Category Archives: personal

I Get By With A Little Help From My Fiends

Posted on May 16, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought of that title earlier, when I knew I would be making a Monstrous Monday Post.  I fear this one will be heavy on monsters, light on commentary.  I am not only tired, there is a Columbo episode playing that I have never seen!  Well, it is on DVD, so I could pause or stop it, but I want the background noise.  I don’t have television, remember? Oh, why should I expect people to remember every little thing about me? What an ego!

Where was I?  Ah yes, Monstrous Monday.

“Puttin’ onna Reeeeetz!”

Here is a nice shot from Young Frankenstein.  If you have seen it, you will get the caption.  If you have not seen it, I recommend you do.

I feel a little like screaming myself.

Here is The Screaming Skull, one of my favorites. I guess today’s post does not have a theme.  I’m just vamping.

There’s the problem!

I guess it’s just my usual Monday malaise.  We’ll blame it on that, at any rate.

Ah, there’s my favorite guy!

I did not want to close without including a picture of Nosferatu, of the eponymous 1922 silent movie, still one of the scariest movies ever.

I am just about 200 words.  I guess I’m not too light on commentary after all.  Such as it is.  Happy Monday, folks!

 

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Planning My Pots

Posted on May 15, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Another Sunday and I got nuthin’.  How many blog posts have I started with the confession that I have not much to say?  This is a rhetoric question; I do not intend to go back and check.

Pretty!

I fall back on my usual trick of throwing in a picture to pep things up.  This was from May 2017.  It is raw materials for my container garden on my deck.  I have not had one these last few years, but I hope to have one this year.  I have all kinds of hopes and plans.  All I need now is to muster the oomph to do them.

Even prettier!

Here is a later shot that same year.  I think two of those pots are broken now.   The third one is plastic, so it still ought to be around.

Also that year.

I believe this one filled out some as the season progressed.

I enjoy deciding which colors to put together.

Now that I look at these pictures again, I notice the backgrounds.  The first one has a nicely mown lawn.  That was when Steve used to do the mowing.  In the second, I see a portion of fence with some vine growing on it, so that’s not so bad.  However, the garage in the background of the third cannot be described as anything other than shabby.  Professional photographers notice these things,  and here we come to the ugly truth about me and photography.

And now I see I am over 200 words.  Score!  I hope it turns out to be a preview of coming attractions.  I hope you will stay tuned.

 

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Lame About Me

Posted on May 13, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I got up this morning, having slept in till the for me late hour of six, with two thoughts vying for supremacy in my foggy head:  “Coffee first,  then run,” and “Run first, then coffee.”  Coffee won.  Hello, and welcome to another Late Lame Post Friday post.

I delayed making this post until I had a few sips of that magic elixir that renders almost any morning less hideous.  Thus I indulge in a little hyperbole. Is that an oxymoron?  Since hyperbole is exaggeration for effect, can you, in fact, have only a little hyperbole?   Points to ponder.

One problem with a personal blog: I tend to start all my paragraphs with “I.”  Because it is All About Me (ooh, that just gave me my title).  I have to watch that.

By now I think it is quite clear I have nothing whatever to say and am only rattling on in hopes of reaching 200 words before I run out of coffee.  I’ll throw in a picture to pep things up.

Who, us? Be silly?

This was taken at the H.A.L.O. Hoedown, a fundraiser for the cat rescue group, Helping Animals Live Organization.  It was some years ago and never became an annual thing, much to my disappointment, because I had a blast.

Yes, that is my late beloved husband Steve in the picture.  I’ll never be over being sad that he is gone, but I can smile at all the memories.  On that melancholy note (sorry about that; I know this is billed as a “totally fun blog”), I see I am over 250 words.  Score!  Thank you for tuning in.

 

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Make Lunch, Not War!

Posted on May 12, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I just got back from Rome, NY, where my family was celebrating my mother’s birthday.  I believe she is 29, same age as my older sister.  OK, I do not really believe that, but I don’t see that it is my business to go blabbing other people’s ages across the internet.  I am just really, really grateful that both my parents are around and in reasonably good health.

After driving to Rome from Ilion (where I work),  having a lovely time with family,  then driving back to Herkimer (where I live), I am tired.  However, I was hoping to make my blog post before I sleep.  I figured I could manage a Non-Sequitur Thursday Post.  Hence, the headline which does not appear to have much to do with the post.

To explain:  I said it to myself this morning.  The coffee had not kicked in yet,  and I was trying to get all my stuff done.  “Make your lunch,” I told myself.  Then I thought of “Make lunch, not war.”  I felt it was so clever, I put off making my lunch long enough to post it as a Facebook status.  I daresay I flatter myself.  Driving home from Mom and Dad’s house, I thought it might be a suitable title for a Non-Sequitur Thursday Post.

Agree?  Disagree?  Please feel free to comment, and as always, thank you for tuning in.

 

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Back Out on Wednesday!

Posted on May 11, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had planned on going to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort this Wednesday since last Friday, when Geno (the bartender) told me Matt Grainger would be playing.  Regular readers may recall that on Friday I went to the Saalty Dawg Saloon hoping to hear him but was too early.  Today I was right on time!

It was actually a little before six when I arrived at Fratello’s.  Music was to start at six.  I saw Matt Grainger in his car.  We smiled and waved at each other, which made me feel pretty good.  I have spoken to him a couple of times; he knows I am a fan.

Walking into Fratello’s,  I encountered another Matt, my niece Kimi’s boyfriend.  Kimi was there too.  I sat on the opposite side of the bar from my usual preference, just to be sociable.

This is from a different visit.

I put in a picture of them from my Media Library, because I did not take any tonight and only one I took of Matt Grainger came put.

Kimi and her Matt were sharing Chicken Riggies.  It looked good, but after much debate with myself I ordered Garlic  Parmesan Wings and Garlic Bread with Mozzarella.  The food was delicious, and the music was excellent.

He is fine, yes.

I took notes in my adventure book about the different songs he played, but I see I am over 200 words and I am tired.  Let me just say that I had a wonderful time and greatly enjoyed Matt Grainger’s music.

I think this is better than a Wuss-out Wednesday Post,  don’t you?

 

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I Ran, I Blogged, I Celebrate?

Posted on May 10, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went for a run earlier so thought I might try a Running Commentary Post.  The Utica Boilermaker 15K is two months from today.  Yikes!  This means I will be doing more Running Commentary Posts as my training intensifies, eventually going All Boilermaker All The Time.

I had it in mind to  run today since I did not run yesterday.  As my bones began to creak more and more throughout the day, I still kept it in mind. A couple of times I did ask, “What the hell, body?  I’m not even 60 yet!”  When I got home I was TIRED.  I said to myself, “Just try.  Just do the best you can.”

So I got into running clothes and started out.  Oh, was I running thunkily!  Stupid autocorrect seems to think “thunkily” is not a word, but I assure you that is how I was running.  However, one thing I have learned is to Just Keep Going.

As I Just Kept Going, I reminded myself that I have often said that I can put up with almost any amount of suck for just about as long as I decide to.  Of course this started me thinking about a few other things that suck in my life these days.  I reminded myself that I could put up with those, too.  I guess I need a lot of reminders.

The highlight of the run was when I stopped to pet a dog.  No, not because I got to stop!  I like to pet dogs! Sheesh! This was about halfway through my run, when I began to think it wasn’t such a bad run and maybe I would make it after all.

Still, I was counting the minutes.  I had decided to run for 22 minutes.  I plan to run 44 minutes this weekend, so I went for half that.  Additionally, 22 is my lucky number.  As I approached my house I wondered if I shouldn’t try for a little longer.  My body said, “No! Don’t!”  I had to run past the house to make it the full 22 minutes, but I made it.

On my cool-down walk I paused to sniff a neighbor’s lilacs.   That was the second highlight of my run.  I was glad I had run, however thunkily.   And I have made my Tuesday blog post on Tuesday.  I have to celebrate every win, however small.

 

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Monstrous Monday Sucked the Life Right Outta Me

Posted on May 9, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

All I can manage today is a Monstrous Monday Post, and we’ll see how well I can manage that.  Full disclosure: sometimes it seems easier to troll my Media Library than to download new stuff.  My technological know-how seems to be going downhill.  How can that be?  Never mind.  On with the post!

“I bid you velcome to my blog post.”

I just watched the Bela Lugosi Dracula yesterday.  I was trying to think of a horror movie to watch and remembered this was one Steven did not often want to see.  Under the heading Now That He’s Gone, I suppose, although I confess it was not the thrill I was hoping for.

“Uh, I’m kind of in the middle of something here!”

Moving to an older vampire movie, I think Nosferatu looks a little startled in this shot.  Of course, vampires do not usually expect to be interrupted in their work.  I understand that is one advantage to the night shift.

These two look rather neutral.

 

To continue with the vampire theme, here are two from  Mark of the Vampire.  I have not seen this one in a while.

Gotta get me an outfit like that!

Not having much else to say, I add another photo from Mark of the Vampire.  I’m afraid this has been rather a dull post, but I hope you have at least enjoyed the pictures.  As usual, I’ll try for a better blog post tomorrow.

 

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A Little Slice of my Saturday

Posted on May 8, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I left Mohawk Valley Community Market in Herkimer, NY, yesterday and walked up Main Street toward Basloe Library.  I had meant to stop at Basloe and pick up a book I had placed on hold, but I had previously decided I did not want to read that book after all.  Me and my indecisiveness!

One of my favorite places in Herkimer.

I took a picture of the building for future use in the blog, you know, when I mention that I ran by there in a Running Commentary Post.  Previously I have used a picture of the sign that was in front of the building, but that sign has been gone for a while now.  No, I did not notice when it disappeared.  It is embarrassing to admit how unobservant I can be.

Libraries usually have great signs.

I also took a picture of the sign near the door.  I posted it on Facebook with the comment, “Personally, I shall always be clueless, and every month is mystery month!”  I thought it was witty, but perhaps I flatter myself.

When I was taking the pictures, I thought I could use them with the pictures from Mohawk Valley Community Market, making one long post.  Then I thought my post was getting long enough, so I thought, “Oh, I’ll just get two blog posts out of it.”  Just a little glimpse into my blogging mentality.  Thank you once again for joining me.

 

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Searching for a Mother’s Day Present

Posted on May 7, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Saturday I took a stroll down to Mohawk Valley Community Market.  For one reason, Mother’s Day is coming.  Of course my mother told me I do not need to get her a present, but I like to.  Additionally, finding something at a distinctive local place might make a good blog post.

I went to the recently opened downstairs area, where I found a number of new vendors.  That is one reason to return to this sort of market: there is almost always something new to see.

All kinds of sweet things!

I wandered around, admiring but not feeling inspired to buy anything.  I took a few pictures, though, with my blog post in mind.

You can’t read the sign very well, unfortunately.

As I began to realize I was just not in a buying mood, a melancholy song began to play.  Oh dear, I am so emotional these days.

How cute is that?

I distracted myself with the children’s rain boots on a wreath.  Who thinks if these things?  I made a few grapevine wreaths at one time, but never thought of using footwear.  Now I am inspired to get crafty again.

My present for my mother remains purchased, but it was nice browsing the Market.  Mohawk Valley Community Market is located at 142 N. Main St., Herkimer, NY.  They are open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday,  10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

 

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My Cinco de Mayo

Posted on May 6, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday I inadvisedly decided to do something for Cinco de Mayo, a holiday which for one reason or another I have never marked.  One reason was that I read that Matt Grainger was playing at the Saalty Dawg Saloon.  I have not heard him in a while.

I started out in some trepidation, because I have been to the Saalty Dawg once, and that time my cell phone told my friend Kim where to drive.  I no longer have a cell phone and I have never had a very good sense of direction.  Hoping for the best, I drove through Ilion till I got to the sign that said “Saalty Dawg” and pointed up Barringer Road.

And drove and drove.  I had it in my head that the Dawg was not actually on Barringer Road, but I had foolishly not written down the address.  I took two wrong turns, turned around in some dumb places, and had just about decided that I had gone too far when I found it.

Imagine my disappointment when I found out Matt would not start playing till eight.  I had a margarita and some chips with queso dip while I was there.  I admired the view and worked on a letter to a friend.

I didn’t mention that the Saalty Dawg is next to a golf course.

By this time it was after six (still too long to wait for eight), and I remembered that the Phil-Ins were playing at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort.  This is a band with Phil Arcuri and friends.  They would start at seven.  I drove there with no false starts.

Geno the bartender greeted me as I came in. I sat at the bar and ordered Sauvignon Blanc and a slice of cheesecake.  I never have room for dessert so thought for once I would get some.  I did not have long to wait for some good music.

They were great!

Unfortunately, my stomach soon let me know that the queso dip was a big mistake.  I confess to having some fears when I saw the peppers but of course I ate it anyways.  In my defense, yum.  I hoped the cheesecake would help.  It sounded soothing.

I fear it is a symptom of getting old that my stomach did not settle down.  I enjoyed some music but felt forced to head home.  I stretched out on my bed (by this time it took some effort to get there) and proceeded to feel miserable for a few hours.  That is why I did not make my Lame Post Friday post on Friday.

On the brighter side, before I left Fratello’s, Geno read me some of their upcoming musical entertainment.  Matt Grainger plays on Wednesday!

 

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