But What About Joan Crawford?

Posted on October 19, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

So it’s another bad blogging week.  Sue me.  I’ll work on having some Mohawk Valley adventures this weekend and go for a better week next time.  That is the beauty of blogging: you can try again tomorrow.  The fact is, although I am feeling better than yesterday, the lightheadedness that plagues me continues to do so (my computer seems to think that lightheadedness is not word, but if lightheaded is, why not lightheadedness?  Discuss among yourselves).

I don’t have a suit that spiffy, and to my knowledge, nobody has pointed a gun at me. I rather think a gun would have more of an effect on me than on an actual zombie.

This is from The Walking Dead (1936).  It was posted by a Facebook page I Like, B-Movie Mania, and I said, “Ooh, that’s me!”

And that’s about all I have for this week’s Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  However, I can’t let it end here.  There must be other pictures that are appropriate.  Let me look.

“…and soon they’ll come for you!”

Here’s a haunted look, if you like.  It’s that guy from House on Haunted Hill (1959), produced and directed by my beloved William Castle. That actor was also in Rosemary’s Baby (1968), which was produced but not directed by Castle.  Whenever I refer to him as merely “Castle,” I flash on the Nathan Fillon television show.  I loved that show, especially the divine Susan Sullivan.

She is marvelous.

I may have crossed a line myself, blog-wise.  No matter.  I’m over 200 words.  Once I think of a title, I have a blog post.  Happy Thursday, everyone.

 

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Stylus Typing on Wuss-out Wednesday

Posted on October 18, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

It seems as if I just recently took a Blogger’s Sick Day, but I can’t find the last one by scrolling through my posts.  Then again, if I’m not feeling well, how can I trust my scrolling and looking abilities?  Never mind.  I like to be a daily blogger, so I will attempt to make some semblance of a post.

And that was where my laptop froze up.  Twice.  So now I’m on my Tablet, typing one letter at a time with the stylus.  As usual, I am fascinated by the anticipatory thing.  But it’s no way to write.

Who doesn’t love a cute, cuddley vampire?

I try to pep things up with a picture.  My dear friend Marsha sent me the pot recently.  My husband,  Steven, gave me the vampire in a coffee mug (I think I used a picture of it a day or two ago).

Here he is!

Today I am not a morning, afternoon, or evening person.  But I have another new Halloween picture to share.

I love a business that decorates!

I took this picture at White Rose Bakery in Little Falls, NY.  I was writing a story for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I hope they print it.  However, I knew they wouldn’t use this picture,  because the story is for the November issue.

This stylus typing is not for me.  But at least I made some semblance of a post.

 

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Where’s that Damn Brain?

Posted on October 17, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is Bad Attituesday, and my attitude is so bad I do not want to go back and see how long it has been since I made a post about I Can’t Write a Blog Post Today.  Is it Writer’s Block?  Is it Writer’s Blank?  Is it Writer is Too Damn Lazy and Irritable?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!!  Whatever it is, my brain is not cooperating.

A little Bette Davis is always a good idea.

I was looking through my Media Library for the picture I have of The Brain from Planet Arous, but I found this one from Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte first and thought, “Rest in Peace, Cindy’s brain (was that a Freudian typo?  I first put “piece” instead of “peace” and I meant to, because as I typed it I thought, “pie as in a piece of pie”).  I am in the mood to see Hush.. hush again.  I suggested it for our cinematic Sunday, but we decided to watch shorter movies instead, in order to fit more in (in fact, we watched two more after I made my blog post).

Perhaps the problem is that I had made up my mind to Write More.  I have one of those perverse dispositions that as soon as I make up my mind to do something, I only want to do the exact opposite, or do nothing at all.  As I walked into work, having almost a half hour before my shift began in which to write, I thought about a blog post I wanted to write about one of the movies we watched this weekend.  My brain soon became bogged down, so I thought I would ease into it by working on a letter I had started to a friend.  I got about a paragraph written, felt quite dry and dumb, so worked on an anacrostic puzzle I happened to have handy (what, computer, that’s not how you spell anacrostic?  That’s a word, isn’t it? Damn!) (just googled it: anacrostic and acrostic are apparently the same thing, but Google seems to think anacrostic is also a word).

Where was I?  Ah yes, brain dead and not making much of a post.  And yet I am over 300 words. What does that tell you?  It does not tell me much, but I think I’ll put in another picture and call it a day.  I hope I have managed to amuse somebody.

“Don’t look at me! I’m not writing a blog post for you!”

There’s that damn brain!  Happy Tuesday, everyone.

 

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Monday Monster Musings

Posted on October 16, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I should have known what kind of a day I was going to have when I cut my grapefruit in half and forgot to cut on the equator.  I haven’t done that since my sister showed me after she learned it in Home Economics!  (So I already knew it when I took Home Economics two years later; sometimes it’s not so bad being a little sister.)  So I did learn something today:  it is possible to eat an incorrectly cut grapefruit with a spoon.

I know, other people had other things happen to them — their own fault or otherwise — that were far more uncomfortable, inconvenient, or worse.  But I was struck by my own ineptness and wanted to mention it.

Could this be the reason I mis-cut my grapefruit?

I thought I would add a picture to pep things up and found this little cutie in my Media Library (I tried searching for something new, but had no luck and less patience).  So here we have a Monstrous Monday post.

It is also a Post-Rehearsal Post, because I have recently returned from a rehearsal of A Trivial Murder, the interactive dinner theatre we are putting on to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society (perhaps you read my other blog posts bout it).

Our host doesn’t look like this, but he has a more winning smile.

That is the cover photo on the Facebook event of the mystery.  Murder is pretty monstrous, right?

I hardly ever share this monster, but it is almost Halloween.

Here is another monster who is supposedly human. (Spoiler alert: I’m about to talk about endings of Halloween movies!).  I say supposedly, because I saw Halloween II, where he walked out of a flaming room in flames himself and flopped down on the floor, continuing to burn.  I could buy that he got shot and walked away after the first Halloween; maybe they missed all vital organs and it only looked like a lot of blood.  Those flames would be really hard to live through.  I did not see another Halloween movie till Halloween H2O, and I don’t remember how they dispatched Michael Myers in that one (although I saw it just now when I Googled Halloween H2O to see how to spell “Michael Myers”) (and I still think it’s funny that he has the same name as the guy from Wayne’s World).

So this is my Monday post.  Sufficiently monstrous, I trust.  I hope to see you all on Tuesday, when I hope not to be too Tired.

 

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Sunday Cinema, in Progress

Posted on October 15, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I should make my blog post before it got any later, although I was tempted to wait until at least the next movie.  We began the movie watching portion of our day early so are able to get more movies in.  Naturally I wanted to watch all Halloween movies (I always want to watch all Halloween movies, but during October is the time it is easiest to get away with).  We began with a DVD which was loaned to me by a work friend, Phantom of the Opera (1943), colorized.

This is the reaction you might get when you try to take a girl home on the first date.

I did not realize this was the Claude Rains version.  I love Claude Rains!  I’m not sure I loved the movie, although I did love the ending.  Perhaps I’ll write a blog post about it.  I have not done a movie write-up in a long time.  I love doing movie write-ups.

After Phantom of the Opera, I suggested House of Wax (1953), because Vincent Price has a deformed face, kind of like the Phantom (acquired by different means but with a similar personality-warping effect).  For another reason, I knew House of Wax moved along faster.  I like a movie that moves right along.

Yes, that is Charles Bronson in the center. Vincent Price is hiding his deformed face, by the way.

This brought us to 2 p.m., when I knew Snapped was on.  We decided to check that out before going on with our movies.  Sunday is a good day for Snapped, after all.  Unfortunately, it was the episode about Amy Fisher. I was hoping for one I had not seen, so we reopened the movie debate early.

Any excuse to re-share the picture of our friend Ellie in “Amy Fisher: The Musical.”

At last we settled on House on Haunted Hill, because it stars Vincent Price.  I like to have a connection between my movies.  Additionally, this is a William Castle movie.  I loves me some William Castle!

I guess she doesn’t have a thing for skinny guys.

Oh dear, as I typed this in, House on Haunted Hill got finished. Now I must debate with Steven as to which movie to watch next.  More Vincent Price?  Another William Castle?  Or maybe something with a house.  Or a hill. Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

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To Trot or Not to Trot

Posted on October 13, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Spoiler alert:  I’m probably not going to trot, but I thought of that title while I was running this morning and I like it.  I wondered if I would ever do another Saturday Running Commentary, and it looks like I am about to.

I had actually thought about not running today.  I had an excellent run yesterday (I believe I mentioned it in yesterday’s post) and can certainly run tomorrow.  Additionally, I have been getting brutal headaches on Saturdays (regardless of whether or not I tie one on Friday night) (um, I mean, I never tie one on), and I fear running in cold air makes them worse.  It is cooler this weekend, real fall weather.  I love it, but my sinuses are less than thrilled.  However, I do not allow my sinuses to run my life.  Try not to anyways.

So I decided to run.  My thermostat said it was 47 degrees, two degrees above my usual cut off for shorts and short sleeves.  However, since I am not in really good running shape, I put on leggings and long sleeves.  I was glad I did.  For one reason, as I started out, I realized it was raining.  What was that all about?  I didn’t hear any rain on the tin roof outside my bathroom window!  I felt quite ill-used, but once I’m out there, I usually keep going.  Yesterday when I started out, I realized I had left on my reading glasses instead of switching to my running glasses.  I kept going for a blurry run. I remembered the running glasses today, but once they got rained on, the run was no clearer than yesterday’s.  No matter.  I could see well enough.

I debated running up a hill.  Regular readers may recall that hills are in short supply in Herkimer, NY (where I live).  I was inclined to stay off the incline (just to make a play on words).  But one must run hills to train properly, especially if one wants to run a 5K in Little Falls (which I do).  I was headed towards Main Street.  I could go up a hill there, if only I crossed German at the four-way stop.  I made a bargain with myself: if there were no cars at the intersection, I would cross.  If not, I would immediately turn down Main Street.  For one reason, my glasses were by now spotty enough that I could not reliably see if a driver was waving me across.  There were cars.  I was off the hook (don’t judge me) (oh, go ahead and judge me; I don’t run for anybody but myself).

It was not as enjoyable a run as yesterday, but it wasn’t too bad.  It got better as I went along.  I started out thinking if I only did 20 minutes it would be OK.  My longest run lately has been 28 minutes, and I have been plateaued there for two weeks.  My main goal is to do the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls in December.  I did it last year and it was great fun.  There is a Turkey Trot 5K in Little Falls on Thanksgiving Day.  I could be in 5K shape by then.  Well, not if I stayed plateaued at 28 minutes or, worse yet, went backwards (ooh, running backwards is a good way to get in shape, but I’m not talking about that).

Another reason I probably cannot participate in the Turkey Trot is that I plan to go to Rome to my Mom and Dad’s house for Thanksgiving.  I had planned to go the night before, in case they need help getting the turkey stuffed and in the oven at 6 a.m. or whenever they need to do it.  I can also peel potatoes, something I never do for myself but know how to nevertheless.  Still, I have always wanted to do a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot.  Additionally, this Thanksgiving is my birthday.  I can run 5K on the day I turn 55.  How cool is that?  But would I even be in 5K shape if I only ran 20 to 25 minutes today?  And so I debated as I ran, and that is when I came up with today’s title.

I was on my street, figuring I would at least get to 25 minutes, when I heard a voice behind me:  “I thought I was the only crazy one!”  It was a lady I had encountered on another run.

“I didn’t know it was raining till I set out,” I told her,  “and I said, ‘Oh well, I’ve got the sports bras on!'”

“It’s raining and we’re training!” she said.

Well, that kind of inspired me, and I went around the block and ended up running for 31 minutes, an increase (at least the way I did the math) of the recommended 10 percent.  I felt pretty darn pleased with myself.  If I don’t make it to Little Falls on Thanksgiving Day, I will just have to trot by myself in Rome.

 

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Cooking with Wine Tasting

Posted on October 13, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Friday Food does not have the same appeal as Saturday or Sunday Supper.  Yet, I feel I would like to make a cooking post today.  I had meant to do a Running Commentary, because I had an excellent run this morning (I posted a Facebook status of “THAT is how a run is SUPPOSED to feel!”), but, you know, things happen.

I was supposed to be away this weekend, but those plans were derailed by a stomach bug my husband, Steven, is currently suffering.  He has not wanted to eat much, so I thought a pot of homemade chicken soup would help.  Accordingly, I took some chicken out of the freezer. It was two thigh sections, which is a good dinner for two people when baked and served with a vegetable.  I have also found that it will also make a good pot of soup

I put the chicken on to boil about 3 p.m., when I was doing laundry and waiting till it was time for a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY (where I live).  After it had boiled a while, I used a slotted spoon to scoop some of the brown crud off the top.  I don’t think the brown stuff seriously degrades the taste of the soup, but I skim off what I can.  I was waiting for my friend Kim to pick me up for the wine tasting.  Eventually I got tired of waiting and had a small glass of white wine we had on hand (don’t judge me; I wasn’t driving).  I also thought I should progress further on the soup so peeled and crushed some garlic.  I turned off the burner under the chicken; I figured it was cooked through, and I did not want it on when I left for the wine tasting.

It was after right after this that Kim texted me that she was ready to go to the wine tasting, so I did not bother setting the timer for 15 minutes (to let the garlic breathe, remember? I’ve talked about that before).  I figured we’d be gone at least that long.   And we were.  I came home with two boxes of wine, one red, one white.  Yum!  I may do a blog post about the tasting (I have been seriously remiss in not making more posts about the wine tastings I attend).  I poured myself a glass of red and continued to cook.

I pulled the pieces of chicken out of the broth and put in the garlic.  I sliced a yellow onion, put it in the broth and turned the burner back on.   I took the chicken off the bones and put it in the broth too.  After a while I will add some frozen vegetables.  Probably some spinach (Steven only likes it in soup, dip or sauce), maybe some broccoli or corn; I’ll see what’s in the freezer.  And I will cook some pasta, probably ditalini.  Yum!

For you wine snobs out there, I will no doubt switch to white with my chicken soup.  I do not want to injure anybody’s sensibilities unnecessarily.  Anyways, this is my Lame Post Friday post for the week.  I hope you are all having a good supper and enjoying the beverage of your choice.

 

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Non-Sequitur Sick Day (Have I Used This Title Before?)

Posted on October 12, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I’m sitting here half-watching a 20/20 on OWN and trying to make my blog post.  I unsuccessfully searched for a picture of the 20/20 logo, to pep up the post, but no luck.  I’m better at finding monster pictures. It’s really interesting episode, to me anyways.  It is the case of Stacy Castor, who killed two husbands with antifreeze.  We have enjoyed other true crime shows about her.

I tried to write my blog post earlier today, while at work.  I only got as far as, “It’s my Friday and I’ll cry if I want to.”  I have tomorrow off, so it is like Friday.  That makes this a Non-Sequitur Thursday right off the bat.

Full disclosure:  I’m not feeling well tonight.  I wanted to bag this blog post till tomorrow, but I have been doing that far too often these days.  What’s a silly blogger to do?  I guess I’ll find a Throwback Thursday picture to share, so this post doesn’t look completely pathetic.

“Want some candy?”

I used this picture two years ago.  It is a delightful witch we got at Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit.  I must get back there soon.  I’m sure I need more Halloween decorations.  And maybe a pumpkin or two.  Maybe if I’m feeling better tomorrow.  And we’ll certainly hope for a better blog post.

 

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Wednesdays are Murder

Posted on October 11, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Shall we blame this on menopausal brain fog, seasonal allergies, or, well, me?  The fact is, after Monstrous Monday and Tired Tuesday, today is Wuss-out Wednesday.  But perhaps I can give another plug to A Trivial Murder, the interactive dinner theatre to benefit Herkimer County Historical Society.  I just got back from another rehearsal.  I need to learn my lines.

The setting is a special taping of “Who Knows Herkimer History?” that popular game show, with our new host, Gary “Herk” Henderson.  The previous host, Jack German, died under mysterious circumstances, but let us not allow such gloomy thoughts to intrude. Tonight is also exciting, because of our returning champion, Ned Frances, who has been winning for an unprecedentedly long time.  Will someone cut off his winning streak?  Will our glamorous Prize Girl, Scarlett Scarsdale, be awarding cash and prizes to a new champion?  According to producer Evelyn Moore, our resident historian, Dr. D. Devonshire, has promised some tough questions.  All the excitement will be recorded by Bernie Woods, writer for Game Show Gambit magazine.  Things will be started soon by our announcer, Rod Toddman.

How does that sound for program notes? I think I’ll email it to the historical society and see what they think.  In the meantime, local readers might like to make reservations for the show:  Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, 6 to 8 p.m. at Ilion Moose Lodge, 302 Barringer Rd., Ilion, NY, doors open at 5 p.m. $25 per person for turkey dinner and the show.  For reservations, contact the society at 315-866-6413.  For more information, consult the Facebook event.

 

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A Ghost of a Post

Posted on October 10, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Tired Tuesday follows Monstrous Monday some weeks.  My allergies are kicking my butt, which is hardly a surprise at this time of year.  But I like to make a blog post every day, so I ask my readers to bear with me while I try to come up with something.

Hmm… nothing is coming. I’ll throw in a picture to distract from the lack of substance.

Does this kind of thing make your head hurt?

This was in my Media Library from last October.  I’m sure people have written stories about ghosts being haunted by humans, but I have never read one.  There was that one movie, but I don’t want to mention which one, in case you have not seen it.  It’s the big reveal at the end.  Oh dear, I’ve already said too much.  Now every ghost story you see onscreen, you will be asking yourself, “Which one is really the ghost?”

“Spoil my movie viewing, will you?”

You might get so mad at me, you’ll tear my head off, as Vincent Price has apparently done to Peter Lorre. I wonder what Peter did that was so annoying?  Additionally, I wonder what happened to all the blood, but I do appreciate the neatness.

It’s a beautiful building.

For a third picture, here is Ilion Little Theatre in Ilion, NY, a marvelous community theatre (perhaps you have read a few of my blog posts about it).  It is also reportedly haunted, just to fit it in with today’s theme.  Or are WE the ghosts?  Discuss among yourselves.

 

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