Category Archives: personal

Continuing the Fun

Posted on August 10, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

When Steven and I left the Balloon Farm Bed and Breakfast (see yesterday’s post), we were not ready to end our afternoon of fun. We decided to treat ourselves to a visit to the Waterfront Grille in Herkimer, NY.

The Waterfront Grille is located just across from the New York State Thruway exit, at Gems Along the Mohawk. Lil’ Diamond Cruises leave from there, and there is a delightful retail store that highlights many area businesses and attractions. I’ve plugged Gems Along the Mohawk before, and probably will again.

We sat at the bar and ordered drinks. I love looking out over the water. I hope to go on one of the cruises before the season is over. We discussed the possibility as we perused the menu. After much debate, we got two of the appetizer specials: bacon-wrapped artichoke hearts and grilled chicken wings. Yum!

Waterfront Grille’s actual address is 800 Mohawk St., Herkimer, NY. Their phone number is 315-717-0700.

This is quite a short post, even for a Lame Post Friday. I’ve been trying to think what I could add to it and, what a surprise, I got nuthin’. Not even a would-be witty comment on why I can’t think of anything. I suppose you’ll have that in the blogging business. Happy Friday, everybody.

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The Beautiful Balloon Farm

Posted on August 9, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last Sunday, Steven and I were delighted to attend a Wine Tasting and Tour at the Balloon Farm Bed and Breakfast in Frankfort, NY.

The event was a fundraiser for the Herkimer County Historical Society. We had purchased our tickets at a program we attended there recently (perhaps you read my blog post about it).

The Balloon Farm is located at 128 Cemetery St. in Frankfort, across from the Herkimer County Fairgrounds. We arrived shortly after the event started at one. A number of cars were already there. A gentleman waved us to a space on the lawn. I was very excited to return to the Balloon Farm. We had attended a similar event there a few years ago, back in my pre-blog days. It is a beautiful setting.

Ilion Wine and Spirits provided the wine. Two Historical Society volunteers were pouring a nice selection. For once I did not take any tasting notes but just enjoyed the samples. We also enjoyed some munchies, including cheese, crackers and mini-muffins.

After greeting some friends and acquaintances, we wandered around the house. The downstairs rooms were all open, and we admired the decor as well as the handsome proportions and woodwork. Collections of dolls and of frogs were scattered throughout. Steven loves frogs. I also enjoyed looking at old family photographs that hung on walls or stood on tables. The lady that owns the house was on hand, telling us who people in pictures were and generally answering questions. I raved over her beautiful house and thanked her for opening it up for the fundraiser.

Most of the rooms upstairs were closed, because the SGT Licari honor guard was staying there. Local readers will know that SGT Licari was a World War II soldier whose remains have recently been returned to his family. I was disappointed not to see the rooms but felt that it was very appropriate that soldiers coming to honor a fallen patriot should be so handsomely housed.

Volunteers were available on both the second and third floor to answer any questions. I remarked to one that I knew what I was saving my mad money for next.

“To buy an old Victorian house?” he guessed.

Actually, I had meant to stay for a weekend at the Balloon Farm, but I liked his idea, too.

Back downstairs we sampled a little more wine and spent some time sitting on the porch. It was a beautiful day for porch-sitting. I especially liked the porch swing. Gotta get me one of those.

We greatly enjoyed our visit to the Balloon Farm Bed and Breakfast and are always happy to support the Herkimer County Historical Society. For more information on the Balloon Farm, visit their website at http://www.balloonfarmbedandbreakfast.hostei.com/
. For more information on the historical society, you can visit http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyhchs/ or Like them on Facebook.

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Welcome Back, Wuss-Out Wednesday

Posted on August 8, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I just remembered something: Wuss-Out Wednesday. Not a feature I use very often. Need to have one today.

Not a good writing day. See, I’m even writing in sentence fragments right now, which is not a vice in which I usually indulge (although I did keep from ending that sentence on a preposition) (which bothers some people).

I wrote a little bitty bit on my novel. Then my breaks at work were taken up with other important stuff, like talking to my husband on the telephone and working on the crossword puzzle with my co-worker. It is a bad idea to neglect the whole rest of your life just because you want to be a writer.

Now there’s a topic suitable for the half-baked philosophy portion of Lame Post Friday: work/life balance. How much life does a middle-aged woman such as myself really need? Mae West famously said it’s not the men in your life but the life in your men, but I don’t think that really applies here. Just thought I’d throw it in, although perhaps I should have saved it for Non-Sequitur Thursday.

However, it is neither Friday nor Thursday. And I may be working this weekend, so the days of the week may be rendered meaningless in any case. Be that as it may, I must think of something reasonably entertaining to say for today (I just noticed I used “may” three times in two sentences, but that may be OK).

The Powerball Lottery has reached some ungodly amount. I put in for a workplace pool. You know how often groups at work win the lottery. I don’t expect to win, but just in case, I didn’t want to be the one yahoo showing up for work on Monday because I was too cheap to pitch in the two bucks.

“No, that’ll be Darren and Mark,” said Jenny (not their real names).

“I’ll send them flowers if we win,” I said. Then I remembered that my husband had also purchased a Powerball ticket. I asked Jenny if she and the others would sue me if he won.

“No, but you’ll have to share it with us,” she said.

“I’ll buy you pizza,” I promised. I hope we win more than two dollars. It would be awkward to buy pizza for a whole section on two dollars.

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Walking for the Blog

Posted on August 7, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I said, “Let’s take Tabby for a walk, then I’ll write a blog post about it.” That usually works.

My plan was to walk out German Street, towards where the flood damage was pretty bad. They have cleaned up a lot, of course, but I know one street is still blocked off, and there is still a big empty spot where a garage used to be. These things I drive by on my way to work. I thought at a pedestrian’s pace, we could take a closer look.

At first my plan seemed to be working, because Tabby agreed to walk in that direction. She often wants to walk the other way on German Street. I know, one can usually win an argument with a 17-pound schnoodle, especially one with as sweet a disposition as Tabby’s. However, the walk is for her entertainment as well as ours. I don’t like to be mean.

First we saw a lady with a couple of Shi-tzu-looking dogs across the street. I may have petted those dogs while out running one day. Unfortunately, I have not been running in a while. We waved to the lady and she waved back. Then we saw a lady coming up Margaret Street with two little Scotty-looking dogs. They saw Tabby and barked and pulled on the leash. She continued down German, in the same direction on the same side of the street as we had been heading. We turned down Margaret.

Well, Margaret is a pleasant enough street to walk down. We admired several gardens and screened-in porches. We saw a couple of For Sale signs and indulged in a little “What if?” We went almost all the way down Margaret, then turned down Park Avenue (doesn’t that sound swank?). Our new plan was go go through Myers Park. Then we saw a labrador-looking dog up ahead, so we turned up Henry.

About this time, I asked myself (I was writing this post in my head as we walked) why I feel I must add the suffix “-looking” when I guess which breed a dog is. In the first place, most of the people who read this blog won’t know which dog I’m talking about, so how would they know I was wrong? “A black dog on Park Avenue? That COULDN’T have been a labrador!” Yes it could! It was a different black dog from the one you’re thinking of! In the second place, I just might be right about the breed. Stranger things have happened.

The only really flood-related observation I made was that some stretches of sidewalk are still covered with dirt, from where people did not rinse off the mud. But I hope you enjoyed reading about our canine encounters. We enjoyed our walk.

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Fun at the Car Show

Posted on August 6, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Saturday Steven and I attended an annual event we always try to make it to: the Elks Club Car Show in Myers Park in Herkimer, NY.

I was a little worried we would miss it this year, because Steven worked till three. Saturday morning when our schnoodle, Tabby, and I walked through the park on our way to the post office, they were getting things set up. I asked a lady how late the show ran. She said usually till four, depending on the judging. I said I thought we could make it. She said she looked forward to seeing us.

I brought it up to Steven when he came home for lunch. I had the inspiration that Tabby and I could walk down at three and Steven could meet us there on his way home from work. So that was our plan.

Tabby and I did not have long to wait for Steven. He luckily found a parking space. After his joyous reunion with Tabby, we walked up into the park.

After some debate we got a couple of hamburgers. It was a kind of a rough decision, because we had exactly enough cash between us for two burgers and one bottle of water. Also, I had already started cooking something for supper. However, I did want to support the Elks, and since there was no admission charge, this was a good way to do it. Also, the hamburgers were delicious.

This is a really nice car show, because it is not huge and intimidating. It did not take us long to stroll around and check out all the cars with no fear of missing something good. We admired a variety of vehicles of different years and styles. My favorites were the ones from the ’50s, with fins. I also especially like the pick-up trucks. We had seen the very old hearse from Enea Funeral Home, but that was fun to see again.

DJ Sal Stokes was entertaining with some tunes. He made a dedication to all the ladies: “Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison. Steven did not disagree. He’s a smart man.

We enjoyed the car show very much. I’m hoping next year Steven has the day off so we can go earlier.

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Still Think “Blog” is a Silly Verb

Posted on August 4, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

This is what I get for not running on a Saturday: now I don’t have anything to write a blog post about. Is anybody getting tired of posts about Why I Can’t Write a Post?

Personally, I’m not. I think it’s a funny thing to write a blog post about. And it is a challenge to think of something different to say each time. At least, I hope I think of something different each time. I don’t go back and re-read these silly posts.

I was reading through all my posts. I did it once when I had been blogging (still think it’s a silly verb) about a month. Then I started to do it again when I had been at it for a year. That time it took longer, because I only want to read so many blog posts at a time. I was almost caught up when I inexplicably stopped. Perhaps I should start up again. I can write a blog post about any startling conclusions I draw (although I am more likely to come up with some half-baked philosophy about it) (I always say, go with your strengths).

The fact is, I have spent today doing mostly useful things. For “useful” you can read “boring” or at least “unblogworthy” (my computer tells me that’s not a word, but I think it should be). I did have one Mohawk Valley adventure, but you know I don’t like to write about those so soon after the fact.

On the brighter side: one adventure today, one planned for tomorrow, still time to watch a cheesy movie tonight. I may have a much better blog next week.

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Maybe More Coffee Would Help

Posted on August 3, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

So there I was at work. I had written a page on my novel before my shift began. You may remember, that novel that keeps me from writing blog posts. I was determined not to let that happen today, Lame Post Friday or not.

I was going to think about my blog post all morning till I came up with something. It’s worked before. In any case, I had reached the end of a scene in my novel and had no idea where to go next. The novel is at that stage. I’m sort of limping along till I get to the top of the next hill, to speak metaphorically.

I began to work and think (my job is the sort where you can multi-task like that) (although in general I am no fan of multi-tasking). I was drinking coffee (no, that does NOT count as another task. Sheesh!). That was it! I would write about coffee!

I began to think about all the good things I could say about coffee. I even had a few good memories to share. Oh dear, would that make it more suitable for Middle-aged Musings Monday? Well, that would be OK. I could write it today and be ahead for Monday. I could hardly wait for the nine o’clock break to write that blog post.

The break buzzer rang. I sat down and took out my notebook. And began to write a whole new scene in my novel where the characters were sitting around drinking coffee. I worked on that scene for the rest of break and most of lunch!

So once again, the novel wins, and I write a post on Why I Can’t Write a Post. I don’t think that’s so bad for a Lame Post Friday. We’ll see what the weekend brings.

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After Staring at a Blank Screen

Posted on August 2, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s not that I can’t write. It’s that I can’t write a blog post!

I wrote more than two pages on my novel while at work today. OK, maybe they weren’t good pages. Maybe it’s a crappy novel. These things happen. The fact is I sat there and wrote them with a bare minimum of staring at the blank page first.

So I sit down to dash off a blog post and nothing. What’s that all about? I know damn well I wrote something about how writing the blog every day was helping me to write the novel. Is writing the novel now making me unable to write the blog? That’s ridiculous!

And obviously not true, because, look, I just wrote two paragraphs (I don’t count the first one; it’s only two sentences). I do find it interesting, if a little snake-eating-its-own-tail-ish, to write about writing. I like to read about writing, too. A writing friend of mine said she stopped doing that, because she feared she was reading about writing more than she was writing. When she said that, I just looked sheepish.

I do have some Mohawk Valley adventures planned for the weekend, one of which I alluded to in a post earlier this week (astute readers will know it when they see it) (extremely clever readers may have already guessed) (now I’m being too coy; OK, I’m done). I may even write another post about Why I Can’t Write a Post, this time thinking of something more substantive to say. In the meantime, this is Non-Sequitur Thursday, so I have only to think of a foolish headline, and I’m done.

Hope to see you on Lame Post Friday.

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The Post is Cheesier than the Movie

Posted on August 1, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I DVR’d Paid (1931) purely because it starred Joan Crawford. I don’t know why I do that. Back in the days of the studio system they simply ground out movies. Even the few stars that never signed or fought their contracts made a few stinkers. Then again, shouldn’t I be looking for a stinker, given my penchant for writing about cheesy movies? I thought it was a win-win situation. Turns out not so much.

Paid was made pretty early in Crawford’s career. So early, in fact, that some would say it was before she was really Joan Crawford. By that of course I mean without the famous eyebrows and shoulder pads. She already has a presence, though, or she does as the movie progresses. In the first scene she looks pretty terrible as she is sentenced to three years in prison for theft she did not commit. She shows a flash of strength as she vows revenge on the man pressing charges, the owner of the department store where she slaved away for wages that didn’t pay the bills.

They don’t waste too much time in prison, but long enough for Crawford to make a friend who promises her a way to make money when they get out. This turns out to be prostitution, which our Joan does not end up going through with. At least, she goes home with a guy but doesn’t sleep with him, so I guess it’s prostitution. You know how circumspect these old movies are about sex stuff.

After turning down an invitation to lead a different life of crime, she finds a “legal” way to make money. Suddenly she’s all self-confident and calling all the shots. And the cops are SO after her. Then the plot gets a little convoluted.

She marries this handsome rich young thing, who turns out to be — surprise to us but not to Crawford — the son of the store owner she has vowed revenge against. I guess marrying the son is her revenge. And she claims not to love him, although she can’t look him in the face when she says so.

Her crooked friends — who were never quite comfortable living on the right side of the law anyways — are conned into one last big score. Of course that is a movie staple to this day: one last big score.

This was about the time I left the room to make popcorn, leaving Steven to keep track of what was going on. It wasn’t just my usual not paying attention mode: this is a boring movie. I don’t know why. The plot actually seems pretty good. And Joan Crawford — there could be no possible objection.

I’m afraid my write-up is pretty boring too. I am in a hell of a mid-week slump and I don’t know that things are going to get any better. I look forward to Non-Sequitur Thursday and Lame Post Friday. I do hope you’ll stay tuned.

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Wicked Good Program

Posted on July 31, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

For some time I had been intrigued by a book titled Wicked Mohawk Valley at the Herkimer County Historical Society. While attending a program on Strike Story (perhaps you read my blog post about that), I heard there was to be a program on the Wicked book on July 25, which was last Thursday. I made immediate plans to attend.

Steven worked till seven so had to join the program already in progress, but I got there in plenty of time. Before the actual program, we heard a few previews of upcoming attractions. I made note of two: a Wine Tasting and Tour at the Balloon Farm Bed and Breakfast in Frankfort, NY from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 4, and a walking tour of the Frankfort Cemetery at 6 p.m. Aug. 26 (I hope those are also previews of coming attractions for blog posts).

Dennis Webster is the author of Wicked Mohawk Valley as well as Wicked Adirondacks and Haunted Mohawk Valley. The last, co-authored by Bernadette Peck, was given to me by Steven last Christmas. I had not even noticed it was the same author, so add that to the list of things I don’t pay enough attention to.

Wicked Mohawk Valley is a collection of true stories about famous or rather infamous area dwellers, mostly from history. Naturally, Webster included chapters on Chester Gilette and Roxalana Druse, two very well-known figures (at least to this blogger). However, since those two have been covered quite extensively elsewhere, Webster merely mentioned them at Thursday’s program.

The most famous person he talked about, and his favorite story, was Dutch Schultz, Public Enemy No. 1 after Dillinger died. I never knew Schultz was tried in Malone, NY, a place I have visited many times. The authorities were trying to get Schultz the same way they had gotten Al Capone, on tax evasion. They chose Malone as a place where they hoped Schultz did not own all the cops and judges.

It was perhaps a mistake to let Schultz know in advance where the trial was to be held. He and his PR team arrived a month before the trial and went on a charm offensive. He went to ball games and cheered for the home team. He bought rounds at the local watering hole. He gave a party for all the kids in town. He told everyone he was just a hardworking businessman who had tried to settle with the IRS for $100,000 and was being persecuted. Who wouldn’t believe such a nice guy?

Webster went on to tell a few more stories from the book, which does not include a lot of stories about gangsters. For one thing, the mafia in Utica was covered quite well in a series in the Utica OD recently. It sounds like he found a lot of really interesting stories outside the mafia.

Webster also talked about Haunted Mohawk Valley. The folks at the program seemed more interested in ghosts than gangsters. Perhaps he will do another program highlighting his haunted activities.

I thoroughly enjoyed Thursday’s program. I can’t wait till Steven buys me Wicked Mohawk Valley for my birthday!

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