We Can’t All Be the Grinch

Posted on December 15, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

My house is back online, just in time for Wuss-out Wednesday.  Instead of sitting at Basloe Library (a perfectly wonderful place to be, but I have to wear a bra and shoes ) I am lounged on my couch.  But it is still Wuss-out Wednesday.  My brain is dead.  My body is not doing much better, but my purpose is not to complain but to blog, possibly to entertain.  At least I may entertain myself.  That’s something.

Steven is watching The Year Without a Santa Claus.  Yay, Snow Miser and Heat Miser!  Did anybody here Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s cover of their song?  An awesome rendition.  However, I have a few problems with this special.  I guess I could do worse for a Wuss-out Wednesday post than mention them.

A friend pointed out that the whole plot is a little shaky.  The two elves go in search of Christmas spirit so Santa will not take the day off.  Then the mayor says if it will snow, he will get all the mayors together and give Santa… the day off!  I gotta say what I say when confronted with a plot hole in a cheesy horror movie:  Waaaaait a minute!

My first problem happens before the elves take off, though.  Mrs. Claus has the wonderful song, “Anyone Can Be Santa Claus,” her first plan being to impersonate the fat man herself.  I quite frankly thought (the first time I saw it, and I still think it) that this is a marvelous idea.  Of course anyone can be Santa Claus!  All you have to do is give somebody something! EVERYBODY should be Santa Claus!  But, no, Mrs. Claus is shot down almost immediately.  SHE can’t be Santa Claus.  Only the REAL Santa Claus will do.

Now don’t tell me it would have been a shorter story if Mrs. Claus had just delivered the toys.  They could have  put in a lot of twists and turns if they had gone with that plot line.  No, I’m not going to write it.  If you can’t think of any twists and turns yourself, just take my word for it.

The biggest problem I have always had with this special is the same one I have with almost all the Christmas specials about Santa Claus.  Christmas = presents.   All I can hear in my head is Boris Karloff saying, “Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.  Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

Well I won’t wax philosophical about that tonight (regular readers know that half-baked philosophy belongs on Lame Post Friday).   I’ll just enjoy the fun music and charming animation (so retro), while I ponder the Christmas spirit.  I hope you are all having a lovely December so far.

 

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Hurry In Fast!

Posted on December 14, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

You know what’s a real bummer?  Finding a fun new shop, then finding out they are closing soon!  I guess to write a blog post about this is not totally fun, as my subhead promises, but since local readers still have a chance to check out The Rose Quartz Stand, I thought I would go ahead and write it.

The Rose Quartz Stand is a gem and mineral store located at 105 Mohawk St. in Herkimer, NY.  I only recently stopped by, and I liked it a lot.  They have all kinds of stones, rocks and gems.  Some are polished, some are carved, some are just there, all kinds of colors, shapes and sizes.  There is also a nice selection of jewelry, stuffed toys and other items.

I was particularly fascinated by some fossils.  I asked if they were real fossils or if somebody had carved the fish skeletons on the rocks.  I thought it was marvelous that they were real fossils, although I guess it would have been some highly skilled carving if they were fakes.

The proprietors, George and Sandra Drobot, also go around to gem and mineral shows.  I said I preferred a store, because I can’t always make up my mind what to purchase right way.

I wanted to write an article about the place for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  With that in mind, I stopped back this afternoon.  As I was chatting with Mrs. Drobot, she mentioned they were closing soon.  I felt so bad!  They will continue to do shows, and they have a website and Facebook page.  I encourage any local readers who likes this sort of thing to check out the Rose Quartz Stand while they are still here.  They should be around till Christmas Eve, so you can get a Christmas present for the gem-loving person on your list.

Their website is www.therosequartzstand.com. You can also Like them on Facebook.

 

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Alliteration before Auditions

Posted on December 13, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m afraid it’s Middle-aged Musings Monday, or Mental Meanderings Monday (choose your alliteration).  I’m sitting in Basloe Library in Herkimer, NY, with my usual Monday back-ache (and you were hoping I could get through a post without griping about my physical ills) (quite frankly, so was I), sipping coffee and typing on my laptop.

I will just mention that there is something vaguely comforting about my Monday back-ache.  I won’t pretend to be so twisted that I enjoy having a back-ache, but at least it feels familiar.  Does that make any sense?  Does anything make any sense?  How about that headline?  Let’s talk about that.

After famously saying, “No more plays!” after Much Ado About Nothing (a truly grand theatrical experience, thank you, LiFT!), I am planning to go to Ilion Little Theatre tonight to audition for Steel Magnolias.  Oh come on, did anybody seriously believe I wasn’t going to?  Of course, there is no guarantee I will get a part.  It actually might be kind of better if I don’t get one.  I mean, I’m writing three or four murder mysteries.  They are scheduled for February, March, April and TBD.  More details to follow.

I’ll tell you what, this is not the best place to sit with a laptop.  The florescent lights are reflected in my screen in a most annoying fashion.  I just re-tilted in an attempt to minimize the effect.

Where was I?  Ah yes, too busy to be in another play.  Additionally, the deadline looms for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  My computer problems have delayed my getting my articles written and submitted.  To be more exact, my dithery, ineffective attempts at dealing with my computer problems have had that effect.  A more organized writer would have handily completed said articles.  Here we come to the ugly truth about me.

On the other hand, I see it is 4:24 according to my computer.  That is almost two hours before my ride will pick me up to go to auditions (it’s so much more comfortable to go to these things with a friend!).  I can progress on my articles now!  As Gene Wilder famously said in Young Frankenstein:  “IT!  COULD!  WORK!”

 

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Wrist to WiFi

Posted on December 12, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh, I think Wrist to Forehead Sunday is definitely in order today.  My internet is still out.  I went to McDonald’s this morning, where, you may recall, I handily made my blog post yesterday.  This morning I could not get on WordPress.  They told me it was not secure!  What was that all about?

I suppose someone will say that writers are an insecure lot, by and large.  Writers of blogs, I think, have a little more self-confidence, because we just put our words out there.  Come to think of it, that is what any writer does, except, you know, the ones like Emily Dickinson, who famously hid all her poems in the attic (at least I think it was the attic; I guess it wasn’t all that famous if I’m not sure, was it?).

In case anybody was wondering, I am typing this into the word processing feature on my laptop.  I shall presently seek somewhere with wi-fi (probably the library parking lot), try to get onto wordpress.com there, and copy and paste.  I felt clever for thinking of that idea.  I must implement it soon, though, because Steven only works till one and if I am not back, he will wonder where I am.  He cannot call me, because our phone is out too.  Curse you, Time Warner Cable!

Oh dear, I hope that last line does not bring the wrath of a huge corporation down on my hapless head.  Then I really will have a reason for a Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

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I Live to Give

Posted on December 11, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

As my computer woes continue, I am checking out the free wi-fi at McDonald’s (why there couldn’t be a sweet local coffee shop in Herkimer!  But I’ll deal with the chain fast-food behemoth, because needs must).  This really isn’t so bad.  The dining room is practically empty and I’m drinking coffee.  Anyways, I did not want to delay making this post.

Under the heading Christmas is for Giving, I went to Earthly Matters Crystals and Stones in Ilion, NY, today with a donation for the veterans.  Toni Joy, the proprietor, is collecting toiletry and non-perishable food items to make up baskets for the veterans.  I also brought some scarves I had lying around.  Regular readers may remember (if they think about me at all, a scant possibility, I admit) that I know how to knit and crochet very few items.  One of them is scarves, an excellent way to use up odds and ends of yarn.  Unfortunately, my family and friends can only use so many scarves, so the extras pile up.  I thought the veterans might like them.

Toni Joy was very happy with my donation.  The scarves may go to the veterans or to the children.  She was thinking of setting up a mitten tree for area children.  My donation of scarves helped her decide to definitely do it.  I said if anybody could use my scarves, yay!

I stuck around and shopped a little. I love looking at the stones, handmade jewelry and other items for sale.  I made one purchase, but I shan’t tell you what it is, because it MIGHT be a Christmas present for… somebody.  Somebody I like.  Oh dear, I’ve said too much.

So the reason I did not want to delay this post is that I want to encourage any local readers to get over to Earthly Matters with a donation for the veterans or the children.  I think Toni said she had some 60 baskets to make up.  That’s a lot of food and toiletry items!  I encourage everybody to donate to this or to the charity of his or her choice (I know there are a lot of them out there).  I LOVE the season of giving!

Earthly Matters is located at 58 Otsego St., Ilion, NY, phone number 315-717-2687.

 

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Did You Miss Me Yesterday?

Posted on December 10, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

My whole life is operator error!

OK, got that out of my system.  Regular readers may have noticed that I did not make a post yesterday.  Well, I had internet issues.  I’m still having them.  However, by the miracle of Mid-York Library System, I am making a brief post today.  Yes, I am at Basloe Library in Herkimer, on one of their computers.  I was trying to get onto the internet on my laptop, and it just did not seem to be working out for me.  I re-started the laptop and that may have worked, but then I said, “Oh to hell with it; I’ll get on one of their computers and make my blog post!”  I said it to myself; I did not swear out loud in the library.

Last night I would have liked to go to the library parking lot and get on the internet, but Steven and I had plans for dinner and the theatre.  At least, we had plans for the theatre.  I was supposed to make dinner but I made reservations instead.  It served as our belated anniversary dinner, at Sorrento’s in Ilion.  A delightful dinner.  Then we went to Rabbit Hole at Ilion Little Theatre.  Then we went home and went to bed, where I did not sleep well, but that’s neither here nor there.

I did not run in the Reindeer Run 5K (I would still be running it if I had) in Little Falls.  For one reason, I could not pre-register because I could not get online.  For another reason, I just didn’t want to any more.  I mean, I kind of did, but I mostly didn’t.  Sorry, other 5K runners who may have enjoyed me puffing and panting and making silly jokes along the way.  Maybe next year.

So now that I have blathered on for some 300 words, I’m going to get on with the rest of my day.  Big plans, mostly of the Mohawk Valley adventure variety. I’ll let you know how they workout.

 

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Looking a Little More Like Christmas

Posted on December 9, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Steven spent his day off making our house look beautiful for Christmas.  I thought in lieu of a Non-Sequitur Thursday, I would share a few pictures.  First a few Santas.  We love Santa Claus.

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There are stories behind each Santa on the stairs, but I’d like to tell you about our new Santa, or rather half Santa.  Recently when I was at the Herkimer County Historical Society to talk about a murder mystery, I noticed the top half of a plastic Santa.

“He’s yours,” said one of the ladies I was there to meet.  The Santa had been rescued from the middle of the street during a wind storm last winter.  They put his picture on Facebook, so the owner could claim him.  Steven commented that if nobody did, we could offer the Santa a home.  Since he lacks a bottom half, we put him behind our fireplace screen (a Christmas present from my parents a few years ago), so he could look as if he is emerging from the chimney.

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Another favorite feature of our holiday decorations is Steven’s nutcracker collection.  This isn’t the whole thing, but a nice selection to cover our buffet.

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Oh, how I love Christmas.   Soon I must finish my Christmas shopping, start my Christmas baking, address my Christmas cards and commence my Christmas wrapping.  It is the time of year when I cease to be the Evil Woman CinCin and become… wait for it… Cindy Claus!

 

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Possibly a Pre-5K Run

Posted on December 8, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I actually wrote part of a blog post while at work today (um, on a BREAK, not while working), but then I came home and went running, so I thought I would like to make a Running Commentary Post instead.

This Saturday, Dec. 10, is the Reindeer Run 5K, part of the Christmas in Little Falls festivities. I have been saying I am going to run it.  Maybe.  As I left work today, I said to my co-worker, “I guess I’d better go running today, if I think I’m going to run a 5K on Saturday.”

“If you’re going to run Saturday, what do you need to run today for?” he asked.  He was not serious.

As I left work, I was a little afraid the temperature would be borderline.  That is, should I wear leggings and long-sleeves or shorts and t-shirt?  When I took Spunky for a walk as soon as I got home, I got a dreadful hot flash.  They have been getting hotter, and they are not over in a flash.  They do not particularly bother me; I just ride them out.  However, it impaired my ability to judge the weather.

Getting back home, I noted that the thermostat said 42 degrees.  My rule for myself is shorts and short-sleeves for 45 degrees and warmer.  Still, 42 sounded pretty warm to me, and the hot flash wasn’t quitting.  Still, I had made up that rule for myself…

I put on leggings and long sleeves.  The leggings felt too tight, so I looked for a pair of fat old lady pants instead.  I had run in fat old lady pants recently and found it works pretty good.  Fat old lady pants, in case you did not know, are fairly loose-fitting, elastic-waist, poly-cotton blend.  The pair I found had pockets, which I liked.  It would be handier for my watch, for one reason.  The band is broken on my wrist-watch, so now I pin it to my pants and make it a waist-watch.

It didn’t feel too cold or two warm as I started down the sidewalk.  I had it in mind to run up the hill to Herkimer College, a challenging 40-minute run to make sure I was ready for the 5K.  I managed to cross German Street without too much problem and ran down the sidewalk, avoiding the occasional puddle.  I had set out at 3:40 (15:40, my watch said; I have military time) (um, not because I was in the army; it’s because I don’t want to screw up and set the alarm for p.m. instead of a.m.).  There was a lot of traffic.

Soon I was running up Lou Ambers Drive.  It seemed to take a long time to get to the steep part.  Cars whizzed by me, mostly not slowing down or getting over.  I couldn’t blame them for not getting over, because there was also a lot of traffic going in the other direction.  As I ran, a song I had been singing to Spunky kept playing in my head:

He’d a good dog named Spunky

His name is Spunky and he’s a good  dog.

The lyrics are not inspired, but it has a good rhythm to run to.  I remembered when I was in Army Basic Training, one of my buddies was on profile and did not run all through Basic, till the very end (“on profile” is a medical thing).  Then she had to run the two-mile PT (physical training) test.  She said she was going to sing Christmas carols to herself to keep going.  It worked for her, because she passed.  I decided to sing a few Christmas carols to myself today.  It was not the miracle I was hoping for as far as taking my mind off the hill.  But I made it to the top.

I could see down to Herkimer, which I had not been able to do the last couple of times I made that run.  It was overcast and grey, but I could see buildings. However, I could not linger and really look.  I kept running.

By the time I got back to the village and level ground, I realized I could rock this.  I thought about the 5K and pictured myself at the 2 mile mark encouraging my fellow runners by shouting, “We can rock this!”  Oh yeah, like anybody there will run as slowly as I do!

I made my 40 minutes and was pretty pleased with myself.  I must confess, I am not as pleased with my blog post, but you’ll have that.  I still haven’t quite made up my mind about the 5K.  I’ll let you know.  In the meantime, I will gather what satisfaction I can from the fact that I did not make a Wuss-out Wednesday post.

 

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Murder Most Different

Posted on December 7, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

OK, so I did not write a blog post while at work today, because I spent every break working on a murder mystery.  I LOVE writing murder mysteries!  I feel so clever when I am inventing characters, deciding on their relationships and problems.  When I realize this one wants to do dirt to that one, or the other one loves this one but yet another character knows the dirty little secret of…  you get the picture.

I actually have three mysteries to write with varying requirements for each.  Today I was working on one that is particularly intriguing, because the format is different from what I am used to.  What I usually write is dinner theatre:  the actors mingle with the audience during cocktails then have an actual, rehearsed performance in which all the clues are presented.  The murder I worked on today will be almost completely interactive, with the audience seeking clues throughout several rooms.

I will have to figure out how the murder was committed and, more importantly, how somebody might figure out who did it, how and why.  What clues will be found?  Where will they be?  How did they get there?  Where do they lead?  Can they possibly MISlead?  How about a nice, juicy red herring or two?

However, for me, everything starts with the characters.  I know who will be the victim of the first murder (I think we’ll have more than one corpse during the evening, just to keep things lively).  I started thinking of who the other characters will be.  Soon I had several people identified by roles:  the guy that runs the speakeasy (did I mention that it is a 1920s theme?), the madame of the brothel, the proprietor of a rival speakeasy…   Once I had given everybody a name, things got really fun.

Soon I will have figured out what everybody thinks of everybody else, who hates or loves whom, who did dirt to whom (I do mean “whom” don’t I?  How embarrassing that I am not sure).  I write a lot of random notes then try to organize everything.

Hmmm…  I seem to be babbling on without a whole lot of specifics.  Well, I will give more specifics on these mysteries when I know more about the where, when and how you can get tickets.  In the meantime, I hope I have intrigued my local readers and entertained those farther afield.  If so, I say good work for a Tired Tuesday.

 

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There’s Always Someone!

Posted on December 6, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

For this week’s Middle-aged Musings Monday, I will attempt to reconstruct the post I wrote in my head last week and never used.  This is something I have long observed:  there is always somebody to tell you you are wrong.

If I donate to a charity, someone will tell me that my money won’t go to the cause, and anyways it’s the wrong cause, and we can’t really solve problems anyways.  If I do something for a societal or environmental purpose, someone will tell me of the dreadful ill effect my action will also have while not really doing all that much to help the intended purpose.  If I purchase any item with no ulterior motive, charitable, societal or otherwise, someone will tell me I spent too much.

And NOW I am waiting for somebody to say to me, “Why do you worry about what somebody else says?  I never do.”

So, you see, I am always wrong.  Additionally, I seem to be the sort of person that other people feel free to criticize.  I bet some of you are even as I type this gearing up to tell me to quit whining and just blog already.  Regarding that, well, I think I will just try to follow the earlier advice of not worrying about what other people say.

 

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