Tag Archives: blog post

It Didn’t Stay Layered

Posted on November 24, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I said,  “What shall I write my blog post about?”  Steven answered, “The delicious dinner that I made.”  Well, I got nuthin’ else, so let’s try it.

Earlier I had a few ideas for supper, but it was Steven’s day off.  When I talked to him at lunch, he told me he had gotten burger out of the freezer for shepherd’s pie (no relation to my great nephew Shepherd) (sorry, just couldn’t resist mentioning him).  We had some leftover mashed potatoes, which might be sufficient.

“I might have to cook a couple more potatoes,” Steven said.

“It’s OK if there’s not much potato,” I said.  “Because, you know, calories.”  Steven has nothing to worry about, but I am putting on weight again.

He ended up using the potatoes we had.  He cooked the burger, adding Worcestershire sauce, then layered it in a casserole dish with the leftover potatoes and frozen corn.  On top he put lemon-and-pepper, garlic powder and seasoned breadcrumbs.  He put it in a 350 degree oven till it seemed done.

“It didn’t stay layered,” Steven said when he took it out.

It still tasted pretty good, especially after adding salt and pepper.  We ate it all.  It’s a bonus that there were no left-overs.  We are not very good at using up our leftovers.

I have not mentioned that I am dreadfully tired today, but perhaps it shows.  If so, I crave your indulgence (that is a fancy way to beg pardon or otherwise apologize).  I am planning great Mohawk Valley adventures for later in the week.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Is Jerry Lewis Still Alive?

Posted on November 23, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went running twice this weekend.  I could write a heck of a Running Commentary today instead of Wrist to Forehead Sunday, couldn’t I?  Well, maybe I could and maybe I couldn’t.  As Fats Waller famously queried, One never knows, do one?

Regular readers know I have been struggling to begin running yet again.  Yes, I have started and stopped running many times.  As long as I keep beginning again, I am reasonably content with myself.  After all, as I have often observed, beating oneself up doesn’t burns calories, build muscles, increase aerobic health or even keep one reasonably entertained for any length of time.  Running can potentially accomplish all of the above.

So I ran on Saturday and again on Sunday.  They were not great runs, more like plods, especially Saturday’s.  No matter.  I got out and did it.

And I really don’t feel like writing about it.

No matter, it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday as well as my birthday.  I am now playing with a full deck, 52 years old.  I stole that joke from Jerry Lewis.  He used it at the beginning of one of his Labor Day Telethons, back in the day when it was quite the thing to watch the telethon.  Well, they say plagiarism is the sincerely form of flattery.  At least, I say it.

So that is my post today.  I told you I ran but didn’t tell you about my run, then I shared a lame, stolen joke.  And it took me over 250 words.  I’ll call that OK.  Gee, I hope I still have readers by tomorrow.  Happy Sunday, everybody.

 

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Scattered Saturday So Far

Posted on November 22, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I like doing these Scattered Saturday posts, only I sometimes have difficulty coming up with a decent lead.  I know, I know, write the body first, then go back and figure out the lead.  It’s not that I can’t write things out or order, I can; I just don’t usually and I am really not that good at it.

Having said all that, I’d like to tell you about my Saturday so far.

I got up at 3:30 a.m., because Steven had to work at 6:30.  He likes to be up three hours before he has to be in. For me two is sufficient and it’s even less when I have to be in at some ungodly hour like five, but we’re not talking about me.  Oh wait a minute, yes we are.  It’s my blog (and I’ll cry if I want to) (no, wait, that’s something else).

I left the house when Steven did, about 6:20 and headed for the store.  I had to pick up a few things for our gathering tonight.  It is NOT a party.  You see, tomorrow is my birthday and if it was a party, people might feel obligated to bring presents.  Also, if it was a party, some people might feel miffed that they were not invited. Also, I just had a big party last month.  Some people say you can’t have too many parties, but I don’t want to put it to the test (some people also say you shouldn’t keep starting sentences with “Also,” but what do they know?).

Where was I?

Oh yes, home from the store, I spent some time cleaning the house, with some degree of success.  For music to clean by I picked Lavay Smith and her Red-Hot Skillet Lickers.  It is not a Christmas album (too early for that), but they end with a bonus track of “Winter Wonderland.”  Which I guess is technically not a Christmas song, but it passes for one. Also, it was not an album, it was a CD.  Sue me.

Next I wrote some post cards and walked them to the post office.  I have not been doing this on Saturday mornings, which had previously been my habit, so I was glad I got to do it, although it is less fun to walk without a dog (that’s not a run-on sentence; diagram it).   It was a little chilly, but it felt good to walk.  Knowing my legs needed the exercise, once I got home I put on running gear and went running.

Oh yes, I almost forgot, amongst these activities I did a load of laundry.  I put it in the washer while I cleaned then the drier while I walked to the post office.  I delayed my run long enough to take it out of the drier and fold it.  You see how efficient I am becoming in my old age.  Not efficient enough to put the laundry away, but one can’t have everything.

After my run (a short plod, really, I may write a blog post about it) (preview of coming attractions), I showered, ate lunch (it was almost 11 a.m.), visited with Steven when he came home for lunch, and took a nap.  I got up when Steven got home around 2:30 and did some other stuff.

However, look how long this post is becoming.  I was going to tell you my whole day so far, but I feel I am taxing your patience by even taking you this far.  And I see I have left a few things out which I had meant to include.  Then again, perhaps those things are only interesting to me.  We may never know.

In any case, I hope you are enjoying your Saturday.  I certainly am.  Hope to see you on Wrist to Forehead Sunday, which this week will be known as How the Hell Did I Get to be 52 Sunday.

 

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Late, Lame Lush

Posted on November 21, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Um, I don’t know that I am really all that much of a lush.  But I love alliteration, and since alcohol was involved in today’s post, I thought I would stretch a point.

Thank goodness it is Lame Post Friday, although this will be the third foolish post in a row.  However, I have a policy of not apologizing for these things, at least on Fridays.  Policies subject to change without notice, but that’s neither here nor there.

I am late doing my post today, because I had to meet a friend at a couple of wine tastings at local liquor stores.  Wine tastings at liquor stores are a wonderful thing, because you can try wines you would not necessarily purchase untasted and perhaps discover something you like.  Sometimes you can increase your knowledge of wine and gain oenophile cred (although it helps if you know how to pronounce “oenophile,” which I do not) (I’m not even sure that is how you spell it, although my computer seems to think it is correct).

More importantly, you can often chat up nice people, or meet up with friends and have a fun interlude.  Today I met a friend at Vintage Spirits in Herkimer and then we went to Ilion Wine and Spirits in Ilion.  Full disclosure:  if she had been unable to make it, I probably would have gone to the tastings by myself.  But it would not have been nearly as fun.

I hope to do full posts about each tasting, sharing what I tasted and what I learned.  However, today is Friday.  I got home late and have to get up early.  I have some relaxing to do.  Also, I have to finish cooking dinner (ooh, maybe I can get a cooking post out of today as well).

In short, I hope you are having a happy Friday.  I am.

 

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Is That an Excuse, or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

Posted on November 20, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I wrote one paragraph of a blog post while at work today, and it wasn’t very good.  I had a title I thought was pretty good, but I don’t want to use it till I have a half-way decent blog post to go with it.  What I’m saying is, welcome to Non-Sequitur Thursday.

One can’t really take a nap at 5:55 p.m., unless one is planning on staying up quite late, which I am not.  I personally don’t care to take naps after 3 p.m., although I love them at almost any time prior to that.  Sleep, ah, wonderful sleep.  According to Shakespeare it knits something or other (I probably could think of the actual expression if I tried, but I thought it would be funnier if I did not).

Am I babbling?  Ooh, that might make a good headline. Or not.

I am waiting for Steven to come home and we are supposed to head to the monthly dinner meeting of Ilion Little Theatre.  I made guacamole and hummus to bring.  I had planned to make the guacamole, without benefit of recipe.  I told a work friend about it as we were walking out.

“I’ll put some stuff in, then mush it, taste it, mush it, taste it,” I said.  “Then I’ll write a blog post about it.”

Of course it did not go as planned, although the adventure did include mushing and tasting.  I thought it would, in fact, make a pretty good blog post.  Only I am too tired to write it.  How embarrassing.

On the other hand, I am now over 250 words, and I call that respectable.  Now I just need a good, non-sequitury title, and I’m in business.   Tune in tomorrow for Lame Post Friday, when Mohawk Valley Girl says, “And the reason I did not write a blog post today is that…”

 

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Who, Me? Have a Life?

Posted on November 19, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

That’s it.  Wuss-out Wednesday it is.  I just typed in two sentences and backspaced them out.  I will not do it again.  It is getting late (for me) and I am tired (as usual).  I want to make my post and go to bed.  Maybe after looking at Facebook, which I haven’t really had time to do today (I’m a little bit addicted).

Why, you may be asking, did I not write a post earlier, perhaps while on break at work or while waiting for a doctor appointment?  I will answer, with a trace of defensive smugness (if you can be defensive and smug at the same time), I was writing something else.  I worked all day on an article for Mohawk Valley Living.  I hope it was good.

I often say that writing begets more writing, and I think in general it is true.  But sometimes I get tired.

One problem is that I have been straight out between stage managing the play at Ilion Little Theatre, working overtime, dealing with homeowner-type chores, and in general trying to have a life.  I guess that’s my whole problem.  Who ever said I could have a life?  I guess nobody, I just thought I could have one.  Wrong again!

One encouraging thought (for me anyways), is that it looks as if writing really does encourage writing, because tired as I am, it is kind of fun to type this in now, and I am thinking how I would REALLY like to have an hour or two to sit and work at the novel I haven’t done a thing with in months.  I positively must carve out time in my silly life to do so.

And perhaps tomorrow I can carve out time to write a better blog post.  Happy Wednesday, everyone.

 

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A Little More About the Laundry

Posted on November 18, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Continuing my laundry saga will allow me to give a shout-out to two local businesses.  Therefore I offer the following in lieu of my usual Tired Tuesday post.

Our first stop was Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner for breakfast.  I’ve written about Crazy Otto’s numerous times.  It is a local favorite.  They were doing a booming business, as usual, but we were able to get a booth.

The crab meat omelet special was tempting, but I was conservative and ordered a bagel with cream cheese.  I was pleased that they had Everything bagels.  Being indecisive, as I am, I love Everything bagels, because you don’t have to decide on one.  The waitress asked if I wanted it toasted or grilled. I had never had a grilled bagel before.  It was quite tasty.  Steven had bacon and eggs with hash browns and Italian toast.

As we were paying, I noticed two orders of steak and eggs go by.  I’ve never gotten steak and eggs.  What steaks!  They were huge and looked delicious!  I’m getting that next time.

Properly nourished, we walked across the street to Collis Hardware.  Collis TrueValue Hardware is a real old-fashioned hardware store.  It is located on Main Street in Herkimer, where I’m sure it has stood for years.  I’ll have to look up some history about it, but, well, I guess it’s still Tired Tuesday, because I can’t do it right now.

Be that as it may, on Sunday we found someone to help us right away.  As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, we needed a new cord for our new (to us) drier.  We had a rubbing of the socket it had to go into and a diagram of what the plug should look like.  The man at Collis quickly found just what we needed.

Back home, I put a load of laundry into the washer while Steven installed the new cord.  If the drier still didn’t work, I knew I could hang them out to dry on the clothesline.  Perhaps I should have anyways, because Sunday was a nice sunny day.  Still, we wanted to use the new (to us) drier.  It turned right on with the new cord.  And the hose popped out of the back.  Steven was able to reattach it, so we were in business.

I hope this post was better than my usual Tire Tuesday tripe (see what I did there?).  My question now is, will I end up doing as many blog posts about the new (to us) (yes I’m going to keep doing that) washer and drier as I did about the laundromat?  I’m not going to keep score.  If you are… you might like to look for a more fulfilling hobby.

 

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Wrist to Closing Night

Posted on November 16, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I knew much earlier today it was going to be Wrist to Forehead Sunday, but I was still unable to actually write the post.  I didn’t feel good.  I’m not exactly feeling better now, but the wine I drank has kind of disguised my ill feelings.  Never mind.  I do not despair of writing something readable.

Today was the last performance of Lunch Hour at Ilion Little Theatre.  It was a truly wonderful show.  The cast was top notch.  How about a few words about the cast?  They were kind of a mixed bag, but a really great mix.

We had two fellows who had done a lot but not recently, a woman who had not done much at all, and a young woman who had done a lot recently but mostly musicals.   I hope I have that right.  It doesn’t matter if I didn’t, because those things don’t really matter to the audience.  All that matters to the audience is that the play is good, and this one was.

Quite frankly, I was at most of the rehearsals and I did not realize any of these people had not been doing lots of shows right along.  They were awesome!  What made this cast good all along the line was their attitude.  They wanted to work hard to put on a good show, and they did.

They learned their lines, they listened to their director, they thought about their characters, they got on stage, and they went for it.  And it worked.

I don’t want to go on at too much length about how wonderful it was, because it is too late for anybody else to see it.  It closed after tonight’s performance.  We had a very enjoyable cast party, involving wine for those of us who were of legal age to enjoy it, which I am.

Did I drink and type, you may ask.  Full disclosure:  yes.  Sue me.  No matter.  I had an authentic Mohawk Valley Adventure and I made a blog post about it.  I am only having a Wrist to Forehead Sunday now because I am worried my blog post is not as good as it should be.  Then again, what ever is?   I hope what I’m typing  now will be good enough.

Lunch Hour was definitely “good enough.”  The audience liked it.  I liked it.  Come see the next show at Ilion Little Theatre.  I bet you’ll like it.

 

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I’ve Got the Dirty Clothes Blues

Posted on November 15, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

This will be a purely personal blog post, made for the sake of publishing something every day.

I just now resisted with great effort the dreaded Type It In And Backspace It Out.  I bet some of you are wishing I had not so resisted (you know who you are).  I am sitting in my living room, handy acer in my lap (thanks, Vicki!), being rather poor company for my husband on his lunch break, and waiting for some family members to arrive and help me with a homeowners chore.

I had rather thought my husband would help me with this post, so I will read to him what I have written and request his input.

He suggests I explain the chore.  We are getting a new (to us) (that’s Steven’s expression, credit where credit is due) washer and dryer.  Longtime readers may remember that our previous washer and dryer (washer came with the house, dryer purchased new at our previous apartment) perished in the flood of 2013.  I have been going to the laundromat ever since, and written several blog posts about it.

Oh, how I have come to hate that laundromat!  (While still being grateful that it is there, and clean, and staffed, and with sufficient machines, I hasten to add.) (So don’t shake your finger at me and shame me for being glass-half-empty.) (You know who you are.)  When a co-worker offered to sell me his old set for a very attractive price, I jumped at the chance.

Steven insisted we further clean our basement first.  Of course we cleaned after the flood, but there is always room for improvement.  At long last, today is the day to get the washer and drier.

And, apparently, write a boring blog post about it.

(Pause while I ask Steven for further suggestions.)

He thinks this is a good enough post.  Now if only he can help me think of a title.

 

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Webster Is Not Much Help

Posted on November 13, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Do you suppose that MRI sucked out my brains and that’s why I’ve been so stupid all week?  Yes, yes, I know you’re asking what my excuse was before the MRI.  Must you make such obvious jokes?

Welcome to Non-Sequitur Thursday.

It really is a brain dead feeling.  It doesn’t seem like Writer’s Block, because that implies that there is something behind the block struggling to get out.  It isn’t exactly Writer’s Blank, either, because my brain does have a kind of, well, cluttered feeling to it.  But I can’t think, I can’t write, and it is very distressing.

Having said that, I remind myself that I just now wrote two paragraphs and one sentence worth of words and am embarking on another paragraph.  That does make me feel marginally less distressed.

The sentence that has been sticking in my head this morning is, “One must have a topic.”  It seems that sentence should include the phrase “in order to write,” but I’m not sure whether to put it at the beginning or the end of the sentence.  Any thoughts?

I realize that at times this blog seems dedicated to disproving that sentence.  How many posts about nothing at all have I written?  Anybody opening his mouth to say, “All of them,” can just close it (you know who you are).

This brings us, actually in a kind of a sequential fashion, to my philosophical question for the day.  Then again, half-baked philosophy is the purview of Lame Post Friday, so that makes it a kind of a non-sequitur once again.  Be that as it may, the question is:  Is it inherently better, worse or the same if I compose a post about nothing at the keyboard or if I write it in my notebook while at work (on a break OF COURSE)?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

Bonus question:  When was the last time you saw the word “purview” used correctly in a sentence?

Note to self:  Look up “purview” and see if I used it properly.

 

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