Category Archives: personal

We’ll Pretend It’s Still Friday

OK, so I did not make my Lame Post Friday post on Friday.  Judge me if you are so inclined.  In the interests of sharing good news, I am ten-finger typing on my new Chromebook, which seems suspiciously like a laptop to me, lounged on my couch (the computer kind of jiggles as I type, but I cannot say it is precariously balanced on one leg) and drinking coffee. Oh thank God for coffee!  I won the Chromebook at the Basket Raffle at Lights, Camera, Murder, the murder mystery we put on to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  It was in a basket donated by Herkimer College, which had some other really great stuff in it:  a couple of notebooks (the spiral-bound paper kind, which I love), two t-shirts, a travel mug and two water bottles, plus a few more goodies.  So thank you, Herkimer College and Herkimer County Historical Society.

So already this is a pretty cheerful post.  Let me continue the cheeriness if I can by sharing a picture or two.  I turn to my Media Library.

We all know I am on the Naughty list.

I accidentally clicked on this picture but thought, oh well, it is seasonal.  It was also taken at a fun community event sponsored by Herkimer BPA. They plan many other events in the coming year, which I hope Mohawk Valley Girl will be able to attend (preview of coming attractions).

I love these cheesy flicks!

This was the first picture that caught my eye, but the other had already been clicked on.  I will probably have a quiet New Year’s Eve at home, watching movies, possibly of the cheesy horror variety, which regular readers know I love.  I have written about a few of them in this space, but those posts do not tend to get a lot of blogger love.  Still, they are fun to write and I do not rule out writing more of them.

Oh, this is swell!  I was all happy about this new Chromebook, but now I cannot get it to scroll down to where I Save Draft or even where I can see my word count! I know, first world problems.  Then again, I live in the so-called first world, what other problems am I supposed to have?

Ah!  I got it to scroll!  Regular readers know what a triumph and relief that is for me, who is so technologically inept.  And I am over 400 words.  Wow!  And this computer underlined “am over” and suggested “have over.”  Well, I guess I am what I write.  And there is some half-baked philosophy for you.  This is a Lame Post Friday post after all.

 

OK, So It’s Not Really Thursday

Was I too tired or too lazy to make my Thursday blog post on Thursday?  It does not matter, but here I am early but not early enough Friday morning, typing frantically, trying to make some semblance of a post while I can.  Full disclosure:  I would have plenty of time if I did not just have to arrive at work early enough to work on an anacrostic puzzle.  Never mind that, let us try for a Throwback Thursday post.

Santa is a voyeur!

I may watch King Kong right along here, only without the Santa hat.  I have always considered it a New Year’s Eve movie, just because we happened to watch it one year on New Year’s Eve.

I don’t suppose that is sheet music to a Christmas carol.

Actually, Nosferatu looks a little like Ebenezer Scrooge, although that is not the Christmas Carol I was referencing in the caption.  I guess I have veered into Midweek Monsters, making this a kind of a Non-Sequitur Thursday Post.  You see how flexible I am.

The ONLY Grinch for me! I will die on this hill.

I did not watch any Christmas movies or specials this year, and the only one I missed was Boris Karloff as the Grinch.

Ooh, this brings me to over 200 words, and I still have enough time to fill in a couple of clues on that puzzle.  I hope to see you later when I make my Lame Post Friday post.  How much later is an amount to be determined.

 

Frattello’s Helps

Here I am, trying to make a Wuss-out Wednesday Post on Wednesday.  I have been having a very enjoyable evening at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort.  Alas, there was no musician tonight.  However, I sat at the bar with my friend Kathy, drank some Chardonnay,  ate a wrap sandwich, and had a very nice time.

Who doesn’t love nutcrackers?

This is a picture from a previous December at Fratello’s.  The nutcrackers are still there,  but I did not take a picture this evening.

Always there to see.

Looking in my Media Library, I found a photo of the sign out front.  Nice!

I see that I plug Fratello’s a lot.  It is a great place to eat as well as a great music venue.  But now I am thinking I might find some other places to plug.

He is great!

Of course I plug musicians too.  For example, Phil Arcuri, pictured above, plays other places as well as Fratello’s.  I might like to go to a few of those.

A summer visit to Fratello’s.

In the meantime,  I will continue to enjoy a favorite stop in the Mohawk Valley.

 

 

Tired, But Typing!

Make your blog post now, I said to myself.  Use the dining-room-table-top, I said.  You can ten-finger type, it’ll be quick and easy, I said.  I was full of beans (only I don’t necessarily say beans).  My dining-room-table-top is SLOW, and my brain is at no time what you might call a speedy instrument.  Never mind all that, let me attempt some semblance of a post in lieu of the Tired Tuesday Post I was just too tired to make on Tuesday.

I used to be pretty fast on this sort of thing.

I throw in a picture, as usual, in hopes of pepping up the post, only to find my computer is fairly slow about those too.  I would not be having these problems if I had not been too lazy to make my lunch last night.  Here’s a point to ponder:  why do I feel I was too tired to blog but too lazy to pack?  Sounds like some half-baked philosophy more suited to Lame Post Friday.  Ah, Friday, one day closer since yesterday!  But one must not pin all one’s happiness on the weekend, as I have said before.  Let me look for some joy in today!

A common sight on my walks.

One point of some relief, if not joy:  we have not had much snow yet.  I put off shoveling the driveway a little longer!  The warmer weather also makes walks more pleasant.  I had a nice walk yesterday morning.  This morning it was raining, but perhaps this afternoon I will take a meander, even if the rain continues.  I don’t care to go to work drenched from the rain, but just to return home for my evening is another matter.

Now I see I am approaching 300 words.  Score!  Will I make a Wednesday blog post tonight and stay caught up?  A little suspense adds interest to my day.

 

Festive Fiends

I don’t see why I shouldn’t have a Monstrous Monday Post even if it is Christmas. For one reason, I have been so busy celebrating Christmas that I am too tired to do much else.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

I downloaded this picture a long time ago. I wish I had made a note of the artist who drew it, because it is really nice work.

Why can’t I have a hairdo like that?

This has been my Facebook profile picture in previous Decembers. This December I went with a different monster.

The three words that best describe me…

Oh dear. I switched to my phone, because my Tablet was giving me a hard time about inserting the photo, and now I have the photo here twice and can’t seem to delete one. I guess I’ll just go with it.

Festive and scary!

Here is the opposite thing: a Christmas guy pretending to be a monster. This past Halloween I brought Santa inside, but who knows where he will be by next October?

Where I will be next October is an open question as well. I hope I will still be blogging. I hope my readers will stay tuned.

Wrist to Christmas

Merry Christmas Eve to those who celebrate it. To all others, Happy Sunday. Things just brightened a little bit for me, because I realized I can do a Wrist to Forehead Sunday Post.

Please understand that I have had a perfectly delightful day and have no reason to swoon, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist my forehead, even if there was a chaise lounge handy, which there is not. Still, I am awfully tired, and while I am thoroughly grateful for the day and my wonderful family I spent it with, sadness will inevitably creep in.

I have been telling myself all month that the first Christmas without my husband Steve would be hard. It is supposed to be hard. That is what happens when you lose someone you love so much

Now I have a reason to swoon, because I am not saying anything new or even entertaining. What the hell, me? I start the post wishing people happy, them go on to moan on a most morose manner (just felt like throwing in a little alliteration).

Most festive, no?

I add a silly picture to lighten things up. This is the lower part of my outfit today. I didn’t get a picture of the rest of it.

I am making this post from my phone, which does not tell me my word count. Still, it feels like a post, so I’m going to go with it. Once again, thank you for tuning in.

It’s Almost Christmas!

I am under orders to make a blog post today. Never mind from who; explanations are tiresome. Likewise never mind why I have not posted since Sunday. Here I am. What sort of blog post can I make?

This afternoon I got together with my friend Kim. After taking care of a couple of chores, we decided to make a stop at Heelpath Brewing in Frankfort, NY. We had not been there in a while. We were delighted to have a fun time there today.

We were happy that the first thing we saw, before even going into the place, was a nice dog. Of course we asked to pet her and quickly realized we knew her doggy daddy, one of the proprietors of Raindrops on Roses Bed and Breakfast in Herkimer. We have enjoyed their wine tasting room a few times.

Look how cute she is!

She came up to us for pets a few times. I eventually got a picture of her.

Kim and I enjoyed wine from Rustic Ridge Winery of Burlington Flats: Sweet Little Blond for her, Untamed White for me. We loved the Christmas decorations and had some pleasant conversations with other patrons.

Now I am home and ready to relax.

I hope you are all enjoying this Christmas Eve Eve as well.

Sunday Christmas Fun

I have just had the most fun evening! I am filled with the Christmas spirit! I went to the Business and Professional Association of Herkimer’s 10th Annual Christmas in Meyers Park. I saw on Facebook that the event had been moved to Herkimer Elks Lodge due to weather. Well, that was an even easier walk for me, so I set out very shortly after 4 o’clock.

” ‘Twas the night before Christmas…”

I arrived at the Elks while the story was going on. He went on to sing a couple of Christmas carols. When he did “Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer,” I added the stuff in between the lines: Rudolf the red nosed reindeer (reindeer!)… You know what I mean.

I sneaked further into the room and grabbed a couple cookies till Santa showed up.

So cute!

After that, I confess I went into the bar and had a glass of Chardonnay. I had a lovely time chatting up a few Elks I knew. Eventually Santa came in to wish us all a Merry Christmas. I roguishly asked to sit on his lap. He graciously invited me back into the room to do so.

” Santa, baby, slip a sable under the tree for me… “

I asked someone to take a picture of us, mentioning it was for my blog. Some others encouraged me to take a picture of the fire department members who were there to offer cookies and cocoa.

Aren’t they handsome?

I told them how I loved fire departments especially after they pumped out my basement after the flood of ’13. They did not just help me, they were happy to help me! These fellows agreed that fire departments are always happy to help. I must find other ways to support the fire department, since I fear I am to old and decrepit to actually fight fires.

I went back and bid a fond farewell to my friends at the bar. It was a delightful interlude. Now I must prepare myself for Monstrous Monday. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

My Decorations Are Late, Too

I guess 7:30 on a Sunday morning is early for some people, so I will count this as my Saturday post, although WordPress will not credit me for a four day streak.  How the mighty have fallen!  I used to never miss days.  I think I was in my 40s or 50s back then (wow, I have been blogging for a long time!).

Only I’m not that skinny.

I decided to throw in a picture to pep things up, as I often do, and that was when my Tablet started behaving badly. Now I am on my dining-room-table-top ten-finger typing.  Now I still have not much to say but can say it faster.

Yesterday (Saturday) was a lovely day.  I got my Christmas lights hung.  By that I mean that I switched out a string of pumpkins for a string of multi-colored lights and Witchy for Santa Claus.  Traditionally I leave Santa and Witchy out all year, dressing them for the holidays with which they are not usually associated.  This past Halloween, however, as I was putting up lights on the actual day, I took Santa off the porch and put him in my living room.  Look at me, going all conventional in my old age.  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!  I had a little trouble with the colored lights:  they had worked in my house when I tested them a few weeks ago, but they declined to light up after I had gotten them hung.  Luckily I had another string of colored lights.  Now I have no colored lights on my mantle, but these things happen and we must deal with them.  Anyway, I will try to get some pictures of my porch later today for a future blog post (preview of coming attractions).

He looks a little ghostly, no?

Here is my porch on another year, when I was a little closer to having my act together, and my husband was able to participate in the light-hanging.

I see I am over 300 words, not bad for a late, insubstantial post.  As always, I will strive to do better, but I feel that almost any post is better than no post at all.  Do you agree?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

What Lame on Yonder Window Breaks?

Surely I can make a Lame Post Friday post, despite the various problems,  petty and otherwise, which have been impeding me (I reserve the right to call anybody Shirley).  For one reason, it is actually Friday.  For another reason, my brain is feeling, well, fairly lame.

He’s looking to see if I can really make a post.

Illustrations always liven up a post, even when they do not exactly illustrate the point at hand.  Especially when there is not much of a point at hand. Anyways, this is either the ghost or a cardboard cutout of Chester Gillette at the 1834 Jail in Herkimer.

I hope to have a few Mohawk Valley Adventures tomorrow, getting my Christmas shopping done along the way.  Christmas sort of snuck up on me this year.  I knew it was coming, of course.  For heaven’s sake,  it is the same day every year!

A Christmas I was more prepared for.

I add a Christmasy picture, a little blurry but festive nonetheless. My house is sadly undecorated this year.  I’m afraid most of the Christmas things out have been out for at least a year.

Actually there are a few more there now.

I’m not sure how long Steve’s nutcracker collection has been on our buffet, but it has been a while.

So now I have rattled on for over 200 words.  I think I am up to three days in a row.  Will I continue?  A little suspense adds interest to my weekend.