Category Archives: Scattered Saturday

So Scattered I Slacked

I had a fun filled Saturday.  Late in the day, I realized I had yet to make my blog post.  Now here I am, on Sunday morning (which may or may not match my WordPress timestamp; I don’t know how to fix these things), another poat behind.  I maintain my hopes of getting caught up.  We shall see.

I did not run Saturday morning, because I had to be in Little Falls by 9:30 and I wanted to be leisurely.   I was leisurely enough to write my post cards but not leisurely enough to walk to the post office with them.  Then I had a last minute crisis and was almost late anyways.

The event bringing me to Little Falls was  Where’s the Cheese Monger? the play by Angela Harris which enlivened the Little Falls Cheese Festival. During these two events, I also visited Meeples Mug House to enjoy a cool beverage.

Returning to Herkimer, I had a great meal and a few laughs with friends at Salvatore’s.  Then it was back home for the movie watching portion of the evening.  We enjoyed Straitjacket and The Lost Boys.  I was in the mood for scary movies.

I think it was in between movies that I remembered my blog post, alas, only briefly.  But here is my Saturday post only a day late.  I fully intend to make my Sunday post TODAY.  Ooh, maybe I could make an unprecedented third post and be on my way to being caught up at last. It could happen.

 

A Little Fun in Little Falls

Yes, I am making my Scattered Saturday post on Sunday morning.  You may judge me, and I will neither protest nor defend myself.  Never mind that, on with the post.

I was missing a Girl’s Day in the Finger Lakes with my sisters and Mom, because Monday is the deadline for Mohawk Valley Living magazine, and once again, I am behind the eight ball (that is a cliche for “I don’t have my act together,”  but I thought I would sound cool by referencing billiards) (go ahead and tell me pool and billiards are not the same thing; I deserve it for using a cliche to try to be cool).  Where was I?  Ah yes, looking for something to write about.  I feel a little uncomfortable admitting I write these things so close to the last minute, but that behavior used to get me all A’s when I wrote papers in school.  Why would I mess with success?  Or how can I fight nature?  But I digress.

Steven and I drove to Little Falls, NY, one of my favorite places, in search of a distinctive, fun local business I have not written about.  Unfortunately, I have written about a lot of them.  We parked on Main Street and took a slow walk down it.  It was a lovely day for a walk, at least.  We stopped into Designs by Shelly, a flower and gift shop.

Just a few gift suggestions for my husband. I’m helpful that way.

I sadly noted a couple of places no longer in business, giving Little Falls’ Main Street something in common with Herkimer’s.  I would have liked to stop into Meeples Mug House, even though I already wrote about them, but they were not open yet.

In front of what used to be West End Steak House, long closed, still missed.

We did stop into White Rose Bakery, which I have written about, and had a cup of coffee and a treat.  Yum!  We considered continuing down to Paca Gardens or Fall Hill Bead and Gems, both of which I had written about, but decided against it.  We headed back to Herkimer, in search of other adventures.  Did we find any?  That will have to await future posts.

White Rose Bakery: yummy coffee and treats, pretty windows.

 

Fun and Games on Scattered Saturday

He looks mean, doesn’t he?

I was hoping for a picture of a big explosion to start off this week’s Scattered Saturday post, because that is pretty much how Demolition Man (1993) begins.  It is what we are watching now.  I suggested it because it is a funny, fun, fast-paced flick.  We had just watched The Bad Seed (1956), a perennial favorite of ours.

Isn’t she sweet?

Our day was even more fun before we got to the movie-watching portion.  We went to Little Falls for the grand opening of Meeples Mug House, the new board game cafe.  We played gin and then Yahtzee, in between enjoying a delicious sandwich (me) and soup (Steven).  I’ll write more about Meeples in another post (preview of coming attractions).

I took more pictures for subsequent use.

Before that, I went running and, um, not much else.  I made a phone call to arrange donating an afghan to the H.A.L.O. Chinese Auction tomorrow at the VFW (another preview of coming attractions).  While watching movies, I did a load of laundry and popped a bowl of popcorn (yum).  It was Aversa’s Popcorn, just to add a little local flair to the post.

For local readers, the HALO Chinese auction is at the  Herkimer VFW from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  HALO is the Helping Animals Live Organization, a no kill, not for profit, cat rescue group.

Meeples Mug House is located at 598 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY.  They are open from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

And that brings me over 200 words, which regular readers will remember I consider respectable.  I WILL write more about Meeples, possibly in an article in Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I will also write again about H.A.L.O.  Right now, however, I have knitting to do, and I have to watch Sylvester Stallone kick Wesley Snipes’ butt in Demolition Man.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

Saturday Fun in Herkimer

My husband, Steven, and I made a few stops this afternoon.  I brought along my Tablet and took pictures at each one, for a proper Scattered Saturday post.  Let’s see if I can actually make one.

I foolishly did not get the name of the fellow doing the pouring.

Our first stop was at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer for a tasting by Thousand Islands Winery. Alas,they were not pouring any of their dryer wines,but we enjoyed talking to the young man pouring.  From there we went to Hummel’s Office Plus for some paper for our printer.

Look at all that paper!

After that, we stopped at a new business in Herkimer, Wakefield Furniture. Full disclosure:  we do not need any furniture at the present time.  However, the next time we do, we will go to Wakefield. They are very nice, in addition to having a very attractive store showcasing some lovely items.

I LOVE a tall table!

One of the first things to catch my eye was a tall table with matching stools. However, there was another table which I wonder would not be even better for my house.

I don’t know if this picture properly captures this table’s beautiful top.

Leaving the furniture store, I had the silly idea we should do a little bar hopping, a pastime in which we rarely indulge these days.  Accordingly, we stopped at the Endzone Pub and Grub.

They carry a lot of beers at the End Zone.

Can you read “Herkimer” on the shirt?

We admired the ceilings at the End Zone.  Wakefield also had lovely ceilings, but I neglected to take a picture.

After the End Zone,we stopped at Pete’s Tavern, at which we tried our luck at a couple of scratch-off lottery tickets.

This was our nice bartender, Cecelia.

I won $10 on one, $2 of which I re-invested in another scratch-off.  That one was not a winner, but I got a $1 scratch-off that won me $2, so I was still $8 up.

The other pub in close proximity was Asteroga Ale House, so we stopped there as well.  We had a cup of clam chowder along with our wine. Very tasty.

I do not remember this lady’s name.

The we finally went home.  Full disclosure:  I am having another glass of wine as I type this. I hope it still makes a fun blog post. Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

Short Scattered Saturday before Sweats

Oh, I wanted to do a Saturday Running Commentary, but I just don’t feel up for it, so this will be another Scattered Saturday post.  If I can remember my whole day.  Well, I’ll just give the highlights.

I got up early, because we went to be early last night (the thrills of judge shows and true crime shows could not compete with the appeal of blankets and pillows, apparently).  After some coffee, Facebook, television news and solitaire (with a deck of cards on the floor, that’s how I roll), I realized I had to either eat or run.  I decided on the run.

The sun was up, but the temperature was below freezing.  It was high 20’s, so that wasn’t so bad for running, but it did nothing to melt the ice.  I ran in the road, in the middle of the road when I could get away with it.  The run itself was without mishap, but when I went to take my cool-down walk on the sidewalk, I landed on my ass after two steps.  It was a slow, stiff-legged cool-down walk after that, but I lived to tell the tale.

Back home, I wrote some post cards and called my Mom and Dad.  A family party was in the offing for later in the day, and I wanted to know if there was a plan.  Mom asked could I bring rolls.  I said I would take a quick trip to Heidelberg Bakery.  She said they did not necessarily have to be Heidelberg rolls, but what does she expect from Mohawk Valley Girl?  Of course I went for the local, distinctive product!

After being local and distinctive, I confess I went to the dollar store.  We were celebrating my brother’s birthday, and I wanted a gift bag and card.  I also picked up some party hats and favors, just for fun.  It was not until much later I realized I had forgotten to mail my post cards.  Rats!

We drove into Rome in the early afternoon.  We had a lovely time with my family, and the party favors were a big hit with at least some of those attending.  Now we are home and into the bra off, sweats on, wine drinking, movie watching portion of the evening.  Bring it!

 

Several Stops on Scattered Saturday

It is time to make my Scattered Saturday post so I can return to the bra off, sweats on, wine drinking, movie watching portion of the evening.  It has been a cold, windy Saturday, yet I managed to get out for a bit.

First I got my post cards written, as well as a short letter which Steven helped me finish.  We were both having a hard time getting ourselves started this morning.  At last we had both washed up and dressed.  We stopped first at the post office then at Basloe Library, where we returned the two movies we watched last weekend as well as two novels I read (I still have a biography of Rasputin, which is not due for another week or so).  Then we headed out Route 28.

Our destination was the Rusty Nail Grill in Little Falls, where I wanted to drop off an afghan for a fundraiser they are having tomorrow.  I would like to write an entire blog post about our drive out and the Rusty Nail itself.  Maybe tomorrow.  We drove back a different way, going through Little Falls but not making any stops.  Back in Herkimer, we went to Hannaford (a grocery store that loves local, by the way), then back home.

After relaxing at home for a bit, we gassed up my car then went to a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer.  The wine tasting rates a blog post as well, as I took a few notes on what we tried.  Soon we were back home and into our sweats.

While we watched an old monster movie I DVR’d some time ago, Steven fixed us some yummy BLTs.  Now we are looking at a movie we have seen many times but love.  However, that is a subject for perhaps a Sunday Cinema post.  In the meantime, I am over 300 words. Happy Saturday, everyone!

 

Donation, Decongestant, and DVDs, It’s Scattered Saturday

I almost forgot to make my blog post today. Isn’t that terrible?  Well, I will attempt a Scattered Saturday post.

It was COLD this morning!  Zero degrees, according to my thermostat.  I felt rather ill-used, since the weather reports had said it would warm up some today.  Still, I had a good reason to leave the house by ten this morning, so I did.  My car told me it was 5 degrees by then, which I was not happy about, but at least it was above zero.

My errand was a charitable one:  the Joe “D’Con” DeJohn Poker Run was happening in Frankfort, NY.  It is a snowmobile run followed by a spaghetti dinner with Chinese auction.  That is where I come in.  Last year I donated an afghan for the auction.  I had mentioned on a Facebook post I wanted to do that again, but I did not have my act together enough to call and arrange to do so before the fact (what, me not have my act together?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!).  I saw they had registration at The Brass Tack at 10 a.m., so figured I could drop the afghan off then.  I figured they would still take it

They not only still took it, they were expecting it!  They had seen the Facebook comment and thought I would drop it off. The people I saw were quite happy when I did.  There was never a better reason for going out in the freezing cold on a Saturday morning!

There was less reason for staying out in the cold.  I managed to stop at the drug store to get some decongestant that I wanted to take and stop by the post office to mail a few post cards, but then I went home to some warmth.  I did not stay more than a couple hours, however.  After a nap with my heated face mask (which I believe I have mentioned here before) and some food, I saw the temperature had reached double digits, so  ventured back out.

My goal this time was Basloe Library in Herkimer, NY (where I live, as regular readers will recall).  Steven had expressed a desire to see For Your Consideration, one of the Christopher Guest mockumentaries.   We have seen it once before and did not like it as well as, for example, Best in Show or A Mighty Wind, but lately both of us have though of giving it another view.  While looking at the DVDs, I thought of the Kenneth Branagh Murder on the Orient Express.  We have wanted to see that since before it hit theatres! I was delighted to find it.  I also grabbed a couple of Agatha Christie books and a biography of Rasputin (don’t ask me why; it just caught my eye as I went by).

After watching Murder on the Orient Express, we popped in our DVD of Deathtrap, and I am missing The Bad Seed as I type this.  It has been an enjoyable Saturday so far.  Not as lazy as last Saturday, not as ambitious as some.  I look forward to seeing what next Saturday will bring.  Or even tomorrow.  As always, I hope you will stay tuned.

 

Scattering before the Storm

Scattered Saturday it is!  For one reason, I can type this in quickly (I hope) and get back to the relaxing portion of the day.  Just a note of background:  today is supposed to be a major winter storm.  The weather people have been talking about it for days now.  Right now is the part of the day we are supposed to be hunkered down, waiting till it is time to go out and do some major shoveling tomorrow.  I suppose I can make a blog post while I hunker, but I would rather be watching a movie or true crime television.  On with the blog post, so I can get back to it!

We got up early today, having gone to bed early last night.  I felt rather ill-used to have a headache first thing in the morning.  I hadn’t even had a Friday night libation!  I wondered if too much sleep was to blame.  YES, I slept a lot on Friday.  I had a migraine, remember?  At least, regular readers will remember.  For sporadic tuners-in who missed yesterday’s lame post,  I had a migraine yesterday.  I sought exercise as a cure:  first I drank two large glasses of Gatorade, then I ran in place on the mini-tramp.  The headache wasn’t gone, but I could live with it.

After my usual call to Mom and Dad, I wrote a few post cards.  I was puttering around getting my act together when Steven went out to brush off the cars.  We feared the winter storm had started early, but it was merely a dusting overnight.  I got outside in time to help with the brushing, then I was off to Ilion.

My mission in Ilion was to get my work shoes for the year from Melfe’s.  I will no doubt write a blog post about that; I usually do.  My plan after that was to go to Moose River Coffee for a cup of the BEST coffee.  I could sit and write while I drank it.  Alas, they were not open.  A sign in the door said they were doing a tasting at Little Falls Food Co-op.  Well, I love Little Falls Food Co-op but was not into driving to Little Falls.

As I pulled into the parking lot for Ilion Wine and Spirits, I remembered Honey Brook Hobbies.  Maybe they had coffee!  Alas (again), they did not.  I bought a few cookies, though, because they looked really good (they were; I ate one right away).  Then I went to the liquor store and got a couple of bottles.

Back home I thought I was in for the day.  After all, it was already snowing.  However, my friend Kim needed to go to the liquor store and get something to see her through the storm.  Naturally I went with her to Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer.  After all, I still had my bra on (do NOT say TMI!) (you know who you are).  We tasted some wine and purchased some as well (oh, don’t shake your head or your finger at me!) (or even your booty, although that would be less of a problem) (it’s not like I’m going to drink it all TONIGHT!).

I cooked a pretty good dinner (not early enough to call it supper) while we looked at a Dateline I had DVR’d a while ago (judging from the taped commercials).  Now it is over so I must find something else to watch.  I see I am over 500 words, which I call more than respectable.  If you are in the path of the storm, I hope you are hunkered down.  For all others, Happy Saturday!

 

Remembering Saturday on Monday

In lieu of my usual Monstrous Monday, I thought I would make the Scattered Saturday post I did not make on Saturday.  We did a few things before we tasted wine (that is what I made my blog post about on Saturday, in case you did not tune in) and, anyways, I don’t have any new monster pictures (note to self:  find some new monster pictures).

It was quite cold in the morning, so I opted not to run outdoors.  After considering going to the Mohawk YMCA when it opened at eight, I decided to run in place on the mini-tramp.  I watched a Snapped On Demand while I did (regular readers may recall I also did that on Sunday. That may be my weekend thing for the winter).  After a shower and calling my Mom and Dad (I have called them on Saturday morning for many years now), I wrote a few post cards to my regular people.  Steven and I spent a good amount of time discussing our plans for the day but it took a while to come to any conclusions.

Steven wanted to get his beard trimmed and decided to try Custom Cutz in Herkimer (where we live).  They took him as a walk-in, although we had to wait a few minutes.   I used the time to make a few notes on the murder mystery I am writing for Morning Star Methodist Church in April (preview of coming attractions).  We were also amused by two little boys getting hair cuts. The first sat very still with a solemn look on his face.  The second seemed a little more ticklish.  He kept scrunching up his face and trying to brush off little pieces of hair.  I can certainly identify with that!

When we left the barber shop, I suggested we stop into Pete’s Tavern for a beer.  After all, it was after noon and Pete’s is only a couple doors down from Custom Cutz.  We enjoyed a draft.  I did a scratch off lottery ticket but did not win anything.  We only stayed for one, because we were headed for the wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor, which I wrote about on Saturday.   I guess I already mentioned that.  What do you want from me on a Monday?

 

 

 

Seasonal Scattered Saturday

I pause in my Christmas gyrations to make this week’s Scattered Saturday post. Full Disclosure:  I sat down to make this post earlier and just did not want to do it.  I felt down, I felt stupid, I felt completely disinclined to make a blog post just for the sake of making a blog post.  Remembering that doing something, anything often helps (if you can get yourself to do it), I did the dishes (there were not that many) and started another batch of Chex Party Mix (although I used the store brand version of Chex cereal) (I guess that is another Full Disclosure).  I have one, maybe two more goodies to make (however, I have found that it does not pay to get too ambitious), then I can start packaging and wrapping.

The packaging is often the most fun.  My husband Steven likes to put a present in a present, so we pick up various size tins and decorative boxes whenever we see them for a good price.  For another reason, I am a terrible wrapper, completely unable to fold the corners in anywhere close to a neat fashion.  However, I am thinking I will wrap the presents for my great nephew and niece, who are four and one.  I think they will like to tear the paper.

I had been hoping for a return of Saturday Running Commentary today, but the early weather report warned of possible icy roads early on, when I would have liked to go.  I am clumsy enough on my feet without adding slippery into the mix.  Additionally, I wanted to run to Hannaford for just a couple more things.  I felt like an independent, take-charge kind of woman when I went to Hannaford shortly after they opened, thus beating the crowd (although I kept walking into people; I did mention I was clumsy, did I not?), then drove to the Mohawk YMCA, arriving shortly after they opened.  Half an hour on the elliptical made me feel even better about myself.

Steven got a little ambitious himself, scoring a same-day appointment appointment at the Hot Shot Salon and Spa in Herkimer to have his beard and hair trimmed.  I admired his handsomeness before starting my first batch of Party Mix.

Later on, I went to Ilion with my friend Kim, to visit the New 2 You Consignments.  We mostly went to visit our friend Robbi, the proprietress.  We also got to see her lovely daughter, Megan.  Megan is ultra-talented and is studying musical theatre in New York.  Kim and I worked on a couple of shows with her when she was still local.  We looked around at the merchandise, but the only thing I bought was a pair of Christmas socks.  I love Christmas socks, and I do not have enough of them.  I know, this is the time of year I should be purchasing things for other people, but, hey, Christmas socks.  There could be no possible objection.

Before leaving Ilion, we stopped by Ilion Wine and Spirits, where I picked up a bottle of my favorite champagne, Great Western Extra Dry, made in New York State.  Wine purists will point out that technically it is not champagne if it is not made in a specific part of France, but I do not care at all.  Call it whatever you like, I like to drink it!

Making Chex Party Mix is a relaxing activity, because once it is in the oven you have 45 minutes to wait, needing only to stir it every 15.  That part is sometimes a little stressful for me when I start to think I did not set the timer this time after stirring.  Then I go to check, thinking I will set the timer for less than 15 if I have indeed forgotten.  Then I have not forgotten, and much more time has passed than I realized, so it is good I remembered to set it.  But other than that, a perfectly relaxing treat to make, and so tasty.

So this is my Scattered Saturday post.  Only two more days till Christmas!  Yikes!  Well, I will be ready or I won’t.  My family will not mind if I am not. They will not even be surprised.  They have known me for a while.