Category Archives: personal

Family, Food and Fun at Asteroga

Posted on May 9, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Wednesday night I walked down to Asteroga Ale House in Herkimer, NY, to meet some members of my family for dinner.  It was half price burger night. I got there a little early so sat at the bar and sipped a glass of wine while I waited. My sister Cheryl and my parents soon showed up, and we sat at a table.  We were joined by Cheryl’s daughter Kimi, Kimi’s boyfriend, Matt, and his daughter Athena.  We were a merry group, having a lot of laughs while we enjoyed our meal.

Kimi and Athena.

I had a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and red onion, well done.  Athena had the same but no tomato, and added waffle fries to hers.  Mine came with homemade chips and a pickle.  Athena is particularly partial to pickles, as am I.  Kimi opted for a Reuben and regular fries.

Athena and Matt.

I forget what kind of burger Matt got, but it had an onion ring on top.  Cheryl got the bacon-mushroom-Swiss burger.  That sounded yummy.  Mom got the same, and Dad got an Italian burger.

Mom and Dad.

I did not take any pictures of the food.  Quite frankly, I was too interested in eating it.  My dining companions graciously agreed to have their pictures taken for the blog.

Cheryl and Kimi.

I took half my burger and some of the chips home, for future enjoyment.  It started to rain when I walked home. I often say, I ain’t sugar; I won’t melt.  Lately, however, I begin to wonder:  would I melt like the Wicked Witch of the West?  At least this time I survived to make the blog post.

 

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Phyllis Would Probably Laugh

Posted on May 8, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

So… what was I saying Monday about not liking the pressure of making a post early the next morning as opposed to on time?  Well, here I am shortly after 4:30 Wednesday morning, making the post I was too tired to make on Tired Tuesday. I am still tired, and I overslept by 20 minutes.  I dreamed about my late, dearly missed friend, Phyllis, during the oversleep.  I was just thinking yesterday how I dream about my late husband all the time but had never dreamed about Phyllis.  If dead loved ones come to visit you in dreams as some say they do (my schnoodle, Tabby, does it all the time), why would Phyllis not drop in?

A wonderful memory.

Here are Phyllis and I (I am on the left), toasting friendship at Gerber’s 1933 Tavern in Utica, NY.  We were there with our husbands for lunch.  Some of my best memories are getting together with Phyllis and Jim.  They were also members of Ilion Little Theatre.  Jim shone onstage while Phyllis helped out offstage, often acting as prompter. She and I had some good times backstage during Dirty Work at the Crossroads.  At one point during the show (in an added attraction suggested by Jim), Jim was onstage singing, “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”  When he got  to “I’ve a Yankee Doodle sweetheart,” a young actress backstage (she was playing my daughter), would make a grand gesture toward Phyllis.  Phyllis would get a huge smile on her face, acknowledging that it was her.

One of my all-time favorite couples.

And here are Phyllis and JIm, when we met for lunch another time.  It was during COVID, when restaurants were allowed to open with restrictions.  Once again, a wonderful time was had by all.

Look at that, I am over 250 words.  I had no idea what I was going to write about, either last night or this morning.  I guess Phyllis showed up in my dreams to give me a little inspiration.  My late, much loved Aunt Carlyn would say, “This is how God works.”

 

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At Least I Made It On Monday

Posted on May 7, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to yet another Monstrous Monday post.  I have been staring at the blank screen, hopping over to Facebook as a delaying tactic, and indulging in the type-it-in-back-space-it-out disease (can you indulge in a disease?  I am really groping for words today).   I prefer to make my blog posts on time, not prior to five in the morning the next day.  For one reason, I have to do other things I put off till morning, like make my lunch (make lunch, not war!).

It isn’t only Monday, truth be told.

I was actually looking for the Brain from Planet Arous, my usual illustration for my brain-dead condition, but I thought “No Like Monday!” would also apply.  I don’t know why I get so set on having a Monday through Friday work schedule if it is only going to make me hate Monday so much.  Do I really want to feel miserable for five days and happy for two?  That’s silly!  Anyways, it isn’t true.  I manage to find some happiness in every day, or at least a good laugh  Life is not bad when you can have a good laugh once in a while.

Relaxing with a cup of tea is nice, too.

I thought I would show the Monster in a more relaxed mode as well.  Right now I am relaxing with a glass of wine.

A gift from my late, dearly missed husband.

I was over 200 words but wanted one more picture.  I thought this one was appropriate, because I mentioned earlier that I preferred not to be making my blog posts early in the morning.  In fact, I do not mind making the post with or before my coffee.  It is the pressure of making a late post that bothers me.  Maybe I will try making my Tired Tuesday post tomorrow morning.  But will I make my lunch tonight?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my Monday.

 

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Is the Weekend Really Over?

Posted on May 6, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

That title suggested itself to me as I logged into WordPress to make my Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  That is a silly way to put it.  As if the title is an entity walking around looking for work.  There is an absurdist play I read a long time ago, Six Characters in Search of an Author  (I forget who wrote it and I may even have the title wrong);  this would be A Title in Search of a Blog Post.  As if it was some sort of honor or at least a good job to be the title of a blog post.  Now I am becoming a little absurd myself.

This set was not in search of a play.

I wanted to throw in a picture to distract from my own silliness and decided to continue with the theatre theme with this shot of two guys working on a set.  I believe it was for Fallen Angel, which was presented by Ilion Little Theatre back in 2017.  I was not in that play but helped with costumes.  I don’t imagine I was a lot of help, but one does what one can.

Oh yeah, these two.

This picture relates, because Fallen Angel was about an historical local murder case, just like the case of Grace Brown’s murder by Chester Gilette, which I think everybody around here has heard of.  The portraits on the bottom are the real Chester and Grace, while the picture above is a reenactment from the documentary A Northwoods Elegy: Incident at Big Moose Lake.  That is a good movie, by the way.  I have it on DVD and now am thinking about watching it.

You see, my original plan for today was to watch a few movies while knitting, then do a Sunday Cinema post.  I see by the clock on my Chromebook it is only 6:10 (my watch says 18:10, because it is on military time) (long story, not very interesting).  I have time for at least one flick.  Additionally, this silliness (absurdity?) has gotten me over 300 words.  Score!  Another on time blog post!  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Some Semblance of a Saturday Post

Posted on May 5, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I forgot to make a Saturday Running Commentary Post earlier today after I ran.  I had an enjoyable Saturday after said run.  Not surprisingly to anybody who knows me, the Saturday involved some alcoholic beverages.  I am now at at my house, a little tipsy (I did NOT drive while achieving said tipsiness), remembering how I have been a faithful daily blogger  recently, and thinking it would be a good idea if I made some sort of a Saturday evening blog post.

Just one more thing…

I am watching an episode of Columbo on DVD.  It is an episode I have seen several times before, so I am able to make a blog post while it plays.

Yummy!

Earlier, my friend Kim and I enjoyed a couple of drinks and some food at Yetty’s in Herkimer, NY.  This picture was taken at another visit, which was equally as yummy.

Another Yetty’s photo.

The head is always behind the Yetty’s bar, with different hats and accessories.  This is also a picture from another visit.  Full disclosure:  I did not notice what the head was sporting this time.

Another place, another time, but the same sweet smile!

My friend Kim was my partner in today’s Mohawk Valley adventures.  This picture, of  course, is from a different day, but we had equally as good a time.

Will this count as a Scattered Saturday post?  The content of the post is not scattered, but my brain definitely is. You will have these things on a Saturday. In my defense, I am of age, and I was not driving.   With your permission (or without, as it happens), I will return to my enjoyment of Columbo, and whatever entertainment follows.

 

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An Impromptu Stroll Down Memory Lame

Posted on May 4, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I interrupt my Friday night debauchery for a Lame Post Friday post.  In case anybody is interested in what my debauchery consists of, I was sipping a little wine, knitting, and watching episodes of City Confidential on Roku TV.  I don’t remember if I ever mentioned I had finally gotten one of them there Roku thingys, thinking I might like to watch more than I could get with the antenna.  The antenna, in case I never mentioned, enabled me to watch WKTV News in the morning and Svengoolie on Saturday night, when I remembered to tune in.  A total of four channels actually come in, but I have never explored the other two.

I still do not own a rubber chicken.

I searched my Media Library for an embarrassing amount of time looking for a picture of Svengoolie, even though I had only mentioned him in passing.  I do like to have an illustration.  It’s kind of funny when I think of how I blogged for over five years with no pictures.  I think it definitely added to the blog when I finally figured out how to include them.

The picture that started it all.

Since I brought it up, I share the first picture ever used in the blog.  It was in November 2016, a post about a display of costumes outside Boscov’s in Sangertown Mall, New Hartford, NY, shortly after that store had opened.  I do not get to the mall very often, although I used to work there.  It was not a delightful workplace (the particular store I was in; I have nothing against the mall), however, so I shall say no more about that.

Yes, I just have to share Steve again.

I conclude my impromptu stroll down Memory Lane (hey, that might be a good title) with another picture from November 2016.  This is my late, much loved husband, Steven, at Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit.  However, I must not begin looking forward to Halloween.  We just barely got some spring!

 

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How Will My Garden Grow?

Posted on May 3, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I would try for an on-time Thursday blog post with another Throwback Thursday.  I am a little afraid I re-use the same throwback pictures again and again.  Of course I am too lazy to go back and check which pictures I may have used recently.  I shall trust to my sometimes reliable memory.

Pretty!

I went back to May of 2017 and found this “before” shot of plants I had purchased for the container garden on my deck.  It has been years since I have had a container garden, but I hope to have one this year.

I always hope they’ll fill in a little as the summer progresses.

Here is one of the pots from that same year.  I always enjoy putting the different flowers together.  I do not always have “the thrill, the fill, and the spill” that the gardening articles advise for an ideal container, but some of my containers are not very big.

At least two of these pots are now in pieces.

I also make use of different levels.  I don’t know what shape those tree sections are in.  They may be rotted by now.

I must get a pedicure soon.

And here is a picture of what I would like to be doing, eventually.  Lounging on my deck, glass of wine nearby, enjoying an evening with my container garden.  So I have pursued two purposes tonight:  I made a Throwback Thursday blog post, and I encouraged myself to get my act together at least to the extent of having another container garden.  May this turn out to be a Preview of Coming Attractions!

 

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Was That You, Steve?

Posted on May 2, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I really like the idea of Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, even if I make said post early Thursday morning with one ear tuned to the coffeemaker (come on, fella, bring me that magic elixir!).  I am seriously tired these days and not really sure why.  Could I be working too hard?  Doubtful, but my employer is welcome to think so.

Can you see it?

When I first looked at this photo in my phone, I wondered why I took a picture of part of my car and the street in the rain.  Then I looked at the solar lamp and remembered:  When my friend Kim and I were sitting on the front porch last Sunday, we saw a beautiful cardinal.  This time I had my phone handy and took a picture, three in fact.

He’s on the porch railing this time.

I think I am showing these in reverse order of when I took them.  I was unable to really zoom in, alas.  Still, I was happy to see him.  I love the legend that cardinals represent loved one who have passed (I suppose “gone over the rainbow bridge” is just for pets, although I like to think that Steven has been reunited with our beloved poochers).  I wonder if maybe the cardinal is not the loved one himself (or herself) but a messenger sent from the loved one.   That lets the cardinal be his own person as well, or I guess his own bird.  If you see what I mean.

In the middle of the railing on this one.

It was very comfortable sitting out on the porch Sunday, watching the rain fall and talking.  If the cardinal was sent by my late, dearly missed husband Steve, I am not surprised.  He loved to sit on the front porch, and if he could have joined us, no doubt he would.

 

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Late Tired Tuesday Post, But Here Are Some Flowers

Posted on May 1, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have no idea why I was so tired on Tuesday, but so it was.  I had a headache, but it was only a common or garden headache, not a migraine.  My primary care told me to keep a journal of my headaches, so I am doing that.  I tried to do it once before, sometime in the mid-teens, I think.  In fact, I have that little notebook right here (I have roughly 3,825 notebooks of various sizes scattered about my house).  Ooh, I kept it up for three months.  No insight was gained, I fear.

Random pic from my Media Library.

I throw in a picture of flowers to cheer things up.  This is the rhododendron in my backyard last May. I do not think it is blooming yet, but I haven’t been out back in a few days.  I fear I must start mowing soon.  Maybe rake up last year’s leaves, since I do not have one of them there mulching mowers.

These are cheerful, yes?

To continue the flower theme, here are last year’s daisies. I have not seen any daisies yet, but I have shared my one tulip bud and the beginnings of my peonies.  I also have some forget-me-nots now.

And the peonies are a little bigger.

I bestirred myself to get my phone and add the picture to my Media Library.  The tulip has not yet bloomed, but I took a picture of that, too.

 

I think it is a yellow one.

I am approaching 250 words (over that now), and I think my coffee is ready (you did realize I was posting early Wednesday morning, didn’t you?  I realize I did not specify in the first paragraph).  I adjourn for caffeine.  As always, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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In the Mood for Monsters?

Posted on April 30, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl
In the Mood for Monsters?

Hello and welcome to another Monstrous Monday post.  I can’t say my Monday has been thoroughly monstrous, but I am feeling… well, never mind how I am feeling.  It is tiresome to always listen to someone whine about their feelings.  Anyways, I may very well feel differently after I encounter a few of my favorite monsters.

An evocative shot, yes?

Here is one from my favorite Nosferatu, the 1922 silent film.  They made more use of shadows in the older movies.  I think it is scary.  I like it.

Which is the bad guy?

In the interests of using a picture I haven’t used many times already (yes, I am still going to my Media Library for Monstrous Monday; haven’t learned how to get new pictures on the Chromebook yet), I show this one, which I do not remember using before and have no idea what movie it is from.  It looks like an alien and a fish monster.  Do any of you recognize it? If so, please comment and tell me.

A more homegrown monster.

Tired of looking for more movie monsters, I offer this show of my own Bonita, wearing a doggy devil mask I picked up at a rummage sale.  It is hard to see, but she is holding the bouquet of black tulips my friend Jerry made for a murder mystery.  He presented them to me after the performance, and they have been part of my Halloween decor ever since.

And that brings me over 200 words.  Score!  I thank my monsters, and I thank my readers for tuning in once again.

 

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