Category Archives: personal

Got to Be Applebee’s

Posted on May 18, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I don’t usually talk about chain restaurants or stores here, but in this case I don’t mind mentioning Applebee’s, because they’ve given themselves a local flair. Recently they shut down for a couple of days to redecorate and said it would be with local memorabilia. We decided to check it out.

Steven said I must mention the history of the gift card we intended to use. The card was a Christmas present from my sister Diane and her family. Diane had brought it to my parents’ house at New Year’s, thinking we would be there. We were not. The card languished in Rome for three months till Mom finally stuck it in the mail. When Steven contacted Diane via Facebook to thank her, she replied she did not know why she had not mailed it herself.

Oh dear, that was not nearly as amusing a story as it seemed when we were talking about it. I may cut that out when I edit this and Steven can just get mad at me for not mentioning the gift card.

Applebee’s was doing quite a brisk business for a Wednesday night. We were there prior to six, so I could not take advantage of the Ladies’ Night specials (and no cracks from the Peanut Gallery about me not being a lady!). I expressed regret that my favorite tall tables in the bar area were taken, but the hostess fixed us up with a tall half-booth. It was a table for four, which worked out well, because I soon moved from the padded bench to the chair beside Steven. As I explained to the waitress, it was easier on my back and got me a little closer to my man. Steven pointed out that it also gave me a good view of the flat-screen TV directly across from us. There are actually a good number of flat-screen TVs to be seen. I didn’t test the theory, but I daresay wherever you sit you can see one. Sports were on, which is a good thing to watch with no sound. (Boy, that’s a long paragraph, but I can’t figure out where to break it into two. And I call myself a writer.)

The pictures and murals on the wall seem to be all from local high schools. I saw mostly sports teams with a few proms and one school play (I think it was a play; why else would they be dressed Shakespeareanly?). I wish I had walked around and really made note of what I saw, but I did not want to disturb the other diners.

At one point a young girl approached me and handed me my cell phone, which had inexplicably fallen off my purse. I thanked her very much. I thought I would mention it, because I appreciate nice little girls who notice lost property and take the trouble to return it.

It was quite a tasty meal with the usual good service we enjoy at Applebee’s. All restaurants in a chain are not equal. I will say that the Herkimer branch of Applebee’s is a very good representative of the brand.

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Unsafe Lame Change

Posted on May 17, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yes, I am doing a lame post on a Wednesday. I feel it is the wrong thing to do, but I thought of that title while at work today, and, you know, it kind of fits with the wrong thing to do.

I am less than one week away from posting every day for one year. Do I think something magical is going to happen if I meet this goal? Yes, I suppose I do. Please, nobody shatter my illusions. Let me just keep going for now.

This being a Lame Post, I do have a random observation to share. As I parked in the parking lot at my place of employment this morning, I noticed a car with the windows all fogged up. I did not try to peek in at the edges, but I just couldn’t help but wonder how they got all fogged up. Yes, you can snigger, I do mean to imply something naughty.

Then I thought, maybe I can get Steven to drive me to work some morning and we can do something naughty to steam up the windows before I go into work. Wouldn’t that be nice? I could go into work with my hair all disheveled and a big smile on my face. Actually, I have messy hair and a smile many days, but now it would be for a good reason.

Imagine my chagrin when I came out to my truck to go home and the windows were entirely fogged. It was an extremely humid, rainy day. So I guess nobody was doing anything naughty. Alas. At least, I don’t think anybody broke into my truck during the course of the day for the sole purpose of doing something naughty. If they did, that might be one for World’s Dumbest Outlaws.

And speaking of World’s Dumbest, I am missing tonight’s episode as I type this. But I see I am almost up to 300 words. A respectable number of words, if not a particularly respectable post (Lame Wednesday? Naughty things? Not respectable, I’m afraid). It was kind of fun to compose. And I’m one more day closer to my goal. Happy Wednesday, everyone.

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Oh My Aching Run

Posted on May 15, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I didn’t think I could do a Middle-aged Musings Monday after a Stupid Post Sunday, so I sought alternatives. First we watched a cheesy movie on Sunday. I fell asleep. I may yet write about what I saw before dozing, but wasn’t up to it today. At last I thought, here is my motivation to run: I’ll run, then I’ll write about it.

My back was bothering me all day at work. I didn’t think too much of it. I’m middle-aged; I have back pain. It does not come as a surprise (ooh, snuck in a middle-aged musing after all). I usually feel better after work when I’m more relaxed and when I’ve moved my body around some more.

When I got home, my back felt worse. I still wasn’t too worried. Driving can exacerbate back pain. True, my ride home is only about ten minutes. So I got quick results. I walked stiffly into the house. Steven expressed some concern at my running plan. I sat down on the landing to take my work shoes off and just sat there for a few minutes. Steven expressed more concern.

“Oh, I was just listening to Judge Judy,” I said. Then I dithered (I always say go with your strengths). How much pain should I or would I be putting myself in? What were the consequences of not running? I probably would not be able to run Tuesday due to an appointment. That would be three days of no running. Wednesday was free, but what if it rained? That decided me. I was actually a little proud of myself for deciding it. I have several times learned the lesson: when you can run, do it, because the next day it will probably rain. Now I was finally utilizing what I had learned.

I stood up and climbed the stairs. Walking around looking for my running clothes seemed to help the back a little. This was going to be OK. I had noticed earlier that it was a fine afternoon for running. Nice and cloudy, not too hot and no sun in my eyes. Why would I not take advantage? Maybe I could even do my Sunday run of the hill to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC).

I told Steven, who was still a little concerned, that if my back continued to pain me I would only run to the corner and back. I really thought that as I got limbered up, things would improve.

Well, I have been wrong before. I got to the corner and my back told me to turn around. I told my back to give it a few more minutes. Maybe we just hadn’t run long enough. I ran down German Street. I hadn’t gone a block before deciding that the hill to HCCC would remain unrun by me today. I had my doubts I could make it around the block. But I persevered.

I thought I could manage a 20 minute run. Then I thought I should at least do 15, because I read somewhere that 15 minutes of vigorous exercise… something. The complete thought escaped me, but I know I read somewhere something about 15 minutes of exercise. I would aim for 15.

I have written before about perseverance runs and how the main thing they taught me was how to persevere. I must say, this was not a perseverance run. It was more a grit your teeth and try not to cry run. Only I didn’t grit my teeth, because I have to breathe through my mouth because my nose is usually congested. I didn’t cry either, so that was good. I could still see where I was going.

Three college or high school looking kids were on the sidewalk ahead of me. They were walking slowly and taking up the whole sidewalk. Well, there is no reason they shouldn’t take up the whole sidewalk, I hadn’t caught up to them yet. Then they were going over this bridge and there was absolutely no room for me to go around them if I did catch up to them. Luckily I didn’t. At last they turned off to walk across the grass, cutting the the corner of German and Church streets. I ran all the way to the corner on the sidewalk. I felt pretty high speed when I realized I was going to be way ahead of them in spite of taking the long way. I usually don’t run that much faster than pedestrians.

I ran down Church Street, which was the quickest way back to my house. The back would seem as if it was starting to feel better then start hurting again. I heard a rather menacing growl. It was a large dog. There was a screen between him and me, but he looked big enough to burst through. Luckily he did no such thing.

When I got to the corner of my street, I decided to go around the next block. Then I got daring and went another block. My back was intermittently feeling not too bad, and I really did want to go at least 15 minutes, for whatever reason you’re supposed to. Past the historic four corners. Don’t tell Tabby I went by her favorite place without her! I saw a historical looking building for sale further up Main Street. I bet I could go to the Historical Society and look up if it’s any place important. These thoughts kept my mind off my back for another block.

A nice man let me pet his dog. He said he hadn’t wanted to disturb me when I was jogging, but I told him I liked to stop and pet the dogs. The pugnacious pug was on his porch — really an upstairs landing — barking at me. I think of him as the pugnacious pug, because I’ve only seen him barking through the slats. He is not to be confused with my friend Pudge, who is also a pug.

I ended up running 17 minutes. Tabby and I walked nine for my cool down. My back still hurts and I see I’ve written almost a thousand words on this. There may be a lesson here, but I don’t know what it is.

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Searching for a Subject Sunday

Posted on May 13, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I have Lame Post Fridays and Middle-aged Musings Mondays (which I don’t always do, if I have anything better to say), how about Stupid Post Sundays?

The only thing I really have to talk about is Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre, which closed last night. I have a combination of Post Play Let Down and Thank God It’s Over. My readers may be heaving a sigh of relief because All Harvey All The Time is over as well. And I really feel it is over, because I don’t want to talk about that damn play any more.

I could have gone on my usual Sunday run up to HCCC (Herkimer County Community College) the front way and talked about that. After all, I did say I was segueing into All Boilermaker All The Time. I was looking over some of my first posts in which I wondered how many running posts I could get away with. It turns out, quite a lot. But I didn’t run today. At least, I suppose I could run later on, but I feel it is unlikely. Also, I want to make this post now and get on with the rest of my day.

I believe I’ve mentioned that I am approaching my one year mark in this blog. I had challenged myself to post something every day for one year. Once I have accomplished that, what? This is why I was looking over old posts earlier. I want to see where I’ve been before I decide where I’m going. I got through eleven posts so far. No insights or epiphanies so far.

When I got tired of reading (it didn’t take long), I thought I would take Tabby for a walk and write about that. It was a short, singularly uneventful walk. Prime deck sitting weather, though. I may get to that later, too, but I can’t see making a whole blog post about it.

My goal now is to do something blogworthy after Steven gets home from work, so I don’t have to resort to Middle-aged Musings Monday but can go back to my Mohawk Valley Girl mission. In the meantime, I don’t think I’ll title this Stupid Post Sunday, because I don’t feel I want to call myself stupid that loudly. You can think whatever you like quietly to yourself.

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Dead End Run

Posted on May 13, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

As I segue into All Boilermaker All The Time, I thought it would be a good idea not to skip my Saturday run.

As I type that, I think it isn’t really All Boilermaker because I don’t usually mention the actual Boilermaker except in passing. But All Running All The Time seems a little generous for what I do. And All Shuffling All The Time is too self-deprecating, even for me. Boilermaker is a kind of a fun word. And I am training for the Boilermaker. So there you have it.

This is closing night of Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre (which I believe I’ve mentioned before that I’m in), so I didn’t feel I wanted to rack myself up too much with a major run. Then again, I have all day to nap and drink Gator Ade, so I don’t feel I need to blow the run off entirely. I dithered until Steven left for work, which had the added advantage that I was home visiting with him for the maximum amount of time available. Always a good thing with a nice husband such as mine is.

It was warm when I set out. The thermostat in my house said the outside temperature was 59 degrees. The bright sun made it seem warmer. I was still dithering about where to run. I knew I wanted to write a blog post about it, so thought I should take a new direction. But which? The disadvantage of starting my run later (it was quarter to ten) was that traffic was picking up. I thought it best to stay off busy roads with no sidewalks or shoulders to speak of.

Then I thought of an idea I had to go down German Street and run up and down all the Dead End streets (of which there are several). I don’t often go down dead ends, although I know I have recently and mentioned it in this blog. I’m not into the out and back runs these days; I like to return by an alternate route. But I like to run somewhere different. And then, too, I had a ready made headline for the post. So off I went.

There are some nice houses on these dead end streets. Is it because they are not bothered with too much through traffic? Or had I stumbled into the rich section of town? Maybe I just noticed more nice houses this morning. I’m sure there are nice houses all over Herkimer.

I saw a lot of flowers. Forget Me Nots seem to be everywhere these days. Steven even mowed down a bunch in our back yard this week (although he was able to leave a few over by the rhododendron). I saw one house with a bunch of flowers in pots lined up along the driveway. No doubt someone was about to arrange and/or transplant them somewhere creative. Must get going on my own container garden.

A couple of nice screened in porches caught my eye. One was on the second floor. Ooh, did that look pleasant. Someone was sitting there. I was envious. What a nice place to sit and write or drink coffee or just be (or all three; I could multi-task to that extent). But my object was to run and not to sit.

I ran on, reflecting that whatever ambitious things I accomplished today I could not sit on my deck and reward myself with a beer, because I have a show to do tonight. In fact, I’m not even going to do anything majorly ambitious, because I mean to recruit my energies. I may have family out in the audience. I must be at my best (oh, rest assured, I strive to be at my best for any audience members, even people I don’t like) (then again, I like everybody who comes to see a play at Ilion Little Theatre) (but I digress).

As I ran I realized my folly in waiting till almost 10 o’clock to begin my run (and it was past 10 when I realized it). I have a sensitivity to sunlight. It makes me feel tired and ill if I spend too much time in it. And this was turning into the brightest sunny day possible. Oh dear. Still, a 20 or 30 minute run couldn’t hurt much, could it? I ran up one street that was not a dead end but kind of curves around and comes back out on another street that leads back to German. Along the way I found it crossed another dead end street, so I ran down that one. Hey, there was a house having a garage sale. I think Steven and I went to a garage sale at that very house last year. I eyed the goods from a distance. Must hit some garage sales next weekend.

The sun was beginning to bother me. Where was the shade? Then I saw some across the street, at the H.A.R.C building. Ah, I would run up and down one more dead end, then cross the street and run in that shade for a whole block. I followed that plan, then decided that heading back home would not be a bad idea. I was plenty far enough from my house; I was getting great exercise.

My legs were feeling not too bad. No “I can rock this” feeling, but not too bad. Certainly no “I LOVE running!” I think the “I LOVE running” stage only really happens when I’m headed down hill after a strenuous uphill. Perhaps tomorrow, when the play is over.

I ran for 30 minutes, which I thought respectable, what with a show tonight (and one last night and the night before and working ten hours Friday after a mere four hours sleep) (put away the miniature violins; I’m not complaining, I’m trying to be factual)(“I’m trying to be factual” is a line from the play. Not one of my lines, but still).

So we’ll see what I find to write about tomorrow. My Sunday run or are these running posts getting a little monotonous? Just a side note: I’m coming up on my one year anniversary of writing this blog. I made up my mind I would post every day for one year. Once I accomplish that, I may take a day off.

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Steven’s Culinary Adventure

Posted on May 12, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

This week’s Friday Lame Post has neither random observations nor half-baked philosophy. It is a mere cooking story, and I didn’t even do the cooking. To make it even more lame, I wrote and typed it in Thursday and saved the draft, because I was afraid I’d be too tired to get something together on Friday. So here goes:

Wednesday night we had no rehearsal and no performance (did I mention we’re in Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre? I think so), so we thought it would be nice to cook a real dinner. I had an eggplant I wanted to roast, but early on at work I decided I wanted to run and let Steven cook.

I called him on a break (it was his day off) and told him to take something out of the freezer. He looked in the freezer as we spoke (love having a cordless phone) (I know, why doesn’t he have a cell? we are SO 20th century). Could I think of anything to do with sausage?

“Well, we could fry it up in a pan and add some tomato sauce and spices, then cook some macaroni.”

He further discovered some pizza sauce in the freezer that had come with the last pizza crust we had bought, so our plan was set.

Steven started cooking as soon as I got back from running. At my suggestion, he added a can of mushrooms. At his own inspiration, he added garlic powder, oregano and minced onion.

I was upstairs on the computer, emailing an important question to someone who would know. Steven came up to report that there was not a whole lot of sauce amidst all the stuff in it. Should he add more? I said no, my goal being to minimize leftovers. He showed me the amount of pasta wheels left in the canister, but I thought it not enough. He said he’d open a box of the twisty kind.

It was starting to smell quite yummy by the time I came downstairs. We enjoyed our dinner very much. Perhaps it could have used a little more sauce, but that’s a mere quibble. Perhaps this is not as exciting a post as when I cook something myself. Of course, hands on is always nice. Well, what can I do? I wanted to run. I’m in a play. I’ll try to cook something for your next week.

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Multi-Purpose Run

Posted on May 10, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I would do the thing today of coming home, running, then writing my blog post about my run. It’s worked before. It could work again.

I did not write my blog post during my breaks at work today, because I really could not think of what to write. I’m still on All Harvey All The Time, and quite frankly, I am out of things to say about Harvey. We had our pick up rehearsal last night, but I’m thinking that would not make a great post. I mean, we had a lot of laughs, but to convey the humor I fear I would have to explain too much. And even if I explained enough, the jokes might fall sadly flat (I refuse to use the condescending expression, “You had to be there”) (anyways, you would have had to be there not only last night, but through the entire rehearsal period. So you see).

Be that as it may (one of my favorite transition phrases), I came home and got my running gear on right away before I could change my mind. I made up my mind early on not to demand a long run of myself. Thirty minutes sounded about right. Twenty in a pinch. But I thought up to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) the front way might be a good idea. For one thing, that is usually my Sunday run, which I missed this week.

I thought if I was unable to cross German Street, I would be off the hook and just run the neighborhood streets. But right away I had my chance and sprinted across. On towards the college I went. My body was not best pleased with me, but one learns to live with these things. I thought about what traffic was likely to be on the road to the college but refused to let it deter me. When the DARE 5K was approaching, I reminded myself, I ran that road every day about this time for at least a week. I could hang.

A nice car even stopped for me to run across Lou Ambers Drive to get to left side facing traffic. I stayed in the parking lot of Salvatore’s Pizza, but that didn’t last long. I ran past the spring without stopping for a a drink.

Lots of cars were coming down the hill. Some of them were flashing their lights at cars going up the hill. I had to look twice, because the cars had daytime running lights and I was not sure if they actually flashed or a bump in the road just made the lights appear brighter to me. No, that was a definite flash. Did that mean there were cop cars up the hill? I think that’s the usual signal. Nobody flashed me. That’s OK. I’ve been flashed before; it’s not the thrill you think it’s going to be.

I ran up and up, telling myself I could rock this. Let me be perfectly clear: I was NOT at the “I can rock this” stage of my run. I was just trying to be encouraged. Oh, it took a long time to go up. I thought about the DARE run and thought I had not shuffled so slowly that day. At last I got around the curve. Oh, that wasn’t so great after all. You think you make it around the curve and you’re there, but the road keeps going up. Ugh.

I got to a clearing where you can look out over the village below. Cool. I’ll have to stop there sometime and try to really recognize landmarks. I could see a wide highway in the distance. Probably the Thruway. I’d be moving a lot faster in a car.

There were the dormitories. I wondered if someone would yell something out a window at me today or if that was something that just happened on a weekend morning. Apparently so. I guess those kids had other things on their minds. I saw a young man holding an empty bucket and whapping a mop against the building. Good man, cleaning up the dorm. At least, I think good man. He may have just now been getting around to cleaning up the results of a debauch from two weeks ago. Still, he had apparently been mopping something.

I could hear an announcer saying something from the athletic fields. I could just faintly make out some music playing, such as I had enjoyed running to one other day. I did not keep running across campus, though, adhering to my thirty minute goal. I finally saw a cop car, but of course I have no idea if he was the one those cars were flashing about. I continued on my way, down the back way. The breeze died down and now it was just muggy. I could feel the sweat running down my face. I was tempted to scoop some water out of the little stream and splash it on me, but I kept running instead. It wasn’t really that hot. I’ll put up with worse in the months to come.

Another sprint across German Street, and one across Caroline. Then I stopped and petted a lady’s Jack Russell terrier. I love a cute dog. I hurried home to my own cute dog, and we walked around the block for my cool down. Then I felt I had to eat supper before attempting to compose anything. Luckily, Steven was willing to cook for us.

So I think I’m transitioning from All Harvey All The Time to All Boilermaker All The Time. At least, this is the first I’ve mentioned the Boilermaker, but of course one purpose of today’s run was to prepare for that race. Another purpose was to have something to write a blog post about. And I have consumed a few calories that needed burning off. Really, a multi-purpose run.

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Monday Run

Posted on May 9, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I missed my Sunday run so thought it would be a good idea to run on Monday. It wasn’t raining when I got home from work, so I got on my gear and off I went.

My run time is up to 44 minutes. I did not increase it by the recommended 10 percent this week, thinking to give myself a break while the play is going on (Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre; I may have mentioned that before). When I set out Monday I was undecided: 20 minutes, 30 minutes or the full 44? I would see how it went.

I was able to cross German Street right away. I headed in the direction of Main Street, because I saw a pedestrian headed in the opposite direction. Yes, I often decide my route based on these arbitrary considerations. Well, who wants to follow a pedestrian? Suppose it took me three blocks to pass her? How would that make me feel?

I thought I’d go up the hill out Main Street. It’s steep enough to be challenging, and you have a choice: you can either keep going on up or turn off in one of two places. Oh, it was not fun going uphill, but I thought about how I like to be tough and run up hills. “Run,” of course, is the generous term I use to describe my middle-aged shuffle. But you knew that.

As I continued my run, it became clear that I was not going to reach the “I can rock this” stage, much less the “I LOVE running” stage. I reflected that I had not had a perseverance run in a while. It would be good for me.

I ran down a rather lengthy dead end street. At least, there was no sign saying “Dead End” or even “No Outlet,” but I was pretty sure I had run up it before and it was. Still, a different street, a quiet street. I ran down it. I could turn around and run back. I know how.

Then I heard the ice cream truck behind me. Was that thing stalking me? Damn! No ice cream. No ice cream. I picked up the pace a little, but the music only got louder. Well, I can’t outrun a truck, not even an ice cream truck. I didn’t have any cash to buy any ice cream anyways. There was no point in asking for credit.

At last I reached the end of the road and turned around. And discovered that the ice cream truck was not on that road after all. Had it caught the brain waves of my frustration and turned around, or had it never been on the street to begin with? Sound does travel. No matter. The truck was gone now. I could continue my run.

On and on I ran till I found myself in the business district. For those that are still in business. I ran by Pete’s Tavern. Ooh, a beer would taste good. Hydration. But I was a little informally dressed, even for Pete’s. And, of course, the lack of cash.

I passed a couple of young ladies with extremely cute toddlers in strollers.

“Oh, would you please give me a ride in that stroller thingy?” I asked.

“Sure, no problem!” one of them said with a smile.

Past the post office and through Myers Park. It looked as if I might make it for 40 or more minutes if I didn’t run straight home. I passed two ladies and two young boys in front of a house. The boys had a scooter and a Big Wheel.

“Could I borrow that scooter?” I asked. “I need wheels!” I would have had to crunch way over and squat down, but it would have been worth it. The ladies laughed. I know, the same joke twice. I make that joke all the time. What do you want from me, I was running.

As I ran toward my street, the words echoed in my head, “I can totally run the Boilermaker!” Oh, you can push past fatigue. I forget that sometimes.

I ran for the full 44 minutes by virtue of running from end to end of my block before doubling back to my house. I felt pretty good about myself and pretty tired. Not a bad combination for a Monday night when you don’t have rehearsal.

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Deep Fried Fun

Posted on May 8, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I often spend Sundays cooking something fabulous for dinner. I like to cook with wine, and the therapeutic benefit of chopping vegetables is not to be denied. This past Sunday, however, I was otherwise occupied.

I believe I mentioned being in Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre and that we had a matinee on Sunday. It went very well. We had a perfectly delightful audience who rewarded our efforts with copious laughter.

I suppose the operative thing to have done would have been to throw something in the crock pot that morning. Anyone who thinks I did that is crediting me with a great deal more foresight and ambition than I actually possess. I did have a misbegotten adventure with peanut butter cookies (and wrote a blog post about it), but my culinary activities went no further.

So Steven and I were starving as we left the theatre. Sending out for food was in order. What to get was the question.

First we had to find a place that was open. I had noticed one local place abruptly went out of business, and we knew another had suffered a fire. Some places are closed on Sundays (and it’s funny how sometimes you don’t notice that till after you’ve perused the menu and decided what you want).

We finally settled on Yetty’s in Herkimer, NY (thought I ought to mention NY, don’t know that I had to). Yetty’s has excellent pizza, pasta and other dinner choices, but I was into appetizers. I love to make a meal of appetizers.

Appetizers are problematic, though, vis a vis my weight loss goals, because so many of the choices are deep fried. I might add that deep fried is one of my favorite flavors. I feel very virtuous for avoiding deep fried foods most of the time. I’ve even been doing really well this past week and was down a couple of pounds. With that positive reinforcement I wanted to be, you know, reinforced, and not fall off the diet wagon at the slightest bump in the road. On the other hand, I felt we deserved a reward for a play well done (as I mentioned earlier, Sunday’s audience especially loved us).

As you probably guessed by the title, I said to hell with it. We decided on calimari, one of my favorites; chicken tenders, one of Steven’s favorites; and homemade chips, which Yetty’s does exceptionally well.

The delivery man was very nice, especially when Tabby ran out to greet him. He said she was probably smelling his dog. He told Tabby she couldn’t go with him, as it seemed for a moment she was inclined to do. She took this in good part and returned to the house when we called her. She almost immediately wanted to go out back. I think she wanted to bark about it to one of her friends across the back fence.

It was a very good meal for just about the amount of effort I wanted to put in. Yetty’s is located at 109 Mohawk St., Herkimer, NY. Hours are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight, Sunday noon to 11 p.m. Delivery is available every day from 11:30 a.m. to close. Phone number is 315-866-4201.

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Bad Cookie Day

Posted on May 6, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I have to get ready for the matinee of Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre (did I mention I was in a play?)(for those of you just tuning in, yes, I have, several times). Steven is at work. I feel stressed. I guess what I’m saying is, Lame Post Week Continues.

I guess I never declared this Lame Post Week, but I think I did mention that my blog might become All Harvey All The Time or some such nonsense. Be that as it may, I did try to have a cooking, or rather a baking adventure prior to my theatre preparations for the day.

While perusing Women’s Day magazine this morning (June 2012 issue), I discovered what purported to be “the simplest cookies you ever made.” I looked at the magazine just now to make that quote and found my error: I thought it said the EASIEST cookies I ever made. It does claim the cookies are yummy, my favorite flavor. I thought I would surprise Steven and give them a try.

I did some grocery shopping after I dropped him off at work, so made sure I had a big jar of peanut butter. I do love peanut butter. I eat it almost every morning on a banana. Yum. Back home I did some laundry and dithered about washing the dishes before I began baking (decided to wait; after all I was only going to dirty more dishes).

After preheating the oven to 350 degrees and locating my hand mixer, I measured out a cup of peanut butter. Boy, is that stuff sticky. Then 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar. The brown sugar was so lumpy as to be difficult to pack. I trusted the mixer to break up the lumps and did the best I could. I was forced to do a little math, though, at which I am not reliable, because I have no 3/4 cup measure. I thought 1/2 plus 1/4 equals 3/4. Phew, that wasn’t so hard was it? I used the same calculation for the 3/4 tsp baking soda. And looked at the recipe three times to be sure it was teaspoon not tablespoon.

I didn’t have large eggs, so I used a medium and took a spoon to scrape all the white out of the shells. A friend once told me that a baker’s dozen was 13, because bakers scraped all the white out of the shell and it made a whole other egg. I didn’t know if that would make the correct amount of egg, but as usual, I hoped for the best.

Those are all the ingredients in the recipe, but the picture looked like the cookies had white chocolate chips. I added dark chocolate chips. Some people make a recipe the correct way before experimenting. Apparently I do not.

It was surprisingly easy to mix with the hand mixer. I was right about the lumps. It was less easy getting the peanut buttery stuff off the beaters, but I did my best. I used a regular spoon to drop onto the baking sheets, which I used cooking spray on because I did not have the parchment paper the recipe called for. The recipe said “level teaspoonfuls,” but whatever. The recipe also said “makes 5 dozen,” so I guess I made mine too big. No matter. They were in the oven and I waited 8 of the 8 to 10 minutes.

So much for my bright experiments: whether it was the medium egg or the chocolate chips, the cookies fell apart as I took them off the baking sheet. How annoying! Well, perhaps they would taste delicious after they cooled. Hmmm…. they didn’t taste bad, but they continued to fall apart. Also, they gunked up my mouth remarkably like eating straight peanut butter by the spoonful (um, not that I ever do that).

I had had a vision of bringing some to Steven when I pick him up from work, but I fear they wiould be too messy. Also, we’re about to do a play; we probably had better not gunk up our mouths too much. I had earlier had an idea of bringing cookies to share with the other actors. I remembered halfway through getting the peanut butter out of the jar that at least one cast member has a peanut allergy. I knew I should have gone with Nestle Tollhouse.

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