Category Archives: walking

Looking for Halloween

Posted on October 17, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Now I’ve done it. I used up both movies we watched on Saturday for my Monday post, and now I’ve got nothing for Tuesday.

In my defense, Saturday’s movies really felt like a double feature. That, coupled with my inability to recall the plot of one or the title of the other, made combining them for one post seem like a natural. What I failed to take into account was, I get tired by the end of the day on Monday. I did not have the energy to have a Mohawk Valley adventure for Tuesday’s post.

So I sat at work today, cursing my fate. Previously in these situations I have gone for a run after work and written about the run. Was it time to ease my way back into running? My back suggested not. Then I remembered that Steven would be home when I got there. We could take a walk with Tabby, admiring various Halloween decorations around the neighborhood, and I could write about that.

I had some coffee first. A wise woman told me you can’t rush into these things (it was my mother). Tabby was very excited when she saw me putting on my sneakers. I let her run around the back yard barking her excitement while Steven smoked a cigarette (I know, an unhealthy act to precede a healthy one; you tell him). Finally we set out.

We walked up toward German Street, then turned left toward Caroline. Tabby was not best pleased with this. For some reason she always wants to go right onto German. Tabby has such a sweet disposition, though, she graciously agreed to the change in plans.

I specifically remembered seeing some cool decorations on Caroline when I was running (it wasn’t really that long ago, but it feels like it). At first, though, all we saw were a few beautiful trees, one bright yellow, a couple orange and red. I saw some all-season lawn ornaments and said if I had those I would at least cover them in cobwebs. Maybe a vampire cloak for the lawn jockey.

In the next block we saw the house with the lumpy cobwebs and the gravestone in the front lawn that I remembered from my run. I pointed out to Steven how the bunched up spots really looked OK. He had found a bag of the stuff in our attic. I must see what I can do with it later.

We saw a number of pumpkins on various porches. Steven had purchased a little one at the Mohawk Farmer’s Market last week. I said we needed a bigger one, to have lots of pumpkin seeds to roast. Steven said we should get a really big one and put the little one in its mouth, like some pictures he’s seen on the internet (Steven has a major collection of Halloween pictures on his Facebook page).

Twice Tabby wanted to head towards home and we convinced her to go another block. At last we turned back toward our street. She was happy about that, although she couldn’t have been too anxious to get home judging from the number of trees and posts she wanted to sniff.

It was not a long walk, but it was very pleasant. And it made my back feel better. Note to self: walk more. And look for a Mohawk Valley adventure to blog about tomorrow. Happy Tuesday, everyone.

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Wrist to Forehead Walk

Posted on October 1, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am going to start a new feature and call it Wrist to Forehead Sunday (you know, that dramatic pose with a wrist to your forehead before you swoon from the stress). It seems I reach many Sundays convinced that I am utterly incapable of writing a decent blog post. Today I have at least three perfectly good Mohawk Valley topics to write on and I feel Blank. Rather than write yet another post about Why I Can’t Write a Post Today (which are, I guiltily admit, kind of fun to write), I dragged Steven and Tabby on a walk to the post office and I shall write about that.

To begin with I had written a letter to a friend (yes, I hand write letters which I send through the US Postal service and I delight in receiving one back). I had finished writing it earlier in the day, when I felt unable to write the blog post. I thought if I could write anything I could segue over. The segueing had not happened when Steven arrived home (I admit it: I had segued into doing a cryptogram puzzle in a puzzle book).

While he went up to look at the computer I had an inspiration that we would walk to the post office and I would write about that. First I had a Get Well card to write on Tabby’s behalf to a friend’s pet who is ailing. I wrote a letter from Tabby to Shadoe, utilizing the Historic Four Corners stationery I purchased at the Herkimer County Historical Society some time ago and had not used yet. I thought Tabby would appreciate having a letter from her written on stationery of one of her favorite places to walk.

We set out, walking down our street and admiring our neighbors’ Halloween decorations. One house had some cobwebs nicely covering the porch. I can never get those cobwebs spread out properly. They always bunch up. I pointed out to Steven some skeletons in a fishnet I had noticed earlier in the week.

We went through Myers Park to the post office. It had started to rain a little as we continued up Main Street. Steven put the hood of his jacket up, prompting Tabby to give him what I thought was a funny look. We bypassed the Historic Four Corners by going through a parking lot, in order to spend less time in the rain. This brought us out on Church Street, where I could show Steven the awesomely decorated house I had observed earlier.

They had added a coffin and more cobwebs. There were graves with a head and hand popping up I had not seen before, and some homemade graves I know were not there before. We pointed out to each other all the cool things, and I suggested we return for another walk after dark, because there are obviously things that light up.

After that it had stopped raining, so we continued up Prospect to German. We did not see any more Halloween decorations, but we observed a tree with some lovely orange leaves and a black cat on a porch. Nature’s own fall decor.

Well, I guess this turns out to be not a bad post after all. Or do I flatter myself? At any rate, I feel a lot less wrist to forehead now. See you on Middle-aged Musing Monday. Or Monster Movie Monday, depending on what I do for the rest of the day.

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Thursday’s Tale about Wednesday’s Walk

Posted on September 28, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I mean to start running again, so I can write some posts about running. I’m not up to it today, though, so I will write about a walk I took yesterday with my schnoodle, Tabby.

It was maybe 40 minutes before Steven was due to leave work, and maybe 45-50 minutes before I had to leave for a meeting of the Ilion Little Theatre Club Board of Directors (did I happen to mention I’m secretary?). Tabby was restless. I knew if we started walking she might think we were going to meet Steven, but I thought if we walked towards her favorite Historic Four Corners she wouldn’t mind so much.

I don’t think she minded too much. She still looked up with interest at every car that passed, especially if they happened to slow down. But she was happy to walk. I was happy too. The temperature was just right for walking and my legs were loving the exercise.

The best thing was a house decorated for Halloween. I love Halloween! This house had an entire graveyard in the side lawn (it was on a corner). Various ghosts and skeletons hung from the trees. The porch boasted a large skeleton and a body wrapped in gauze hanging upside down. Eek! I saw some lights and immediately made up my mind to walk there again after dark (preview of coming attractions).

That was in fact the only memorable feature of the walk. We went down Main Street, though the park by Basloe Library, then around the block back to Main (it was Tabby’s idea). I admired the Post Office as usual, a beautiful historic building, and felt guilty for not writing anybody any postcards this week. We went by Pete’s Tavern but did not go in, because Tabby is not 21. And I didn’t have any money. Oh, yeah, and I intended to drive to my meeting later.

Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner was open for dinner and I thought, “Damn, if Steven was home and I didn’t have a meeting, we could go eat there!” Which may have made a better blog post, but sometimes these things can’t be helped. We also went by Hummel’s Office Plus, closed for the night, and the Belly Up Pub, not yet open.

Last Thursday I posted Lame. I think this Thursday has been even worse. Maybe I need a feature for Thursdays, you know, like Lame Post Friday or Middle-aged Musings Monday. The Thursday Trudge? I wrote a post once called “Trudging through Tuesday.” It received the only negative comment I have ever gotten in close to 500 posts. Oh dear, I think I’ve just asked for trouble. Well, hate me if you must (but not because I’m beautiful) (that was a reference to an ad from the ’80s, not a demonstration of my considerable ego). Point and laugh if you like. I can only do the best I can.

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Paltry Pedestrian Post

Posted on September 24, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Readers who pay attention to that sort of thing may have noticed that I did not have Saturday Running Commentary yesterday. I still felt under the weather from giving blood on Friday. I suppose by now I’m going to have to begin running all over again, as I have done many times in the past. But I won’t be doing it today. Instead I took my schnoodle, Tabby, for a walk. A Pedestrian Post will have to do.

Steven left for work about quarter to nine, and I went to the grocery store (NOT worthy of a blog post). When I returned, I thought, “Oh dear, now what?” In fact, while I drove to the store I thought I probably could go running. It would not be too hot. It might be a good idea. I couldn’t talk myself into it. I could not talk myself into all the cleaning and other household chores that awaited. Well I’m sure to Tabby, a walk was the most important activity I could undertake.

I put on my crazy old lady hat. It was not particularly sunny out, and I did not expect rain. But I would feel a little more incognito in the hat. Not that I expected to run into anybody I knew, and if I did they would probably recognize me with the hat if not by the hat. It still made me feel a little better.

Then I was glad I wore it, because the sun came out. I suppose I should have expected that, with our Wait Five Minute Mohawk Valley Weather. I could even have used my sunglasses. Never mind, the hat would have to do.

We walked to Tabby’s favorite Historic Four Corners, as usual. When we started down Main Street, however, I saw a dog sitting in front of a Sam’s Deli. He was just lying there minding his own doggy business, but I could hardly count on him remaining still as another dog walked right in front of him. I could not see if he was on a leash or if his person was nearby. I convinced Tabby to cross the street.

This put us right near our church, Christ Episcopal, which, I’m sorry, I was not attending this Sunday. I was afraid Tabby would pull me right up to the door, certain there would be someone inside wanting to pet her (there probably would be; lots of dog lovers in my church). Instead we walked back up Main Street, giving me the opportunity to admire once again the old courthouse, a lovely red stone building.

Then Tabby wanted to cross right back over Main Street and go back the way we came. Oh come on, Tabby! I don’t like walking right back the way I came. She was insistent, though, so we crossed in front of Herkimer Reformed Church. Tabby spent some time sniffing the iron fence around the cemetery in the church yard. They recently re-painted the fence black, so it looks nice, although still a little bent in places. It is an old fence, and an old church (hello! Historic Four Corners; I guess the church would be old!).

I managed to talk Tabby into going up Prospect Street and down German, so we did not walk back exactly the way we came. Not much of note happened on the walk. We met a dog named Sasha, who was more interested in sniffing Tabby than in having me pet her. And I saw a lady who from a distance looked a little like Maxine from the comics. I mean this as a compliment, of course, but I’m not sure it would be taken as one, so I leave out any identifying characteristics of where this happened or who the lady may actually be (I don’t know her, but she seemed nice; she said good morning).

I had meant to have more Mohawk Valley adventures this weekend so as to have a better quality of post today. Sorry about that. Still, it is a nice day for a walk, and Tabby and I enjoyed it. We may take another walk later with Steven. I may write another blog post about it. Just so you know.

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63 Degrees in the Sun

Posted on September 17, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Since I have been suffering from one of my periodic bouts of lightheadedness, I have been unable to partake of any Mohawk Valley adventures this weekend. Saturday was fine, since I could write about my run. But Sunday? Oh dear, what to do? What to do? Finally I thought I would take my dog Tabby for a walk and write a post about that.

The first thing that struck me was the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures. I had been lounging on the couch reading a romance novel (hey, it’s Sunday and I’m lightheaded; I’m allowed). I felt cold! I had on pants and a sweatshirt, and I put the hood up. When I looked at our thermostat, I noted that it was more than 10 degrees cooler outside: 63 as opposed to 75. Still, I took off the sweatshirt. I found my crazy old lady hat and grabbed my prescription sunglasses. It wasn’t particularly sunny out at the moment, but I figured, wait five minutes.

The temperature at first felt a little cool. I may have been more comfortable in a sweatshirt or perhaps just a long-sleeved shirt. Never mind, it was mid-afternoon. Shade was not plentiful and the sky was not completely overcast.

Sure enough, I hadn’t gone a block when I put the sunglasses on. Ah, that was better. Tabby pulled me toward Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners, one of her favorite spots to walk by. I let her stop and sniff a light post, thinking I really did not need the jacket.

She nicely did her business a mere block and a half from a trash can I know of. Sometimes she is a convenient kind of dog. I had another poop bag in my pocket, in case of the rare occurrence that she poops again. Fellow dog owners will appreciate my concern.

We walked down Main Street. I noticed Sam’s Deli, a new business we have not yet patronized, carries Steven’s favored brand of cigarettes. Oh, I know, it would be a good idea for his health and our finances if he quit. You tell him; I’m not that kind of a wife.

I felt bad as usual as we passed other closed businesses as well as buildings that haven’t housed businesses in recent memory. I admired the old buildings, though, and keep thinking I will bring my camera downtown one day and take some pictures.

Tabby wanted to walk through the little park by Basloe Library. A young man was sitting on a bench, having a loud conversation with a laptop computer. Or maybe it was one of those cell phone ear attachments and he just happened to also have a laptop computer. I did not nosily look too closely or try to listen.

After the park, Tabby pulled me down Prospect, then left onto Park Avenue and back to Main Street. More closed businesses and a few open ones. Tabby looked speculatively into Pete’s Tavern, but I reminded her she was not 21. I looked longingly at Crazy Otto’s Diner, but reminded myself I had already had breakfast. We did not go into Hummel’s Office Plus for once, and Belly Up Pub is not yet open.

By now the breeze had died down and the sun was quite warm. I was wearing dark clothes, so that didn’t help. I was happy to get back home and into the 75 degree temperature that is inexplicably cooler than 63 degrees in the sun.

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Short, Easy Walk

Posted on August 2, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

So yesterday I ran after work so I could write my blog post about my run. Today on the way home from work I saw a few flashes of lightning, so I used that as my excuse not to run. It didn’t amount to much, but by the time I knew that I had already showered (I was REALLY stinky after work). What to write my post about? Then I remembered I was going to sent a postcard to a cousin, so thought I would write the card, walk with Tabby to the post office, and write about that. I used to do pedestrian posts all the time. Nobody seemed to mind.

I found a lovely Vermont postcard with bright red trees surrounding a barn. Steven and I plan a trip to Vermont this weekend (preview of coming attractions), so it seemed appropriate. I wrote a message I thought might possibly be legible (no promises there, but at least she can look at the picture) and started looking for my sneakers.

As soon as Tabby saw the sneakers she got excited. Actually, she’s pretty smart so she may even have been excited when she saw me writing the post card. Steven graciously agreed to accompany us.

The temperature had cooled. I guiltily realized it was a good running temperature, but I just don’t feel I want to shower twice in less than two hours. Anyways, walking is good exercise.

We noticed a house for sale that has been for sale before. I wondered if the people who bought it didn’t like it or were house flippers, or even if it had never been sold but just taken off the market so it could later masquerade as a new listing. I read someplace that that is a realtors’ trick.

The post office was closed, but we put the post card in the box outside and felt virtuous about it. We continued down Park Avenue (no, not that Park Avenue). I saw a girl running.

“Good job!” I said. “I was supposed to do that.”

“Thanks,” she said.

Half a block later we saw four people running.

“Now I want you to go catch that girl,” I told them.

“It’ll never happen!” one lady said.

“She’s too fast!” said another.

Half a block later I saw three more runners. One ran up an alley behind a building, but the other two continued towards us.

“Is it a club?” I asked, but nobody answered.

Later on in the walk some pedestrians were walking towards us. Tabby trotted ahead eagerly. She always wants to meet new people. She thinks everybody wants to pet a cute doggy. These people didn’t, though. I said hello. One man greeted me back, but the rest just walked on.

By the time we finished I realized that the humidity was still high, because I felt pretty sweaty for a short easy walk. I hoped that between the runners and walkers I had enough material for a decent blog post. I guess you’ll be the judge. Just to warn you, I am similarly low on ideas for tomorrow’s post. But perhaps inspiration will strike. I hope you’ll stay tuned.

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In My Defense, It Was a Big Stick

Posted on July 26, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

As the relief from the oppressive heat continues, Steven and I were able to enjoy a walk through Herkimer with our beloved schnoodle, Tabby.

I feel I should offer an apology or justification for making yet another pedestrian post. But explanations are so tiresome. Let’s just get on with the post.

It was a little warmer by 6:30, when we set out, than it had been at 3:30, when I left work. The sun was warm, the breeze was gone. However, it was pleasant in the shade and not very humid.

Some kids across the street were playing with the hose. The girl holding it seemed to have a very take charge attitude as she lined the other kids up opposite. I don’t know what the game was but apparently it was taking too long, because the littlest boy started yelling, “COME ON!!!” (Yes, he yelled it with three exclamations points.) I knew how he felt. Maybe not about being squirted with the hose, but in general. Actually, when I was a kid I was never that nuts about being squirted with the hose. It always seemed to me such a poor substitute for swimming. Oh, I never passed up an opportunity. Hey, it was water and I was a kid.

We walked down Main street and passed an old, historic-looking building that was for sale.

“I wish somebody would buy that cool place and open a fancy restaurant,” I said.

“A classic movie theatre,” Steven suggested.

Tabby was more interested in sniffing a nearby telephone pole. We walked and dreamed on.

We passed my favorite Historic Four corners.

“I just saw a picture of the 1834 Jail and the Court House in the book I’m reading,” I said. Murder in the Adirondacks: An American Tragedy Revisited by Craig Brandon (North Country Books, Utica, NY, 1986). Good book.

Further on, Tabby wanted to cross Main Street, but we talked her out of it and went through Meyers Park instead. We walked by some boys who were playing rough with a ball and a stick. The object was not to hit the ball with the stick, apparently, but each other with either object. We walked on. We were almost a block away when we thought we heard one of the kids crying. My mother would say, “Fool around some more!” Some readers might think we were remiss for not going back and making sure everyone was all right, but to be honest, I was afraid one of the bigger boys would hit me with the stick.

It was an uneventful walk, but we enjoyed it (except, you know, for the crying kid and being scared of the stick). Perhaps we can indulge in less pedestrian Mohawk Valley adventures as the week wears on. Stay tuned.

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Pedestrian Rant

Posted on May 11, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

This has been bothering me for a long time, and I thought I would write about it before it segued from rant to tirade to incoherent noises of frustration (think of that noise Cary Grant used to make).

LEFT SIDE FACING TRAFFIC. Don’t they teach that in elementary schools these days? And for heavens’ sake, when there’s a sidewalk, use it!

I know runners make the argument that the road is smoother, and in some cases I suppose it is. However, the smoothest road in the world still has sewer grates and manhole covers. You always have to watch where you’re going. If a smooth, regular surface is so important to you, I suggest you run around the track at an area high school or college. I believe there are several readily available.

At least if you must run in the road (and I know some of you feel you must), left side facing traffic. For one thing, most runners I see these days run with headphones. If you can’t hear oncoming traffic, it is a good idea to at least be able to see it.

But leaving runners aside for a moment, let’s talk about pedestrians, who have no excuse. Some of them are IDIOTS! This morning I saw a young lady scorning a perfectly smooth sidewalk to walk on the right side with traffic with her head studiously bent over a device she was texting on. At 4:30 in the morning! For those of you still sensibly in bed at that hour, I’ll tell you if you don’t already know: it’s still dark out. In fact, by some standards, 4:30 a.m. is still the middle of the night. What the hell are you doing walking in the middle of the road in the middle of the night? (said in a loud, frustrated voice, not really expecting an answer)

OK, this girl was not exactly in the middle of the road. My point remains: get on the sidewalk if there is one. Left side facing traffic when there’s not. As they say, it ain’t rocket science. If you don’t reliably know your left from your right (I don’t), just make the L with the thumb and forefinger of your left hand.

I suppose I should be happy people are out walking for health and/or transportation and not sitting home demanding the universe provide them with a car or gym membership. I ought, perhaps, to be impressed that people are out running in the world instead of on a treadmill while they watch DVDs of rolling hills. Well, for starters, regular readers know that I think “should” and “ought” are dirty words (and if that’s not widely know, perhaps it’s material for another post).

And speaking of material for other posts, I’ll get to headphones and electronic devices another time. Stay tuned.

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Tabby Goes Visiting

Posted on May 4, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

What with my All Harvey All the Time lifestyle these days, I feel I have been neglecting my dog, Tabby. So Wednesday, I was determined to take her for a real walk.

For those animal lovers out there exclaiming in horror, “But you MUST walk your dog every day!” I know. But Tabby gets exercise, because we let her run around in the backyard several times a day and we indulge her in a few rousing games of That’s My Treat. And I only missed two days of walking her, because we went for long walks both weekend days (actually, one of those walks might have made a good post, because I pointed out to Tracy many spots of historical or cultural interest). Yes, I feel guilty.

Be that as it may, Tabby was ecstatically happy when I got out the leash. Dogs have such capacity for happiness, it is really inexcusable not to take a little time to make a dog happy. I left on my BDU pants from work (that’s my army camouflage pants, for you civilians) and found my crazy old lady hat. Might as well be a crazy old lady when you get the chance.

Since the walk was to make up for me neglecting Tabby, I let her pull me her favorite way, to Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners. Then she wanted to cross Main Street, so we did. She pulled me to our church, Christ Episcopal, then right to the back door, which she jumped at, asking to go in. I started to tell her there was nobody there to pet her when I noticed a light was on. I also noticed a sign advertising a rummage sale Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The door was unlocked, so we went in to find a lady we know setting up for the sale. She and I had a nice chat, and she and her kids petted Tabby. The youngest, a mere toddler, was especially taken with her. He kept laughing delightedly.

We continued our walk down Main Street. Tabby wanted to go into Smoker’s Friendly. When we only had one vehicle, Steven was in the habit of walking Tabby to Smoker’s Friendly almost every day, to feed his unhealthy habit. We still walk there on occasion (just a little multi-tasking). A man sitting at the table enjoying a cigarette petted Tabby. I explained that my husband often brought her there, so she liked to say hello.

We were able to cross Main Street a little further down, not always an easy task. Cars do not respect cross walks, which in any case could use a new coat of paint. A young man standing in front of the tattoo place asked me if Tabby was part poodle (how remiss of me that I can’t tell you the business’ name). I explained schnoodle — schnauzer/poodle, and he petted her. She was not as cordial with him as she usually is. He said it was probably the hat. It was an ordinary knitted affair, such as I wear myself on occasion, but who knows? Maybe it was the way he wore it. We walked on.

Next, Tabby wanted to go into Hummel’s Office Plus. The clerk, a particular friend of Tabby’s, came out from behind the counter to pet her. There were no customers at the time. I don’t want you to think I let my dog disrupt a local business.

As we headed home through Myers Park we encountered a dog tied to a bench his people were sitting on. When he saw Tabby he pulled at his leash and made a noise like he really wanted to bark. Tabby looked at him with some interest but kept quiet and kept walking. I told her that she was a good girl, that I knew she wanted to make a friend but we had to keep walking. I actually didn’t know if she wanted to make a friend or not. Sometimes Tabby is funny with other dogs.

I think Tabby enjoyed her walk. We visited three places, and she was petted by several people. Not bad for a half hour.

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Return of the Crazy Old Lady Hat

Posted on March 14, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was going to call this post Blogger’s Sick Day, because I was too ill all day at work to write during my breaks. I was not too ill to work, just too ill to feel happy about it.

My plan after work was to return home and scramble into bed to nap before tonight’s rehearsal (have I mentioned I’m in a play at Ilion Little Theatre? Oh well, preview of coming attractions). I carefully set my watch alarm to wake me in time to shower and type three sentences, because, as regular readers know, I have challenged myself to post something every day for one year.

Well, I sucked on Zicam all day (I usually buy generic, but the name brand was all they had at Kinney’s last night). It seemed to help. Or else the cold is just running its course. Who can tell about these things? In any case, I did not feel as knock-down, drag-out awful as I did yesterday driving home from work.

I had also spent the day watching the light outside fade and brighten. Now it looked like a storm, now it looked sunny. As I drove home to Herkimer, sun had won. Hmmm, no walk for Tabby yesterday. Me and Steven both going to rehearsal tonight. I saw my way clear: I had to walk my dog. I realized, too, it was warm enough to make wearing my crazy old lady hat appropriate. Score! A plan and a blog title!

What a long introduction, just for a post about a walk with my dog. Oh well. I relaxed for a few minutes with my steel-toed work shoes off, then put on running shoes and got my hat and Tabby’s leash. I found my prescription sunglasses, too. I find the sunglasses/hat combination to be ideal on sunny days. I should mention, perhaps, that my crazy old lady hat is khaki canvas with a wide brim. I love it.

Other than the running shoes and hat, I still had my work clothes on: BDU pants and a black t-shirt from Melfe’s Shoes (where I got my steel-toed work shoes). Yes, it was a crazy old lady outfit, even without the hat. No matter. When you’re walking a cute, friendly little schnoodle, people tend to smile at you regardless.

We turned down Church Street toward the Historic Four Corners, Tabby’s favorite way to walk, because a lady was walking two dogs in the direction I would have taken. They seemed very interested in Tabby, and I didn’t want to cause trouble. Tabby did her business in somebody’s lawn, which I usually try to prevent. I try to get her to poop in the strip between the sidewalk and road, but this time she was too quick for me. Of course I picked it up in a plastic bag I carried for just such a purpose.

As we went by Herkimer Reformed Church, Tabby wanted to sniff some dog poo in the church yard. Who let their pooch poo in the church yard and didn’t pick it up? That shows a lack of respect. I saw another pile of poo in the sidewalk. Really, some dog owners.

Tabby pulled me across Main Street, no light-hearted task, and toward our church, Christ Episcopal. Nobody was there, but Tabby has been there a few times when nice people have petted her, so she often wants to check it out.

We continued on Mary Street then down Washington past Carney’s Corners, where we had walked with Tabby the other day. Steven went in and bought us a sub while Tabby and I hung around outside. Tabby looked with interest at the store today. I thought briefly of going over and putting her poo in their outside trash can but decided against it.

We walked on. We passed Lorraine Bills School, which has been closed for some years. There is a FOR SALE sign on it, saying it is a brick bonanza and has a large lot. I guess that means the building is no longer any good. I hate to see these old buildings go to waste.

I noticed a sign for a chicken pot pie dinner Wednesday the 21st at the church on the corner of Green and Washington. Tabby pulled me around the corner and down Green before I had a chance to look at which church it is, but corner of Green and Washington, you can’t miss it.

We luckily made it back across Main Street and made our way toward Meyer Park. Ah, here was a trash can where I could deposit the poo. It was starting to smell in the warm sun. I was feeling a little hot in my black t-shirt. It seems as if we skipped spring straight into summer, but I hate to complain about the warm temperature. The brim of my crazy old lady hat started blowing up, letting the bright sun into my eyes, which aggravated my headache (did I mention I’m not feeling 100% better yet?), so I crossed to the shady side of the street.

As my hat continued to blow up, I wondered if I looked like one of the Bowery Boys, either Sach or Mahoney. I don’t properly remember the Bowery Boys, only that we used to watch them on Saturdays when we were little. I seem to remember one of my sisters turning up the brim of her hat and saying she was either Sach or Mahoney. I guess I should get these childhood memories straight before I share them.

Well, I’ve rattled on a good long time about a short little walk. All this with a headache. Guess I didn’t need Blogger’s Sick Day after all.

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