Graveyard, Nosferatu, What’s Not to Like?

I was feeling better than I felt yesterday, so I went running.  I was going to do a Running Commentary post, but in the first place, the run was not that memorable.  In the second place, my headache is back and I have to start thinking about dinner.  As I was looking through Facebook, hoping for a little inspiration (oh, don’t give me that hoary cliche that inspiration follows writing, sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t, and sometimes you do so get it before you write).  Where was I?  Ah yes, I found a monster movie picture, and you know how I love to make a post of monster movie pictures.

SO atmospheric! I love it!

It is from the James Whale Frankenstein.  It reminded me of another picture of a cemetery in another horror movie.  I knew I had seen it on Facebook at some point but could not remember what page.  I went to The Golden Age of Monster Movies, a group I am in, and began scrolling through their photos.  Of course I could not find the one I was looking for, and I do not have all night to search for an obscure picture.  However, I soon found a shot of my favorite guy, Nosferatu.  I must share Nosferatu.

I remember this shot from the first time I saw this movie, when I was in the sixth grade. I was scarred for life, but, you know, in a good way.

So I gave up on doing a graveyard theme and just looked for a couple more pictures I liked.  I soon found the following:

We recently watched this one. I should write a blog post about it. I haven’t written about a cheesy horror movie in a long time.

 

I have no idea what this is from, but Peter Lorre, Vincent Price, a severed head, what’s not to like?

So this is my Wuss-out Wednesday post for the week.  I don’t say I won’t have another day of monster movie pictures and silly commentary, but at least I won’t call it Wuss-out Wednesday.  As always, thank you for tuning in.

 

Another Pre-Rehearsal Hasty Post

Well, it was going to be a Bad Attituesday no matter what anyways, but I’m afraid now I have to take a blogger’s sick day.  I have been feeling quite awful since last night, dizzy, nauseous, headache, body aches, stiffness… oh, sorry, now I’m going on and on, whining in a most unbecoming fashion.  I’m pretty sure it is my allergies, and I’m just going to have to ride it out.  Once when I had gastroenteritis, a doctor told me that the body can ride out an astonishing number of things if only you stay hydrated.  With that in mind, I drank water all day, with only the necessary amount of coffee thrown in, and now am sipping seltzer with lemon from a wine glass (woman cannot live by water alone) (at least, not this woman).

Where was I?  Did I mention I’m also feeling kind of out of it?  That’s just MARVELOUS news for me, since I have to drive myself to Little Falls in about a half hour for rehearsal for Strike Story.  I don’t suppose I mentioned Strike Story recently. It is a beautifully researched reader’s theatre piece about the 1912 textile workers strike in Little Falls, written by Little Falls resident Angela Harris.  It was the inaugural production of LiFT Theatre Company, first presented in 2012.  I had the good fortune to take part in it when Ilion Little Theatre imported the production in November of that year (I may have written  a few blog posts about it at the time).

Well, LiFT is reviving the play on Oct. 27 in Little Falls.  Unfortunately, a quick search as I type this does not give me further info as to time, ticket prices, etc.  However, this is a daily blog, so as soon as I find out more, I’ll write another post.  In the meantime, I’ve got to punch holes in my script and put it in a binder.  Thank God it’s reader’s theatre and I don’t have to learn all the lines!

Hmm… this is not the blog post I set out to write at all.  No matter, I have not time to rewrite it.  I hope to see you all tomorrow on Wuss-out Wednesday.

 

Moonshine Monday

Full disclosure:  It is not really Moonshine Monday.  I did not nor will I drink any moonshine today.  I’m a little sorry about that.  Today is one of those posts I make in haste before rehearsal, having once again failed to write anything earlier today.  I think it will be long on pictures and short on words.  That may be a good thing.  Let’s see what I can come up with…

I went to DikinDurt Distillery in Herkimer, NY  a while ago, so I could write about it for Mohawk Valley Living Magazine.  That issue came out today.  Noting that they did not use all the pictures I took, I thought I could use them here.  If you want to read the article, and the rest of the magazine, which is a wonderful publication, you can find them online: http://www.mohawkvalleyliving.com/.

Wouldn’t you love to have this in your house, with or without the moonshine?

This and the next picture were in the magazine.  However, I like them, I downloaded them, I’m sharing them.

Elizabeth Stack and Eric Boyer, co-owners of DikinDurt Distillery.

No, I did not have a sample from all those bottles of moonshine.  For one reason, they are only allowed to give you three 1/4 oz. shots.  The rules for distillery tasting rooms are much more strict than for winery tasting rooms (who me, sample every possible wine at a sitting?  Say it ain’t so!).

Kim suggested this shot, as it included the logo.

My friend, Kim, came with me when I visited.  We must return sometime soon with my husband, Steven.  For another reason, I might like to taste three different moonshines.

You can look through a window at where it all gets made.

 

I would also like to get a t-shirt.

I purchased a coffee mug when we were there.  The next time, I’ll probably buy some moonshine to put in my coffee, possibly Toasted Maple or Mohawk Valley Fire.

Kim did not fear the clear.

I close with another picture of Kim, because when you have a beautiful blond friend, it is nice to put her picture in a blog post.

DikinDurt Distillery is located at 115 Smith Rd., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-868-1563, www.dikindurt.com.

 

With a Laptop on my Knee

OK, I’m sitting here with the laptop on my lap (I know, where else would it be?  Well, it MIGHT be somewhere else; I’m not here to discuss the possible whereabouts of computers), and once again, I got nuthin’ (or is it “nuttin'”?  I like “nuthin'”) (which is not the same thing as not liking anything, but close).

Where was I?  Ah yes, Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  I tell you, I am down.  I’m not a writer.  I write a silly blog, and, as Truman Capote once said, “That’s not writing, that’s typing.”  Yes, yes, I must stop with the existential crisis, people will think I am merely fishing for encouragement.   I am only being honest, in this case.  Oh, sometimes I fish for encouragement or even compliments, never fear.  Hell, I’m not perfect.  I’m a factory worker who takes pen in hand or keyboard under fingers occasionally and words come out.  Good words?  Useful words?  Entertaining words?  One can only hope.

I have been trying to take another step towards reaching my writing goals, and I have had little to no success. I know, lift your feet a little higher, push them forward a little more, these things are under our own control if only we would accept responsibility.  Very well then, I shall accept responsibility.  Tomorrow, or possibly later tonight, I will work on the novel I found earlier today.  Ooh, that’s right, I did do one thing today:  I found the notebook I’ve been looking for where I had started a novel I thought I would like to finish. It’s a baby step, but it is a step.  I shall make further updates as events warrant.

In the meantime, it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday, the day I try to enjoy myself with my husband and not think about returning to work tomorrow (I’ll work on curing the Monday to Friday Malaise another time, did I mention I’m not perfect?).  We were watching Halloween movies earlier.  I wonder if we could watch another one now. No, I can’t work on that novel now, time with husband, remember?  I may or may not ever become a successful novelist, but if I take care to spend time with my husband I WILL have a good marriage.  Priorities, people.

 

Frankenstein and his Bride on Slacker Saturday

So it was after seven on Lame Post Friday when I posted.  Now it is after eight on Slacker Saturday, and here I am.  Of course, it was not Slacker Saturday earlier today.  I was not exactly slacking then.  That happened later.  Now I am at the sitting on my couch enjoying the Watching Halloween Movies portion of the day.  We just finished watching Frankenstein and Steven is putting in Bride of Frankenstein as I type.  The James Wale version of these tales, of course.

A publicity still from the Frankenstein movie I referred to above.

One thing I loved about Bride of Frankenstein is the prologue, with Elsa Lanchester as Mary Shelley.  I adore Elsa Lanchester, and this is an excellent introduction to the tale.  I have always been a little sorry the movie did not return to the scene of the introduction, making it a real book-end of a framing device.  However, I personally cannot figure out a way to do that without it being an anticlimax.  Perhaps James Whale, the director, could have come up with something suitable, but I cannot blame him for not having bothered.  Then again, perhaps he did bother, and the studio rejected his ideas.  Studios tend to do that, you know.

“My Mary is an angel,” says Percy Shelley.

Here is the delightful Elsa Lanchester.  What a fun scene this must have been to film.  She sits there, embroidering sweetly, with the tale of a monster in her head.

This was my Facebook profile picture for a while.

I’ve shared this picture here before, but I thought it appropriate to include a picture of Lanchester as the Bride.

Anyways, this is my Saturday post.  Full disclosure:  I thought I was going to just go to bed and make this post at five or so tomorrow morning.  I’m going to count that as a “Yay, me,” deserved or not.  I hope to see you all on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

Firefighters, Here I Come!

I thought I’d open with this catchy logo.

I ended Sunday’s Running Commentary post wondering if I could find a nearby 5K any time soon.  Ask and you shall receive!  Just a couple of days later, my husband Steven showed me an article on Facebook about a new 5K right here in Herkimer, NY. It is the East Herkimer Fire Department 5K, a new race. I said LET’S GO!!!!!  It got even better.

It is to benefit East Herkimer Fire Department.  I LOVE fire departments!  They save lives and property. During the flooding in 2013, fire departments traveled from across the state to Herkimer to help pump out people’s basements.  Three different departments cheerfully pumped us out three different times.  I think firefighters are GREAT!

The run will take place Saturday, Oct. 14.  Steven is on vacation, so he can attend and cheer me on.  Later that day, we will participate in A G.R.A.V.E. Murder, the murder mystery dinner theatre we are doing to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  That will make for an entire fun day!

Run, then murder. Life is full for Mohawk Valley Girl!

Then I noticed that registration is through RunSignUp.  I love those guys!  It is so simple and straightforward to register through them, and they don’t try to sell you anything.

So, feeling all happy and determined to participate in this 5K, what did I do but take three days off running.  In my defense, it has been hot and humid, and my body has not been in the best of health (but you already know that; I spent my other posts this week whining about these things).  I went running today.  In fact, my intention was to make a Running Commentary post.   However, I see I am approaching 300 words, so how about a Registration Commentary post?  We’ll call it a win for Non-Sequitur Thursday.

 

I’m Also a Witch

First a quick postscript to yesterday’s post (postpost?):  the crock pot applesauce was DELICIOUS, especially with the vanilla ice cream.  It was also yummy today for my lunch without the ice cream.  Unfortunately, my digestive woes continue.  I only mention it as a partial excuse for today’s Wuss-out Wednesday post.  Earlier this afternoon, I seriously considered cancelling the blog due to weather.  I thought, why not?  They call sports games for rain, snow or severe heat.  Lightning causes all sorts of cancellations and plan changes.  Why am I expected to function normally in unreasonably warm, muggy weather? (The weather folks call it “unseasonably warm,” but I calls it like I sees it.)

I know, I know, stop being such a baby.  That and, when have I ever functioned normally?  And when have I ever needed an excuse for Wuss-out Wednesday?  When have I ever used an excuse that was not immediately discounted, at least by those pesky critics in my head?  How many questions do you suppose I can fit into one paragraph?  Would you believe one more?

I think this blog is spinning out of control, even for a Wuss-out Wednesday.

What I may look like tomorrow morning.

When in doubt, look for a Halloween picture.  I went to the downloads on our laptop and found this.  I couldn’t quite see what it was in the downloads (too small), but I saw pumpkin, darkness, and said, OK.  Pumpkin spice coffee.  Ah, the thought of that encourages me.  It is the taste of autumn.  I could use some autumn.

I’m the one on the right.

I do not now where Steven got this picture, but I love old-fashioned stuff like this.  Ah, the thought of Halloween approaching makes me feel better about everything.

This time I’m the one in the middle.

Wow, my husband finds some great stuff online.  And too late I remember, I could have thrown in the pictures, called this Wordless Wednesday, and had done with.  I never do anything right!  On the other hand, if that’s what I am, I’ll embrace it.  Happy Wednesday, everyone.

 

I’m Such a BRAT!

I was going to call this a Tasty Tuesday post, but in fact I have not yet tasted the treat that is currently cooking in the crock pot.  I know, some bloggers would make their blog post later or tomorrow, but we all know that is not how I roll.  I make blog posts on the fly before going to rehearsal, and I go with what I got, even when I ain’t got nuthin’.

Be all that as it may, this afternoon I decided that I would go on a bland diet. Never mind why; nobody wants to hear about other people’s digestive issues.  I only bring it up because it is relevant to the post at hand.  Some may feel the bland diet is especially appropriate to me because of the acronym that helps us remember its elements: BRAT (you know who you are) (and I gotta say, right back atcha, for the most part) (but I digress).  BRAT, for the digestively blessed who have no need to know such a thing (digestively is not a word?  I’ll be damned!), BRAT stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast.  Pasta and potatoes can also form part of the diet, but there weren’t enough vowels to add two more P’s, so you just have to pretend they are included under Rice or Toast.

After work, I headed to the store to purchase Bananas, Rice, and Applesauce (I already had bread for the toast at home).  After some internal debate about brown vs. white rice (I like brown but wondered if it was bland enough for a BRAT like me) (I took a chance and got the brown) and a quick look around for a treat for Steven (I love my husband), I checked out and headed home.

And found out I had forgotten the applesauce.  Damn it!  When there are only four items on one’s diet, one does not like to miss one.  However, I have some apples I purchased recently at North Star Orchards in Westmoreland (thus adding a little local flair to my post).  I know one can make applesauce in the crock pot.  I looked for a recipe online.  I’ve had pretty good luck finding things online lately (knock wood).

The first recipe I came across was pretty simple:  apples, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, water.  They said Golden Delicious Apples and I have Macintosh, but I was undeterred.  Additionally, they said core and peel, and I left the peel on.  There are plenty of nutrients and fiber in the peel, you know.  Continuing to do my own thing, I cut the apples into smaller pieces than the quarters called for by the recipe. For one reason, since I was leaving the peel on, I thought it would be easier to eat.  Then I got tired of chopping apples and stopped at six.  I halved the other ingredients.  See, I can do the math.

The apples are in the crock pot, and the crock pot is on HIGH.  Yes, I remembered to plug it in (don’t laugh; we all forget such things on occasion).  It should be done after rehearsal.  Steven and I will have some for a treat before bed.  Maybe we should stop at the store on the way home from rehearsal and get some vanilla ice cream to  put on it while it’s still warm.  I can start my bland diet tomorrow.

 

An Afghan for Rocky

I am going to recount today’s minor Mohawk Valley adventure, not so much because it was an exciting adventure, but because it will advertise an upcoming event local readers may like to go to.

Regular readers know I like to crochet and watch movies or television.  The only thing I know how to crochet is afghans, and I have gotten pretty fast at making them.  As you may guess, they can pile up.  My solution is to donate them to worthy causes.  When I see a poster for a benefit fundraiser with a Chinese auction, I try to give a call and donate an afghan.  I’ve written about this before, not in the interest of tooting my own horn (I do that on Toot Your Horn Tuesday), but to call attention to one of my favorite things: people helping people.  I truly believe that we are the answers to each other’s prayers (but never mind the half-baked philosophy; that goes on Lame Post Friday).

Today’s cause is Rocky Rockwell, a local veteran who suffered a demolished home in recent flooding.  I believe this is the second time his home has suffered damage, and this time it was much worse.

I knew some time ago about the Flood Relief Benefit for Rocky Rockwell on Sept. 30.  Well, you know how it is:  when you know you’ve got to the end of the month to do something, you just naturally put it off.  At least I do.  If you do not, well that is an excellent habit to be in.  Keep up the good work.  Be that as it may (one of my favorite expressions), I finally called the number for the benefit organizers and found out I could drop the afghan by their meeting tonight at the VFW.  So I did.

I told you it was not all that exciting of an adventure, didn’t I?  BUT I think it will do as a plug for the benefit.  It is this Saturday, Sept. 30 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Herkimer VFW, 129 Mohawk St., Herkimer, NY.  You can find out more at the Facebook Event page (I love Facebook Events).  A motorcycle ride precedes the benefit, and at the benefit there will be a DJ, raffles, food, a Chinese auction, and cash bar.

I’ll be there, checking to see how many tickets get put in for my afghan.