No Matter on Wrist to Forehead Sunday

Posted on May 22, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I ran this morning, thinking I would go ahead and make two Running Commentary posts in a row.  Then I thought a common or garden Wrist to Forehead Sunday would be OK.  Now I am sitting here at the laptop, typing nonsense, and watching the clock creep closer to when my friend Kim comes over and my husband Steven gets off work and we head to the Little Falls Cheese Festival Fundraiser at the Overlook Mansion.  There will be wine and craft beer samples there.  If I wait and make my post later, I fear I will drink and type.  Of course I have done that before, but it is not ideal.

Then again, it may be better than what I have so far.  Perhaps I should compose two posts today, one now and one later, publish both and let the readers decide.  Ah, but what to write about NOW?

This morning’s run was pretty good.  I ran down to the canal trail, starting by Mohawk Valley Ambulance Corp, running for as long as I ran yesterday.  Yay me.  Back home, I made a macaroni salad for my lunches this week, also chopping vegetables for snacks.  Yay me again, although it might be better if I did not eat all kinds of other crap besides the vegetables.  However, I can’t worry about that now.

My real wrist to forehead situation today is what to wear to the fundraiser.  I have a color coordinated outfit on now but I’m not in love with it.  I think I look like an overweight middle-aged lady.  Oh wait, that’s what I am.  I suppose I will look like that no matter what.  Ah, and what’s in the middle of that last sentence?  “No matter.”  That is what I often say to myself, and it is what I say now.  I don’t like my outfit.  I don’t like this blog post.  No matter.  I’m going to have fun at the fundraiser.  I wonder if I can get anything else useful done before I go.

 

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Perhaps Not an Epic Post but an Epic Run

Posted on May 21, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was twenty minutes into my run when I remembered I had not put on any sunscreen, not even my usual Oil of Old Ladies with SPF 15 on my face.  Of course, sunburn has not even been on my radar with our late spring.  Additionally, I usually run before 9 a.m. on a Saturday.  However, today I did not hit the streets till almost 1:30.  Yikes!  Naturally I kept running and tried not to worry about such things.

I had slept in this morning, after a late night at the murder mystery party where I had been plied with gin and champagne (full disclosure:  I did not put up much of a fight).  I had a headache and only myself to blame.  No matter, I told myself briskly.  I had not been running in three days and I was determined not to make in four.  I ran with a bottle of water in one hand.  I seem to remember that this is against the best running advice, but that was something else I couldn’t worry about.  My plan was to sip as I ran and when it was empty, refill it at the spring.  Accordingly, I headed towards Lou Ambers Drive, where the spring is located.

My plan was to run up the minor hill by Valley Health and around the residential area there I call the suburbs.  I guess technically it’s not a suburb, but you know how I like to have names for things.  There is an epic hill in that area as well as a few more of varying slopes and distances.  I did not feel up to anything too strenuous.  I wanted a slow, long, easy run.

Guess where I ended up running. Yes, it was the epic hill.  I sort of automatically headed in that direction and once I was on it just kept going.  Oh, that hill goes on for a long time!  Partway up, I thought it would probably be OK if I just turned around and ran back the way I came.  Then I reminded myself how stubborn I was.  I wasn’t rocking it, but I would not be defeated.  The road is a long loop, it goes up, up, up, then down, then up a short ways to meet up with itself.  I was SO HAPPY when I FINALLY got to the down part!  I noticed that the downhill did not last nearly as long as the uphill before I was headed uphill again.  And there’s a metaphor for life, I told myself.

As I ran, I narrated in my head, thinking my blog post would be a long as my run.  Now that I am typing, I’m not remembering the good parts.  For one reason, my headache is back.  No matter.  It will go away again.  In the meantime, I upped my run time by the recommended 10 percent and I am well on track to being in shape running the Boilermaker 15K.  Anyways, do you really want to hear about my puffing and panting?  Well, if you do, don’t despair.  I will no doubt do more running commentaries soon.  Happy Saturday, everyone!

 

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Murder! Acting! and Cheese!

Posted on May 20, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s been a while since I’ve made a hasty post before rushing off to a theatrical endeavor, has it not?  No matter if it has not, it is what I am doing now, I hope.  What a weekend I have ahead of me!  One show revived, another show started, and a wine and cheese fundraiser.  Take a deep breath, Cindy, and enjoy the ride!  (Yes, I talk to myself, is that a problem?)

First up is tonight’s revival of Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, the interactive murder mystery that was presented to great acclaim at The Overlook Mansion in Little Falls (all my murder mysteries are presented to great acclaim, or at least I say so).  We are putting it on again for a private party.  Woohoo, LiFT Theatre Company is in demand!

This was the original cast. We had to re-cast a couple of parts.

Tomorrow, I’ll be with LiFT Theatre Company once again, when we meet for the first read-through of The Tempest, our Shakespeare production for the summer.  I will be sure to make lots of posts about that as rehearsals start and keep my local readers updated on performances.  You’ll have lots of chances to catch this one!

Sunday, when I ought to be doing laundry and cleaning my house (oh yeah, and writing my novel), I will be heading to the Overlook Mansion for a fundraiser for the Little Falls Cheese Festival.

I’ve got my ticket!

I will be a mere attendee at this event, instead of a participant, as I will be for Rubbed Out at Ruby’s and The Tempest.  I expect it will make a lovely blog post.

I see I have come full circle on this post.  I started out with Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, which was presented at the Overlook Mansion by LiFT Theatre Company.  I continued with another activity with LiFT Theatre Company.  Now I return to the Overlook to eat cheese, drink wine and listen to the blues.  What could be better?  I shall close with a shot of the Overlook, which I believe I have used before.  Happy Friday, everybody!

It is such a beautiful place, I don’t mind showing it more than once.

 

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My Halloween Socks Are Clean

Posted on May 19, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

A few minutes ago, I thought to myself, “When in doubt, eat ice cream.” I thought it would be a good lead for a blog post, but it seemed ominously familiar.  Once I finished the ice cream, I looked and sure enough, I once made a blog post with exactly that title.  And pinged back on it two more times.  This will be three.

Full disclosure:  It was frozen yogurt and I realize that, even so, it is a poor way to work toward my weight-loss goals.  In my defense, allow me to explain, “Shut up.”  (That is a joke I proudly borrow from S.J. Perelman.)

I just took a break from blogging and looked for S.J. Perelman on Facebook, to make sure I spelled his name right.  I ended up reading part of a Paris Review interview with him.  Then I realized the Friends re-run that was on next was not one I wanted to see, so I got up and changed the channel to 20/20 on OWN.  As you may guess, I am not particularly focused today.  On the brighter side, I am in a much better mood than I was yesterday.

I did a very little writing earlier, on a letter to a friend.  As I always maintain, any writing counts.

Steven just now reminded me that I have laundry in the washer.  Oops.

The laundry is in the drier, except for the items I hang up to dry.  Now, having skipped around in true Non-Sequitur Thursday fashion, I am going to sign off.  I just remembered I was going to paint my toenails tonight.

 

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No Boot Straps on Wuss-out Wednesday

Posted on May 18, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am having the damnedest time writing and have for the longest time.  I think to myself, “I love to write!”  But all I want to do is puzzles, primarily cryptograms with a few others thrown in.  I thought to myself today, this is a symptom of depression:  you like to do something, you know it will help you to do it, and you don’t do it. What the hell, me?

The thought came into my mind, “People who have not experienced it cannot understand the mind-numbing, paralyzing, utter inability…”  I don’t remember how the thought ended, but I immediately felt I could not put such a thought into a blog post.  Nobody would buy it, I thought.  They will tell me to stop being such a whiny baby, and maybe they are right.

I am going through a few things, but let’s face it: We all have problems and many people have far worse ones than mine.  As I have mentioned before, I suffer from depression.  I don’t like to write it or say it, because it sounds like I am asking for sympathy or making an excuse.  And it feels as if I have exposed something private and secret I would really, really rather not talk about.  Some people do not “believe in” depression.  They feel it is a made-up problem and I need to just stop whining and pull myself up by those boot straps they’re always talking about.

Only I rarely wear boots and the ones I have don’t have straps.

Then again, not whining is not a bad start.  I cannot pull myself up by my bootstraps (and what a hoary cliche that is, anyways), but there are things I can do to make myself feel better.  I will try to do some of them.  For example, starting on a better blog post for tomorrow.  We’ll call this one a Wuss-out Wednesday and drive on.

 

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Steve is Bela; I’m Boris

Posted on May 17, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Two of my favorites, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff.

I was about to start making a Wuss-out Wednesday post when I realized it was only Tired Tuesday.  However, my sweet husband, Steven, has the next two days off, so it is his Friday.  Therefore, I thought of using this photo.  Other than that, I don’t got much.

I went running earlier, so thought I could make a Running Commentary post.  Unfortunately, I don’t think that is going to work out for me.  I used up all my oomph before I ran, finishing my article for Mohawk Valley Living magazine and typing up a couple of scenes for a murder mystery.  I was pretty impressed with myself that I ran at all.  I was rewarded for my effort by the feeling that my legs actually had muscles in them.  Yay, me.

Incidentally, regarding the headline, I’m not really Boris. For the main reason, I would never call my husband an idiot.  Additionally, my voice is nowhere near as melodious.  Wouldn’t that be a kick, though, if one day I magically woke up with Boris Karloff’s voice?  That would rock.

Is this post turning into a Non-Sequitur Tuesday?  That belongs on Thursday, for heavens’ sake!  I can’t even keep my own features straight! Then again, that’s par for the course on Tired Tuesday.  Let’s hope for better posts as the week wears on!

 

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My Wild Weekend

Posted on May 16, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

This past weekend, my husband Steven and I were in Vermont.  I did not say anything about it at the time, because I didn’t want any local readers seizing the opportunity to burglarize my house.  Then again, I’m sure all my lovely readers are honest, upright citizens, who probably have much nicer stuff than I do anyways.  Be that as it may, I thought for today’s post, I would share a few pictures I took of my sister-in-law’s back yard.  She lives at the bottom of a mountain.  It’s really cool.

No, these are NOT my in-laws! What a suggestion!

The wild turkeys came and visited every morning and evening while we were there.  Naturally I grabbed my Tablet and took a few pictures.

You’d think they would have smiled for the camera. Turkeys!

I confess I felt like a lousy nature-lover when the sight of the birds made me crave roast turkey with all the fixings.

Of course I did not try to catch and cook any of these turkeys.

You can’t really see the colors of the feathers in these pictures, but when the sun hit them they became almost iridescent. I was kind of hoping one of them might lose a feather or two that I could find.  Maybe if I would have taken a walk in the woods I could have found one.

On the other hand, there are black bears in those woods. We saw one black bear.  Alas, I did not get a picture, because it was at night.  Additionally, we could only see him through the kitchen window.  When we went out on the deck for a better look, he ran away.  I said he was a scaredy-bear.

So that is my story about my Wildlife Weekend.  I know, it wasn’t like an African Safari or even a camping trip.  But for a Melancholy Monday (my new feature), I think it will do as a blog post.

 

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Happy Mother’s Day from Me and Joan

Posted on May 15, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

A very Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers everywhere, most especially to my own very wonderful Mom.  I also send prayers and good thoughts out to all who are celebrating Mother’s Day without their mother.   I send love and respect to those who through choice or circumstance are not mothers. I am feeling tired and melancholy this afternoon, but one must make a blog post every day when one is me.  When other people are feeling down, I never can find the right words of wisdom and comfort.  All I can manage is to make stupid jokes in hopes that a little humor will take their minds off their troubles.  With that in mind, I submit the following picture I have used before.

In my defense, I do like candy.

Yes, it is Mommy, Dearest herself, Joan Crawford.  The picture is from a fine chunk of cheddar (that is, a cheesy horror movie) from William Castle, Straitjacket.  In the movie, Crawford plays a mother who also does not the set best example of maternity.  More than that I won’t say, though, in case you  have not seen the movie.  Perhaps it is one to screen in honor of the day.  It would also make this a Severed Head Sunday, one of my favorite kinds of Sunday.

So this is my short, silly post.  We’ll call it a Wrist to Forehead Sunday and hit publish.  I shall publish a post again tomorrow, and I hope it will not be Melancholy Monday.

 

 

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Getting Some Sugar at the Shack

Posted on May 13, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I usually give shout-outs to Mohawk Valley businesses, but once in a while I like to mention favorite destinations when I travel.  One of the best is The Sugar Shack in Arlington, Vermont.  They are a country store selling Vermont products including maple syrup, cheese, baked goods and more.  You can also buy all sorts of touristy items such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, glasses, post cards and other things.

Additionally, the store is home to a Norman Rockwell exhibit which was previously housed at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Arlington.  When the museum closed, the Sugar Shack gave a home to the displays.  My husband Steven and I were  so happy when this happened.  We used to stop at that museum whenever we were in Vermont and were very disappointed when it closed. We love Norman Rockwell!  We have several framed Rockwell prints on our walls as well as a few coffee mugs featuring his work.

Speaking of coffee mugs, one of our favorites is one from the Sugar Shack featuring the owner’s lovely dog Shack.  They have two dogs now, and the last time Steven and I were at the store, Steven noticed there is now a mug available with both dogs.  Our kitchen cabinet is quite full of coffee mugs.  Still, we might find room for a mug with both Sugar Shack dogs.

We follow the Sugar Shack on Facebook. We don’t need a reminder to visit when we are in the area, but it is nice to hear about fresh cider donuts and see pictures of the dogs.  The Sugar Shack is located at 29 Sugar Shack Lake, Rt. 7A, Arlington, VT, phone number 802-375-6747.  For more information you can visit their website at http://sugarshackvt.com/.  And you should definitely Like them on Facebook.

 

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It’s a Mystery Why I’m So Lame

Posted on May 13, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Frangelica Inferno

When in doubt, insert a picture of a beautiful woman.  Some of you have seen this picture before or seen other pictures of my friend Kim in this very costume.  She wore it for the Doodah Parade in Ilion, NY last summer.  I was so impressed with it (and by her ability to walk the entire parade route in high heels) that I wrote a murder mystery featuring a character who would wear that outfit.  It was Who Shot JS? which was presented to great acclaim as a fundraiser for the Herkimer County Historical Society.  Perhaps you read some of my blog posts about it.

So it’s Lame Post Friday, and I feel myself utterly incapable of making a proper blog post.  Rather than whine any further or take a Blogger’s Sick Day, I am looking through downloaded pictures on my laptop and trying to come up with something that might amuse.

Not to be confused with The Overlook Mansion in The Shining. Um, it was The Overlook in The Shining, wasn’t it?

Speaking of murder mysteries, isn’t this a great setting for one?  This is the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls NY, where LiFT Theatre Company presented Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, also to great acclaim.  Perhaps you read a few of by blog posts about that one.

Just listen to me brag about myself.  Presenting murder mysteries to great acclaim, indeed.  You’d think I was having Toot My Horn Tuesday (a feature I have not utilized often).  It’s Friday!  I can’t think of anything alliterative and egotistical for a Friday!  Oh well, sometimes these things can’t be helped.  I’ll look for one more picture to round things out and call this a post.

Photo by Mark C. Hanna

Perfect!  This is Engaged to be Murdered, which was presented at the Morning Star Methodist Church in Ilion last year.  I do love to write murder mysteries.

I am now over 300 words and have included three pictures.  I call that respectable, especially for Lame Post Friday.  Have a nice weekend, everyone.

 

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