ Episcopal Church. All to be enjoyed by people other than me!

I watched a movie and crocheted, practiced “feed a cold,” and tried unsuccessfully to nap. At last I took a hot shower, and that seemed to help. I hadn’t meant to do anything, but I actually felt like putting on real clothes and making the attempt.

My plan was to get out of the house, pick up a prescription that was waiting for me, and make it to the roast beef dinner for take-out. When I saw that my beloved schnoodle, Tabby, was waiting for me on the landing of the stairs, I reconsidered. It seemed too cold to let her wait in the vehicle while I did my errands, so I thought it was not unreasonable to take her for a walk before I left.

The sun was just about to go down after a cloudy day. I don’t mind the gloom. I enjoyed the neighbors’ Christmas lights as usual, as well as the sight of bare trees against the grey sky. We only went around the block (Tabby’s idea). I grabbed my purse and got out the door before I could change my mind.

My errands did not take me long. I was especially happy about the roast beef. For one thing, I like to support the church. Even more importantly, Steven went back to work after lunch thinking I would not make it there, and I didn’t have any other bright ideas for supper. Won’t he be pleased, especially when he finds I even got dessert?

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Timing Is Everything

Posted on December 7, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

This is unusual. I just sat here for

Oh dear. I was about to write “at least five minutes,” when I looked at my watch and knew that it had only been three minutes. “Almost five minutes”? Lie and say that it was five minutes? We call that literary license in this business. Sometimes we call it fiction.

At any rate, I was paralyzed. Then I had to laugh at myself for being paralyzed. And naturally I started to write about it. Well, it got the pen moving at any rate.

Perhaps for the rest of the post I could ponder my obsession with time. I may have mentioned it before, in which case, sorry for repeating myself. A roommate in the army noticed my obsession. She pointed out that I knew it took seven minutes to walk to the chow hall. A “normal” person, I suppose, would say “five” or “ten” or even “five-ten.”

I’m sorry to be didactic (not real sorry, because, you know, go with your strengths), but five minutes and ten minutes are two different lengths of time. These things are important when one dare not be as much as .1 (yes, I said point one) seconds late for formation. And they are important for time-obsessed neurotics like me.

A junior high health teacher (or was it high school?) (was it even Health?) (what is with this accuracy obsession?) said we all have our little neuroses. Sometimes we call it a quirk or a Thing or a pet peeve (no, I am not looking in a thesaurus as I write this).

My main Thing right now (ooh, I just flashed on Thing One and Thing Two from The Cat in the Hat) is that I must publish a blog post every day, no matter how foolish. This has been today’s. I hope you enjoyed it.

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All I Gots

Posted on December 6, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I warned you that you may have to listen to me kvetch about my symptoms. Yesterday I wussed out for Wednesday, hoping to do better today, Non-Sequitur Thursday. Well, the cold is becoming a full-blown head monstrosity (seriously, my head feels like it is turning into a monster)(cue unkind remarks about how I normally look pretty much like a monster anyways).

I confess, I came to my computer with the intention of making a three sentence post calling in sick (typing in sick?). And while I waited for WordPress to boot up, some half-baked philosophy popped into my head. I know that is usually reserved for Lame Post Friday, but I think I’ve gone Friday on a Thursday before and considered it non-sequiturish (I know that’s not a word, computer, you don’t have to underline it for me). Anyways, it’s all I gots right now.

Sometimes we only want the end result. For example, right now I do not feel like taking a shower. However, I want to feel warm, clean and cuddly in my sweats. That will not happen without the application of soap and water. For another example, I loathe getting out of bed in the morning. However, I like being up early. I have had runs that I have not enjoyed, but I have been happy that I ran.

Countless writers confess that they despise the act of writing, but they love to have written. Regular readers may recall me saying that this is not the case for me. I love to write. Right now, for example. Earlier I sat in my living room, ready to cry, but too dehydrated due to my cold (although I am drinking plenty of liquids). I wanted nothing but to lie perfectly still, perhaps having magically attained the warm, clean, cuddly feeling without the trauma of a hot shower. And I wanted my blog post To Be Written. However, now I am sitting at my keyboard, merrily typing away.

But I can’t keep it up indefinitely. I need to put my head down. Maybe drink a little herbal tea. And ponder what I can write on Lame Post Friday now that I’ve used up my half-baked philosophy for the week. I hope you’ll stay tuned.

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A Weary Wuss

Posted on December 5, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Wuss-out Wednesday is getting to be a habit. In my defense, I’m tired.

Yesterday I avoided writing a post about Why I Can’t Write a Post by going for a run and writing about that. Today I’m too tired to run.

My husband, Steven, has spent the first half of this week fighting a cold. At last it seems he is victorious. And now it looks like my turn to suffer. So my lovely blog readers have that to look forward to: me kvetching about my symptoms. So far the main symptom is I’m TIRED!

Other people can write when they are tired. I bet some people are reading this with a smug look, saying, “I can write when I’m tired. It’s not that hard.” Well, THAT’S NICE FOR YOU!

We were at the laundromat earlier this evening, where I wrote a page on my novel. It was not a very good page, perhaps, but at least I wrote it. I’m tempted to use that as my reason: I used up all my words for the day on that! How can I be expected to write a blog post as well?

I know, it doesn’t work like that. It’s not a bucket, where you take stuff out and then it’s gone. It’s more a river: as you take stuff out even more flows in to take its place. Well, my river today is full of sediment (give me a metaphor, I’ll beat it till it screams).

I think the best thing to do is to take my weary body to bed and hope it’s only bluffing about coming down with a cold. I hope to come up with something more amusing for Non-Sequitur Thursday.

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Running Out Of Excuses

Posted on December 4, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I sat at work today and pondered whether I would run. My husband, Steven, has a cold and I think I am catching it (he can say, “Don’t say I never gave you nuthin’!”). And I’m tired.

Then I thought about my blog post. I don’t want to write a blog post, I decided. I don’t have anything to write a blog post about. I can’t even write a blog post about why I can’t write a blog post. I’m going to post two sentences saying so and that’s all.

As I drove home, I thought a Running Commentary was my best chance for a post of longer than two sentences. For another reason, the temperature was in the upper 30s and it seemed a pity to waste it.

I found some leggings and a long-sleeved ARMY t-shirt, which has a reflective patch on the back. The sun wasn’t down yet, but it was gloomy. Cars would have their headlights on. I say, give yourself every advantage. I put on a headband to cover my ears instead of my knitted toque, in honor of it being almost 40.

Off I went. Sloshing through puddles and slush. Gloomy day, 4 p.m. traffic, I kept to the sidewalk. Don’t judge.

Some people had their Christmas lights turned on. Pretty. I tripped on an uneven bit of sidewalk while admiring one house. I didn’t fall, and I paid more attention after that.

About seven or eight minutes into the run, I decided I could rock this. For how long? I pondered. I went for 20 minutes on the mini-tramp Friday. Ran outdoors for 24 minutes on Sunday. Point and laugh if you must; I am beginning again, I have to start somewhere. No reason to increase my time till the weekend. Also, I didn’t want to run too far and be too tired to do anything else for the evening.

A dog barked at me. It sounded like a big dog, “Rowf! Rowf!” Then a smaller dog made a kind of a counterpoint: “Ruf-Ruf! Ruf-Ruf!” I couldn’t see either dog, but their barks gave me a mental picture. I have not made a study of the subject, but I believe dogs usually sound about how you would expect. In fact, I never even thought about it till today. Any observations from readers? Feel free to comment.

I eventually ran for 22 minutes. I felt that was a reasonable compromise. My schnoodle, Tabby, nicely walked my cool-down with me (10 minutes). I do enjoy my cool-down walk. I made note of some of the prettiest houses. When Steven is feeling better, perhaps we can take a walk after dark and admire them. That might be worth another blog post.

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Tabby Knows Best

Posted on December 3, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had this whole elaborate Monday Middle-aged Musing going on. Oh, I was getting deep. Then I realized I was in too deep. I didn’t know what I wanted to say. What to do? I thought I’d take my dog, Tabby, for a walk and do another pedestrian post. I know I do a lot of those, but I thought I might see some new things tonight.

It was dark by the time we started, making it all the easier to admire our neighbors’ Christmas lights. There is a kind I hadn’t seen before: they are shaped like an icicle and the light kind of runs down them. Very cool.

Tabby had a little indecision as to where to go when we reached the corner but resolved that and we continued down Church. She was stopping every two feet to sniff attentively. That made it easier for me to check out the decorations. I noted a large tree in a window not yet decorated and a staircase with lights running up the bannister. I regretted that we don’t have an open staircase. I like the lights on the bannister look. I reminded myself one can’t have everything and walked on.

Tabby stopped and looked at me.

“Let’s keep going,” I encouraged. She acquiesced. Then stopped again. Then deigned to walk some more.

We had gone a total of a block and a half when she stopped the last time, turned around and headed back home. I followed. She walked faster. She did not stop to sniff. What’s going on, I wondered. When she didn’t even stop to sniff the fire hydrant, I became a little concerned.

Being a woman of vivid imagination (as regular readers know), I began to ask myself if Tabby knew something that I did not. After all, animals have instincts. There have been stories. My husband was at home, nursing a cold. Could it be he needed us? I knew I was being silly. Then again, wouldn’t that make a tremendous blog post?

It did not take long to get home. Steven was fine. I turned on the computer and hoped I had enough for a blog post. Looks like I did.

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I Hit the Road

Posted on December 2, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Temperatures rose in the Mohawk Valley today, and I took advantage of it.

I was debating between running outside and trying the mini-tramp again but decided first to take my dog, Tabby for a walk. She was amenable. By amenable, of course I mean that as soon as she saw me putting my sneakers on she jumped and barked and ran towards the door. You know dogs.

We hadn’t gone half a block when I realized temperatures were delightful (relatively speaking, of course) for a run. Tabby only seemed interested in going around the block anyways. My concern was the sidewalks, which were by no means bare in all spots. As we turned up our street, though, I saw two runners coming down the street. Of course! I could run in the road! I generally prefer to run on the sidewalk, but I figured I could stick to less busy streets.

I kept on the long pants I was wearing. They are not running pants but are loose-fitting and had the advantage of being already partly dirty. I also kept on my toque and gloves. I found my long-sleeved ARMY t-shirt and switched to sports bras and a pair of winter running socks. I was set.

To run very slowly. I didn’t set out for a slow run, but it seemed that is what my body was up for. No matter, just keep going. I looked at the sidewalk and saw that for a long stretch it was completely bare. So I went on the sidewalk. Then I saw a patch where it didn’t look so good. I went back into the road. Damned if there wasn’t snow in the road too. No cars coming, run around it.

It was clear that this was going to be one of those “At least I did it” runs. Frankly, this was all right with me, since I have not been running at all lately, except for that stint on the mini-tramp the other day. I had been watching an old horror movie during that. I began to wonder how Lionel Barrymore was making out with that mad scientist’s formula.

Another good stretch of sidewalk. Must take advantage of that. Another patch of snow but it was right near somebody’s driveway. Good. I would run to that and go back into the road. A car was coming just as I got to the driveway. I stayed on the sidewalk, so as not to run right out in front of the car. Some would say I just should have stayed in the road to begin with.

Then I discovered it was not so bad running over the snow. I had to exercise caution, because you never know when there might be a patch of ice, but it was really not so bad. The warmer temperature made things a more melty than frozen. That was to the good; it takes more effort to run through stuff.

So I felt pretty good about myself that I ran. I hope the warmer temperatures last the week, so I can run outdoors again. If not, there’s always the mini-tramp and that Lionel Barrymore movie.

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Yet Another Pedestrian Post

Posted on December 1, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

This morning I walked to the post office with Tabby to mail a few postcards. It is one of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning. I like the fresh air and exercise, and I get that little frisson of satisfaction for accomplishing something.

It was cold this morning. Some places in the Mohawk Valley set records. I sensibly waited till after 10 a.m., when it should have warmed up a little. At least one would think it would have. I wore an actual winter coat, hat, gloves and a scarf. As I walked I wished I had found my mittens instead, but one can’t have everything.

I have taken Tabby for a few walks in the last few days (I believe I wrote about one on Thursday). When we went for yesterday’s walks, a little snow was falling while the sun shown on it. It looked like glitter falling from the sky. This morning was bright but precipitation free. I wondered if I should have worn my sunglasses but did not feel like returning for the house for them.

I was glad I had the scarf. The worst problem I’ve had on previous cold days has been my cold face. I have been known to walk along with a hand on either cheek, like that painting, I think it’s called “The Scream,” that a lot of people have as their screensaver. Only of course I’m not screaming. That would be silly.

After mailing my postcards we continued our walk to Main Street, down around Albany and back up Prospect. When we got to Church Street, Tabby pulled me towards our street. She is a smart pooch, because I was ready to get home, too.

You know, I hope no stalkers read this blog, because I bet they could figure out where I live by my descriptions of our walks. Well, who’d want to stalk me anyways? My adorable schnoodle Tabby, on the other hand… I’d better exercise caution.

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Almost a Run

Posted on November 29, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I don’t suppose anybody has been waiting with bated breath for Running Commentary from Mohawk Valley Girl. Still, I have been unhappy about not running. However, this morning it was cold with potentially icy sidewalks. I could deal with the cold, but the sidewalks gave me pause. If I fell, I couldn’t be sure of landing where most of the padding is. More likely I would twist myself around in an effort to keep from falling and pull some muscle I didn’t even know was there.

My sister had suggested running on a mini-tramp. Easier on the knees and feet, she said. In fact, I did this for a short time some years ago. I still have the tramp. Full disclosure: it’s my mother’s and she hasn’t asked for it back yet. Thanks, Mom!

Earlier this morning I had done ten minutes’ worth of push-ups, crunches and whatever other exercises suggested themselves. Hey, you have to start somewhere and I haven’t been doing much besides walk lately. After Steven left for work, I hauled the mini-tramp out from under the bed in the second bedroom, put on running clothes and gave it a try.

My sister watches movies on her tramp. I was doing this too (in fact, I still haven’t seen the end of The Unsinkable Molly Brown)(oh, well, I’ve seen the ending, but I started watching it and didn’t run long enough… you know what I mean). I still have several horror movies on the DVR from October. I thought I’d try Devil Doll.

No, I’m not going to do a running/movie write-up. I have too much to say about this movie, and I only ran for 20 minutes.

If you could call it running.

This mini-tramp business will take some getting used to. Obviously your feet can’t move the same way. And I had a problem right away in that I wanted to make some notes from Robert Osborne’s pre-movie commentary. It’s on DVR, I reminded myself. Just don’t erase it at the end and you can watch the commentary again. Then I laughed at myself for thinking I was going to make it through an hour and a half movie on the mini-tramp.

Soon I came to the depressing conclusion that I do not find a movie as interesting to me as the outsides of other people’s houses. But I persevered. I mean, I liked the movie; I look forward to seeing the rest of it. But I would have preferred to be crocheting with pauses to make notes in the TV Journal.

Well, one can’t have everything. I did get some exercise in. A little later in the morning I took Tabby for a walk. That might be the subject of tomorrow’s blog post.

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Be Thankful the Post is Short

Posted on November 29, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

After all, I don’t HAVE to write a post every day. I CHOOSE to write a post every day.

Wouldn’t that be silly if those two sentences were my entire post?

In fact, it is Thanksgiving Day, and I don’t got much. That is, I have a lot to be thankful for, of course. But I don’t have a lot to write about. Oh, I know, I could write a post about everything I’m thankful for, including perhaps a little snippet about how we OUGHT to be thankful every day, not just the day before Black Friday. Blah, blah, blah. Let’s save the half-baked philosophy for Lame Post Friday, shall we?

I did take a walk today, which is often good for a post. It was cold. I was glad I had borrowed my father’s hat. It was like a big hood not attached to a coat. The coverage was great, head and neck.

One sister and one nephew walked with me and Tabby. I ought, perhaps, to mention that I was at my parents’ house in Rome, NY. They live in a nice quiet neighborhood, good for walking. We walked down the middle of the road in a couple of places, to avoid patches of ice. We took to the sidewalks in other places but had no mishaps. Phew!

A few people had their Christmas decorations up already. I think tomorrow is a better day to begin our Christmas celebrations, but what are you going to do? My nephew revealed that he had perhaps inadvisedly volunteered to put up the Christmas lights at his house. I believe this was before the temperature dropped and the snow fell. We discussed my previous quest for a hard plastic light-up snowman (NOT the blow-up kind!).

Yes, it was an uneventful walk, but as usual we enjoyed it. I will strive for a more adventurous post tomorrow, but it will not include Black Friday shopping. That’s not how I roll.

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